The Village Witch ( The concluding part)

It was true that they had got their daughter back, but in their hearts they knew something was wrong!

Anjali was distant, she was too mature for her age, she wasn't the happy chirpy girl everyone knew anymore. Her eyes scanned everyone, and made them feel naked, as if she knew their darkest secrets, she knew behind those fake smiles lied discontent, hatred and pain.

After she was all well to face the public, the village gathered to see her, ask her what the witch had tried to do to her, and decide as to what is to be done with the dead witch's body. It was Anjali's suggestion that was finally taken, that Meghna's body be cremated in the usual Hindu tradition of burning the body on a funeral pyre. "She deserves the last rites!", Anjali had said.

Anjali personally looked after the last rites of Meghna.

With her physical form gone up in smoke, and being present in her new body , the only resemblance or the sign of who she really was , were her curly long hair. Her mother had asked her father the moment Anjali was brought into the house in an unconscious state..," What happened to my Anji's beautiful silky straight hair?"
Shankar had not replied to that...he had thought a long time about it and then made peace with the reason that the face off that happened between both the girls must be the cause of sudden change.

Early morning the next day, Anjali was all ready with her bags packed and her air tickets in hands.
"I have to fly tomorrow. I have already wasted enough time here."
"Don't you think you should relax for a while Anji? Your father already spoke to your HR about your condition."
"I called them early morning today. I told them everything is fine now, and that I want to join as soon as possible. They said they had an urgent requirement in Washington DC right now, they want me to assist their correspondent who's covering the news of the White House."

"I thought you hated broadcasting. I thought you wanted to shift  to entertainment  Anji." Shankar had heard everything that was being spoken.
" Yes. Who said I am getting back to broadcasting? It's just that its a good opportunity for a new comer to work under a good correspondent , that too around the power house of the world!"

Shankar looked at his daughter for a long time, he could see it, why she was going to DC. She stared back flatly. Then picked up her bags and called out to the driver.
"Wait...are you leaving right now? We are coming with you."
"It's okay maa. I'm a big girl." She left the house hitting her heels hard against the wooden flooring. Not stopping to take blessings from her parents, not even stopping to turn and look back.
Her mother wanted to say something, Shankar held her hand,"Let her go."
"What?"
"I said let her go! Are you dumb or what? Don't you get it? She's not our daughter!" He stormed up to his room in desperation.
Her mother was left to fend for herself...what should she believe? What she sees and what her heart and her husband says? Or just blindly believe the face of her daughter?

In the car, Anjali dialled a number, " Hello,  Adv. Kapoor's office? Hi..I have a matter that I want to discuss with him, what time can I see him? My name is Meg...sorry, Anjali. Is it possible sometime tomorrow morning because I have a flight to catch later tomorrow and the matter is urgent. Alright. Thank you so much. This is regarding name change and making a Power of Attorney. Thanks a lot. I'll be there at 10."

"Washington D.C!" She thought, "White House".
She laughed at the thought, she laughed so hard ,her driver wondered what was wrong with her!

******************************************************************

Acknowledgements:

Beloved Witch - Ipsita Roy Chakraverti
Wikipedia
Google Image search for all the images.


This video inspired me to write this story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtLNBLc7yaY&feature=related

The Village Witch ( Part 8)

It had been 2 days since Anjali was missing. The police hadn’t come up with any information. Shankar decided he had to take matters in his own hands before he lost his daughter forever. He realized that the only people who could guide and help him would be the sadhus, the tantriks and the aghoris of the village, who usually meditated in unknown and quiet places, away from the city.


With the help of some old and knowledgeable village folks , Shankar was able to get together a team of individuals who would help him in his quest. A sadhu who owned an ashram on a hill, a tantrik famous in the nearby village for his 6th sense and an aghori meditating in the village crematorium grounds, some village folks who wandered in the country side and knew the hills and the plains well, the inspector and his assistant. Upon discussing the issue and checking out the map of the area, leaving out the places which were already searched by the police, Shankar zeroed down his search to 3 places, all in 3 opposite corners of the village, some far, some close by.

1 was a thick forest, a national park , the core area of which was hardly ever touched.

The second area was the mountain behind the Ashram of the Sadhu. The sadhu said that area was perfect for hiding, meditation and other private activities. Smuggling and poaching went on freely in those areas.

The 3rd was an underwater cave formed near the river. The cave was accessible only during low tides, at other times the river water blocked the entrance. The possibilities of anybody staying or hiding there for more than a day were negligible. But nobody could say for sure how deep the cave was, and whether there was an opening from the other side.



The Sadhu and some of his students volunteered to head into the mountains. Since they were closer to the area and had a better idea.

The inspector headed to the national park.

Shankar with his brothers and the Aghori headed to the cave.

Time was of utmost importance; whatever they thought, decided and acted upon had to be done at lightning speed.



Anjali felt her heart being pressed by some force.....her entire body was being controlled by some powerful energy...so much so that she couldn’t even breath on her own, her breath was controlled by someone else.

She couldn’t open her eyes, couldn’t move her legs and hands, she couldn’t speak but her mind was alert.

Suddenly she felt the force over her eyes loosen a bit and so she opened her eyes.

The 1st thing she saw were Meghna’s bright brown eyes that looked at her with a piercing gaze.

After having committed the mistake of approaching Meghna at night alone , this was her 2nd biggest mistake...to look into a witch’s eyes!

This was what Meghna was working at all the time. Everything was absolutely working as per the plan. If Anjali had looked anywhere else, getting her focus would have been difficult. Meghna would have to repeat the whole process of putting her under a spell and keeping her stable in that condition.

Anjali realized that Meghna was naked, she sat straight in front of her while Anjali, also naked was lying on some sort of a platform. Meghna breathed heavily, forcefully and Anjali realized that she too was breathing at the same rhythm...her breath was no more hers....it was Meghna’s.



Outside the cave, Shankar and the team prepared to dive into the water to enter the cave.



In her breathing and her meditations, Meghna realized that she had very little time to attain what she wanted...she had senses as sharp as a snake that picked up on heat and ground vibrations. Her sight was as piercing as that of an eagle, and her movements were as swift and graceful like a wild cat.



Anjali had only three strengths with which she could save herself-

1. Her eyesight,

2. 2nd: Her thought process or her brain and

3. her ears, she could hear everything that went on.



Her eyes were halfway under Meghna’s spell , and they were giving her away very quickly.....The eyes are the doors to one’s soul and that’s what Meghna was pushing in for....her soul! Anjali thought, with all her heart, with all the kindness that she had, she tried to plead with Meghna to spare her life. Meghna retorted back, “Be thankful that I’m not wishing you the same fate as mine....”

Anjali tried hard to free herself in every way.... but it was too difficult....Meghna’s breath and eyes had locked her down completely. After Anjali’s eyes were stable, Meghna got up from her seat and came close to Anjali. She calmly closed Anjali’s eyelids, as another of her senses closed down ,.....Anjali’s soul screamed for help, Anjali screamed for mercy.....At this point Anjali’s mind raced through every bit of her memory, every bit of emotion.

She remembered her father sitting with the wise man and the wise man had said Anjali will always be attracted towards the dark arts, she has the making of a powerful witch, but there is someone more sharper than her lurking besides her who is capable of taking away Anjali’s future, for better or worse!

She remembered some of Meghna’s last mails, she had cried for help, she pleaded Anjali to somehow come back and take her out of this hell, that her life and dreams were falling apart, that she is losing herself too soon...and her only hope was Anjali........ “This is the reason I am being punished? But I was only a child, I’m able to deal with it now, and I came back for you....I’m sorry I was late....please Meghna, I am innocent, I always wanted to help you.”



Meghna took a deep breath and touched Anjali’s feet.....Anjali felt a sensation , quite unknown to her......her legs were going numb and cold....as if dead! Then Meghna took another deep breath and moved both her hands upwards towards Anjali’s knees...everything Meghna touched was going numb and cold......Anjali realized this was the final assault...she was dying.....and she couldn’t do anything to stop the witch! Meghna took a third deeper breath and moved her hands over Anjali’s legs till they were dead!

Tears rolled down Anjali’s face..... “stop it please...please ...noooo.....God....please...help me, please!”

Meghna threw back her head and took a deeper breath and moved her hands over Anjali’s pelvis.



With the help of diving equipment , Shankar, 1 diver and the aghori made their way into the dark, untouched cave! After around 15 minutes of swimming, they reached a large rock that looked like the end of the cave. The diver went around the area to see if there was any opening anywhere, but there was none.



Meghna was breathing so heavy, Anjali could hear her breath, as Meghna started her journey towards Anjali’s heart and lungs....Anjali realized that her time was almost up and there was no point in praying. She thought about all the beautiful times she had with her parents and at college, but more than anybody else she thought about her father the most and realized that all this time, he had tried to protect her and save her from this day...and now all his efforts were in vein! She felt sorry for her parents....



