'Mainu pata tha aap yahin kahin hai ! Par us Kshitij ne mainu rok liya', she fretted.
'Amrit maine to is baare mein socha hi nahi ! Aap itni khoobsurat hai, itni kaamyaab hai ! Aapki shaksiyat hi aisi hai ! Koi bhi aapse shaadi karna chaahega'
'Kisi aur ke chaahne na chaahne se kya fark padta hai Randheer. Mera dil to humesha se aap hi ke naam hai !', she said smiling.
'Aur mera dil aapke naam !'
'Ye lijiye, meri khoobsurat Amrit ke liye ye khoobsurat phool !', I smiled presenting her the bouquet.
The shine in her eyes was all I wanted to see !
'Par Amrit mujhe aapse ek shikaayat hai'
'Ji ?! Aap naraaz ho mere naal ?', she asked genuinely worried. 'Mainu batao na maine kya kiya ? Mainu sachi nai pata !'.
'Aap kal balcony mein kyun nahi aayi ? Maine kitni der intezaar kiya aapka !'
She bit her tongue. 'Maaf kardijiye mainu. Vo kal main itni khush thi ki bilkul bhool hi gayi. Kal main chhatt pe sone chali gayi thi.'
'Chhatt pe ?!'
'Haan Randheer, taaron bhare aasmaan ke neeche sone ka apna alag ehsaas hai Najaane kitni raatein maine tare gine hai aapke intezaar mein. ! Aur jab bhi mere mann mein jazbaaton ka sailaab uthta hai tab main chhatt pe chali jaati hoon. Sukoon milta hai mujhe.'
'Kaash main bhi aapke saath us sukoon ko mehsus kar paata !', I said sighing.
'Randheer ! Bas 12 din reh gaye hai humaare vyaah ko. Phir to har raat hum baahon mein baahein dale chhatt par taaron ko nihaarenge !', she beamed.

Raatan kaaliyan, kaaliyan kaaliyan ne
mere dil saanwle...
mere haaniyan, haaniyan, haaniyan je
lagge tu na gale ...

Mera aasmaan mausamaan di na sune
koi khwaab na poora bune...

Dil diyan gallaan ...
karaange naal naal bae ke
akh naal akh nu milaake...
Dil diyan gallan
karaange roz roz bae ke
sachiyaan mohabbatein nibha ke...

I gently took her hand and she gripped it tightly. We walked out of the library.

                                *

We were going towards a bench in the lawn in front of the college building.
Amrit was holding my hand with both her hands. She was not that kind of a person who would flaunt her fiancé. This was a gesture solely meant to express her love towards me.
That was when a middle aged European professor walked up to us.
'Good Afternoon Sir!', Amrit greeted him.
Addressing Amrit he said, 'So dear girl! Is he the lucky one?' She nodded a bit, a soft blush creeping on her cheeks.
'Hello, I'm Professor Collins', he said offering his hand. We shook hands.
'It's a pleasure to meet you sir. I'm Randheer Raizada.'
'Young man, this girl here is a treasure. She is extremely talented and she is one of my brightest pupils. Do take care of her!'
I couldn't tell him how I was dying to pamper her to my heart's content!
'Amrit, I hope you don't disappear after your marriage like all of them do! I expect great things from you! It's a pity I don't understand Hindi. I can't read your work! But I'm learning. I'm learning okay!', he said with a broad smile and took our leave.
Amrit had literally created a whole new world here! I was so proud of her!

I said, 'Kaayal ho gaya hoon ji main aapka!'
She would do such amazing things and then would turn pink at the slightest compliment from me! Inpar to har pal mera dil aa jaata hai !

'Aisa bhi kuch nahi kiya hai maine Randheer. Main bas ek aam ladki hoon jiske sapne bade hain.'

Bending a bit towards her I said,

'Baaton se vo duniya jeet lein
kuch aisi baat hai unmein

sone ka dil liye chalti hai
aur poochhti hai kya khaas hai unmein ?

muskurahat aisi hai unki
ki veerane mein bhi baahaar aa jaye

Ab humara kya kasoor hai ki
jab bhi unhe dekhein, unpar pyaar aa jaaye !'

'Randheer ! aap aise mere taareefon ke pul baandhenge to maine to saatve aasman par rehna hai saara din !', she said turning crimson.
'Amrit ! Main to chahta hoon to ki aap har pal saatve aasmaan par hi rahe. Aur agar iski wajah main hoon to mujhse zyaada khush aur kaun hoga bhala !', I replied with a radiant smile.

She didn't realize that she had a gift that no one around her could resist loving her.

