Anidita : Broken Strings

Anidita Devastated

"Sab badal gaye. Sab badal gaye. Sabne akela kar diya Bondita ko!" Bondita yelled and threw the vases amd everything around. The glass lamp fell and broke into pieces. While Anirudh just stood seeing her actions. He could do nothing. He had to let Bondita be in pain according to his plan.
Well Sumati too went away sobbing secretly, supporting Anirudh in his plan. While a perplexed Bondita stood there, trying to gulp her husband and mother's outlandish behaviour. Seeing her mother walking away, she wiped her tears and asked Anirudh "Aapke siddhanton aur aadarshon ka kya hua Pati Babu? Aapne hi kaha tha doosri Shadi bilkul galat hai. Aur aap khud doosri shadi karke aaye? Kathni aur Karni mein itna farak Barrister Babu?"
Her eyes demanding for answers. This sudden series of event which came with a bang was making it very perplexing for Bondita. How and Why everything happened? It would take time for her to process all what happened. While as she said 'Barrister Babu' instead of 'Biristra Babu', Anirudh cried internally. It was first time since he first saw her that her eyes which showed so much admiration, today gave a sense of detachment. There was the pain of betrayal and a lot of questions in her teary eyes. "Jo aapne kiya hai Pati Babu, uske liye kya safai denge? Kya kahenge yeh sabit karne ke liye ke yeh sab sahi kar rahe hain aap?" She said.
Finally, Anirudh gathered himself up to speak again. And this time too, his speech wasn't going to give any pleasure to Bondita, instead it would just increase her pain. "Mujhe mere kiye ki koi safai dene ki zaroorat nahi hai. Aur jab main tumhari aur meri shadi ko maanta hi nahi, toh kuch bhi galat kaise hai? Aur tum kis baat ke prashn kar rahi ho mujhse? Dekho Manorama ko, ek bhi prashn kiya usne apne Pati se? Sab maan liya na? Toh Bondita, tumhe bhi man se, ya zabardasti apnana hi hoga. Aur agar nahi apna sakti toh chali jao. Tumhara admission Boarding school mein karwa dunga."
"Bhool gayi thi main toh... Aap mujhe apna kuch maante hi nahi. Toh mere rone, hasne se ya hone na hone se bhi aapko kya farak pad jayega? Ab mujhe aap door bhej rahe hain taaki aap samay bita sakein apni nayi Patni ke saath?!" Said Bondita with a broken smile.
'Sorry Bondita! That I am hurting you so much! It feels like a stab on my heart everytime I do this. And Bondita, your Pati Babu is only yours. None can ever replace you. NAYI PATNI is just helping me to stop you from going astray. You say You are nothing to me? You are everything to me. You are the one I am doing this for. You are the only one Bondita. And that is a promise. Always. But I can't tell this to you now. If you are thinking Manorama has replaced you, I won't correct this. This is what I want afterall.' Thought Anirudh.
While Trilochan started sending the gathering back. Joining hands, with tears in his eyes. He could atleast not see all this happening in front of the entire village.
Everyone had left when Anirudh finally came out of his thoughts and spoke. "Haan. Samay bitana hai mujhe Manorama ke saath. Isliye bhej raha hoon tumhein door. Itne samay waise bhi tumne bas naak mein dam kar rakha hai." and looked away. Pretending to be nonchalant while actually hiding his face as his expressions and teary eyes would make everything obvious.
"Naak meim dam?" Bondita uttered heavily.
"Haan. Thak gaya hoon main har baar tumhari samasyayein suljhate suljhate. Tumhein toh shukraguzar hona chahiye... Maine tumhe sakshar banaya, vidyalay mein dakhila karwaya aur bhi bahut kuch. Maine itna kiya tumahre liye, tumne mujhe kya diya hai? Sirf peeth mein dard. Tumse yun Jhukkar baat karne se, ghutno ke bal baithkar baat karne se bas ek hi cheez mili hai tumse." Anirudh said looking away from her. He had no strength left to look into her eyes seeing them teary and her being so broken and devastated and knowing that the reason was him. If he'd look at her, he'd burst into tears.
