When love sees no further!!

WHEN LOVE SEES NO FURTHER

Vishal marveled at the lovely paintings on display at the famous Jehangir gallery in Mumbai. The paintings were beautiful but all had a tale that he tried to read. The theme was sad. There was loneliness, be it a solemn eye, a captured bird, an abstract design, zigzag lines, or mere closed fists. But each showed solitude, loneliness. He turned to look at the bespectacled lady, the artist behind these marvelous works. Somehow the signature and the theme did not gel with this person. Anagha was well known in her circle. Vishal approached her and applauded her great works. He then began to talk about her work. She seemed very uncomfortable answering him and finally said,
“You know Vishal this is the first time someone is asking me for such detailed information. Anyway meet my husband Bhargav.”
Vishal felt that the words meant putting a full stop to anymore questions. She quickly moved away to greet some more friends. He placed an order for a couple of them.
He proudly displayed it in his new home in Mumbai where he had shifted merely a month ago. An architect, he was very much interested in masterpieces and this surely was one such, he thought.
But the paintings had a haunting effect on him. He looked at them and went into a daze trying to understand what was hypnotizing him .Whenever he looked at the painting, it was as if someone was beckoning him.
The next day, a meeting was arranged at Anaghas home, courtesy a very good friend of theirs who was infact responsible for introducing Vishal to Anaghas work. He met Anagha and Bhargav and engaged in small talk being careful not to tread on uncomfortable grounds.
After a while, Anagha excused herself and went to answer an important call. Bhargav too excused himself but invited Vishal to stay back for lunch. Vishal looked around the large home and suddenly he felt a pair of eyes on him. He looked around and saw the most innocent eyes looking at him from the room diagonally opposite. Their eyes met and something frighteningly powerful passed through him. He couldn’t understand what it was. The next instant the eyes were gone. Vishal got up to go there when suddenly Anagha walked in.
“Anaghaji, who else is there at home?”, he asked hoping she would reveal something about this thing that was having some hypnotic effect on him. Anagha told him she had a daughter who had just completed her studies.
“Can I meet her”? He asked and then regretted it as Anagha said quite firmly, "She doesn’t like to meet strangers. She is quite reserved. Some other time maybe”. Vishal excused himself and said he had some important work and would definitely have lunch with them some other day.
He just couldn’t sleep that night .First these paintings and then those eyes. Yes there was some similarity in the paintings and the eyes. Both seemed lonely and lost. He wondered how he would ever solve this puzzle. Yes that was what it seemed now and solve he must. He just couldn’t seem to rest otherwise.

He found out from sources about Anagha’s daughter. Nobody knew much about her except that she was called Roopa. Wow a girl with eyes like that had to be Roopa he thought. He went on to try and gather any more available information.Roopa seemed to have finished her studies .Was in her mid twenties and unmarried. But there was not much talk about looking for a groom for her. Was she in love with someone? Didn’t look like that. When your eyes look so lost you definitely cannot be in love.

He seemed to have fallen in love with Roopa. He just couldn’t see any logical explanation to this phenomenon but that was it. He knew it .There was something magnetic about her. He was drawn to her. It was the funniest thing even to him. How could you possibly fall in love with someone you hadnt met, you hadn’t seen, at least not seen completely, you haven’t interacted with. But he was sure he was drawn to her. With this in mind and a proposal in heart he set forth to Roopa’s home to ask Bhargav and Anagha for Roopa’s hand.
Anagha and Bhargav welcomed Vishal home and were quite taken aback when he very forthrightly told them the purpose of his visit.
Anagha had tears in her eyes and she didn’t seem to be capable of stopping them as they continued to flow accompanied by sobs that said that the Mothers ears were awaiting something like this.
Bhargav too seemed to have lost his voice because he couldn’t utter a word .All he did was look at Vishal through tear stained spectacles.
“What is the matter Sir? Don’t you approve of me? I am an architect doing well in my field .Got my own place in Mumbai and have a clean character record. Well of course you can check on that. I guess my education is also quite satisfactory. No vices and a teetotaler. Do I fit the bill for a perfect groom? My parents take pride in me and would definitely approve of the girl I choose to marry. I will definitely keep your daughter happy Sir. So tell me Sir, Am I alright”?

Finally after a long time or what seemed like years and the sound of the clock ticking that was deafening, Bhargav spoke:
“You my dear son are very good, more than perfect but my daughter isn’t. Not by then normal standards that is.” Vishal was quite perplexed “What is wrong Sir. I can work on it” “ You are an amazing individual son, but Roopa is a victim of Leucoderma . She has been suffering for the last ten years and medicines do take their time. Infact Son I have to reveal this secret to you. Roopa is so shy of facing the people due to her condition. She avoids meeting anyone. The paintings on display are her works not Anaghas. ? But she doesn’t want to face the public. That’s why she signs it as Anagha. Actually it is Roopas work." Now Vishal understood the connection between the painting and the eyes. The reason for the hypnotic spell.

