ShriRam: Beauty may leave the moon,
Himalayas may become bereft of snow,
The ocean may transgress it's shore,
But, I'll never violate the promise given by our father.

Lakshman: Then take me with you. I'll be your shadow. I'll follow you to the end of the world and beyond.

ShriRam: What about your Dharma?

Lakshman: You are my Dharma!
( Lakshman turns to Sita.)

Mata, let this stubborn child accompany you, let me serve you.

Sita: A veena cannot exist without its strings, a chariot cannot exist without its wheels, and a woman's happiness can never exist without the companionship of her beloved husband.
RaghuPati, I'll go with you too, and so would your brother Lakshman.
For, it is our Dharma to follow you.

*********************

There wasn't a single soul whose eyes weren't wet, as ShriRam sought his heartfelt farewell from the stage set-up of Ayodhya. The actors lit floating lanterns to mark the ending of their first night act, releasing them one by one in the sky like a gleaming meteor, as Zamindar Trilochan sat in his place with his heart soaked completely in the glory of Ramayana.

"Bihari, don't they look exactly the same!" He hushed to his servant who sat by his feet.

"Barrister Babu, Bahurani and choto Zamindar Babu." Bihari replied immediately sniffing a tear.

"Yes... You saw that too?"

"Maalik, there isn't a soul sitting here who haven't realised it!"
Bihari smiled.

Trilochan turned his gaze to look at his daughter-in-law.
"I'm blessed to have a daughter in law like her, Bihari. She knows how to adhere to the decorum of our family. Not even once did she lift her veil."

"Yes Maalik."

"But, where is my foreign return ShriRam?" Trilochan chuckled.
"Bihari, please go and check if Anirudh is done in his study or not. It's almost 4am, I want him to be present atleast for the ending song."

"Yes Maalik."

Bihari got up reluctantly from his place, his eyes still glued to the performance on the stage as he headed towards the indoors towards Anirudh's study room.

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

Bondita lay idly on the soft grass, admiring the silent, pristine beauty of the night. Her hands played with Anirudh's silky hair as he lay his head on her soft stomach. They lay adjacent to each other, dreaming about their future with eyes wide open.

"Bondita, I know Kaka would try to persuade you into having a family right away... But, I want you to stay firm."
Anirudh remarked slowly.

Bondita let out a sigh.
"What if I want a family too."

Anirudh lifted his head and turned around, looking at her face directly.
"I too would want us to have children Bondita, but not right now. We have to do a lot of things before."

"Lot of things?"

"Yes Bondita, you have to first complete your further studies... We will go to Calcutta. Wasn't that the plan?"

"But, but what would happen to the school here?" Bondita murmured.

"We'll take care of that too. Under Batuk's guidance, I'll hire paid female teachers from Calcutta if needed."

The duo fell silent, counting the glittering stars of the jet black sky, before Bondita spoke again.

"Barrister babu, I miss Ani."

"I know you do... But, don't make haste decisions about your life, our lives, just because you miss him."
Anirudh paused.
"I wanted to give you a surprise as our wedding gift tomorrow. But, now I think I should tell you."
He got up from his rest on her body and sat upright, leaning a little on her face.

"Bondita, I have got you an admission form from Hindu College in Calcutta. You just need to check their curriculum and fill it... We'll leave for Calcutta next month."

Bondita smiled at him.
"You already revealed my wedding gift. Now, what am I getting tomorrow night then?"

Anirudh noticed the naughty spark in her eyes as they reflected in his heart as well.
"Love." He winked. "Fierce, steamy love!"

His lips automatically leaned towards hers, capturing them in a sweet wet kiss.
Bondita responded back.

"Look, Barrister Babu, the floating lanterns."
She broke their kiss abruptly and pointed her index finger up.

"Wow, they look surreal!" He gasped.
"I can't believe it's already 4am... Let's go inside Bondita."

"Yes, Parul will be meeting us at the backdoor entrance."

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

"Maalik,... Maalik!"
Bihari came running from inside the Haweli into the crowded courtyard and hushed into Trilochan's ears.
"Barrister Babu is not in the study. I checked all the rooms and terrace. He isn't anywhere inside."

Trilochan's forehead furrowed up.
"What do you mean by not inside? Might be in the bathroom."

"No Maalik... He isn't."

The narrator of the RamLeela addressed the audience to bid adieu to the trio, as ShriRam embarked on the journey of exile.
Trilochan looked around restlessly.
Anirudh wasn't inside, not among the crowd, then where would he be!
Suddenly, his eyes fell on the two female figures as they vacated their seats and were making their way through the seated womenfolk towards the rear passenge of the mansion.

