SORRYYY for the late update, but after this update I will update really soon as the story is heading towards d end... n I have replied almost all of u this time..
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Part 15: Adhure Kahaniya (incomplete sagas)
Maan took refuge in house of a Brahmin family for a night. His room was out side of their main house. It was a middle class small family with a old man, his wife and a young widow, may be younger than Geet. She was standing in a distance, putting a long veil on her head and supervising while he was eating. Maan was going to sleep after some lazy moments thinking about Geet when tinkling sound of payel and bangles woke him up. It was almost mid nigh, who can be there that too wearing ornaments. This was a simple middle class family, nobody here wears a lot of ornaments like aristocrats. He brighten the flame of lantern and the sight shocked him. it was not a familiar face but he recognized her as the widow girl of the house. But he is not in white sari, she was wearing a red sari with lots of ornaments. She came close to the lantern which created a light and darkness effect on her. She tried to give a seductive smile but it was showing clearly that she is not used to it. Under Maan's glaring eyes her nerve failed and she lowered her eyes. "aap jayie yahase." said Maan in a firm voice. The girl was about to go but turned around.
"you think I am pretty?" She asked in a low voice.
"Yes, you are. Why are you asking it to me? don't you have mirror?" Maan replied in a soft voice.
"hmm.. but wanted to know from someone else. I am not allowed to wear this colorful dress or ornaments that's why I thought to wear it now and ask you"
"Why.. didn't your husband say you?" Maan felt sorry after thinking what he uttered, it may depress her. But truth was more shocking.
"My husband, I can't even remember him. I saw him just once in the day of wedding. It was almost ten years ago, I was seven years old then. After that I never saw him, and one day they said he is dead." She paused a little and suddenly held Maan's hand in excitement, "Am I really pretty? Pretty enough to attract men like a Tawaif? Can I become one of them?" Her eyes had gone wide in exhilaration, "You know I had a sister, cousin didi, not much older than me. After her marriage when she was going to her husband's house robbers looted them, but she was safe as she hid behind her palanquin but society didn't take her back. She was ostracized by all. I heard she became a baiji(dancing girl) later. She was prettier than me but I am not ugly. I want to be like her. I don't need this society I want my life, I want to live."
The girl left Maan's hand and stood still for a long time. Maan had nothing to say. A girl who wants to breathe the air of life in such profession, it's not possible for him to fathom how miserable life of a widow is. After a undefined span when their silence blended with darkness the girl started leaving. "What's your name?" Maan asked for no definite reason. "Vrinda" the girl said. "and your cousin's?" "Swarna." Maan's closed his eyes. Don't know why he was expecting this answer only.
For rest of the night Maanendra stood in the veranda, under the open sky thinking where they are living, if it is earth? If yes then what is hell? A society where a girl want to be a tawaif in hope of a better life or rather say just a life, is human alive there? Maan would have no answer if he wasn't in love with Geet, if would had not meet Swayam, would not heard about Shantanu. Standing on a putrid civilization they are making temple of love, so that history don't say only fossil of human beings could be find here.
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Geet blushed in her thought standing in front of the mirror. She removed her dupatta from her body. For some days it has become her habit to observe herself in mirror, not admiring her but the marks which were bearing the memory of Maan's love. Her silk-like skin was tattered by Maan's carnal attack and Geet adorned those bruises like priceless ornaments on her body. Now that her Maan is not with her she spends her time reviving his memory, every moment they were together, everything that was given by Maan to her was like piece of jewel to her. She was about to take away her corset when she felt a known sensation crawling down on her spine. Her eyes closed in pleasure, her head bended in one side voluntarily. His hands keep on traveling on her back, her shoulder, nape above her breasts. His one hand clutched her lower abdomen, another keep on roaming, creating harmony in every chord of her body' and at the end it unknotted her choli, Geet opened her eyes and discovered there was none. There was none to company her lonely reflection in the mirror. She sighed, after Maan left the place she has adapted another habit, habit of day dreaming. "You are in my dream, in my day dream, in my heart and soul, everywhere possible in my world but in front of me" She pouted. She sat on the stool, looked a all the doors and windows if they are close or not then again turned towards the mirror. She wanted to see do the love bytes on her breasts has been faded. She bit her lips then removed her choli and shut her eyes in the same moment. This is the second time in her life when she is getting naked in front of mirror. After sometime she gathered her courage to have a look of her own assets. She opened her eyes, somehow she managed to find out the spot, still beautifying her cleavage with a dark bluish color. She caressed the place for a long time forgetting all her inhabitations. A smile crept on her face along with a big tear drop in her eyes. She was lost in her thought when some noise brings her out of her reverie. It was not a noise but shout; else it would not have reach at her room. She quickly put on her choli and dupatta and went out.
