FF - Ek Duje Ke Liye, Ch 35, pg47 updt on 15.12 - Page 20

Sorry bhau, tera biwi hai, tu jane, mai toh chala, let me get the men to do some security drill…

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Anna handed over a copy of photograph to each of his men…take a look carefully and memorise her face by heart…I will not listen to any excuses later…this is a golden opportunity and we will not miss it…

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Dutta waited for all the members of his family to assemble before they left for the Puja at the mandir, he watched his mother, who was looking tensed, walking up and down..kya huwa Ayi he went upto her…

Kuch nehi beta yuhi…Ayi Sahib could not meet Dutta's eyes….

Areh bata na, he held her hands….

Dutta..her lips shook….

Is it Kala Tai once again…Dutta asked….he knew the concern area of his mother….

Ayi Sahib sighed…Kala of course but….she noticed Dutta was now looking past her….Ayi Sahib turned to see Nakusha was coming down the stairs with two ladies and she was indeed looking very pretty..

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The man was having tea at a tea stall – Madhvi you cannot escape from the reality…why are you so scared…he thought….tu ne toh achha hi vash me kiya hai, every time I have approached you have sent me away but not now…I do not have time….made a face while sipping, the group sitting on the next table were talking in a different language and creating commotion, hampering his solitude….he took a long breath…thankfully the group got up and left….

The man finished his tea returning to his earlier thoughts…signaling the boy and pushing into his palm a big note, he got up to see a piece of paper kept on the next table…picking it up he went and sat in his car….it was an envelope, he opened it to take out a photograph of a girl, an ugly girl, married as had sindoor in the parting,must be wife of one of the men…as he put it back in the envelope he noticed a scribble at the edge…Nakusha Datta Patil…..Datta Patil….Nakusha Datta Patil….Datta's wife….but why do these people have her photograph with them?

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The village temple was decorated beautifully with variety of flowers and torans, the Sarpanch alongwith the members of the Panchayat received Datta and his family….the whole village was assembled at the courtyard of the temple, Dutta walked with folded hands, Nakusha followed him with the rest of the family, Bajirao went around accepting letters addressed to Datta from the people who have come to look for help…

Finally they sat for puja, Nakusha took her seat next to Dutta, Ayi Sahib tried to look relaxed as the women assembled complimented her for her choice of bride …she is not as beautiful as you or your son Ayi Sahib but she looks nice next to him…unka tej aur iski narmi….Kalavati oberseved her mother, she knew it was a proud moment for Ayi Sahib, she has been able to establish her family back to its roots, Kalavati knew it was a secret desire of Dutta to come and live in the village when he retires….if at all he gets to retire she thought….

The priests started reciting the shlokas, sprinkling the sacred water and flowers, recited Datta Sriram Patil alongwith his family would like to offer his prayers to the Lord….

Datta Sriram Patil ya Dutta Damodar Patil an old and haggard man with flowing beard stood up dropping his shawl with which he was covering himself partly

Joshi Sahab aap yeh keya bol rahe hai, the Sarpanch was the first to react…

Ek minute Sarpanch, the man was staring at Ayi Sahib….let her answer…..

Naku noticed Ayi Sahib was sweating profusely….

Kyu Madhvi bolti band, he mocked….

Aapse matlab? Dutta stood up alongwith Bajirao….

Matlab hai tabhi na bol raha hu beta…tumhare Ayi se puchho or should I say your so called Ayi?

You are hampering the Puja, it is not good…please wait till the puja is over…the Pandit spoke…

Ek minute Panditji, I know it is not good but then I do not have time to wait…his face was drained, he was panting for breath…

Aap baith jayiye, do as the Pandit is telling you, we will talk after the Puja is over…Ayi Sahib at last found her voice….

Today I will not give you any chance…I know after the Puja you will have some other excuse, lets settle the matter now and forever…

Chachaji, Kalavathi went forward, my mother will never acknowledge you, not till the last breath leaves her body….thora pehchan ne me waqt laga mujhe but then what do you want from us?

Naku felt Datta gripping her shoulder with a steel like grip….

Kalavathi…thank god you recognized me, instead of pleading with Madhvi I should have contacted you first…mera kaam ho jata…..

Shhyad you never know…Kalavathi smiled at him….

Dutta….the man stepped forward, I want you…I want to ….

Rukh jajiye….don't come forward….Dutta replied in a cold and steely voice…Naku saw he was looking straight past that man with still eyes…

Beta don't you know who I am…you were small but not that small….Madhvi kya patti paraye tumne mere bete ko?

Leave my Ayi alone…I know what I know, I am Sriram & Madhvi's son and I would like to remain that….

But I am your biological father…Damodar came and stood next to Naku trying to reach Dutta….

Dutta's face was flushed with anger….ek kadam ageh nehi….I told you what I want….wohi rukh jaiye…isse ageh math barna, warna mujshe bura koi nehi hoga…

Doesn't a man have the right to ask for forgiveness …..

Chachaji aap bekar me bahes kar rahe hai…as he is your son…kuch toh baath aap jaisa hi hai…he listens to no one, ha except for my mother at times lekin jo bol diya so bol diya …..its fruitless to plead…..

Beta I don't have too many days to live, before I die I want to say a few things to you…. The man pleaded…

Naku baith ja, Dutta pushed Naku's shoulder then holding his mother hand he turned towards the pandit….that man pushed my father and killed him, my mother has raised me with a lot of hardships, she is the only parent I know in this world and today I sit before you as Datta Sriram Patil, will you allow me to offer my prayers to the Lord of this temple….

The prient looked at him….Krishna was born to Devki but raised by Yashudha….people revere her more, chaliye shuru karte hai…..

Is this your wife Datta? Damodar once again spoke…..Naku looked up to see him staring at her with a big frown, as if he noticed her for the first time….