Smiling broadly, Amrit sat down on the bench in front of us and I followed suit.
'Amrit aapne to mujhse poochha hi nahi ki mera interview kaisa raha ?', I questioned.
'Vo to mainu pehle se hi pata hai ki aapka interview bohot acha gaya hoga. Ye bhi koi poochne waali baat hai ?!' I smiled.
'Amrit ! main aapke liye ek tohfa laaya hoon !', I beamed.
'Sach !', she exclaimed with sparkling eyes.
That child-like delight on her face ! She is just so adorable !

I took out the box from my pocket, opened it and looked at her expectantly.
'Amrit maine dekha ki aap apna 'Om' wala pendant nahi pehenti aajkal . Shayad aap dubaara pehen hi nahi paayi hongi use. Amrit isse khareedte waqt mere mann mein bas ek baat thi ki. Jis dard se aap guzri hai use to main mita nahi sakta par ek nayi yaad to hum milkar bana hi sakte hain ! Par marzi aapki hai. Agar aap ise nahi pehena chahti to koi baat nahi. Main kuch aur le aaunga aapke liye.'

She looked at me and said, 'Randheer, aap jaante hai batwaare se pehle main kabhi do din ke liye bhi Mummyji-Bauji se door nahi rahi. Vo mujhse is tarah chhin jaayenge ye to sochna bhi... Par beet-te waqt ke saath maine paaya ki Mummyji aur Bauji dono hi apni seekh aur apne dher saare laad-pyaar ke saath mere saath humesha hi zinda the. Main jo insaan hoon aaj, bas unhi ki to parchhaayi hoon.
Vo pendant na pehenne ka koi wajah to main bhi bata paungi. Haalaat ke hisaab se to mainu use kabhi utaarna hi nahi tha. Par pata nahi kabhi pehen hi nahi paayi use dubaara. Aur shaayad kabhi pehen bhi na pau.
Aur aapne itna socha ! itna socha ! Randheer main... main isse zaroor pehenungi. Kabhi nahi utaarungi isse, kabhi nahi', she was looking down all the time, trying not to cry.
'Randheer in beetein saalon mainu jab bhi kabhi inni si takleef hoti thi, mainu aisa lagta tha koi mera haath thaame khadaa hai. Vo aap the Randheer – humesha muskuraate hue khade rehte the mere naal. Randheer ab bas itne saal jasie taise beet gaye . Ab aap kade bhi mainu chhad ke nai jaana. Jahaan bhi jaaoge, mainu vi saath le jaana !'

'Amrit main kahin jaa bhi sakta hoon aapse door. Ab chaliye thoda muskuraiye. Aapka udaaas chehra dekhkar to ye phool bhi murjhaa jaayenge. Aap chaahti hai aise ho ?!'.
She cutely nodded a no.
'Ab agar aapki ijaazat ho to main ise pehna du ?'
She smiled a bit.
Unhooking the pendant, I went behind the bench, I. As I placed the pendant around her neck, I felt a shiver run down her spine. Pausing for a second, I hooked it.

'ye bohot khoobsurat hai Randheer ! Bohot pyaara hai !', she smiled radiantly.
'Ab mera chaand hai hi itna pyaara, ki vo chaand bhi uska ghulaam banne chala aaya', I said and watched her go pink again.
I felt she would just be blushing the whole day around me!

'Ek tohfa to main vi laayi hoon aapke vaaste !', she said taking a small package out of her bag. Unlike mine, hers was gift-wrapped.
'Par isse aap ghar jaake kholiyega', she said timidly handing it to me.

'Maaf kijiyega par ye to nahi ho sakta', I flatly refused and started unwrapping it already.
I heard her mutter 'Haye Rabba' under her breath.
It was Musk Ittar, the one that I used back then. I looked at her with a smirk.
'Vo... vo mainu bada acha lagta hai jab aap ittar lagaate ho', she struggled, trying to hide her embarrassment.
'Amrit', I said matter-of-factly, 'Main na is ittar ki khushboo hi bhool gaya hoon', quickly opening the glass bottle and rubbing some on my inner wrist. 'Dekhiye toh', I held out my arm right in front her face, keeping a straight face.
Gently holding my hand, Amrit took in the scent. She went into a trance for almost a minute.

Tapish ye pyaar ki hai
Badan kyun jal raha hai ?
Mera mann baawra hai
mujhe hi chhal raha hai

kabhi tu chhu raha hai
kabhi tu gungunaaye
samajh kuch bhi na aaye
kyun utthe dil chhod aaye ?

When she regained composure again, she caught me gazing at her. She quickly turned away awkwardly.

