Tryst of Destiny

Mumbai is a big city with many red-light areas. However, there is nothing like Kamathipura, which lies in the heart of Mumbai. Kamathipura, an infamous red light area was set up by the Britishers for their troops; it was one of their officials ‘comfort zone’. Legend has it that the tiny area boasted the most exotic consorts. When the White man left, it was reoccupied by Indian sex workers.

Here, as the twinkling light of stars grows brighter dullness of day light becomes lighter. After dawn Kamathipura becomes place of happiness and joy with hawkers, card sessions, goats on a tether, pimps on the prowl, customers looking for a bargain, tourists and countless sex workers lanes become colourful and a strange aroma in entire milieu.

This evening was also as usual as other days. People were roaming around. Some were standing near the shops of paav-bhaji, kababs, and some were at the betel shops, chewing paan, smoking cigarettes and freely expressing their views on the politics, religion, crime, and current situation of the city as if it is an open platform for national debate. Old music which was playing somewhere enriching the environment. The pimps and sex workers were on the roadside looking for customers and many were on their balconies trying to impress the people who were passing from there. A black colour Fortuner was tearing the mob apart on the tiny-crowed lanes of Kamathipura. The car stopped at shanty no. 318. A tall, handsome, and well-built man dressed in blue jeans and white shirt got out of the car and climbed the steps of that shanty. A garishly dressed bulky woman who was the madam of brothel welcomed him.

‘Khushaamdeed! Jagan. I think you have forgotten Sheila Tai or else you would have visited me in between. But it has been Long time you have not visit me. What happened to you?’ She uttered spitting her paan.

‘Sheila Tai, the vardiwalas were after me. Therefore, I have to leave the city but now the matter has settled down. You tell how it is going.’

‘Here everything is same, though every night is new here. I have got one special thing for you, I know you will like her.’ Sheila Tai pointed her figure towards a room.

Jagan pushed the wooden door of that room. A girl was standing near the window looking towards the glittering stars in sky. The sky has opened after playing hide-and-seek with the city for days. Cold breeze was passing through the window and was waving silky hairs of that girl. The girl was wearing a red saree and blue blouse. A gajra was tied in her long hairs. Jagan was staring the carving of her body from backside. This was not his first time; he used to visit brothels. Although its  long time he hasn’t bedded  any girls because of security reasons, he was ignoring these places. He was attractive and could found the love easily but perhaps he did not want to indulge in some emotional drama so he bought temporary love for himself.

But this time things were different, he hasn’t seen any girl in any brothel like her before. He was just thinking about her and her being here. He thought not to disturb her and turned slowly to latch the door quietly. The girl turned for a moment to see her customer whom she had to serve her body tonight but could not see his face. She turned again to look the peaceful sky as if she was recalling something. In hundred square feet room, a bed was placed with white bed sheet on it and a brown colour pillow,  a cupboard on right side with a small mirror, some bangles, and few cloths in it. Jagan sat on the bed calmly and was continuously staring her. Her face was still invisible to him but he was sure that she is damn beautiful. Her bare hands and milk light skin were proof. He hasn’t seen such a marvellous woman in brothel till now. He didn’t want to disturb her but he was anxious to take her in his arms.

‘Hey! Will you come here or would like to continue your painting on the canvas of sky?’ Jagan said politely.

The girl was amazed. She was here from last several months but none of her customer talked so poetically. She turned to face him but suddenly light has gone.

‘O…oh don’t worry it will be back soon. Would like to drink  something.’ the girl asked him

‘No need, I am already drunk’ Jagan replied.

‘Do you have machiss? The candle should be here somewhere.’ She began to search candle on bed and found it, ‘here it is’

Jagan put out his lighter from his pocket and lit. A low light spread in entire room. As both faced each other, a chill ran down in spine of both.

After a silence girl said:

‘Jugga is it you…oh! Jugga’ she began to sob

Gudiya!?

