Love lost

Dibyo came down from his rooms to see that his father has left for his office as usual, and mother has left for some charitable function. He went out and drove away to his office, there was nothing unusual, it was his way of life since he came back from hostel ten years ago.

He had to hold an interview for his secretary that day, he was hoping that he could get the help of his mother, who has worked as an administrative officer before retiring five years ago. He went to office and started to conduct interview, he liked Supti the instant he saw her and after talking with her he finalized her appointment.

Within two months Supti became his left hand, she was of a very childish but sincere nature, her innocence and sincerity bowled Dibyo over. They became inseparable. Dibyo started to rely on her a lot. Then slowly the next step happened, he started to realize that he has fallen in love. Initially he tried to suppress it, but the more he was trying to suppress it, the more it was growing stronger.

After knowing Supti he knew one thing that she will never accept his family, Supti has lost both of her parents in young age and struggled hard to reach the position she has, and naturally she was of a very strong personality and had a strong sense of self respect. Whereas his parents were extremely conscious of their social status, he still remembered how he lost his best friend because of that, he invited him to his home for tea and his parents did not came out to meet him, sent a cup of tea in a cup meant for servants. He disappeared from Dibyo’s life within a month.

The constant struggle within himself made him mentally agitated, and that agitation took its toll on his health, he fell severely ill, he did not dared to inform Supti, he only told her that he is going out of station for a few months, and she will have to handle every thing. When his mother came to know about the reason of his suffering she talked with his father and he said he will look into it.

He asked Dibyo if he could take care of his office till he is back to health and Dibyo said yes, he informed Supti that his father will be looking after the organization for a few months. Supti welcomed him warmly but in the return received a cold nod.

She all of a sudden realized her true status in the company, which Dibyo’s gentle nature has never made her feel. Within fifteen days she bitterly realized the difference between father and son. Dibyo has never raised his voice in the years he has spent with Supti, whereas his father never spoke with her with due respect. His behaviour reeked of disrespect, slowly it started to get on her nerve and she decided to change her job.

Almost all of her colleagues were sad of the entire matter, because they wanted their marriage, but could not dare to say any thing because Dibyo paid hefty salary to his staffs, and speaking against his father will certainly cost their job. Hence when Dibyo came back after recovery they did not said a single word about the way Supti was treated.

Supti also did not opened her mouth because she respected Dibyo immensely and did not wanted to harass him an inch.

Love and lust

Sujit did not knew who his parents were, they left him to die when he was only five months old, he was saved from sure death by Mr. Rastogi , who was not Mr. Rastogi then, he was Ramu aka Ramnarayan working in a chips factory.

Mr. Rastogi had some vices, very big vices but some goodness inside him compelled him to pick up that ugly child and bring him up with ample care even though he had a daughter and son of his own. He did not brought up Sujit as his own son but did not turned him into a free of cost slave either, he brought him up modestly. As a result Sujit joined his factory after graduation, Mr. Rastogi has already started to utilize his expertise in his first factory to produce chips which he used to sell in packets of big brands, of course illegally.

One night when Sujit came back Mr. Rastogi and Mrs Rastogi were waiting for him in the drawing room, they begged him to save their son Pratik from sure doom, their factory was in his name, and a police raid happened, and Pratik is in lock up. They begged before him to own the responsibilities and surrender himself, they will get him out on bail and make the arrangements for his escape.

Sujit did not had any choice, he was a very just guy, he knew where he would be if Mr. Rastogi did not saved him, he silently accompanied them, they got him bailed out within a month and made arrangements of his disappearance smoothly.

They sent him to a very small town in Uttar Pradesh, rented a home there and asked him to keep a low profile, his expenses were looked after by Pratik who used to visit him atleast once a month. He was very fond of Sujit hence was repentant that he had to suffer because of his father.

One day Sujit was sitting beside his window when he saw a taxi pull up in front of the house opposite to his, a pretty girl descended from the taxi, with her were an old lady and a young guy.

They were his new neighbours, the family was from Delhi, the brother, Raj has joined a big factory in Tejnagar. He brought along his family which consisted of his widow mother and sister Raina. There was some thing in Raina which instantly attracted Raj towards her, her face was not very beautiful but was immensely kind. Her eyes were full of gentlest dreams.

It became an obsession of Sujit to watch her whenever she was visible, he understood very soon that she was a very kind girl, gentle and sensitive. Her world was woven around her family and irrelevant things like books, music, birds, animals and other such things.

Without his knowledge Pratik also saw her and got smitten by her sweetness, his frequency of visits increased and he started to stalk the girl, the girl ignored him because she was least impressed by flashy cars, unfortunately it only increased Pratik’s obsession, he made up his mind about having her as his wife. He knew every thing about her, hence he thought that he will make her leave Tejpur and go back to Delhi, because Pratik’s family lived near the girl’s home in Delhi. Once she is snatched away from her family she will feel lonely and insecured, then he will step in as a rescuer, he will ask his parents to get him married to her.

He acted upon his wish and made the girl so miserable with the help of some of his local chums that the girl left Tejnagar and went back to Delhi. Her mother had to stay back to look after her brother, she went back to her home in Delhi, which was empty at that time. Pratik followed her, he showed her photo to his mother and told her that he wanted to marry her. His parents bluntly refused because the girl was from middle class family.

They forced Pratik to marry some one of their choice, Pratik married the girl without much fuss because she was really beautiful, but fate had some other plans, after his marriage every thing went wrong with them and his wife passed away within five years leaving two small children. Their business also took a downward plunge, Pratik was sure that it was because of that girl’s curse, because he knew that the perfect way in which he has blackwashed her image has made it impossible for her family to find a match for her and she herself has also backed off from the idea of marriage, because they have displayed the dirty side of human nature too explicitly to her.

He shared his secret with his mother and requested her to approach her for marriage. Mrs. Rastogi brushed him off, saying she will find better bride for him, and started to look for one, Pratik requested his father, he softened and asked him to appoint the girl in his office so he could see whether the girl is nice and they could mix, Pratik did the same, to his dismay he noticed that experience has made the girl really rigid and strong willed, she was not interested to give him any type of lift even now, when they were face to face, and he realized another thing that the girl has not casted a single glance at him when he was busy stalking her, because she took him as a stranger.

After seeing her he had a change of heart and consented to his mother to look for another bride, she soon found out a really pretty and cute girl who instantly won Pratik’s heart, but some thing got inside Mr. Rastogi, he said that he wont co operate in his marriage in any way until and unless he marries Raina.

And if he marries some one else he will try to compensate to Raina by giving her half the property he wanted to give Pratik.

All requests from Pratik and his mother fell on deaf ear. Mr. Rastogi has already formed a great affection for the girl, hence he made it very clear that he wont change his mind.
Pratik got desperate and started an attempt to kill that affection, he deliberately used to bother and insult that girl whenever his father was not around and when his father was around he used to transform into an angel, whereas the girl used to act rudely to him, because he was a shameless, rude stalker in his eyes. He once again requested some of his scoundrel accomplices to make that girl leave that job and they started to disturb her.

Mr. Rastogi was observing them pretty keenly without his knowledge, he understood the game his son was playing but could not do any thing much, hence he went to Sujit’s doorstep again, who has settled in Canada, he told him the entire story and requested him to save that girl from Pratik’s clutches, Sujit’s love for her re surfaced, he promised Mr. Rastogi that he will try.

Mr. Rastogi introduced them on pretext of extending his business to Canada. He became her friend very soon and within a few month their friendship intensified, because Sujit loved her with all her heart. Still he could not dare to face her because he had a serious complex about his looks. Within a few months Raina fell in love with him all the harassment she was facing in Pratik and his friends hand only intensified her trust for Sujit.

Sujit asked her if he could look for a job for her in Canada, because he knew every thing about her, he suggested her to relocate and leave those rats behind. She sent him her cv. He soon got a good job for her and she left India.

Pratik got married very soon after her leaving India, he planned to visit Sujit for honeymoon. When he reached there with his newly wed wife and kids he saw Sujit standing beside Raina and his father. The vermillion on Raina’s forehead told him the remaining story. A deep pang went through his heart when he saw the tenderness in Sujit and Raina’s glances when they looked at each other.

