Heaven only brings a duty that is in perfect accord with what your heart loves, for love is thy fuel, thy compass and thy endurance.

Batakrishna Roy Chowdhury had always been very clear about his duties, his profound love for the motherland being his fuel, compass and endurance. He had once asked his brother, on his wedding night, about the meaning of Swa-Dharma, and very simply Anirudh had explained him the correlation of Dharma and Karma, enlightening him with the knowledge to find his true calling. And, Batakrishna Roy Chowdhury, amidst dissecting corpses at the morgue of Calcutta Medical College, had indeed found it... under Satyakirth's guidance, channelising his patriotism into a mission... a mission to free his motherland from the shackles of two hundred years of slavery.
His true calling!
But, somehow, as suddenly as a shower less lightning in a clear blue sky, the age old battle of heart and mind had held him up, his growing feelings towards Mira, and even before that his one night blinding weakness on Candice, and Batuk had derailed from his path, the path that he had so meticulously chosen, the path that wasn't meant for sensuous fulfillment, the path that would have eventually led him to his true Swa-Dharma!

But, a true patriot is one whose heart bleeds only for his country, and Batakrishna was undoubtedly one such, and hence, even when Mira welcomed his advances for the very first time with open arms, he found it only reasonable to politely un-see, resist from the temptations to dive into the abyss of her magnetic beauty, as at that moment, the telegrams held in his hands were the ticking timebomb that needed his undivided attention instead.

Satya had written to him, in their shared codewords, entrusting him with a set of tasks, to be executed with absolute urgency, and Batuk was already a day late. But, not too late, as that night, the faithful son hadn't wasted a single extra minute to set out to fulfill his duties... The duties that would lead his mother one step nearer to freedom!

The letter had also revealed Satya's current location, Mymensing, hinting at the possibility of Bondita being with him, and recalling Officer Davidson's words from earlier that evening, Batuk felt it's sharp pang of terror in his stomach.
Davidson too, was heading towards Mymensing, and Batuk needed to act at once. First, try to persuade the officer to take a detour, and then to make Satya aware of the arrival of this menacing search party.
Batuk had driven his brother's convertible Jeep that night, testing his racing skills on the hardy vehicle, as if racing for life, and the vehicle sprinted like an expert athlete, ready to win the race against time. The relentless rain, the devastating darkness, nothing could act as a barrier and by four forty, along with the first faint rays of the orange sun, Batakrishna was at the Police station, in Calcutta!

"Davidson Saheb?"
Batuk was panting, his hand rested on his waist, and his head held back to draw more air, and infront of him was a desi police guard, enveloped by a veil of drowsiness.

"Sir left." The guard rubbed his eyes and sat upright.

"When?"
Batuk felt a blow of terror in his pit.

"An hour ago."

"Do you know where?"

"Ofcourse, everyone knows... He's taken full force with him, heavily armed... He's going to Mymensing." He paused to yawn, and he stretched his eyes to look at the suited gentleman carefully.
"Do you want to file a..."

But Batuk hadn't waited to hear him complete, as his Jeep had sped up like a ferocious cheetah, zooming along the Grant Trunk road in it's maximum speed.

Drive faster Batuk... You've already wasted an entire day!
His mind nudged him.

Batakrishna had made his first stop at their old house in Calcutta, the early morning masons appointed by his uncle were just about to begin with their day's repair work, and after spending an hour at the attic, digging on some old papers, and money, Batuk had set out again, his next stop being the Calcutta Jewish Bakery.

"Chotu, a cup of tea." He parked himself at his regular table, and the small boy came running to him at once.

"Batuk Da... Police... They've taken Dadu last night." Chotu had neared him and hushed, pretending to clean the table with the torn check gamcha hung around his neck, and Batuk eyed the place cautiously at once, nodding his head slowly, careful enough to avert any eye of suspicious that might be looming on them.

"Calm down." He had murmured instead, smiling rather broadly.

"They are everywhere, at the empty hide-house too, they are guarding this place day and night... Some of them come here to eat as well."
Chotu added and Batuk nodded his head and smiled.

"Don't worry... They won't be able to touch us..." Batuk half yawned and half whispered, raising his arms up his head pretending to flex his muscles, and then on the pretext of as if something had fallen from his pocket, he made a chucking sound from his mouth and bend down to pick it up from under the table. Sensing the cue, Chotu too had bend down under the table, as subtly, very subtly Batuk shoved a small chit inside his pocket.

"Ginger tea for Choto Daktar Babu."
Chotu had grinned happily at him, yelling at the kitchen counter, as in a minute, a freshly brewed cup of tea was kept infront of him.

