Bondita is fuming with anger Inside. She is more angry on herself than him. When he came near her why can't she continuosly chant this hatred mantra. Why is she melting and Falling for him, moreover his hot breathe creating sweet sensation..no.. no..shame on her for being this much weak in mind. It may also be the reason that she can't see him in tears and requesting her desparately.
Bondita then Started studying books in evening. Old woman knew about Bondita's studies so she only asked her to stay in her room and continue her studies on pretext of doing service to her. Damini knocked the room door and she hurriedly kept her books safely in her secret place and opened the door with her head covering with pallu completely.
Damini angrily came inside and gave furious look to Bondita, asked in her as usual harsh tone : Now you keep complete pallu but when needed you didn't keep it.
Old woman is looking on thinking now what's her problem.
Bondita replied: sorry Malkin at that time wind passed by and couldn't hold control on pallu and fell on her feet and took blessings.
Bondita realised that it is one of the technique to calm down
But this time Damini didn't melt and retorted : I know what kind of wind it is? I will give permanent solution to your wind and went into kitchen.
Bondita is getting worried what will this Damini Malkin do to her? She then brought Ash powder and gave to Bondita.
Bondita didn't understand it and asked : what is this Malkin? Should I apply to Badi Malkin? Where should I apply? Is this a new kind of treatment?
Damini: stop ..how many questions will you ask me ? (pointing the plate to Bondita she said )haa treatment only.. but not for my Shashuri maa but for you
Bondita looked confused and Damini said : It is for your betterment only. Apply it on your face, neck, hands and feet. You should pretend to outside world from now onwards that you are a dark complexioned girl.. so that no man falls for you.
Bondita and old woman shocked. Bondita gasped out of nervousness and thought: Rakshas babu won't spare anyone if I do such kind of things. Why do you want to instigate a jwalamukhi, Malkin?
Damini asked : what are you thinking?
Bondita: why should I apply malkin? It is your..I mean it's men's fault to look at women. Please tell your nephew not to look at me or talk to me. Even I will also won't talk to him. Shotti.
Damini became furious and said : Don't try to lecture me, Bondita. Just follow my command.
Bondita: No this is not correct Malkin. I am not going to do it.
Damini anger increased to the peak and shouted : so you are going against my command, Bondita. Is this the way you are showing your thankfulness for giving you shelter.
Bondita nervously shooked her head and requested Damini to understand I couldn't do this.
Damini asked furiously: why can't you do this ? What wrong did I say? Your husband is in jail. So for whom you have to appear beautiful?
Bondita looked shocked. Should woman appear beautiful only for her husband, when he is not with her , couldn't she look beautiful and pleasant for herself? She want to argue back and her hands almost raised near her waist to counter Damini but she hardly controlled her argument because all the time her arguments won't work. She clenched her pallu and controlling her tongue to not raise her argument.
Damini continued: what are you thinking? This is for your welfare only. Your husband is not here and you are young and in teenage and moreover you look beautiful. What if something happens to you? It's not wrong to take safety precautions in advance when you are staying at others charity.
(Bondita thought: what will happen to me when that rakshas babu is following me like a shadow)
If you apply this Ash on your face no one will look at you and you too won't have problem. When your husband comes you can go away with him. Is it clear?
Come apply it.
Her saas tried to restraint Damini with her left hand and by signals but latter harshly told that : Did you forget Shashuri maa that you even didn't hire young woman maids in our house when I am young and always used to make me only do complete work. Rather than you I am much better, I am not taking away her job for standing without a pallu infront of my nephew and gave a better idea to save herself and my nephew all the time till her husband arrives.
Bondita reluctantly agreed and prayed to Durga maa that this should not anger Barrister babu and he should not burst like volcano and take her away from here.
She applied it on her face, hands, neck and legs with painful heart. Old woman also cried for her bahu cruel mentality and recollected her old days that she had behaved more harshly to her than this. Damini took away the plate and said : Shaabash, Dekho Bondita, if my nephew tries to come near you tell him that you are a married woman, this is your original color, today morning you have applied makeup and you have more diseases on your skin. So that he himself maintains distance and you will also be safe.