Komal

Shubham was married at a very young age. According to Indian traditions his parent’s made the choice, he only saw her once formally before marriage and got married.



His wife Rani had nothing in common with him, actually they were as different as two sides of a coin. Shubham was a very soft speaking, gentle person, whereas Rani was lively and fiery tempered. Shubham was very serious and Rani was of a fleety nature. Rani was coquettish, she wanted to enjoy the life to the core, even at the cost of causing other’s pain and shubham was of a reserved nature, he believed in values and principles.

They had a baby daughter, Komal. Shubham was dragging his nupital life with Rani just because of Komal. He knew she only wanted his money, he knew that she was infidel, but he knew that if they separate he might have to lose Komal.

One day Shubham came back from office and saw that Rani has left him and Komal, she only left a note that she is feeling suffocated with life, has found some one who matches her wavelength, hence she is leaving him on her free will, as her fiancé is not ready to accept Komal she has no choice but to leave her with Shubham, finally the letter said her lawyer will contact him.

Shubham was shell shocked but some how relieved, all the pain he felt was of embarrassment, even though Rani has decamped with all her belongings, he some how did not regretted that.



The news spread like wildfire, as a result wherever he went he used to either hear murmurs or imagined that he was hearing. He was silent by nature, and this embarrassment made him even more silent and withdrawn.


He tried to overcome his embarrassment by becoming more and more silent. All his attention revolved around his work and Komal. There was only one relief, due to Rani’s outgoing nature Komal was more attached to her father and ayah than Rani, hence Shubham and her ayah easily managed her after Rani’s disappearance.

A couple of months later, one day when he was coming down by lift somebody tapped him on the shoulder and he turned back to see Sikta, his college friend, who he knew was madly in love with him but he was not, and they remained friend for a long time, then he married Rani and Sikta slowly moved away.

Next few months passed like dream, with every passing day Shubham could see that Sikta had all the qualities which Rani could never have, and started to regret deep within that he had this intelligence in college, to admire her and propose her. They became inseparable friends again.

Rani has in the meantime started the divorce procedure and Shubham asked for right on Komal, Rani granted her permission. It was during these days Sikta first saw Komal, and to Shubham’s utter joy they clicked right on the first day and soon they became inseparable.

They used to meet everyday, Sikta was unmarried, she used to drop in Shubham’s home every day to be with Komal and him. Her love for him was growing again, and Shubham has deeply fallen in love with her, but could not dare to propose her thinking that she will think that he wants a mother for her daughter.

One day when Sikta came she saw that Komal was having high temperature, that night that baby clinged to her as if she was her biological mother. She spent the night there, and in the morning when Shubham asked her if he will drop her to her office and she said she has taken a week’s leave and will leave after Komal is alright.

In the night when Shubham returned Sikta asked him to sit with Komal for a while and went to the next room to talk with her family. All of a sudden Komal woke up and started to call her mother, Shubham tried his best to console her but failed. Suddenly Sikta entered the room and seeing her Komal instantly stopped crying and started to pout at her.


Sikta came there and took Komal from Shubham’s arm with a sheepish smile, Shubham realized that Komal was looking for Sikta not Rani.


He went to the next room to hide his tears. A few minutes later he felt some one touching his shoulder and turned to face Sikta.

Kitso

Mili was returning home from her morning walk, she has already reached the door of her home all of a sudden she heard a strange noise, from the drain opposite her home. She went there out of curiosity and saw a tiny kitten, hardly a fistful, most probably landed in the drain in search of its mother. So Mili just screwed up her nose and rescued him from the drain with the help of a polythene bag.

The dilemma started after that, she was deeply worried what will she do now! If she will just leave him there either the crow will peck him to death or he will be swallowed alive by the next dog which will see him. So, she took him home reluctantly.

She first placed him inside a bird cage, gave it a good bath, which it simply hated and bristled up all his hair to show the limit of his anger. And after that he snorted at Mili for next half an hour whenever she dared to venture near his cage. After drying his fur, Mili gave him milk and bread to eat. Eat ate it all up and curled up to sleep. Mili slowly brought him out of the cage in the noon and left him on his own. He straight went to her pet dog, tawny who was a very sweet natured bitch, had previous experience of pestered by rabbits and birds, so she took kitso non chalantly. But kitso was not at all grateful, he used to bother her to no end. Tawny was completely blind, but as she was in the home for 10 years she knew it by every inch. But whenever Tawny used to go out to the garden to relieve herself he used to sneak upon her and pounce at her, tawny used snarl at him, and he used hang from her neck with the help of his tiny claws.

He used play the same trick with Mili also, and as Mili used to get equally furious he used to run away and climb the nearest tree. But Mili used to watch with amusement that when Kitso used to pounce on her, his claws were never out. As if he knew that Tawny’s fur will save her from getting pierced, but Mili wont be able to save her from wound if he doesnot hides his claws.

Slowly Kitso grew up, but contrary to all the myth, he never stole a single thing from the household. Or ever scratched any one. Tawny was his playmate. They used to share a very cute relationship, playing, fighting all the day but never hurting each other.

But with age Kitso slowly started his nocturnal activities with great gusto, he used to disappear at the sunset and return at midnight. And finally started to disappear for the entire night and one day disappeared like he entered Mili’s life, suddenly.

Kiss the frog

Mrs. Gupta was eagerly waiting for her friends to show up, when the finally did, she blurted out with great happiness, “She did it!!!”


Mrs. Sinha heaved a sigh of relief, “Really? Extremely lucky for her. I really wonder what would have happened if she had fallen in his paws.”

Mrs. Ghosh solemnly said, “That was out of question, Karuna would never have kissed that frog, she knew very well that he was a frog and herself a human being with ample amount of taste.”

“Its strange how shameless some people can get. Why doesnot he looks at himself and then at her, and see the difference and just look for someone of his own class.”, Mrs. Gupta commented.

“He is not shameless, he has other intentions, he has been hounding Karuna to settle his score with Amrut. Amrut refused his sister for Karuna, so he made up his mind about not letting them live in peace.” Mrs. Sinha commented.

“You think its Quasimado’s love for Miranda? It’s a dirty scheming mind of a brother and sister to frame and trap a rich guy.”, she added with sarcasm.

Amrut, Karuna and the frog aka Sohan were brought together by fate. Amrut and Karuna were friend, Amrut loved Karuna but she did not dared to love a rich man. So she did not expressed it to him.

In the emptiness created by that Amrut momentarily got interested in a scheming woman, Sohan’s sister, Ragini. Both brother and sister had other plans. They had plans of trapping rich, orphan Amrut and squeeze him dry, but they underestimated him, he realized their games very soon. And moved away from her.

Sohan taking the advantage of living near Karuna’s home started to bother her, his initial plan was to trap her so Amrut’s heart breaks and he veers toward his sister again, but he failed miserably. Because his nick name was very appropriate, he looked quite handsome, was enough rich but his manners and appearance was as repulsive as a frog.

His repulsive nature was too much reflected on his face. Everyone who came close to him squirmed from him like a person squirming away from a toad.

His way of talking, eating, acting was enough to make anyone’s stomach churn inside. Still he oozed of confidence because he thought he could have his way with his wallet and tricks under the table. He made the mistake of thinking Karuna just another girl.

Which she was not, she was from a very sophisticated family, brought up in a delicate manner, who was deeply in love with Amrut. And even if she was not in love with him she would never had accepted The Frog. Because to her love meant a union of souls and hearts, not wallet and faces.

So The Frog tried all tricks to convince others that Karuna was interested in him but failed. He initially succeeded in ruining her reputation and semi convincing Amrut, but his plans backfired and Amrut proposed to Karuna. This time she accepted him and they were immediately married.

kashish

Kashish and Suman were two sisters, but that was the only thing common in them, Suman was pretty, chirpy and vivacious, whereas any one will call Kashish ugly, she was silent and soft speaking. When Deepak moved in their neighbourhood he first observed Suman and then Kashish as her sister.

He often used to watch Suman, because of her extremely charming looks and nature, a combination which is very rare. As she and Kashish were inseparable he some times used to observe Kashish also. But slowly his eyes changed, Kashish was ugly to most of the people but Deepak saw something in her face which appealed to him, she had a pair of very ordinary but very kind eyes. Her face used to glow from the inner goodness. Whenever Deepak used to see her his heart used to fill up with warmth and happiness. He slowly approached Kashish and they became very good friends very soon.