Shankar saw a small iron rod fallen at the floor of the cave. He pointed it out to the diver. When the diver tried to pick it up, he realized that it was stuck and heavy. It wasn’t just any rod....



Meghna realized she was almost done when she felt Anjali’s last breath settling down. Meghna felt like a python, gulping its prey slowly and choking down the victim till the last breath...Her hands moved upwards towards Anjali’s neck and her face to complete the act!

Anjali..though had breathed her last, was still alive. She heard foot steps, she heard her father’s voice calling out to her...That was the last she heard, a few moments later she felt silence! Pure silence!



When Shankar ran into the cave, he saw Meghna lying on a platform and another woman bent on her, holding Meghna’s forehead.

When he approached the other woman, she looked up “Papa...” she said faintly and collapsed in his arms. Shankar covered his daughter with a shawl which was lying around....he was so happy and glad that he had found his daughter!

The Village Witch The Concluding part

The Village Witch (Part 7)

When Anjali opened her eyes, the first thing she saw were candles, lots of candles, all around her! Anjali got up and realized she was in a comfortable bed. The room or the place where the bed was, looked like a lion’s den. It had rocky walls and a rocky roof and a mud floor. There was an antique table and a chair at one side of the room and a shelf with lots of big old ancient books in the other. The room was cool and calm.


Anjali wondered how she got there. The last thing she remembered was the old temple tree and Meghna talking to her about something, what? She couldn’t tell. When she moved towards the right side of the bed to get down , a big black furry cat jumped on the right side of the bed ,stopping Anjali from getting down.

“Hey Kitty...” Anjali picked up the cat in her lap and gently moved her hands on her soft velvety coat, the cat enjoyed the touch and asked for more of it. While patting the cat, Anjali found the collar in the cat’s neck had a very peculiar looking stone, when she tried to reach for it to take a closer look, the cat scratched Anjali on her face and ran away.

“Ouch! Bad Kitty!”

“Oh she’s very temperamental! Did she hurt you?” Meghna had entered the room. Anjali looked up and was shocked to see a beautiful woman with long curly hair, her skin glowed in the soft candle lights and her eyes looked bright and fresh. She wore a long flowing golden skirt that looked very bright  and a white shawl covered her upper body. Meghna handed Anjali a glass of flavoured milk. “Drink it. It’s good for you. You haven’t eaten anything for 2 days!”

“Two days? What put me to sleep for two days?”

“You couldn’t cope up with some of the magic I used for the disappearing act. It’s a whole lot of energy to bear...you have to be very strong for that.”

“Is this really you Meghna? I cannot recognise you, you looked so different at the tree...”

“Do you think you are the most beautiful Anjali?”

Anjali could not understand why Meghna taunted everytime, why was she so mean?

“Do you have to speak so crooked every time? Why are you mad at me?”

“Oh thank god! You finally do understand that I’m mad at you.”

“Why? Because I’m so late in helping you out?”

“Lady...you seriously need some reality check! You are mistaken if you believe that YOU are here to help ME! I can help myself, seriously.”

“It didn’t look like that when you screamed at the temple tree!”

“I was staging an act.....Don’t you get it by now? How else would you walk on your own in my arms?”

“What?”, Anjali’s head was throbbing , she couldn’t think much, couldn’t move much. Meghna took the glass of milk to her mouth and Anjali drank the liquid.

“What is this thing?” Anjali asked, but it was too late. She fell back again on the bed.

Meghna gave a sigh of relief, and turned back to her apparatus. Just a few more days and her life’s biggest goal was within arm’s length!

The Village Witch Part 8

The Village Witch (Part 6)

The night was eerie and dark. The street dogs howled loudly and it felt like they were a pack of wolves.Anjali wrapped a black shawl around herself and walked towards the temple. She was carrying a faint torch that showed her a faint way. She knew she did not have much time until maa informed her father and everyone started searching for her. On reaching the tree, she found Meghna still tied, her head was dropped to her chest and one couldn't tell if she was alive or dead, her long hair covered her face...it made her look very scary. When Anjali took a few steps towards her, a strong voice emerged from somewhere around the tree, "Who is it?", It said.




Anjali though under training in wicca for 2 and a half years was still an amateur and at this point she was genuinely scared. The time on her watch showed midnight.



There was no movement from Meghna.

But the voice repeated the order, harsher this time, " If you take a step closer I will slice you into 1000 pieces and eat all of it....tell me, who are you?", The voice was deep and adamant.



"Anjali"



The moment Anjali told her name, Meghna's head shot up.This sudden movement scared Anjali even more. Her right hand had already reached her pocket knife.



Suddenly Meghna's body language changed seeing Anjali. She stood erect facing Anjali.

After a few tense seconds, Anjali raised her torch to see Meghna's face from where she stood. The torch wasn't helping her , in fact Meghna looked like a witch in the faint torch light- long scattered hair, bluish black face, and strong dark eyes that reflected light as if she was an animal.



Anjali drew in a deep breath and walked closer to Meghna, carefully. When she was close enough to touch her, she reached her pocket and took out the knife and cut the ropes which were cutting through Meghna's hands. The moment the ropes went loose, Meghna lost her balance and fell to the ground. Anjali reached out to help her but the 1st touch to Meghna's body was so scary that she drew back her hands. Meghna's skin was coarse, cold and hard.

After a few seconds, Anjali got herself together, took out the water bottle from her bag and lifted Meghna's head to help her drink the water.



As Meghna drank the water, Anjali moved her soft manicured hands over Meghna’s coarse skin.

“We should leave now, before anybody finds out. You wait here till I go and get my car.” Anjali spoke for the first time.



Meghna stopped drinking the water and got up on her own and sat straight, Anjali was amazed at her strength.

“ I thought you were a witch.” Meghna’s tone had changed. It definitely wasn’t the same voice that had asked Anjali her name. This new tone was light, almost felt like a taunt, but Anjali was too occupied with other thoughts to catch the witty remark.

“so?”

“Why do you need a car? Don’t you have a broom?” Meghna let out a small chuckle.

Anjali took a good hard look at Meghna now, "I realize you are taunting me. I risked everything to come here to save you, you have been beaten like an animal today and now at night when I free your hands, and give you some water to drink, you show me attitude?” Anjali was getting angry.

Meghna drew a long heavy breath, drank some more water, smiled at Anjali and asked her, “ Are they still teaching you Abracadabra and those classic dark poetry as magic spells? Isn’t it like – Before the night is over, before the day is through, whatever you have done to others, will come right back at you......or how about this one- Darksome powers of the night, gather round my candle’s flame, send my enemy in shaded flight, send my enemy away in shame....”



“Are you making fun of Wicca?”



“I am only telling you a small part of the whole truth my darling. Wicca and dark arts are not a hobby, not a side business or some activity to kill your time. And it is not something that you can learn by devoting an hour everyday by hearting the so called spells. These spells work as much as any statement of hatred and ill wish. It’s all in the mind, if you wish bad to someone with all your heart, no matter with what words.....it’s bound to affect that person, only if he has really done wrong to you. Tell me Anji, have you felt the power increase in you after starting to learn Wicca?”



“I have the confidence that I can fight anything...that’s the reason I’m here tonight.”



“Oh Anji, I’m not talking about hiding behind the door while your mum runs to the window thinking you jumped off into the darkness...”



Anjali was now speechless..., “How do you....”



“There’s a difference between staging magic and the real magic, don’t you think? What you are being taught and what you do are tricks that will work in front of an uneducated illiterate illogical and slow thinking audience...yes! Not in front of me Anji!”



Far away, there were noises of some cars heading towards the temple that broke the girl's conversation,

“Oh god! I think they are coming for me....what do we do?” Anjali panicked.

Meghna calmly got up and looked at the tiny fast moving lights heading their way.



Shankarji, Devidasji ( Shankar’s elder brother), Yogesh (the driver) were heading straight to the temple. In the faint temple light, From far off they could see two figures standing near the tree.
One moment, they saw them,

The next- They were gone!

(To be continued.....) The Village Witch Part 7

The Village Witch ( Part 5)

“You have a flight to catch day after tomorrow and you are joining work from Monday...you don’t have much time left.”

“ I know papa, but I’m not feeling well,how can you send me back in such a condition? Maa..., what should I do?”

Anji looked at her mother with very kind , innocent and sympathetic eyes. Papa knew why Anji wanted to stay longer . So before Maa would start her emotional drama, Papa declared,

“Fine. You are staying! But not here. There’s too much dust here, besides there’s no Air conditioning. You should probably stay at our flat which is 2 hours drive from here. You can definitely travel for 2 hours Anji!”


“I’m staying here papa.” She declared in a firm, unemotional tone with a straight look at her father. Her tone was so stoic and dry, that it shocked everyone present in the room as to how a girl looking as sweet as Anji talk in a voice like that. The voice did not sound as if it belonged to her, it came from somewhere else.

“What did you say?” Papa thought he was mistaken about what he just heard.

