THE STORY OF LIFE | A 21ST CENTURY RAMAYANA

INTO THE EXILE

Ram came in front of him and said,

"Lakshman, it is only a matter of 5 years. I will not break the law under any condition. Me and Siya will stay somewhere. You have to be here with the others."

"Bhaiyya, if there is anyone in this world I will want to be with at this point is you. You are more than a brother to me."

"You are to me too Laksh," Ram said as the tears started falling from his eyes.

"So how can you say this? Wont you take me with you?"

ram gulped. "No. SIya come with me ."

Siya smiled and Urmila and wiping her wet face walked away with Ram towards their room.

"If you leave me Bhaiyya, you will not see this mans face alive again." said Lakshman.

Ram and SIya stopped in their way. They turned around swiftly. Siya looked wide eyed at him and Urmila and sobbed harder. Ram went back to him and hit right across Lakshmans cheek. All the angst, all the pain, all the tear controlled in him came out. Everyone around them were shocked. Ram fell on the ground and wept hard. He looked at his hand felt like ripping it off.

Lakshman sat next to him and smiled and said,"Hit me as many times as you want. But take me and Urmila with you. Please."

Ram stood up and made Lakshman stand with him.

"Ok, I will." Bharat and the others were upset, but all of them to keep Lakshman and Urmila away from Ram and SIya would be more painful.

lakshman smiled and hugged Ram. Bharat and Shatrughan came and hugged them too.

All of them wept. The brothers which stood together, stood together again, but with a different emotion.

Ram looked at SIya, and Siya and the sisters joined in the hug too with their partners side too. They would all leave each other now, and maybe meet with the same emotion with which they lived earlier. Bharat said,

"Bhaiyya, why did this happen in our lives?"

Kraanti saw them, and tried to hear the answer. It was a question that she was finding too.

Ram replied,

"This is life, Bharat. This is it....."

"But how did Ram agree to take Lakshman and Urmila with him? He is not supposed to right?" said Mandira as she sat next to Kraanti in her room. It was 8 in the evening, and the others were in Dashraths room. Dashrath had woken up again, and they were trying to convince him to let Ram, Lakshman, Siya and Urmila go and of him to send his blessings with them.

Kraanti looked at her and said,

"I didnt object Aunty. All of them are already so upset. Let him go, anyways they can't do anything for 5 years now."

Mandira leaned in closer to her.

"Kraanti, why does your heart melt like this everytime?"

Kraanti sighed.

"It usually does not. But today what Bharat told me was.. was.."

She recalled the words and her eye watered up. Mandira placed a hand on her shoulder and said,"Don't worry. He was just in a bad mood. When he realises whatever you did is for his betterment, he will understand."

Kraanti hoped that he would.

"But Dad, its not a good idea to go against the law, isn't it?" said Ram as he sat next to Dashrath, as he lay restless on the bed.