Suman was the most chased after girl in the locality, so when she saw Deepak going out with Kashish her ego was a bit hurt, and she tried to flirt with Deepak harmlessly but Deepak did not stirred. He used to tease her sometimes as a younger sister but never let things confuse Kashish. He wanted to make it very clear that she is the only girl in her eyes.

Deepak was a very eligible bachelor, he has completed his medical studies and was doing internship in the local medical college cum hospital. Hence there were dozens girls chasing him and their parents were all ready to take him in as son in law. But some how he had his eyes on Kashish.

His friends often used to cajole him to change his mind about Kashish, saying that he wont be able to introduce her to his circle in future, because no matter how much he would try to doll her up her ugliness will make it a failure, but Deepak turned a deaf ear to them.

After completing internship he made up his mind to introduce Kashish to his parents, his father was nonchalant but his mother bluntly said no. she directly told him that as Deepak was her only son and good looking she wants a pretty wife for him. Deepak requested his mother to mix with Kashish for a few months before forming an opinion.

His mother started to mix with Kashish with full gusto, trying to find out any fault if she could, only drawback that she could see in that extremely sweet natured girl was that she was from a very low income family and her outer ugliness.

One day she was strolling with Kashish in the local park, they were chatting, all of a sudden she observed that Kashish has fallen silent, she turned her face to see her watching some thing, when she followed her gaze, she saw that she was watching a rag picker woman hungrily opening some boxes of pastry to check if there was something, and relishing on any piece she could get, she looked at Kashish’s face and saw her eyes were brimming with tear. She pretended not to see it.

That night she came back home and told her son to make arrangement for the wedding as soon as possible.

kamal

Kamal, the first thing her parents thought of when they casted their eyes on their infant daughter, and hence they named her so. She was one of the prettiest creatures any one can ever think of. Gentle, pretty and innocent.

She was the elder daughter of a bank officer, her younger sister was whopping ten years younger than her. Her parents never realized that her name will turn out to be true and their daughter will be surrounded by venomous snakes one day.

She was brought up by parents who had a simple mind hence did not bothered to teach their darling daughter the worldly ways, so some thing happened which should not have happened.

Kamal fell in the clutches of a spoilt rich brat, Rakesh, who after taking full advantage of her small town innocence exploited her to the full on the fake promise of marriage. Kamal’s innocent mind never realized the bitter truth that marriage is usually a negotiation for such people. They never marry lower middle class girls.

He dumped Kamal after exploiting her for a few years on pretext of his parents not agreeing to the relationship. To her parent’s horror she was three months pregnant, they begged Rakesh but he denied his role and called her names. That very night she tried to kill herself but her parents saved her and took her away, because the doctors have already said that abortion may cost her life. So they took her to her grandmother’s home in a distant kashmiri village, where she was introduced as a married girl. She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, the child was given away to an orphanage after telling the incharge the story. Who agreed to look after the child and try to give her best life, Kamal’s parent used to regularly visit the baby and pay her expenses.

After her return to her home town, all Kamal could see in the faces of people she knew was twisted smile, there were a few faces full of sympathy but they too did not dared to mix with her because she was out-casted by the small town society. She was an innocent but good girl who has never done any thing corrupted or immoral. It was really painful for her to bow her head like that, whereas Rakesh was moving around like nothing has happened. His father had enough money to save his face and blacken Kamal’s.

After completing her graduation she joined a small organization, but her reputations seemed to follow her every where, life became a nightmare for her, only her parent’s strong support saved her from the wolve who followed her every where. There were two category of people in her life now, one were those who hated her or lusted after her and those who felt pity for her but did not dared to mix with her.

Medha joined her office after getting transferred from another branch, she instantly started to like Kamal, because of her out of the world beauty and graceful manner she also was supplied all the raunchy stories of her life which she chose to ignore and judge Kamal on her own. With time she realized that Kamal was of stronger virtue than most of the girl of her age, and she was most probably victimized because of her extreme beauty, the main origin of her misery was most probably jealousy and lust, not social stigma.

She observed with surprise the way Kamal always acted like a frightened fawn, she and Kamal used to leave office separately, but some times she used to observe people stalking her and calling her names, and her reaction was like a hunted deer.

Medha’s heart went out for the helpless girl, her heart filled up with hatred for the society which applied the finishing touch to her pain and misery, instead of standing beside the innocent victim branded and ruined her.

A few months later Kamal disappeared for a few months and came back with vermillion on her forehead, she hugged Medha and told her that she has married a NRI living in USA, he saw her in a marriage a few years ago and got bowled over by her charm. She kept on refusing and he kept on pestering her, finally she gave in. She will leave for USA next week.

Years passed by, Medha lost all contact with Kamal, Medha’s son was working in a Oil Company in Kashmir, Medha went to live with him for a few months after leaving her job, one day she was walking down the road when her eyes fell on a young girl and time stood still. She for a second thought that Kamal has come back from past, the girl was wearing a very cheap cotton saree, but that hardly suppressed her divine beauty. The girl was collecting donations from the passer bys. The girl came to her and requested her for some donation for her orphanage. She accepted the brochure and told her that she will visit the orphanage and donate there. Unable to control herself, she asked her name, and she told Sujata.

Medha visited the orphanage the very next day and met the incharge, who told that a couple left Sujata with them twenty five years ago, and they regularly come to meet Sujata, they have supervised her growing up from distance, and recently they have requested the incharge to look for a proper match for her, and have told that they will take care of the expenses.

Medha told the incharge the name of Kamal’s parents and asked if they were same, the incharge expressed his inability to share the information but some thing in his face told her the truth.

She came back home and asked her son after telling him the entire story if he will marry Sujata, when he consented she asked the incharge to request Kamal’s parents to come down to Kashmir to bless their grand daughter.

imitation

Mrs. Gupta stifled her laughter applying her full strength when Lucy passed by them, she took enough care to stop for a while and chat with them in halting English, in the meanwhile showing them her new pair of jeans and costly top, which looked horrible on her. She told her goodbye but not without forgetting to let them know that it has been imported from Singapore.

The moment she disappeared from the vision of their view the w3 that is wicked3 smirked at each other.

Mrs. Ghosh calmly commented, “She was quite alright when she was herself, not trying to become Trina.”

Mrs. Dutta added, “Why does not this poor girl understands, or some one does not tells her that she cant become Trina, they belong to two different spheres.”

Lucy aka Lekha, as she was known before her marriage to Prabir was the center of their joke. Prabir was in love with Trina but they could not marry because his family did not approved Trina, and Prabir knew his family will make her life nightmare if he marries her against their will so he watched her walk away forever.

When his family chose Lekha as his bride he just simply married her and after that started to live as a bachelor again. He pretended as if he was not married at all.

His mother started to blame Lekha that she does not have the power to win over her husband’s love. Due to her constant goading Lekha’s life became miserable and she started to hate Trina with all her heart.

She belonged to a family which was more interested in teaching girls how to become good home maker, hence she never even touched a news paper or read a book outside her curriculum.

Whereas Trina belonged to a family with deep root in cultural activity, hence her world was surrounded by book, music and art. As a result she had a bending toward the spiritual self. She lived in this world but some how was not touched by the evil of this world, every one who came near her could feel that strange aura.

Getting tired of her husband’s coldness and mother in law’s hostility Lekha started to spy on Trina, who unfortunately lived just near her, she befriended her using her naïve nature and started to copy every thing she did. Her way of talking, her appearance, her hobbies blindly. She became so obsessed with copying her that she crossed every limit, she used to befriend her friends behind her back and talk ill of her, blaming her falsely that she is still not over with her husband and that is the reason her husband ignores her.

But as it happens in small communities her games were caught within a short span of time and she ended up feeling like a fool. Prabir distanced himself even more when he came to know the things she has been doing.

ideal match

The threesome were sitting side by side chatting with each other in an idle manner when a newly wed couple walked by the wife smiled at them sweetly and they smiled back coldly.

When they were out of their earshot Mrs. Ghosh said in a hushed tone, “This is what I should call the perfect match.” and smirked.

