Mirage of Eternity (Part-6)

Three years and six months earlier…

  “So he is gonna meet me?” asked Mr. Sengupta. (Gauri’s Father)

  “Yes” replied Gauri.

  “You mean he is gonna come here?”

   “Yes DAD” she said in a normal assuring tone which was troubling Mr. Sengupta.

   I boarded off Gauri from her return journey to home and as a payback of “Not-Saying-Sorry” for last six months I had to take her on dinner. Next day however I witnessed Gauri’s happiest moment ever. She had been waiting her convocation for like lifetime. If she had missed this day, then she would have been cursing me for her entire lifetime. Gauri dressed in her formal dress that was a pure starched white salwar-suit was looking as an angel landed on the earth. Though she was not amongst the girls who were being felicitated on the dais, still she was the happiest women in the entire audience. Actually she was the only women I was staring at…

   After the convocation ceremony I promised her that I would be visiting her on Sunday to have a coffee with her father and in reply she said “Bring a helmet along, My Dad my shower lots of love on you that may include tea pot, bowls, plates and other crockery on the tea table”.

  “Well I can guess that, after all it’s Sengupta family’s grand welcome for the son-in-law” I replied boarding her bag in the storage compartment of the Bus.

  With a soft hug she climbed up in the bus and I went near the window where she was sitting. I could see through her eyes how badly she was going to miss me. Same condition was mine.

  When the bus started leaving and I stepped back she said in a soft innocent voice “Do shave before coming” and I gave her a smile of assurance that I be spending my hours before the meeting in a Salon.

  “Girls cannot understand how cool it looks” said Sandeep who was standing by me waiting for another bus with his Laptop writing something in it.

 

  “You mean to say he will sit in front of me and discuss about you marring him” asked Mr. Sangupta raising his eyes.

  “I…guess so…” Gauri replied smiling.

  “You are such a stupid fool girl. Didn’t you find any Hindu boy, though not a Doctor?” He yelled on her.

  “Nope…” she replied.

  “Then why do you even bother to ask us if you have decided your fate with that ugly, barbarian, uneducated, uncivilized guy?” he yelled even more.

Mirage of Eternity (part-5)

 Present Day                                                                                                                                                                                  Afternoon, Near Regional MOSQUE

  Afternoon was the time for the people to gather together and offer prayers to the ALLAH in the mosque. Every person in the city was aware about the tragic incident that took place in the morning. It was risky today to get out for the normal people. But again this was the crucial time when they have to show their true affection towards the GOD.

  Today if they don’t offer the prayers to GOD than it would be the most selfish deed of any human being on earth.

  The people got out of their houses with traditional caps on their head. They knew that their GOD was going to safeguard them. They were wrong. Today even God had closed his eyes…

  The prayers began sharp at its usual time and the sound fell on the ears of Pandit. His senseless body experienced a shiver as the idea struck his mind. The time for the revenge has come.

  Pandit started walking towards the mosque and the others started following him. The sword was in his hand as it was a part of his body. Some people sensed what was in his mind; hence they left the crowd in middle of the way.

  In some minutes they were in front of the Mosque. The crowd surrounded the entire area in front. Every one holding swords and trishuls in their hand and waiting…

  “Friends” Pandit said turning towards the crowd “They are praying to their God. Thanking him for what he made possible in the morning. They think they have won. But that was just their part of the play, now it’s our turn”

  There was a roar in the crowd. The people praying inside sensed it. They sensed their fate.

  “Let us offer gifts to our God with the blood of these murderers” said Pandit and marched towards the Gate.

  That was the beginning of the cruel bloodshed. It was written in the holy quaran that “when a innocent die, its effect will be sensed by entire humanity”. It was a forecast that came true.

  No child, No adult, No man, No women No living could make his way out of the mosque. Pandit was waving his sword aimlessly. The vision of burnt bodies at the station gave him invincible power. The eyes full of tears made him blind. The headless man lying on his lap in the morning, the unrecognized body of his son and the innumerable dead families must be feeling happy now was all he thinking. Pandit had forgotten all his morals, teachings he had gained through the study of the holy books he studi

Mirage of Eternity (part-4)

Four years earlier

  The post campus period was worse than expected. The regular six months of training in all most all the metropolitan cities of India almost broke my connection with the social world. There were time when Prakash and I used to call and share our experiences on job every hour, which  then turned to days, week and now almost a month.

  But though in a very tight schedule I had always been supported and encouraged by a voice. Gauri and I though haven’t met more than twice since last six months, were closer to each other than ever. She used to tell about how eagerly she waited for completion of her graduation. Not to be a doctor but for the convocation.She used to tell about her experiments and her projects which only contained of cutting and repairing human bodies. She told me that many times they were mistaken in stitching the wounds of the body in the practical then she just used to cover it with the bandage.

  “Well If I ever got fractured take me to the topper of your class” I teased her on the call.

  “Don’t worry baby, I will personally take care of you and that too without any charge” she chuckled.