Bondita recollected her Patibabu washing her bedsheets , first time he vomitted, next time he himself washed it , made napkins for her, building washroom for her , a partition made for her in hut.
She recollected him dragging her into cupboard and thought: your excuses won't work infront of him and sighed.
Damini snapped Bondita and asked : why are you sighing?
Bondita: Nothing Malkin. I will do whatever you say
Damini: You see this technique will definitely work and no one will fall for you. I am telling this technique for you because I am impressed with your work else if anyone are there in your place I would have kicked her out of house.
Bondita nodded and told that she will give oil massage to Badi Malkin. Damini went away and Bondita started reading again controlling her tears
Damini saas prayed in mind : Hey Bhagwan! Please show way to Damini bahu. Yes its true that I have tormented her alot but she is also following my path and tormenting others . Hatred can't give us peace. I only learnt it very late in my life and I don't want my bahu to suffer like me.. please change her. If you want, take my life but please change her into her usual self and ..and bring her son , my grandson Taposh and grand daughter in law Neelam back to this house and give Damini a peaceful and happy life.
Bondita came and wiped her tears and made her drink water and told that she is not feeling bad for applying Ash and asked her to smile by showing smile signature. Damini smiled painfully
_____
That night Bondita completely took care that she won't come infront of her Patibabu despite of how much he tried to come to her she ran away without showing her face to him and next day early morning she had finished all the works of Thakuma and started to leave.
Surendra called her aside and she went to him, he is also shocked to see that Bondita's face is completely applied of Ash powder. He is about to call his wife but Bondita stopped him and said let it be sir, she will wash her face and attend classes in school. He didn't listen how could he go of her for what she had done.
He shouted and Damini came and surender asked : what is this? This girl works here as a maid that doesn't mean that you can do to her whatever you want. She is not a slave to you.
Damini dragged him aside and said in a whispering tone : Didn't you see how she had grabbed Avinash lalla attention in first look itself?
Surendra mocked: Then it is your Avinash lalla fault. Ask him to leave from here. Instead of that why do you trouble Bondita?
Damini spoke bitterly: Whatever my nephew told is correct. Like your mother, you also never cared about my mayka and my feelings. She sniffed and told in a pacifying way : Think practically ji, see now her skin looks dark complexion. No one looks at her. Even she will also be safe unless her husband returns from jail
So problem is solved. Now my nephew or any man will never turn to her. Don't create this as an unnecessary issue. I am far better than your mother but unfortunately no one recognises my goodness. Huh!
She went into her work.
Surendra smacked his head and said: Problem had not solved, infact problem is increased now. I don't know how will that Anirudh react by seeing his wife's condition..
After Damini left Bondita came to Surendra , she heard his last words and asked : Sir did pati...I mean did barrister Babu spoke harshly with you yesterday?
Surendra told with folding his hands as if defeated: I should salute you for enduring him .
Bondita: sir I didn't get you
Surendra: He is Such a stubborn fellow. Huh; what to say? Thank God he is not my student.
and trying to calm his breathes.
Bondita felt offended and apologized surendra on her Patibabu behalf. He said leave it and asked what did she say to him? What did they both decide?
She narrated their conversation and also their opinions. She apologized him for troubling him unnecessarily because he wants to stay here unless he change his mind.
In all these you and Damini Malkin are suffering because of them. If he want she can go from here and look for work in any place.
Surendra interrupted and commanded her not to say like this again. He then said softly by patting her head that he is doing this for a bright student and finally asked that if she is sure that she doesn't want to accept husband and wife relationship with him, she can tell him whatever may be her opinion. It is her life and had every right on her life.
Bondita told : yes sir my opinion won't change. I want to stay in this house as a servant and study in your school as student.
Surendra looked painfully at her and said : ok go to school and change fast .