Mrs. Sinha giggled and asked her to keep her voice low and added, “If she hears your comment, your day is ruined!”

Mrs. Dutt added, “This is why they say that you can bring a horse to water, but you cant make him drink it.”

“Suresh’s parents tried their level best to get him married to Prema, but he picked up his ideal match. Now lets see how long it takes him to understand that every thing that glitters is not gold.”

Suresh’s parents were not in favour of his marrying his wife Jayita, she was a very sharp tongued and untrustworthy woman. She was easy with her body and tongue. She used to mix with men as if she was one of them and cracked nastiest jokes, relished vulgarest discussions to her heart’s fill. She used to pry out the animal side of every man who came in touch with her. But she had lots of style, oomph factor and a sweet (occasionally fiery) tongue.

When Suresh’s parents observed that he is obsessed with Jayita they tried their level best to make him marry Prema. They tried their level best without crossing their limits. They knew that they don’t have any right to force their decision on Suresh so they introduced him to Prema, and requested her to befriend him. She did. But Suresh rejected her like a drunkard rejects a glass of water.

When Prema observed that he was obsessed with Jayita, and the type of woman Jayita was she gently explained the harsh truth to Suresh’s parents that a person who likes a woman like Jayita, can never like a girl like Prema. So they should better brace themselves, and be prepared that she is the one who will be their daughter in law, if she doesnot rejects Suresh. Because even though she moves around with Suresh she calls him filthiest names and makes fun of him when she is among her friends.

Suresh’s parents could not say a single word to her, because they knew she was speaking the truth, but made preparations of shifting to their second house after son’s marriage.

holding hands

Mehul was in her early forties, she was gentle, well mannered, pretty, single by choice, because she did not believed in compromising with her dignity, hence, the sincere attempts by her lower middle class family did not worked. Either she rejected the suitors because they were not of her brainwave or they rejected her because she did not had enough dowry packet to offer to them.

She was working as an administrative executive in a small private firm, it paid her enough to take care of herself and her parents modestly.

It has been raining cats and dogs since the morning, so, when Mehul left for home in the evening the road was a river and the water reached her knee. There was no bus in sight so she started to walk towards the direction of her home. After a walking for a considerable stretch she reached dry area but no bus was in sight, she was standing in the bus stand, feeling bewildered, all of a sudden a taxi stopped there and a few guys came out of it, they looked drunk, she looked around but could not see any one in sight, she did not thought it wise to stand there, hence she started to walk in the direction of her home, a chill ran down her spine when the taxi blocked her way within five minutes, she was thinking about sprinting to a run when another car stopped, a guy rolled down his window and asked if she was having any problem.

One of the guys roughly told him to mind his own business and move away if he wants to move at all. The guy gently brought out a revolver out of the window and dared them to touch Mehul, the guys scurried away like a bunch of rats.

The guy opened the door of the car and asked Mehul to get in, she looked inside the car, the guy was the only person in the car, seeing her hesitation, he said that those people may resurface again if he leaves. So he came out of the car and stood beside her, she saw that he was visibly limping. He waited with her till a bus arrived, he told her his name, Arman, he was an airforce officer, had to leave the force after being wounded, at present he is running his own business.

As she already had more than one reason to like him Mehul did not minded exchanging phone numbers, next morning her phone rang, it was Arman, he asked her if she reached home safely, and she invited him for tea.

They met next Sunday, they became fast friends very soon, because every thing matched, starting from the nature to choice. They were of the same age also, Arman was one month older than Mehul.

A few months later Mehul asked Arman why he was not married, Arman replied after a little hesitation that he was engaged when the accident occurred. But, the accident made him incapable of being a father, so, he persuaded his fiancé to marry some one else. He did not wanted to ruin some one’s life.

Mehul asked him after a brief pause, that why did he thought that a woman’s life can be wasted after having a life partner like him? Arman replied that most of the people marry to have family, Mehul replied may be, but not every one.

A little more time passed, with every passing day they both realized that they may not have any problem in life without each other, but, some how they were feeling each other’s absence too much, Mehul was shy to propose and Arman cared for her happiness more than his own.

Mehul’s mother understood her daughter’s pain and consulted with her father, they both slowly brought Arman out of his complex, that marrying does not means having a father for one’s children or a protector for oneself to every woman. To some women it means having a companion, a person who they can respect, and look up to for the entire life, a partner in every sense.

give and take

When Pallavi finally found out Jyotika she was standing alone on the roof humming some thing softly. Pallavi tiptoed to her and playfully startled her, they both giggled merrily and sat down on the swing side by side.

They were close friends, very fond of each other, Pallavi was light hearted, bubbly and Jyotika silent, deep. This contrast made their friendship tie even more strong, Jyotika looked up at Pallavi for cheering her up and Pallavi at Jyotika for counsel.

Pallavi asked Jyotika after babbling for a little time that if she can ask her some thing serious.

When her request was accepted she asked Jyotika if she regrets her decision of marrying Nayan.

Jyotika laughed and answered, “Not an inch!”

Pallavi sat silent for a few minutes and then asked her “Did you loved Pavan?”

Jyotika softly said, “With all my heart , but Pavan has told me directly that he did not loved me and will never be interested in me”.

Pallavi asked “Why did you gave up so easily, you might have tried a little to make him love you.”

In response to her question Jyotika broke down into peal of laughter.

She softly placed her palm on her friend’s palm and said “I have tried in all the way that a dignified woman can, who is madly in love with some one, but all my attempts were ignored with extreme kindness and politeness. Love is a game of give and take, it is worthy only when it gets its return. I used to dote on Pavan but he loved me as a friend, my heart was bleeding from his constant rejection and then Nayan came, and he fell in love with me, he started to shower me with his affection and even though I was in love with Pavan I started to realize that I will be able to love Nayan very easily because his love for me was too overwhelming and deep”.

“Hence when Nayan proposed me i married him”.

Pallavi asked her, “What will you do if Pavan comes back into your life, madly in love with you? It often happens in real life, does not it?”

Jyotika shrugged her shoulder and said “There is only one form in which Pavan can now return to my life, that is of a platonic friend”.

Then she gently said, “You know Pallavi, you cant make any one love you, but you can make yourself love any one until and unless that person is not utterly disagreeable in your eyes, when I loved Pavan and failed I was in a deep darkness, then Nayan came, he doted after me, and his affection made me forget my gloom, I slowly started to judge him whether or not he has the qualities which are essential for me in my spouse and realized he had all the things which I feel should be present in my spouse and to my greatest fortune he is madly in love with me. So I decided to change myself and give him his due affection and I succeeded. So Pavan is just a friend to me, my love for him has become platonic affection after I married Nayan. Because I believe that amorous love is only for husband, not even for lover”.

Pallavi hugged her tightly and they both sat side by side on the jhoola watching moon shine over trees and buildings.

Game of love

Shruti was habituated of having her way through out her life, she was the pretty daughter of a well to do family, smart, prettily dressed. She was madly in love with Brij, her bachelor boss, who just was not interested to warm up to her, the reason was even more infuriating, he was in love with a colleague of her, who was atleast four or five years older than him and eight years older than her. Shree was not her competitor in any way, she was ordinary, from ordinary family back ground, the ordinary next door girl. And to add up to the frustration she was not even the least romantically interested in Brij. She treated him with the same affection she used to treat the bell boy of the office, even that was not able to douse the flame burning in Brij’s heart.

She requested her best friends to help her, her friends thought it was their duty to help her, hence they plotted a plan. Just like youngsters they thought that out of sight is out of mind will be the best modus operandi.

Hence they decided that they will make Shree leave the office and once she is out of office Shruti will play her charm on Brij. Shruti started to mingle with Shree hiding her true intention. Shree accepted her with open arms because she found no reason to mistrust a girl who was seven or eight years younger than her and was always sweet to her.

Shruti slowly started to play her game, she used to do things deliberately which she knew will infuriate or trouble Shree. She discovered that Shree had one big weak point, she was not a good actor, if she was upset about some thing it used to reflect on her face and she hated double standard people, she instantly turned cold towards them and pushed them away from her.