  “Oh my GOD”

  She laughed and my heart felt the joy.

  “OK serious now” she turned her tone “Have you talked about me with your parents?”

  “Hmm…”

  “So what did they say?”

  “What do you expect?”

  There was a silence then.

  “Oh that is what you expect huh… You want my parents to reject you so that you get rid of me. Not any time soon baby” I teased her telling the approval from my side.

  “Oh no…I mean…Really they are going to accept me?” she asked in a surprised and a joyful tone. Though I was hundreds of kilometers away from her but still I felt the drop from her eyes. Or maybe it was just from mine?

  “What’s wrong in it? We both are capable, independent and will earn enough to support them fulfilling our needs. What more hey accept?” I said.

  “Your parents are really good people Aquib”

  “Why? Aren’t yours?” I teased.

  “Actually no”

  “What?” I was surprised.

Mirage of Eternity (part-3)

Four years and six months earlier…                                                                                                                                   Campus recruitment INFOSYS

  The day has arrived for which every engineer waits for almost four years after high school. Though there are very few who could make their place in the complex qualification of the company. I was amongst one of them. My name was last on the list of the applicable students and first on the list of students being interviewed. Perfect.

  Many of our seniors had said that the interview is most critical situation of the life. They ask questions and expect answer that is most simple, however we try to implement complex logic to it and fail. OK lesson number one give simple answers.

  But if they ask programming question they expect you to answer the question in terms of complexity of program. Lesson number two forget lesson number one.

  I was standing in the boy’s toilet trying to remember all the lessons by the seniors. The interview was going to start in an hour and I was afraid as if was being sent on the war field.

  “Hey Aquib!” Prakash entered “someone is looking for you” he said smiling.

  “Who?”I asked in irritation.

  “Doctor doctor…” Prakash would not call her by name instead he used “DOCTOR” as her name.

  “What? Here?” I asked being horrified by her presence in the college. Now I have to give a special interview in entire campus.

  I chained up and got out of the toilet where I saw her surrounded by all the boys with their tongue’s out as they have seen a chocolate cake. She was wearing a pick top and blue jeans and was looking extremely hot.

  The meeting six months ago in CCD had started a new schedule in my time table. Now I used to catch 7 PM return train instead of 5.30. The one hour was reserved for Gauri which we generally spent in CCD talking. Actually she used to talk I just used to see her pink lips moving…

Mirage of Eternity (Part-2)

Five years earlier(cont..)

  “Are you sure you want to call her” asked Prakash.

  “Yap”

  “Think once again…It may create a mess and you remember how she was” Prakash was constantly warning me not to call her. But watching her phone number on the ID card had fused up my senses. I was very determined to call her and tell her about her lost bag.

  “She must’ve been worried Prakash. She has lost her ID card, I can’t even imagine how bad she must be going through without it” I replied.

   Though I had a very strong reason to call her but that was not my intension. I just wanted to hear her voice. Once, may be last time. We had found her contact number on her ID card and that had awakened the helping and the soft-hearted person within me.

  We went to the STD booth near the station and I went inside the chamber to call her while Prakash waited outside. I picked up the receiver and saw the ID card to dial the number. Her face was still there smiling, beautiful charming.

  “Hey call her quickly” shouted Prakash from outside.

  “Ya…ya…” I nodded my head.

  I started dialing the number. For initial five numbers everything was normal and after my hand started trembling, my heart started beating faster and finally at the last number my fingers stopped. I looked outside Prakash was looking at me. He raised his eyebrow. I gave back a smile and dialed the last number. There were few beeps in the beginning and then the phone connected to the other side. As the ringing on other side started, my heart beating also fastened and pulse started running low.

  “Hello” a strong firm male voice answered from the other side.

   Is it a wrong number? Why would she give a wrong number on her ID? Typical girl.

  “Is it Miss sengupta’s number?” I gave a blind formal start.

   “No it’s Rajesh” the voice replied.

   “Oh sorry, I think I dialed wrong number”

   “No it’s sengupta’s number, Just Mr. instead of Miss” the man chuckled.

   She is married???

  “Oh…I wanted to talk to Miss Gauri, she forgot her purse in the train” I said in a down voice. She is married…it’s over..

  “She is such a…Are you from railway authority?” he enquired.

  “No sir, actually we travelled together in the train”

  “Ok I give you her number call her and handover the purse… I am in Mumbai, she is in Nagpur” he said.

  “Actually why don’t you call her and ask her to call me, actually I have to rush for the exams right now and am running out of balance too” My heart was totally broken. I gave him my cell number and hung up the phone.

  “What happened?” asked Prakash seeing my contracted face.

  “Nothing” I replied in a nervous voice and headed towards our college which took almost fifteen minutes from the station. She didn’t call in the period. I watched the cell for the last time and switched it off as I had to enter into the exam hall. But only cycle roaming in my mind was… She is married!! She is married…Is she married???

