Chapter 8
The life of Tamra had changed completely after the arrival of Suraj Rathore to that village. He was a very handsome man, with a way with women. He knew how to talk to people and convince them. Poor Tamra, who had never seen any other people except his own villagers felt greatly attracted to him. He was a supervisor in sort of a project for the King Jaimal from Jaipur. It was told that, King Jaimal was the richest man in Rajasthan, his palace measured about a few acres. The King completely trusted Suraj, it was evident from the fact that he was made in charge of the solar project, which was under construction in Dantla.
The King went back to Jaipur and Suraj started his work. He became the star of the village Dantla. He was well dressed, spoke nice English, and was unmarried. For many he seemed to be the most eligible bachelor. So, fathers and mothers having daughters of marriable age started hosting Suraj and tried to please him. He knew his stardom is only valid till he decided whom to marry, so he was procrastinating every proposal. Since Arunika and Tamra fell apart, Arunika started working as a labor in the solar project. She had to prepare tea and food for the men. For that she was given 6 rupees per week.
Tamra's mother saw this as an opportunity to bring her daughter and Suraj closer. Tamra asked for a job, and was given water supply. So, every day, she carried 3 pots of water from the nearby well and filled the drum. She was not supposed to leave the site, because water was an essential thing. When she was sitting under the Pandal, Suraj saw her. He was attracted by her innocence and beauty. He had to supervise the construction and give wages at the end of the day. He had lots of free time. Suraj targeted Tamra, approached her very slowly. They both got on like house on fire. The attraction, crush for each other was visible to all.
One day, Suraj was eating a roti, Tamra had prepared. He kissed her hand and wanted her to kiss him on the lip. Shyness overtook Tamra and she ran towards the closed shed which was kept for changing. After a few minutes with a red face Tamra returned and was very shy to see anyone. Arunika, who was making chai, saw this and got worried. Forgetting about the quarrel, she approached Tamra and said she wanted to talk. Tamra was then completely under the spell of Suraj, did not even realize, Arunika was her best friend. "Tamra! You know you are very beautiful right?" asked Arunika full of concern. Tamra was full of Harmons and that made her giggly. "I know Aru! Why are you saying that?" asked Tamra amusingly. "Listen Tamra! Suraj is not a trustable person, the people who accompanied him from Jaipur say a lot of things about him. Please watch your steps with him." Said Arunika.
Tamra became very grave as this was a serios accusation. "People may talk whatever they want! Do you have proof? How can you say he is not a trustable person Aru? He had promised marriage." Replied Tamra with dreams in her eyes. "Listen Tamra! I don't have proof, I agree, but just think, why those people would lie about him? They are not gaining anything! Ask his parents to meet your Ma!" said Arunika. "Oh! You are silly Aru! He does not have anyone. My mother had already approved of this match, so, it's only a question of time to tie the knot. " replied, Tamra. "That's exactly my point Tamra! He has no one, and your mother is willing, then why not marry immediately? Why to postpone? There I am sensing a foul play!" said Arunika. This made Tamra furious.
"You are talking because you are jealous. Suraj will become the richest man in the village one day, and I will be his wife. That's what making you sense a foul play! You were not talking to me, right? Then why sudden interest in my life? Just to mess it up?" Yelled Tamra. The labors were all looking in their direction. "I promised Birju, to take care of you in his absence, that's why I am even talking to this new greedy, foolish Tamra. Otherwise, I am not bothered!" Hiding her tears, Arunika went to her work place. Her cheeks were burning with tears. She could not believe it was Tamra who spoke to her so rudely! Where was her lovely innocent friend? What caused her to change? Or was she like this and only now she is showing it out? All sorts of feelings crossed Arunika's mind. She cried silently and vowed never to speak to Tamra again.
