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SHORT STORY: RETURN OF SANGEETA

Kamlesh Tripathi

    The final thumak of Sangeeta’s thumri faded into silence. The auditorium erupted in applause. The audience rose from their seats in a standing ovation as the curtains descended. It was Sangeeta’s maiden performance in Lucknow after a decade. The next day, she was flying back to Mumbai. As she stood backstage, she drifted into a reverie.

    Lucknow was her hometown. It was here that she had received her classical training in the Lucknow Gharana and later graduated from the Bhatkhande Sangeet Vidyapeeth. Some of her fondest childhood memories were woven around the serene banks of the River Gomti. Her father was a modest trader, and among her many school friends, three shared her passion for classical music—Amrit, Shalini, and Firdaus.

    Of the four, Sangeeta was the most gifted, with Shalini closely behind. Her ghazals and thumris won admiration wherever she performed. After graduating, life took the friends in different directions. Amrit and Firdaus married and settled into family life. Shalini married into an influential family in Lucknow but continued to pursue music.

    Sangeeta, too, flourished. As her popularity grew, she gradually emerged as a rival to Shalini. Soon, both singers were receiving invitations to perform at classical concerts. Since Lucknow was still a relatively small city, news of their achievements spread rapidly through its cultural circles.

    Shalini was unhappy with this development. She didn’t want Sangeeta to rise alongside her. Jealousy had taken root in her heart.

    One day, Sangeeta received invitations to perform for All India Radio and later for Doordarshan. She was thrilled, and her parents were immensely proud. But her success did not sit well with Shalini. Using her influence, she managed to have Sangeeta removed from both opportunities and secured her own place instead.

    The incident tarnished Sangeeta’s reputation in Lucknow. She felt humiliated and isolated. Though Shalini denied any involvement, rumours spread through the city, and the two singers stopped speaking to each other. The melody queens of Lucknow had drifted apart.

    Over time, Shalini’s influence in the city’s music circles grew stronger. Organisers hesitated to invite Sangeeta to their programmes. With only limited opportunities available, Shalini received most of the invitations while Sangeeta was ignored.

    Desperate to restore peace, Sangeeta tried to meet Shalini. She was even willing to apologise for any unintended offence and play second fiddle if necessary. But Shalini refused to even meet her.

    The doors of the music world had effectively closed on Sangeeta in Lucknow. People whispered that her only fault was being more talented than Shalini. Gradually, friends advised her to seek opportunities elsewhere. Finally, she made the difficult decision to leave Lucknow and boarded a train to Mumbai.

    The sprawling metropolis was an ocean of talent where she would encounter many Shalinis. Yet there was one crucial difference: nobody there bore personal ill will toward her. She was an unknown face, judged not by local politics but by her ability. Mumbai offered a more professional environment where talent mattered more than personal influence.

    Through perseverance, hard work, and talent, Sangeeta eventually received her first break. After years of struggle, she finally found her place.

    Today, she had returned to Lucknow as a celebrated singing sensation.

    As she emerged from the theatre after her performance, she was greeted by a sea of admirers. Amid the crowd stood Shalini, withdrawn and remorseful.

    Though the crowd pulled her in another direction, Sangeeta gently broke away and walked towards her former friend. Without hesitation, she embraced Shalini.

    Overcome with emotion, Shalini apologised for her past actions. As an act of repentance, she confessed that she had stopped performing altogether.

    Soon, Amrit and Firdaus also appeared. For Sangeeta, it was a moment of profound joy. She was witnessing the kinder and more compassionate face of her hometown. The next day, she returned to Mumbai.

    About a week later, there was a knock on Shalini’s door. An elderly gentleman stood outside.

    “My name is Raunaq,” he said politely. “May I speak with you for a while?”

    “Certainly,” replied Shalini. “What is it about?”

    “We are organising a musical concert, Sangeet Sandhya, next month in Lucknow. Madam Sangeeta has agreed to grace the occasion, but only on one condition, that you sing a duet with her. The concert is being held for the welfare of underprivileged children.”

    “Me?” Shalini exclaimed. “But I no longer perform on stage.”  Raunaq handed her a sealed note. It read:

    “Dear Shalini,

    By the time you receive this note, I shall be touring Europe for performances. I will return a week before the programme. I would be delighted if you could sing a duet with me. That is my only condition for participating in Sangeet Sandhya.

Please do not refuse. As a true friend, I feel it is my responsibility to bring you back to the stage. Let us leave the past behind. I am aware of your financial difficulties, and returning to music will help you regain both confidence and stability. Raunaq will explain the rest.

With affection,

Sangeeta.”

       In the weeks that followed, banners announcing Sangeet Sandhya appeared across the city, carrying photographs of both Sangeeta and Shalini.  The concert was a grand success.

    For the audience, it was a memorable musical evening. For Sangeeta and Shalini, it was the beginning of a renewed friendship.

    After Sangeeta returned to Mumbai, Shalini slowly found her way back to music. It was Sangeeta who had rekindled her lost passion. Two months later, while watching the evening news, Shalini froze at the headline: “Celebrated singer Sangeeta passed away in Mumbai after battling a terminal illness.” The dinner plate slipped from her hands.

    In an instant, everything made sense. Sangeeta’s insistence on the duet, her warmth, her forgiveness, and her silence after returning to Mumbai. With tears in her eyes, Shalini realised that even while facing death, Sangeeta had chosen to heal a broken friendship and restore another singer’s life.

    Six months later, Lucknow organised “Sangeet Bhari Shaam” to honour its beloved daughter. As the driving force behind the event, Shalini stood before Sangeeta’s garlanded portrait and whispered,

“You never really left us, Sangeeta. You returned through your music, your kindness, and your forgiveness.”

And as the hall echoed with her melodies, it seemed that Sangeeta had come home once again.

Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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