"Peeth mein dard. Naak mein dum. Bas? Sirf.... Aap toh kehte the na, koi bhi mushkil ho, mujhse aapko himmat milti hai? Jab aapke sur se sur milakar 'Hum honge Kaamiyaab' gaati hoon toh aapki chintayein door ho jaati hain? Aaj aap mujhe ginwa rahe hain ki aapne mere liye kya kya kiya hai. Pehle toh dhanyawad kehne se bhi mana karte the? Tab aapke liye yeh apna farz tha, apne mann se karte the aap. Toh ab kya ho gaya hai aapko? Kyun itne badal gaye aap?" She took a pause. Knowing that she won't get any answers, she continued. But in a calm tone this time. "Maine aapka aur mera naam kagaz par likha, aapko bura laga. Kagaz par chhap gaya tab aapne kagaz phaad diya. Deewar par likha toh usey bhi mita diya. Phir maine apne haath par gudwa liya. Usey nahi mita sakte na aap? Naam saath juda hone se aapko samasya thi na? Aaj mujhe bhi hai. Yeh dekhkar ki aapke chehre par khudki galti sweekarne ki ek rekha nahi hai. Aapko kuch galat nahi lagta isme. Aaj aapko aapki nayi shadi ka ek tohfa deti hoon. Yeh naam alag karna hai aapko? Main khid kar deti hoon." She said smiling weirdly. Her trust was finally broken. Anirudh wasn't guilty for breaking her heart.
While Anirudh stood thinking how will she be able to do anything to their tattooed name?
Bondita went forward, picked up a broken piece of the glass lamp and started scratching her arm.
"Kya kar rahi ho yeh Bondita? Pagal ho gayi ho tum? Lag jayegi!" Anirudh said moving towards her, in order to stop her.
"Aage mat aaiyega Barrister Babu. Aapko meri chot dekhkar bura kyun lag raha hai? Isse badi chot aapne mujhe di hai." Bondita said closing her eyes tightly in pain. Tears rolled down Anirudh's cheeks. "Yeh kya kar rahi ho Bondita? Kitna khoon nikal raha hai! Chhodo isey." He said snatching the glass piece from her hand throwing it away, looking at her wound. Suddenly he realised he doesn't have to show concern for her. He instantly moved back.
"Khush ho jaiye Barrister Babu. Aapki ek ichha maine bhi poori ki. Aur main chali jaungi Hostel. Kal hi." She said.
"Yeh kya keh rahi ho Bahu? Tum apne ghar ko chhodkar chali jaogi? Bas ek baar Anirudh ne keh diya aur tumne maan liya? Aur humara kya? Humari chinta nahi hai tumhe? Humein aise hi chhod kar chali jaogi?" Trilochan said.
"Aur kya karun main Kaka SasurJi? Yahan ruk kar apna vishwaas pal pal toot-te dekhu? Apna adhikaar, apna sab kuch kisi aur ke paas jaate dekhu? Kal subah hi chali jaungi main." Bondita said.
"Yeh kya keh rahi ho Bahu? Anirudh ka toh dimaag kharab ho gaya hai. Tum yun chali jaogi? Tum kehti ho tumhara adhikaar kisi aur ko diya jaa raha hai, hunesha toh tum apne adhikaar ke liye ladne ko kehti ho na? Toh fir aaj kya hua?" Trilochan tried his best to convince her.
Meanwhile Somnath came to her and said "Boudi, tumhara rishta sirf Dada se hai? Iss ghar se, baaki sadasyon se, mujhse, Batuk se, Kaka se, kisise nahi? Agar hai toh unke baare mein bhi socho na. Aur Boudi, Abhi tum gusse mein ho, aur gusse mein aakar kabhi koi faisla nahi lena chahiye. Warna uska parinaam bura aa sakta hai. Tum jaanti ho na Boudi? Isliye Boudi jo bhi kehna ho, karna ho, thande dimaag se soch samjhkar karna. Please Boudi."
This made Bondita to think over it once again. She walked out of the Living room, lost in thoughts. Anirudh looked at her with tears in his eyes.
What would she choose?
To stay back or to leave for the Hostel?