Part 3
"Taa Hukum, I will kill Arnav..."..said Ambar Singh Rathore.Arvind Rathore stared at his nephew,"What happened?" said Arvind.
"Payal rejected me.."..Ambar said with great frustration.
That was new to Arvind, when this happened?Ambar and Payal?Ambar is the only heir of Arvind's younger brother, after his parents' death Ambar is with them.Cool and calm young man with a posh nature, born and brought up in England, he lost his parents in London Bomb Blast.Before that they were regular visitors to Jodhpur , Arnav was not interested in family business, Arvind insisted Ambar to take charge, Ambar happily accepted. Besides, he invested all his money , which he earned in England,in Jodhpur to make a hospital in the memories of his late parents.He was devastated after their death, Nirmala Rathore, Arvind's wife and Arnav's mother ,did not let him go back to England, she clearly told that he must stay with his family.It was year 2005.
"You like Payal?"..Nirmala asked..
"Yeah..I like her a lot.."
"I don't understand...why you like her..I mean , you might have girl friend in England, just pursue her to settle in India..why Payal? Look at you..born and brought up there..look at Payal..look at her family background.."
"So what Taijee? I mean I am interested in her only, what am I going to do with her family? And I don't find her unsuitable for me..she is smart, she looks nice, she is sensitive..and she is a Doctor..very much eligible..she only has her father and a sister who is equally eligible and I don't care about our caste difference.."
"I wish Arnav would have mentality like you..anyways..what happened ...you talked to her?"
"Yeah..Taijee..you never told me that you people wanted Arnav to marry Khushi..I expressed my feelings to Payal many times..today when she had enough, she just screamed..she told that she will not marry a person who is related to that person who gave her sister enormous pain...she told me that Arnav insulted Khushi to the highest..is it true?"
Nirmala gave a sad smile.Ambar understood the meaning..said ,"Taijee..I really don't care..about this social stigmas..I like Payal..if she agrees to marry me, I will be truly happy, please Taijee..help me.."
"Look Ambar, we really cannot help you, just imagine yourself at her position.. what if some girl would have insulted and humiliated Arnav to the extreme, could you accept such proposal from their side?Tell me.."
Ambar made a face...said ,"Taa Hukum, can you come office tomorrow..? Your presence is necessary.."
"I will be there..Nirmala..can we have our dinner please.."
********
Ramchand looked at Payal, she was angry and annoyed, "What happened?" ..Ramchand said.."Too much load in hospital?"
"Bapu...Ambar proposed me today.."..
"What did you say?"
"No, obviously.I have nothing to do with those Rathores..."
"Just because Arnav insulted Khushi, you are punishing that poor fellow?"
"That is enough reason Bapu, my sister didn't deserve that.Arnav Rathore is so proud of his status..Ambar is his brother only.Today he is being nice, who knows one day he will not talk in the same theme?"
"Hukum has always been kind to us Payal, you became a Doctor, Khushi studied Law, just because Hukum supported financially, for Arnav you are not supposed to insult Hukum like this.."
" I am not insulting anyone Bapu, I just don't want to be the part of their family, they are Masters, we are servants, between us only mercy and kindness can exist, not more than that."
Ramchand took a deep breath, said ," Payal, you were 10 years old when your mother left the world, she meant everything to me, only I know how I am surviving that grief, I am living only because of you two, now, I don't have much time in my hand. Before my death , all I want to see you get married , I want you two to be secured, Ambarsaa is a good person, poor fellow, lost his parents ..but see, how he is memorising his parents...many poor people are getting free treatment from that hospital, he is very good at heart, every one is not Arnavsaa...have you ever thought if Khushi comes to know that you are rejecting Ambarsaa because of the bitterness between Arnavsaa and her, how much she will be sad?"
"Bapu, it's not about Khushi only, how can I forget that he insulted Amma?"
Ramchand became sad.." Your Amma was everything to me..every night she comes, sits near my feet, and cries, do you think she doesn't see anything? She is in pain, her soul is restless, both of you is not letting her be in peace..."
Payal became angry, said ,"Why she is in pain? That bas***d, that Solanki should feel this way..not my Amma..Bapu, you want us to get married, we will Bapu, but not to Rathores..."
"It was just a moment Payal, Arnavsaa was being pushed by Hukum, may be in anger he said like that..but I know now he is repenting, Khushi shouldn't do that, Arnavsaa was beaten by public, do you know how humiliating is that? If he wanted, he could use his rank and post to save himself, he could take any action..but he did not..then also you can't understand that Arnavsaa is really looking for forgiveness?"
Payal became silent, "Payal, what if Khushi says you to marry Ambarsaa?Then will you marry him?"
"Bapu, I will marry someday, somebody..why Ambar?"
"Because I want you to be in a family who will treat like their own, Hukum.."
"Your Hukum didn't do any favour to us Bapu..no...you have always been a loyal servant to him, what he did was his repayment to you.Not more than that."
"Payal..how can you say like that? This is what you think? This is all about your education?"
"Bapu, please, do not blackmail me emotionally...I will not marry that Ambar Rathore..that is final.."
"Do as you wish, at this age I hoped that you will give me some peace of mind, but both of you are hell bent to embarrass me in front of Hukum...I don't want know anything..you please leave me alone.."..Ramchand said angrily.
*********
"Bapu, Jijee said that you will not talk to us..what happened?"..Khushi said. She just came back from Court and Payal informed about Ramchand's anger.
"Why are you annoying me Khushi? You will do what you want to do...and Payal is also following your steps..Ambarsaa is a good man, he wants to marry her, but Payal rejected him..because of the tension between you and Arnavsaa.."