She nodded and went to school almost rushing. Before leaving she saw Damini is searching for her nephew and taking his name as Avinash...Avinash.. lalla ...where are you?
Bondita thought: Now where had he gone early in the morning? (Praying to Durga maa) Hey Durga maa ! Please make sure that he won't trouble me in any way either directly or indirectly. She left to school.
She usually goes in a simple saree by lying that she is going to school as a lady peon .when she reached School, Anirudh is waiting for her on the way and she is worried by seeing her from distance. Her steps are halted in mid way by looking at him and started running back.
He also recognised her from distance only and saw her running back and he too ran after her. As it's 7:00 in morning much rush is not there except milk men, paper boys going on in cycles
He ran with jet speed, caught her shoulder from back by shouting: why are you running like this Bondita? Am I rakshas to you?
He turned her towards him and shocked to see her face in dark complexion. He asked her worriedly with trembling voice: What happened Bondita? Did you get any allergy and the color came into his hands.
He took her hand and rubbed it. He grasped that she had applied Ash on her body .
He immediately shouted : what is this? Why did you apply it on your face? He went to near by person who is passing by with pots of water . He took small pot of water and dipped his kerchief in it and started wiping her face.
Bondita didn't say anything and started looking around and trying to come out of his grip. But Anirudh didn't pay attention and wiped off her complete face and insisted her to say who had done this to her . She didn't say and he recollected that previous day she avoided him completely and Damini also pulled him back engaged him in feeding him snacks and sharing her childhood memories with him, ..so this might be the reason.
He asked her : Did your Damini Malkin ask you to stain your face?
She gulped nervously and he insisted her to say something. She also bursted with tears : it's all because of you only pa.. barrister Babu. Why did you take my name infront of her or glared at me like that? She doesn't know that you are my pati.. (she controlled and told) I mean she doesn't know anything about us. That's why Damini Malkin had suspected me and ..
Anirudh interrupted and Said mockingly: Blackened your face. And you accepted her punishment without your tarqs.. whats wrong with you Bondita? Didn't you argue with her? Where is your argument? How can you let anyone do injustice to you?
Bondita replied painfully that: I left my tarks. I left it and started concurring with the people who gave shelter to me
Anirudh is trembling for her answer and could only say: This is not fair Bondita. You should not let anyone do injustice to you..
She gave a fake smile and retorted: Acha with how many people can I fight and with whom all can I fight? Even if I argue and fight back for my right for justice I only get pain and others will stoop too low to prove themselves that they are correct. Bottom line is I will be backstabbed and left shattered
Anirudh held her chin and made her face him and said: Fight with him (she looked at him with wide eyes) fight with your traitor , Bondita - the one who did injustice to you, who played with your feelings. Hit him, slap him, kick him..if necessary kill him.. but please vent out your anger don't keep in your heart. It's hurting me to see you like this.
She just pushed him and told: This is the only punishment I can give you and started sobbing and ran away into school. He also stared at her leaving figure and then went to home to deal with Damini and Surendra.
She went into washroom and changed into her uniform, came out and suddenly got disturbed by the thought that what if he bursts on Malkin?
She wants to go out and see but at the same time her teacher came and asked her help in preparing a chart which they have to discuss in class.
She agreed and engaged in work and prayed Durga maa that he should not create any commotion about this.
Anirudh reached home and Surendra is in garden. He glared seriously at Surender and shouted: Pischi Pischi.
Surendra said with a calm look : She went to temple to pray for her nephew's prosperity.
As usual Anirudh went and shouted that what is this. If I speak with a girl will girl get punished because of me.
Surendra took him into garden and asked him: I will answer it later on . But first you tell me have you done speaking with Bondita.
Anirudh nodded and Surendra asked : what did she and you decide?
Anirudh said in an offending and mocking tone: I think Bondita might have told you na. Because in these days she listen to everyone except me. I have became a biggest enemy in her life. I have become an outsider..(paraya mard) and the least prioritised person in her life. The fact is no one including her knows that I have cried for taking a stupid decision then , and even still crying now also.