“I said I’m staying. I’m staying in my house and my village till I want to. Nobody can force me out of here.”

The father and the daughter kept looking at each other for several moments. Shanker realized for the very 1st time that his daughter had changed...and it wasn’t the kind of change that comes with normal ageing....it was different, it was that which he feared, always. It was the growth that was predicted of his daughter....but how? He wondered!
“Nobody can change the destiny Mr.Shankar!” Shankar remembered the words of the wise man.

“No.” Shankar had declared, “I will not let this happen to my daughter!”

“Mr. Shankar, why do you feel something wrong or bad will happen to your daughter?? Her stars nowhere predict pain or suffering to her! Your daughter will be fine.”



Shankar shook himself out of his reverie. He looked harder at Anji who was still looking at him, who was challenging him- head front. Shankar turned to look at his wife, “Pack her bags, I've had enough of her already! we are leaving right now. And I want to see who can stop me.” He left the room in a fury, Anjali heard him calling out to their driver, giving instructions to prepare for departure immediately.

Next moment, Anji got out of bed swiftly,

“What are you doing Anji?” Aunt Sarita asked worried, as just a couple of minutes back Anji could hardly stand on her feet.

“I’m getting ready, you must have heard what father said. His word is final for us, isn’t it maa?”

The stress on “Father” was prominent. Anji had never called her father anything other than papa.

“I need to change. Can I have some privacy?”

“Maybe I should stay. You are not well anyway.” Maa offered help.

“Do I look like I need help?”

Maa left the room. She had no say in the house. Not that the other’s in the house ever stopped her from speaking, but she could never understand what the ego and the attitude was for? Why exercise control over another being? Why act like a king? Why the aggression? These questions were beyond her understanding. She let her husband and her daughter live the way they wanted as long as she got to live the way she wanted.

15 minutes later when maa knocked on the door, the room was empty. Anji was gone. All her colourful clothes lay on the bed. There was no note, only the room window stood open.

Maa could hardly breathe at the site, she weakly ran to the window which was on the 1st floor of the haveli. Right down from the window was rocky ground that stretched back into the thick dark forest. There was absolutely no sign of her...

( To be continued......)
The Village Witch Part 6

The Village Witch (Part 4)

1 Day before Amavasya

The Villagers divided themselves in groups. These teams were heading in search of Meghna, the village witch. They carried swords, ropes, mashaals and every other kind of weapon available in the village. As if  you can fight a real witch with all that. The teams comprised of all men, of various age groups. They all looked very proud, because they were doing the most important task!

The village temple's main Pandit said a few prayers to protect these holy men from the Witch. He gave the teams his best blessings and God's prashaad, and the teams started out in 4 different directions at around 5 pm.

Meghna sat under the old bare peepal tree. She knew exactly at what time the villagers would arrive at the spot.

The 3rd team which had headed south arrived at the bare peepal tree at around 5.20pm. They carried on their usual drama of spotting the witch, then deciding as to who will come and catch hold of her and pull her to the main village. They came, tied her hands and pulled her to the village without a word being said and nobody being abusive to her. But the moment the village crowd came into focus, the eldest in the team, a 55 year old father of 2 daughters and a drunkard 5 times a week, took the centre stage! He tied Meghna tightly to the tree in front of the temple and applied on her some sort of powder that the Pandit had given him. The villagers were now cheering the 3rd team and shouting abuses at the witch...some old women even spit at Meghna. The old man then started slapping the witch mercilessly and kicking her in her stomach.


The Temple wasn't far off from Anjali's Haveli. She heard the noise and came into the balcony.
She realised that Pushpa and Sarita auntie were heading towards the temple with a plate full of some flowers and incense. Anjali wore a jacket on her sleeveless top and rushed down to join her aunts.
She met her father in the doorway.

At this point, the slapping and beating had crossed bearable levels for Meghna and she screamed like an animal who's being torn apart by wolves!

Anjali heard the screaming and got restless. "What's happening at the temple?"
"Anji, go back to your room." Her father declared.
" Are these screams Meghna's?"
"It doesn't matter us!"
"Then what does papa? My job? Your business? Our happiness! That's it?", She was getting angry at her father now.
"Go up.....Now!"
The order was followed by a moment of silence in which Shankar thought he had scared his little girl, but he was wrong. In a swift move, she crossed him and ran towards the door.

"Anji NOOO! Satish, Yogesh, get her in! RIGHT NOW!"

Shankar's driver and the gardener ran behind Anjali who ran with all her heart towards the temple. Anjali was a fit female who worked out regularly, whereas Satish and Yogesh with their old age and big bellies could hardly keep up with her pace.

Anjali reached the crowd and pushed the people to reach the centre of the crowd, to the tree.

The cheering had got louder and so had Meghna's painful screams.
When Anjali came face to face with Meghna, it just took her a moment to take in the entire act! The merciless beating had left her friend's face blue and blood oozed out of her forehead,nose,ears and hands.....Anjali's knees went weak..they could not support her anymore. Her brain had suddenly stopped functioning! Meghna watched Anjali falling down in front of her. Their eyes met. She stopped screaming and kept looking at Anjali. The villagers noticed the change in the witch, the old men's beating got worse....but for a moment, everything seemed to stop...when their eyes met and Meghna asked Anjali, "What took you so long?"

The next second, the driver and the gardener arrived and lifted Anjali and took her to the Haveli. The beating continued for as long as everyone got tired of screaming, cheering and hitting.

The village witch was left tied to the tree the whole night!



(To be continued....)
The Village Witch Part 5

The Village Witch ( Part 3)

“Leech of my life that sucks my soul
May you be fed to wolfish fiends whole.
Those that skin you of your joy
May you be subject to their vicious ploys.
Oozing droplets of your blood
May their goblets it royally flood."


4 YEARS BACK

"Caroline, wait for me...."
Anjali ran briskly behind Caroline, her room-mate who was heading towards the library after the face off they had in their room a couple of minutes back.

"Anjali, maybe its best if I change the room. Or maybe its best if I leave the city.......", Caroline said between her tears.
"Wh...Why?"
Caroline stopped midway and looked at Anjali,
"I haven't been able to make a single friend here, nobody likes me...not that I care...But I want to be amongst my people, those who understand me."

"Well! That's not totally true......I'm your friend, am I not?"
"Friends don't look at each other as if they are ghosts!!", Taunted Caroline.

"Caroline, you just told me you are a witch! A witch!!" Stressed Anjali," Do you know what that sounds like?"

"A ghost?? You know Anjali, I thought you were different, but your reaction to me was so damn typical!"

"Caroline, you aren't giving me any time to digest these facts! I am not rejecting you okay? It's just been 6 months since I landed in this country, I'm miles away from home, I find this sweet girl as my room mate and just when I find myself getting comfortable, I come to know the girl sleeping next to me is a witch! How am I to react??"

Caroline was quiet.

"I don't know what being a witch means Caroline. I don't know if it means sitting on a broom or making potions in those huge pots, or wearing those crooked hats and saying those curses and spells, and turning people into frogs......I don't know! I don't know how I am to behave with you, whether I've to be careful of you, whether you have those strange powers, whether you can disappear......what are you Caroline? And how can you be a witch? I mean come on, this is the 21st century...this aint Harry Potter! I'm mud blood by the way.....and..."

"Shut up! Just Shut up!"

Both the girls kept looking at each other. Anjali knew she had lost sense of what she was talking.
"Come with me!"

Caroline held Anjali's arm and led her towards the back of the library.......into a world Anjali never thought existed, into the lives of the people most of us think don't exist, into the adventure that was to define what Anjali would be for the rest of her life- A Witch!

The Village Witch Part 4

The Village Witch! ( Part 2)

The Village Witch Part 1

"Answer me,  74 x 8?"
"592"
"Add 295 to it, how much do you get?"
"887"
"Subtract 86.3 out of that."

"Papa....This is too much!"
"Wait Anji....Tell me Meghna, what's the answer you've got?"
"800.7" Pat came the reply!

"Now divide...."

"Alright! Enough you two. I don't understand how you two calculate so fast....I don't like this game." Complained 9 year old Anjali as she picked up her doll and headed for her room.

"Wait... I want to play too." Meghna picked up her doll and ran after Anjali.

Meghna's father worked for Anjali's dad in his factory. He was the most trusted friend and associate in his business.

" Narayan, I'm planning to move to Delhi."
"Why Shankarji?"
"This village , as you know, doesn't have much scope for expansion. Besides, I've to travel to Delhi at least once a week to take care of our clients. Our business operates from Delhi though the factory is here. I suggest you too shift to Delhi. It's a better lifestyle , better business opportunities and better education for our daughters."
"Shankarji, its expensive in New Delhi. Besides , we have daughters. they'll get married and go anyway, why do you worry so much for their education?"