In the village, Tamra and Arunika had another friend called Trikala. She was a very good singer and could make up songs of her own. She was popular among -the tourists and earned quite a bit. Her marriage was fixed with Arunika's elder brother, Ram. Trikala was very happy about this wedding as Ram was working in Jaipur, and she could move there, which is good for her singing career. After the quarrel, Arunika became close to Trikala, and they both were worried about Tamra. Ram came back from Jaipur, the information he told, about Suraj, made them worry a lot more. "I work at the construction site Trikala. I meet other people. Suraj was a nobody who by deceit had gained the confidence of the King. The King has given him power, and he uses it in a wrong way. They even say, Suraj has an eye on the princess Aditi." When Arunika heard this, a chill ran through her spine. "Aru! What is this? Tamra is hoping to get married to him, and this bugger…" said Trikala with fear in her voice. "What? Tamra? When this happened Aru? He is not to be trusted! This Suraj does not belong to Jaipur you know? He comes the village Khimsar. In Khimsar he married a woman for the dowry, sold the gold and came to Jaipur. After seeing the prospects of becoming son in law to the King, he and abandoned her. The poor girl could not bear this, and consumed poison it seems. But some people say, this was a planned murder. "
Arunika and Trikala were not even able to breath. What a cunning criminal? Why he was behind Tamra? She was not rich. "Trikala! We have to do something, We, can't let Tamra fall into his trap. Can you go and talk to her?" asked Arunika. "Are you kidding? She was friends with you since childhood, if she won't even listen to you! Why would she hear me out?" said Trikala. Yes! She was right! After thinking for some time, Arunika came with a brilliant idea. She told them her plan.
They would call Birju, and ask him to propose to Tamra. Tamra would refuse of course and this news would go to Suraj Rathore and Tamra might become a bit panicky and ask Suraj to marry her soon. Birju and Arunika would go to Tamra's mother and tell her about this rejection, and the talk among the village people. This would make her panicky too, and she would compel Suraj for an early marriage. If he was really willing to marry Tamra, then ok, if he was trying to cheat, he would run away. In either way, Tamra would be saved.
There was silence after the disclosure of the plan. Trikala and Ram looked at each other. "Aru! Plan is very good. But you have not thought about the implications dear!" said Ram to his sister. Arunika knew what he meant. Yes! Birju's feeling would be hurt and hers too! But What to do? After all, Tamra was their friend! Being loyal is one of the qualities of Rajput. "Aru! What about you and your future? Have you thought of that? Papa is looking for a match for you!" said Ram. No answer came from his sister. After a long and tiring discussion, they decided to carry on the plan, Arunika proposed. When she sat down to write a letter to Birju, Arunika's heart was bleeding and crying with pain. Controlling her emotions, she wrote about Suraj and asked him to come fast and save Tamra. Her brother and Trikala also piled on, and insisted to come home quickly.
Two days later Birju was in the village full of anger and anxiety. He blamed Arunika for not taking care of Tamra. This made her furious. She was even sacrificing her own love to protect Tamra, and here he was blaming. "Why don't you go and speak to Tamra? Then you can say whatever you want!" replied Arunika curtly and turned away. Her eyes were moist again. Her heart needed a shadow and a trustable companion, which she could not find. She wanted Birju to understand her and appreciate her efforts, instead he was blaming her. Why her life was so complicated? Why she was not like Ram or Trikala? Even in the chilly wind, her eyes burned.
The next day, Birju went to see Tamra and was told by her mother she was in the construction site. He felt, Tamra's mother was indifferent towards him. When he reached the site, a group of labors were standing and giggling among them. A few he knew but mostly strangers. As Birju approached, they went in their way for work. There was a boy from Dantla, who was carrying cement. "Birju? Oh! You have come to work here! Good!" greeted the boy. After a brief chit chat, he revealed that Tamra had become the laughing stock of the village. Suraj was making her dance like puppet, and she was a willing slave to him. Birju's heart skipped a beat. He did not want to hear more.
