" . . . . . . he looked . . . but . . . he did not see . . . . "
PROLOGUE : '30/12/12'
“ That cool breeze . . . . That soothing drizzle . . . . That crimson dusk . . . That silent solitude.
I still remember all of it! That evening, I had with me, all my wishes ... all my desires ... everything I ever wanted!!
The reason being . . . . . . . . I had HER.
It was after 6 long months of my internship, that I was meeting Neha. She suggested we should take a stroll at Marine Drive and here we were, alone and aloof from rest of the world, amidst rain and thunder, yet bonded strongly, by the sacred bond of . . . love.
We walked hand-in-hand, enjoying those moments of pure bliss, when she broke the ice and demanded ice-cream!!
We walked hand-in-hand, enjoying those moments of pure bliss, when she broke the ice and demanded ice-cream!!
“Ice-cream . . . seriously ? Is this the time ? or the place ? And why the hell was that wretched vendor selling his stupid ice-creams while it was raining... bizarre..!” I thought.
I tried manipulating Neha but 'Madamé Neha', although sweet, was quite stern and firm when it came to her demands!
. She . wanted . an ice-cream .
and her decision was final & binding!
It were these very adorable habits of Neha, which had took my heart away…
Reluctantly, I took my wallet out and headed towards the ice-cream vendor.
A few minutes later, I had returned with her favourite Butterscotch Corneto , when . . . . . . .
W h e n . . . . . . . . . . . . . W H E N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ”
The diary dropped.
*****
‘22 /08 /13’
His hands started shaking . . . . . . his mouth went dry . . . . . . a chill ran down his spine . . . . . . .
He was reading the last written page, when he started losing his senses . . . .
And he kept on muttering . . .
And he kept on muttering . . .
“ no.. no... this couldn’t have happened . . . N O . . . . it can’t be . . . . . . N E V E R . . . . . . .”
A shivering Gopal Chandra stood dumbstruck next to Rahul Chandra, his younger brother, who lay unconscious in the dark Gandhi ward of the mental asylum, in Lucknow’s KGMU Hospital.
*****
It has been eight months since Rahul entered this place . . . . . Eight months of slow and painful resilience.
Ever since Rahul was admitted here and reported mentally unsound, Gopal has been his constant companion - all day, all night!
And it was only due to Gopal's affectionate nursing, his sleepless nights & hungry afternoons, his aching body and of course, his extremely strong-willed heart, that Rahul, who once became a lifeless body, today owns a soul again!
Consequently, a few weeks ago, Rahul started showing signs of memory recovery! He was given this favourite diary of his to pen down, if possible, all that he was remembering like he usually did chronologically, when he was well.
Although Rahul was prone to fits and sudden psychological attacks, yet yesterday morning, something peculiar happened.
He suffered his most extreme and vigorous fit, till date. Doctors tried to calm him down but all in vain. Rahul had almost overpowered the ward boys, when a potent tranquilizer came to their rescue.
Doctors told that the day Rahul was brought here, he underwent a similar trauma, and also that during yesterday’s attack, he held this mysterious diary close to his chest and clung to it, as an infant yearns for its mother ...
*****
“ . . . the prologue . . . . . wasn’t complete . . . ”
‘ 30 /12 /12 ’ contd. . . .
“ That cool breeze . . . That soothing drizzle . . . That crimson dusk . . . That silent solitude.
I still remember ALL OF IT. That evening, I had with me . . . . . . . .
.
. .
. . .
. . . .
Reluctantly, I took my wallet out and headed towards the ice-cream vendor.
Few minutes later, I had returned with her favourite Butterscotch Corneto , when . . . . . . . .
W h e n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W H E N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
.
.
.
.
.
I saw what I couldn't have imagined ever . . . the most horrid sight of my life . . .
.
.
.
"Neha . . . Nehaaaaaaaaaaa . . . . . leave her you bastards ... HOW DARE YOU ....."
pacing, seething, screaming, weeping . . . running hard towards Neha, I felt my heart sink ...