Shankar knew it was useless to tell these village folks the importance of education. It was foolish to expect them to treat girls and boys on par with each other. Shankar had tried a 1000 times to make Narayan not talk negatively about daughters, at least not in front of them. He had tried to explain to Narayan that Meghna is very sharp and if given the best opportunities , she'll make his entire family proud. The excuse Narayan always had was, " I cannot risk the name and honour of my family by letting Meghna have the wings to fly. You give too much in the hands of a woman and she doesn't take a minute to let you regret your decision. Women are to be controlled and subjugated, Kautilya said it Shankarji, Manu too. Our scriptures say it!"

The entire village blew up any ideas of modernization/ logical thought in the name of our great Indian traditions and society and cultural values. Shankar knew , that hanging on to the old and useless traditions would do no good to anybody. He had lost the battle to change his village long before he even started it. If his most trusted friend can not understand his point, who else would?

Shankar had decided, he would be the change! But he would not waste his time nor energy on others.
So while Anjali got the best as she grew up, all thanks to her dad; Meghna was time and again asked to compromise on her dreams. Meghna's only hope for a bright future was having Anjali and her father around, as Shankarji till a great extent was a huge influence on her father. and Shankarji was very fond of Meghna, she was almost like his 2nd daughter. Whenever Shankar went to Delhi, he would buy 2 of everything- 2 dresses, 2 dolls, 2 boxes of chocolates, 2 hair bands etc.

Anjali did not mind nor felt jealous about the situation. She was too happy to have Meghna around for company, She was her best pal! They played and studied together.


 Present Day:

Anjali had no interest in her father's business nor was she interested in getting roasted in the Indian kitchens. She had absolutely nothing to do in the haveli rather than sit and watch TV or read a book. She was the daughter of the youngest son. All her uncle's children were married and had their children. Nobody fitted in the age group that Anjali belonged to, nor was there anybody to match up to her frequency of thought.

Anjali took the task of exploring the haveli. The old uncleaned attics and basements, opening her ancestor's closets and looking through their stuff, checking out old diaries, pages of which had turned yellow with time...this sort of detective work always amazed her. She remembered Meghna and herself played many detective games in the many rooms of this haveli. Sometimes Meghna would act as the detective while Anjali would hide , other times Anjali would be the detective.

She found her old dolls and their jewelry, carefully kept in a big wooden antique box.
" I've to meet Meghna..." She thought. Meghna had been Anjali's only close pal till date. Anjali moved from 1 school to the other and from 1 country to the other, but never did she trust another person with her secrets like she did with Meghna. Meghna, though a year younger to Anjali, was always calm and wise in her behavior and advice. Both of them had kept in touch through letters for over 3 years, then the study load increased, the extra curricular activities increased, and Anjali could not remember when she stopped replying to Meghna's long mails.

" But where will I find her??" She wondered.


After lunch, Anjali decided to ask her aunts for some information on the whereabouts of Meghna.

Pushpa Auntie was the most alert woman in the family. She had an ear for gossip and details, nothing ever missed her eye or ear. Anjali casually sat next to Pushpa Auntie while watched her favorite serial after lunch. This was the best time to get information out of her, since her attention was fixed on TV.
" Auntie, Where is Narayan uncle's house?"
Auntie was a bit irritated for the disturbance caused, but Anjali was a guest, that too 1 who came after 15 years, "Narayan is dead."

"And Meghna?"

"Nobody knows where she lives."
Anjali had heard this line before, but she wanted something more.

"When and where can I see her? I mean I wanted to meet her before I go back."
Now Pushpa auntie was alert, another reason for shifting the focus on Anjali was the commercial break.
"Why do you want to meet that witch?"
"I don't believe she's a witch, she was my friend."
"Yes! She was....WAS! You don't want to get involved in the mess of this village Anji...it's not meant for girls like you."

Pushpa auntie realized that Anjali was disappointed. So she added,
" It's going to be Amavasya in 2 days, the night of the witch, the villagers will hunt her down tomorrow and tie her to the tree so that she does no black magic!"

Anjali started thinking what to do....
" Don't think too much Anji...you are going home tomorrow night!"


(To be continued....)

The Village Witch Part 3

The Village Witch ( Part 1)

"I do not wish them to have power over men, but over themselves." 

~ Mary Wollstonecraft

"Dadii......." Anjali rushed out of her car and into her grandma's arms! Anjali hugged her dadi so tight, her dad was concerned,
"Anjali....careful! Don't squeeze your Dadi, she's not your teddy bear!" He warned her.
" It's okay Beta! When she was small I used to squeeze her, now its her turn!" Dadi was just too happy to see the whole family get together after almost 15 years.

Anjali and her family, that's her dad and mum had moved to New Delhi when she was 10. Since then they hardly ever visited their village "Dumaria", in central Eastern State of Bihar. Anjali's father always wanted the best for his daughter, he thought differently from the rest of his clan. He believed in equality of genders and an education for every woman. That was something unthinkable 15 years back....it is unthinkable even till date in this part of the world.

Anjali had gone abroad for a post graduate degree in Media studies and had got internship with BBC for almost 10 months. Thereafter she applied to the top media houses around US and UK and had got a job with Viacom Networks. She had come home for a short vacation before she started with a busy career.

She was nostalgic to walk through the corridors of their haveli and climb up the stairs to their old room, which was locked for the past 15 years and was now opened and cleaned for its old masters. Anjali was too excited, too happy to meet her full family and have everyone tell her she had grown up to be so beautiful!
"Yeh toh bilkul heroine ki tarah dikhti hai....filmon mein kyon nahi jaati Anji?"
"Jaungi Mausi...aap bas dekhti raho!"

The 1st day passed by in laughter, meeting lots of relatives and eating spicy food!

Anjali lay down on her old bed , relaxed, happy and content!
" Papa, there's really nothing like home!"
Her father looked at her, " I'm glad you connect to your land even after staying far away from it all these years Anji!"
" We should have come here more often!" Anjali always complained to her father for not making enough trips to Bihar.
" I thought it was in your best interest to let you have a safe and a sound adolescence Anji! You do not know how women are treated here, you have no clue."
"I've read a lot papa....."
"There' a difference in reading and seeing , and seeing and experiencing!" Her father's voice had that note of a strict warning, of definite knowledge, and of a patriarchal protector's instincts. Anjali did not pursue the matter further, after all she was here for just a couple of days.

The next day, her father left to check out a site for a factory with her uncles.
Her mom was busy in the kitchen with aunts and other female relatives catching up on the news headlines that shook the village over the past couple of years.

Anjali walked to the huge balcony and  let the sun rays bathe her! She closed her eyes and let the wind bring to her the flavors of what cooked in the kitchen and the scent of the sun-baked Indian earth. When she opened her eyes, she saw a young woman  looking at her from the road. Anjali tried to get a clearer look by shielding her eyes from the strong rays of the sun with her right hand. The young woman did not smile, did not wave her hands, she just stood looking at Anjali. Anjali could not recognize this frail, dark woman.

"Don't you remember her?" Her aunt Sarita was at her side.
Anjali took a while to recollect, "Meghna?"
"Yes! Poor girl. Lost her mother 1st, then she was married off at 18 and her husband died within a year of their marriage due to some disease, nobody really knows what it was. Everyone blamed her for his death. They call her the village witch now. The villagers believe she has a lot of dark powers that she uses to take revenge on people. How otherwise would her mother in law die within 2 years of marriage!?! Everything sounds so strange! My god, I'm getting goose bumps!" Sarita Auntie collected her clothes from the balcony and headed for the stairs.

"Sarita auntie....., why didn't you do anything for her when she was in trouble? I mean Meghna and her father used to come home quite often , right?"

"Her father left the village after all these deaths. She is left alone here. Nobody knows where she lives.Whenever anything bad in the village happens, the villagers search for her and beat her up. And surprisingly, everything comes back to normal after that." Sarita auntie said it as a matter of fact and climbed down the stairs.

Anjali was lost for words, Beat her up? Village Witch? What nonsense is this?

She turned to look back at the road,
the Village witch was gone.

( To be continued.....)

The Village Witch Part 2

U N I ( Part 10)

FREEZE.....

That was Krupal's wishful order for everyone!

Juhi stood there facing Nidhi...a red rose in her hands and an envelope...She did not recognize Nidhi, she had never met her before.
Nidhi looked at Juhi and immediately recognized her......
Both the ladies turned expectantly to Krupal!

Krupal's wishful order seemed to have worked only on him.....he did not move, nor did his facial expression change, only his eyes moved from Juhi to Nidhi and back to Juhi and lastly to the Private Detective who stood in one corner enjoying the scene!
The detective realized this was an explosive situation, he would have loved to wait and watch but Krupal's look was too scary to take a chance so he ran downstairs.

The expectant expression on Juhi's face turned to realization. Who else can this girl be?
Nidhi turned to look at Juhi again, and with tears in her eyes, she stepped closer to Juhi and caught her hands.
"I've nothing against you Juhi.....But I love this man too much.....And he just lies to me and abandons me in the middle of nowhere...what am I to do? What would you have done?"