"Bahu? Where is she going now!"
Trilochan murmured to Bihari.

He got up from his seat at once and trailed towards the direction of the two women, amidst the immersed spectators.

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

"Bondita Bahurani."
Parul called out in a suppressed voice as she saw Bondita standing against the door with her husband infront of her, engaged in an intimate conversation.
Anirudh had pinned her hand on the door as she giggled at his inaudible words.

"Bahurani!"
Rani called out a little louder, succeeding in gaining the duo's attention.

"Parul, Rani didi, we're waiting for you."
Bondita smiled brightly at them.

Parul removed the veil from her head and held it out to Bondita.
Bondita's face was visibly flushed, with signs of satisfaction and untainted happiness. The red vermillion on the bridge of her forehead was completely smudged and her lips were devoid of any artificial color.

Parul pressed her lips shying at the sight.
"Your... Your veil."

Anirudh took the veil from Parul and adorned it gently on Bondita, covering her face partially.
"You look beautiful!" He hushed, making the women bash profusely.

"I'll... I'll go now." Bondita muttered as she saw the smirk on Anirudh's face.

The three women tiptoed from the door through the passage heading towards the crowded courtyard.
"Bahurani, you should wear your jewelleries first." Parul remarked as she turned around, opening the gold bangles from her hands.

"What is happening here!!"
A loud voice broke the serenity of the night abruptly.
"Why are you here, Bahu?"
Trilochan's voice roared as he addressed Parul who stood with her back towards him.

"KakaSasurji, I'm here."
Bondita revealed her face a little as she approached him slowly.

"Then, then who is this in red Benarasi?"
He widened his eyes in suspicion.

"She, she's my friend. I came here as I needed some fresh air."
Bondita murmured.

Trilochan furrowed his eyes at her, gauging her from toe to head.
"You weren't there in the play, were you?" He asked her sternly.
"I saw two women leave, you weren't there Bahu... And, I thought... " Trilochan held his head with his hands.
"What a fool I am!"
He roared at the women.
"Leave... Leave at once!"

"KakaSasurji... They are innocent.. it's me. I asked them to..."
Trilochan didn't let her complete.

"One night... Bahu... One night I asked you to behave!" He roared at her again.

"Kaka, enough."
Trilochan looked up as he saw Anirudh entering the passage from the backyard garden.

"Oh... Now I understand... You two were..."
Trilochan reeked of anger as he breathed out the incomplete sentence.

"Family, society, world... You have given up on everything it seems!"
Trilochan hissed.

"Bondita is my wedded wife. And I don't see it wrong to be with my own wife in anyway." Anirudh came forward and stood beside his wife.

"Hypocrite... You both are!"
Trilochan raised his finger toward Anirudh.
"When I asked you to fulfill your duty towards this family, to father a son, you said you needed time... Now, I see you don't need time to meet your wife like this in the very day of your marriage!"

Anirudh's jaws tightened at his uncle's words.
"Kaka... My wife is not a baby making machine!" He spoke the words calmly.
"I love her more than my life, and I will make sure that she does justice to her calibre." He paused as he saw Trilochan's expression changed from anger to disbelief.
"Loving ones wife isn't hypocrisy. I'm not a hypocrite Kaka... But you are!"
Anirudh growled.
"If you are so keen about raising a family, then why didn't you raise one yourself? Why didn't you marry?"
Trilochan looked stupified at Anirudh's harsh words as he saw tears rolled down Bondita's cheeks.

"Stop.." Bondita tugged at Anirudh's arms.

"Why should I stop?" Anirudh looked straight into Trilochan's eyes.
"You would never understand what I feel for my wife, because you have never been in love!" He paused.
"And, we are leaving for Calcutta next month."

Trilochan stood there like a stone statue as Anirudh dragged Bondita away, entering the main hall, making their way inside the mansion through the seated crowd.

A roll of conches resounded again as King Dasharath fell on the stage lamenting for his son Ram.
The audience shed tears silently, empathising with the agonizing father.
Trilochan too, felt a sharp sting of agony in his heart as he slowly walked inside his room and latched the door.

'You have never been in love!'
The words rang in his ears as he slowly sat on his lonely king size bed.

He took a deep breath and pulled out his bedside drawer with trembling hands, taking out an old photo frame.
His eyes teared up as he looked at the photograph, caressing it gently with his shaking fingers as a drop of tear escaped and fell on it.

"I have been in love, Anirudh... I have loved someone with my everything as well." He sighed deeply.
"It's just that I'm not as fortunate as you are, son!"