Surendra looked at him with pain. Anirudh continued with tears : Yes you are right I am the one who turned her into cold hearted person but no one knows what I had gone through..what to do principal sir..what to do..tell me. Our story didn't start as a fairy tale.
It started on the path of thrones. We are removing each throne and travelling together as a mentor and mentee, best friends ,protectors to each other and even as husband and wife also unlike other husband and wife . But now we entered in such a delicate stage where society, my family members and her teenage hormones and my aggressive nature are not allowing us to stay like before.
I am the one who taught her good touch and bad touch. But with the same mouth I am unable to explain her what is husband and wife relationship to her, why I can't give her wife rights to her, she is too small to me. I even feel so hesitated to explain about this phase .. because my mind is making me feel offend that I am taking advantage of her and probably not giving her any choice to let her chose her life partner.
After she had left I had grasped very lately that I love her somuch..I have always loved her and I learnt from her torn letters and diary that she too loves me from my heart not just because of her hormones and any infatuation.
No one in this world knows what battle is going on in between my mind and heart. Only I know it. After a lot of struggle I came here for her with a firm decision that whatever relationship do we have or Even our relationship doesn't have name also I shall accompany her in her complete life journey till last breath of my life. Out future will be decided by her . I only discuss pros and cons with her and leave everything on her. Even if she leaves me also I am ready to take it and Anirudh collapsed on his feet and bursted into tears.
Surendra is completely moved away by listening Anirudh's version, came and wiped his tears and embraced him and asked: You love her but still unable to express it to her. You are feeling hesitated and inferior of yourself, am I right?
Anirudh came out of his embrace and nodded with tears .
Surendra said by pressing his hand : stay here , heal her and let her feel your love .. Right now may be it's not the correct time. So let some time pass on and then you express it.
Anirudh: sorry for misunderstanding you and at the same time I also feel guilty for playing with you and your wife's emotions.
Surendra wiped his tears and said: It's ok Anirudh. I feel very happy if I am helpful to you both which I couldn't do it for my own son Taposh and my bahu Neelam.
Anirudh looked perplexed and said : Sir you have a son.
Surendra nodded and said: yes Anirudh. We had a son named Taposh after 10 years of Marriage, due to my mother's dictatorship and making Damini work day and night even by spoiling our private moments Damini became very weak and her health is deteriorated in those first 10 years .
Because of it she had even suffered two miscarriages, neither of us had known when she became pregnant and finally I took a firm decision. I had gone for hunger strike and kept my life in risk . I didn't melt for my mother's emotional blackmail, and finally my monster mother allowed Damini to eat healthy food, stay peacefully and take complete bedrest and with much difficult we have a son Taposh.
My mother is completely changed after seeing her grand son's face.
I too thought after his birth everything is sorted out.
He is also a good person brought up with ideals and principles, but sometimes he too behave impulsively like you and Surendra laughed at Anirudh.
Anirudh felt offended and said sir with embarrassed face
Surendra patted his shoulder and said: Just kidding Anirudh.
Anirudh also smiled back and asked : now where is he? Why is he not staying with you?
Surendra: He had done engineering and started working in different state and here Damini had found an alliance for him and gave him telegram that his engagement is fixed. Come fast.
Anirudh: Sir neither of you didn't take his opinion or shown bride face to him, why?
Surendra: It's the tradition going on in our houses that parents fix marriage and just give information to children. She also convinced me , as the family is good I also thought that Taposh will be happy. Despite of we bith share good bonding Taposh didn't tell me that he is in love with a north Indian girl
All of a sudden when he reached telegram he is stressed out and secretly married his lady love Neelam and came to us all of a sudden with garlands.
We both got shocked but somehow I recovered and agreed to his love. But Damini couldn't take it easily and reprimanded Neelam for doing black magic on Taposh.
However I insisted Damini to welcome them. She did reluctantly. From that moment onwards she started showing her mother in law domination on Neelam bahu by recollecting what all she faced with my mother in younger days. By that time only my mother energy is finished and she became calm with growing age. But Damini took that dictatorship from her as heritage. She started her domination on my mother and as well as on Neelam too.