She discussed this weakness with her friends and they decided to zero on it, they all of a sudden surrounded Shree showing overwhelming affection for her. Shree was pleasantly surprised, because she had an inferiority complex about her shy nature, she always thought that people think that she is boring. Hence, when that bright group of boys and girls surrounded her she became overwhelmed. She never suspected that it was a trap.

Shruti and her friends used to show deep affection for her when Brij or his father was there but the moment they used to move away they used to show her cold shoulder, but veiled in politeness, so she could not say any thing against them. They used to move around her as a group pretending to be charmed by her personality. Slowly they started their game, they used to wait for the moment she had to go out of her cabin and used to tamper her works.

Initially she used to think that it was her fault but slowly she became sure that some one was tampering her work, and for that getting rebuked from Brij’s father became an every day’s affair. Even Brij had to tell her that she should concentrate on her work. She could not complain to them like a school kid that some one was tampering her work. Nor did she suspected for a second that an entire group was against her, because they did not showed overwhelming affection for Shruti. they have left their personal life out of the territory of the office. In office they were just colleagues.

Shree was blindly looking for a single culprit, she had her suspicion on Shruti because she had realized by her talks that she was smitten by Brij, she have felt Brij’s eyes on her but did not entertained him because she was aware of her social status, hence, she in her foolish thought process thought that Shruti also knows the same and does not counts her as her rival, but her inner self was telling her that she was reading Shruti wrong. She committed her second blunder by confiding in her friends that she had suspicions on Shruti.

They understood that they have the trump card in their hands, they vehemently discussed the matter amongst themselves in a manner that Brij overheard it and thought that Shree was jealous of Shruti because she was pretty, young and more efficient.

That formed the first crack in Brij’s heart which they expertly made wide, they slow poisoned Brij’s mind in one hand and on the other hand they made Shree’s staying in the office impossible. They painted her image black in Brij and his father’s eyes. And canvassed Shruti so much that Shruti’s dream was fulfilled, Brij fell for her and Shree changed her job.

Time passed on, Brij and Shruti got married, they had a lovely daughter. One day Brij was visiting the office of one of his friends when he saw Shree working there, as a manager. He was surprised. He asked his friend how much he rates Shree as a staff and to his utter shock he told him that she is one of the most efficient, perfectionist and well mannered employees.

She has transformed his office and made an energetic team out of his employees who were divided into small spheres before she became their manager. Brij was surprised, he indirectly told the story that happened in his office, hiding that one of them was his wife, his friend laughed and told him that’s a common office politics of small offices, they do it to throw out efficient workers so that the competition dies.

He expertly explained the things that happened in Brij’s office from the office politics angle, a veil lifted from his eyes, he went back to his home in a grim mood. Shruti came to meet him with a warm smile. He returned her a blank gaze.

He softly narrated the story told to him by his friends and saw the colour fading away from the face of his wife. After confirming his suspicion, he asked her only one question, did you had to be this cheap to have the thing you wanted but some one else deserved?

fluff

Rick has just descended from the auto rickshaw with his mother he saw him, he was standing on the pavement looking at them, his eyes were bright, shining. Rick looked at his mother, she was busy with the auto driver. He went straight to him and fished out a biscuit from his bag, Fluff ate it up hungrily and looked at him with great eagerness, his tiny tail wagging from side to side crazily. Rick searched for more biscuit but could not get one, by then his mother has finished her business, she took Rick’s hand and started to walk towards their housing. After walking a few minutes Rick looked back, Fluff was following them. His mother also looked back, and saw Fluff, she softly reminded Rick that stray dogs are not allowed in their housing and Rick’s face hung.

When the reached the housing Fluff stopped outside, and Rick and his mother went in. he looked at them longingly and Rick looked back at him as far as he could. When they reached their home he asked his mother if he could give Fluff some thing to eat, because he was so hungry. Aparna said, ok, but outside the apartment premises. Rick went outside and started to look for Fluff, he was sitting right where they have left him, quivering with eagerness. Rick gave him the food and water and stood there, he finished it up within a few minutes. Rick collected the plate and went back home, Fluff followed him to the gate.

In the night Rick requested Aparna for some food for Fluff and got it, he again stood there watching him eat before coming back. A couple of months passed, one day Rick’s father came back in the night, he told them that they have been transferred to a small town, where they will have their personal quarter, with garden. They will have to leave within a month.

That evening Rick went out with a sad heart, he gave Fluff his food sadly, and stood there watching him eat, he knew that their separation is near. So, his attachment for Fluff increased. In the night Aparna woke up and found that Rick was not in bed, she went out looking for him and saw him standing in the balcony, she asked him what is he doing there, and he replied sadly that he was thinking that what would happen to Fluff.

Aparna gently wrapped her arm around him and brought him back to the bed, he fell asleep but his tiny face was sad. The next afternoon when they were coming back Aparna observed Fluff for the first time, he was a tiny puppy, brown in colour with black shining eyes, his eyes were brimming with affection and loyalty while he was walking meekly behind Rick.

That night Aparna asked Arindam, her husband, that if it was possible to take Fluff with them to Purulia. Arindam thought for a few seconds and then replied why not.

evil python

The infamous trio were sitting on the park bench facing the lake, watching the boaters rowing their boats, sometimes alone, sometimes a loving couple, or family members and friends, all type of them enjoying the fresh air which was blowing and the cool serene water after a scorching summer day.

Mrs. Gupta first noticed Jane sitting in a bench little far away from them, she was sitting there with her laptop as usual, and a sketch book and bag. The typical artistic jhola.

Mrs Gupta muttered, “I have never seen such beautiful eyes as hers, even though you cant call them dove eye, or doe eyes but the purity that drops from them makes it so divine that one will love to sit beside her and see them.”

Mrs Sinha chimed in, “That’s why she is bothered so much in life, one look at that face and every one will know that she doesnot have venom enough to hit back when hurt.”

Mrs. Ghosh joined them a little bitterly, “In this world of crows, and vultures the gentle souls suffer immensely, after all, virtue is more persecuted by evil than it is adored by good people.”

Then she added, “In this world of shoving and pushing, and bullying no wonder that people like her are a treasure, who know how to love life and how to let others live.”

Mrs Gupta slowly commented, “How could people like John Shah had the audacity of thinking that she will cast a single glance at them is a wonder, they just made that poor soul miserable. Don’t they know they are as different as black is from white, as mud from chandan?”

“its good to see that she recovered from the entire thing without losing her heart or peace of mind.”, Mrs. Sinha softly commented.

Jane was unmarried, she never thought marriage as essence but was ready to settle down with a person she could love, trust and respect. She has been friends with a guy from Indore for years through internet. They have often talked on phone, exchanged mails and smses but never met face to face. Deepak often showed his affection to her but she could not reciprocate, because falling in love with some one without seeing him was impossible for her.

Then Deepak came to Kolkata on a tour and they met, she instantly fell in love with him because he had an out of the world innocence and purity in him. He returned to Indore and slowly disappeared in the background. She tried a lot to revive that friendship but could not. It subsided into casual friendship.

Then suddenly a new friend popped up, Mahesh, he has been her friends ever since Deepak became her friend but maintained a low profile, he used to exchange only mails, all of a sudden, he became over friendly, but she maintained a distance because he was married. He was also from the same community which made Deepak her friend.

All the while she was friends with Deepak who used to act in a strange manner, as if he was hell bent to ruin even the friendship they had, all of a sudden he became very abusive, she consoled herself by thinking that he has stopped liking her after seeing her.

Then slowly things were blasted because Deepak came to visit her again, the person who has been faking as Deepak was not actually Deepak, he was John, one of her colleagues from Indore, a guy who has stalked her to the limit of her disgust, she utterly despised him because there was nothing in him which she could toler, forget about like, who in return was obsessed with her and snooped on her without her knowledge. He used to visit Jane’s office more than once a month and was quite popular among some of her colleagues. What Jane did not knew was he used to work in Deepak’s office as a part timer. Two hours each day.

He easily discovered about Deepak, who got married after John convinced her that Jane is flirt. John has often eaves dropped her conversation with him, and from the other end too and used it in impersonating him, and installed some spyware in her office p.c. which used to send a copy of her mails to his computer, so he could keep a track of her mails and could not get caught.

He was simply settling his scores by hitting her impersonating as her loved one. Every time she refused her as John he used to immediately insult her faking as Deepak. With ruthlessness and glee.