Four men were dragging Neha into a car while she, even though being badly bruised and immensely humiliated, was resisting to the best of her capability.
They were tall, strongly-built rogues and my plump 5ft7inch body was no match for them. But it didn't matter any more.
They had dared to touch my Neha . . . and they shall pay for it.
They were tall, strongly-built rogues and my plump 5ft7inch body was no match for them. But it didn't matter any more.
They had dared to touch my Neha . . . and they shall pay for it.
I pounced on them and managed to reach Neha. Wrapping my body around her, we began running.
But soon we were attacked by sticks and rods, and with every wound the rods made in my body, I could feel my heart shatter to pieces . . . I could feel Neha's hand.. slipping out of mine . . .
. . . each passing moment was tearing my soul apart. I lay there, helpless, maimed, lost, waiting for death ; forced to see her die before my eyes , , , forced to see her bein........I cannot say any more.
Can't express what happened, in words ... tears flood my eyes and grief fills my heart, which now finds no reason to beat any more.
I hope may no one bear or feel the same again ...
I hope may no one bear or feel the same again ...
The sight was, and still is, inexplicable.
The last thing I saw before losing my consciousness was . . .
. .
. .
. .
her favourite . . . her last . . . Butterscotch Corneto ICE-CREAM”
*************
EPILOGUE : “ . . . the story . . . . . isn’t complete yet . . . ”
‘ 30 /12 /12 ’ contd. again . . .
It was not just a-boy-and-a-girl story. It involves another person. A man who loves and cares for his family a lot. A man whose name is not significant and who is not a rapist. A man who is a hero in personal life but now considers himself a big zero in his own eyes . . . whose conscience smote him but a bit too late.
A man who is not a rapist but is no less than one.
A man who behaved just like today's stupid common man, indifferent to things happening around him.
A man who overlooked the eve-teasing of an unknown girl (who happened to be Neha) and passed by while she was waiting for someone, standing alone on a desolate road, surrounded by devils.
A man who looked but did not see.
A man co-incidentally and unfortunately named Mr. Gopal Chandra.
Although his conscience was indeed resurrected when he came to know of the unknown girl he once looked at & ignored, being Neha ;
the question that arises is,
" If he hadn't come to know that the girl was his (to be) family member, would his conscience still have remained dead... "
??
*******************
Yash Chopra used to say, "the greatest creation of The Almighty is . . . a WOMAN"
WHAT A PITY !
The nation which boasts of the world's greatest culture also flaunts, the cheapest mentality.
The nation which seems a powerhouse of intellect also houses the biggest lot of putrefying brains
The nation which wants its citizens to "feel good" actually first needs to teach them how to "FEEL"
how ironic . . . how pathetic . . . how catastrophic . . . and how agitating .
They say "change is the only constant ..."
Its high time we see a change, not just by hoping it but by bringing it about.
And yes, for all those disgrace-to-humanity masculinity-charged animals, calling whom such, would be derogatory even for the animals . . . they should get this very clear -->
women are not as fragile as that ice-cream or as inanimate as a doll ; matter of fact,
they are the oceans of life - serene in essence, unblemished in character, vibrant in nature, mighty in spirit and vicious in rage.
One should never forget - women are what they are, not just by default but by choice. The choice to accept fire for themselves so that the world could be lighted; the choice of accepting a purpose to serve, a duty to do ..... the responsibility of the production, the nourishing and the flourishing . . . of mankind.
One should never dare to forget that it is a woman who is your mother, your sister, your wife, your friend, your daughter . . . and while you wouldn't like to even imagine such an incident with any of these dear ones, what about those females who are unknown or aren't related to you ??
The next time you witness anything indecent or offensive going on with any female near you, be it in a mall, on the road, in a public transport, during an outing, or anywhere else . . . what will be YOUR reaction ?
- Leave her at the mercy of those ill-mannered idiots and wait for them to turn into inhumane beasts... or
- Leave her waiting for law & order restoration... or
- take leave from your hesitation and r e m e m b e r -->
DON'T JUST LOOK . . . SEE AS WELL.
Don't just "SAY NO". Reply too.
