Chapter 12
Shiv woke up next morning feeling absolutely cured. He remembered Anandi caring for him last night and a smile spread on his face. He was savoring every moment of Anandi's closeness in his memory when the door bell rang. Instantly he remembered that his mother was supposed to come today. He quickly ran to the door and saw his mother standing with his elder brother. His heart filled with joy to see Vishnu with his mother, he ran to hug them both.
"Areey Vishnu Bhaiya, aap bhi aa gaye?" Shiv said happily
"Don't tell Shiv, I was about to leave alone when he started crying that he also wanted see you. He was so obstinate that I had to bring him along" Shiv's mother said.
Vishnu's face was glowing with joy. He was 40 years old but his brain was like a 5 year old child. Vishnu hugged Shiv tight and started jumping up and down. "Shiv bhaiya, Shiv bhaiya, Mummy didn't want to bring me, but I cried and cried and so she had to bring me", Vishnu was grinning happily.
"Bahut achha kiya bhaiya, I am so glad you came" said Shiv and invited them in.
Shiv's mother, Supriya Devi, quickly sensed that Shiv was not well. Shiv convinced her that he was alright now and she needn't worry. "The people here are very good mom, they care for me so much," Shiv told his mother. His face lit up again as he thought about Anandi once again.
It was a lazy Sunday morning and Shiv's mother planned to cook a special meal for both her sons. So she got busy in the kitchen. Shiv sat with his laptop to complete some immediate, important work. Vishnu had nothing to do, no one to play with, and he grew restless. He fiddled with Shiv's cell phone and things and after a while he started throwing tantrums.
"Bhaiyaaa, mujhe khelna hai, please chalo na"
"Haan Vishnu bhaiya, one minute, let me just quickly send this file to the District Magistrate"
"Nahi Bhaiyaa, I want to play right now, come with me right now", Vishnu was tugging on Shiv's shirt impatiently.
Finally, Shiv shut his laptop and diverted his attention to his brother. Vishnu dragged him outside the house and wanted to go to the fields. Shiv had no choice but to relent. He told his mother that he is going out with Vishnu and will be back in an hour.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dadisa walked into the kitchen and saw Anandi cooking halwa early in the morning. She was surprised, "Haan chhori, why are you cooking halwa early in the morning?"
"Woh dadisa, I will take it to collector sahib on my way to the office. He likes halwa, maybe he will like to eat it in his illness" said Anandi.
Dadisa was smiling to herself seeing Anandi care for Shiv. She asked Anandi to pack some food for him too and take it to him. Anandi packed a tiffin carrier with many of Shiv's favorite dishes and set off to visit him.
Supriya Devi was cooking in the kitchen when she heard the doorbell. She opened the door and saw a beautiful, young girl standing at the doorstep.
Anandi was taken aback to see Supriya Devi. She did not expect anyone else apart from Shiv in the house. She asked, "woh collector sahib hai?"
"No he has gone out, I am his mother, why don't you come in beta?"
Hearing she is Shiv's mother Anandi touched her feet. Then she said "Namaste kakisa, I am Anandi, the sarpanch of this village."
"Haan haan I have heard your name, Shiv told me how you have worked for the village at such an early age, please do come in beta"
Anandi felt a little uncomfortable hearing that Shiv had mentioned her name to his mother. What else has he told her? Has he told her about the marriage proposal? Oh how embarrassing. Anandi wanted to leave as soon as possible. So she said, "Nahi kakisa, I had just brought some food for collector sahib, he was not feeling well last night. I will just leave the tiffin carrier with you, I have to go to the panchayat office. How is he doing today"
"Arrey beta, you can come in for a few minutes. He is perfectly fine now, he will be back very soon"
Anandi could no longer refuse Supriya Devi's request. She walked in and sat. Supriya Devi was very cordial to her. She gave her some sweets she had brought for Shiv and started chatting with her.
Supriya Devi: So tell me about yourself, who else are there in your house?
Anandi: Ji my dadisa, bapusa, ma, tausa, taisa and their son Nandu.
Supriya Devi: Oh so nice. I am very happy to meet you Anandi. You are so young and look at how much you have done. You even received prize from the Chief Minister, that's a great achievement dear.
Anandi blushed hearing her praise from Supriya Devi. She liked Supriya Devi a lot. She was caring, cordial and very nice.
"How long are you here kakisa? You must see our village. It is a very beautiful place" said Anandi.
Supriya Devi smiled, "I wish I could stay longer beta. But I have to go back to Jaisalmer. Shiv's father is alone there. I have just come here to meet Shiv and go to see a girl for him."
Anandi's heart stopped beating hearing what Supriya Devi said. Go to see a girl for him?!! Shiv's rishta is being fixed somewhere else! So he already decided to get married as soon as possible?!