It was John who impersonated as Mahesh and befriended her, to tarnish her image in Deepak’s eyes. He used to disconnect the phone after talking with her for a while and used to talk sweet nothings into the dead phone, so that Deepak becomes confident that she was having an affair with him and walks away from her, so he could have his way. But when she rudely refused him with utter hatred and disgust he showed his real nature and character.

Mrs. Gupta added, “If only that dirty scoundrel John had seen his own face in mirror, and seen Deepak’s he would have known why a person who likes Deepak cant like him, forget about loving him.

His face, behaviour is so reflective of his dirty character that people like us will shrink back from him with hatred, forget about spiritual women like Jane. And he did ultimately showed his real face and proved that she was right in loathing her. The level to which he went he should be shot like a mad dog.”

Mrs. Sinha added, “What a repulsive creature, its really ridiculous that a filthy beast like him could dream about a girl like her. These people are tarnish to humanity, trust and love. They try to show off their dirty obsession as love, where as it is lust in its crudest form, even the thought of him and his ways makes me want to puke.“

Diptesh

Swamiji called Diptesh to his room, when Diptesh entered his room swamiji was sitting in his chair, he asked Diptesh to sit down and then gently asked him if he has made any plans about his future, Diptesh gently sat down with bowed head. Swamiji placed his hand on his shoulder and softly said that he will have to leave the ashram immediately, and go out to face the world on his own, because that’s the rule of the ashram. Swamiji has arranged for his accommodation, and a job, which will look after his needs. He was one of the sweetest, brightest boys of the ashram.The next day swamiji himself took Diptesh to Calcutta to the house where he was going to stay. It was the home of one of his shishyas, upon whom he could have the faith of handing over one of his favourite children.


Mr. Mitra lived with his wife and daughter Tapati, they included Diptesh into their life with deep affection. Tapati was nine or ten years older than Diptesh, she was unmarried, because she had her own expectation from her husband and her parents respected her opinion.


Within a few months Diptesh became an indispensable part of Mitra family. They never made him feel that he was a paying guest. It became Tapati’s job to make his social life easy, she introduced him to the neighbours, friends and took him places. They became indispensable friends within six months. They had a lot in common, there was too much common in them.

Slowly Diptesh started to realize that he is getting attracted to Tapati, she was so gentle and affectionate that he could not resist himself. She seemed to be God’s blessing.Then as if fate, Diptesh laid down with influenza and was delirious, Tapati and her mother stayed by his bedside continuously till he recovered. One night, when Tapati was sitting beside his bedside Diptesh gently expressed his feeling for her. Tapati very tenderly placed her hand on his forehead and said they will discuss it later.


Diptesh recovered very slowly, during this period whenever he tried to discuss the subject with Tapati she just answered in one word, later.


After a month Diptesh and Tapati were sitting side by side in a park, when Tapati gently explained to Diptesh that may be now he thinks that all he wanted in life was Tapati, but when after ten years Tapati’s hairs will turn grey Diptesh will still be in the height of his youth. He will regret his decision then, but for Tapati, he would have become an indispensable part of life. He will want to get free and she will try to hold on to him and as a result both will be miserable.

Diptesh did not said any thing just returned home with her, the very night when Mrs. Mitra came to call him for dinner discovered him lying in bed burning with fever. The family doctor was called, his medicine did not worked at all, specialist was called in, he too was clueless, then he asked to call for a psychiatrist.


The psychiatrist told that he is suffering from some deep shock, tapati told him the discussion she had with him in the evening. The psychiatrist told them that it must be the reason, as Diptesh has lived an insecure life he must have started to cling on all the affection he got from that family. And as he never got maternal care, the instant he started to mix with Tapati he started to dote on her. And before most probably he himself knew, he was crazily in love, this was not a infatuation, it was an obsession, it may or may not last lifetime, then again, that’s the thing with all the relationships.


He asked Tapati to rethink her decision, if only age was the obstacle, after all women love and cherish husbands twenty year older than them for entire life, then why cant men.

deepak

Deepak almost had an heart attack when he slipped on the water and dropped the beautiful flower vase, the loud crash brought his new mistress out. She stood there staring at those broken pieces and then at the small boy shaking with fear.

The first words that came out of her mouth were, “Stand where you are”. Then she went back to the room and brought two of her slippers placed them before the boy and asked him to put them on.

Deepak did not knew who his parents were, he has been living in the orphanage since his first memory, Mr. Yadav used to feed them as little as possible and make them work all day. And after crossing the age of ten years they were sent to different houses as servants.

Its been more than three years of toil for Deepak, he has changed atleast five homes because he never took beatings for long, and used to run away or hit back. After changing five homes he was finally placed in the home of Dr. Bose. Dr. Jayanta Bose’s family consisted of him, his wife Mira, his mother Mrinalini and his school going daughter Rima.

This time before sending him Mr. Yadav has told him that he will either kill him or throw him out of the orphanage if he returns again or is sent back.

The first day has passed without any event, they did not asked him to do any thing, today when he woke up Rimadidi asked him to come to garden with her, arranged the flower vase and asked him to place it on the centre table, he did not noticed the water on the floor as he was engrossed in the flowers, and caused the catastrophe.

He was standing outside the door, tears rolling down from his small cheek when Mira came out after giving the maid the instruction for cleaning up the mess. She thought that the child is hurt and hurriedly inspected his hands and legs, when she saw that he is not hurt she gently hugged him and wiped out his tears.

She took him inside and fed him the breakfast, after that she went to the market with him and brought new clothes and books for him. In the evening her mother in law started to teach him all the subjects. He was enrolled in a nearby school in the next session, even though all the wasted years of childhood took its price but the Boses took care of his present. He slowly started to shine as a student and player.

A couple of years later Dr. Bose placed him in a residential school before they shifted to USA. Deepak grew up and became a very efficient surgeon. One day when he was entering his chamber he heard that a woman has been admitted in a critical condition.

When he was entering the operation theatre he saw to elderly persons sitting outside the theatre, even though they were very shabbily dressed he instantly recognized them, and his belief was confirmed when he saw the patient lying on table.

The elderly person approached him after he came out with tears in his eyes, and pleaded that he cant pay for the expenses of the operation or the money required for recovery. Deepak asked them to accompany him to his cabin, he made them sit down and asked them about themselves.

They narrated a painful story of betrayal, they were Dr. Bose and his family alright, after shifting to USA they became friends with another family, they married Rima to their son back in India, their son in law drained them off their last penny on pretext of starting a new business and disappeared.

Dr. Bose returned to India and tried to start a practice in India but he could earn very little, hardly enough to feed his family. Rima was a little autistic so it was not possible for her to help in any way. She worked in a nursery school as a teacher earning a petty sum. To add up to the misery she met a horrible accident while returning last night.

Deepak listened to the entire story and after that asked them if they can recognize him, when they failed to recognize him he went and touched their feet, and introduced himself.

He took both of them to his home, his wife opened the door with a small toddler clinging to her leg, he asked her to touch the feet of his parents and she came forward with a smile on her lips.

deepak and jyoti

Deepak and Jyoti were close friends, they have studied together in college but after that Deepak went to Delhi to work and Jyoti stayed back. Deepak got tied down in Delhi so much that he never visited Calcutta but they kept in touch by email and phone.

Their relationship was extremely childish, they used to quarrel more and love less. Every alternate week they used to quarrel ferociously and Jyoti used to think that she will never communicate with him again and then slowly he will win her friendship back. Jyoti’s problem was Deepak did not trusted her, or tried to understand her and Deepak used to complain on her quick tempers. But no matter how much they quarreled they ended up together again.

Then one day, Vaibhav became Jyoti’s friend, he was a very matured person and matched Jyoti’s wavelength exactly. Whenever Deepak and Jyoti used to quarrel Jyoti used to tell Deepak how Vaibhav never quarrels with her and how he always trusts her and so on. Slowly a distance was forming in between them.

Deepak loved his personal space too much and Jyoti believed in sharing heart and soul intimacy with friends, sharing each and every day with them, may be not each and every minute, but she always thought that if two hearts are close they sure will get in touch with each other atleast once a day. They quarreled very bitterly on this issue once and Jyoti made up her mind about not doting on Deepak and distanced herself from him.