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Present day…                                                                                                                                                                            MLA’s house…

   A man entered into the house. The guards at the gate and the door saluted him on the way. The man did not respond. He was not in the condition to, or may be physically he was here but his senses were still in front of the burnt train.

  “This is the most shameful event in the Indian history. Because of some psychic fellows an entire community’s head has been laid down. I have personally called CM and discussed the issue. A high level investigation is going to be conducted that would find out who the hell was behind this inhuman massacre. CM has declared this as a terrorist activity and the guilty would be punished mercilessly. Until then we have to remain calm, we are the followers of Gandhi and believe in his quote that an eye for an eye would make entire world blind. So please maintain peace and have trust in the Government” The MLA was saying.

  “They were in thousands” someone said from behind and all the eyes turned behind to see who he was. It was Dubey a Pandit from the Shiva’s temple. His eyes were red and filled with tears which resembled anger “And a thousand people cannot go psycho on a same day” his voice trembled and he broke into tears.

  “What do you want to say Panditji?” asked MLA.

  “I just want to say that you are a fool or the CM has shut your mouth with a huge amount. This was not a psychic activity sir, it was a cold blooded murder of the sewaks” he shouted back.

  There was a shock throughout the hall. The younger ones who were silence because of MLA’s orders also stood up to support the pandit. This was the truth that was in every one’s heart but anyone could not go in oppose of the MLA. But pandit has seen the cruel bloodshed by his own eyes and that had eliminated all the fear of MLA or any higher order person.

   The Pandit stood up from his place and took out a sword hung on the wall. He held the handle of the sword by left hand and made a cut on the thumb with the tip of the sword.

  “I pledge in front of the holy fire, wind and the earth that I will not intake a sip of water or food until and unless I cut every bastard who did this” the pandit announced.

   “Panditji, what are you saying? You are promoting a violent activity and if you do so then neither I nor any worker of my party will be supporting you.” The MLA also stood back.

  “They will not be supporting me, then they will be supporting the inhuman activity happened in the morning” he said turning around. Almost all the workers had joined him and now were following him.

   The MLA stood up in anger and shouted “Why the hell are you so worried about the bloodshed, this is not for the first time this had happened in godhra?”

  Pandit paused at the place where he was. He turned around. His eyes had turned redder and were filled with tears. He must not be able to see clearly through the wet eyes. “My son was a Ram-sewak, and he sacrificed his life for the sake of his duty towards his job. Now it’s my duty towards him to finish it all what they have started”

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Earlier…

  When you are in final year, it doesn’t matter how you write or what you write. The only thing matter is can you write. There are thousands of students and only tens or twenties of checkers in the university, the answer doesn’t matter to them the only thing that matters is the length. The more you write the more marks you get.  So following the same policy I completed my paper with 3 additional supplements.

   But throughout the paper my eyes were constantly at the bag. I was afraid if she calls and my cell ring in between. Then I remembered I switched it off. I should not have. What if she is calling? What if she could not attend her college due her missing ID card? And I am damn sure she must be out of money. WHAT IF…?

  Then another thing stroked that said she is married…

  But she looks so young how can she be married?

  I was totally confused. I decided to give away the answer sheet and get out of exam hall. As I got up Prakash who was sitting a bench or two behind started cursing. I signaled him that I had a severe headache and I am leaving. And in return he gave me a FU…

  The first thing I did after getting out of the exam hall was checking the mobile. As expected there were about 15 missed calls from an unknown number. I gave a return call. The phone rang for a second and a sweet, soft voice landed on my ears.

  “hello..”

  “Hi am Aquib, sorry I switched off my cell I was in exams” I said stammering.

  “Oh ya actually DAD told me” she said.

  “He called your Dad?” how mean he told everything to her dad, by now her entire family must have known about this.

  “HE…WHO??” she asked giving stress on the last words.

  “Your husband” I answered.

  “My husband, you called my husband. Shit… you ruined my first impression on him”

  “First impression???” I was confused.

  “Ya you called him and told him about this. I have not even met him.” She giggled from the other side.

  The girl is out of mind, Is she a medical student or a patient?

  “You called my dad, fool” she said after she was finished giggling.

  “Oopss!! He said I am Mr. Sengupta,  so I thought he was your…” I was stupid, foolish out of my mind…

  “Ha.Ha..Ha…”she laughed “You are cute I like you” the words entered my ears travelled through my veins filtered through thousands of tissues got compiled in the brain and finally landed in the heart.

  “So when are you going to return my bag?” she asked.

  “Oh ya, when?..Where do I come to return the bag?” I asked stammering.

  “Let’s meet up at CCD near railway station, what say?”

  I have heard that medical girls are very forward but this was my first experience. Of girls, medical girls and of CCD also.

They say a lot can happen over coffee, indeed a lot happened; I met the girl whom I used to imagine in my dreams. She was the same but still different. I thought as I knew her for ages but still there was lot unexplored, unknown to me. This meeting cum date in CCD changed my life for once and for all… 
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(To be continued...)
Next part: Mirage of Eternity (Part-3)