She kept conditions to Neelam bahu should wear saree in Bengali style , learn Bengali dishes ,.. should not spend with her husband for few moments in the day time, should not get into bedroom soon,..all the time Damini had been criticising and mocking Neelam.
Taposh wants her to continue her studies upto graduation which is discouraged and stopped in middle forcely by Damini
If Taposh or me takes Neelam side Damini used to create more ruckus and she will stop talking with everyone of us and even go for hunger strike.
One day it reached peaks. Neelam is having her monthly cycle and high temperature at a time. Unlike all months Taposh didn't allow her to stay in dark room which is a rule passed by Damini.
Taposh went out to bring doctor and I was in school. Suddenly I received a news from home that Neelam had committed suicide and is in critical stage.
All of a sudden I rushed to hospital and found that Damini had blamed Neelam for not following rules of monthly cycle and sleeping on cot like a queen
This time Neelam also answered bravely that my temperature will raise and health deteriorates if I stay on cold floor in dark room so spare her for this month. But Damini didn't listen and accused Neelam out of line that she had kept her husband in control where did she learn all these techniques and questions, accusations lead to Neelam virginity and character.
Neelam couldn't take it and harmed herself by cutting her wrist with knife. This had shocked even Damini too still tried to maintain her seriousness.
In all these Taposh is shattered and from hospital itself he had promised to me in his mother's presence that he won't return back until maa really changes from heart and apologize Neelam for her rude behaviour and left to Delhi from there itself.
That incident only had made Damini more stone hearted and I tried to counsel her , shout on her but she didn't listen to me and used to compare herself with my mother and tried to prove that she is far better in all ways
It had happened two years before. Damini inner turmoil is started in her younger days only and I am a fool that I couldn't realise it and thought that everything is settled after Taposh is born. But I was wrong.
That's why I am helping you Anirudh assuming that if I favour you one day my son and daughter in law returns back to us.
Anirudh embraced him and decided in mind that : Sir despite of humanity lacking in these days you have helped my Bondita to your level best . I promise you that I will also help you in return by uniting your son and daughter in law back in your family and change Damini ji mindset.
_______
In Krishnanagar, her lawyer and goons gave information that Anirudh is found nowhere, Infact Trilochan and Anirudh's younger brothers are staying in Calcutta separately but Anirudh is not staying with them or came there.
Kalindi nodded and called all her family members and told her plan of getting Bondita back to them. Everyone looked shocked and unbelievable.
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In Calcutta: One of his new Munshi came and told that he had successfully misleaded kalindiji goons . Trilochan had smirked loudly as his victorious symbol and announced proudly to his other nephews Somnath and Bhatuk kalindi Das is defeated by him, now she would have understood that she should not compete with them .
Just then watchman came and told that someone had come in nearby bungalow and their family started unloading their luggage.
Trilochan shouted on Munshi that why didn't he speak with the bungalow owner 2 days before
Munshi: Malik I went to speak with the owner immediately when you told me to do. He is a British officer , I asked him to sell that bungalow to you , he told that this bungalow is needed by one of the most important person who had favoured him in necessity.
Somnath: kaka why do you take tension? Let it be. We have this spacious bungalow. This is enough for us.
Trilochan: arey Somnath how can I let it go. I have planned to buy that bungalow as a gift to your boudi. When she returns with your dada, I planned them to keep separately for their privacy
Bhatuk: Then why can't we go and talk to them and send them away.
Trilochan said : you are right let's go and talk to them now only
Trilochan, his nephews and Munshi came there and tried to threaten the family. But much to his shock he saw Kalindi Das had shifted with her family as neighbours to them there. His cane is dropped seeing them.
Precap: Anirudh had blindfolded his eyes and started walking in house and kept himself in a danger. Damini is worried and Bondita saves Anirudh
Tom and Jerry war started between Roy Chowdhary brothers and Das sisters in Calcutta.
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