Chapter 4 Happy Days Are Here Again.

Madhuri

@Viswasruti

                                                                                   Happy Days Are Here Again!

With a trident in her hand, they saw a Durga in her. She approached for divine strength and  Maa bestowed her with courage.  She was the embodiment of power now,  the self - realization at that moment made her a decisive warrior. Resham Singh invited his death to marry him,  it embraced him with both hands in the form of Trident.

Sagarika lighted the lamp in front of  Devi Maa, a resolution in her eyes, with stern looks picked up the trident and...stabbed Resham with it. A wail from the goon, silence for a while ,and then everybody gazed in awe at Saagz!

"What did you do Bahu?" Amma scared.

"It was inevitable  Ammaji, to eliminate evil spirit, I have to follow  Ma Durga's instruction. This is the only solution to end all our miseries"-she said with a decisive voice.  

Police arrested Saagarika and filed a criminal case. For a few days, it occupied prime time on Indian television. When a goon harassed a girl and made her life miserable, nobody bothered about it! But, when that girl as a last resort, reacted and retaliated, then the police and media are paying full attention and political big wigs started discussing it in the parliament as well.

When the case came to court for the hearing, there was nothing much to do for a public prosecutor to argue in favor of the murdered hooligan, because there are many cases pending on his name and it was a well-established fact that he was a womanizer and ruthlessly, publicly lured, harassed, molested and raped many in the past and escaped from punishment under the cover of his influential father's political power .- a criminal by nature!

Defense lawyer proved the murder of SP was committed by Resham from Duryodhan's testimony, and proved the motive behind that murder was to own Saagarika by hook or crook.

" Knowing fully well that she was married and not willing to see even his face, still he tried to own her --  there was a whole lot of arguments in between accused and the deceased to escape from his cruel clutches. In that process, she used the divine arm to punish him, to defend her chastity and self -pride. Police helped the criminal throughout and snubbed Saagarika at every level, the only officer who helped her was the SP who was murdered by Resham in the police station when she was on duty. After examining the facts and eyewitnesses' statements, it is clear that the victim is in fact Saagarika and not the murdered man. I request the jury to re-examine all the causes which led to this murder and declare my client innocent and acquit  her from all the charges, and release her from the jail "

Judge Sneha Love closed her eyes for a moment and immersed in her thoughts, then started talking. She is famous for her unbiased and sound judgments.

" Sagarika's brave deed rendering an alternative model of female potential and empowerment,  ultimately it is focusing on her longing for peace, liberation, and realization of today's women against suppression.

In today's perspective a woman has to deal with the situation in a tactical way . She has to safeguard  her dignity . In that process, in such unavoidable circumstances, Sagarika has taken the ultimate decision of eliminating the demon. It is not a planned crime, as the last option, she committed this mistake.

The need of the hour is freedom from rigid laws, not to punish the victim, we have to search new ways to do justice to the innocent girls who want to live happily in their safe nests, but they are dragging out by goons to douse their lust in different ways. A radical change is needed to rectify the social evils in this society!

Sagarika brought that change with courage, led from the front. Why do women have conditional choices? Living through a shameful chain of events? For the suffering women, this is high time to be assertive, be a decision taker /maker, not a mute spectator. In self-defense, she has taken that drastic step. After examining all facts and findings, and after carefully scrutinized the statement of the approver  Duryodhan, I reached to this conclusion that  Sagarika punished  Resham in self-defense, it is not a murder,  I am pronouncing her not guilty, and acquit her from all charges and order her release with a token amount as penalty. This case taught us many truths. I lost my close friend[SP ] in that process  " ---she wiped her tearful eyes, and put on her glasses again and went into her chambers.

Thunderous applause in the courtroom. A sigh of relief on the faces of the Mishra family.

Sagarika expressed her gratitude to the Judge.

"Sagarika, I want to see you as an achiever, not as a docile witness, love to see you as a pathfinder to march forward,  you must be a trendsetter. Be happy with your spouse and I will be there to appreciate your every future pursuit "---she blessed her.

Duryodhan was standing in a corner till then and before taken away by police, he went to Saagz and asked for pardon. "  On that day,  my wife put my 2-year-old daughter in my hands and asked me, if that Resham asked to marry your daughter tomorrow or after 20 years, do you assist him like this? How can I face this world, they are asking me, --- 'is  it true that  your husband is  assisting that rowdy in every rape and murder ?'---with tears she expressed her anguish .-- I realized my mistake, so I put my  Gun down while you stabbed him, I  allowed him to face his fate and later turned as an approver, to reveal all the truths in SP's murder and your kidnap, etc; sorry Behan, if possible please pardon me "-said these words and went away.

Happy days are here again for Mishra family .  In Ratna's marriage, instead of receiving the Baaratis, Pappu and Rani danced laboriously in the bridegroom's Baarat, Ammaji and Daadi tried their best to stop them, but in vain. While performing Kanyadan, there was a clash erupted between Ammaji and  Mishraji, and they went inside leaving the marriage midway to settle their scores. Daadi asked Buva and uncle to do the honors, but uncle denied to that offer because, while receiving the guests, in her over-enthusiasm,  his wife marched forward with full strength, while doing so, she slipped and fell on him and he lost his balance and consequently hurt his back, unable to stand, so sat in a corner.

The bridegroom was eager to finish the marriage ceremony in a hurry so that he could run away with his bride to honeymoon.

At last Daadaji and Daadi finished the formality and blessed the couple to live happily forever just like them, for which Ratna was shocked!

Judge SnehaLove graced the occasion, enjoyed the festivities and feast, blessed the couple, and hugged Saagarika  ..

Indian weddings are truly spectacular in their lavishness.  That evening, they all went to River Ganga to perform the Ganga Arti, to get blessings from the Divine river.

By the famed Ghats of the Benaras,, amidst loud chants, glimmering Diyas in the waters, and aroma of fresh flowers and incense filled the air and left them mesmerized at that moment.

Saagz looked deeply into the eyes of Bunty. He got the message, and stood close to her, she whispered into his ear," do you remember? The first time we met on this riverbank, instantaneously I realized that you are my man!" -She pressed his hand.

" Ha, Sagarika, that day  I  observed you from the corner of my eyes,  your lovely eyes hugged my bare chest,  mesmerized me with your beautiful smile, swallowed me with your longing looks, pulled me towards you with your thoughts,  all of a sudden the mirrors started whispering your name, Shadows started showing your image instead of mine, time stood still, I lost myself to you, but today with your presence in my life  I am complete today. How lucky I am! I asked for a beautiful flower and got a colorful garland. " He put his arm around her waist, she immediately covered his hand under the wrap of her Pallu.

" Bunty,  we are the true color of Love, the shining side of Romance!  Love is lucky to have us as it's rulers !"- she spoke in a whisper.

" Then come on Sagz, let us turn ourselves as the masters of  Romance. His fingers entwined with hers and there was a change, eyes conveyed many messages and hearts stirred up with emotional longings.

They were the first ones to start home in their car and last to reach, in between many things that happened that night.

I lost myself to your love, but gained your love in return,  by gaining you I got the real meaning of life!

Who said these words to whom is irrelevant here, because love is so vast that, difficult to differentiate. 

Edited by Snehamadhuri - 5 years ago