CHAPTER 3

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Having their lunch all the women made there  way towards the peepal tree to chitchat. Bondita locked the front door of her hose and started walking towards those women. Her mind had few questions which she thought village ladies would be able to answer. She wanted to ask her patibabu and clear her doubts as she knew that he is only person in this world who will never hesitate to answer her questions even if they are silly. She knew she can ask him anything and he'll answer that with sincerity. Her patibabu always encouraged her to ask questions as it will help us to clam down our curious mind and will only increase our knowledge. So she never hesitate before putting her thoughts forward and ask what is on her mind.

Reaching near the peepal tree she saw women of different age group sitting together and talking about their daily lifestyle. She made her way towards them and settled down near the landlady of her house. "Arey chotti malkin aap waha neeche kyu baith rhi hai yaha upar baithye na". Elderly lady sitting on the pedestal asked bondita while getting up from her seat and offering that to her . "Arey nhi nhi kaki aap aaram se baithe rahiye mujhe yaha neeche baithne mei koi dikat nhi hai". Bondita politely refused. Smiling at her the elderly lady said "Aapka dil kafi bada hai chotti malkin". Bondita just smiled at her.

Everybody started taking about their daily lifestyle and things happening in their house and bondita was just listening to it. "Chotti malkin barrister babu apse kafi pyaar karte hai. Raato raat apke liye ghusalkhana bana diya, roz subha kue se apke liye paani lekar aana, kahan bana na aur apko uphaar bhi lake dena. Aaj tak maine kisi pati ko aisa kuch kate hue nhi dekha". "Sach kaha aapne kaki barriste babu ko bhout chinta hai chotti malkin ki. Tabhi toh roz taala laga ke jate hai. Par aaj nhi lagya".

This sudden attention on bondita made her nervous but hearing praises of her patibabu her heart warmed up. "Maine patibabu ko bola ki taala na lagaae taki mei aap ke saath baith ke baatein kar saku" Bondita replied with a smile. "Dekho toh chote malik ko, ik baar mei hi baat maan li chotti malkin ki. Aacha laga jaan ke ki apke pati aapse itna pyaar karte hai". Ladies laughed at this.

"Par kaki mere patibabu toh pure parivar se pyaar karte hai. Voh yeh sab toh batak ya kaka sasurji ke liye bhi kar dete. Ismei   itni khass baat kya hai". Ladies looked a bit shocked listening to their chotti malikn's naive's answer. Elderly lady laughed a little and said," Haan chotte malik pure parivar se pyaar karte honge par aapse kuch zyada karte hai, akhir aap patni ho unki. Aur aap bhi toh karti hongi na apne patibabu se pyaar?"

 "Patni hone se zyada pyaar ka kya lena kaki? Haan mei manti hu ki patibabu meri bhalai ke liye kuch bhi kar sakte hai aur meri har baat bhi maan lete hai par iss se unke zyada pyaar ka kya lena kaki? Aur rahi baat meri toh mei apne patibabu se pyaar karti hu. Unkeliye kuch bhi karsakti hu. Meri maa ke baad koi hai jinka kaha mei sab karne ko taiyar hu voh mere patibabu hi hai."

"Arey chotti malkin aap bhout bholi ho. Shyad chotte malik ne aap ko apna pyaar dikhya nhi abhi tak. Agar chotte malik apna pyaar jata dete toh aap uss pyaar ki pure parivar ya maa ke pyaar se tulna nhi karti " a lady commented while rest of them laughed. 

Bondita was confused. She came here to know answers of her questions but in return she got more confused. At first she was quite hesitant to ask her questions directly but after talking with these ladies she thought to give it one last try. Releasing a sigh she mentally prepared herself for all sort of reactions because she had no idea how they'll react. "Kaki kya mei aap logo se kuch puch sakti hu?" All the ladies smiled at her and encouraged her to go ahead with her question. "Yeh pati patni ke pyaar mei aisi kya khass baat hai? Uss din bhi apne kaha tha ki gaal laal ho jate hai aur dhadkane tham jati hai, par mere saath aisa kuch nhi hua. Abhi bhi apne bola ki patibabu ne apna pyaar dikhya nhi mujhe abhi tak. Inn sab ka kya matlab hai?"