Jugan was shocked. After a thought, he said:

‘Yeah, it’s me Gudiya…your Jugga’ both embraced each other as if they were waiting for this moment from centuries. They were crying and soon room filled with their sob.

‘Gudiya! What are you doing here? Jugga asked with sorrow throat

This place is not for you. Tell me who is responsible to put you here’ Jugga asked her impatiently

‘My fate. It’s my fate. But now I have no regret because it gives me chance to see you again’ Gudiya replied blissfully.

‘But..’ Jagan wants to ask so many questions but Gudiya made him quiet.

‘Please do not ask anything. Let me hold you in my arms. I have waited for you from long time.’

The room became silent again. Both embraced each other and lost in the depth of past.

***

Sujanpur, a small village situated near the border of M.P. and Maharashtra, where Jagan and Gudiya lived. They were companion since childhood. Slowly and gradually, they become more than just friends and become so close to each other that it became impossible to live without each other. Gudiya was just like a doll, slim body, milky colour, long hair, and sharp features. Jagan was also smart and dandy young man. Childhood was different when they used to play near riverside’s garden for hours, roam in streets. But now Gudiya turn to 19 and Jagan also grown up a young boy of 21 year old.  Villagers also began to raise question on their closeness. Though they freely went to each other’s home.  Most of the time, Gudiya was found at Jagan’s home. She took interest in his domestic work and helped her mother in it. She helped her mother to clean rice, in her sewing work and message her scalp.

Whenever Gudiya cooks new dish, she shouts from outside of Jagan’s home, ‘O Kaki! Today I have cooked gajar ka halwa and I have brought some for you.’

Both Gudiya and Jagan’s mother knew for whom she cooks new dishes every day. Jagan’s mother liked Gudiya but was afraid from Jagan’s father as well as villagers. She wanted to keep them apart but was helpless as Jagan and Gudiya have made a small world of two people and were not afraid from anyone. They were happy in their small world, a world where there was no interference of any one, no boundation of any kind. They used to spend long time in fields, in garden and on hill. They used to tease each other, fight each other and loved so much each other.

Gudiya liked to watch jagan working in the field. Jagan also used to wait on his roof for hours so that he can have a sight of her when she came to put the clothes for drying. They used to watch each other trying to read each other’s eyes and understand the language of love, for them this was heaven. They used to plan their future life, life full of happiness, no tension, a home where they will live after marriage. Gudiya always used to ask Jagan, Jagan! What if our parents denies, what we will do after that, I can not live without you. Jagan always used to say with smile, why will they not agree, my mother likes you, I love you, every thing will be fine or else we will run away and will never come back.

One day in the scorching noon of Jeth, when Jagan was relaxing in Gudiya’s lap under the tree of berries in the field, her uncle saw them. From the day life was not remain same for them. Their family became enemy of each other and the matter reached panchayat.

‘Have you gone your mind boy? This never happened in our village. You both are from different cast. You can’t marry a gurjara girl as you are a jaat. This is against the laws’ Sarpanch said rudely

‘We have to teach a lesson to them else other boys and girls of village will follow them’ other man demanded.

‘Find a boy as soon as possible for your daughter.’ Sarpanch said to Gudiya’s father. ‘Jugga cannot enter in village until the marriage of Gudiya’ Sarpanch told its decision, which was final every time. No one has the authority to make any correction in that.

No one listened their pleadings. Even they were not given the chance for explanations. Jagan was forced to leave village. His family sent him to their relatives. But Jagan could not find peace there. He always used to thing about Gudiya. It was difficult to live without her. He knew that Gudiya’s condition would be same like him. But he didn’t know what they were doing with her. He wanted to meet her, touch her, feel her, kiss her, and hug her. But this was not possible.

One night when he was strolling aimlessly, he saw a train was standing on a nearby station. This train also goes to my village, a thought came to Jagan’s mind. Without wasting a moment, he got on that train. Within few hour train reached a nearby station of his village. Now it was difficult for him to wait a single moment there. Running through the wild streets and small alleys within few minutes he reached his village. In dark night, silence was spread in entire village. He reached directly to Gudiya’s home and climbed to the roof of her home with support of a tree.

