Love Vs Caste

15th July morning I got a call from my childhood best friend Anukul and I was asked to meet him same day evening and he went on to say it was urgent.

Hung up.

I was thinking what would be the matter and I hadn't met him since 6 years. After half an hour later my mobile flashed.

There was a notification "New message from Anukul Best Friend”. Sooner I opened the lock, message popped up as expected saying Botanical Park, Somaziguda. Again new message notification and it read "6PM will be waiting”. And I replied "Sure will be there by 6:05".

Silent ceremonial of setting sun was revealing in all its glowing splendor. Park looked even more beautiful in that twilight. Finally I met my friend after a long time when shook hands with him I came to know something serious seeing the intensity in his eyes.

We exchanged our formal washings each other. I came to topic "said something important?”.

Reply was "Do you remember the girl named Suma in our school. Same section?". "Yeah I do. I can remember once you had crush over her during our school days" I replied with the choking voice sarcastically. I went on to inquire about her. “What had happened to her?”. I haven't heard about her in recent times.

He replied: “I am sorry, I have hidden this with you this long and I paid for it".

"I didn't get. What did u hide with me" I asked.

In his own words....

U might have remembered I had propose her during our school once. But though she was interested in me she didn't agree and said sorry Anukul I am leaving this school as my dad got transfer to new city. I thought she has Come into my world as memory like birds to the nest in tree to be scattered next morning. And I forgot her. As we all perused different paths she joined TTC and I joined B.Tech and u Science as well.

When I was in 3rd year once I visited my village for semester holidays. I was quite surprised to see her there in our school teaching kids of our village. Seeing me there she was also amazed. We remembered all our school days and have had a superb fun spending whole day at school together. We have exchanged our phone numbers. I bade a good bye for that day as I was supposed to go somewhere else. Any how I felt superb feelings that can't be expressed. I thought I forgotten her but I realized that day I haven't lost that zeal for her inside my heart. Suddenly my heart buried inside all prisons of responsibilities came out and started dreaming about her.

I messaged her "Good night. HAPPY to have u in my world back".

It was already late so didn't expect the reply but astonishingly I got a reply saying "same here. Even I was thinking about u. Thank u". "Why thank you?" I replied. In reply" I was hesitating to message u but u have started”. We went on to chat for a long time.

 Finally I messaged "Though I have met u after a long time I am feeling same happiness and same feel for u".

Continued...

Slowly time was passing by and friendship bond was getting stronger. They really shared an intimate bond, they were as honest on every issue as they were mirror image of each other. So when slowly and steadily they started developing soft corner for each other both of them accepted the fact and decided to move forward, maybe it was destined to be like that.

They started cherishing their relationship more. They had small fights, patch ups, long talks, gifts, and above all lot of care, support and trust for each other. When they were together they forget the world and were really very happy with each other. As the time was passing joy and fear both were developing as her dad started looking for wedding matches. He is more concerned about the caste so suma couldn’t talk to her dad as she is afraid of listening to No.

It was the time when Anukul is struggling for job…Somehow Suma’s brother Charan got to know about their love. So Suma did talk to him about her love and all . He replied he would talk to dad and took Anukul’s phone number.

Charan called anukul and warned him to forget his sister as there is no hope of Yes from his dad. Suma’s dad took it very serious and arranged engagement in a week of time from that day and both were threatened and warned to forget each other and advised to move on.

“They just didn't want her to marry him. They said they would kill both of them, they would never let them get married."

Why two lovers would be threatened by the social issues like caste discrimination even in this era of Facebook where people are connected with the world in every way possible. How pity it is to know that it still existed in the country of 68 years of freedom.

And here in rural India lovers from families who would rather kill their kids than suffer the social stigma of an unsuitable match, and from the Panchayathis, the notorious village caste councils that rule on who can and cannot marry and regularly pass sentence of death on those who refuse to accept their rules.

While Suma and her Anukul are blackmailed in the name of moral hypocrisy

Caste, Love was the only reason to all of their vulnerability, rebelliousness and strength. Caste is pushed aside

They both eloped and got married in order to keep their love alive. Whole day was busy with the plans of secret wedding and stay and all.

Day passed Inside, with curtains drawn, the two stand, shy and awkward. Within seconds, they are in bed, in the throes of what is obviously their first passionate, sexual encounter. Her lips were shivering as two virgin girls responding to the chill… That was the first time he discovered women’s whole body is erotic…Surrendered each other and they made love in such a way there were two bodies with only one soul. That was such a sacred experience of resonance between two bodies.

Couple were together for couple of days, Suma waking up next to the person she belongs to murmured “if this is not the bliss then what?” not knowing how her destiny is going to nail her beautiful life.

It was like Bolt from blue to read the head line on newspaper “Man suicide of facing social stigma as daughter elope with the low caste guy” showing her dad’s photo on the first page. Cried and cried a lot. News added his son charan’s says He was very frustrated and depressed as his daughter’s affair with untouchable guy damaging their family’s status and reputation in the community. As community people are pressurizing him to bring her back or kill her in the name of honor killing. He did suicide news concluded.

This act of her dad pierced her heart as sharp knife. Started questioning about society she is living .How come a person attempt suicide leaving all the people to suffer if one chosen to live with the person she likes. It is a reflection of just how tightly caste still holds India in its grip that a group such as the Communities even ready to kill their kids if they are threat to their so called prestige. It is a mark of just how conservative many Indians still are in their attitudes towards caste.

She wondered why our society does not accept love. There is a social stigma involved in a boy and girl in love. And understood that in every nook and corner of the country there are couples under threat.Decided to fight against caste inequity.

Suma left a letter on the table on which Anukul leave his glasses before going to sleep and moved to her city where she was school teacher before all this happened.

Letter as follows,

Why making people to suffer for lifelong when u can forget that having cried for few days alone.

As a teacher If succeed in this mission I believe I can change one generation…practically it may not be possible but I would love to try. Though I am staying with the beautiful people around me and a wonderful person like u still I feel lonely .I wonder loneliness is not just to our physical presence, sometimes we are alone even in crowd.

U are Sin^2 and I am Cos^2 I believe we together make it one u said…

Now destiny made me to say this “U are sec^2 and I am Cos^2 being separated also we can make one”

Please forgive me I am going to fight against the Odd. Whatever I achieve in the life, be it however I don’t think that would be happier than the days I have spent with you and Ur thoughts. Whenever I feel like I have achieved what I wanted or whenever I feel it is incomplete without you…The very moment I would call you to take me into your life. Till then I would try to not think of u and hope u forget me and follow your dreams.

                                                                       Ur’s

                                                                Suma Anukul.

Caressing her photo on newspaper which published her fight against caste discrimination and the politicians supporting cast based politics, He was telling all the consequences and sufferings they have gone through to keep their love alive. While telling all that sufferings they bravely suffered unknowingly his eyes filled with the tears and mine as well.

Instead of consoling that ripen heart with the same irritating words like take it light and all I chose to take his hand into my arms and remained silent for some time. When words can’t console some one’s pain definitely silence can. Silence is ever speaking.

After a long silence…breaking that silence I said “Anukul, Whatever happened is happened and it’s all over now. I don’t think that there is any chance of her coming back into Ur life. You are also well settled in life now, why don’t you move on? . Think about it once.

He replied…

Why don’t we believe in words of our beloved girl after all when we believe in the god whose identity is never proved?

To be continued…

                                                                 ©....Arya....