Anirudh- The Story Of A Misread Barrister

Chapter-35: Bondita To Become A Devdasi?

(When I gave the promo of this, one of our friends, Upanita, had guessed it correctly. Congrats Upanita 😀)

........................................................................................

Dhoop jeewan tujhko doonde, mile na tere saaye..

(Oh sunshine, this life is looking for you, but not even able get a glimpse of your shadow.)

Main hoon kaaran iss dasha ka, jeeya bada pachtaaye..

(I am the reason for this state of yours and my heart is repenting a lot.)

Tu hain resham log pathar, yahi fikar tadpaaye..

(You are [as soft as] silk [innocent] but people are stone [stonehearted] and this fear is bothering me.)

Ek mauka de mujhe tu, apni galti sudhaaroon..

(Give me one chance and I will rectify my mistake.)

Aa kahi se chhu le haath mera....

(Come and touch my hand from somewhere.)

Rishta tera mera..Rishta tera mera...

(The relationship that we share........)

"Why is that always Bondita have to suffer for my actions? What sort of a relationship are we sharing, where I am the cause of every action and the effect is shown on Bondita, while my heart sinks when she suffers?", I pondered as I left to the village where we were expecting to find Bondita. Subbu did not accompany me as he went to bring the police to help ourselves in case if we cannot handle the situation. Throughout the journey, I prayed hard to Bondita's Durga ma to keep her safe, while pestering the carriage driver to make it fast.

After what seemed like ages, I reached Vaikuntapuram. The carriage stopped at the outskirts and I paid off the driver but requested him to stay there so that as soon as I find Bondita, I can take her home without wasting time to find another means of transport. I got down the carriage and started walking into the village. I walked not too long when I came across an ancient temple where there was a small crowd. The commotion invited me towards the temple and I walked like a possessed soul with a heart full of fear and welled up eyes. Somehow my sixth sense told me that I could find Bondita there.

There were a few steps that lead to an open hall of the temple. It was very dark except for light from the fire torches. I climbed the steps and forced my way through the crowd only to find a terrific sight. I spotted an unconscious Bondita who is made to sit on a wooden plank supported by a lady. She was not in her school uniform as she was supposed to be, but clad in a yellow Kanjeevaram silk saree. Her body was coated with turmeric and her forehead was smeared with a big round mark of kumkum. Totally she looked like a Goddess than a human being.

My eyes then fell on the statue beside her. It was the deity of the temple, Vishnu, which was placed on another wooden stool. A priest placed a yellow thread on the hands of the deity and was about to tie it around Bondita's neck when I screamed loudly stopping the act. In an instance I understood that Bondita was getting married to the deity, which means she was about to be made a devdasi.

My head spun and it seemed like my world was falling apart. Is that the price I have to pay for trying to preserve justice? Only I know what I went through after witnessing such horrendous situation. I ran towards Bondita and held her close to me by pushing the lady away. I patted Bondita's cheeks to bring her into consciousness but in vain. I then sprinkled some water in a hope that she would wake up but she didn't. The dosage of the intoxicant used to make her unconscious was probably very powerful and that doubled my worry for her.