‘Gudiya..Gudiya’ he slowly called her.

Within seconds Gudiya was on the roof, as if she was waiting for him. ‘Jugga..You. You should not be here. If anyone sees you, only God knows what will happen.’ Gudiya embraced him

‘I came here for you’

‘But.. why?’

‘Why!.. because I love you,  I can’t live without you and I knew you also can’t live without me. Make haste. Lets move, I am here to take you with me.’

‘But where Jagan? Where will you keep me? What will you feed me? I Love you too Jagan but these people, this society will not understand us. Go from here. My marriage is fixed, it is in next month. You please go from here I am begging you’

‘M..mm..Marriage! How could you do this?’

‘I am helpless Jagan. Please go from here or else they will kill you. You are not safe with me. Perhaps we are not destined for each other. This is it. Go from here. You are not safe with me.’

‘Hey! who is there? Whom you are talking Gudiya? Gudiya’s nasty uncle woke up

‘You son of a bitch…How dare you to enter in our home at this time. We will teach you a good lesson today. Stay there.

‘Run Jugga..run’ Gudiya was shouting and pulling him towards the stairs but Jugga was numb he could not even move.

That night the all man of Gudiya’s family beat him mercilessly. Gudiya tried a lot to save him. She was shouting, she was crying but none notice except Jugga. They were abusing him but he could not hear anything except Gudiya’s crying. Slowly his eyes were closing and he was losing his sense.

When he opened his eyes, he was on the bed of city’s government hospital. His head was tied with bandages and his left hand was broken. His family was standing near him but he was still thing about   Gudiya. He was kept there for fifteen days. His family was so scared; they did not want him to come back to village. Now, Jagan also did not want to go there. Therefore, he decided to move somewhere else.

After ensuring his family that he will not come back village soon and will return to relative’s village, his family left. But he did not go there; he reached somewhere else where he did not imagine. From that bloody night he did not see her. He made up his mind that, Gudiya would be happy with his family and would be mother of many children. He thought it is good that she is in a family and living happily. If she would be with him, what he would be able to give her? He also thought he wouldn’t be able to see her again and today when memories also began to fad she is in his arms and in this condition at this place.

***

Electricity has return and room has lighted up. Jugga was looking at his lost love which was in his hold. Gudiya is still like beautiful doll, fragile, innocent and naïve. She was taking rest on his chest as if she was erasing her all fatigue of years. He did not want to break her somnolence but one thing is continuously disturbing him, how she reached here in this hell. At last he asked, ‘Gudiya..Gudiya’

‘Hmm..’

‘You didn’t tell me how you came here in this marsh.

‘Leave about me. You tell me what are you doing here? I always wanted to hear about you. How are you, what are you doing? Few years back, I heard that you became a rich man. You are looking like a sahib. What do you do? Hey! One minute first tell me did you get married?’ Gudiya tried to get up by supporting his west and suddenly her hand hit something. She found a gun is hanging near his belt. ‘What is this Jagan? This is the instrument of goons. Why you keep this?

‘Hmm.. you were asking about my marriage? I got married with this. After leaving village, unsteadily I reached in this city. I did not have food, money and place to live. For many months, I had no idea what I am doing here and what I will do? I slept at stations, worked on footpaths, hotels, and garages. While working in garage one man pulled me out of that garage and made me a taxi-driver. Life was hard and abnormal but I kept trying to make it simple.

One evening, when I was waiting for green signal. Four people on two bikes stopped near my car and began to shoot the people of the car, which was adjacent to me. Within few seconds, they fired dozens of round and ran away. The car began to burn; no one has the courage to go near the car. Few men were inside the car and they were all shedding blood. I didn’t know if, they were alive or dead. Then I saw a person was trying to come out form the car. I went near the car and helped to get him out. He was the only lucky one who was still alive. I put him in my taxi and moved towards the hospital but those punks who tried to kill them returned. They began to chase me, perhaps in order to kill me also as I was saving their hunt. They started firing. I was struck in trouble.

