Love Story – When She was more surprised than shocked !
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So far as I remember her name was Sabitri but we used to address her as sabo as a token of love and affection. Sometimes some naughty boys called her Sabodana in order to vex her. At that time she ran after the boy with a stone in her right hand to throw upon him, but in fact she never did so, only used to frighten him.
I was one of the such boys who was after her. She was about eight years old whereas I twelve. At eight she was very strong and stout whereas I was very lean and thin. She did different types of exercises regularly. Not only was this, she used to demonstrate her various Aasans also on the auspicious occasions in different schools under the guidance of her father. Thus she earned enormous name and fame in her childhood. Almost all the teachers and the students knew her and recognised her by face.
She became more popular when she lifted ten bricks weighing about 25 kg by her hairs’ knot on the occasion of cultural programme in the school. The BDO of Gobindpur Block awarded her with a wrist watch as a sort of encouragement. Her name reached the height of popularity in whole of the block. It was about her and now about mine, otherwise the story wouldn’t be complete.
Since my childhood I was taking part in throwing light upon the life and achievements of great men like Mahatma Gandhi, Ravindranath Tagore, Subhas Chandra Bose, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru etc. , on national festival like Independence & republic Days, Gandhi Jayanti, Dussehra , Deepawali so on. On current topics like Five Year Plan, Community Development Programme, Village Uplift, Child Marriage, Illiteracy, Importance Of Education, Discipline, Character in life, Population & its effect, Poverty & its Eradication etc. were my main topics on which I used to deliver a brief lecture on every Saturday in the cultural programme in school regularly.
The school , where we read in, was the only Govt. school in the locality up to class eight. Saturday was a morning school due to cultural programme but other days were day school . All students were invited to take part in cultural programmes on different topics and subjects. I was considered a very good orator and everybody loved me like anything. On some auspicious occasions I was asked by my teachers to prepare for a particular topic. I prepared and practised it standing before a mirror in house when all went to bed so that I could perform effectively and efficiently in the cultural programme.
It would be no exaggeration to state that I was also awarded with a wall clock as a sort of recognition of a good lecture on current topic by the same BDO in the same programme. I was no less popular than Sabo among-st the teachers and the students. Sabo got the first prize whereas I second. The moment I turned with the prize in hand, I dashed with Sabo , who was standing as statue just behind me to know who would be getting the second prize. My wall clock fell down suddenly from my hand and Sabo knelt down and picked it up. She wanted to give it to me but I said to her :
It is for you, keep it with you and take it to your house.
Why?
Don’t argue. I say, keep it as a token of love and affection from me for your best performance particularly lifting 25 KG weight by your hairs’ knot.
She stared at me with her big eyes. She was quit and calm but her eyes said , ‘ I will preserve it as a precious gift from you. ’
I didn’t know as to how much it reacted on her but one thing was crystal clear that she was extremely happy to have it. What happened after that that we started loving each other – I waited for her arrival to school if I came first or she , if she came first. It was a turning point of love in our childhood. I started following her wherever she went. I didn’t understand why I used to do so.
One day she was annoyed for she saw me following her even to urinal. She stood up, put on her under pant . When she saw me behind , she pushed me so strongly that I fell down into a ditch . She said, ‘ What are seeing? Go to hell, be there whole day. None will come to rescue.’
Leaving me in the ditch she left but soon she came with some of her friends and took me out from the ditch. In fact it was a well under digging – nearly 4/5 feet in depth. This ditch was a lovers’point where my seniors used to go inside for love and romance. I didn’t believe as to how they went into it. I was determined to see with my own eyes I was so curious to know.
There was a handsome boy – son of a businessman and a beautiful girl – daughter of an officer who were immensely entangled who used that lonely and safe place for love and romance. The boy was tall while the girl short in height. It was rainy season. The sky was covered with blackish cloud. It was drizzling. Darkness even in afternoon. Everyone was calm and quit due to frequent lightening and thundering. Teaching stopped and the teachers were gossiping in staff room. Rashmi and Murli were standing side by side and as I guessed they would come out to avail that opportunity and would go into the ditch any moment, I was vigilant about their movement.
No sooner did they come out together one after another than I followed them. I had no bad intention , but only had had curiosity to know as to how they entered the dragon – 5 feet in depth. I noticed Murli at first jumped into the ditch , then invited her to come down, caught her legs first, her waist , then her breast and lastly her body very carefully. I heard Rashmi laughing out of tick-lings she had had in her armpits and breast and Murli was sharing it in sheer pleasure.. When they were lost in paradise, I left hastily in as much as my purpose of knowing the tricks they adopted to go into the ditch was served. Murli had seen me at the top of the well but careless because he was sanguine that I would not tell anybody.
Though senior to me , Murli was a good friend of mine. Next day during tiff-in hours Murli embraced me under his arms , thanked me for keeping quit , offered me Ghooghni – Moodhi in Punoo’s shop and also assured if I wanted, he could persuade her once for me also . I told him to be free from my side as I was not so young enough like him in that respect. He kept mum. Next year Murli left the school and admitted to High School , I one year later.
Murli was a womaniser and so tactful that he could persuade any girl. There was co – education in High School – a number of girls were reading with the boys together. Some of the students used to quarrel for sitting behind the girls’ benches , truly speaking I never. As there was strict discipline in school, none could think of mischief even in dream. Here in school in class nine I was very weak in English. I was scolded and even beaten by my teachers. I felt insulted and took an oath before God to reform myself with a short period. So I concentrated on my study only – setting all things aside.