Krupal was shocked to see a sudden change in Nidhi's tone," Liar Liar" He muttered to himself!
"Pardon me?" Nidhi asked.
"She's a lawyer!" Krupal told Juhi in a "Introductory" Style.
Juhi looked in Krupal's eyes, longer than necessary.
She took a moment to think...Nidhi was still holding her hands.

"Krupal doesn't love you Nidhi. That is the truth!"
"We are getting Engaged on Monday Juhi....I just gave him his Engagement clothes and he took them. That is also the truth!"

"You can't force yourself on him......you might make things work temporarily, but in the long run, its going to break!"
"You can't assume to know him.......1 week isn't enough to know a man!"

What the hell was happening?
Here are two ladies, in love with the same man, arguing over who gets him?
For a moment Krupal felt proud......usually you get to hear stories of men fighting over a woman...but here, he had turned the tables!
But then, where was this leading? Both the ladies have strong personalities, and this can take an ugly turn!
What was Krupal to do?
Stop it? Let it carry on?
He chose to let it carry on.
It was like a tennis match......right now the ball was in Juhi's court!

"I am not assuming anything Nidhi! It's not a toy we are fighting on. He's a free person and he has to make this choice, we arguing here and playing with words means nothing at the end of it!"
"You talk like a sensible woman....but you definitely don't behave like one!"
"Excuse me?"
"Don't you have a conscience? Don't you care about your character and reputation that you just move in with any man who asks you to? Or was it your idea?"

Juhi did not answer, she just smiled,"Nidhi You can't chain and cage someone you love, you have to let them be free!"
"You please don't tell me about letting him be free! I let him be free enough to go and kiss you in that restaurant on our date, I let him be free enough to live with you and sleep with you just a week before our Engagement!"

Juhi looked at Krupal,"Is she even understanding what I'm talking about Krupal?"

"Monday 4 pm Krupal......you promised! I gave you your time, your space, your freedom! What more do you want? Tell me where I went wrong? Why are you doing this to me? We've known each other for so long Krupal! I cannot imagine a life without you......Please don't leave me...please don't let me down! I've woven too many dreams for both of us.....I've thought for too long about our house, about our family, our children....I'll be lost without you in my life Krupal! Please try to understand......tomorrow.....please come!"

Nidhi was about to leave, when Juhi stopped her.
"Why can't you two sit inside and talk and decide for today whatever it is. Why wait till tomorrow?"
"You don't interfere in between both of us please. So Krupal...4pm, you promised! I'll be waiting!"

"Nidhi, please come inside!" Krupal was finally speaking.
And Nidhi suddenly felt she was losing the battle.
"I don't want to talk with you in front of her!"
"Okay. We can sit inside the room!"
"No...Not there too."
Nidhi had started behaving like an adamant child fighting for a toy.

"Okay, you two can sit in the hall and I'll go out...fine with you?" Juhi offered.
"I want some water!" Nidhi had started crying...with every passing moment, passing sentence, she was getting the vibes of a loss. And she hated losing. University Topper she was...she had never failed in life.....She had always calculated in advance and everything had worked out her way!
Juhi got her water,"Can I get you some tea ,coffee or lime water perhaps?"
"Lime water".
"Okay!"

Krupal was a silent spectator in this world of female communication!He could not understand what exactly was happening at the moment? Were they fighting? Were they being friends? Colleagues? Who's helping whom? Is this really helping or is it making things worse? Should he be talking or letting the females handle it their way?

Again, he chose the later! He let them handle it their way!

Nidhi and Krupal sat on the sofa. Juhi went in the kitchen to make Lime water.
"I'm sorry Nidhi. But I don't think it will work."
"It's okay.....You've been giving me the signals for quite some time...but it is too difficult for me to let go of something I like so much!"
"I'm not some-thing Nidhi! I'm not your toy! I should have stopped you long back when you started dominating me....but I thought that stage would pass by! But it didn't, and our relationship did more harm than good!"
Nidhi: "Love always hurts Krupal, doesn't mean a relationship is failing!"
Krupal: " Love doesn't hurt Nidhi....Love heals!"


Nidhi sighed,"Hmm....That's well said! Krupal,You are in love with her...why couldn't you tell me when I told you about the Engagement?"
He laughed,"Do you know that you are a terror at times?"

She thought for a while,"How am I to manage without you?"
"Oh come on! You've always been on your own Nidhi...its just in our mind that someone else is there, has to be there.....but in reality, you've never been dependent on me as such..you are quite independent!"

"Are you dependent on her?" Nidhi asked.
Krupal put a hand on Nidhi's shoulder,"From the day I met her!"
"What about her?"
"She's useless without me!"
They both laughed a little.
And fell silent for a while.
"So....are we going to remain friends?"
"We could...do you want to?"
"I kind of liked her.....she's mature and composed! If she was some Bimbo I would have lost all respect for you!"
"Hehe! So you want to be friendly with me because you like her?"
"No....Nothing like that!"

They looked at each other," Krupal....I'm going to miss you!"
"What about me are you going to miss the most?", Krupal asked.
"Who am I going to boss over now?"
"Ohh! That part you are going to miss, is it?"
"What will you miss about me?" Nidhi asked innocently.
"Who will boss over me now? Nobody ever bossed on me the way you did- not my parents, not teachers..nobody!"
"Don't worry....I still retain the right to boss over you!"

"People...can I come in and disturb you please?" Juhi came with the tray of drinks and snacks.

Nidhi took a bite of a biscuit and asked Juhi,"How do you know it is love, when it happens?"
"I did not know.....I realized ..with time....Time brings all the answers!"
"How do you know whether this will last?"
"There's no way to tell actually...but it just feels right! I've no doubts.....and I'm sure he doesn't have too! It's not a chance that we are taking with each other.....we know we are in love!"
"And if it fails?"
"True love doesn't fail! It cannot fail!"
"Oh God! I'm going to cry!" Nidhi cupped her face with her palms and started crying. The tears were for the first failure of her life! The tears were for the realizations that this failure had brought to her, the lessons that she learnt from this experience!

Juhi put a hand around Nidhi's neck and tried to soothe her, and Nidhi turned to Juhi and hugged her!
"Oh my god...this is going to make me cry now....! Women....These things you do...my god!" Krupal joined them and hugged them both! He kissed both the ladies on their forehead," Oh god! I must have been God's favourite to deserve women like you two in my life...and there's another one.."
"Who?" Both Nidhi and Juhi shot up their heads to look at Krupal.
"Mom!" He said with wide eyes!
All three of them laughed, all three of them hugged and cried!

The next day, there was no Engagement! It was called off!

Juhi and Krupal wanted to take more time so they continued living in together for the rest of the year and got married the following year.

Krupal's mother was shocked to hear the turn of events and in the change of plans.....but then," These things these young confused people do now a days.....Let them handle it their way!" She said and stepped aside.

Initially it was a bit tough for Nidhi to deal with the whole loss..but Juhi and Krupal stood by her so that she could deal with the emotional side effects of a break up!

"This doesn't feel like a break up at all...maybe that's why I'm more confused about how to deal with it!" Nidhi often complained.

"Go start dating, meet new people, you'll be fine!" Juhi advised her.

"Do you know of any young eligible bachelors?"

"Actually .....I do!" 

Juhi introduced Nidhi to Swamy. 

It did not work...it was a disaster!

After that Swamy officially pledged not to date anybody recommended by J -1st Smitha, then Nidhi.....He would rather find someone by himself!

Nidhi is currently single, and ready to mingle.

If any of you young boys want a smart intelligent independent and nice girl, you could think about her.

And she's grown up now, she's no more controlling as she was once upon a time.

***************************** *******THE END*************************************

Your Feedback, suggestions and comments are most welcome!

Song in Part 8 : You and I performed by Scorpions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgUKG6w9CBM

Image at : https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdO0MzbjKLo8wF9A8We2ZQ4-h4HEj0D7BLllqZ2z6pLabJeor8Zi05YrWD-wds6VVsbtCEinKxaoBsqzlLn-lCxBaRhGsNE02X2XZzWGb529eESCMTJT4mHQIDpGyIIXz2sc1oAt-1gsEM/

U N I ( Part 9)

"Are you alright Madam?"
Nidhi was still looking at the photos she received.
She took a long moment to compose herself, to think straight and not to take a hasty decision...when she was ready, there was only one thing she wanted to know," Where are they staying?"

-------------------------------------

Location: CCD

He was looking at her....she was looking down at her hands the whole time.
He waited for her to look up, he waited for her to show up...to show herself...the way he knew her!
That was his 'J'!
As he had never seen her before......quiet and dull!

"So this is the reason you've been Working From Home all 5 days!"
Just a Nod from Juhi.

"If you have to go for a date, you ask me to accompany you...and you take such a huge decision...and you keep me uninformed??. ....J.....I need to know, what made a mature reasonable and responsible lady like you to take a decision like this? What was the need to move in with a man who already has an engagement planned in a week's time? Why did you enter a losing situation J? You of all the people ? I look up to you......You ,you were my hero J!"