Luckily at that moment Vashma arrived with her group of friends. I greeted them with a smile. One of them said, 'To aap hain Amrit ke Randheer ! Hume to in dono ne kuch bataya hi nahi ! Tabhi Amrit subah se gulabon si khili khili ghoom rahi hai !'
I stole a glance at her.
'Humne to isse itna khush kabhi nahi dekha !'
Eyeing Amrit I said, 'Ab inhe aise hi dekhne ki aadat daal lijiye aap sab. Maayusi to inhe chhu bhi nahi paayegi !'
It was difficult to say whose smile was more radiant – mine or Amrit's ?

One of the girls said, 'Ab ye bataiye Asian Games kaun kaun ja raha hai ? Do saal se talte-talte ab akhir kar shuru ho hi gaye.'
Another one said, 'Haan, bohot hi shaandar intezaam hue hai. Mere bhaiya dekhne gaye the udghatan samaaroh. Purane Qile se ikkatees topon ki salaami bhi di gayi thi !'
Amrit said, 'Intezaam shaandar ho bhi kyun na. Azaad Hindustan ki duniya mein apni jagah banaane ka pehla mauka hai. In khelon mein Bhaarat Asiai deshon ki aguaayi kar raha hai. Is pal poore duniya ki nazre hum par tiki hai. Aur sabse acchi baat ye hai ki jitne bhi log isme apna yogdaan de sakte hai sab Azaad Hindustan ki is tasweer par apni bhi chhaap chhodne ke liye poori mehnat kar rahe hai. Warna inna wadaa aayojan itne kam samay mein karna mumkin nahi ho paata'

I looked at her in admiration.
'Bilkul sahi kaha aapne Amrit. Pandit Nehru ko in Asiaai khelon se bohot umeedein hai. Maine suna ki National Stadium ko poori tarah naya banwaaya gaya hai sirf in khelon ke liye !'
One of the girls said, 'Main to nahi jaa paungi. Maa-Bauji akele jaane nahi denge'
Another said, 'Main kal gayi thi apne bhaiya ke saath. Aisa kuch to maine kabhi nahi dekha pehle. Itna bada stadium khacha-khach bhara hua. Aur itne alag alag deshon ke khilaadi ! Amrit Vashma tumlog jaoge dekhne ?'
'Kyun nahi !', came a voice from behind us. It was Uday.
'Maine to aaj ki ticktein bhi le li hai. Hum chaaro abhi wahin jaa rahe hai ! Ab Bharat ki Hockey team mein hone ka kuch to fayda ho ! Aaage ki seatein mili hai', he beamed.
Amrit and Vashma almost jumped in excitement.
'Randheer sahab, mainu pata tha aap bhi yahin milenge issiliye main seedha yahin chala aaya'.
'Sabko pata hai main kahan milunga !', I muttered under my breath.
'Randheer ? Kuch kaha aapne ?', Vashma asked with a knowing look on her face.
Luckily Uday interwened, 'Ab cheti cheti chalo warna der ho jaani hai'.
And the four of us left for National Stadium chattering excitedly.

National Stadium was packed with people. Every spectator was in awe of the event and the ceremony.

4th March 1951 – this was a life-changing day for me as I had reunited with my Amrit. But it was a life-changing moment for our country too as we had convened the very first Asian Games in our country on this day. And Delhi was buzzing with excitement over it.
The tournament had 57 events in 6 sports. 11 Nations were participating.
We moved through the crowd into the stadium, Uday and Vashma ahead of us. Amrit was a bit behind me but was holding my hand. I suddenly felt her grip tighten. I turned to look at her but she was not looking at me. I saw her exchange a look with Vashma and then she drew me towards another direction. I looked at her with amusement.
'Amrit ! Uday pareshaan nahi ho jaayega'
'Vashma hai na !', she grinned. We found a seat and settled down waiting for the games to begin. We were going to stay there till the evening. The competitions scheduled for the day were Basketball, Track Cycling, Swimming and weight-lifting. We were cheering for our atheletes enthusiastically all day !
Japan dominated cycling and Basketball while Iranians won most of the events in weight-lifting. But we witnessed India win its first gold medal in swimming! Both of us we almost jumping in excitement when India won the medal ! We were so overjoyed !
After the day Amrit and I moved out of the stadium , eagerly discussing the tournament.
Tommorrow I'd be joining office and we would not be able to come to watch the Games again. And the tournament would end on the 11th of March. I would thank Uday again for today ! What an amazing day it had been !

We met Uday and Vashma outside the stadium. Uday didn't complain today. They too had spent an amazing time probably! We left for home.

Before entering our respective houses, I asked Amrit, 'To aaj aap balcony mei aayengi ya phir chhatt par soyengi ?'
'Chunna bada mushkil hai', she said but looking at my fallen face she said with a glint in her eyes. 'Main bas kuch hi der mein aayi. Intezaar kijiyega !'
I grinned and waved her a goodbye.