Barristerbabu: Bondita's denial to fulfill "their" dream

Chp 21 - The battle for Identity

[ Please note - I don't know much about Marwadi language. Just googled that 'Bhindini' means Bride in Marwadi. Also Bhayli means silly girl and Balam means beloved. Please ignore mistakes if any.  Also , I'm not aware of how exact proceedings take place in a Judicial court. So kindly read it only as a fiction.]

Bondita rushed towards Anirudh and helped him stand up. She saw Anirudh's cheek had turned red and cupped her soft hand across his cheek blowing some air from her mouth on his cheek to soothe his pain. Involuntarily tears had formed in her eyes seeing Anirudh being hurt. Anirudh's heart was beating fast observing how much she cares for him. Her care was melting Anirudh. He was not able to feel the pain on his cheek rather he was lost in his wives' care and attention.

Just when both of them were lost in each other, they heard a voice 'Bhindini', which made them aware of the surroundings. Bondita turned towards the young man and spoke in rage " How dare you hurt my Patibabu?" The young man replied in a very soft loving tone "What are you saying Bhindini? Are you still angry with me dear? Why are you touching this man?"

Bondita replied confused " What do you mean why Am I touching this man? He is my husband, address him with respect. Morever what are you addressing me as? I didn't understand and why did you hurt him?" The young man replied astonished " What? Husband? What are you saying my dear. I'm your husband, just because we had a fight, did you forget your husband, your Balam? And I hit him, because he dared to touch you, how can I let any stranger touch you?" Anirudh and Bondita get shocked listening to him. Anirudh replied in a stern tone " Excuse me. I'm no stranger. I'm her husband. I guess you are drunk to mistake her as your wife. Go before I get you punished. " The young man's expressions turned dark. How soft his gaze was on Bondita, equivalently dark his gaze was on Anirudh. He spoke in a harsh tone " AEYY HOW DARE YOU? FIRST OF ALL YOU KIDNAP MY WIFE AND CLAIM HER TO BE YOUR WIFE. HAD MY BELOVED WIFE NOT BEEN HERE, I WOULD HAVE SLIT YOUR THROAT RIGHT AWAY. IT IS JUST THAT I DON'T WANT MY INNOCENT ANGEL TO SEE MY WRATH, I'M GOING EASY ON YOU."

Anirudh was taken aback listening to his words. The way he was addressing Bondita as his angel was making him feel angry unknowingly. He knew that surely there is a misunderstanding but he involuntarily felt irritated the way this young man was addressing his Bondita as his angel. On the other hand, Bondita was extremely angry listening to his words that he would slit Anirudh's throat. Her face turned red, she had lost all her calm and spoke in a louder tone "HEYY ONE MORE WORD AGAINST MY PATIBABU AND I WILL SLIT YOUR THROAT. DON'T THINK I' JUST WARNING YOU, I REALLY MEAN IT. HE IS MY HUSBAND, MY PATIBABU, NOT YOU. HE IS MY SAVIOUR, MY RAKSHAK BABU. WHY WOULD HE KIDNAP ME? I'M NOT YOUR WIFE. GO FROM HERE RIGHT AWAY." The young man moved a step closer to Bondita and spoke with a very soft emotional gaze on Bondita "My dear, what happened to you? Why are you speaking this way. I know you are angry with me, but don't torture me this way. You want to slit my throat, you can." Saying, he very casually removed a small knife from inside his kurta and handing it over to her spoke " Here take it. You can give me any punishment you want. You know very well that I can even die for you, that's how much I love you. But don't ever say that I'm not your husband. You know from how many days I have been searching for you? Finally when I found you, you are behaving like this? Why?" Anirudh and Bondita were surprised to see his emotions. Anirudh moved in front of Bondita and spoke in a calm tone " Look, I think there is some misunderstanding. She is Bondita Anirudh Roy Chaudhary. She is my wife. Wife of Barrister Anirudh Roy Chaudhary.  We both live in the neighborhood. You can ask anyone. Surely you have mistaken. "
Bondita blushed when she heard Anirudh call her as ' Bondita Anirudh Roy Chaudhary'. However the situation got intense when she heard the young man say " What evidence you have that she is your wife? I can find my wife even amidst infinite women who have covered their faces with pallu. It's no misunderstanding. She is my wife Bhavani.  Bhavani Vansh Singh. Wife of Vansh Singh. She is my princess. "He said pointing to himself. He continued " And the only daughter in law of the famous Singh family of Bikaner. She was missing for almost two months.  I was looking for her like a mad man. No one can dare to even look at the wife of Vansh Singh and you are claiming her to be your wife?  You will be severely punished. " Anirudh intelligently questioned back " How are you saying that she is your wife Bhavani?  Does Bondita's face resemble that of your wife's? You have come to my place and just randomly claiming Bondita to be someone else? "
Vansh replied  " Of course she is my wife Bhavani.  Wait let me show you.  I would ideally never show anyone my wife's picture but since I have been searching for her, I had no choice but to show people her picture to help find her. " Saying this, he took out a roll of paper from his small bag he was carrying along and handed it over to Anirudh.  When Anirudh unrolled the paper,  Anirudh and Bondita's mouths opened in astonishment.  The paper roll had a beautiful colorful sketch of Vansh Singh and  a very beautiful women beside Vansh who looked exactly like Bondita. The only difference being that she wore an attire like a Rajasthani and her hand was filled with many bangles unlike Bondita who always wore shaka bola and a Gold Bangle.
Vansh exclaimed  " What happened? Shocked that your game is over? Now surrender yourself and reveal your crimes else you will be hanged to death. " Anirudh immediately asked " This is just a sketch.  This can be fake. It's not a photograph. If you can show me a photograph I can believe." Vansh replied with a chuckle " Excuse me Barrister, looking at your attire (Trousers and shirt)  I think you have good connection with English men.  You may purchase fancy English gadgets like a Camera, however people like us still are connected to our country roots.  We still use sketches and paintings to capture precious moments not a camera." It was true that camera was very rarely used by few elite class people especially those who had been in touch with English officers. In case of Anirudh, Binoy had good connections with English men and Anirudh too being educated in London had collected many gadgets which were not very common in India. Anirudh had no argument against it.
Listening to all the chaos,  crowd gathered around them.  They narrated the whole story. After a lot of arguments and discussions they mutually decided to take the issue to the court.