The FairyTale- I

The FairyTale - I

The first time Ramrakh met Hansa was on top of the bus going to Mandalgarh. He was on his way to prove his worth as a son of the family. Six months he would live as Ram a young man who has come from a nearby village for a job. When he had left his home, he was sure of making it through the six months but six hours into the journey on top of the bus travelling through the dusty roads had him wishing to return home.  He acknowledged her because of one single thing- she was using his shoulder as a pillow. He sat straight refusing to move an inch scared of disturbing the sleeping beauty. She had climbed on the top without any hesitation or concerns and sat by his side using him as a physical shield against the gaze of the other commuters.

“Bhaisa, wake your wife,” the conductor told him as they came to their destination. “This is the last stop for us.”

He eyed the girl who ate with gusto as they sat in a dhaba after being declared as husband and wife by the conductor and co-passengers.

“It’s better to be disguised as a married couple,” she spoke up with a smile, “as in a small town like this one people will trust us better and we will have access to the facilities easily.”

He looked at her shocked as she smiled back at him, “do not worry I will protect your honour from all the wandering eyes of the town.”

Later that evening Ramrakh lay on the floor looking up at the ceiling thinking about the story that she had told everyone

“We got married at the Gauri temple,” she told the elderly landlord lady, “the families were against the alliance because of his monetary stature. He wishes to prove his worth and wanted some time but a wicked uncle of mine wanted access to the small treasure my parents had set aside for me”

Ram smiled recalling the way she had turned teary-eyed and added the right expressions. 

“She should be an actress or in the theatre,” he thought and the cherry on the cake was that everyone including the landlady fell for it. So, here he was with a roof, job and a wife who seemed to be hiding secrets of her own but he was no one to question her after all he had a secret to protect as well.

As time passed Ram found his partner interesting, amusing and mysterious. She knew all the rituals of performing the prayers, could recite the Gayatri Mantra as well as Durga Chalisa without any hesitation. She refused to let anyone bully her and taught bullies a lesson- the poor ration shop owner would not dare to cheat the customers and loved playing with kids. But the best was her culinary skills he was shocked to see the blackened shapeless roti that looked more like a pappad and the watery concoction that at one point in life could be considered as daal.

“I’ll cook from now onwards,” he told her as they sat down for their simple meal of khichdi. 

“You can help me with the dishes or prepping the meal.” She quietly nodded her head and agreed to it without any fights. 

The next morning, he found a piece of paper in his work bag and realised it was a list of dishes- favourite, preferred and manageable. Underneath was a note that read:

I hope you can make dishes from the first two columns as I do not like the last one- Hansa

Ramrakh contacted his elder brother when he felt unsure of his feelings. As instructed by his brother, he went around doing things to understand his feelings for his fake wife. From pretending to be angry, to treating her like a pure stranger he did everything as stated by his brother only to fail miserably. For she had not paid attention to any of his mood swings rather she was busy with her own struggles

“If you want to say something then say it,” she told him exhausted. “You must have noticed by now that I’m not good at puzzles. They confuse me so whatever it is just say it.”

He looked at her for a minute before uttering out the words,

“I think I’m in love with you and want to spend the rest of my life with you,” he told her without breaking eye contact.

 “Also, I’m a Kunwar who is in disguise to prove my worth to my father.”

"You are still cooking, Kunwar or not,” she told him with a smile as she walked around him towards the bedroom.

As the six-month neared to an end Ram felt agitated over the thought of leaving Hansa behind by herself. He had seen the way some men would eye her in the bazaar and it took all of his restraint to not beat them to a pulp. He smiled as he read her diary while she slept soundly in the bedroom looking at the several things that had a tick mark against them. The List of Firsts was her idea of bucket list. He was happy that most of them happened with him by her side. At the moment of farewell arrived, Hansa promised him,

“I will wait for you as long as it takes”

With a last glance at her smiling face with teary eyes, he bid her farewell. Keeping her words in his heart, Ram stepped on to the bus going back to his home to declare his intention of marrying the woman who had taught him the meaning of life- Hansa.