Deepak slowly started to understand Jyoti but Jyoti ceased to response, because she was afraid of Deepak’s quickly changing mood. Time was trickling by, all of a sudden, one day Deepak’s father passed away, Jyoti has never seen him but the pain was acute, the worst part was she could not be with her friend, she could not call him up because he was a member of very conservative family.

In the next few days Jyoti understood what friendship is all about, she spent those days constantly thinking about the mental anguish Deepak must have been going through, because he has lost his mother as a teenager. The worst part was she could not admit it to Deepak, because she was afraid that he would snub her. All she could do was send him sms every day, asking him how he is, if he is doing alright. The pain and suffering was immense because Deepak could not answer due to his extreme agony.

She just kept on waiting for his phone call, realizing it for the first time that friendship is only made by heart, and that bond once made is very hard to break. And to realize the depth of friendship one has to see one’s friend in pain, the more acute your pain will be for his pain, the closer he is to your heart.

courage

Mrinalini used to think she is the luckiest girl alive because she was always saw the bright side of the life, no matter how much problem she faced she always used to smile and see plus points in it. She was a very ordinary girl but extremely happy. She has lost her father at a very young age, her mother used to draw his pension, but because of atrocities of her older brother all she could do for Nalini was provide her food and clothes, the remaining expenses, including her studies was covered from the meager money left by her father.

She was a girl of principle, a very simple minded girl, who believed in giving and receiving love. Her family life was not happy, due to her soft nature her siblings used to exploit her a lot, they were a bunch of self centered scoundrels and she was a lamb among them. They never hesitated to slaughter her for their minimum profit. But she always saw at life positively.

May be because she was strong she was put through this test by God, ten years of her life became nightmare, it started with her admission in college, because of her family she has enrolled in college very late, at the age of 25 years, even though she was an intelligent girl, yet her life was consumed by her siblings, and they ensured that she does not pursues a career, but she broke through it and enrolled in college.

Just like any normal girl she had a bunch of friends in college and outside, in the next five years she had to face the dirtiest scandals in the world, scandals which a puritan like her could never imagine. And in the remaining five years she found out that there was a dirty nexus going on in and around her home, and her siblings were most probably a part of it, hence she had to bear the brunt of being their siblings.

There was a racket around her home which used to lure poor, good looking girls to different far away places, encashing their family’s reputation, once the girls were there they were either forced into prostitution or in surrogate pregnancy, depending on their look and health.

If any girl dared to run away they never killed her, they had a very strong network, utilizing that they used to prove that girl mentally and obviously by character unstable and force her out of the territory. Usually that girl used to go back to them on her wish or used to suicide or really become insane.

Either those girls, their families or her own family has turned their gun on her and wanted to make her a part of it. This is the time when she realized for the first time how strong she is, she did not had any proof so she could not do any thing, but she did not bowed down in front of them either, but made it a motto of her life to face all their harassment with extreme courage and show them that not all bow down in front of them.

She completely detached herself from her family and started to live on her own in the next five years, and at the end of ten years she began to live a life of peace and happiness. After facing so much harassment and cruelty she regained her mental strength and affection for human beings.

beauty and age

A hushed silence fell on the group of gossipers when they observed Megha and Rajesh passing by. Megha was beauty and youth impersonified and Rajesh equally charming.

Mrs. Sinha could not resist herself and blurted out the moment they turned the curve and were out of sight, “How could Mr. Rastogi imagine that he will be able to keep her in his life, at his age!!”

Mrs. Mehta echoed her thoughts, “It was meant to be, poor Mr. Rastogi, he should now let bygone be bygone and marry some one who is closer to his age and spend his remaining days in peace and security.”

The trio who were the center of their attention, were Megha a young lady in her early thirties, her husband Rajesh and her ex husband Mr. Rastogi, one of the rich industrialists of the town. He fell for a rich girl when he was young, her father rejected him because of his poverty, he became obsessed with earning money so much that he forgot time. By the time he was rich his ex flame was well settled with children and his hairs have become patches of white and gray.

Then Megha walked into his life, an orphan, he took an instant fancy on her because she had stunning similarity with his ex flame. He started to woo her with all his energy and charms which money could buy. Megha being love hungry fell for his charms and they got married within an year of meeting each other.

Then the brief honeymoon was over, every day brought more and more disappointment to their life. Megha was looking for thrill and Mr. Rastogi was looking for peace. He sometimes found it extremely annoying to cope with her childish, immatured nature and she used to break down in sobs when he snapped at these things. Within an year they realized another thing, that Mr. Rastogi was incapable of giving Megha the greatest gift of all, motherhood.

Slowly the small gap became an abyss and they started to live like strangers in the same home, both were strongly principled hence they were loyal to each other but that became the heaviest chain around their neck.

Megha started to suffer from bouts of depression, and started to consult Rajesh, every thing changed and she fell for him head over heel. She could not bring herself to say this to Mr. Rastogi, but he understood every thing.

They divorced each other and Mr. Rastogi gave away her hand to Rajesh.

Agnibha

Agnibha was one of those persons who had a heart full of love and goodwill for the entire world. She just could not stop herself from showering her affection on every thing that came near her. She was working as a school teacher in a small town, far away from her home. She used to live in Teacher’s hostel, as both of her parents has passed away, she used to occasionally visit her home, not regularly.

One day while she was coming to the school she saw a guy in motorbike ogling her, the guy was good looking but his lose morale was vividly written on her face. The type of face which will instantly create a feeling of repulsion in your mind. When she was passing by her, he coughed like an asthmatic patient, and just according to her assumption, spitted out a mouthful of gutka.

She just ignored him and went inside the school. To her utter irritation, when she came out he was again sitting there. This thing continued for a couple of days then Agnibha told her friends about it. When one of her friends saw him she told him that he was a big shot of local ruling party, a very good guy. But Agnibha’s mind told her exactly the opposite.

Agnibha was one of those persons who are not very romantic, she was not much interested in marrying, but was not against it either. But she staunchly believed in retaining her every thing for her husband.

To her utter amusement, this guy, Partho, used to call her aunty in public, because she used to call her father dada, and yet stalk her shamelessly. All of a sudden she started to realize that some one is spreading dirty canard against her. Whenever she used to go out alone or with any one, she used to hear dirty comments, thrown at air, but even a crazy person will know that she was the target. Wherever she used to go, she used to meet strange stares. Like every one knows some thing ugly about her, which she does not knows. To her deepest shock, the persons who were mostly involved were her colleagues, to them it was a great enjoyment. Because till date, they have not been able to find out a single flaw in her nature or record book. Then she started to hear shady offers from strangers and started to lose her cool.

Finally the thing reached a height when she completely lost her earlier nature. One day when she was coming to the school that guy, Partho stopped her way with a group of his friends, he let out a volley of ugly words, and told her that he knows every thing about her, why she does not visits her own home, because they have thrown her out, as she is a call girl. And a woman of perverted nature. She slapped him right on the face, as a result a fist fight broke out, and Agnibha being the weaker person got the most. She noted with surprise that none of the onlookers came to help her, because the goons have done their home work over a long time, by ruining her reputation.

She went to the police station, where the officer wrote down her complaint but asked her very angrily why are they after her, she is not a beauty queen or millionaire, so why is she targeted, there must be some reason behind that.

When she was coming out with tears in her eyes she saw Partho and his friends entering the Police station, talking amicably with few cops.

She got her answer and left the town very next day.

a strange turn in life

Mridul was deeply in love with Runa, they worked as colleagues in the same office. Runa was the most beautiful girl in the entire Airway office, the smartest, wittiest, and the most charming woman, every one’s dream come true.

Mridul was a small town guy, who has shifted to Mumbai, he was a pilot in a famous airways, he used to visit his home every alternate month, that month when he went home his father called him up for a discussion, his father was a very reserved person of very few words, he asked him to sit down and then told him that as he has crossed his thirties he should get married, and before Mridul could open his mouth, he said that he has fixed his marriage with his child hood friend Mr. Bakshi’s daughter, Ritu she also works in Mumbai.