"Nine o clock, two police came for breakfast." Chotu had murmured, while placing the tea on the table, the suppressed fear and tension clear in his voice, and Batuk pulled out two coins from his pocket and tossed it at him.

"I'll free your Dadu soon." He whispered.

The day at the Central Calcutta Post Office begins at six, and calculating the time, Batuk had left the bakery shop exactly at five-forty five.

Fifteen minutes should be enough to drive to the post office through the empty morning street.
He reckoned.

The first telegram was addressed to a man called Dwarkadhish, with an urgent tag, to be delivered at Mymensing Post office by noon. The second was addressed to Girish Lahiri, with some money, to be delivered at the Dhaka Post office, and as Batuk scribbled the third telegram, handing it to the post master, he raised his lazy morning eyes and skimmed his face suspiciously.

"This one is urgent too?"
He asked with a little annoyance, and Batuk took out the additional telegram charges and kept it infront, adding a tip of another two rupees with it.

The post master frowned, but picked up the money quickly.
"Name?"

"Srimati Maya Patronobish."
Batuk replied calmly, and then his voice became a little heavy.
"Wife of Late Ramcharan Patronobish."

The post master looked up.
"And the sender would be anonymous?"

"Yes. She's a very proud lady, won't take help if she knew whose sending."
Batuk sighed and the post master stamped the telegram at once.

"You sure this is the right address? It looks like a saree store, but..."

"It is." Batuk kept two fresh hundred rupees note on the table, and added another five rupees to it."
"The two hundred goes to the widow, and the five is to do the job as fast as it can be."
He had added, before storming out of the office room, leaving behind the oscillating hinges of the door, and the gaping man seated infront.

"Gangaram..." The post master had shouted, "These three telegrams, urgent... " He screamed, as his fingers very carefully picked up the five rupees note, his eyes reflecting its image, shining with greed.

Batuk was driving home, successfully completing all the tasks that Satya had entrusted him with. Sending communication to Girish Da, check, contacting Charandas through the bakery, check, and finally sending a word and money to Maya, check too.
He had never met her, but he had known her forever, Ramcharan Da's wife, a very talented, intelligent lady, and after Ramcharan's martyrdom at the RayBahadur palace bombardment, Maya Debi had stepped up to fill her dead husband's shoes actively.
They were of same age, Ramcharan Da and Maya, met at a Swadeshi meeting, and going against her family she had married him in secrecy, or so Batuk had heard.

What a love story!
Batuk thought, and suddenly, to his utter astoundment the thought of the word love drifted his attention back to a beautiful face, her trembling drawn eyelids, her long dark fluttering eyelashes, her red rosy lips with just the hint of smile he needed...
Mira!!
Batuk smiled to himself, his face flushed unknowingly, as he finally pulled the jeep infront of their Haweli at Tulsipur.

"Batuk, good that you're here... I've something to..."

It was eleven, and Trilochan was seated at the couch, sipping tea and scanning a few expense reports, as he looked up at once sensing the arrival of his youngest.

"Not now Kaka... I'm damn sleepy... I feel like I'll first faint and then die of hunger in my sleep!"
Batuk threw his boots at two different directions, as he neared his uncle's table and picked up three English biscuits from his saucer.

"Eat properly." Trilochan smacked on his knuckles gently, and smiled.

"Koeli... O Koeli Didi... What's for breakfast?" He yelled out loud, tossing his coat on a chair, and with his left hand he opened the lid of of a brass serving pot and took out two piping hot luchi from it.

"Arey arey... Careful Batuk...!" Trilochan yelled at him, rolling his eyes, but Batuk had already stuffed the entire food in his mouth, struggling to chew, his eyes threatening to pop out of their sockets.

"Ohh! Boroboudidi... This is what you have left me with..." Trilochan sighed dramatically, as he hastily got up from his seat and walked towards him, holding a glass of water to his lips, and Batuk grinned like a two year old, with food in his mouth, as he drank the water at once, gulping the food with it.

"You desparately need a guardian Batuk...A wife!" Trilochan smiled fondly at him, ruffling his unkempt hair, showering his fatherly affection on him, as Batuk shook his hand off and pulled out the tie roughly from his neck.

"I need two wives Kaka..." He almost slithered away from his uncle and ran to the stairways.

"Wild!!!" Trilochan let out a chuckle and Batuk turned around, winking naughtily at the old man.

"Exactly Kaka... hence, one would never be enough to tame me."

