THE CURSED BEAUTY

C-7

A/N :  a very long chapter ahead 

The next day Anirudh woke up with a jerk. Loud noises coming from outside of his hut. He quickly washed his face and went outside to find out what the commotion about. A middle aged man with dirty and torn clothes was standing outside the temple. An angry mob stood in front of him. 

The old man joined his hands pleading to the people, his face lined by streaks of tears. A young man came in front of the beggar his hands held a stick. They exchanged a few words before the young man started beating the beggar.

The young man was about to blow another hard hit on the beggar, but Anirudh caught the stick. His eyes held fiery anger. "Why show your strength towards this helpless person? If you want to showcase your power that much, fight with someone of caliber. Be a man", Anirudh roared. he snatched the stick and threw it on the ground below. His voice loud and clear.

"Forming a group and bullying, aren't you? Bunch of cowards sticking together." taunted Anirudh.

"Stay out of the matters you don't know about, boy! "Replied a calm voice of a tall man. he was the part of the mob too

"Whatever the reason may be! You can't go around hitting people. Are you that uncivilized that you have to resort to violence?" Anirudh was yet at it again. His anger getting out of control. His lawyer argumentative brain resurfacing. Anirudh dev Singh Roy Chaudhary's dj sessions were back, which everyone feared back in London.

"This disgraced man tried to get his daughter and son in law married in this temple.  His son in law is an untouchable. He cannot get inside this pure temple and make it dirty!" the same tall man replied.

"Oh! So you all solicitors of god will tell who will worship or seek blessings from god?" Anirudh argued. "Great then, I'm a self-proclaimed barrister of god too. And I will let this man's daughter married right in this temple!"

"Stay in your limits, you are a visitor. A guest. That is why you are being treated with respect. Or else"

"Or else what? You would hit me too? Try it then." Anirudh challenged the mob. His anger taking over his senses that he couldn't win over 30 men at once. This was a suicide application.

"if he is untouchable, then stop eating the grain he labors to harvest in your fields, stop breathing the same air as him. When the raging and ever flowing river Ganga does not discriminate then why do you do this act of sin?"

"This is the last warning you're receiving young man! Step back. We don't want your heavy speech. And do not interfere", the young man with the stick said. "He must have sinned in the past to be born as a shudra( low caste) in this lifetime. He must be punished. But the sheer audacity of this man that he could stand next to his superiors are gloat! Unacceptable"

"Who made you the superior? Who? A superiority is neither hereditary nor could be purchased. Knowledge experience and hardships make a superior. And there is no superior in front of god, whose temple you are standing on."  Anirudh said. He could not believe how much filth people had in their mind. This mentality is utter bullshit and so backward.

"Dada! Bring your daughter and son in law! They will get married in this temple. You have my word." Anirudh said challenging every soul present in the mob.

The temperature was rising with passing second and each argument fueled the disagreement.

"Let it be son, I just wanted a raksha sutra for my daughter before her marriage, but it seems like there is nothing I can get. The world is against me", the beggar cried sadly.

Anirudh's eyes softened. His heart swelling with sympathy for the elder but his eyes radiating fire. he double checked the the premises his eyes as if calculating something.