Chapter 26:
Tamra opened her eyes slowly. "Where is Birju?" she asked as she saw the sanyasi near her. "Stay clam my child! Just try to remember things and ask me questions" said the Baba with affection. All was very confusing for her. She perfectly knew she was Tamra Rathore daughter of Mihir Rathore from Jaipur. But now her mind and body felt she was Arunika. The love she had for Birju, the friendship and loyalty she felt towards Tamra everything came rushing to her. A deep pain of losing Birju made her eyes moist. At the same time a fire was going on in her mind.
Tamra was not at all sure she was sane. How could one possibly explain her state of mind. Roaming in the desert had affected my brain. Wait wait…why I was roaming in the desert in the first place? Her head felt like it would split into pieces. Slowly she remembered about Ravi and their escape to Jaipur. Yes of Course, Someone tried to kidnap me. She looked at the sanyasi.
"Baba! I am so confused? Is there anything you would like to tell me? Asked Tamra in a small voice.
"I am always ready to clear any doubts up to my knowledge. What explanation do you want child?" asked the baba getting up.
"I feel I am Arunika! It is not possible as I know I am Tamra Rathore. Do I have multiple personality disorder?" asked Tamra with fear.
"No dear! Not at all! Your mental health is excellent. You have realized who you were in the previous birth. Since that revelation happened you will feel odd that you have the feelings of Arunika. No wonder you feel confused." Said the sanyasi.
Tamra needed some time to process all these information. She is not a mental patient. That was a great relief. Suddenly she felt a presence near her. Someone who loved her and someone whom she loved was near her. A nostalgic feeling erupted. A lump was caught in the throat. She knew her best friend Tamra was there. "Tamra" a whisper escaped her lips. There was a sob. The sanyasi went out of the shamiana in which Tamra was sleeping.
"Please don't cry Tamra! You have cried enough! Come before me!" asked Tamra . She felt no fear, only a happy reunion was in her mind. The air in the shamiana felt very hot. Then before her eyes, a figure as if made of pure white cotton or wool appeared. A sob escaped from Tamra. "Tamra! My friend! She sobbed and ran near the figure. She wanted to hug her. But the figure went away from her.
"Are you angry with me Tamra?"
"Never I could be angry with Aru! You should not touch me Aru! My touch could burn you down." Said the figure with pain in her voice.
"I know! I remember all! That Rascal has burnt us all. I know you are here to take the vengeance. I will help you!" said Tamra as Arunika.
"We all need vengeance Aru! Thank Goodness that the sanyasi could hear and feel my presence." Said the figure.
"What should I do Tamra? Please tell me!"
"I cannot stay in this form for a long time Aru! My vengeance is burning me as well. You speak to the Sanyasi and arrange things. I cannot tell you more" with a big cry the figure vanished.
"Don't go Tamra! Please come back. I need you in my life!" cried Tamra. But only a cool breeze was the answer.
Tamra sat down and cried as her heart will explode. Why us? What we did? In the desert, with a meagre income we were so happy. Tamra could have married Birju and could have lead, a happy life. But everything was thrashed in a very cruel way. Tamra cried for herself as Arunika.
The sanyasi came back and patted her head. "Gather your self Arunika! There is no time to lose. We have plans to make."
Tamra looked at him with confusion. "Yes dear! We have a lot to talk and discuss. Thank God we have friends to help us!" said the Sanyasi.
Trikala and Kamal entered the shamiana. On seeing Birju she could not control herself. Ran to him and threw herself on him. A bewildered Birju hugged her without understanding anything. Trikala approved this and smiled. "Remember me Aru! Your brother's wife?" asked Trikala.
Tamra looked at her as if looking for the first time. "Bhabhi! It's you? How can I forget you?" she hugged her too.
"This means, you have remembered you were Arunika?" Asked Birju still in a haze.
"Why don't you people come inside the shamiana? We have no time to lose. We will chit chat all we like after our mission is accomplished" said the Sanyasi in an urgent tone. This was the second time he was mentioning the time and its limited availability. The three entered the shamiana.
"Aru! How did you recognized?" asked Trikala.
"I don't know Bhabhi, when I saw a man looking exactly like Ravi, and was trying to kidnap me, I was petrified. At that moment Tamra came and did something. Whether it was Tamra? Or the Sanyasi I don't know, the imposter was sank in the sand. As I watched him, a wave of repulsive memories came back to me like a flood. I don't even remember what I was doing. When I got up this morning, then I realized I was Arunika in my previous birth."
Everyone looked at her with fear, love and respect.
"Where is Ravi?" asked Tamra.
"Oh! She had gone to drop my sister off at her house. "Said, Kamal smiling.
Again, Tamra got confused.
"Wedding is over? I did not know?" said Tamra.
Sanyasi explained everyone about their planned escape, but sudden turn of events, Arunika roaming in the desert, Ravi calling for help.
"You have been sleeping for almost 36 hours Tamra! " Informed the Sanyasi. Tamra was taken aback. 36 hours? She slept?"
