ANIDITA : A Life For Revolution

CHAPTER 3 : Part 2

[Well, no one really got the right answer and by this time, you should know I love this game just bcoz of that. Don't hate me still Jaanus but its really fun playing this way. Ily all]

Anirudh's p.o.v

We stood there frozen, trying to get the slightest of clues to find who the person was. My initial guess remained Saudamini. She wouldn't leave for Darjeeling just like that. There can be a blow and I've been vigilant enough ever since I heard her name taken again in the haveli today morning. My grip on Bondita's hand got tighter. There is no way I'm going to allow Saudamini to hurt her again. But my apprehensions vanished as soon as I saw a frail figure walking towards us and Bondita's hand left mine immediately, after seeing the figure collapsing to the floor.

It was a woman. Her head had a deep cut and her dress was torn at limps – arms and legs bleeding unstoppably. She shouldn't be two or three years older than my Bondita – a young, helpless girl. I can see her muttering something to Bondita and then she passed out completely. Taking this girl in my arms, I ran with her pale and weak body towards the nursing room in MG [Mahila ghar] and lied her on one of the beds. Bholi immediately attended her and I took this time to interrogate Bondita.

"Pata nahi Pati babu. Mujhe kuch samajh nahi aayi. Woh kuch kah rahi thi par theek se suna nahi meine"

"Toh phir hamein yahan rukna hoga. Ek kaam karo Bondita tum Laya ke sath ghar chali jao"

She placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her brows, something she does when she want to announce she is ready to fight.

"Mein apko akele chodkar jaun, aisa kabhi ho saktha hai?"

"Acha... Toh phir Laya ka kya?"

"Choti bachi nahi hai woh..."

"Toh mein chota bacha hoon?"

"Nahi... Par mujhe bhi janna hai uss ladki ke bare mein. Kuch toh gadbad hai Pati babu"

"Bondita... Anirudh dada... Woh ladki kahan hai?" Laya came running, shouting at us both.

"Kya hua Laya? Chillah kyun rahe ho?" PB enquired.

"Uss ladki ke bare mein kabhi bahar khabar nahi jaana chahiye" she replied, tensed.

"Lekin kyun?"

"Use uske parivarwale dhoodh rahe hai. Agar woh unlogon ki hath lag gayi, toh mar jayngi bechari"

"Kya baat kar rahe ho tum Laya? Seedhe seedhe batao"

"Mein abhi baazar gayi thi Savitri didi ke sath, wahan kuch log bath kar rahe the uske bare mein. Woh hamare paas ke ek gaav ki hai, Gunjarpur ki. Meine suna tha uska pati ne use chod diya hai, upar se woh pet se bhi hai. Woh log use marna chahte hain kyunki kisi sadhu baba ne bataya tha ki woh sirf bachiyon ko janam de sakthi hai. Isiliye uska pati use chod diya aur chodi huyi aurat hone ke karan uske gharwaale aur gaavwaale use marna chahte hai"

A sudden wave of rage clutched my insides and I felt myself losing control of my mind. The sound of a shuddered breath slapped me out of my trance and I saw Bondita's eyes filling up with tears. Oh no! She might be getting back those memories which I never want her to rewind ever again. I suddenly held her hand, bending down and wiped a lone tear that escaped from her eye.

"Pati babu... Use kuch nahi hona chahiye. Mein janti hoon, ek chodi huyi aurat ke sath kya kuch hote hai"

I felt a knife twisting inside my heart. If only I knew what I was doing that day... If only I knew what all she were going through those days... If only I knew the pain I had inside wasn't just because of me misunderstanding her deceit but my heart crying and screaming out at me that she was going through much more than I was... The pang of regret that hit me swallowed me up like a tornado and I felt myself falling apart.

"Pati babu... ham use kuch nahi hone denge... Woh izzat se, sar uncha karke jeeyegi. Aisa hoga na PB?"