After two years I happened to see Murli in his Gaddi ( A sitting place in a big shop ) where his father used to sit earlier from dawn to dusk. I went to him and sat beside in the Gaddi. He saw me and kept mum as he was extremely busy with his customers. By this or that bahane , he relieved off his customers. Ordering his servant for Kachouri – Jalebi and tea , turning his face to me he asked me in a jolly mood, ‘ I failed in matriculation and discontinued my study on my father’s order. लड़कियों के पीछे ही मेरा सारा वक़्त चला गया, मन लगाकर पढ़ा – लिखा नहीं , अब देखो , कोदो ( निकृष्ट अनाज ) बेच रहा हूँ . जैसी करनी वैसी भरनी. माँ – बाप का एकलौता हूँ , सच पूछो तो वो मस्ती कहाँ , यहाँ तो कोलूह के बैल की तरह खटना पड़ता है . मैं खुश हूँ कि तुम अच्छी तरह से पढ़ – लिख रहे हो . ( My whole time was wasted in chasing girls . I didn’t study properly. Just see I am selling Kodo ( The worst type of food grain ) I have been working hard like the bullocks of Kollooh. I am happy that you are studying well. ) – he added in repentance.
I asked , ‘ what happened to your girlfriend , Rashmi ?
She is alright. She reads in Girls’High School , Hirapur, Dhanbad. She called me many a time to see but every time I turned down. In fact now I am married and don’t want to have any illicit relationship with any girl or woman after marriage. In fact it is against social ethics. Secondly I cannot show my face to my wife , if she came to know that I had had some illicit relationship with some women.
Kailash ! you know God has given me handsome personality but with some bad habits , I have made it the ugliest one. Now I do repent over and will have to repent whole life.
What about your Sabo ?
She reads in Girls’High School, Hirapur, Dhanbad . She loves me most but I avoid it as I have to concentrate on my study only. These days I am very perplexed, no peace of mind .
Why ?
Whenever she meets me, she forces me for romance. I maintain a distance even then she comes forward, touches me here, there and everywhere. Now I am young and my sexual organs very often get excited. I clearly told her if I …? … her and if she becomes pregnant, my life would be ruined. Your too. Nobody will save us then. Even then she uttered, ‘ Kuchh naheen hoga.’ Just see her boldness !
She started writing love letters to me. It was but natural that I got excited when I read them. I had to reply her every letter otherwise she could announce ‘Kitty'( stopping talking ) to me. This continued for months together. One day my mother got a letter in my shirt’s pocket while washing it.
She called me and advised very coolly, ‘ You have a bright career, don’t spoil it in love with the baby who is after you. She is marriageable. She has three younger sisters. She belongs to another caste. I came to know that her marriage is finalized, only the thing is that her father has no money to pay dowry. Take money from me, pay to her father and get her married. I say it is the right time to get rid of her. Forget her for ever and concentrate on your study which will repay you and your family in near future. ’
I listened to my mother patiently and did what she had said. One evening I met her father alone and asked him what amount he needed to pay the dowry.
‘Why are you asking for? ’- he said to me.
“I want that your daughter’s marriage must not be cancelled for want of money. I have money and can lend you. Please tell me the amount, I will pay you tomorrow positively.”
As committed I paid her father the desired amount and requested him not to disclose it out of pleasure to anyone, even to his wife, otherwise … You understand ?
The date of marriage was fixed. Everybody in her house was happy except Sabo, the reasons best known to me. I was away from my house on duty in a company at Ramgarh. I got the invitation letter on 7th. July and marriage was scheduled to be held on 9th. July. I was in charge of wages section and I had to make labour payment on 7th. And 8th. July and also had to deposit the unpaid wages to cash section.
On 9th. Morning setting everything right I left for house. I reached Dhanbad at about 1 AM, even then I had hope against hope, I was sanguine that I could attend the marriage ceremony well before ‘Sinduradan’ ( The last rite of marriage ) . I hired a rickshaw immediately without wasting time. I reached my house at about 3AM ( 10th. July 1969 ) and saw that my mother was coming slowly from marriage ceremony. Seeing me at that odd hours she said to me , “ Hurry up ! Sabo’s marriage is still not complete. Go hastily , she is waiting for you. ”
I ran as fast as I could and appeared in the Mandap ( A decorated canopy ). Her younger brother saw me and said to me , “ Sir, why are you standing there ? Come closer and please be seated beside me.”
Her father stared at me and smiled. Fortunately I was sitting face to face even eyes to eyes to Sabo. Before Sinduradan was performed, she was asked to uncover her face. No sooner did she uncover her face than she looked at me widening her eyes in anger at the first sight and at the second she thanked me for attending her marriage ceremony. After the marriage was over in all respect , she was asked by the Pujari to touch the feet of the elders. She came forward to me and with due respect – with due love touched my feet with sobbing heart – with tears in eyes. I was at a loss to decide what to talk to her at that moment. I left and came home.
I was so perplexed that I couldn’t see her off at her departure in the morning. In the evening when the Sun was setting in the west , the sky was almost empty – no Sun , no Moon , no Stars – it was Godhuli Bela when her younger brother appeared and said to me , “ Didi waited for you for a long time. She was disappointed like anything. Here is a letter for you.”
I opened the letter. In a single breath I went through it which read as follows:
“ I am more surprised than shocked to know that only to get rid of me , you got me married to someone by paying dowry money to my father. What wrong have I done to you that you have punished me for no fault of mine, my love not one sided even?” No longer could I hold the letter, it slipped down from my hand and the cruel wind swept it far – far away from me.
Writer: Master Durga Prasad , Gobindpur , Dhanbad. Date : 6th September 2013 , Day : Friday .
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