“Sir, I know this sounds strange but I would like to meet your daughter. Would you please introduce her to me??” “Are you sure?” asked Bhargav. “Yes I have never been so sure in my life”. Bhargav and Anagha seemed to have a spring now in their steps, It looked like a big burden suddenly was lifted from their very weary shoulders,relieving them , as they walked directly to the room from where Vishal had noticed those innocent eyes.

After about an hour they emerged. Vishal knew that a lot of convincing and cajoling had taken place. He did hear a lot of voices from in and somehow he had expected it.
Roopa was a beauty in the real sense of the world. The moment Vishal saw her he stood up and gazed at her. He couldn’t see the patches on her body, couldn’t see the height , weight or anything. He merely saw the innocence that had been giving him sleepless nights. The eyes that had the beauty of the world, the eyes that demanded relief. The eyes that wanted to open and see the world. And he wanted to do it for her? He was in love as much as he knew about love. He wanted to protect this bird and set her free from the cage that she had put herself in.
Roopa sat next to him and avoided looking at him. Vishal looked at Bhargav and Anagha and silently pleaded a few quite moments with Roopa. The complied and walked in.

Vishal came and sat near Roopa so that he did not have to speak loud but far enough to not make her afraid.
He cleared his throat and spoke his hear out, “ Roopa , I have fallen in love with you and I know you might find it difficult to believe. I know this is strange, it is as strange for me as it is for you but I guess this is how miracles happen. They start with strange beginnings and end with a miraculous end. I guess you are truly gifted by God and your paintings speak volumes about it and that gift is what guided me to you. I think you are one of the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. For me beauty is not skin deep .It goes more than the physical appearance of a person and you my dear are truly beautiful .Your eyes are your windows to your soul and I see complete innocence in them I see the tremendous capability of love waiting to be explored and I wish to be the one to experience this miracle. I do not want anything else from you. Just a promise that you will agree to marry me. I do not care what the society says because the society cannot destine my happiness. I only care about your affirmation to my proposal. Please accept me and I promise to give you a good life not because I can give it but because you deserve no less.”

When he finished he looked at her and she sat still looking at him and then at last she smiled. The perfect smile that showed happiness and tears of joy in her eyes.

Yes amidst opposition they married and lived so happily and what better proof than now when they are actually hosting the 50th exhibition of Roopa that coincided with their 25th wedding anniversary .Post marriage Roopa signed all her paintings as Roopa .She was extremely loved and wanted in society. Roopa now lived her life fully. Roopa whose painting now comprise of freely flying birds and open palms Whose abstract designs are vibrant and bright , whose lines now show a meeting point The eyes that once wore a haunted look in her paintings ,now wore an ecstatic look .
Friends and family that once criticized the choice of Vishal and compared their own choices to his , those who proclaimed to have married the best in looks etc spoke now of their broken homes and marriages while Roopa and Vishal beamed with joy as they had smoothly sailed through their life cocooned in the lovely arms of each other.

She was being honored today and Vishal with his grey hair and charming looks was guiding the guests who were more than happy to be a part of their great celebration. Smrithi their only daughter had organized everything so well, an upcoming author herself . She had a fantastic role model at home she knew she had the best of both worlds. Smrithi who was conceived despite a lot of people claiming that there would be a problem with the child inheriting the same skin problem but to which Vishal and Roopa were completely prepared because who else but Roopa would know that there was more to perfect love than looks and who else but someone like Vishal would honor true love. Smrithi had a wonderful complexion and was as beautiful as the mother and as caring as her father.

Smrithi had often heard about the story of her Mom and Dad and she was so inspired by their love that she had her first book written on them and it was indeed one of the best sellers of an upcoming author in decades.

The exhibition went off well. The demands for her paintings, the congratulations on the successfully happy marriage, the perfect gift of a daughter .Everything so wonderful. As the moved out into the open space both Vishal and Roopa stood looking at the sky. It was Diwali time and the fireworks had never looked so spectacular. It perfectly matched the happiness they both were experiencing.

True love doesn’t see the colour of the skin or the shortcomings .True love sees the real you, the heart for what its worth, the soul for it gentleness, the future that says that when all this has faded the heart is what is going to keep you going!!

Love,
Devika

 

My Dear AC,

You being the first one to give me and FB is in itself a great honour and the rest of it is so overwhelming I am truly at a loss.

I am glad you liked the story AC .

This is a subject that i wanted to deal since some time but somehow couldnt find the time to pen so when I did grab an opportunity I decided to write on it. This FB of yours is so very motivating that infact now its me who has to tell you that your comment has more than made up for all the sweets that i would have probably considered for this festive season.It has made my year.

Thanks a million AC . I am truly honoured.

Love,
Devika

 

My Dear Pothi,

Apni Dadi amma ke bare mein aise baat karte ho ki logon ko lagega ki main akade se kusthi ladne aayi hoon.

Hey Aruna,Thanks a ton yaar, calling this piece of work a masterpiece is absolutely overwhelming.Yes Im glad i treated you to icecream!!Big Laugh

Yaar mujhe chane ke jhaad pe yun chadaya hain thumne. But thanks dear, really very kind of you to give such a lovely FB. Glad you liked the story.

Love,
Dadiamma(Devika)