It was a smooth drive.

And while driving, all flashed his mind. The thoughts of her, past return, Rajeev and Sumathi claiming her as their elder daughter and Bondita's unusual silence and yes to it.

He stopped at the Tulsipur border to look at the early morning chaos on road. On getting down was befuddled witnessing it, a young man probably with his parents beside a saint in front.

The saint in his typical orange religious attire and his fingers constantly rolling the spiritual mala, "Hara hara mahadev, ruk jaou wahin agar zindagi mein aas ho tho..." his voice much frightening.

The parents and the young boy all perplexed, the boy "kyun, aap koun?"

Saint fuming growled, "paapi, Hume nahi patha? Tuje. Hara hara mahadev."

Instantly, the boy's mother, "maaf kijiye swamiji. Ladke ko nahi patha aap bada swamiji honge. Maaf kardijiye mere bete ko." Her voice all surrendering.

The saint squeaked instantly, "hara hara maha dev... hara hara mahadev."

Anirudh for now was sure of saint being a filthy fraud trying to deceive them.

The boy asked "toh aap humare raste mein kyun aarahe hai? Kya chahiye aapko?"

The saint with his eyes wide, his body in full orange, tumbling. Bellowed, "Dusht, tere bhalayi ke liye...."

As all their eyes focused on him, extremely scared at his words. He continued, "rishta pakka karne jaa rahe ho na aapne maa baap ke sath."

His mother instantly, "haan, haan swami ji... sach hai."

The boy clearly annoyed, "aapko kaise patha?

The saint smiling mysteriously, "hum sab janthe. Joh huha woh bhi aur joh honewala hai woh bhi. Isiliye keh raha hoon wapas chali jaou... abi ke abi." His voice full of apprehension and intimidation.

Unbothered, the boy bawled "kyun? Muje pasandh hai ladki bahut pyaari bhi hai."

Displeased at his words, the saint howled back "toh kya tumhare maa ka jaan paari nahi tumhe."

His mother's voice full of nervous, petrified, "kya huha swamiji? Aap yese kyun bol rahe hai...?"

The saint still stumbling with his orange dhoti, roared back "kyun ki agar yeh vivah huha toh mar jayegi tu matlab var ka maa ka dehant hona nishchai hai... aab bhi karna hai tumhare bete ka vivah. Upar se inn dono ki kundali jodne se hi tuje dosh lag gayi.... abb tum Bach nahi sakthi."

Terrified at his words, his mother smacking him and hitting her only husband. She hit her forehead crying on her fate, thus worriedly asked "mein nahi hone dunga yeh vivah, har kisi nahi. Abb yeh dosh se azad hone ki aap hi kuch marg bathayiye... swamiji aap mahan hai aapke pass zaroor upay hoga."

Smiling assuringly, the saint still stumbling and rolling the mala, "hara hara mahadev, hai na, kasi mein tere naam ki puja karne se thu turant rahath ho jayegi... par yeh puja karne ke liye hazar rupaye ki zaroorat hai. Tabhi hogi. Hara hara mahadev."

Instantly, grabbing money from his son's wallet giving to the saint telling her name bent down to take his blessings, with her one glare both father son duo too bowed their heads to take blessings and soon drove off.

Watching all, it clearly reminded Anirudh of the Brijwasi, the fraud who used the name of God. His face clenched at their cheat, playing with people's feelings.

It outraged him.

With rage moved towards the fraud saint to teach him a lesson and thats when heard her squeak in joy, just like a child clapping her hand and jumping. It was her, his Bondita. It stunned him witnessing her fooling people for money.

Her wig unsettled, her orange dhoti any time could let go, unsteady yet she danced all her way still stumbling with the dhoti she wore, he followed her as something seemed to be strange. His Bondita definitely cannot harm anyone, he was sure of it, very sure.

On reaching to the extreme border she stopped, leaving a breath saw here and there to check exactly like a thief.

Spotting none as Anirudh hid himself behind the tree, she whistled one two and third one much aloud.

Extremely puzzled at her actions, was startled spoting Som and Neelima joining her in dance. He blinked few times as the trio danced their heartful completely unaware of world existed.

Neelima suddenly pounced on her and hugged her tight with her own eyes brimming as Bondita patted, responded and placed the Rupees back in her hand.

Withdrawing herself, as the duo saw her with much pride.

She raised her colars heroically, "Bondita pe kiya bharosa, Usne kabhi nahi choda uska hath."

"Acha, shotti?" Anirudh screamed from behind, with hands on his hip and brows up looking at them keenly.

All turning at once, froze at the most dreadful sight no less than a nightmare.

All shivering, Bondita the most still stumbling with her dhoti and mala as the wig at top slid down her face, making her look more like a buffoon, a ridiculous clown.

His look on them as if they were most wanted criminals in town, his raged eyes making them wobble, all unstable and unsteady.

The trio felt as a best prey that could be served to the lion, the Anirudh Roy Choudary.

As he neared them, the love couple hid themselves behind Bondita in fear. They knew the only one who could save them was her, only her because of the special place she held in Anirudh's life.

Bondita, herself trembling with fear. After years, they still have not talked properly with each other and now here she was in a saint get up with wig, all messed up.

With him nearing, the trio backed in same pace all horrified and panic stricken.

Som whispered into his boudi's ears, "boudi bachaou, bachaou iss shikari sey. Please."

