Anirudh and Bondita-The Bond of Love

Will Bondita forgive Anirudh?

"Bindu....areh Bindu....sunn nah'.....'maar gaya hai Mithilesh! Maar gaya hai!'..... 'Bolo Bondita bolo....kya rishta hai tumhara uske sath?'....'Chala gaya hai vo chodke ish duniya ko! Chala gaya ha'......'kya lagta hai vo tumhara?'.....'Tu hi to hai meri pyaari si, masum si, beautiful Bindu...." Bondita opened her eyes with a jerk and found herself beside Anirudh in their car. Bondita was completely drenched in sweat and was taking long and fast breathes. She looked towards Anirudh who was driving the car with an exhausted face and his swollen eyes were focused in driving. Bondita calmed down seeing his face in front of her eyes and was about to hold his hand but stopped. The words of Anirudh which he had told her last afternoon started ringing in ears and it seemed much more tempting than the sound of horns of hundreds of car together. She clenched her saree and tried to divert her mind by looking outside, but couldn't. In these days many things happened with her. But the most devastating time was today and tomorrow. She came to know about the death of that person who was her best friend in past days, the person whom she used to call 'Dada' was trying to kill her and the person whom she trusted more than herself, whom she considered as her Shikshak Babu, Rakshak Babu, Sakha Babu and who was her Patibabu, doubted her! And it broke her more than anything else. She couldn't believe but it was true that he doubted her.

"Bolo Bondita bolo....kya rishta hai tumhara uske sath?'....kya lagta hai vo tumhara?" she covered her ears with palm to stop the painful sounds constantly coming but those were not ready to stop as if they too were trying to kill her. Bondita cried in pain and Anirudh stopped the car with a jerk in shock. "Kya hua Bondita?" he asked in a completely shocked and panicked state but Bondita couldn't answer. She was panting hard and perspiration was making her face and neck wet. "Are you okay Bondita?" Finally some other voice came in her ears and she opened her eyes slowly. Her eyes too were wet and red and she was looking all around blankly. She was not in her sense till now and finally she realised that she was nowhere but in their car with her Patibabu who was not looking at her with doubtful eyes, but with love, concern and fear. She kept staring at him deeply for a long time and then moved her eyes to another way. Anirudh was still looking at her. But now a hue of confusion had crept on his tired, fearstricken concerned eyes. "Bondita?" he muttered but Bondita didn't reply anything except, "ghar chaliye..." Anirudh became more confused but he didn't want to trouble her more as he very much knew how hectic day it was for her and for him too. In the way to home, they visited the doctor and did the first aid of Bondita and then finally reached their destination, Roy Chawdhury Mansion.

All became emotional seeing Bondita again in front of their eyes. Batuk hugged her tightly and Kaka broke down in tears of relief seeing her Bahu's face. Som, Koyli, Bihari all were happy and they thanked Dugga Maa. They apologized to her Bondita and she forgave them with a heavy heart. "Acha Bahu...aab tum jake aram karo. Koyli tumhari khana kamre mein le jayegi..." Kaka instructed and Bondita nodded. She left for her room without looking at Anirudh. Bondita had not talked with him in the whole way to home and not even after reaching. He understood that Bondita was ignoring him and this made his heart wrenched. "Bohot galat kiya nah maine tumhare sath Bondita? Tumhara ruthna to jayes hai mujhpe. Itna dard jo diya maine tumhe! Aur tumhari ish halat ka zimmedar bhi to main hi hu!" Anirudh thought in his mind.

It was night time when Anirudh entered their room and found it all dark. Neither a light, nor even a candle was lighted. "Bondita..." he called Bondita but only heard the tingling sound of her bangles and nothing else. He lighted one candle and saw that Bondita was sitting on the bed hugging her legs and her head was rested on the knees. She had not realized the presence of Anirudh at first but when the ray of light came in her eyes she understood that Anirudh had already entered the room. Anirudh kept the candle on the table near his side of the bed and sat there. Sensing his presence beside, she looked up. Anirudh's stare was already on her and she could see the beads of sparkling emotions in his eyes. "Bondita!" he held her hand gently, "naraz ho?" But Bondita immediately removed her hand and looked to the other side. Anirudh rested his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes. "Bohot dard diya nah maine tumhe? Tumpe shakh kiya, tumhe chot pohochayi, tumse duri banayi aur kya kuch nahi! Yeh Satvik kabhi tumhe chu bhi nahi pata agar main sahi samay pe sab kuch samajh jata!" he stated and a lone tear rolled down his cheeks. "Pata nahi kya ho gaya tha mujhe ush samay! Nahi kuch dikhayi de raha tha aur nahi kuch samajh mein aa raha tha....sabkuch bohot dhudhla dhundhla sa lag raha tha.... uparse tum baat nahi kar rahi thi......jhut bolke office nahi aa rahi thi....mujhe ignore karna, baat nahi karna, ajeev bartav karna..... bohot.... bohot insecure ho gaya tha main...." he paused for a moment and then said, "aur tabhi...." "Tabhi apko laga ki apki Bondita ki kisi aurke sath chakkar chal raha hai?" Bondita interrupted in between his words and his face fell. "Jhuti sochlete....farebi sochlete....par yeh kese soch liya apne ki kabhi mere zindagi mein apke siva koi aur aa sakta hai? Yeh kese soch liya apne ki meri kisi aur ke sath bhi rista ho sakta hai?" Bondita's eyes were fuming with anger and rage when Anirudh was sitting there speechless. The guilt on his face was clear. "Aap to mujhe bachpan se jante hai nah Patibabu! Apnehi to mujhe bada kiya, ek insan banaye, kabil banaye.....kya aap jante nahi main kesi hu? Kya hu?..... mujhe to lagta tha aap mujhe mujhse bhi zada jante hai aur samajhte bhi....par aab to vo bhi mujhe meri vram lagne lagi hai..... sorry par aaj pehli baar mujhe esa laga ke mere sabse anokha Patibabu bohot sadharan ho gaye.....log samaj ke ushi bheed mein ake khade ho gaye!" Anirudh couldn't raise his head anymore. Tears were constantly rolling down his cheeks and making his shirt wet. His body was shivering in the pain of guilt. Bondita too was feeling bad seeing him like this but it was important to show him that he was wrong , though he had the realisation of it already. She blew out the candle and lay down covering her face with the blanket. The room again filled with the darkness. But Anirudh stayed in that position with head down and teary eyes.