"Haan Bondita... Aisa zaroor hoga. Ham milkar baat karenge uske gharwaale aur gaavwaalon se" I promised her, a tear dropping from my eye simultaneously.

She nodded her head and we both stood erect, marching together towards the market arena.

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"Haan... Hain woh hamare sath lekin -"

"Dekhiye ap log bewajah apne apko khathre mein daal rahe hai. Hamein hamare beti wapas de dijiye aur hamein apne haal mein chod dijiye" The girl's dad interrupted rudely.

"Agar beti ki itni parvah hai toh use marna kyun chahte hai ap?" I asked.

"Hamari beti hai... Ham uske sath kuch bhi kare uss se apko kya farak padti hai? Baap hai ham uska... Apni beti ka khayal rakh sakthi hai ham"

Pati babu scoffed and shouted.

"Baap?! Apne ap ko baap kehne ki galti mat karna ap. Arre aisa hota hai baap? Jo iss samaj se bachane ke bajaye use unke sath milkar marne ki koshish kar raha hai. Aur tum! Keise pati ho tum? Apni patni ko kisi dhongi baba ke baatom mein aakar chod diya!"

"Ab ap hamein sikhayenge ki hamein keise rishta nibhana hai?" The so called husband glared at us.

"Mein phir se keh raha hoon bewajah khathre mein daal rahe ho ap apne ap ko" the father repeated furiously.

"Khathron se khelna mujhe acha lagta hai... Aur jahan tak sikhane ki baat hai, toh sikhaunga... Zaroor sikhaunga... Sikhaunga iss samaj ko aur tum jeise khatiya logon ko bhi. Yeh wada tha mera khudse aur poora Tulsipur yeh jante hai ki Anirudh Roy Chowdhary apne vade se peecha nahi hadta"

The moment the so called father heard my surname, all the blood in his face drained and he tried to quiet his son-in-law who seemed to bark at me back.

"Dekhiye Zamindar sahib ham apni beti ko wapas ghar le jana chahte hai"

"Iska faisla ap ya ham nahi balki woh ladki khud lenge... Kyun pati babu?" Bondita asked for my viewpoint.

"Bilkul sahi kaha tumne Bondita" I smiled at her and stared back at the crowd in front of us, my eyes shooting fire at them.

"Jeise Bondita ne kaha, faisla ap ya ham nahi balki woh ladki khud lenge"

"Tum log hote kaun ho mere aur meri patni ke beech aane wale?"

"Phool gaya kya? Ab woh tumhari patni nahi hai... Chod diya tha tumne use" I replied sarcastically.

"Abhi bhi meri hi naam ka sindoor pehnti hai woh... Patni hai woh meri aur upar se mere bache ki maa banne wali hai woh. Ab agar woh mere sath na aane ka faizla karti hai toh kya karenge ap Zamindar babu? Ek aur bhai hai na apka? Shaadi karwa denge ap Krantikari babu? Jeise apka bhai ne kiya tha... Ya phir ap khud shaadi karenge uss se?"

I lost control of my temper and I pounced on him and clutched him by his collar.

"Teri itni himmat ki tum mere saamne mere parivar ka apman karega?"

Strong hands circled my shoulder from behind and I know that's Bondita trying to pry me away from him. But I don't care. How dare he utter such things about my family? Soon the crowd interfered and I finally had to let him go, but not after successfully managing to break his nose and jaw. He growled at me, bleeding heavily while Bondita suddenly caught hold of my bleeding knuckles.

"Ap log chale jayiye yahan se. Jab use hosh aa jayenge, tab ham ap logon ko bata denge" She requested them with folded hands and the so called father immediately retreated with his son-in-law.

I smirked to myself, seeing those people retreating like mere mice. I won yet another battle... we won yet another battle. But my happiness didn't last long. Bondita was standing in front of me, hands on hips and brows furrowed, her eyes throwing daggers at me. I gulped at the sight, knowing this is not going to end nicely – or should I say I'm not going to win this particular battle? Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself to face what was coming my way.