"Do you want her to marry Ambar Rathore?"
"Yes...will you make her understand that Ambar is not Arnav..Khushi, why don't you understand that there are some people who know about your birth history, I am a poor fellow..the moral police is looking for a single chance to catch hold of us, I don't know if Payal gets married to any other guy then whether any Khaap Leader will instigate any movement against that or not...I don't want her life to be controlled by any Khaap Fatwa..in such case Hukum can be the only saviour..."
"You are afraid of the Khaap? I can't believe this..what Khaap will do? I am there to handle..if necessary we will leave Jodhpur..."
"Then where will we go? To Chandigarh? Delhi? I have to tell you? You? You must know better than me, on every second day we hear about Honour Killing..."
"We will leave India then..."
" Don't talk rubbish...what do you think? Fanatics will be every where in the world..you can run but you cannot stop them to chase you...why don't you understand... if a Higher Caste boy marries a Lower Caste girl, people can take that..if today a Jaat Girl gets married to a Rajput, possibly there will be chaos, but I can hope that Hukum will protect Payal by every means..don't you know how much fanatic Jaats can be when it comes to Khaap fatwa? Politicians don't want to lose the vote bank, they will not take any proper action..and in this course, if something happens to Payal..or to you..I will be dead..can't you understand?"
Khushi didn't speak a word.
" I am almost outcast among Jaat Community, because I didn't participate in several Jaat Movements..do you think any good Jaat Family will ask for Payal's hand?Even if they asks..you can give assurance to her safety?Moreover rumours about Vaidehi will be there..what do you think , for how many days we will be able to conceal the fact? Do you realise the gravity?"
"You are thinking about Jijee only..what about me?"
Ramchand's face became dark..he didn't want to..but he had to say..." Solanki will be there..nobody will touch Ganraj Solanki's daughter..."
"Bapuu...!!"
" Fact remains fact, you can't deny it, you think that I am very happy with that? No, you are my daughter, but if to save you , I have to add Solanki's name with you, I won't hesitate..Khushi..try to understand, situation is so bad, when I was a child, I have seen the fight between the Thakurs and the Jaats,entire Rajputana was burning...do you think every Thakur was bad or every Jaat wanted to fight? No, most of them wanted peace, but still, Rajasthan was burning..this war, fight, riot only destroys, it never served the actual purpose ..and I am on my last stage of my life..I don't have a guts to face the Khaap.. convince Payal..once she will be in a Rajput family, my worries will be lessen a bit.."
Khushi was seeing at the man who was neither educated nor sophisticated, but his mentality was much higher than so-called educated people.He let her take birth, brought her up as his own, and to save her from any harm he was ready to give up his rights and claims upon her.She wanted to cry with all her heart. "Bapu, I know only you ..if accepting Solanki as my father can give me life, if I have to leave you to live, then I don't want to live, Bapu, please, don't make me do that..neither I am a Rajput, nor a Jaat..I only want to live as a human being Bapu..am I asking too much? Bapu, we will leave Rajasthan, the world is not that bad Bapu, somewhere someday we will get our peace of mind..."
Ramchand became harsh, he was not being able to see like this.."If you really consider me as your father..."
"What are you saying Bapu..?"
" I am not finished yet ..if you really think me as your father, then you will do as I say. Khushi, you were not my own, but I accepted you..now I am worried about my own daughter, my own blood..I want her safety..am I asking too much? God forbids, if something happens..Ganraj Solanki will be there for you, what about my Payal...have some compassion on her, Vaidehi gave birth to both of you..if not for me, do it for your mother..."
"Bapu..kill me...but don't make me do this..Bapu..those Rathores..I know Bapu, you are worried, you are scared, that is why you saying this to me...Bapu..Jijee will get a good man in her life..Ambar Singh is not the only man in the entire world..."
Payal watched everything, she got worried about Ramchand's blood pressure, but she was angry , why he was behaving like this..those vile words to Khushi! Was that really necessary..."Bapu, enough..all your life you served Rathores, because of them you are being this much harsh on her? You have tell me..why Rathores are so important to you...?"
"Because my father killed Hukum's father, just killed him, my father was sentenced to death, it was Hukum and his mother who asked Pardon to the Government, for my father, my father was not hanged till death, just because of Hukum..."
"That you have repaid Bapu,several times you risked your life for the Rathores ..now all are equals..Rathores asked pardon for you, but nothing was for free, you repaid with interest..now why are you taking liability?"
"My father beheaded Hukum's father..you know what does that mean?"
"Bapu, I also know the history of Rajasthan..after 1947 , Thakurs were not ready to accept the equality, Jaats rebelled to gain the equality, nobody is with clean hand..."
"What Jaats are doing in Haryana and Punjab? They are exploiting the Dalits.. they are killing them, burning them alive, raping Dalit women..yes , you are right, nobody is with clean hand, to gain power and to remain powerful, everyone do the same thing, be it Thakurs or Jaat..or any other clan..it's not about a particular caste or community..it's about violating human basic rights ...what we have gained by these?Payal...who is right, who is wrong, I don't want to get in that controversy..I am not that powerful.All I want is your safety, Khushi's safety..for that I will do anything …...else Vaidehi will not get peace.."
Payal started to sob, "Bapu..Khushi is right, we will go elsewhere..."
"I told you what I want, you agree , don't agree..I cannot force you, I can only request you.."
Payal looked at Khushi, her face was lacking the usual glow.Payal felt miserable.Why she told Ramchand about Ambar? Else Khushi wouldn't have to listen all these crap..
Anupamaa
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