As he approached the closed shed, Tamra and Suraj came out giggling. Her dress proclaimed what might have happened there. Birju's blood boiled. His Tamra, his beloved Tamra cheated on him? He could not believe his eyes. Tamra's eyes fell on Birju and she yelled in happiness. "Birju? When did you come back? How nice to see you after a long gap?" Tamra ran to Birju. But he was not in a mood for any chitchat. "Tamra! Do you realize what have you done? You know I love you, and was about to ask you for marriage! But…" his gaze went to Suraj, who was casually watching this.
"Oh! Birju, I never realized you love me. I don't have any feeling for you except for friendship. Please forgive me Birju! My dreams are big. I don't want to confine myself to this village." It was a shock for Birju and he sat down heavily on the chair. "Hey! Whom do you think you are? I am the supervisor, you are just a labor, how dare you sit in my chair?" Asked Suraj pompously. Birju got up and started speaking, but before that Tamra's voice echoed. "No Suraj! You cannot illtreat my friend. He is a labor yes! So am I! Nothing bad in being a labor, apologize to Birju!" said Tamra. "No! I am not going to apologize to any uneducated brat, you speak carefully lady! I don't like ladies advising me! I am Suraj Rathore, not like this Birju or whoever he is." Said Suraj with a twisted smile.
For the first time, Tamra felt her judgement about Suraj may be wrong. Birju went away without saying a word and Tamra also started walking away from Suraj. But he stopped her and held her in his hands. "Look here Tamra! You have to come out of these petty friendships. I know you are like them in all ways. But you are going to marry Suraj Rathore! Remember that, Tamra! We might be living in a big house, may be bigger than this village, you cannot afford to speak to such low people. Above all, don't ever advise me to apologize to this moneyless commoner. I have a class, and I want you maintain that! Will you remember it in future?" said Suraj in a very soft tone. Now Tamra was feeling guilty. "Yes! What Suraj says has a fair point! I am moving up the ladder, it's inevitable to leave behind old friendships and move on further. This does not mean I don't love them. It's just that our lives are going in different direction. "Tamra thought to herself and she was happy again because, for the first time Suraj had talked about wedding. In her happiness she forgot about everything.
Birju went straight to Arunika and stormed out the result. She was expecting a disaster but not this. Birju was fuming and was in the verge of crying. "Birju! Please! Don't jump to conclusions, Tamra." even before Arunika could finish, Birju yelled. "Are you listening? They are sleeping together Arunika! Tamra is sleeping with another man that too before marriage! Everyone is laughing at her! And you want me to keep quite?" yelled Birju at the top of his voice. Arunika got angry and dragged him near a cactus plant. "Birju! I can yell too! Yelling and blaming is not going to help us. Please come to your senses." Said Arunika taking a firm hand. Birju's anger did not subside, but he controlled himself. "That's good! Now listen, Tamra never loved you! You fool! She saw a good friend in you that's all! I wrote to you because she is in grave danger. I know she is sleeping with this man. If the village head knew this, there is going to be a havoc! But before that, we have to make Suraj marry Tamra. That's our plan, see?" said Arunika calmly.
Again, Birju flared up. "You don't know the pain of love Aru! Have you ever loved anyone? Have you ever felt your love for that person crumbling before your eyes? No! You are a machine Aru! You are a calculating and counting Machine! You cannot understand the value the pain of lost love." Cried Birju with tears. Arunika came near him and looked in his eyes.
"Are you asking me? I know all about love, and I have lost it too! What I don't understand is your self - pity! Yes! I understand the pain, ache in the heart, but…according to me if you love a person, you would want them to be happy always. Keep aside your feelings Birju, like I do. We have two options in front of us, one is to sink ourselves in the self-pity and moan and groan for the rest of our life, or make our loved ones happier. Which one are you going to choose?" Asked Arunika. There was a pause as if, Birju was analyzing everything in his mind. "I will help Tamra. Not for her, but for you! You are a very nice friend to have Aru! I wish, I was the lucky person whom you are in love with!" said Birju holding her hands. "Oh! it's you Birju! I love you with all my heart! But this is not the time. Once Tamra gets married to Suraj and when you feel less betrayed, I might tell you!" Arunika told herself. But little did she know, that time was never going to come.