Part 20

“What is going on?” Both Salil and Nilima were at the door of girls’ room hearing raised voices from the room.

“I said, No!” Dharini was yelling and Dhatri was on the floor literally begging...! Salil froze.  “Why is she so furious?” He had no answer.

“Rini, what’s going on?” Nilima asked bewildered.  She had never seen the girls like this.  Rini was very angry and Dhatri was crying.  

“Rini Didi, Please...!” Dhatri locked her fingers with tears streaming down and lips quivering.  Rini had turned her face.

“No.. you are not going.  I” Rini said in a stern voice.

“What? Where is she not going?” Asked Salil entering the girls’ room.  Rini turned.

“Papa...!” she took a step forward but Dhatri leapt up and hugged her father.

“Papa please... Please, Papa... I want to go!” she said between her sobs.  Salil pulled her apart.  She wiped her face and looked up at her father.

“No, Dhaa... you will not go...! your collage has started just now..!” Rini said looking furious at this drama.

Salil pulled Dhatri apart.  Nilima had entered and had picked up a form lying on the table.

“What is this?” she asked looking at the masthead on the form.

“Mamma... Please...!” Rini tried to snatch the form from Nilima.

“Let me see!” Salil took her form from Nilima’s had and scanned it through. 

“So?” he asked looking at Dhatri.

“Papa, I want to go... Please, Papa..!” For the first time, Dhatri was asking for something and Rini was not giving in.  Salil looked up at Rini.

“No Papa, she can’t go!” Rini declared.  “Why?” Milima asked.  “Because I can’t go with her..!” said Rini and Salil took a sigh.

“Rini, its her collage project..!” Salil pointed out the fact.

“Yes, but she can’t go alone.. !” Rini looked at Dhaa.  Dhatri was looking away weeping. 

“Rini... Stop policing..! I she is old enough to take her dicisions...!” Salil took this opportunity to reprimand Rini.  Rini frowned adamantly.  She was not letting Dhatri to take her decision.

“Ummawaaaa.....!” Dhatri started off.  Salil held her close to him.  “Don’t cry, Dhaa... tell me what happened!” he said kindly.  Dhatri glanced nervously at Dharini and took out a circular.  Salil looked at her astonished.  She sobbed.

********    ********   ********

“Are you sure?” asked Sayajirao Dev looking at his son Ravindra Pratap.

“Yeah Dad...!” he said taking out his SLR camera and his camera cleaning kit.  He busied himself in taking out the lenses and checking the flash.  Sayajirao gaped at his son. 

“But... you never wanted to go to India!” he blurted.  Ravi looked up.  

“Dad, every year I go! This year its India.  Thats it!” he said matter-of-factly.  Sayajirao looked puzzled.

“Ok!” he said and came out of Ravi’s room. 

Ravi, a 21year old engineering student in Communication Engineering straightened himself up, looking at the open door of his room.  He was an environment enthusiast and assisted the Professors of Stanford University.  Dr. Roger Koite, Department of Plant Science planned a months research program to study Flora and Fauna  of Satpura mountain range in central India jointly with Dr. Maria Nixon, a Professor in sociology; and Ravi had volunteered to assist them.  He was immediately selected looking at his past experiences in assisting the professors in Africa, Mississippi, Savage Jungle, Amazon Rain Forest..on their research tours.  

Dr. Koite had visited India earlier and had spent a couple of months in jungles of central Inida, Chhattisgarh, focusing on the National Parks.  Ravi was selected as he claimed to know the area. 

Ravi had not visited India over a decade and was eager to visit.  

******   ********   *********

“Dharini... stop it! And Dhatri let me talk to your teacher...!” Salil took over sidelining Dharini.  He wanted Dhatri to decide on her own.

“Papa.. I want to go!” She said holding his hand and he nodded.  

“But Papa, she is too young for this expedition...!” Dharini said in a worried tone.

“Let her decide that, Rini!” Salil said sternly.

“I want to go Papa.  But Rini Didi says I should not!” Dhatri said on the verge of crying again.  Salil put his hand on her head.  “Let me handle this...!” he said looking at Dharini. 

“But Papa! I have my practical exams... I can’t go with her...!” Rini said looking at Dhaa angrily.

“Why do you have to go with her?” Nilima intervened.  “Mamma...she is still a kid...!” Dharini said argumentatively. 

“She is a fifteen year old girl... She can decide for herself... and besides...She knows that area inside out!” Salil spoke gravely.  A golden opportunity was presented to him to encourage Dhatri to be independent.  

Dhatri had been an ardent Trek enthusiast.  She never missed an opportunity to go on a jungle trek.  In fact she used to feel uneasy if she didn’t go for trek or mountaineering.  Her friends used to call her jungle girl.  She was a ventriloquist, very few people knew.  Her ventriloquism ranged from mimicking humans to animals to birds...!! Even her parents got confused with her art, sometimes...!

**********   *********   ********

“Ok! I will talk to your teacher...!” repeated Salil and went out.  

“Come on.. say your prayers and go to sleep!” Nilima said and moved out of their room.

“Rini Didi...! Thank you!” Dhatri hugged her didi tightly.  Her drama had worked.  They had done it successfully, coaxing Papa to talk to the professors of Dhatri to take her on expedition.  Dhatri was in dream state...! She was going back to Jungle. Rini was happy that her Dhaa was happy. 