Only to receive a smack and stern look from his boudi, who now looked a duplicate copy of the frightening, the Anirudh Roy Choudary. She burst out though bot loud, "mere sakha babu sher hai, kabardar kuch kaha toh. Kuch nahi sunungi apne sakha babu ke khilaf. Woh toh ba..."

Cutting her, agitatedly Som spoke, "bagwan honge tumhare liye, abi hume bachaou. Kya boudi? Abi samai hai kya tumhare sakha babu ki geet gaane ki?"

Som still hiding himself partially behind Bondita, "boudi, kuch kijiye abb aap hi sambhal sakthe hai. Dada ko."

Neelima hiding herself other half behind Bondita, "haan, Som ji sach kehrahe hai. Abb tum hi bacha sakthi ho hume."

Her body shaking, still stumbling walking back, quaveringly retorted at them, "Arey, jab khood ko bacha sakthi hoon tabi toh aap dono ko bacha paoungi na? Aur tho aur pyaar aapki toh Jang bhi aapki huye na?"

Som immediately, "kya Boudi, yehaan bhi tark, mein tumhare pyaare Som dada hoon na?"

Neelima retorting him, "aur Bondita, itne salon mein toh tum muje didi keh rahi ho na?"

Here she was struggling with her attire and her beloved sakha babu's monster gaze adding to it the couple rising her tense more.

Leaving a long breath, she hushed them, "dono chup, bilkul chup rahiye pehle yeh Rakshas babu se bachane ka rastha doondne dijiye."

Frightened Som, "woh toh, tuje hi bata hoga na boudi... kuch karo jaidi warna humare kaan faat jayenge unke chikne se."

Anirudh pausing himself, appearing more stern yelled at them, "kya pusur pusur chal rahi hai..."

Fakimg smile, Still struggling and trembling, quiveringly "woh, woh sakha babu... woh kya hai na..."

Eyes focused on her, he knew the trio were up to something for real now, he "mein sun raha hoon Bondita, bolo. Jaldhi"

She fully out of mind, shaking "woh yeh dono ek doosre se pyaar karthe hai... bahut salon se..." pointing Som and Neelima.

As his raged eyes looked the couple, who were trying hard to hide behind Bondita, her small frame. Som gulped knowing of his dada's wrath. Instantly both stomped their feets on Bondita while the latter squeaked in pain yet suppressed it.

Bondita, still with all fears "woh, Devyani masi Neelima didi ke liye ek ladke bhi dekh liya. Woh bure log hai aur tho aur paise bhi leliya masi se."

Suddenly, the thought of the greedy family made her stand straight and with all courage rising along with anger, with hands on hip, she spoke "isiliye un logon ko darake bhagadiya... woh bhi paise lekar. Un logon ka itni himmat ladke wale huye toh kuch bhi karenge kya? Isiliye unhe ache se paat padaya, daraake." Laughed reminding them.

She continued, "abb aap hi bathayiye, kya meine koi galthi ki. Mein toh sirf madad karna chahthi thi in dono ki aur in dono ko pyaar ki..." full of innocence.

Seeing his boudi out of mind, fearlessly accepting all her mischief against the Boy's family and as his dada's eyes looked at the couple avidly, more at his him.

With single glance, catching Neelima's hand Som hastenly rushed behind leaving his only boudi in his dada's wrathful captive.

He knew, how much ever tried his dada will easily melt like a butter in front of his boudi, while Bondita looked back in disbelief.

Indeed Som knew, Anirudh's flared up rage would melt at the single sight of his boudi. Just her eyes enough.

If his brother, Anirudh was the strong iron his boudi, Bondita is no less than a fire.

Standing alone with her sakha babu, she felt like a deer in front of hungry tiger.

Indeed he was a tiger, no doubt. All fear him and this was enough to label him such.

Still tumbling back, she tried "woh... woh sakha babu."

Suppressing his grin at her fearful reaction just like a kitten but he knew in real she was a tigress.

Indeed she was, he knew her. Masking it, he upsetly voiced "muje tujse yeh umeed nahi thi, Bondita."

And here she felt all miserable, failed and drowned in guilt. She wanted to immerse herself into the pond aside for failing the expectations of her sakha babu, her head bowed down with brim tears.

Now laughing aloud, he spoke "pehle baar apne peet dikha rahi thi, doosri bar Aadab bolkar kudhko chupa rahi thi, abb thisri baar swamiji ki vesh mein ho.... agar yese hi chala tho kab dekunga apni Bondita ko, apni titli ko?"

Hearing his words, eyeing up, with subtle smile "toh kya aap mujse gussa nahi hai, mere galthi par?" So innocently.

Smiling back, He uttered "Meri Bondita kabhi galath ho sakthi kya? Nahi na? Par haan, Badmash Bondita zaroor ho sakthi hai."

With an expectation, he opened his arms once again while his heart ached again at the same reaction of her full of fear and hesitation.

He wanted to clear it all, know what was troubling and when he stepped ahead.

Looking behind him, she screamed aloud "Kaka sasoorji, aap? Aap yehaan?"

While straightening himself, turning around spoke "kaka, hum... yehaan" but stopped spotting none and turning back saw her darting hurriedly catching her dhoti and sandals on either hands, like a butterfly. Indeed his titli.

He shook his head in disbelief, for again being fooled by her, his Bondita.

Smiling with hands brushing his hairs at back, "Badmash Bondita"

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How was our Som-Neelima couple?
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