A HORROR IN THE HEARTLAND

KOLKATA. He was amazed. Overwhelmed. By the scores of monumental highrises outlining the spectacular morning sky wherever he looked.By the mad clamour of people rushing past him. By the…”Raviiiiiiiiiiiiii”

‘Yes baba??’

‘What are u looking at silly, come on we are getting late.’

‘Yes baba.’

Ravi,16 was on his first trip to the city of joy .. he had been peppering his mother with all sorts of hysterical queries the past few days, time seemed to have stopped as the dreamland beckoned! But the wait was worth it. It was radically different from 'nature in the wild' which he had always experienced. But it's beauty lied elsewhere. The city had won him over already. It was love at first sight. Just like he had thought it would be.

but-but why are they going in that lane??? They had taken a dinghy lane with shoddy-looking, dirty, hideous houses. His eyes met with pathetic, weary glances. some naked children were engaged in a scuffle while pale, defeated faces looked on. 'wow! seems like we've boarded a train to hell' he thought to himself.

‘baba this place is so shabby, what are we doing here??’

‘This' where you are going to live you idiot!!’

‘whattt!! I’m not going to live here .. will we ma? how can we?’

There was silence. Ravi had given it a thought. just once. About why they were leaving Chanderpore for Kolkata. But the thrill had drowned all other threads of thought.

Chandan, Ravi’s father descended from a zamindar family. He was an honest person with intense self-esteem. A potter by profession he took great pride in his work. He had arrived at the city replete with dreams and started off a small business. But the pay was never nearly enough. Now that his business was in tatters and all their lands back in the village were sold, bringing his son n wife to the city was the only alternative.

Instant repulsion and disgust greeted Ravi as they entered the house. There wasn’t much of it actually, dilapidated, way too small for three people, Ravi thought it stunk .. The frenzy was beginning to wear off. This was the reality. Harsh. Cruel. He rushed outside, hungry for fresh air, his heart heavy with anger. As he ventured into the depths of the lane, a gigantic red-bricked structure, came into view. A sweet smell hung in the air, rajanigandha he thought, he was feeling better. All of a sudden he was shoved to the ground. A gigantic bloke stood over him with a menacing posture

‘kibe ki chai? you wanna get mashed? f*** off!!’

He didn’t understand anything. But he was extremely frightened. He bolted away as fast as he possibly could. He was at the doorsteps, panting when he overheard a heated conversation. Baba, it seemed, had gone mad.

‘I’ve had a chat with Bhoja, he’s ready to give Ravi a job in his stall. He’ll pay Rs. 500 for god’s sake. We need the money. We’ll starve otherwise’

‘But what about his studies? He topped the last exam too. He’s bright. I’m sure my son is going to do us proud. He’ll...’

‘Shut up Lalita!! Enough of the nonsense. He goes to work from tomorrow. That’s it.’

Ravi couldn’t take it anymore. His world couldn't turn into a house of cards overnight.He burst in and started yelling.

‘I’m not doing any job, I’m going back to Chanderpore, ma come with me. Please..baba baba!!!

Chandan had fainted .

Ravi was trying hard to sleep. He had been in the city for one day. And yet it felt like forever. So much had happened already, so many bizarre realizations, new responsibilities. His dreams shattered, a new sense of numb resignation had filled him, which surprisingly didn’t hurt that much. ‘Welcome to the world, Ravi!!’ he smiled to himself. He dreamt of a coronation; fairies dancing around him, crowning him with a wreath of Rajanigandha

It was a tea-stall just adjacent to the small shop of his baba which was very nearly in shambles. He felt sorry, he had never bothered to think in what condition his father was in.

‘Hello brother, what do you call yourself?’ a boy had appeared, he needed a shower and sum clothes too, Ravi thought

‘Hi! I am Ravi. How do u do?

‘I’m hungry. Come, saala Bhoja’s off to Shyam’s, let’s grab something. quick!’

