Kalyug - TS - Part 3 on Pg 5 - Page 2

Part 2 - Kaali's perspective, retells a couple of prior incidents and takes the narrative forward.

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I was Gauri's kaala tika. This was my entire identity - no more, no less. A black dot to ward off evil eye. I had never questioned this until Yug came into my life. When he questioned it, I hid behind a wall of lies that I had told myself since I can remember such as Gauri was my sister, Badke Papa and the family were misguided with their superstitions but were kind people, they all care for me, and many more.

Yug woke up the person with dreams and desires slumbering deep inside me. I wanted to live, to fly but could not break the shackles of gratitude and loyalty that tied me to the Jha family. Yug fell in love with me and tried his best to take me away from this life but I could not. My acceptance would have meant unhappiness for Gauri and Badke papa and that was just unacceptable to me. Badke Papa had given me this life when my own parents had left me to die and life is a precious gift however hard it may be. I could not break his dreams for his princess in lieu of this gift of life. At this point I had no idea how much this misguided loyalty of mine was going to harm them.

Gauri's wedding was a grand affair. I stayed with her during the ceremonies but left once the reception started. I was going to go back to the house when Badke Papa told me that there was a car waiting for me at the back door to take me to Yug's house.

"Do I need to take something there or bring something from there?"

"Neither. You are going to live there with Gauri. Gauri is starting her new life and she needs her kaala tika more than ever."

I was stunned. Before I could say something, he continued "Yug's grandmother and I have a reached an agreement that you can live there as Gauri's maid and continue to be her kaala tika. She has seen how you have been able to protect Gauri and she believes you may bring the same protection to her grandson."

Tears began to prickle in my eyes as I realized I had been bartered from one family to another like I was some object. I was a part of Gauri's dowry.

"Go now. Once you get there, go to Gauri's room and circle her like usual. I want her new life with Yug to start without any hurdles." Badke Papa said before walking away.

I lost so many things at that moment, that I could not even cry at my pain. I lost all my dreams of being a daughter, a wife, a mother or even just a person. A small voice in the corner of my head was screaming you are a person, you do not have to do this, run away from here. I sushed it as I walked towards the back door.

Kaka, the head servant, was waiting for me. He took me to the servants' living quarters to show me a little room that I was going to share with another maid and gave me a quick tour of the house. Finally he started to take to me Gauri/Yug room when we ran into Manji maa.

"What are you doing here kaali" she queried.

Kaka answered her for me that I was Gauri's personal maid and he was taking me to her room. Manji Maa's eye widened and she looked at me top to down. I could not raise my eyes to meet hers.

"I will take her to the room. You can do other work" she said taking a hold my hand.

"Sure!" Kaka shrugged as he left me with Manji Maa. Manji maa took me to her room.

"Now tell me what is happening? What is this all about?" I burst into tears for the first time that evening and her about the deal to barter my life. She was angry but just as helpless as me to do anything. We hugged each other and cried. Then we sat silence contemplating my fate for a long time. There was nothing to say.

The baraat returned with the bride and we heard someone calling Manji downstairs. She quickly took me to Gauri's room before going to welcome the baraat.

Gauri came to the room around an hour later. She was tired and annoyed from the long day. I expected her to be surprised to see me but she was not. She knew I would be there.

"Help me get all this stuff off me! Now!" She snapped

"This is your first night. You should..."

"Shut up! Don't tell me what I should or should not do. Do what I tell you to do. Help me get out this crap and do your job and then get the hell out of here."

I complied silently. Gauri changed into a chiffon night dress that did not leave much to imagination. I took three rounds of her before leaving the room.

I almost ran into Yug as I walked out. He was puzzled to see me asked me what I was doing there. I told him the truth and walked to Manji Maa's room. I could not meet his eye. I was sacred of what I might see there.

Leela Dadi called me to see her before I reached Manji Maa's room. She gave a whole discourse on the rules that the servants had to follow and how I was expected to live there. I did not have anything to say. Manji maa brought a couple of glasses of milk with almonds and asked me to take them to Yug's room.

I stood outside the door for a few minutes before knocking the door. I could hear raised voices from inside. They were fighting.

I had to knock a couple of times before the door was flung open. Yug stood at the down glowering while Gauri stood near the bed holding her throat. I stepped in the room and placed the glasses on the table right next the door.

"See! See! I told you she was my kaala tika. You would have killed me is she hadn't shown up just now. She protected me once again" Gauri screamed at Yug. His face grew darker than before if it was even possible.

I quickly turned around to leave before I got caught in this fight, which was obviously about me.

