Rishikesh, the revered land of Lord Shiva, is unique because every particle of this place is filled with the fragrance of faith, trust and love. People from far and wide come here with their faith to have the darshan of Lord Shiva and Maa Ganga and take part in the Ganga Aarti at night to receive the blessings of Maa Ganga.
This year again, in the month of Saavan, a huge crowd of devotees was gathering. The hustle and bustle of people at the Ganga Ghat was a sight to behold.
But you people must know that whatever is famous in a place, the people of that place are often deprived of even seeing it in their daily routine.
So this is what happened with Mr. Rohit Singh ... He is so busy managing his business that he So this is what happened with Mr. Rohit Singh ... He is so busy managing his business that he doesn't have time to go anywhere.
Even today Rohit is busy in his work, and today Garima seems a bit angry and is not even talking to Rohit.
Rohit also knows that Nikita is angry so he started looking for excuses to talk to her.
He said, "Nikita, please bring me a glass of water."! Instead of going herself, Nikita told the servant, "Bhaiya, please go and give water to the Sahab."!
The servant gives water to Rohit and leaves. Rohit casts a glance at Nikita and thinks, "This time she will get her way... come on Viresh... get ready to go..."!
Nikita was doing her work in anger when suddenly Rohit came and stood in front of her.
Nikita said with irritation, "What is the problem? Why are you disturbing me again and again..."?
Rohit said, "That is what I am asking, what happened to you...? Why are you angry since morning and why are you not talking.."?
Nikita stood with her back towards him and said, "What has happened to me? I am absolutely fine and why should I get angry when no one cares about me then what will I achieve by getting angry.."!
Nikita stood with her back towards him and said, "What has happened to me? I am absolutely fine and why should I get angry when no one cares about me then what will I achieve by getting angry.."!
Rohit held her by the shoulders and turned her towards himself and then said, "It is not like that Nikita, for me nothing is more important than you and our daughter Isihka, it is just that I had a lot of work today so I cannot take you to the ghat.."!
She shook off Rohit's hand and said, "Yes, let this concern of yours go... I know you have a lot of work and you have to go to London today but... I am not asking you to come with us... I am just talking about Ishika and me going..."!
Rohit did not want to let them go alone, "But Nikita, it is not right for you to go there alone, there is so much crowd there, how can you both go there alone, ... no, I cannot let you go there.."!
Nikita tried to explain to him, "Rohit, nothing will happen to us, we both will go there with full security and will return soon.... can we go now..? Please please please Rohit...?"
Because of Nikita's request being made with so much love, Rohit had to agree even though he did not want to and he gave her permission to go to the ghat. Nikita probably already knew about it.
I am talking about ..."!
Rohit did not want to let them go alone, "But Nikita, it is not right for you to go there alone, there is so much crowd there, how can you both go there alone, ... no, I cannot let you go there.."!
Garima tried to explain to him, "Rohit, nothing will happen to us, we both will go there with full security and will return soon....can we go now..? Please please please Viresh...?"
Because of Nikita's request being made with so much love, Rohit had to agree even though he didn't want to and he gave her permission to go to the ghat . Nikita probably knew beforehand that Rohit can never see her angry, so he will agree.. because of which she had already made all the preparations to go.
At 6:30 in the evening, Nikita and Ishika were standing on the ghat with full security guards. While on one side everyone was bathing in the Ganga, on the other side people were offering lamps on the ghat of Rishikesh with full devotion and confessing their wishes to Ganga Maa. Some were alone, some in couples and some with their families.
Ishika loved sitting on the ghats but it was almost impossible for such a small girl to reach there without being able to escape her father's tight security. Ishika was very happy with her mother and the glittering ghats of the Ganga were adding to her happiness. Anyway.... Nikita wanted to participate in the aarti today like a common man and not like the wife of a very Like a business man's wife... so she asked the security guards to leave and asked them to also have darshan and puja... but the head of the guards was so angry that he did not want to leave her alone in the crowd, yet due to Nikita's request he had to kneel down.
After the guard left, both of them were sitting quietly on the steps of the ghat. Seeing Ishika lost in thoughts, Nikita asked, "What happened Ishika... why are you so quiet..? At home you were saying that you will go home, you will go to the ghat and now you are so quiet... why... did you not like coming here.."?
Ishika looked at the vast Ganga in the distance and then said lovingly, "Thank you Mama... I like it here a lot... you know this is my favourite spot in the whole world.."!
She smiled and Ishika pressed himself against Nikita. After sitting for a while, they both started to leave when suddenly a bomb blast was carried out by the terrorists in which many sadhus, devotees, children and old people died. The blast caused chaos everywhere and everyone started running here and there. Meanwhile, Ishika's hand slipped off Nikita's and they got separated...! Ishika was crying and searching for Garima but it was difficult to find her or to survive in such a crowd.
After a few hours, everything became calm there or we can say that thousands of lives were destroyed, including Nikita's, people were injured while some people were running here and there carrying dead bodies of their loved ones.
Ishika was lying unconscious on the stairs and had sustained serious injuries. By now the police, temple trustees and politicians had also arrived there. They were explaining to the police and the doctor what to do and how to do it when the temple trustee Nikhil noticed Ishika. Mahesh picked her up and asked the doctor to check her.
The doctor while checking Mishka said, "Sir, the girl has got serious injuries She has come, her treatment needs to be done quickly..."!
Nikhil said in some distress, "Hurry up doctor, take him to the hospital..."!
Ishika's treatment continued for about five to six days and Nikhil took all the responsibility of her.
One morning, when Nikhil reached the hospital, he found out that the girl had regained consciousness but she had lost her memory; she did not remember anything except her name.
Nikhil is a businessman from Mumbai. He is very famous in the business world. He has a daughter and a son. His wife died during the birth of his daughter.
On the way to meet Ishika, Nikhil had decided that he would adopt the girl as his daughter if she wanted to. Nikhil went towards Ishika's's room and after entering the room, he stood next to Ishika's bed.
He stroked his head and said, "Son...are you fine now..."? There was no expression in ishika's eyes, he simply replied, "Yes Uncle..."!
Nikhil said, "What is your name, son..."? He said, "Ishika Singh..."!
Nikhil wanted to know about her family so that he could take her home. He further asked, "And about your father..."?
When she tried to remember them, she could only hear the sound of people crying and screaming. SHe took deep breaths and said, "Uncle, I want to go to my mother. I don't remember where my mother is....Mummy, Mummy, Mummy..."?
Nikhil tried to calm her down and said, "Don't cry "We don't know your mother, you tell us, we will find her..."! Ishika said, "Uncle, I can't remember anything, I have a headache and... and.."! Saying this, she fainted. The doctor started checking her, she regained consciousness after a few hours but now she was sitting very quietly and lost in thoughts. When Nikhil asked her to take him home with her, she didn't say anything and just replied with a hmm and now she came with him to his house.
Sixteen years later.... in the next part...