But the sanyasi did not give much time for the musings.
"Listen children! I have very important thing to tell you! We have only 4 days left till the full moon. If our mission is not over by then, then …" he showed his hands at the sky and said "He only could save us".
"What is our mission Baba? What have we to do?" asked Tamra eagerly.
"I was waiting for this moment! I was waiting to hear it from you Tamra!" said the Sanyasi in a heavy voice.
"Please tell us Babaji" asked Trikala humbly.
"We all know how old Tamra, Birju and Arunika were murdered by a cruel man. Tamra is still here. She is caught in between. Her fury, passion for living, deceit by Suraj had made her extremely powerful but at the same time she could not go to the other world like other people do when they die. Her fury is burning her. She is in eternal pain." Stopped the sanyasi and cast a glance at a corner. Tamra could feel her friend there. But did not tell anyone.
"I know! What old Tamra wants is vengeance! We have to bring Suraj here and make him repent for his evil deed. We will avenge for Tamra! Then her soul could go to the next world! Right?" Said Kamal.
There was a silence after this comment. He was correct, but to Tamra, it looked as if she had forgotten something.
"It's not the vengeance of Tamra I am worried about. said the Sanyasi in a cool voice.
Trikala jumped. Kamal was looking with an open mouth.
"Yes! Old Tamra's vengeance is not as easy as you people think. She wants the entire Rathore family to perish. Which includes unfortunately our young Tamra here." Said the Sanyasi.
At that time, a vision, whether one can call it a vision or the life relived not sure. Tamra felt the heat of fire. Suddenly she was inside the burning hut.
There was commotion everywhere. Tamra was crying and begging to be removed from the hut for the sake of her baby. But Suraj was deaf enough to ignore her. Arunika felt furious and took out a burning bamboo threw in his direction. He dodged it somehow and started laughing. She called the Tantric Baba. "You are a Baba! Please let Tamra out. She is pregnant! I will die here if you want." Begged Arunika with tears. But the tantric baba was adamant.
Suddenly Arunika felt like she was gifted with tremendous power. She screamed. "If you don't let my friend out with Birju, you know I can destroy you!" At this the Tantric Baba was rattled. He looked at Arunika. "You have got the Sakthi of Maa Kali. Oh My God! What Have I done? Meddling with the child of Maa Kali? I will help the pregnant girl to come out" shouting he tried to come in side. But before that both Birju and Tamra had given up fight and succumbed to death. Tamra's beautiful body charred beyond measures. Birju lay there with a fear in his face. Arunika wanted to scream and kill both men. "You will die this very minute Tantric. It's my curse. It's the curse of Kali." Yelled Arunika.
Suraj was still laughing, and suddenly his laughter stopped as he saw two figures approaching. They weer Ram and Trikala. He wanted all dead before they reached the house. If Arunika spoke, he would be in danger. Taking a heavy stick he approached her. "You want to come out? I will let you!" saying, Suraj unlocked the door. Like a wind Arunika came out. But before she could realize, the heavy stick hit her head badly and she fell down. "I won't leave you Suraj Rathore! I won't Leave you! " yelling Arunika died with her eyes open.
"Relax Aru! That was long back! And, that is over. Relax" Kamal's voice brought Tamra back to her senses. She was in the hands of Kamal who was stroking her hair. "Oh Birju! It was a terrible thing!" cried Tamra shivering. But others could not understand.
"Better tell them about what you saw!" suggested the sanyasi. Taking the cue, Tamra told everything. When she finished, Trikala jumped from her place. "Every word is true! Arunika was dead not inside the hut, but outside. We thought while trying to escape she died." Said Trikala with force.
"The cruel devil" Tamra grinded her teeth in fury.
"But Babaji! Tamra was the one who was cheated on. But why she?" Kamal left the question incomplete.
"Tamra was feeling guilty than sorry. She was feeling bad for not listening to Arunika, she was feeling bad for dragging you people into this. That was why she was not able to move on. Her fury at the death of her friends made her very powerful, but her pregnant state made her vulnerable. That was why she was waiting all these years to take her vengeance. Kamal was very rattled as how young Tamra is going to survive this test?
"I will turn a blind eye towards my grandfather who deserves death from the hands of old Tamra" announced Young Tamra.
Again, there was a silence. "There is no time loose Babaji" Tamra could hear a pathetic voice.
"Please continue Babaji! We have no time to lose!" said Tamra.
"Yes Babaji! You were telling us about our mission." Said Kamal.
With an eye on Tamra, the Baba continued.
"We have two missions, both are interlinked. We have to avenge for old Tamra, at the same time liberate her to the other world. Both are equally important. Old Tamra now is in agonizing pain. We have to set her free of her burning soul on the full moon day, when the moon is at the mid sky. One minute delay could mean permanent torment for old Tamra!" said the Baba.
"Then first let us do that. I don't want Tamra to suffer even after death. Poor soul she was" said young Tamra with tears in her eyes.
"That is possible only when we avenge Suraj" replied Baba.
Three of them stared at him unbelievingly.