Chapter 6: For The Pure-Hearted!
22 Jan 2003: It had been a fortnight since Meeru had first met Ibrahim. He had instantly fallen in love with Meeru but she was in complete disgust of him. He was just like his father; cunning, arrogant, rude, malicious and vulgar. Saqib made his son just like him, so as to keep his disciples from even thinking of betraying him.
Meeru, in the meantime, told her parents all about Aayushman. They were flabbergasted. They were aware of her frequent trips with “The Royal Tongawalla” but were incognizant to their actual relationship.
When told about him, they inquired about him from the localites and got only positive feedbacks, compliments, honey-coated adjectives for him. This was a sign of relief as they could identify Aayushman as someone belonging to a Royal Lineage.
“I’m imagining him to be some prince.” Said Daniyal.
“Yes! The way the dwellers are praising him is so uncommon. I am already seeing him as a perfect match for my Meeru.” replied Jasmine.
“Let’s go and meet him!”
“Ok!”
The couple reached Aayushman’s homestead at around 4 pm. His family had just gathered for tea.
“May we come in?” asked Daniyal.
“Who’s there?” asked Vihaan from inside.
“We are Meeru’s parents. Perhaps Aayushman has told you about us.”
“I’m afraid he hasn’t. but please come in and make yourselves comfortable.”
Daniyal and Jasmine entered their home and were in complete denial. They couldn’t believe that this was the residence of a Tongawalla.
“Oh my god! This ought to be some palace.” exclaimed Jasmine.
“Beautiful, isn’t it? Aayushman has decorated it entirely by himself.” responded Aditi.
“In that case, we would like to meet the royal architect.”
On the very same instant, Aayushman entered from the front door after his workout session.
As soon as Meeru’s parents saw him, their shock knew no bounds. They stood there in a completely frozen state.
Aayushman touched their feet and paid his respects, not knowing that these guests were here to give him the biggest shock of his life.
This was because Miyaan Ji had blessed Maharaja’s great-grandson with a Royal sign. The image of a sun would appear on his forehead whenever he would come in front of anyone belonging to the two families, and the rest of the world would be completely oblivious to its presence.
Now, as soon as he came in front of Meeru’s parents, they saw the sign.
“He is the one!” gasped Jasmine.
“Yes, I see that. That’s why we were being portrayed such a royal image. He is a royal, and that too, Meeru’s foretold suitor. Meeru was to love him, and she did.” Daniyal sighed in relief at the thought that Miyaan Ji’s promise was at the brink of fulfillment.
“We are here to ask for your son’s hand in wedding for our daughter.”
The Singh family wasn’t ready for this revelation. However, Asif chacha was dancing at the corner. He had known all along that this was bound to happen and was happy to finally see it.
"We have just come back to the Valley after 12 years.”
“And you had not gone for saving yourself but you fled to save Aayushman’s life, right Vihaan?”
“Strange! How do you know my name? Moreover, how do you know this fact which no one apart from Asif knows?”
“That’s because I am Daniyal Shah, Miyaan Ji’s grandson, and you are Maharaja’s grandson and Aayushman is…….”
“His Great-grandson?” spoke Aayushman in an uncomfortable voice.
He wasn’t able to digest the fact that his parents had hidden from him. He always felt very differently for the valley, as if someone was waiting for him in it.
“Yes, I’m ready to marry Meeru.” he said hurriedly.
“We know that son. We’ve known that for so long since it was destined to happen.” Daniyal said in a humorous manner.
“But currently we are in a fix Vihaan.”
“Why what happened Daniyal?”
He narrated the entire story of how Saqib took another promise from Miyaan Ji under the shade of falsehood and that they fear not being able to say no.
Aayushman was enraged. He was so angry at hearing this that he vowed to not return home until he teaches Ibrahim or Saqib a lesson for life.
Meanwhile, Saqib’s helper-spirits told him that something was going on at Vihaan’s home. He ceased all work and sat in meditation to see and hear everything.
When he saw Aayushman coming towards him, the face so red with anger that the sign on his forehead too, became blood red and glowed scarily, as if he was out on a war, he immediately summoned Ibrahim and told him to take 22 men laden with weapons to counter the incoming storm.
Aayushman was stopped mid-way by the mob. His inner-conscious signalled to him that these are the traitors. His anger was actually an amalgamation of two; one being what Saqib had done to his family, and the second being what he was doing to Meeru.
“You have come to kill us?” Shouted Ibrahim.
“Yes, I have.”
“As who?”
“As someone who has dared to love the lady who you think is your inherited property.”
“Who says I’ve inherited her?”
“I know the entire story Ibrahim. Get ready to meet Allah.”
“In that case, let me tell you the truth my friend. Meeru just proposed me. She called me in her room and after that…”
“Shut up you creep! Have some shame before uttering such things for a woman. That too, a princess like her.”
Ibrahim was enraged. Till now he hadn’t met a man who could silence him in front of his father’s disciples. He felt humiliated and wanted immediate revenge for the same.
He summoned the spirits to kill Aayushman but they were too scared to attack a man who carried a glowing sun on his forehead.
It came down to hands. Twenty-two versus one.
Aayushman was able to slain all the disciples one by one. It was not his heart but his blood which bestowed upon him the power to do so.
Ibrahim, on seeing his men dying, became scared that he would actually be killed under the glowing forehead.
The sun had left just enough light in the sky for a final attack. While Aayushman was fighting on one side, Ibrahim pounced on him from behind and summoning all his might, stabbed Aayushman 13 times.
On the other hand, Meeru couldn’t stop her tears which flowed ceaselessly. She knew that something had happened to Aayushman, her heart knew.
Our hero fell.
As the sun up in heaven looked for a hiding to hide its cowardly face for helping the traitor, the sun that glowed down here became golden-red, glowing aggressively, its light spreading along all directions and dethroning the actual sun from its position.
Aayushman awaited, either the comforting hands of his beloved Meeru, whom he had accepted as his soulmate for all births ahead or the comforting hands of death, which come equally for everyone and take us away from this world of sorrows into the world created by Lord FOR THE PURE-HEARTED!
BY: TEJKIRAT SINGH SUKHIJA
List Of Characters:
Aayushman
Meeru
Daniyal Shah (Meeru's Father)
Jasmine Shah (Meeru's Mother)
Vihaan Singh (Aayushman's Father)
Aditi Singh (Aayushman's Mother)
Asif Chacha
Miyaan Ji (Meeru's Great-Grandfather)
Maharaja (Aayushman's Great-Grandfather)
Saqib Iblis
Ibrahim Iblis (Saqib's Son)