Girl on the swing…
“Why doesn’t he forgive me? What’s my crime? I fell in love with a boy, whom my parents didn’t like, that’s my crime.”
Siya tries to think of something to say or do to make her parents, especially her father, forgive her. Mr Ram Kapoor has disinherited his daughter and thrown her out of his house and heart too. But Siya, remains seated on the swing on the lawns of her father’s palatial bungalow, hoping to melt his heart and beg for forgiveness for the attempted elopement that took place two weeks ago. She sees her father’s car approaching and gets off the seat and waves at her dad, he simply stares at her for a brief moment and turns his face away, driving off towards the house. Siya is stunned and so hurt at this rejection, tears spill out of her beautiful eyes.
Siya is the only child of the richest businessman of Meethapur, her father Ram Kapoor owns the whole city. He adores his lovely 19year old daughter and fulfils all her demands. One day, on the way to college, Siya’s car breaks down and Rajat, who happens to be studying in the same college, helps her out by offering her a lift on his bike. And the rest as they say is history. Siya and Rajat fall in love so deep, that they cannot live without each other.
Rajat and Siya bunk classes and go for movies at the only cinema-hall in the city, Gagan Cinema. Siya loves these outings because she can sit with her head resting on his broad shoulder and her hand on his rapidly beating heart. She loves playing with the hair covering his chest. Some days these two dare to even steal a kiss or two during the climax of the movie, but they always make sure to rush out before the lights come on. But because it is the only movie hall in the area, the love-birds are spotted and reported back to her parents by the meddling good Samaritans.
“How dare you make me the laughing stock of the entire city?” thunders Mr Kapoor, and Siya starts trembling. She has never seen him so angry and out of control, “But Daddy, we love each other and want to get married.” Siya’s remark adds fuel to the fire and Mr Kapoor looks at Siya with something akin to disgust on his face, “Love?”, “ What do you know of love my dear?”, he asks sarcastically of his beloved daughter. “Love doesn’t conquer all, like in the movies, you have to have money to survive and be happy. He cannot give you what you are accustomed to, you will never be happy with him.” Siya tries once more to let him know just what Rajat and his love means to her,” Daddy, he is my soul-mate, the missing piece of my heart. I can never be happy with anybody else, please meet with him once and see for yourself.”
“No, never….And you will also never meet him again, it’s my order or I will disinherit you and then see how fast he turns tail and runs away.” Saying this, Mr Kapoor walked out the door. Siya is stunned, “How can Daddy be so judgemental and obstinate? I will run away with Rajat and then see how he doesn’t accept us.” Siya calls up Rajat and tells him about her plan; Rajat is apprehensive but gives in to Siya’s hysterical ramblings. They decide to run away in the early hours of the morning and at 4 a m, Siya and Rajat slip out of the main gate of Kapoor mansion never to return again.
On reaching the railway station, they realise that it’s not easy running away at the age of 19 and keeping house. They decide to wait for a couple of years and then try and change their parent’s minds. Rajat drops Siya off near the corner of her house and rushes off to his place, before his parents wake up and Siya, lost in her thoughts steps off the kerb, and is instantly run over by a truck, driven by a drunk driver. She dies instantly and the screeching of the brakes wakes up her family members.
Her father picks up her bloodied form in his arms and cries, inconsolably. “I am sorry Siya, Please forgive me. I should have listened to you, come back to me. I will get you married off to Rajat.” But it’s too late and Siya is long gone from this heartless world.
Siya’s soul remains seated on the swing, and the servants swear that they see her ghost at night. She keeps saying, “Daddy I love you, please forgive me for hurting you but I can’t live without Rajat. Please accept him as your son-in-law.”
The swings makes a creaking sound and the breeze turns chilly……
Lucks aka Sulekha
