Om Parvati pataye Har har Mahadev
Everyone went to their rooms. Malhotras staying for a few days. Isha, Shrishti & Shivanya together.
Isha sat on the bed, trying to stay calm… but Shrishti and Shivanya were already staring at her like detectives
Shrishti leaned forward dramatically, eyes wide with mischief.
"Vaise di… aisi kya baat hui jo saalon ka decision ekdum change ho gaya?"
Isha's cheeks warmed instantly. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Koi decision nahi tha… bas… Rudraksha ache hain, supportive hain. Isliye."
Her voice soft yet shy.
Shivanya gasped loudly, hand on her chest.
"Oh oh… blush toh dekho!" she teased.
Shrishti pointed a finger at her.
"Aur batao na… aisi kya baat hui? Hath mein hath bhi tha…"
She made an exaggerated romantic pose.
Isha's eyes widened.
"Chup karo tum dono! Main jaa rahi hoon. Kaam hai mujhe."
Trying to hide her blush, she got up quickly.
"Aur tum dono bhi padh lo… boards hain!"
She practically ran out of the room.
Shivanya burst out laughing.
"Bhaag gayi!"
Shrishti smirked.
"Haan… seedha bhaagi."
Both lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
Shivanya turned her head slowly, raising her eyebrows with dramatic suspicion.
"Tu kya soch rahi hai? Aur ek baat bata… Dhairya ko dekh kar tere tote kyun udd gaye the?"
Shrishti stiffened.
Eyes darted away.
"Aisa kuch nahi hai…"
Shivanya scoffed.
"Jhooooth. Bohot ache se jaanti hoon main tujhe."
She shifted closer.
"Seedhe bol… kahi Dhairya woh toh nahi?"
Her tone was half-curious, half-warning.
Shrishti closed her eyes for a moment.
Helpless.
Soft.
"Shivuuu yaar…"
Shivanya sat up sharply, frustrated.
"MATLAB woh hi hai! Tu pagal hai Shrii!"
Shrishti also sat up, startled.
"Shivu tera dimaag kharab hai kya!? Hum dost hain. Utna kaafi hai."
Shivanya narrowed her eyes.
"Par jab vo tera family friend hai… toh bata de na use?"
Shrishti looked horrified.
"Pagal h kya?! Maine bata diya toh dosti bhi nahi rahegi."
Her voice broke a little — scared of losing him.
Shrishti pulled the blanket closer to her chest, voice trembling but calm —
like she had finally accepted something deep inside her.
Aur vaise bhi… ye ek tarah ka pyaar nahi hai, Shivu."
She looked up at her best friend — vulnerable but brave.
"Jo mai uske piche-piche bhaagu… ya usse paane ki zid karu."
ye… ye tapasya hai meri.
Jo maine khud chunni hai.
Apne liye."
Her voice wasn't breaking — it was glowing.
Steady. Peaceful. Almost sacred.
Shivanya's irritation instantly melted.
Her face softened, her shoulders relaxed.
"Shrii…" she whispered, guilt and admiration mixing in her tone.
But Shrishti continued — her voice almost like a bhajan tone now.
"Jis din Dhairya ko pata chal gaya na…
ki main usse…"
She paused — because saying love felt like she was breaking some cosmic rule.
She swallowed.
Eyes lowered.
"Bas. Us din ye tapasya khatam ho jaayegi."
A faint smile touched her lips — but it hurt.
"Parvati ne bhi Shiv ko paane ke liye tapasya ki thi, Shivu…"
Her voice turned more poetic, emotional.
"Par vo tapasya unki thi, unki marzi thi…
Main kisi ko paane ke liye nahi…
kisi ko khone se bachne ke liye kar rahi hoon."
Shivanya listened silently.
The room felt heavier… warmer… still.
Shrishti's eyes shined with a quiet devotion.
"Usse pata chal gaya toh dosti bhi nahi rahegi.
Aur main usse khona nahi chahti…
"Mujhe usse pana nahi hai, Shivu…"
Her tone was almost prayer-like.
"Bas… door se uske khush rehne ka sukh mil jaaye.
Itna kaafi hai."
She finally exhaled — a deep, ancient kind of ache.
Shivanya placed a hand on her head gently, like blessing her.
"Shrii…
tu kaise itna gehra soch leti hai?"
Her voice cracked.
Shrishti smiled beautifully — painfully.
"Bas… dil se."
Shivanya closed her eyes — she couldn't argue with devotion that pure.
Shivanya opened her arms.
Shrishti leaned in immediately, burying her face against her shoulder.
They hugged tight — the kind of tight that held years of secrets, tears, childhood promises.
Two happy-go-lucky girls…
but with storms inside.
Storms they never showed the world.
Storms only each other knew.
Shivanya whispered into her hair,
"Main hoon na, Shrii… tere har dard mein, har tapasya mein.
Tu akeli nahi."
Shrishti clutched her tighter,
"Aur tu mere bina adhuri hai… "
Both laughed softly through their tears —
their private world healing itself again.
-------
Pyaar hamesha lafzon se nahi banta…
kabhi-kabhi khamoshi hi sabse zyada sach bol deti hai.
Koi ehsaas bina kahe bhi itna gehra ho sakta hai…
ki usse jaane dena hi prem ka sabse pavitra roop lagne lage.
Tapasya sirf paane ke liye nahi hoti—
kabhi kabhi kisi ko bina bataaye sambhalne,
door se pyaar ki dua dene ka naam bhi tapasya hi hota hai.
Aur shayad…
yehi Shrishti ka pyaar hai—
be-awaaz, par behad.
~~~shrii