Chapter 8: The efforts to persuade- Part 2

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It was late night when Anirudh was sitting in his study losing all the hopes to get the girls to the ground of war, the war for their rights. After Bondita left, he again went back to convince the villagers but they were not ready to send their girls. There was a time when similar situation took place years ago and that time also, the girls were not ready to take a step ahead for their rights, the Rights for Education. It was his Bondita who cleverly persuaded and motivated them explaining the importance of education and to participate for the competition, maintaining the unity amongst her team as her Pati babu said "Ekta mein bal hai." But now the things were changed. The same Bondita is now provoking the villagers against girls education.

His pool of thoughts were interrupted when Sampoorna called him standing at the threshold holding a tray. "Sampoorna maa, aap itni raat ko yaha? Aayiye na" He said wearing back his spectacles. Coming inside she kept the tray containing some fruits on the teapoy which is placed near the couch. She sat beside him. "Maa ye sab..." "Itni der se bahar the, khaana bhi nahi khaaya na. Jaanti hu Bondita ke baare mein soch rahe ho na?" This made Anirudh look up at her and was about to deny but she again interrupted him and said "Dekho Anirudh, Somnath ne mujhe sab kuch bataya jo kuch bhi hua. Pata nahi Bondita ye sab kyu kar rahi hai. Jo ladki har pal tumhara saath deti thi aaj woh tumhare hi khilaaf kshadyantra rach rahi hai. Pehle jaasoosi aur ab..." "Maa, pata nahi kyu mera dil keh raha hai ki Bondita uss din bekasoor thi. Aur ye aaj ki baat nahi, usi din jab pata chala ki vo Vaijayanti nahi Bondita hai. Aaj bhale hi wo jaisi bhi ho par uss dinn uski aankhon mein sacchai jhalak rahi thi. Par mere aankon mein bhi dushmani ki patti bandhi hui thi. Isiliye aaj wo jo bhi hai, uska zimmedar kahi na kahi main bhi hu" he uttered while drop of tear escaped from his left eye. Sampoorna understood his dilemma and uttered "Ab jo hua ussey toh badala nahi jaa sakta, isiliye kal ke baare socho kya karna hai." "Kya hi karu Sampoorna maa har kisi ne mukable ke liye mana kardiya. Sirf 3 ladkiyaan hai humare saath." Anirudh uttered with disappointment. "Dugaa maa pe bharosa rakho, sab theek ho jaayega." Although he knew these words were just mere consolation to which he gave a slight smile to her.

At Krishna Nagar, Chandrachur also executed his plan so that the girls won't agree to be educated and seems like he was successful with his plan.

The sun shone softly on the streets, the blue sky was covered with fluffy white clouds drifted lazily in the cool zephyr. Anirudh walked towards the Durga temple of his haweli and prayed to hope for best. He was about to leave when Trilochan stopped him and asked "Ladkiyaan maan gayi chunauti ke liye?" "Maani toh nahi kaka" he replied lowering his voice. "Aur hume pata chala hai Krishna Nagar se bhi koi nahi maana. Anirudh, beta kya fayda hai waha jaane ka? Hum toh chunauti shuru hone se pehle hi haar gaye. Mat jaa Anirudh. Tum jaante ho na kya hoga uska parinaam, woh afsar aur uska beta koi bhi mauka nahi chhodenge tumhe apmaanit karne ka. Ab toh wo Bondita bhi unke saath shaamil hai. Tum mat jaao, hum... hum dekhte hai kya kar sakte hai. Hum ek baar phir koshish karenge unhe manane ka." Trilochan uttered. All these while Sampoorna was standing at a corner witnessing their conversation with tears forming in her eyes "Nahi kaka, jo waada kiya hai wo nibhaaunga. Jo saza milega wo bhugtunga." Sampoorna couldn't hold her tears and ran away from there while Anirudh continued "Mandir bachane ke liye agar mukadma ladna padhe toh ladunga, par abhi main agar nahi gaya na, toh unn angrezo ke nazar mein hum Hindusthaniyon ko kaayar kehlaaya jaayega." Saying this he was moving out not before calling his Sampoorna maa. When he didn't find her, Bihari came and informed him that she'll be there in some time. Nodding his head in an okay, he stormed out of the haveli.

