The Plan

The car was parked right opposite Dheer's Boutique. Pratap saw Roshni and Phool step in. His heart was stuck in his mouth. He insisted on going with her, but she was determined. He looked a lot like his father. What if she recognised him? The whole plan would be spoiled then. He kept insisting it was not safe. He kept a hawk's watch at the door. Vishal looked ahead, having a packet of chips.
"Chill, bro, they will get out the info, they are smart, you know."
His voice seemed to fall on deaf ears as Pratap looked out of the car window anxiously.

Roshni and Phool stepped into the well-furnished shop and were welcomed by a woman in her twenties. They looked at each other. This was not her; they had searched all over and found a picture of her from a paper clip, and she was indeed mesmerisingly beautiful. They searched around pretending to look at the things.
" May I help you, Miss?" The sales lady asked. The name read Veer.
" Veer is it?" Phool tried to show some confidence.
" Yes, Miss."
" Where's this boutique's owner? We want to order something special."
" You can wait, Miss, she will be here within 15 mins."
" What is it?" A man called out from behind a curtain, really disturbed.
" Sir, they are looking for Ma'am."
"I'm her son, Jagmal. Can I help?" The guy looked no more than twenty.
" No, actually, we want to see your mother. We will wait."
" Stepmother." He corrected.

They waited on the sofa, tensed when Roshni texted Pratap, " We are waiting for her."
She entered with an assistant, and Veer interrupted her walk towards the curtains.
" Ma'am."
" What is it, Veer?" Her voice was urgent and rude.
" These girls want to see you, Ma'am," Veer replied, visibly scared.
" Yes, how may I help?" Dheer came with a pleasant smile.
" We want to order a special Lehenga." Phool started talking as part of the plan. Dheer nodded and went through the requirements with Phool and showed her the catalogues. Phool leafed through some designs while Roshni frowned at Dheer.
" Aree Phool, I have seen her somewhere." Roshni interrupted.
" Me? Where?" Dheer smiled back, a little surprised.
" Weren't you an employee of Sisodia Enterprises?" Her question made Dheer's smile fade a little.
" What?" Dheer's face was visibly pale. " No, never heard of it." A reply came from behind her. An identical-looking woman, perhaps a little older than her, replied.
" Uma Jija..." Dheer asked, surprised.
" But I am sure I saw her there, my father was an employee." Roshni insisted.
" I told you, Miss, you are mistaken." The older lady was firm.
" How dare you talk to my friend this way?" Phool was visibly overacting." Come, Rosh, let's go! We will find another Boutique." Damn it, she said the real name!

They stormed out and crossed the road, and got into the car. Uma watched them go.
" Why did you react, Jija? We could just deny." Dheer asked her from behind. "We lost a client."
" That girl did not come for the lehenga." Uma shook her head, closing the curtains shut.
" What? How do you know?" Dheer asked, confused.
" They went towards a car." Uma paced the room.
" So?"
" That car was Pratap Singh's." Dheer took a step back at her sister's words.
" How do you know that, Jija?" Dheer asked. "he was a child when..."
" I spotted him, an exact reflection of his father's." Uma snapped. "You better be careful, Dheer!"

" Jija, are they after us?" Dheer was restless.
" Let me get some information first, Dheer," Uma reassured.
" If Jagmal gets to know of my past, he will drag me to court for fraud and take away all that his father gave me instead of him," Dheer whispered, intimidated.
" Yes, Dheer and Udai Singh will get their lost glory back; we can't let that happen." Uma shook her head. Not after he had the audacity to choose that Jaivanta over me!
" Yes, Jija, what will we do?" Dheer asked. Uma picked up her phone. " We need every information on them if they are doing what we think they are, get rid of that girl first, then Pratap." Dheer looked tense, " Say such things in a lower voice, Jija, Jagmal is in the next room."

Meanwhile, the four friends were in Pratap's room as soon as they entered the house.
" I am sure she was at fault; there was guilt all over her face," Phool concluded.
" But she saw us get in the car; she will be after us." Roshni's voice was tense.
" What? Are you sure?" Pratap was anxious.
" Yes." Roshni stared at Phool, omitting that she had mistakenly taken her name.
" We stop this right now!" Pratap was firm.
" But..."
"Not another word from you." Pratap scolded Roshni, much to Phool and Vishal's surprise. He was angry and worried.

He walked away to the balcony to cool himself off. Roshni followed him there.
" What's wrong?"
" Look, I don't want you to be hurt in any way." Pratap looked at her anxiously.
" I won't be hurt as long as I am with you," Roshni replied with a smile.
" Why do you never listen to me?" He held her hand, sounding helpless.
" Why do you always worry?" She replied in the same tone.
He smiled at her.
" Let me drop you home?"
" No, I will go with Phool."
" But..."
" Don't worry, I will call when home." She insisted.

