ANIDITA : A Life For Revolution

CHAPTER 6 : Part 3

Anirudh's p.o.v

She stared at me wide-eyed. For the first time, I see fear in her eyes for me. I made her fear me. Dugga Maa, where are you taking us both?

"Meine tumse sahi tareeke se baat karne ki koshish ki lekin tum maani nahi. Tumne koyi aur kasar nahi choda Bondita" I tried to calm myself down.

"Meine kaha na apse mujhe kuch nahi sunna. Ap darwaza kholiye... Sona hai mujhe"

"Nahi!"

She turned her head from me in a desperate attempt to hide her tears. My eyes welled up seeing that and I made my way towards her table. She tried unlocking the door.

"Hilna mat Bondita!" I said sternly. She tried unlocking again and I shouted at her.

"Suna nahi tumne? Hilna mat!"

She gasped at my outburst and plunged to the floor, leaning against the closed doors. Tears flowed from her doe eyes mercilessly. Just few more minutes Bondita, give me few more minutes.

Taking my gift for her from her drawer, I opened the box to take out what was inside. When I turned back with it, Bondita was still crying silently, her eyes glued to the floor. Walking towards her, I sat down opposite her and placed the coconut shell before her.

"Tring tring... Tring tring..." I whispered.

I know she wouldn't take it so I started talking.

"Maa... Mein Bondita ka pati babu bol raha hoon. Ap sun rahi hai na mujhe maa? Janta hoon, ap bhi mujhe bohot galat samajh rahi hogi. Lekin mein aj apse nahi balki Bondita se baat karna chahta hoon Maa... Bondita hai na apke paas, bas use phone de dena"

She blinked a bit, her tears calming down slowly.

"Bondita... Mein tumhe kahna chahta hoon ki uss raat ko sach mein kya hua tha. Mein apne dosth ke shaadi mein gaya tha Bondita. Lekin jeise hi uski shaadi huyi toh meine dekha doosri mandap par ek budha dulhan beidha tha... Pehle toh mujhe bohot khushi huyi Bondita, meine socha mera desh badal gaya hai... Budhe logon ke bhi shaadi hone lage hai... Lekin jab meine dulhan ko dekha... Uski masoom si, pyaari si aur bholi si shakal dekha... toh mujhse rah nahi paaya... Toot gaya tha mein Bondita... Ek pyaari si bachi ko ek buzurg se shaadi karwane ja rahe the... Meine koshish ki shaadi rokne keliye lekin mein kuch kar nahi paayi... Police station gaya, officer ko lekar aaya phir bhi kuch nahi kar paya mein... Jeise hi mein aur kuch karne ko soch raha tha tabhi uss buzurg ka dehanth ho gaya... Meine socha theek hai... kam se kam shaadi toh ruk gayi... Ab woh ladki aazad hogi... Nahi chahte huye bhi mein wapas aa raha tha... Lekin mann mein bohot bechaini ho raha tha... Aise jeise kuch galat hone wala hai... Phir jeise hi mein Gaadi ghumakar wapas aaya toh mujhe pata chala ki woh log... who log uss bechari ko Sati karne lekar ja rahe the" My voice cracked.

"Tum hi batao Bondita, kya mein woh hone de saktha? Nahi na? Meine bohot koshish ki rokne ki lekin log pata nahi pagal ho gaye the... Prathaom aur andhvishwasom ne patti bandhkar rakha tha unke dimaag mein... Meine unse bola bhi tha ki mein tumhara zimmedari udhane keliye tayyar hoon lekin woh log maana nahi... Rishta chahiye tha un sab ko... Toh meine de diya rishta! Maang bhari uss ladki ki, apni patni banaya use... Rishta chahiye tha na sabko, de diya meine rishta..."

She froze at my last sentence, her soft and ragged breathing filling the silence.

"Aage ki kahaani tum janti ho Bondita... Meri galti sirf itna tha ki meine tumse yeh sab chupaya... Par yakeen mano Bondita mein bas sahi samay ka intzaar kar raha tha. Mein chahta tha tum in sab mein nahi balki apni padhai par apne sapne par dhyaan de... Meine socha tumhare London se lautne ke baad tumhe sab kuch bataunga... Mein tumse yeh sab chupana ke bare mein bilkul bhi nahi socha tha... Shotti!" I pinched my throat with a small smile.