Unfulfilled - Aparajita - II

A salt n pepper stubble, ruffled hair, tall lanky frame, the shirts he wore were typically long stripes and black trousers with khadi shoes. He had this innate ability to stand still, hands hanging by his side and an expressionless face. Sometimes waiting in the bus stop people would often take him to be someone suspicious. 

His behavior was normal or nothing that would catch the attention of the authorities but his unspoken words had led to many speculations in the past. He had a sling bag across his shoulder which from the outside, looked as if it was empty. But it was not.

Adjusting his bi-focal, wiping his fore-head, he took out the press card from his pocket and showed it to the security officer outside the office. A quick customary glance at the card and the officer thought of asking a question but he was interrupted by Vijay Phadnis pro-actively,a  reporter for IndiaTomorrow. 

‘yes I have an appointment with the minister.’ Vijay said. And showed the email confirmation from Madam Aparajita Banerji’s office.

‘everyone has’ said the inspector wryly still examining the card.

‘yes but I have to speak to her on a very urgent matter’ Vijay remarked.

‘yes everyone's issue is important’ inspector looked at his counterpart and smirked.

‘you are right, the other day I got one whose cow had run away to another field,and they refused to give her back ~’ they broke out into a snigger. ‘Oh my- cowuch’ added the other inspector continuing the joke.

Vijay Phadnis had a strange way of communicating with his eyes. They were intense. They were angry..but his face was  still. As Vijay kept looking right into their eyes, the inspectors turned to look at Vijay and their laughter died down...something told inspector Balwinder Singh that there was something not right about  Mr. Vijay Phadnis…but he could not point his finger on the dot.

‘what is it about ?’ Singh asked.

‘it is a matter of national importance’. Vijay replied matter-of-factly.

‘which is?’ Singh raised his eyebrows.

‘i cant share this with you - it is only meant for Madamji.’

‘why?' am I not important? am I not intelligent? am i not educated? am I not worth living in this planet?’

It even surprised Singh as to why he took off so suddenly. Inspector Singh spoke sternly, somehow his deepest insecurities came out. There was something in the tonality of the guy or the way he looked... he was not sure. But there was definitely something wrong and he was getting angry.

Just then the other inspector gestured to Balwinder Singh to calm down.

‘what are you staring at? Take your sorry ass and get out of here’ said Singh , trying to keep his voice low.

‘I will not go until I meet Madamji.’ Vijay replied quietly.

‘are you arguing with me?’Balwinder was getting furious now.

‘if I have said no it means a no’. Sensing an escalating commotion the other inspector remarked to Balwinder -‘we still have time before lunch’.

Balwinder looked at Vijay squarely in the eye…and after a few seconds to calm down he said…‘go to the reception desk and register yourself' the inspector said pointing to Pinky.

‘We should alert other officers,I find something fishy about this guy.’ remarked Balwinder quietly to his counterpart.

‘Naah nothing to worry he’s just an old journalist trying to save the nation on his big strong shoulders’ remarked the other inspector sarcastically.

After a brief moment of silence ,exchange of cold glances, Vijay Phadnis went to the reception and registered his name. Pinky could smell Polo green on the gentleman. She was sure because she 'd gifted one to her lover in the party.

It wasn't until much later that it would strike Pinky why the perfume and the man seemed an odd combination.

When Pinky woke up – she saw blood spattered on the wall, Balwinder Singh lying on ground dead .A plethora of bullets had strewn his body and his counterpart had been shot in the head.

The door  to Aparajitaji’s cabin was ajar..

Shocked at the sight she barely managed to get out of her groggy self  & dragged her feet to peep inside the room –  only to see an open window and bullets strewn on the carpet…with no sign of Aparajitaji….or the stranger…

She frantically searched for her mobile and pressed the redial…in horror..

‘Hello Pinky – what happened’? said a dark voice from the other end.

‘Balwinder and Shindey are dead and I was gagged’ said Pinky trembling.

‘Damn you’ screamed the voice.‘you have failed the mission – killing Aparajita was our only option to win the election’.

‘No Darling please listen to me.... we were on track, we had cancelled all other appointments,kept the area clear of all people, and we were on the clock… but this strange guy came from nowhere and showed us a letter from Aparajita herself’…

  

‘what ? who came? What letter? The dark voice interrupted.

‘some Vijay Phadnis had come. Balwinder tried to wave him off but he didn’t agree…so instead of creating a chaos and raising an alarm ,Balwinder thought of getting this over and done with quickly and quietly... and he sent him to my desk for the usual process  of registration... and I think that’s when the perfume’ ….she trailed off…

‘WHAT ? how could it be Vijay Phadnis? Yelled the voice. ‘Vijay Phadnis is dead. I killed Vijay Phadnis 20 years back.! How could he be walking into that door?

Shocked Pinky  slumped to the ground…and as the wind gushed in from the open window..the pages of the register turned and the scribbled name…. showed Jatin Banerji.

Gyanban Thoughts - Read about  Aparajita - I ?


This post has a lot of questions unanswered - and it is deliberate. Possible sequel ? Yes thinking on those lines. The story is shown from two angels and depicts how the meaning changes and impacts the crux of the story.Each untied thread is a clue and leads to your imagination about the various outcomes. Note the first name and last name of the characters..this too will give you some clues.They have a meaning inculcated in the story.

Image Courtesy :http://nature.desktopnexus.com

Undefeated - Aparajita I

'It would be on Friday ' remarked the party president Raja babu at the congregation of the party meeting.

Lal Prasad slowly raised his head,but could not utter his resentment...instead he asked "what do I need to do ?

Raja babu noted Lal Prasad's clenched fist...but chose not to address it.