Juhi had never seen Swamy get so upset. The stress on "You WERE my hero!" was unmistakable!

"I did not know Krupal was such a Bastard!" Swamy could only think of blaming Krupal for J's condition.
"Please........don't!" She spoke for the 1st time this evening. The rest of the information she had told him through an e mail in the morning.
"Do  you at least know that he is getting engaged on Monday and that is 2 days from now?"
" Yes......."
"Do you love him?"
"I don't know....."
"Does he love you?"
"He says he does...."
"What do you want to do now?"
"I don't know...."

Swamy was shocked and irritated with her indecisiveness...a quality he had never seen in Juhi before.
"Well.....Why did you call me here?"
"I want your help....."
"How?"
"In making a decision........that is right for me!" She looked up at him for the first time, eyes  full of tears and confusion," I can't make up my mind Swamy."

Swamy had seen 'J' take some of the most difficult business decisions- she was always composed and calm in the face of difficulty! She was always in control of herself and the situation. Even if everything was wrong, a single look at her, had given Swamy a sense of relief....."J Baby will take care of it all!" He would tell himself!

And here was his J.....not being able to understand her feelings for a man, not being able to understand what was happening to her.........This Business lady was being beaten and defeated........by nothing but just one emotion....."Love".

He looked at her a long time- when he 1st read the e mail he had been angry, when he saw her sitting like that with her head hung low, he was disappointed! When he heard her talk like an immature school girl, he felt cheated! And now looking in those eyes...all red and full of tears, he realized the simple beauty of life and the magic of falling in love as he had never seen before!

He got up from his seat and sat next to her. He put his hand on her shoulder...she was still crying!
He looked at her with a simple smile.
"What?" She asked, irritated! " What's so funny about this?"
" Madam........you are in love with Krupal!"
She looked away and shook her head in disbelief!
"No matter how much you hate this fact, no matter how much you wanted to avoid this fall........you have fallen in love with that man...as innocently as a child...just the way it should be! Love , they say, you don't understand when you fall in it....it cannot be planned.....it just happens....and all you can do is feel the magic and go with the flow...and thank god, for making you one of those few lucky people, who truly and deeply touch this emotion in all its purity!"

"Which is the latest Hindi film you watched? Dialogues are good!"

Swamy laughed out loud!
"I'm only surprised with your conviction that you have built all these years that there is nothing called love....and when life is telling you in the loudest of its ways that 'Lady, see I proved you wrong...you are in love!' you rather get confused and cry than accept your defeat and enjoy the feeling!"

"You are not helping me in any way Swamy!"

"You are not ready to accept the truth J! This is not something to cry about...its something to celebrate! J baby is finally in love.......gosh! Hats off to Dr.Krupal! Something he must have done....what is it Madam? You and him alone in that flat.....something must have happened..."

"Nothing happened Swamy!"
"Hmm....I believe you!"
"Are you taunting me?"
"Staying together, liking each other, being attracted to each other and yet nothing happens.....ideal situation for love to creep in! So now you know....it's not lust....now you know that its not just a physical need."

" Yes! Both of us could just talk and listen to songs and sing and dance and cook and get a bit romantic, yet give each other the space, respect and try to understand what is the connection between us really...." Juhi was lost in her thoughts...." 5 days Swamy! I was all alone with him for 5 days.......I had the most beautiful time of my life!Oh my god.....is this love?"

"Yes J it is! Now cheer up! Go tell him...and enjoy this feeling girl!"
"What are people in love supposed to do Swamy? Should I buy him flowers and cards and gifts and a cake or..."
" That's what films and business people tell you ,to sell their stuff.....think J..what do you really want to do? How do you want to express yourself?"
"You are right Swamy! I don't want to buy something that everybody can buy with money......I want to do something special for him...very special!"

-------------------------------------------------------------

Krupal was simply surfing through the channels when the door bell rang.
He checked the time, Juhi had told him she's on her way, so it must have been her!
He went in the kitchen and brought the cake that he had baked for her and then with a bang, he opened the door, " Dhen te ne!"

" Wow! Beautiful New Zealand , isn't it?" It was Nidhi, followed by her private detective.
"Nidhi...wha....what are you .....?"
"Doing here? Wherever you go, my network follows!" She pointed at the detective! She was smiling so much that Krupal felt intimidated. She just stood there in the door not saying a word.
Krupal wanted her to shout, to cry...say something at least....but the last thing he wanted her to do was to smile!

"Aren't you going to call me in?" She asked smiling.
" Of course...come in...not you!" He said to the private detective and closed the door on his face.
Nidhi handed over the packet she was carrying.
"What is it?"
"Your clothes for the Engagement!"
"Engagement?"
"You forgot?"
"But Niddhi....."
"I don't want to talk about it......I know what you are up to, you can run but you can't hide from me...understand?"
She turned to go and opened the door, Juhi had just reached the floor. Both the ladies faced each other.
Krupal's worst nightmare was about to begin!

( Last part........coming soon!)

U N I ( Part 8)

" Why do you need 1 week holiday? That too just before our Engagement?? "
"I need it! I always wanted to visit New Zealand. I've a friend there.....I'll be staying with him....."
"We could go there for our honeymoon!"
"But you don't like adventurous stuff.....we are planning for all the water sports and stuff like that. This is going to be my last trip before I get married!"

Nidhi thought about it for a while, but before she could ask the next question he said," Please don't ask me to give you a call everyday.......I might not be able to!"

" But you'll be here on Monday right? It's our Engagement! Don't forget......and please don't put me down in front of my people!"
" I'll be standing in front of you at dot 4 pm. Okay?"
" So late? The ceremony starts at 5!"
" Yes I know. That's why I'm coming at 4....."

Nidhi looked at Krupal unconvincingly.....no matter what he was saying right now...she just couldn't trust his single word. She knew she could not cage him, could not say a no to his requests, she had tried...but he had told her his plan only after he had finalized it. She stood there with her hands on her hips. He kissed her on her cheek and left.

---------------------------------------------------

" I'm late! I'm late! Gosh I'm late!" Juhi was packing her stuff and getting ready for office. Krupal sat in the hall, doing nothing.
"What? You don't have to go to the Hospital?"
He said nothing.
" Hello......I'm talking to you."
Still no answer.
" What the ....."
" What am I doing with my life?" He said finally, " Why am I so confused? And so driven at the same time? Why don't I understand what I want for sure?"
"Are you plain stupid or is there more to it?"
"Juhi......please help me. Please don't go today, please don't leave me alone."
"Yes!There is much more to it!" Juhi finally came to a conclusion.

She kept aside her  bag and sat near him and put a hand on his shoulder.
" If you are not ready for the marriage....tell her straight that you need time. Why are you agreeing to everything that she is saying?"
" I'd promised her....I gave her my word. I told her we would get married...I can't break my promise!"
" Look...circumstances change okay? You are not breaking the promise, you are only asking for some more time."
" I've been asking for more time since 1 year now."
" Krupal you can't have your cake and eat it too.....you have to choose...you have to make the compromise.......that's life!"
" I want you!"
" That's ...........Lust!"
" Why do you always brush me off with that negative word??"
" Because I don't understand the positive "Love" sweetheart! I understand liking, I understand attachment, I understand Lust, but what I don't understand is Love! What is it? What are you talking about?"
" It's hard to explain......but it exists....."

" It's the same thing as saying Santa Claus exists....same as saying Mermaids exist......its just an emotion born out of human Imagination Krupal! It's the same as the belief and philosophy of the existence of god! When human beings want miracles to happen and want to believe there is something higher than them, they make up all these stories.......love is a by product of those stories. It's up to you how much you want to get entangled in them......Today you want me, 2 years back you wanted Nidhi, and 2 years after me, you might want someone else.....how many times are you going to fall in love?"

" Nidhi wasn't love......I just wanted someone that time...I was desperate to fall in love! But that wasn't love.....I was in love with the idea of love....I was...."
" Stop! Please! I can't take these confusing statements anymore."

They kept looking at each other for a long time, in total silence......Juhi could not deny the fact that Krupal looked very attractive when he was lost in his thoughts and all that she wanted to do was to kiss him....and she looked at his lips and he knew what she wanted, and when she leaned in, he sang softly,

"I lose control because of you babe........ ( She smiled)
I lose control when you look at me like this........
There's something in your eyes that is saying tonight.....
I'm not a child anymore, life has opened the door to a new exciting life!"

She giggled and they held each other close........and rocked gently with the song he sang for her,

" I lose control when I'm close to you babe
I lose control don't look at me like this....
there's something in your eyes, is this love at first sight  ( she shook her head to show a "No")
like a flower that grows, life just wants you to know
all the secrets of life!"

He said: It's all written down in your lifelines
She said: it's written down inside your heart

They both sang : "You and I ..........just have a dream
to find our love a place
where we can hide away"

He said: "you and I ....were just made
to love each other now
forever and a day!"