"Chotti malikn, pati aur patni shadi ke ik bhandan mei bandhe hue hote hai. Yeh bandhan bada hi pavitar aur pavan hota hai. Aur jab do log iss bandhan mei bandh jate hai toh unmei apne aap pyaar ho jata hai. Jaise yaha majood sabhi auratein apne patio se pyaar karti hai. Thik ussi tarha chotte malik bhi aapse khub pyaar karte hai aur aap bhi unsei. Ab voh pyaar alag kasie hai iska jawab hoga ki jab humare pati humare pass aate hai toh alag sa ehsaas hota hai, unki baatein, voh dekhne ka andaz aur unka choona sab aacha lagta hai aur dil mei alag ehsaas jaga deta hai. Agli baar jab aapke patibabu aapke pass aae ya apko sparsh kare toh dekhna apne aap gaal laal ho  jaenge apke aur dhadkane bhi tham jaengi. Aur rhi baat pyaar dikhane aur jatane ki toh voh aap apne patibabu se hi puchiye." saying this the elderly women laughed.

"Aur vaise bhi chotte malik ne apke liye ghusalkahan banaya aur saath hi saath aise kafi kaam kiye hai jisse unka pyaar saaf dikhta hai. Ab apki baari hai unko apna pyaar dikhane ki." "Voh kaise kar sakti hu mei?" asked a curious bondita. "'ik kushal patni ban ke. Jab pati ghar aae toh unka khyal rakhna. Voh joh bhi bole usse maan lena. Unke liye swadisht bhojan bana ke. Aise karke aap unhe apna pyaar dikha sakti hai"

Bondita now got some answers but was still confused. She thought that she'll  greet him well when he comes from work and cook food for him. After chit chatting for some more time all the women took a leave. "Chotti malkin aap zyada mat sochiye iss baare mei. Aap apni padhai pe dhyan dijiye." advised the landlady and went towards her house. She has heared from her husband how chotte malik was working hard for getting money for bondita's school fee and how looking at him even her husband decided that if they are blessed with a daughter he will definately get her educated. She didn't want bondita to get indulged in these talks of village women and loose her focus. If that happens that would mean barrister babu's efforts will go waste. She hoped that bondita will forget about this conversation.

But bondita was lost in her own world that she didn't paid any heed to her words. She quickly made her way to her home and started thinking of what to make for dinner today. She started preparing for dinner totally forgetting about the homework that her patibabu gave her for today. Neglecting her studies was last thing that anirudh wanted bondita to do but to experience the khass pyaar bondita forgot about the consequences she'll have to face when anirudh gets to know about it.

Here anirudh made his way towards the location the krantkari woman has asked him to come. He reached there at exact time and waited for her. After 5 minutes a woman came towards her. It took him some time to recognize her, but when he did he made his way towards her. She was the same krantikari but due to different attire he couldn't recognize her.

"Umeed hai apne apna nirnay leliya hoga."

"Ji haan, par apna nirnay batane se phele apse kuch baat karna chahta hu."

"Ji kahiye barrister babu"

"Mei apke iss maksad mei saath dene ko taiyar hu, par mujhe ik vada chahiye. Jaise ki aap janti hai ki iss maksad mei meri jaan ko khatra hai toh mei chahta hu agar mujhe kuch ho jae toh aap meri patni bondita ka khyal rakhe. Yeh duniya usse chain se jeene nhi degi. Agar aap yeh vada karne ke liye taiyar hai toh meri haan hai varena nhi."

"Aap chinta mat kijiye anirudh babu hum aapko kuch nhi hone denge. Aur agar aapko kuch ho jata hai toh aapki patni ka khyal bhi rakh lenge. Iss ki  zimmedari meri." 

"Shukriya. Vaise aap mujhe janti hai par mei apke baare mei kuch nhi janta. Aap apna naam toh bata dijiye."

"Mei apko apna naam nhi bata sakti."

"Tihk hai. Mei apko aazadi express bulaunga aaj se. Voh karntikari mahila khe ke mei aapko aur kudh ko musibat mei daal sakta hu."

"Jaisa aapko theek lage. Ab mei chalti hu kal 12 baje yhi  ilenge aur apne maksad ke liye abhyas shuru kar denge. Vande matram." sayning this she quickly left from there.

Anirudh looked at her retreating figure and he also made his way back to court. Over there he worked for some time tried to get any other case but got nothing. He made his way back to home in evening with a handi of rasogulla, eager to meet bondita and share the news of him getting a case with her.

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