Bajirao please show him the way out, muhurat nikla ja rahe hai, I want no more disturbance….

Bajirao waited no more, he grabbed Damodar…..

Dutta be careful my son, I know where this path leads, life is not easy with too many enemies around and Madhvi you have taken a nice revenge by turning my son to a Bhau…he started panting, going out of breath as Bajirao dragged him out…when Naku heard…careful Dutta your wife…your wife….danger…….

Ayi Sahib sat crying, as Kalavathi and her sisters consoled her, Dutta started offering his puja…..

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Anna frowned…this was not foreseen…yeh kaha se tapak para…Damodar Patil aka Damodar Joshi…..

We were waiting for Datta to come out from the mandir and go to the weekly market as planned then heard there was a big chaos in the mandir…Datta's actual father arrived in the scene….his men reported Anna…

When Dutta was about 5 years old his father over a card match kept Dutta as bet…Sriram Patil the older brother went to prevent Damodar from doing so and they had a bad quarrel in between which Damodar pushed his brother from the terrace, killing him…and fled from the scene to evade police arrest….Dutta's mother was already dead after his birth and now father missing, it is Ayi Sahib or Sriram's wife who brought up Dutta…

Sale ki khoon hi kharab hai…Anna commented…

Though Datta completed the puja but after the prasad distribution went back home with his family instead coming to the weekly market as planned….

Yeh Damodar Joshi matlab Dutta ka bap kaha rehte hai…

About a year and half back he has purchased some farmlands and a house outside this village…

Can he be some use to us? Kuch kaam a sakta hai kya…Anna asked thoughtfully…

I doubt Anna, he is a sick man, infact had to be carried out of the mandir, I heard….

Hmmm, mara toh nehi, zinda hai na abhi….?? Anna raised his voice irritatedly, dimag jab nehi hai, socho math, hum itna dur aye hai, kuch na kuch karke hi jayunga….

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Nakusha stood watching Kishore shouting at Kala, for the first time she heard him speak out in front of everyone…Dutta stood at the window staring out, Ayi Sahib on the sofa with her hand on her head…she confessed that yes she did receive calls from Damodar once in awhile for a meeting with Dutta, lately a bit more frequently…he is my son and I want to see him…Ayi Sahib never agreed and she was unaware that he settled down near the village, it seems he wanted to keep a watch and take his chances as Dutta did visit the village once in every few months…

Kalavati I think you owe an apology to Bhau….Kishore announced startling everyone….

Tum kehna kya chahate ho Kishore…Kalavati glared….

All I want to say that we know the truth, even Bhau knows it, Ayi Sahib knows it but then why did you have to acknowledge that man as your 'Chachaji'…you could have ignored him like us….

Kishore when will you start thinking like a manager instead of a clerk…if we ignore usse sach badal toh nehi jayega…he will still be the son of Damodar Patil, he may not like it but the whole world knows it…aur hum agar chup rehte kya chachaji chale jate? When he had taken so much trouble to come yuhi chale jate kya…..

Dutta was speaking with him, tumhe tang arane ki kya jaroorat thi….why couldn't you seat quietly like the rest of us….

Ayi Sahib, see how Kishore is speaking to me…maine kya galat kiya…have I made up any stories, kuch bara chara ke bola, jo sach wahi bola…..Kalavati complained to her mother…Kishore kept on muttering Kalavati sudhar ja, sudhar ja….

Nakusha's eyes narrowed, suddenly she felt she could see Kishore's point. Kalavati does not like Dutta or is jealous of Dutta….Nakusha tried to remember past instances, Kalavati is the most vocal in the house, she is always unhappy and finding faults…strange thought Nakusha, they have grown up together, the other day she was having a talk with Bajirao when she asked why Dutta does not have food outside….Baji had replied in the past he went back home to ensure nobody slept empty stomach, he could not eat anything without sharing it with his sisters and mother….bus adaat ho gayi abhi….

Lekin abhi….

Vehini kuch adaat nehi chhutti, Ayi Sahib still waits till her son is back, had his dinner and gone to bed…bad times bond you very strongly…and they have seen real bad times….

Nakusha had remembered her mother, Babi no matter what, never allowed them to go hungry to bed…she sat up for her drunkard husband to return even….

Nakusha thought in the chawl where they lived it was drink, frustrations of shattered dreams and growing daughters were issues of real concern…here in this house they have everything now, money, jewelry, dresses, cars, servants and even respect, yes Nakusha has seen it for herself..whatever Dutta might be, people love him, despite of his fearful image, somewhere they connect….Ayi Sahib is his proud mother, who gets equal respect, Nakusha heard many women complimenting her for giving birth to a son like him, aapke upar gaya hai Ayi Sahib not only in looks but also in deeds…

Nakusha watched Dutta with his back towards her, he was standing straight without flinching a muscle, Nakusha looked towards Kalavati who stared back at Nakusha, on being eye to eye Nakusha realised Kalavati was not sorry for what she did, she did it purposely to hurt Dutta but does Dutta realize the same…Nakusha remembered the night before when Kalavati interrupted them, suddenly how Dutta's mood changed and he became stiff…a cold wave hit her…he knows but does not say a word to his sister…why? Does he think he is guilty of what happened to them? He is a man who is known for his bad temper but then why doesn't he say anything to his Kala tai, does it mean he accepts his guilt?

Kishore pulled Kalavati away, the sisters led Ayi towards her bedroom…Dutta still did not move…Nakusha waited for sometime and then slowly went forward to stand in front of him…with his arms folded on his chest he was looking out, seeing nothing for his eyes were filled with tears….holding his arms, she raised herself tip toes to kiss him on his cheek…he pulled her to his chest and held her tight….

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