He sat with his phone, anxiously waiting for her to call when home, he waved her goodbye anxiously, as her smiling face got into Phool's car. She waved back, promising to call. It had already one hour since then. He paced in his room, tensed. His phone rang; it was an unknown number.

" Hello...."
"I'm calling from Sangram Singh Hospital. I found your number from the phone of one of the accident victims."
" Accident?" He couldn't breathe properly.
" Yes, two girls... in a white SUV ... it was hit by another car.... they are unconscious... hello? Hello??" His phone fell from his hand as he rushed out. He could barely speak when he told Dadi to call his parents and inform them. Vishal and Pratap drove to the hospital in a haze.

Towards You

The Afghans, after Sher Shah Suri's untimely demise, were at loggerheads for power. Their troops near Mewar were now led by Mehmood Shah. They secretly captured territories in the forests and waited to attack Mewari camps when the time was right. Rawat Chundawat and his spies had confirmed the news, and Udai Singh sent a warning to Mehmood Shah to withdraw his troops from Mewar in vain. Now that it was out in the open, it was time they declared war. Mehmood Shah had limited resources in Mewar. His internal rebellion against his commander did not help his cause. His spies clearly suggested that in no way could he win, especially with Kunwar Pratap leading his troops. He was having second thoughts about the war. It was then that one of his aides suggested a perfect plan. Maharani Jaivanta Bai had decided to go to the Mahakaleshwar Temple near the outskirts of Chittorgarh, in the forestlands of Bhilwara. They had travelled a long way and across the Gambhiri river that meandered during...

My Everything

Kunwar Pratap stormed into the Mahal at Gogunda amidst uncertainty and chaos. Happy faces of the chieftains and soldiers welcomed him as Rawat Chundawat, and some other chieftains stopped the ongoing Raj Tilak. A visibly scared Kunwar Jagmal looked clueless at a visibly angry Kunwar Pratap. Rani Dheerbai Bhatiyani hadn't expected Kunwar Pratap to show up, that too, despite her conveying to him his father's last wish of crowning Kunwar Jagmal. Twenty-one days after Udai Singh's death, she was finally close to a dream she had dared to dream since Jagmal was born. He was not informed about the Raj Tilak as per Dheerbai's instructions. She eyed Rawat Ji. He must have assembled the chiefs to this revolt against her son, against the dead king. No one except them knew where Kunwar Pratap was staying. It was for the safety of his family. " What are you doing, Chotima?" A disappointed voice was directed at her. She could stoop down so low? For the first time, an anger...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty Five

It took Trilochon half a day to figure out something was wrong at home. Since he was back, Somnath did not talk to him at all, and Aniruddha looked visibly upset. They avoided each other at the dining table and the living room. Trilochon was not comfortable with asking Ashalata anything. In the evening, as Kalindi poured tea from the pot, Trilochon groaned inwardly. “It’s not even six months since he got married, and she has started a war between brothers.” Kalindi stopped pouring the tea as she turned to him. “What?” She asked, a little cluelessly. “If I had chosen a bride…” Trilochon stopped at Kalindi’s disapproving stare. “What makes you say that?” She asked rather calmly. “Well, I never saw Som and Aniruddha fight until she came here.” Kalindi looked amused at his words. “You are the type for whom people hate in-laws.” “Pardon?” Trilochon narrowed his brows. “What do you mean?” “Bondita. Ask Bondita.” Kalindi shook her head. “I told her it was a bad idea to work with him.” “You ha...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty One

The morning after the Chief Minister of the state attended the reception party, Binoy wrapped the newspaper that had just arrived at their threshold, eyeing the picture of him and Trilochon with the chief minister smiling proudly, made a mental note of framing it for his office in Siliguri and stepped out to see the car waiting for him in the entrance to take him to the station. He glanced over his shoulder at the house, still asleep and watched Bihari put his luggage in the back seat. Bihari had been with the Roy Chowdhury House since he was a teenager. He eyed Binoy as he lit his pipe and straightened his jacket when Bihari approached him. “Boro Saheb, should I inform Kotta Moshai once?” Binoy eyed Bihari with a disapproving glance. “If I wanted to tell him, I would have done so myself, Bihari. Where is the driver?” He checked his watch. Bihari sighed as he ran to check on the driver. Bondita stopped on the gravelled path leading from the entrance to the main gate as she watched...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty Four

Aniruddha let the shower run as his skin erupted into goosebumps under the cold water. He breathed out and removed the locks of wet hair from his face. He turned off the shower, wrapped the towel lowly around his waist and walked back to the room, not caring about the wet floor from the water dripping down his torso. He lay on the bed as his body soaked the blanket. He stared at the ceiling, stretching his arms over his head. Bondita’s promise played on his mind in a loop. “I will not leave… I will never leave.” He wanted to believe her. He wanted one person he could fall back on, trusting them to catch him when he stumbled. But his experiences proved him otherwise. He remembered that day as vividly as if it were yesterday. He had bought a scarf for Bondita from Palika Bazaar as a truce because he felt bad leaving home after fighting with her. He had tried to be patient with her and sat her down numerous times to make her understand why boarding school would benefit her. Aniruddha...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty Two