Krupal had never sung instinctively to anybody before....he wondered...why Juhi? She inspired him...she set him free!

Nobody had ever sung for Juhi, she had never swayed while the man in her arms sang exclusively for her......and though there was no music playing, their bodies moved to a slow rhythm they knew existed...and felt the whole room flowing with the music they made....It was a magical moment for Juhi....the moments she always thought only existed in fairy tales....the way she felt being in his arms soothed her, calmed her, put down her defenses and she felt like a child in his arms, where she did not have to fight, where she did not have to pretend....where she could cry, where she could expect, she could demand, .............she wanted to melt in his arms.....She looked up at his face, and for the 1st time she wasn't trying to judge him....looking into his eyes, she wanted to trust him, she wanted to believe him....she wanted to belong to him...something she had not felt for so long...something she had avoided.........some doors were opening within her, those she had locked long back, the hurt that was locked in them was getting lost somewhere....she felt lighter, she felt a lot of weight being lifted off her shoulders......

"I'm tired....I want to go to sleep."
The last 2 days had been frantic- packing, buying new stuff, arranging it, putting up the curtains, fixing the internet and other connections......and now these new emotions......it was a whole new experience!

He accompanied her till her bedroom door and waited there.
She got into her bed and coiled in like a child......and went to sleep immediately.....

( To be continued......)

U N I ( Part 7)

Story so far : -

Part 1: Juhi and Krupal meet through a common friend, when the common friend meets with an accident, he is her boss and his ex classmate.

Part 2: Krupal asks Juhi for a cup of coffee and then asks her out for a date.

Part 3: They go to a pub cum disc for their date. Juhi gets drunk and tries to kiss him. He stops her because he has a girl friend with whom he is planning to get married.

Part 4: Enter: Vyankat Swamy! Juhi's assistant cum spy cum friend who had done his study on Krupal before Juhi went out on the date. He also hangs around the pub to keep a watch on her and to protect her.

Part 5: Juhi and Krupal meet once again in a restaurant , just by co incidence. Here Krupal kisses Juhi.

Part 6: After the kiss, Krupal knows who he really wants and proposes Juhi for marriage.Juhi turns him down. Nothing misses the watchful eyes of his girl friend- Nidhi. And she's not someone who would just watch her man get out of her hands! She throws the net to catch him, fixes the Engagement in 1 week's time!

Character List:

Dr.Krupal

Juhi

Nidhi- Krupal's girl friend.

Vyankat Swamy- Juhi's Assistant

Smitha- Juhi's room mate whom Vyankat dated.                                                                                         

And Now......
 

2.30 am 

There was a loud knock on Juhi's door. Juhi and her room mate Smitha jumped up in bed, scared, worried!
" What the hell was that?" Smitha almost screamed.
Were they dreaming?
But after a few seconds there was another one- louder!! It was a bang!
Juhi reached out for her mobile phone to call up the police, but just when she picked it up, she realized it had 17 missed calls from Dr. Krupal. Juhi always put her mobile on silent mode at night.

" What the hell is wrong with him?" Juhi said aloud,opening her inbox to read the 10 messages she had received from him.
" What the hell are you doing? Call the police....fast!" Smitha was almost crying.
Just then there was another call from Krupal. Juhi picked it up in a hurry ," Krupal, thank god you called! There's someone at my door at this hour, banging the door.......call the police and come here please!"
" Hmmmmmm? Okay! I am coming right away. I am starting........now.......I'm in my car. Okay? But Juhi...first....would you do me a favor?"
Juhi was worried as the banging was getting louder....," What? I can hardly hear you...can you hear it?"
" Yes! Clearly! It's almost making me deaf! Anyway....do me a favor Juhi......right now, till I call you again, don't do anything. Just be calm....relax...and breathe. Okay?"
" Yes...okay...yes!"
" Promise me you won't open your eyes until I call."
" Why?"
"Don't ask questions. You just breathe.....I am almost there...2 more minutes! Forget it...keep talking to me.......I won't hang up."
Another 2 loud bangs......
" Ohh please reach here...fast!"
" And Juhi......."
"What?"
" For all that I do for you tonight.......will you fulfill my 1 wish?"
"Wish what?"

"Who are you talking with? Is this a time to talk with  friends?" Smitha was totally confused!
" It's Krupal....he's on his way."
" Oh thank god! At least some guy is coming." Smitha started praying to all the 330 million gods!

" Juhi......promise me you will fulfill my wish!"
Another 2 loud bangs!

Smitha : Someone has been keeping a watch on us.......how else would they know our landlord is gone to his hometown just today?? My god! I did not know Bangalore was so unsafe....."
Krupal: Promise me now!

Juhi ( Confused) Till now she thought he was just acting crazy...now she was cent percent sure that he was a total mental case! Nobody talks about wishes and promises in times of crisis! But maybe he was trying to distract her...maybe he was.....

Krupal: Promise me Juhi.....
Juhi: I promise...I promise for whatever you say.....you just come here please....please!
Krupal: Okay then...open the door!
Juhi: What? You reached? You sure?
Krupal: Yeah! I'm here...Open the door.......I'm right here...

Juhi and Smitha holding each other, Juhi with her pepper spray and Smitha with a wooden stick approached the door slowly. Krupal called out to them, " He ran away! He saw my car come and he ran away...open the door."

Smitha rushed to the door and unlocked it, saw Krupal standing there and turned to look at Juhi.

Smitha: Is this your friend?
Juhi: yeah....Krupal ...this is.....

Smitha had hugged Krupal tightly....

Juhi: Smitha!  ( Juhi finished her introduction)

Smitha: Oh My God! Thank you soo much ! I was so shit scared! I thought this was the last day of my life....and I don't want to die...I really don't want to die! There is still so much to do...I want that pink dress for Diwali by Ritu Kumar, and I want to get back in shape and wear a bikini and walk on the virgin beaches of Bora Bora Islands!

Krupal and Juhi watched each other in a shock while Smitha blabbered! After a few seconds Smitha cooled down! She let go of Krupal and straightened her hair. Gave a nervous grin and turned to go in, " I need water" .
Juhi thought she knew Smitha well...but this blabbering had proved her wrong......After all Smitha too harbored secret desires and wouldn't be totally out of frequency with Swamy as Swamy thought....maybe they just needed to give each other some more time, maybe...they needed to open up!

Krupal realised that Juhi was lost in her thoughts, " I hope you remember the promise!"
Juhi looked at Krupal , and wondered, she had been so wrong about him. Just how she was wrong about Smitha. We draw conclusions about people so fast...the truth is....we think we know everything...but actually we know so little! Krupal had been such a savior! He had come for her in the middle of the night....., " I do not know how to thank you Krupal!"
" You don't have to ......you just do me the favour!"
" Anytime.....Tell me!"
" You are moving in with me tomorrow!"

*
*
*
*
*

Juhi was shocked to hear his request! "Move in what? Who? When?" She had said.
And he had tried to explain to her gently, convincingly...and when she acted too adamant, 2 promises came handy!
1st: Him knowing about her opinion of her boss. And Krupal's ability to influence her Boss's decision!
2nd: The new promise.

And if that was not enough, there was Smitha who was totally head over heels on Krupal. He was her new Hero!

" Not tomorrow. Give me a day to think about it......"
" It's just a matter of a week Juhi. We'll stay only for a week."
" I need a day to pack my stuff!"

Finally she had agreed and with the "Yes" from her, he returned to his car and sat inside and wondered, " If you really want something, the entire Universe conspires to make it happen!"

  The turn of events had aided him completely. He had called her that night to ask her to open that damn door, and she asked him for help instead, thinking someone else was at the door! With Smitha being slightly in a state of shock, Juhi had been completely ignorant of Krupal deleting his messages from her inbox!

But deep down he knew it wouldn't be long before Juhi thinks about the incident some day again and wonders, " Why did he call me 17 times that night?"
But till then he had to keep her busy and he had to make sure she did not get enough time to wonder....

( To be continued........)

U N I ( Part 6)

Krupal and Juhi sat quietly besides each other for a long time after the workmen had left them with their luggage in the 1 bedroom flat. It was one of those stupid things wherein you shoot 1st and then aim like an idiot to see what damage you have done.
" I'll take the bedroom of course." Juhi picked up her bags and went inside.
" I'm hungry." All that Krupal had done over the last 2 days was to be a loll. He could not take any decision, he did whatever seemed right at a particular moment, without logic. Right now he was  way beyond understanding the situation.
" We don't have a functional kitchen......" Juhi stepped in the kitchen and looked around, " Let's go and shop for all the necessary things.....I won't get more than a day off from office, we've to settle down as quickly as possible."

----------------------------------
1 week earlier:

Nidhi paced around in her bedroom throughout the night.........it is not an easy feeling to deal with, the feeling that you are losing the love of your life.........it is not easy to face the truth, the truth that your guy is cheating on you, lying to you! After all Nidhi was a practicing lawyer in Bangalore. In the few years of her practice she had learnt a bit about human behavior, especially about lying, about disinterest and about faking.

