Seven Vows Part 1- Published

The Punishment

" What someone is going to fall at my feet and ask sorry. That too 10 times. Sreedhar please I cannot stand for such things. You know I feel very uncomfortable " told Suman. They were in the car on the way to the meeting place

" Sumi I very well know you don't like it, neither do I. But today you will have to stand. If not for yourself, atleast for Vaishnav for his peace of mind" Sreedhar told what the boy told crying as he was leaving the hall.

" It's so bad Sreedhar. I really feel sorry for his mother. As per maa she would have been just about 18 when she died. Yaa I will stand, may be there will be many others who might feel it as justice" told Suman.

They reached the community hall. When Sreedhar and Suman entered together in the hall, atleast for a second the hall went silent. He in Maroon shirt and offwhite trousers and she in plain white salwar without any makeup. Yet many felt there was something special about them. Maheswari looked at them as they came down the steps. As they came near she averted the eyes and asked Suman " You don't have any difficulty beta", " No Maa I can manage " told Suman as she sat

" Looks like a pair Mata Gowri herself has made " told an old lady sitting in the corner and her DIL immediately shut her up " What are you telling Maa, he is a very eligible bachelor, youngest son of Varma family and she is a widow. Do you think his family will make him marry his widow bhabi. Good that we are sitting at far corner and no one has heard us "

" What if she is a widow. In our community bhabi-devar marriage happens. This pair is made for each other. My eyes cannot fail" told the old lady.

" Maa how do you manage such weird pairs" told her another DIL. " Didi now I am worried for that boy. Is his fate going to be marrying a widow. Such a handsome boy. Our Maa's such crazy predictions most of them has turned true right. That potter's daughter who got married to that rich family and that girl of that big family who ran away with that news paper boy. She had told them all "

Nagamma smiled at her DILs " Beta some pairs are for keeps, you cannot change it and Nagamma knows one when she sees it. Believe me this Sreedhar Varma and Suman Varma is going to be a very noble and beautiful pair. Her DILs folded their hands in front of her to stop.

"Ok first let the wife of Pradeep Samrat do her penance. Suman Varma please come and stand here" told a committee member. Suman went up and stood where she was asked to stand. Pradeep Samrat's wife fell on her feet asking apology behalf of her and her family for the crime committed to Suman. Each time she fell on Suman's feet a loud clap happened. Suman was feeling suffocated as the lady was much older to her. Finally it was over and the committee member asked whether she is forgiving the family. Suman said she is fine with the apology. They were asked to go to the respective seats. Pradeep Samrat's wife was in tears and anger as she came to the seat. She a Suhagan has been insulted for a widow. She will make this count she told to herself. Then the committee member asked to punish Pradeep Samrat

" Maa can I go, I do not want to watch this whipping " told Suman as she came down. " Sreedhar drop her back. Also she will be tired" told Maheswari.

They were back in the car. Once they were out of sight from the hall, Sreedhar caressed her hand " It's ok Sumi. Don't take it hard "

" Sreedhar why are people so sadistic. I could hear shouts of glee when that aunty fell on my feet. What pleasure is there in such scenes. In Mewar I have never gone to any community meeting to be frank though people talk about it. School and house used to be my only world till I came to Delhi. Does such weird things happen in such meetings, have you gone for them"

" Sumi I have also not gone. To be frank there was no need. But I had heard discussions of Papa ,Maa, Tilak Bhaiyya, Vindhya Bhabi talking about such meetings. They are weird. Such things happen in them, even worse. You know my whipping right. Though it is to deliver instant justice in the hands of this Mahant type people many innocents suffer. The glee you heard today is not sadistic. It is actually the wish of many people out there who have been wronged by that Samrat family. That lady who fell on your feet is Charulatha. After Mahantji's wife Sumedha, she is the one who lays the rules of behavior of woman in the community and oppress woman like anything.Her DILs are treated extremely bad. I know they do female feticide also. And that Samrat man he never pays his labourers well, kind of make them do bonded labour. People from lower caste and all not at all paid. I have even heard he takes children as bonded labourers, though there is no proof of it. Many people have suffered in their hand Sumi and many are feeling elated today for the pain that is inflicted on them. So you don't worry too much thinking about them "

" Isnt it a irony Sreedhar that from the time you have come back we are only attending these meetings one way or the other where at the start of the meeting we are the culprits and at the end we come out unscathed" told Suman

" I don't know Sumi. Sometimes I feel we are like pawns and Maa Durga herself is playing a master game. Sometimes I feel all this is just a coincidence" told Sreedhar

" No Sreedhar all this cannot be just coincidence. There is more than what meets the eye. Our love story has come very strongly into the social realm and now there is no going back. We have to brace ourselves now for what is lying ahead" said Suman

He pressed her hand and she pressed it back. They smiled as the car entered the driveway of Varma mansion. They heard loud cries. It was that of men. They saw Vindhya Bhabi coming out. They got out from the car and rushed in the direction of cry only to see 2 men writhing in pain in their garden. They were lying down and their hands seemed to static. Only their upper body moved.

"Vindhya Bhabi call the police quick". Vindhya Bhabi rushed to call police and Suman followed her. Sreedhar observed the men. They were thugs for sure and he knew who had made them in this condition. He smiled at Goraji's men's efficiency.