This was Paltu aka Chhotu; about Ravi’s age, he hadn't ever had any education but he had wisdom. He knew that nothing in this big,bad world comes easy and that survival of the fittest prevailed in the human world too. Ravi had found a companion, a helping hand and more importantly a friend.

It was nightfall. As he counted his salary, it felt bizarre, three months now. How times change. ‘beta!’ it was his mother.

‘Haan ma, what is it? Look I got my salary today.'

‘It’s your birthday tomorrow dear, I have something for you’

‘Oh yeah??’ Ravi had forgotten entirely, he loved it when his mother bought him a gift.

‘This sweater’s for you darling, I made it myself a year back. And there’s something else, you had always wanted to go to a movie theatre na? You can keep a hundred from your salary. I’ll manage.’

Ravi hadn’t felt so happy for months!! He loved everything about the one film he had seen in a panchayat screening! He was ecstatic.

‘How can I ever thank you ma? I love you’

‘I couldn’t do anything for you beta, both me n ur baba want to see you happy but we’re helpless. I hope u understand’ Lalita was wiping away tears.

‘Of course I do ma, of course I do’

Intekaam. Mesmerized, he was lapping up every moment. He laughed, he cried, he was mouthing the dialogues by the end! The movie ended in rapturous applause. The first screening had struck a chord among the audience, the movie was a hit. People were streaming out of the auditorium; Ravi was still in a daze. And then it happened!! He had never seen anyone so pretty in his life. There was a mystery in the eyes, an unforeseen menace in the beatific smile. Her aura was breathtaking! It killed him …Spellbound, he stood there smiling..

‘hellllloh! step aside you moron!!!’

he didn’t seem to have heard, he couldn’t think of what to say. ‘I’m happy’ he ejaculated at last. The eyes narrowed, but he was sure that she was smiling her best when she said

‘Whatttt?? Buzz off nerdo!’

‘Rascal!’

And off she went..

Ravi was certain. Cupid had had his say. She was all over his senses. He felt an overwhelming desire to talk with her, to be with her. Yes, it was love at first sight all over again. Only this time, it was here to stay.

There were daffodils all around painting the horizon a delightful yellow, a strange enigmatic music was playing somewhere, she was there dazzling in spotless white, with her arms outstretched .. he begun to run, but there was this strange barrier, which kept him from. he struggled, kicked out; and suddenly he was dealt a hammer blow. As it turned out, he had kicked out at his sleeping father, who, cursing under his breath now, had decided to teach him a lesson, and had smacked him across his face, it hurt. Life’s cruel, he thought as he took refuge under his blanket.

Geography was absolutely impossible. Neha gave up on it and started surfing, she was feeling weird. She was extremely fond of herself, was proud of how she looked. Boys. They were always drooling over her. How she hated them. But those eyes kept haunting her. Large, expressive, innocence writ large over them…must be lack of sleep, she laughed at herself..

‘Oh my god, chhotu I met her last week at the theatre, look!! on that hoarding!!!’

‘Oh really! What are you talking about?? It’s Vidya Balan you duffer!

‘Arre yaar, I was joking. You took me seriously??’

But actually he wasn’t. She was everywhere. It felt like he had known her forever and had been waiting for her since time immeomorial. And the wait might last till perpetuity. It was a strange longing. He reveled in it. He was willing to persevere. He knew circumstances were not conducive, that he would turn everything around. He would make himself worth her. He didn’t know how. But he knew he would! ‘Tomorrow’s Friday; I got to wait outside the theatre’ he thought.

‘Hey I’m talking to you!!’ chhotu was shouting literally.

‘Yes chhotu.’

‘Why do you have to live in this locality? It sucks! See that house??

It was the red-bricked structure. He spotted a few gaudy women around as he often had observed. The aroma was intense today. ‘Yes’ he said

‘It’s a brothel. Real nasty place. Things my pa says about it gives me the creeps!! Things those goons do...'