Supriya Devi was going on, "yes beta, it's so difficult to find a good girl these days. And my Shiv has very specific requirements for the girl he wants to marry. We looked through so many alliances, Shiv did not like any one of them. Hope he agrees this time" Supriya Devi said with a laugh.
Anandi was not listening to Supriya Devi. Her mind was revolving around the news of Shiv getting married. She didn't know why she felt sad listening to the news. She excused herself and said she must go now. "I am getting late for my office kakisa, I have to leave now. Enjoy your stay in Jetsar, I was very nice meeting you"
"It was very nice meeting you too beta, I will tell Shiv you dropped by. Take care dear"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shiv took Vishnu to the village fields. Vishnu was very happy to see the fields; he was running around happily and dancing up and down. Shiv felt very happy to see him so happy. Just then Shiv received a phone call from Bheem Singh who informed him that Shiv needed to sign a file immediately. Bheem Singh asked if he should come over to Shiv's place. Shiv told him he was nearby and would drop by the office.
Shiv rode to the office in 5 minutes. Vishnu got down from the jeep and ran towards the flowers in the office garden. He refused to go inside and wanted to play in the garden.
"Ok, Vishnu Bhaiya aap garden mein kheliye, I will be back very soon".
He asked Bheem Singh to keep an eye on Vishnu while he went inside his room to sign the file. He got stuck with an important phone call and it took him another half an hour to finish his work and come out. When he came out to the garden he could not find Vishnu anywhere. His heart started pounding fast. He called for Bheem Singh and Bheem Singh came running.
"Bheem Singh, where is Vishnu Bhaiya.?I asked you to keep an eye on him!"
"Sir, Vishnu sir was right here," Bheem said scratching his head, "where has he gone now?"
"What do you mean where has he gone? Where were you Bheem Singh?" Shiv was losing his temper.
"Woh sir I had gone to the bathroom, but only for 10 minutes, he was playing right here" Bheem Singh said embarrassed.
Shiv started panicking. He wanted to blast Bheem Singh but then himself felt guilty. I should not have left Bhaiya alone. He was my responsibility, why didn't I stay with him? Oh god where is he now? It's all my fault, why did I leave him alone'.I must find him as soon as possible.
Shiv felt his hands and feet going cold with fear. He asked Bheem Singh to take out his jeep immediately; he needed to find out his brother as soon as possible.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jagya was in a bad mood from morning. His family was continuing to ignore him and he really felt desperate. Finally he gathered courage and went and spoke to bapusa about getting the hospital. Bhairon strictly told him that he could be employed in the hospital, but only as a junior doctor and should work under Lal Singh. Jagya's blood boiled thinking Lal Singh would be his boss. That gawar, that beggarly pauper, who had no money, no food to eat, who survived on my charity would be my boss!! Jagya felt like leaving Jetsar immediately, but he had no choice. He would be unemployed in Mumbai. At least here he would have some work. Jagya accepted the offer reluctantly. He was asked to join the hospital immediately.
Jagya walked towards the hospital with a horrible mood. He felt like he had swallowed a bitter pill which left a bad taste in his mouth. On his way, he saw a strange, middle aged man coming towards him. The man was running along the side of the road with his arms outstretched as if he was flying and shouting "booo". He came straight to Jagya and said hi to him.
Jagya dismissed him with his hand "Kaun be, Chal hat"
The man was laughing weirdly. He tugged on Jagya's sleeve and said "mere saath khelo na"
Jagya was extremely irritated now. He pushed the man aside and started walking away. It was Vishnu. Jagya could sense he was a mentally unstable man and he hated the sight of that man. Jane kahan se satthiya pagal saare aa jaate hain. But as he went just a few steps, he realized his wallet was missing from his pocket. He searched for it and looked back and saw it had fallen on the street.
The weird man was looking at it with curiosity and picked it up. Jagya went running and rudely asked him to hand it over. Vishnu was looking at the wallet with wonder. When Jagya tried to snatch it from his hand, Vishnu hid it behind. "No I won't give it, I found it on the road," said Vishnu obstinately. "Abbey saale pagal, that's mine, give it back to me," said Jagya, giving a tight slap to Vishnu. Vishnu was dumfound at being slapped. Nobody at home had ever laid hands on him, he was totally shocked at the slap. " No I won't give it to you, you are a bad man" said Vishnu crying.
A bomb of anger exploded in Jagya's head. He was already in a bad mood, and with the intense hatred he felt for man in front of him, he took it out all on the poor man. Jagya pushed him down on the road and started beating him up, kicking him occasionally. "Please mujhe mat maaro, please chhod do," Vishnu was howling loudly asking him to stop but Jagya seemed to take out all his frustration on this poor man.😭
Current Affairs
