Satya Narayan Sardar
Sudhir was in a teashop at Gobgabu with Dipesh, his colleague from an office he was working as a data operator. They were talking about the lockdown and its impact in the world economy and also to the laborers who survived on their daily wages. Everybody looked anxious as well as confused in the teashop. They looked at each other and seemed perplexed. After the tea, Sudhir got up to pay the bill.
Meanwhile someone asked him, “Sudhir, could you lend me some money?” Sudhir turned around and looked at him. He was in rags and looked completely different from the common persons. He looked abnormal. Bewildered he asked, “Sanjeev, where had you been for such a long time? I have consulted several persons to know about you.” Sanjeev gave a sad look and just asked for money. Sudhir, without any hesitation, took out a thousand rupee note and gave Sanjeev. He took and ran away as fast as he could. Sudhir tried to stop him but could not. He was about to pay but Dipesh interrupted him.
Without paying, both sat in the corner of the shop and ordered for another cup of tea.
Dipesh asked, “Sudhir, why did you give him one thousand? You could have given his lesser amount.” Sudhir, with sad look, answered, “Whatever I am today, it is just because of him.”
“Please tell me in detail”, Dipesh asked.
“Well, if you want, I can tell you in detail.”
“Sure my friend, I am excited to listen to.”
He took a long breath and viewing on the ground, began.
With the quest of getting higher degree, I approached to new bus part but with little money in my pocket. After two days staying in an inn in Pashupati, I met Sanjeev, my school friend, in a teashop. He was very happy to find me here. He asked me what I was doing. I told him the reality. Immediately he took to his room. He was from a well-to-do family. So, he had been living in a flat with a university classmate. He told me to share the flat. It was really a matter of extreme happiness. I could not deny.
That day onwards, I began to live in his flat. In the beginning, I tried to contribute for the flat but he instantly denied. Not only that he took me to the university and admitted there for my further studies. I didn’t have to pay. All the expenses were contributed by him. After the university degree, he began to try abroad and visited different consultancies. He spent almost two years to get the visa to the UK. Till then I had received my degree and began to work in an office. I got my life eased. I reached to the airport to say bye to Sanjeev. He bid farewell with a smile in his face and called me time and again. I got to know that he got barrister’s license as he had studied law in the university. That was the happiest moment of his life and even mines as well.
After two years, I informed Sanjeev about my marriage. He got excited and flew to Nepal to attend my marriage.
He spent a lot in my marriage. When I asked about his expenses, he responded that he had been earning a lot in the UK as a barrister. I asked him about his marriage. He said that he would marry after a couple of years because he was trying for PR. I got frequent call from him and informed that he got the PR and was going to come to Nepal for marriage. I asked him why he didn’t find a girl there. He replied that he like Nepalese girl for marriage. He even had informed me that a girl was found.
I was excited for his arrival.
The moment came. He came to Nepal and we went to his village for his marriage. With full celebration, he got married to Babita, a plus two graduate from a local school. They were very happy. Promising Babita to be back soon, he returned to the UK.
After 6 months, he returned back to Nepal. Babita received him at the airport. Both of them spent some time in the valley. Within a few weeks he informed that he was going buy a house in the valley and register in the name of Babita. I advised him to register in his name but he answered that he was a PR holder and there was no provision for such person for the registration.
He bought a house for one crore and registered in her name. Both spent some time in their new house and he returned back to the UK. His parents were very happy. They came and lived with their daughter-in-law time and again. His cousin brother also had his house nearby. They also visited his house from time to time. Within a few months, Babita gave birth to a son.
Sanjeev was extremely happy to get the news. He came back to Nepal and even promised to take her and the son to the UK.
Time passed on. His cousin brother and sister-in-law noticed some change in Babita. She had been living with Raman, a village friend. In the beginning, he was told to be a tenant but later they come to know that Raman was her former plus two classmate and her boyfriend. She was forced to get married with a PR holder and she had obeyed to her parents.
Babita, time and again asked money from Sanjeev and bought a bike to Raman. Both of them began to visit new places and even spend the night together. His cousin brother and sister-in-law informed him about the relationship. But Sanjeev thought that they were jealous. He made phone calls to Babita. She had started ignoring him.
Unexpectedly Sanjeev came back to Nepal and found the worse condition that he was explained. He had a quarrel with Babita. He returned back to the UK with the plan that he would settle some issues there and be back to stay in Nepal forever. After about six months, he abandoned the PR and returned back to Nepal and went to his house. But it was a matter of dismay that the house was sold. He reached home and inquired about Babita. She had been living in her parents’ house.
He went his in-law’s house in full anger. He found Babita in tears. When he asked her, she narrated the whole story. She said that she was in love during her plus two level. They had decided to run away but parents forced her to get married. She could not deny. Even after their marriage, both Babita and Raman had had good relationship. In absence of Sanjeev, Raman was her partner for sharing emotions and feelings. She invited Raman to live in the valley and so he did. After his last departure to the UK, Raman persuaded her to register the house in his name. She was gullible lady and did what Raman told her. He assured that if Sanjeev came back to Nepal, they would run away and start a new life. But he was a great cheat. He was trying to go to Germany for his study. He had been studying German language and she had spent a lot of money in his name. One day, Raman came with some sweets informing that he got the visa to Germany. Within two weeks, he flew to Germany.
Within few days, a group of men and women came to the house. They said that they had purchased the house. She was shocked. She objected but they introduced the documents and claimed on that house. She tried to complain to the police but they asked the document. She could not but they showed and I was chased away from the house. She tried to contact Raman but that went in vain. With heavy heart, she returned back home.
Sanjeev was speechless as Babita explained the entire story. Tears were rolling down while she was telling the story.
He moved away after he heard the story. His in-laws were trying to stop him. Even Babita also tried to stop him. He heard the baby boy crying but without a single word, he moved from there. He didn’t go even his house. He came to my room and explained everything. We tried to find the way to get the house back. But there was no any way out. He began to behave abnormally.
After a few days, we got to know that Babita committed suicide. The baby was taken care by his maternal grandparents. Babita’s suicide gave another shock to Sanjeev. He began to move here and there. Time and again, we took him to the hospital. The doctors suggested that he had to be taken to Patan Mental Hospital. We took him there too. But there’s no improvement at all. These days, he keeps moving here and there. People call him mad. But they do not try to know the reason of his madness.
Hearing Sanjeev’s story, Dipesh could not stop his tears. “It is a great tragedy, really great”, Dipesh said. Sudhir wiped his tears, with last sip of tea, he moved towards his office.
[Satya Narayan Sardar, an MPhil in English is a lecturer of English at St. Xavier’s College, Kathmandu.]