She had known the entire week that Krupal had lost interest in her.....and the reason was not his work. It wasn't the first time he was into a stressful situation. Doctors are trained right from Med school to deal with stress. This was something else. she had understood over the years that the day Krupal would want to break up, he would never come straight. Confused soul as he was, he would make a mess out of the situation and leave her stranded in between nowhere.

Nidhi hated confusion of any sort. She was a focussed girl and knew how to get the things she wanted.

--------------------------------------

La Terraza: 2 weeks earlier :

" Marry me!"

For once in his lifetime he was sure of what he wanted...he wanted this girl, his instincts were so strong....He could not have been wrong about it!

Juhi, shocked - not by the kiss but by what followed after it, moved back a couple of steps, " What?"

"This thing that we have between us....its unmistakable!"
" Do you say this to every girl you kiss?"
" I've never felt so strongly about any girl before!"
" Then you can compliment me for being a good kisser.......a marriage proposal ain't the right thing to...."
" Please....Juhi.....Please don't say no!"
" This is madness.....you are insane!."
" Yes! Insane isn't it?? That means it is love!"
" It's lust you fool!"
" But Juhi......."
"Don't follow me and don't call me..........! I mean it!" She looked straight into his eyes. He felt like a roadside loafer.

Juhi stormed out of the restaurant the next second.

From the terrace, Swamy spotted Juhi getting out of the building and catching a rickshaw. 2 minutes after her, he spotted Niddhi getting out of the building........Swamy was confused, " Hadn't Nidhi left the restaurant around 20 minutes back?"

-----------------------------------------------------
Krupal's Clinic: (5 days before moving in)

Dr. Krupal entered his clinic from the regular rounds.
" Hi sweetheart!"
He almost jumped , " Niddhi! What are you doing here?"
"Waiting for you of course!"
She was sitting in his chair and watching him closely like a principal of a school dealing with a naughty kid!

" Uh? Okay! But why didn't you call me, sms me or something like that?"

She stood up from the chair and walked real close to him, he kicked the door to close, and gave a silly nervous grin, " This is my work place Nidhi.......... sweety!"

" Can we cut the sweety part please?? It looks fake!"
" Eh?"
(Why was she being so rude? Krupal could not understand the reason.)

" Do you love me Krupal?"

" Of course......of course!"
She moved even closer. Now there was no place left for him to move back.

" Do you love me enough to marry me?" She was making her moves, unexpected and real fast. There was no room to maneuver, it was almost a check mate!

" Why ...... ( he cleared his throat) why are you asking me this? Did you find someone else?"
( What a silly thing to say!)

"Did I find someone else? Krupal? Did you just indirectly say I'm having an affair?" She asked taunting him.

"No sweety of course not!"

" So sweety ( a bit more exaggerated  than Krupal)
 Marry me!
 We've waited for quite some time.....and now there is no point in waiting, we both have well paid jobs, your sister got married and has a kid already ......so what are we waiting for huh?"
He was speechless.
She moved back a little so that he could breathe and gave him a naughty smile.

" You think we women are stupid, don't you? ( still smiling, taunting!) Don't ever think of playing nasty games with women, you understand? When we are good, we are real good and when we are bad.......we are ...."
"Real Bad!" He finished the sentence for her......

She smiled.
"By the way,  I spoke to your mom, I mean  Maa ....I spoke to maa about this and she's fine with whatever we decide. I told her we want to get engaged in a week's time, small informal affair! And wedding in December...what say?"

U N I (part 5)

Krupal had typed more than a dozen messages to Juhi by now...and had sent none.
He knew he had already insulted her by turning down the kiss. He repented his decision of not kissing her.
Not a day went by without thinking about her.......He had expected things to get easier as time passed by.........strangely they didn't. He wondered why this happened? Before he met Juhi everything was just fine. And now just knowing she existed in the same city as him, knowing he has all the means to get in touch with her, knowing she had liked him......made it a torture to live without meeting her.

Even in the presence of his GF Nidhi with whom he was in a relationship for 2 years, all he could think about was Juhi.
" Jaanu.....are you listening?" Nidhi waved a hand before him. They were seated at La Terraza, having their dinner on a weekend, " You seem to be so lost...is everything alright?"
"Lots of work...I am just tired!"
" Tired from work or tired of me Jaanu?" Nidhi asked hinting sharply.
" Look...can we please skip the Jaanu part? I am just not in a mood today."
" Then why didn't you tell me you wanted to be all by yourself?"
"Because if I had ,you would complain and nag and say I'm ignoring you and next day you would come to the hospital and disturb me there too."
She looked at him, hurt....." What is wrong with you?"
She picked her purse and got up and left the seat.
He caught his aching head with both his hands and put down his head on the table.
next second, she was back at the table, " I am just going to the washroom! don't leave!"
He looked after her, " Disappear stupid lady...whooosh ..( He sprinkled imaginary magic water in her direction).....just disappear.....Whoosh whoosh.....( More magic)......and don't come back...."

The waiter approached him looking at his behavior, " May I get you something sir?"
" Yes please....some magic potion!"
" Excuse me?"
" I meant vodka."
" Vodka with....?"
" Neat with 2 cubes of ice."

----------------------------------------

Juhi and Vyankat had decided to spend the weekend together. He did not have any special plans, nor did Juhi. They checked out a few malls, it was the sale season and finally ended up at La Terazza for dinner.

“ So Swamy, how was the date with Smitha?”

“ If it was good, I wouldn’t be sitting here with you on a Saturday night madam! How was Rahul? He’s been hunting you for over 3 months!”

“ I’m tired of hunting and being hunted Swamy. I never get the one I want and the one’s I don’t want to look at are always ready at my doorstep!”

“ They call this a society but if you look closely…it’s a jungle out there…..Don’t lose hope, you’ll  find your man some day. And he will sweep you off your feet and you will then believe that something called love exists and you will run into his arms…..” Swamy was getting melodramatic!

She took a sip of her cocktail.

“ Stop that nautanki! There is nothing called love here. People manipulate in advance about caste, status, profession and hook up and call it love! If there was love then it would be spontaneous, it would be unconditional…..it would  break our social structure…It would freak people out.”

She took another sip.

“ Look Swamy, There’s marriage….there is sex….and there is love……all 3 are totally separate issues, but in India we mix them up and expect it to somehow work out! Half of our society is caught up in this circus….juggling 3 needs, 3 desires into 1…… and then they...”

“ Hello Juhi….”

She was so deep in explaining  her philosophy, but she would never mistake that voice, she shot a look upward…he was standing by her table holding his glass of magic potion.

“ May I join you both?”

“ Of course….you are most welcome!” Chipped in Swamy.

“ 3 different needs to name….and so many others  un- named, untold…..that is why only 1 person fits in perfectly with the 1 made for him or her…its like a jigsaw puzzle….only the right pieces can complete the whole picture.” Krupal finished Juhi’s topic of discussion, looking at her the whole time…..she did not look away, nor did he!

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Nidhi came at their table from the washroom to find Krupal missing, she started looking around and asked the waiter.

----------------------

“ Someone is searching for you perhaps?” Swamy reminded Krupal.

Krupal did not look away from Juhi, “Can you take care of the lady at my table ….Mr…..?”

“Swamy….Vyankat Swamy!” In his 007 style!

“ Right Mr. Swamy….can you please?”

“ My pleasure!”  Vyankat fixed his shirt collar, got up from his seat and walked to Nidhi.

" We should probably move to some other place......" Krupal got up, caught Juhi by her arm and took her in a lonely corner, she wasn't able to say anything.

---------------------------------------

" Madam....Dr. Krupal had to attend an emergency operation at the hospital. he asked me to assist you and drop you home , if you would like."

Nidhi looked at Vyankat. Then picked up her cell phone, which rang, it was Krupal on the line.

" I had to go...Vyankat Swamy is a good friend of mine. He will drop you home. Bye!"

He hung up the phone without waiting for a response from Nidhi. Nidhi thought for a moment, " Thank you Mr. Swamy, but I'll find my way back."

She took her purse and left.

------------------------------------------

Krupal and Juhi looked at each other for a long time. She had not spoken a word since he appeared at her table. He realized he was still holding her arm……so he pulled her closer….she moved closer. There was absolutely no sign of hesitation or resistance. Krupal kept his glass on a table nearby and held her face……she did not move, did not twitch an inch………just when he leaned closer to kiss her, she blocked him with her palm.

“ I’ve a boy friend. We are planning to get married in 3 MONTHS.” There was an unnecessary stress on 3 months!

Krupal moved back a little and smiled…he did not know what to do.

He let go of her face and his hand moved back to pick up the glass…….a slow and a satisfactory, almost wicked smile appeared on Juhi’s face…………. but in a matter of half a second ,he had held her closer and kissed her without her knowing when to stop him!

( To be continued……)