Trilochan laughed silently, slowly returning back to his seat, as Batuk's playfully words faded in the staircase, leaving a warm feeling in his heart.

"Atleast his nephew didn't deny for the marriage this time!" He exhaled happily.

*****

"Oie... What are you doing here?"
Batuk yawned loudly, pushing the door of the study, as his eyes fell on the girl seated on a floor cushion, with a book in her hand.

"Reading." Bhargavi looked up and smiled brightly at him, and before Batuk could speak, she raised her left hand up and flashed a dozen of radiating blue glass bangles at him.

"Thank you so much Choto Zamindar Babu, I love them."
She bit her lower lip bashfully and casted her gaze down from his face to the shiny blue bangles.

Batuk arched his brows..
"Where did you get those?"

"Mira Didi gave me... A full one dozen!"
She adjusted the fat spectacles on the bridge of the nose and smiled again.
"She said, you bought these bangles for us, one each dozen! And Choto Zamindar Babu, I can't express how happy I am, I've never received any such gifts ever... "

Batuk suddenly felt the moisture in her voice, and the abrupt unhappiness that had risen in his heart at the knowledge of this unannounced sharing, faded away instantly. Those bangles were the symbol of his first surrender to Mira, and yet she had shared them with this girl! But, again, looking at Bhargavi's innocent face, painted with emotions and happiness, Batuk couldn't help but feel a tug in his heart.

It was definitely a mistake on his part... How on earth did he not buy anything for this little girl waiting back at home!

"They look beautiful on you Bhargavi..." He had smiled back, putting the stack of post office receipts inside the drawer for which he had entered the study, and Bhargavi got up from the floor and walked slowy towards him.

"Guava?" She smiled and held out her hand, a freshly plucked fruit in it, and Batuk's eyes shone at once.

"Ofcourse!' he almost snatched it from her hand and pierced his teeth in its soft white flesh.
"Delicious!" He grinned dreamily.
"Accha Bhargavi, where is your Mira Didi now?"
With the fruit in his hand and sleep in his eyes, Batuk had yawned again, munching the guava happily, and as prepared to leave, Bhargavi inhaled sharply and held the glass bangles close to her chest, as if to internalize the melody of their music... His question aided as a sweet ornamentation in between.
"Waiting for you, upstairs!" She had breathed the words, smirking naughtily.

*****

Batuk hadn't visited Mira, instead he had hopped the stairs and reached his bedroom, spreading himself on the bed with a loud thud. He still wore the trousers, socks, and the shirt was half way unbuttoned, but soon all of these became a distant concern as Batuk's heavy eyelids closed down, taking him to a land of peaceful dreams, a dream where Satya Da was a renowned doctor, and Mira was a beautiful maiden studying in a college.
He smiled in his sleep...

*****

It was only before lunch that Batuk had opened his eyes, feeling lazy. And after a bath, as he was changing, Koeli entered with a plate of luchi and tarkari.

"Zamindar Babu said you must be tired, hence I got these upstairs." Koeli smiled fondly at the boy, and Batuk took the plate from her at once.

"Koeli didi, do you remember feeding me ever a couple of years ago."
Batuk pouted his lips at the middle aged woman in a loving demand and Koeli smiled brightly as she took the plate back from his hand, placing it on a small stool instead.

"Yes, I remember... I've been feeding you since you were born Choto Dadababu..." She touched Batuk's chin lightly, and let out a sharp sigh.
"But, you grew up too fast, such a big doctor now... And now all I wish is to see you settled."
Koeli was smiling, as a soft drop of emotion rolled down the corner of her eye, and Batuk wiped it with absolute tenderness.

"Koeli Didi... I'm not yet a doctor, but the day I am, I'll still be your small Batuk... Shotti!"

Batuk grinned at her, and the woman kissed her own fingers, touching them to Batuk's forehead inturn.

"Eat, Choto Dadababu, I'll have to go, I've a lot of work today."

"Why?" Batuk whined, and Koeli turned around at the door.

"Guests coming this evening." She widened her eye and held the loose end of her white saree up to her lips, giggling bashfully, and Batuk pouted his lips and narrowed his eyes, concentrating on the food.

"Guests coming this evening..." He chewed the food and mimicked Koeli's last words, and suddenly the word made him recall about someone... Someone whose thought was the last sane memory lingering in his head before he had fallen asleep... Someone, whom he had to meet right now....!!
Immediately...

"Mira...!" Batuk blushed instantly.

.........................................

Hey all, I'm done writing the next chapter. But I'll post only after I get 7 more followers... I'm stuck at a particular number like forever!!
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