That wounded man gave me his gun to defend. I hold it but unaware how it works. One motor bike was very near to me, maybe they were about to shoot me. I raised the gun and pulled the trigger. They were unaware that I can also attack. I fired a gunshot in the air and a bike fell down there. Another bike still after us and they were firing continuously. I was driving like crazy person, without giving them chance to think, I pulled the staring towards one side and gave them a strong collide and that bike also slipped. I raised the speed. That person forbade me to take him to the hospital and gave an address. I was enough terrorize to face police and hospital staff. So, I listened him and drove towards that address. When we reached there that was a bungalow like castle. A dozen of people encompassed the taxi. The man was unconscious and I came to know that my shoulder was also bleeding. I also got a bullet in my shoulder When I saw the blood I also lost my senses.

It was later I came to know the person I saved was a mafia and other gang attacked on him while he were going for a deal. I tried to get out from there but they told me if I leave this place other gang’s goon will surely attack me because I have killed their two men and saved his biggest enemy. I was struck between the gang-war of two gangs. I had no option so joined their gang and within three years I became the known face of crime in the city. The small Jugga of the Sujanpur became the Jagan Bhai of Mumbai. And whatever I am today is before you.’ Jagan sighed

‘And how is Kaka-Kaki’ Gudiya asked

‘Maa has passed before three years without seeing the face of my wife as it was her biggest wish. And Babuji did not want to see my face as I bring always shame to him. Now he lived with Choti who is married with an advocate. Sometimes I talk to my sister and asked about you. She also did not have a clue about you except you live happily with your husband. But you are…’

‘What laws and what parental’ Gudiya interrupted, the person whom my family thought is a good businessman and married me, was a fraud. He did not do anything. From head to foot he was in debt. He was a profligate. In three years, I was not able to produce any child to him. He used to beat me by calling me sterile. One day he ran away after serving me to his creditors. They raped me…scratched me whole night and left me do die. Next day I left that place. From there I don’t know how many doors I lurched. I cleaned the utensil in homes, worked as maid in schools, worked as a nurse in hospital. Wherever I go wolf eyes of people dogged me. I could not return to home. My timid family and those bu**ard Panchayati men will not allow me to live in village. And whom did I complaint after all that was my family who did not listen me and marry me to that forty year older bugger.’

She continued dryly, ‘My fate became so unfortunate that I reached Dance Bars. There, I hardly spend two months and government banned dance bars. Thousand of girls became jobless and finally, I reached here in this brothel to sell my body as I only have it. I am here from six months. This place is not as bad as the outer world. It’s been seven years now after separating from you but believe me I did not live even seven moments of my life from that time. But tonight I want to live completely. I want to see you; I want to feel you; I want to make love to you. Don’t know what will happen tomorrow.’

‘After this dark night more dark could not possible. It will be to dawn only. Now everything will be fine.’

‘Nothing will be fine. A tide had came and washed up everything.’

‘Now I am here. No tide will be able to touch you anymore. Let’s go.’

‘hmm…’ She sighed as she didn’t listen.

‘Don’t deny again. Now I have much more things to feed you. I have lots of love to keep you happy.’

‘But, will these people let me go with you?’

‘Now no one has power to stop me.’

‘Where we will go?’ She asked again

‘Same place where we will always wanted to go, a small world we made for ourselves, a world where no will bother us, where there will be nothing else except happiness, far away from this serpentine world in the shades of stars. That little place which is grand by chance, the place which you would call home…come let’s go home.’

Both holding hand of each other stepped down from the shanty no 318. No one dare to ask him where he is taking the girl. They sit on the car and starts the endless journey of their never ending honeymoon. Now Kamathipura is not like the night. It was different. It has the peace like a church. Sometimes bad places also played the role of conjugation. Jagan was right it was about to dawn.

__END__