Inside the temple arena there was a huge crowd. A gathering of men, most of them are enough aged, looks like heads of the villagers. Geet came down and found other temple girls standing in a corner, one of them are crying, others were were sad, scared but none spoke a word. A girl was there half sitting half lying in front of the Garva Griha, covered in dirt and mud and blood too. Geet recognized her one of Devdasis in this temple.. Parinita, She was very nice to her when she first time joined them during Holi. She was in love with a villager, it was their childhood love. They were in love even before she became a Devdasi. The boy was her neighbor. She narrated the whole story to Geet, and often got scolded by older Devdasis for being talkative. She told her after her parent's death her maternal uncle offered her here in the service of God. She could talk almost without breathing but today she was trying hard to breath but it was coming out like a ghostly sound from her mouth. Those men were cursing the girl with such language that Geet never imagined she can hear inside temple, more shocking was the fact that Devdutt was standing helplessly there, keeping mum. Geet was going to ask the other girls about the happening but the sight in front of her didn't let her waste her time and went to confront the crowd. But before that she reached the girl and tried to make her sit.
"Don't touch her, let her die there, she doesn't deserve to be a Devdasi" Told an old man.
"Who are you to decide?" Geet replied in a firm voice making Devdutt dumbfound. This Geet is completely unknown to him. By then Rajlakshmi came with water, Geet gave the bruised, blood-spattered girl in her hand and stood up. The crowd became quiet for a small span, Geet never came in front of the devotees, it was the first time they saw her.Their eyes were blank as if they have seen a Goddess in front of them.
"The girl tried to flee away with a man from our village. They had an affair. Being a Devdasi this is sin, she must be thrown away from temple."
Geet didn't look at them and went o Devdutt, "Is it really a sin?" She asked.
Devdutt didn't reply. Another man from the crowd said, "Obviously it's a sin. Devdasi means she is married to God of this temple, falling in love with an ordinary human being is prohibited."
"There are eight types of marriages written in Ved, can you please tell following which procedure the wedding happened?"
All the shouting men became voice less in a go. But it gave Devdutt the biggest shock. This Geet is new to him, she is not that innocent and vulnerable Geetasri he knew, rather he made. He never thought Geet can have her own view, own logic. He always let her question only to accept his answer, he educated him not to think but to believe, believe what he has taught him. But this is not a query but demanding an answer, a meaningful one, like she is challenging them. Geet ignored others and went to Devdutt, "Devdutt Ji is it really a crime to love someone." She asked in a soft voice but her voice didn't loose the intensity. Devdutt looked here and there before answering, "a devdasi can't love an ordinary man, it's illegitimate."
"Love is illicit for the devotees of Shri Krishna? Whose love is famous in whole universe' we remember his love before Omnipotence himself that's why Radha always comes before Krishna.. then how it is sin Devdutt ji?"
Devdutt has no answer of her polite but powerful quarries. He was finding an answer but the villagers' anger was increasing. They don't have knowledge so they don't understand reason, illiteracy doesn't give them patience to hear and think but to see make it happen what is going on from ages and what they think ultimate law.
"She will be thrown away from the Temple." Devdutt announced.
Geet couldn't believe her ears. The man whom she respected, her mentor' he sounds so meek, so weak. His dignity, gravity which he used to carry in his every gesture fall short, his personality shrunk in front of her eyes. Devdutt tried to ignore it. He was about to leave the place when Rajlaxmi spoke, "No she won't.. she can be purified .. we such law .. hai na Devdutt ji?" She asked but her voice was clearly taunting him. Devdutt frown. Villegers had reached at the height of their patience, "What law? Written in which book?" A Brahmin from the crowd asked.
