Seven Vows Part 1- Published

The Murder

Everyone was assembled for the community meeting. This was the first time a member of the community has raised a complaint against a person closely associated with Mahant. The community hall was jam packed. Even the media was there full house to see the proceedings of the community meeting related to poisoning of Prasad.

Mahantji walked in with other community members . For a change Santguru came with Prakash Samrat. He was made to stand in the corner of the hall. Tilak closed his eyes. He felt the pain of Anu who would have stood like that. He remembered Suman who was made to stand like that. He remembered the 20 whips that Sreedhar took. Somewhere seeing Santguru there Tilak felt a inner calm. He felt as if Anu is watching from above. Her soul feeling happy. Sudhir tapped his brother's shoulder.

Renu and Vindhya had not come for the meeting. They decided to stay back with the kids. Only Rajasekhar, Maheswari, Tilak and Sudhir had come.

Mahantji got up " Rajasekhar Varma you have raised a serious accusation against Santguru. The committee would want to know the basis of it"

It was Tilak who got up " Respective members yesterday a group of people came to our house claiming that my daughter Poornima and my sis-in-law Suman are witches. They claimed the issues their kids faced was because of Prakop of Mahadev and Santguru told them unless the witches are punished it wont go. But thankfully Dinakarji came and told it is not Prakop it is poisoning. So we want to take action against Santguru who mislead the people" Tilak sat down

" Everyone my esteemed brother knows lot of tantric things. You all know it. You also know that how he was defeated in the elections 20 year back. Now he is using this oppourtunity to get back power. He has cured the children using his tantric vidyas and not medicine. He has used his sadhana to support wrong people" told Mahantji

" Mahantji " Somalatha Devi got up. " I have prepared the potion that was used to poison the Prasad". She went to tell the name of the plant from which the poison was made"

" How can you prove it" asked Mahantji

" Wait" she told and took the bird cage she was carrying. For everyone to see she kept the small vessel with the poison and kept in bird's cage encouraging it to drink. The bird drank the potion. Within 5 minutes people could see difference in its skin similar to the boils on the children. Mahantji didn't know what to do.

" I hope you have seen. I do not want to put this bird to misery " she immediately put the antidote in the cage making the bird drink it. Some 15-20 minutes later they could see the bird had relaxed.

" So everyone it is a very potent poison that can give similar reactions in humans, animals and birds"

" So Santguru I am asking you how did you tell it was Prakop" asked Somalatha Devi

Santguru was shivering now. He didn't know what to tell. He looked at Mahantji for help. Mahantji was thinking how to salvage the situation. Then determined he asked " Where is Sreedhar, Suman and Poornima. Why don't you bring them. The fact that you have hidden..." Jai Maa Ambe, Jai Maa Ambe". He was interrupted by the chants. Everyone turned to look at a sanyasi who was standing at the door. He had very sharp eyes

" Who are you" asked Mahantji. Even Sudhir, Dinakar and Somalatha Devi looked at him curiously. They didn't know him

" I am Mata Ambe's sevak. Whenever she sees her devotees are troubled she sends me. I have come to know a pious woman called Suman on whom Maa Ambe's grace is there is called a witch. Maa Ambe cant take it. So she asked me to go" he put something in his hand and a fire came up.

" This fire tells me the culprit because of whom Suman is called witch is there in the hall. The man standing there can tell me"

Mahantji said " you cannot.." but people seeing the fire, hearing the name of Suman had now stood up in awe.

" Sanyasiji please let us know who has put the poison" told one man. " Yes yes Sanyasiji "

" Yes I will. He said some mantras and opened his palm. There was kumkum in it. He threw that at Santguru's face.

He moved menacingly towards Santguru " Look into my eyes evil man. You know who did it. Tell now"

As Santguru looked into the man's eyes he felt he was losing conscious. He started to mumble something. Then it happened. A shot was heard and Santguru fell on the ground.

People looked stunned as Mahantji ran towards Santguru. Even some people moved towards him.

" He is dead" cried one man. " He is shot above his temple"

" I saw someone standing near the window, but we cant see now" told a woman.

In the commotion in the shock no one noticed the sanyasi. But Sudhir noticed him slipping away. He wanted to follow him. But then it was not the time. This was not in his plan. He didn't wanted any death of Santguru leave alone murder with his action. He didn't know from where that sanyasi came. Why he went for Santguru. How he knew about Suman. There were lot of unanswered questions.

Maheswari looked at her son while Sudhir nodded in denial. " Sudhir I guess we need to talk beta" told Maheswari

Sreedhar, Suman, Poornima and Vaishnav were playing Monopoly. They played cards in the afternoon. Then taking turns slept. Now they had taken the plum fruit for dinner. Nobody had in them to play with chulha once again.

" Give me rent Sreedhar. You are once again in Newyork" told Suman

" Poorni this dice has some problem. This is the third time I am landing in your chachi's most expensive place. Arrey she will make my bank balance zero"

" Chachu the dice doesn't have any problem. It is your luck. She got the expensive places and you have got not so expensive places."

" Keep this. Become rich. Take my blood . Then you will be happy" told Sreedhar.

Suman happily took the notes.

" Poorni you have ended up in jail" laughed Vaishu.

" So what, I will still make money you see when you people visit my place"

" Poorni someone is visiting your place. Arrey yaar why no one is coming to my place" grumbled Sreedhar

" Here complaint finish. I am in your place. Take rent" told Suman smiling at him.

They were interrupted by Goraji's man coming. They all got up. The boy's face was grim

" What happened " asked Sreedhar

" Nothing for you to worry much. But an incident happened. Santguru was killed in today's community meeting"

" He was killed. How " asked Suman

" Somebody fired at him, maybe someone feared he will speak the truth of Prasad poisoning. We are checking the situation. But sometimes you will have to stay here another day" told the young man

They nodded at him. As he left they all sat heavily on the floor

Santguru murdered. What is happening. Where they have started, where it is going . Suman looked at Sreedhar. His face too showed concern. Poorni crawled into Suman's lap. Suman caressed her hair. Vaishnav sat beside Sreedhar both thoughtful.