I will tell you one story. But just one. Don’t ask me more. You girls know that we will have a long day tomorrow. So here I start the story. Don’t interrupt.
The elder daughter Rakhi, careen on one side of the bed, and took the blanket. Whereas, Bindiya put her head on the lap of her father. And father moved his hand gently over both daughter’s head. He started.
Once upon a time, there lived a farmer named, santosh. He lived with his family in a small village named purnia. He had a family of 2 children. Just like me, he was also blessed with 2 princesses , dhara and ambar. His wife awantika, was a simple lady. And he had a mother,who was very old that she needed support even to walk. Any how she managed to go to the washroom. Sometimes she went for a walk and out of the 2 girls, anyone took her to the field where Santosh worked. A large field with many small and big trees. Well, before a day, it rained abruptly. That is the reason the field seems to be flooded.
Santosh loved his wife and never raised his voice to her. He had a happy family. His mother and wife sometime argued but Santosh would interrupt and made everything normal.
Well santosh knew that one day or the other he has to find gentleman for his elder daughter dhara. “Like you found a gentleman for Rakhi di” interrupted Bindiya. Yes in the same way. Santosh searched for a good man all over his area, and finally he succeed. He found a boy named,…. ” let’s call him Rakesh,the one found for di”. Okay, Rakesh was a boy who belongs to very rich family. The family where his daughter would live explicitly very happy life.
Santosh was very poor. He couldnot even afford 3 times meals for his family. But he used to dream big. He thought a luxury life for both of his daughter.
Once, he went to the station,where he used to sell his grain. The station was a day far from the village. But Santosh walk day and night to reach his destination. While he was fixing the price of grain. There came a big car. A man- tall ,dark and handsome,with a neat and clean white shirt and a over loaded jacket get out of the car. His shoes were shining. He had a cigarette fixed in his 2 fingers. Looking here and there he came to Santosh and asked to fix the correct rate of the grains. Santosh as a hellion,increased the rate and waited for the bargain. But no word. Okay. He took the grains on the rate as Santosh has fixed. The man standing nearby him,looks like his bodyguard told that the rate is high. “Poor people. And for me 100-200 doesn’t matter”. He took the grain and gave money. “Keep the change”. And went to his car.
Everyone was looking to Santosh,”he is the richest man of our town,named as afidi” . Santosh again asked to pardon the name. “Rakesh afidi”, someone answered.
“Baba,this is your story. You met with Rakesh in the same way” Rakhi asked in an enthusiastic way. Yeah. You are right. Just listen as a story. So shall I continue or you girls like to sleep. Tomorrow we will say good bye to Rakhi. It will be a big day Rakhi. Hope you will be happy in your new house. Rakhi nodded her head and cuddled the pillow.
So,where I was.
Seeing the big heart of Rakesh,the farmer wanted him to be the guy to marry his daughter. But why he will marry the poor girl. Santosh went to Rakesh house. He carried a small bag in which he had some grains,2 chapati and a bottle. Santosh was in old dhoti,kurta and slipper.
Santosh went inside. Rakesh came with a suitcase. “Who are you uncle? And why are you here?”
Santosh explained the reason. But not exactly. He finally showed the photo of his daughter where both the girls were standing in a suit and tapping on the photo of dhara, he asked him to marry her.
“Are you kidding” laughed Rakesh. Santosh sat on the chair and took the grain from the bag and kept on the table. “I am among the one who feed you sir” Santosh in a very low voice. Pardon sir. Santosh took the grain and started to walk out.
“Why do you want me to marry your daughter? Just because I am rich.”
Santosh feet stopped. He looked back and started mixing his words with one another.
“I don’t get you”
“Sir you have a golden heart and I know you will keep my daughter happy.”
“I will. But I have a better plan.”
Santosh eyes were sparkled. He went inside and told “I will do anything Sir. I will give my field to you or my home”
“Neither I want your field nor your home. I will marry with your elder daughter but what about the younger one. ”
A silence was placed inside the room.
“You don’t worry sir,I will take care of your both the daughters.”
Santosh gave a blank reaction on this topic. He took his bag and moved towards the gate.
“Sir, Now I can say you are not running behind my money. I will marry your daughter.”
“So he was testing the farmer? If he would have agreed to marry both her daughters that means he want money” Bindiya explained.
Yes. You are there. But Rakesh asked something as a deal. He asked the poor farmer’s life. He told that he will take care of Santosh’s family. But only after he will give both of his kidneys to Rakesh.
Santosh didn’t know that Rakesh have a business,where he used to import and export the human kidney. Santosh without making his dream to reality went back to his home.
Seeing his wife working in the field Santosh thought “She even can’t buy new clothes for herself. My mother face problem while walking,but I am unable to buy a wheel chair for her. My daughters never told me,but they also dream for many things that I can’t even think. What if one life has to hang to death to improve four lives. There they will live luxurious life. All the dreams will come true.”
Next day Santosh went to Rakesh’s house. “I agree to your proposal”
” I knew you will come sir. Have a sit. ”
Santosh sat and started crying. “Your family is my responsibility now. I will take care of the whole family.”
“Thank you so much”
” But sir I have to export the thing within a week. It’s urgent”.
Here ‘the thing’ means what Rakesh needed, the kidney. “Rakesh is so bad. But this is just a story. Right baba” Rakhi’s eyes continue to watch baba.
Baba is a poor old man. He used to help everyone. He went to Rakesh and had discussed about the marriage. Both the daughter not even know how baba met Rakesh.
“I think we should get marry as soon as possible” asked Rakesh. “Because I know you are eagerly waiting for this. Tomorrow. We can fix the day for the marriage.”
Santosh agreed to the day.
But Rakesh send a message through a man, the same who seemed his bodyguard, to Santosh. “It’s urgent. I want the thing tomorrow itself. Between the marriage you come to the godown and fulfil the deal. Then only I will take 7 rounds of the fire with your daughter. And then only the marriage will succeed.”
“Baba, did he go? What happened next? Santosh is a poor guy..”
Yes. He went. He went when mantra started. Now both of you go to sleep. I have many more things to do.
Both sisters started gossiping about Rakesh character.
Baba went to the gate and shut it from outside.
Night went. Next morning every one was busy in their work. Rakhi’s mother, urmi, was busy in the saree. Food and flowers everywhere.
“Yes. The time came for which we were waiting.” Baba gave Rakhi a bunch of grains. “You are looking preety”.
“Baba, I will miss you all”, Rakhi whispered.
“Lets go, you are about to get married. Don’t cry. I will be with you. We have done a lot for you. Do your best to make your family happy”.
The pandit called the groom and bride. Baba held the hand of Rakhi and took her to the place. It started. The mantra. After an hour, pandit called for groom and bride’s father.
“Baba went to the sweet shop and for plates” Urmi answered.
Rituals for marriage was over. Everyone was looking to give blessings to newly married couple. Rakhi’s eye were busy finding her baba. “Baba..??”
“I don’t have seen him since mantra.” Bindiya replied.
Urmi sent a little boy who lived near by, to call baba. After few minutes,he came back. “Baba didn’t go to the sweet shop. No one has seen him”.
The other part we know. Yes. Where baba went. Why he went.
His daughter got married and she is fixed in a relationship. Rakesh has a deal,so he gave place for the family in his own home. He treated them as a servant.
Are they really happy? NO. But baba thought,it is a sacrifice he has made for the better future of his family.