It was already 9am, Fernsby family were already present at the Neer Talaab. Both the families along with the participants were supposed to reach there but it was only Anirudh and Thakuma who turned up from either of the sides. "Wow, itne saare log aaye hai aapke saath." Taunted Phillips. Bondita came out of the tent wearing her hat and sat beside Phillips and uttered mockingly "Mujhe na aap dono pe taras aa raha hai. Tulsipur ke Barrister Babu, jo kabhi haar nahi maante, jinki baat koi nahi taalta aur Krishna Nagar ki Thakuma, jinka naam sunte hi sabki rom kaanp jaati hai, aaj dono hi laachaar hai. Kuch ladkiyon ko nahi mana paaye chunauti ke liye, ye sab shuru hone se pehle hi haar gaye." "Haare nahi hai hum Bondita. Jaanti ho kyu? Kyuki humne haar maani nahi." Uttered Anirudh with a stern expression.

Phillips stood up and said "Kal toh aap dono ne kaha tha ki chunautee maan lee hai aapne. Kya hua kaha hai aapki team?" "Ladkiyaan, chunauti ke liye shaamil nahi hue" said Thakuma. "Great then" uttered Jacob approaching them and said "ye toh hona hi tha, Indian girls hoti hi darpok hai, warna jo 3 ladkiyaan jo maan gayi thi iss competition ke liye, woh bhi nahi hai yaha. Kyuki woh bhi samjh gayi wo kabhi barabari nahi kar sakti humari."

Bondita took her step near Jacob and uttered "Uncle, jab inke team ki girls aayi hi nahi or should I say, aane hi nahi wali, toh humari team ki girls ko bulane ka kya fayda? Naa hi ladkiyaan inke saath hai, naa hi gaon wale."

"So, sharth ke hisaab se tayyar hai aap dono khud ko gulaam maanane ke liye?" Asked Phillips to which Bondita said "Philly, inke maanane ya kehne se kya hoga? Inhe na, koi gulaami ki nishaani deni chahiye." Saying this she gestured the servants for something.

Thakuma looked at her suspiciously while Anirudh predicted what was coming as he had already experienced such situation before. Irony is that earlier his Bondita saved him and today Bondita herself is pushing him to such situation. He sighed in defeat. Not the one which he was going to face, but the defeat which made Bondita like this.

The servant came up with a tray covered with a cloth. Bondita removed the cover and it was revealed that the tray contained two buckle collar belt. She took them in her hands and uttered to Jacob, "Uncle, aap aur Grayson uncle mandir todne ki arrangements dekh lijiye aur inn gulaamo ko hum sambhal lenge." Saying this she went near Anirudh and Thakuma and showed them the Belts and said with a smirk "Jaante hai na ye kya hai? Humare yaha isse kutte ke gale pe bandhte hai. Taaki wo wahi kare jo uska maalik chahta hai." Thakuma angrily glared at her in disbelief while Anirudh clutched his wrist as she was deliberately repeating the past as he knew she wanted to show that unlike last time, he is helpless without her.

She was about to make them wear the belt when suddenly a stone hit her hand due to which the belt fell down. They were taken aback by the sudden attack and heard something. 

"Hum Honge Kaamyaab,
Hum Honge Kaamyaab
Hum Honge Kaamyaab Ek Din"

There stood Sampoorna with 4 other girls on one side. While another sound reached their ears from other side.

"Ho Ho Mann Main Hai Vishwas
Poora Hai Vishwas
Hum Honge Kaamyaab Ek Din."   

There stood Tupur and Tapur with 3 other girls. 

Both the group came together and stood with Anirudh and Thakuma who were standing in front of the Fernsbys and Grayson, who were taken aback seeing the girls. Soon Trilochan, Somnath and both the villagers along with their respective mukhyas turned up at the spot. Bondita stood there with a blank expression seeing them. 

Trilochan came forward and uttered with a smirk "itni bhi kya jaldi hai afsar sahab, hum abhi zinda hai humare Dugga maa ko bachane ke liye. Aur Hindusthaniyon ko kam aankne ki galti mat kijiyega." Anirudh looked at his Sampoorna maa with a grateful smile while the latter smiled and blinked at assurance.

              __________________________

Hey guys,
Here's the next part of the chapter for which again I had to watch the Greenwood track. 😑

Guess how did the girls get convinced to participate for the competition.
Let me know your predictions in the comment section.

Love,
Ammy💜

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