Mridul was shell shocked but his up bringing stopped him from saying any thing to his father, instead he went out to his best friend Rakesh’s home and asked for his opinion, Rakesh also worked in Mumbai, he said he will think and talk later. Mridul spent an sleepless night and went to Rakesh early in the morning, Rakesh asked him if he would mind if he said an unfair lie to close the chapter and Mridul said he did not cared what he said as long as he is spared from this marriage and his relationship with his parents are not ruined.

Rakesh went to Mridul’s home next day, and asked his father about the marriage, when his father told him about the would be bride he said he will ask some of his friends who work in the same territory where the girl works and some ladies who live in the same hostel.

A week later he came to Mridul’s father with a gloomy expression and told him that the girl he has chosen is a girl of easy virtue, Ritu changes boyfriends like dresses, Mridul’s father was shell shocked, he called off the marriage proposal by saying that Mridul is in love with some one else.

Mridul married Runa, he opened an joint account in her name and bought a flat in her name, and started his life with eyes full of sweetest dreams, but, within a few months his dreams turned sour, every time she used to get pregnant Runa used to have an abortion, whereas Mridul yearned for a child. Slowly their relationship became strained, and very bitter, finally when Mridul returned from one of his trips he saw that Runa has sold off the flat and decamped with all his money. He searched her high and low but could not get her.


When Mridul returned home broken down the door was opened by an unknown girl with a small child in her arms, she was a simple looking girl, she asked him in, after seeing the quizzical look in his eyes she introduced herself as Ritu, his might have been wife who has come to visit his father because he was sick.

a strange story

If we look around us, we will observe, that some times our heart goes out for some people about whom we think, that God what has he or she done, that you have made him or her suffer so much. I am also a witness of such a story.

It’s a strange, but true story, of how the grass suffers when elephants fight. I had a friend, she was an ordinary girl of a good family. She was not beautiful but very cultured, and genuinely noble and sweet natured, this invited her doom. A very rich boy of her locality, who was NRI living in UK, fell in love with her head over heals, she was not aware of this case, because she was one of those typical Indian women who don’t know any thing outside their home, office and family. This boy kept on pressurizing his family for her hand, whereas they have already almost fixed his marriage with their business partner’s daughter. So the two families first tried to convince their son and then when they failed they took a twisted path. To prove themselves right and the girl wrong the hired some local duffers to black wash her, these creeps did their job well, they used to harass her every time she used to walk out of the door, repeated complaining to the police did nothing, because these duffers were politically harboured and their kingpin was of the same locality of the girl. They terrorized the girl’s family that they will throw acid on the girl if they dare to interfere in their activities.

They made the life of that girl hell, being a normal girl like you and me, she first tried to protest, then she slowly started to lose her trust and affection for human beings, and became extremely rude and cold. Her pursuers did not stopped there, they appointed some girls with shady character to befriend her, so that they can prove their point to the neighbours, that she too is a bad woman that is why she is being targeted.

Slowly and meticulously they cornered the girl and forced her to leave the city after completely black washing her image. When that boy returned three year later he saw that the girl was not living in that town, they tried to convince him that she is a woman of easy morale, but he did not believed them, even after they gave him dozens of proofs. As the girl has left the town after being terrorized she did not left her address with any one. The boy announced that his relationship with his parents is off and he is going back to UK to not to return.

Then his parents tried to track the girl down, and with their financial power they did, and the boy, when he saw the girl, he was shocked to see that there was nothing common in the girl he has loved and the one she has turned into. And to add to the glory, she was now hell bent to not to marry, because she was afraid that her stalkers will harm him also. So he left India and got settled in UK after cutting off all relation with his family.

Now both of the families went after the girl again, thinking that she is the one to be blamed for, this time they did not succeeded much, because they did not had any hold in the city where the girl has settled, but that did not stopped them from trying, they are still at it. They keep that girl under watch, so that, their son never comes near her.

I only think sometimes, whether these families will ever be able to live in peace after they have ruined a person who has not done them any harm or did not even knew that she was reason behind their any kind of problem? Instead of controlling their own son, or discussing with her openly they chose a twisted way of acting because they could afford it.

a new dawn

A chill ran down Guddu’s spine when he felt that his hand was caught by an iron grip. He blankly stared at the rigid face of the owner of the bag he was expertly fumbling, he did not even imagined that the guy was studying his every movement.

He was one of the dozens small boys hanging around the station in rags, he did not knew who his parent were, the elder boys of his group told him that they have found him crying on the platform and have taken him in their gang. All these small ones, ranging from five to thirteen year olds spent their days and nights in the platform, begging and stealing. Sometimes the railway police used to pick them up and after some boxing of ears they were let off again.

The older boys taught him the skills of begging and stealing. He has become an expert thief, but today his luck just betrayed, he has studied this guy for long time, he was sprawling in the seat, eyes closed, his bag placed below his seat, guddu slowly crawled below his seat pretending to pick up the litters left by previous travelers, the guy did not even budged, and all of a sudden his hand was under the grip of a steel vice.

He was staring at the face of his captor in a frozen stare, the co passengers gathered around them, every body has his own opinion about the justice to be meted out. The guy asked Guddu who his parents are, Guddu told him the truth. He took him to the RPF counter narrated them the story and showed them a card, the RPF personnel nodded, the guy told them that he is taking Guddu with him, if his parents showed up they can fetch him from him. He bought a ticket for Guddu and took him to the train.

He took care that Guddu does not escapes, Guddu almost had an heart attack when that guy took him to a military camp. He thought his days are over, soon he will be jailed for the rest of his life. His captor took him to a small bungalow, the door of that bungalow was opened by a smartly dressed guy, he handed over Guddu to the guy and asked him to get some dresses for him and clean him up.

A couple of hours later Guddu was sitting on the dining table with the family of Major Rai, the family consisted of Major Rohit Rai, his wife Soha, and their daughter Preeti. Who was hardly one or two years older than Guddu. Rohit and Soha took Guddu under their wings, with strict supervision of Rohit and affection of Soha and Preeti Guddu’s days changed, he was soon enrolled in a school and never looked back. They gave him a new name, Ronit. And when his parents did not turned up after a few years they adopted him.

Guddu was an exceptionally brilliant student and Rohit and Soha’s upbringing brought out the best in him, before long he was well established in a multinational company as an engineer with bright future.

Preeti was married to a doctor, Ronit stayed with his parents, Rohit and Soha has made it very clear from Ronit’s childhood that past was past and now he was their child. They gave both of them equal affection.

Ronit fell in love and married Reva, she was the only child of another army officer. A few months later problems started to crop up, Reva has been brought up with lots of affection and pampering, she could not adjust to the disciplined environment of Rai family, to add to the problem her parents kept on insisting to her to move over with them, because they were desperately missing her. But she could not dare to say any thing because she knew Ronit.

With time they were blessed with a beautiful daughter, Chaiti, one day Rai family received an urgent call from Preeti’s family, they rushed to her home in Mumbai to know that they have met a terrible accident and Preeti’s husband has passed away, leaving Preeti permanently physically crippled in that accident.

Ronit steeled himself and took his sister and parents back home, Preeti completely transformed after that accident, the bubbly and happy girl became morose and gloomy. No matter how much they tried they could not bring her out of her gloom.

Soha was completely engrossed in her daughter, her kind heart was bleeding with her, the person most affected was Chaiti, she was apple of every one’s eye, always jumping around the house like a small brook, talking, laughing, running…

Now her activities were controlled, because Preeti used to get irritated by unnecessary noise, one day Reva just had enough, Chaiti was playing out in the garden, Preeti was sleeping, and her shouting woke her up, she started to grumble loudly about the way the home is run.

Reva went to her room and sat down, she told her that she is tired of all these things, she will set Chaiti’s bed in Preeti’s room, bring her belongings over there and Preeti will have to take up the duty of teaching her how to behave, Reva will take care of other things. Then she went out and brought Chaiti over there and placed her beside Preeti. Preeti gently wrapped her arms around her.

Reva saw with the corner of her eyes while going out of the room that two drops of tear were shining in Preeti’s eyes and Chaiti was cuddling her like a small child. She took Chaiti out after a few hours and told her that she will have to sleep with aunty and stay with her as much possible because aunty is scared of ghosts. The small child nodded her head like an intelligent lady. From that day onward Preeti went back to her old self, laughing, playing, babbling with Chaiti.