"In the same book where the law of punishment is written." Rajlaxmi replied.
After sometime the crowd returned unsuccessful and unsatisfied. In the tedious life of villagers this incident could be a great source of gossip for a long time but it came to an abrupt end with some unknown rules. But if there is a law it must be followed.. so they didn't dare to ask.
The girl was taken her room. Other girls moved with her. Geet still had a question to Devdutt. Before Devdutt could move she asked, "What happened to the man? Her lover?"
"Villagers have killed him."
His answer shook her world. Killed him! Killing a human being is so easy? Does the value of human life is so less or does the crime of love was so severe? She went to the Parinita's room, where she used to live with other girls. Yes used to live coz now she didn't look like a living being. Only ghost of her body was sitting there. An older woman was dressing her wound. Her blood was still oozing out but her tears have been forgotten its way. She was mumbling only one thing, "they killed my husband .. they killed him." Geet couldn't take the sight. She return to her room. Parinita's voice keeps on buzzing in her ears. "They killed my husband." For the first time the fear of loosing Maan surrounded her beautiful world .. for the first time she was sensing the fear of death.. fear of something more awful than death. The earth in front of started shaking, her body trembled like a kite without thread and everything went black.
"Geet didi .. Geet didi" .. someone was calling her from another world.. Geet came back in her sense. She had fainted long ago. Don't know how long she was lying there. Rajlaxmi bring her back in her senses. Geet opened her eyes but her thought process was yet to regain its normal state. The moment she found her strength back she rushed towards room's back door like mad when Rajlaxmi stopped her and the next moment hugged her.
"I have to reach Maan.." Geet cried.
"Maanendra is not here Geet didi. Resist yourself. Thammi need you. She is not well." Raj spoke in one breath. Geet looked at her with her big doe eyes getting moist. She ran to Thammi's room. Thammi's pale face and weak body has become worse. She tried to move her hand but couldn't only signaled her with her eyes. Geet sat near her, hold old lady's hand and started crying. She cried and cried, all her pain and fear came out in those drops. Everyone present there thought she is crying for thammi's health but thammi understood its not only for her but for some one who meant everything in her life.
3days later
Thammi's condition went worse to worst. There was no more hope for her life. Last day Kaviraj has given his final word. Still old woman has not lost her sense, as if she is waiting for some one. Geet was sitting beside her. Thammi opened her eyes , her lips moved a little. Geet brought her ears near her mouth to hear her. An inaudible voice said something, she couldn't hear but read her lips right. It was a name she could never miss. "Maan." Geet was going to nod her head in negative when her eyes fall upon the most handsome form who can make the Gods jealous. Maan entered the room. Without speaking a word he sat beside thammi on the opposite side of Geet. "Thammi" he called. Old women opened her eyes, a smile crept on her lips. She tried to pool her head off the bed in excitement but failed and the next moment her breath became heavier. She was trying to say something but Maan stopped her by bringing out a small piece of curved stone which look like a coin and put in on her palm. The moment her glace fall on the coin her expression changed, her pale face turned into a colorful canvas and rainbow colors played on it. Old lady couldn't speak a single word only her eyes asked something to Maan. "Yes I know him.. he is waiting for you, somewhere in the world of peace." Maan smile. Thammi closed her eyes. A drop of happiness poured from her eyes.
Kaviraj announced the time has arrived. She must be moved near the Brahmani river before she breathes last. Though it's not Ganges, the holy river, but here water from any river resembled to Ganga so touching the holy water before death will open the door of heaven for her. But thammi denied .. her gate of paradise was some where else. She signaled towards the veranda outside of her window. It was the place where her reflections are standing, in different posture, in different looks but they all are her shadow only. No body objected as it was her last wish and her bed was taken out on that place. She eyes sighted them for the last time and her soul left her body in search of delayed union.
Everybody was crying there, Geet was the only exception. Her mind was connecting the missing links and it was processing a story rather an incident. One which was always in front of her eyes but she missed to recognize it. Geet noticed the coin like stone and in a fraction of second her mind reminded her she has seen the same sign here in this temple, curved there beside the uglies .. Uglies 'Blessed by Love' ' "She thinka I am ughy" thammi said once, "my Guruji also told me something about a trip like this. Once he has worked in a temple here in Odissa. You know he fell in love with one Devdasi that time."
