‘My heart says that something terrible is going to happen.’
‘And my heart says that you are going to become a queen.’
‘Why don’t we wait for five or ten days? Tell them I am sick.’
‘Don’t talk like a crazy person.’
‘People will make fun of us!’
‘As far as auspicious occasions are concerned, I don’t really care what anyone says.’
‘Amma will not let you enter the house because of me. You will also get scolded.’
‘I don’t care about that. That is her habit.’
The tonga reached its destination. Indranath’s mother was a progressive woman. She welcomed the bride and led her in.6
It was twelve o’clock when Gokul left for home. On the one hand, he had the joy of having completed an auspicious task, but on the other, he was scared of facing his family when they saw no sign of Maani returning. He decided to disclose everything the moment he reached home. It was pointless to hide anything. He would have to tell them the truth sooner or later. So why not today?
With this decision, he entered the house.
Opening the door, his mother said, ‘What were you up to till this late hour? Why didn’t you bring her along? Who will do the dishes and clean the kitchen in the morning?’
Bowing his head, Gokul said, ‘She may not come back now, Amma. Arrangements have been made for her stay in that house.’
Wide-eyed, his mother blurted out in surprise, ‘What nonsense! How can she live there?’
‘She is now married to Indranath.’
His mother felt as if she had fallen from the sky. She completely lost her senses and did not realize what ugly abuses she spouted on her own son—kulangaar, pimp, bastard and so on. Finally, Gokul could not contain himself. He lost his patience. His face turned red, his brows wrinkled. He said, ‘Amma, that’s enough. I don’t have the patience to take this any more. If I had done anything improper I would not have raised my head even if you had beaten me with your slippers. But I have done nothing. I only did my duty, as any decent human being would do under the circumstances. You are a fool. You have no idea how times have changed. I have listened to your abuses with patience so far. You and, sadly enough, father, too, had made Maani’s life a living hell. You treated her worse than one would treat an enemy. Just because she was dependent on you? Just because she was an orphan? She will not return to listen to your abuses any more. Hurt by your harsh words, she was going to commit suicide the day there was a wedding celebration in your house. If Indranath had not reached there on time, we, you and the entire family, would have been sitting in jail today.’
Mother rolled her eyes and said ironically, ‘Oh, what a great son you are—you saved the entire house from a disaster! And why not? This was your sister’s turn. Next you will dispose me off to someone, so you can live in luxury. This is the best way to make your living. What was the use of getting an education?’
Gokul’s heart ached and he writhed in agitation. In an anguished voice, he said, ‘God forbid that a child be born from the womb of a mother like you. It’s a sin to even look at your face.’
He left the house and walked away like a crazy man. A fierce wind was blowing but he felt as if there was no air for him to breathe.7
A week went by but there was no sign of Gokul. Indranath had gone to Bombay, where he had found a place to live. After making arrangements for their stay, he wired his mother. Both she and Maani were to join him there. Vanshidhar had first suspected that Gokul might be hiding in Indranath’s house. When he could not find him there he started looking for him everywhere in the city. All his visits to acquaintances, friends and relatives drew a blank. After running around the whole day, when he came back in the evening, he would take his wife to task saying, ‘So, this is the result of cursing your son. Curse, curse, keep on cursing him again and again. God knows if you will ever come to your senses. The witch had left, you should have left the matter at that. Our burden had gone away. Keep a maidservant to manage the house. When she was not here, did we go hungry? Widows are getting married again, this is nothing unusual. If it were up to us, we would have thrown out the supporters of widow remarriage out of the country. We would have cursed them and burnt them alive but this is beyond our control. You too did not think it necessary to talk to me regarding this. I would have then done whatever I deemed fit. Did you think I would not come back from the office that day? That my last rites would be performed there? You just fell upon the boy! Now cry, cry as much as you can!’
Dusk had fallen. After scolding his wife Vanshidhar was walking restlessly outside his home. Time and again, he would get angry with Maani. My home has been ruined because of this devil. God knows in what inauspicious moment she chose to come to us—she just ruined us! Had she not come here, we would not have witnessed these hard times. He was such a promising, talented lad, I wonder where he’s gone! Suddenly, an old woman walked up to him and said, ‘Sir, I have this letter for you, please take it.’
Vanshidhar, his heart palpitating with hope, leapt forward and took the letter from the old woman. Perhaps Gokul had sent it. He could not decipher anything in the dark so he asked, ‘Where did you get this from?’
The old woman replied, ‘The wife of