'I will let you know tonight'.In the meanwhile make all preparations, I want maximum impact' trailed off Raja babu into his cabin.

Raja Babu had brought Lalla over from his village to the city of joy...and perhaps dreams.

Raja babu was an excellent judge of people and knew potential when he saw one. Lalla, as he was affectionately called, beat up 3 people in the middle of a busy street, Raja babu had noted the ferocity and intensity in every punch and kick he delivered.

It was intense. No one dared to stop him , such was the power of his aggression.

Raja babu knew at that instant, Lalla would someday be useful to him.

Lalla had a developed a certain perception around him - stay away - which was complimented by his height at 6 feet 2 inches ,a lanky frame , his face bore a scar over the left eye, ruffled hair, and eyes looking down with eyebrows raised, big deep set eyes, put on mascara, and a slight frown on his face perpetually.

The fire within made him stronger in the mind. People often got misled by his lean appearance only to get shocked and beaten later.

"how long and how many will you fight?' asked Raja babu in the canteen sitting beside Lalla sipping tea, as drops of blood sprinkled on the white saucer.

“You need to get out of here and do something more important else risk dying an anonymous death .

Lalla did not respond. He looked at Raja babu with his eyebrows raised and eyes lowered, and went back to drinking his tea. After a brief moment of silence, Raja babu took the napkin on the table, and wrote his number down. “Call me, if you want to be something in life'...and left without waiting for Lalla's response.

Few years later,marriage,poverty and no money had forced Lalla to call the number.

"What are you going to do' ? Inquired a worried Susma lying in a general room at Ruby Hospital...

' I don't know, and stop bothering me with questions ..Lal Prasad said to his wife in a deep baritone...without inflection.’

You know I can't refuse Raja Babu after all he has done for us. This is his hour of need and I have to standby him'.Lalla said as he opened the top two buttons of his shirt and sat down on the floor.

Just this one last time and I am done with the debt’.'I will leave all this and start a new life Susma.. We’ll go somewhere else and make a new beginning...I am not going to get defeated by the system anymore..’

Just then , the phone rang - 'at sunset on Friday we will light up the park... a familiar voice said at the other end of the line. We meet near Ruby hospital sharp at 5PM - the minister is arriving for the function at the park opposite the hospital.' 'That should be the last function he attends along with his followers." click...the phone hung up.

Friday morning during the regular checkup Dr.Gandhi said ‘Mr.Prasad you would need to get ready by evening for the delivery…possibly earlier..We have given Susma some medication already’.

The clock seemed to tick faster that day…every tick tock hurt Lalla’s head. He was tensed and for the first time in her life Susma saw her husband’s vulnerable face under the tough exterior.

The minister was on his way & the motorcade preceding his car signaled his proximity. Lal Prasad signaled to his fellow party members to get ready for action…as he lay hidden behind the dark glasses of the parked white ambassador.

The vibrating phone in his left pocket showed Susma on the screen..

‘Please come now...They are taking me to the delivery room’..sounded a harried Susma.

‘Susma I can’t I am tied up, you know…’ screaming in labor pain Susma interrupted & pleaded Lalla ....he disconnected the phone.

The minister stepped on the dais and began to address the crowd. His party members were in the front row – this is exactly where he had to disrupt the proceedings. His fellow party members had their own share of arsenal to ignite…he had a gun.

Lalla slowly moved out of the car and walked into the park as an ordinary follower and sat near the exit gate.

It was time.

Just when he was about to take a shot – his phone vibrated again…he thought it was Susma again and did not take the call…before he could take another aim a sharp gunshot pierced his back..Chaos triggered.and simultaneously a loud explosion was heard...

There was dust in the air and people were screaming…Lalla got kicked and pushed as he rolled on the ground struggling to keep consciousness and go to the hospital a few yards ahead…as he lifted his head up he saw his fellow party member lying dead on the ground.

The crude bomb shrapnel had fleeced his skin, slit his throat and blood oozing from his mutilated left arm clutching a vibrating phone…

Meanwhile, in the operation theater Susma and the doctors struggled to deliver the baby as the chaos in the park led to disturbances in the hospital..The mob broke glass panes and ran helter skelter some in shock and some to shock others…

As the clock ticked ...the doctors were beginning to look at each other while trying to untangle the infant from the same source that gave her life… now could be the reason for her death.

There were complications in the pregnancy, she had probably died at birth some thought, for a few seconds...as the umbilical cord had almost choked her...but she fought.She survived. She arrived in this world with blood on her face and determination in her genes. The frantic efforts of the surgeons had given her a new life.

When Lalla unclenched the phone from the corpse he saw Raja babu flashing on the screen…

‘hello...Bhanu Singh…are you there..did you manage to kill Lalla ?’ ‘I knew he was having second thoughts about being with us, besides he knew too much, he had to die today...Disrupting the ministers gang was an added bonus…we killed two birds with one stone...good riddance to bad rubbish isn’t it Bhanu’..

Lalla gathered his breath and courage to speak a few words....‘Raja babu…my debt is over…..oh and another thing... get yourself insured..At least your family will benefit from your demise’.

Lalla threw the phone away..And walked towards the hospital bleeding profusely…he fell 20 steps short of the operation theater and his life - where his daughter was born…undefeated by her fate and circumstance...

‘She was born to fight’ Doctor Gandhi remarked…I’ll call her Aparajita’ said Susma closing her eyes with a wry smile…

Gyanban thoughts - This post is an ode to the 70's Hindi Film Industry.The character,the backdrop,the sequencing all are an attempt to expand my writing skills to a different genre - that of a masaala thriller.I have tried to be completely visual about the scenes and enacted them in my mind.! Was itching to do a character sketch of Raja babu in further detail giving an angle of twisted positivity to it..maybe in it's sequel.