The winter morning was pleasant, especially when the sunshine hit the dewy grass on the lawn, and Bihari set down the porcelain cups for Trilochon and Kalindi to start their day. Kalindi had just taken up some orders to knit sweaters and mittens for some of the neighbourhood kids as she wrapped the thick brown shawl tightly around herself, on the chilly morning as she sat down on the lawn chair with her needles, pin and colourful balls of wool, as she knit a pair of mittens while waiting for Trilochon to join her. Bondita hurried out of their place and stopped at the sight of her sitting alone, unsurely. “Do you need something?” Kalindi raised her eyes briefly from the wool and asked as she shook her head. “I was hoping to talk to Jyatha Moshai…” She shivered a little as Kalindi scolded her to find a sweater first. She rushed indoors as Kalindi spotted Trilochon in a thermal t-shirt, a pair of pants and a shawl walking towards her with the cane in hand. He stopped as he watched her kni...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty

Trilochon’s only desire for Som’s wedding was for it to be so grand that the entire Chandannagar remembered it for the longest time. He had also invited the leaders of the opposition, ministers and even the CM, and if rumours were to be believed, he would accept the invitation. That meant trying to impress him for a ticket to the next Lok Sabha elections. He knew the only way to do so was also to showcase Som as a prodigy. Their family name was enough to earn votes for the party in the area. “Perhaps you could tell him about Somnath Babu’s involvement in some of the projects here. Like the slum area where water was flooding the pathways…” Poritosh had suggested. “But it was done by…” Bapi Da had stopped as Trilochon shook his head, “How does it matter who did it? What matters is that we say Som did it.” They agreed. “Jyatha Moshai.” Bondita walked into his room, not expecting the elderly men from the Party office to be there. “ Bolo, Maa. ” “The Gaye Holud is here.” She smiled. “How a...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty Three

“So the question is, do the slum dwellers get their dues to relocate, or do they protest on the road, grabbing media attention? If one of them mentions the sewage project where all this started, we can’t guarantee not dragging certain names then. It will be beyond our control.” Bondita breathed in as she eyed everyone at the table. The conference hall of ARC & Associates had an oval table with a whiteboard, projector and podium and sitting around the table were a stenographer, Bondita’s secondary attorney, Debashish Ghosal, the contractor and his attorney Biswas, the representative of the NGO with the Union leader of the slum, Trilochon, Somnath and Aniruddha. The people of the NGO appreciated her strategy with a nod. Ghoshal looked perplexed as his lawyer whispered something in his ear. Somnath did not look up from the table as Aniruddha passed a note to Trilochon in writing. “Now the decision is yours.” Bondita continued. “We are keen on out-of-court settlement if our basic ...

Purnota: Chapter Nineteen

“Wake up, wake up!” Bondita smiled, amused at Aniruddha and Batuk sleeping on his bed, hugging each other like children. She removed the curtains, and the room was flooded in daylight. “Urgh.” Batuk stirred as Aniruddha sat up. “What is wrong with you?” Batuk threw the pillow Bondita caught before it hit the floor. Her wet hair shone in the sunlight, with droplets of water lingering on its tips as she adjusted her well-pleated orange saree with a blue border and opened the window. A gust of cold breeze blew in from the Ganges, prompting Batuk to pull his blanket over his face. “Let me sleep, Daini !” He murmured. “Is it not enough that you all gave away my room to guests?” Aniruddha was stretching and yawning as Bondita chuckled, amused, pulling her wet hair to the side of her shoulder. “Why are you dressed up?” Aniruddha asked, suppressing a yawn. “Oh, you should be, too. Jyatha Moshai said We are going to Kalighat.” She raised her brows, amused. “Oh shit,” Aniruddha murmured, hitting...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty Six

Bondita was surprised to find Binoy in the living room of the Roy Chowdhury house as she entered the premises early in the morning. Trilochon sat with his brother, looking serious as they discussed some paperwork, as Bihari walked out with tea. Noticing Bondita so early in the morning, Trilochon looked up questioningly. “I have some errands to run before the office.” Bondita smiled as Trilochon nodded. She had to pay some bills and deliver some of the orders Kalindi had finished because her ankle hurt in the morning. Trilochon enquired about her need for medicines as Bondita reassured him that she had made sure of it. Bondita briefly eyed Binoy, who did not take an interest in her or the conversation, as he did not look up from the papers. Bondita cleared her throat, informing Trilochon that she should be on her way. “I think you should show her the papers, Binoy.” Trilochon stopped her as he suggested to Binoy, who eyed Bondita briefly. He looked unsure as Bondita opened her mouth wit...

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