‘What’s a brothel?’

‘Don’t tell me you don’t know…’

Two months had passed by. Ravi was beginning to feel hopeless. Another Friday had passed. Another no-show. He knocked. But the door was already open. There were two people inside. They were threatening his mother.

‘Tell your wretched husband that he has to cough up ten thousand bucks. Within two weeks. If he can’t we have other ways of making up.’

The two guys looked at each other and broke into a hysterical fit of laughter.

Lalita was trembling. ‘He's away to the village for a month. I'll tell him when he's back. But where do we bring the money from?’

‘jahannum theke an. We want the money, that’s it.’ And they rushed out. Ravi felt desperately uneasy. ‘Who were they ma??’

‘Hooligans beta, but you don’t worry. They only threaten.’

But he could tell that ma was worried. He put his arms around her. She was still trembling..

Neha was positive that she had gone bonkers. She had been to the first show of spyman4 .. and there he was, looking at her, unabashed at being spotted, a gleam of contentment streaming out of his eyes. The surprising thing was that she had felt jubilant, her mind awash with ecstasy. Someone deep inside kept telling her that the man of your dreams is before you. And she was beginning to agree. ‘Next day we talk’ she thought!

‘Hey madam, are you with us?? It was Priyani

‘Oh yes I am.’

‘By the way, I noticed the guy had large feet. You know what they say….’

Life surprises you. It does most when you are least expecting it to. But he didn’t care. He had seen affection in her eyes today. His life now had a meaning, a direction. A newfound wave of inspiration grew inside him like a wildfire. He had already planned his immediate future. He couldn’t wait to tell ma.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.!!

Ma was screaming! What could have happened?

He burst into the house. He froze. Ma was sprawled on the ground, crying, begging for mercy; the hooligans were back. He couldn’t hold himself back. A rage, a irrepressible fury propelled him forward. He hurled blows at the blue sweater with all his might. THWACK. The iron rod…His head started spinning as he fell in a heap, the last he saw was the contorted face of his wailing ma. And then darkness descended all around..

It was a dark room. A canopy of rajanigandha descended on the bed.

‘Kire daktar, operation successful ??’

‘Yes s-sure..this is not the first time you know. I must say this one’s good-looking! hehe’

‘s**la! He dared to hit me. Now we shall see what else he’s capable of’

An ugly face showed up at the door. ‘Boss, seems like the bi*** is dead. What should I do?’

‘Bastard! Get the body on the car, dispose it off someplace, what else!! can’t you do even one thing without disturbing me?’

Ravi woke up with a start. He couldn’t understand where he was. A strange numbness was reigning over him. He searched for signs of recognition! The scent of rajanigandha filled his breath, but strangely it felt like something vile streaming in his veins. His hands were tied, he struggled but to no avail, he could barely move. A wave of pain swept over him, he grimaced. He was worried about his ma. He shouted. But what came out was nothing more than a whisper. His throat was dry. Somebody peered in and disappeared. His head was not hurting any longer. The pain was coming from the lower part of his body. It was immense, unremitting. With a hell lot of effort he heaved himself up to find the source. ‘nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The ceiling seemed to have collapsed. He was utterly horrified, his features contorted beyond recognition, he looked around wildly for somebody to provide him with an explanation. For somebody to tell him that this was a nightmare and nothing more. But nobody came. He cried, he struggled, he pleaded, he prayed with all his heart. But no aid came. His head throbbing, he was dying a thousand deaths at once! Satan, had had his say. Ravi had lost his manhood for ever. His lady love could never be his again. He felt an irrepressible urge to peal away and stand in front of her one last time.

WHAM

The door had opened. ‘chalbe chikne, it’s time to work!’………..

this is not a fictitious story entirely..it underlines the sorry state our society is in..i urge the readers to forgive me for publishing this grotesque post..but shouldn't we all do something to help thousands of people avoid the horrific plight of ravi and his mother??why are we so immune,inert??