"Oh no! You don't!" Yug grabbed my arm and pushed me into the room and shut the door.

"Let me go!" I asked quietly. He did not look at me or answer me. He just pushed me further into the room.

"What are you doing? Why are you not letting her leave?" It was Gauri's turn to ask him.

"You need protection from me? Right? I would have killed you if she hadn't come in? Isn't that what you just said? So how can she leave? She has to stay here and protect you!" he replied, his tone icy.

"Are you mad? How ..."

Yug cut her off mid-sentence "I have decided she is going to live with us from now on, in this room. Then she can protect you all the time!" He declared folding his hands across his chest, his face grim.

"You cannot be serious! I cannot live in this room! I have to go." I started to walk towards the door when he grabbed my arm again and pushed me on the couch. He did not say anything.

"Yug, please listen. This is not right!" I pleaded.

He looked at me with disdain. "I do not talk to objects and objects do not decide where they are to be placed!"

I was aghast. I did not expect this from him even in my wildest dreams. This was not the Yug I knew. This was a stranger, a very scary one. His tone and demeanor silenced me.

Gauri had been watching us and tried to control the situation. "I am sorry that I got angry with you and thought you were going to hurt me. Let us start again. Kaali! You go and let me spend some time with my husband."

I got up from the couch thankfully but was pushed back immediately. "No one is stopping you from spending time with your husband." He replied sarcastically.

"Today is our wedding night. Isn't it?" He moved towards Gauri speaking quietly, his tone dangerous yet playful.

He pulled Gauri into his arms "Are you ready to make your husband happy?" he mocked.

Gauri and I looked at each other, horrified. Yug bent his head to kiss her on the lips but she moved her face. She started to struggle to get away from him but he captured both her hands with his one hand and tightened the grip around her waist with the other arm. He bent over her again and started to nuzzle her side of neck. "You smell good" he whispered loudly.

"Stop it! Stop it! What you are doing is wrong. You cannot treat Gauri like this." I said loudly

Yug loosened his grip on Gauri and she immediately pushed him away. She ran out of the room, screaming. Yug sat down on the bed and started laughing. I grabbed the bathrobe from the couch and went behind Gauri, his mirthless laughter ringing in my ears.

Everyone had gathered in the hall hearing Gauri's screams. I quickly covered her night dress with the bathrobe but she barely noticed. She was crying continuously and asked me to call Badke Papa to come immediately. Leela Dadi called for Yug but he did not come. She asked me but I did not know what to say.

Badke Papa came within 20 minutes and was distraght to see Gauri condition. She had stopped crying by this time but was not speaking to anyone.

"Papa take me home right now!"

"Why? What happened? Did Kaali do something?" he asked as he threw me angry glance.

I just stood there with me head hung low. Yug walked in and said "I will tell you what happened. Gauri is my wife and she does not want to do her wifely duties."

A gasp went around the room at such blatant shamelessness. These things were never discussed outside the privacy of the bedroom in these cultured households. Badke Papa was silent, stumped for a few minutes.

"I am sure there is a misunderstanding.." His voice trailed off.

"He wants Kaali to live in the room with us. He was trying come close to me with Kaali in t..the..r-r-room..." Gauri broke into fresh bout of tears.

Dadi looked at Yug aghast. "Is it true?"

"Yes"

"What do you mean yes? How can you do that?" she asked him, her voice rising with every word.

"Well Kaali is her kaala tika. Now that she is my wife, Kaali is OUR kaala tika - Kaala tika for her and me. How can a kaala tika work if it is not in the room with us? So Kaali will stay in the room with us - All The Time. This is not negotiable" Yug replied calmly.

No one spoke for a minute or two as they tried to make sense of what Yug had said.

"Your grandson has gone crazy! How can Kaali live in the same room as them? I am not going to let my daughter live here. I am going to take her back right now." Badke Papa was screaming at top of his lungs.

Yug was unaffected by the threat. He moved towards Gauri and me. Gauri sat on the sofa chair and I stood beside her. He sat down on the other sofa chair next to me and replied.

"It is your choice what you want to do with Gauri. My condition will not change. However.." He paused as he took my arm and pulled me into his lap. I struggled to get up but was unsuccessful and once he was satisfied that I was not going escape, he continued "Kaali is not going anywhere. She is one of the wedding gifts and I do not intend to return this gift. She will stay here as my kaala tika"

I sat there, mortified and stunned, with all eyes staring straight at us. I could feel that Yug was completely relaxed and deadly serious. The room was silent.

Part 1 - Yug's Perspective

Part 3 - Gauri's Perspective