All the scattered links flashed on her vision and solved the riddle in a fraction. It was not the first time that love story remain unfinished in this temple. It's the circle of time that only moved to repeat itself not to change. Geet's eyes didn't move from those structures. Maan said they are blessed by love but aren't they cursed by fate? Fate.. can it play with her, their life also? What if they have the same destiny? She looked at Maan. He was looking at her with odd expression. In this three days she has become thin, a dark patch cast a shadow below her eyes, no ornaments nothing was there on her body. Unruly hair, wearing a pale white lahenga, Maan never saw her like this since he has come here. Has the distance of some day made her look like this or there is some other reason. Maan noticed Geet was staring at the uglies without a blink, and the next he saw Parinita to come there and Geet's dried tears started forming again. Maan has already heard about the mishap with her. Now Maan understood what is going on in Geet's mind. He wanted to take away all her fear, lock her in his embrace then and there, but the place and time was not right for them. The place was crowded with so many people.
Maan and Geet's chain of thought broke in a jerk. "What was the name of the dead lady?" Pandit who was doing the last rituals asked. Everybody looked at Geet as she was closest to her. Geet nodded in negative, she was Geet's thammi, her name is unknown to her. Not even one hour passed that the woman died her name washed away from this world, but her love will remain alive in those lifeless structures.
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The fire of Chitah was dying away. Geet was sitting far behind. It would have been an absolute silence if there was not the monotonous sound of water. It was the sand bed of the river. One by one everyone went back to the temple. None noticed Geet is still there. Geet was totally lost when Maan kept his hand on her shoulder. And the next moment Geet turned and hugged him and broke into tears. She cried, she groaned, she moaned like crazy. Maan didn't stop her, only patted her back, stroked her hair. Her cry turned into soft weep. "You knew everything? You knew thammi's story?" She uttered within her sob. Man nodded in positive. The moonless night went without a single word, in absolute stillness. After a certain time there was not a single movement, even a leaf wasn't shaking, the wind also blowing quietly. Only movement of thoughts was taking place in Maan's mind. All the people he met, all the living stories he has come across till date was coming in the canvas of his brain. 'Thammi, Swayam Swarna, Rajlaxmi, Brinda so many story but none has an end, all the incomplete sagas.. may be wont end in a circle ever. They are written by destiny only to be left like this. Sare adhure kahaniya, Bhagwan kare wo pure ho aur agar na ho to kabhi khatam na ho [those incomplete stories, wish they become completed, if not then wish they are never finished.]
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"prepare at least twenty girls, I will send them to Gobardhan temple, forever."
Rajlaxmi was shocked hearing the man in front of her' she wonder is she standing before a human or a monster? The villagers spread the fact that they have seen an extremely beautiful woman in the Madanmohan temple. It was simple information to them what they spoke to all with an innocent mind. The story reached where it must not reach, Gobardhan temple. Priests knew it before, now they had no doubt that an invaluable gem is hiding inside that small temple, out of their reach. And as a result a messenger came on a fleeting horse with a letter stating, "Our second sight informed us there is a girl in your temple who is prosperous for our temple, her presence in this temple can bring blessing for this country. We will come soon to select the girl. God bless you." Devdutt lost the last bit of sanity and decided to sacrifice twenty girls, saving Geetasri in exchange of twenty lives. Rajlaxmi was shocked hearing the statement of the letter but Devdutt's verdict crossed all limits.
"Devdutt, you have become a monster, what do you think doing all these you will get Geetasri? Never.. you will never have her love. She loves some one else and she only belongs to him."
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another part without MAANEET don't kill me, ds part was needed and after this I am gonna update really soon as d story is heading towards its climax, so plsss plsss do read n comment fast fast, n d next part will be full of MAANEET so don't throw chappal at me... or fekna hi hai to throw it in pair okk😆
PS: likes r reducing ,,, it really hurts, so
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Edited by sayaneegupta - 13 years ago
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