Part 19

Salil looked at his frail wife.  He held her hand.  “Nilima.. she is over dependent on Rini.  She should take her own decisions...!” he said, hopelessness creeping in.

“She will... Don’t worry! Rini is overprotective towards her...!” Nilima said looking at tensed up face of her husband.  

“I am worried about her.  Has she lost her thinking capacity?” he asked her.

“No.. Abhi choti hain woh.  She is young... She will be alright...And you know what she has gone through...!” Nilima closed her eyes going back ten years.  Salil looked at his wife intently and knew where she was lost.  He dreaded to go down the memory lane. 

Dhatri had almost lost her battle.  She was on ventilator and Rini had given him the solution.  In the hospital, in that ICU ward Dhatri had sensed illness everywhere.  Looking at the twitching hands and fingers Rini had screamed... “Look Dad, she is sensing illness and ... she wants to cure them...!” Dr. Salil had clutched his hand on Dharini’s mouth.  “Chup... Don’t talk about it...!” he looked around to find no one listening to them.  Then he had requested the Dean to shift Dhatri to a private room to keep her away from the malady around.  From then on, Dhatri recovered.  

But almost a year and seven eight months away from home into the jungles took more than a year to bring her back to civilisation.   She had almost forgotten everything.  She was drugged heavily and had lost her mental balance.  That was what people thought.  

She had picked up all the habits of Tribal people living in deep valleys and jungles.  She even tried to steal Dayal Chacha’s bidis and when caught smoking, went hysteric.  Salil had to take medical help to bring her out.  A smiled appeared on Salil’s face.  

“Mogali...!” Dharini used to call her fondly.  She had assumed all her Dhaa’s responsibility keeping even her parents away from Dhatri.  Dharini was caught once giving ‘chutta’ (Bidi, a form of puffing raw tobacco; cigarette!)  to Dhaa, when she was crying.    Dharini had stolen money to buy cigarette for Dhatri.  

Salil stirred a bit while remembering how he had to arrange for audio visuals for the schools and conduct programs highlighting hazards of Smoking.  He had to work had to bring down the effects of nicotine in Dhatri’s body.  Dharini had never allowed Dhatri to be alone with anyone.  Not even with mother and father..!  She used to take her to school and have a constant vigil on her visiting her class frequently.  Dharini was a terror for Dhaa’s classmates.  She used to beat up whoever picked up fight with Dhaa or tease her...!

Teachers tolerated Dharini’s interference as they all knew Dhatri’s kidnapping and her condition after recovery.  Whenever she used to get upset they used to find her hiding on some tree top, at home or at school.  Teachers and parents had learned to be patient with Dhatri.  In fact teachers pampered her more than needed.  Dhatri shrewdly took advantage of that to get the things done her way.

But at home Nilima and Salil soon realized what was Dhaa upto and became very strict towards her.  But Dharini had her own method of protecting her Dhaa.  She felt that she is the only one to protect her and her parents were of no use in this.  She had joined Karate classes.  Dharini was growing up like a tomboy; like an elder brother to Dhatri protecting and giving in to her tantrums  all the time.  

Disha had grown into a very mature girl overnight.  She almost had forgotten to smile, buried herself in her studies and helping in the kitchen all the time.  She had become another mother to Dhatri.  Dharini was never bothered.  She only assumed that she should take care of Dhaa.  And she did. Dhaa was always under her control and influence.  She wouldn’t allow anyone to come near dhaa.  

Salil had persuaded Disha to appear of competitive exams and she had cleared JEE with 128^th in the list.  She could easily get to Delhi.  Dr. Salil and Nilima had to persuade her to go to Delhi IIT.  Disha was not ready to leave her family.   But Dr. Salil had to think about her future.  Of course, Bhanu was there for her support.  Disha excelled and soon after her graduation landed in Alabama University for her higher studies.  She acquired place as Research Assistant in Alabama Space and Rocket Center...!  

Dharini did policing over Dhatri.  Now Dhatri was on the threshold of her college entry with Dharini still behind her as her protector Police...!

******   ******   ********

“Rini Didi... I want to go...” Dhaa was pestering her.  Rini was in deep thoughts.  “Didi...!” Dhaa started crying holding Rini’s hand.  

“Dhaa... stop crying...! I will do something...! If need be, I will fight for you!” Dhatri smiled happily.  She knew how to get her things done, either from her parents or from her Rini Didi, making them both fight for her...! She hugged her Rini didi and pulled her notebook pretending to study, but dreaming about the opportunity...!

Rini lost herself in thoughts and to find out how to make her parents agree on this...!

“Dhaa...Promise me, you will study hard, after this...!” she held out her hand.

“Yes, Didi.. I will study had and see, I will also get rank to the collage like my Rini didi!” She hugged Rini again.

“Humm... Done! Dhaa, I will do something...Don’t worry!” Rini was determined to talk to her parents...

Part 18

“She still has high fever... Not responding to the treatment...!” Doctor said gravely and Salil’s heart sank.  

“Her reports....!” Dr. Salil gaped at the stretched out file.  He didn’t have the courage to take it.  He looked at her daughter on that death bed.  Her involuntary movements stabbed him.  Her hands were twitching... the IV had oozed out under the skinn swelling her hand like a balloon.  A nurse hurriedly came in to remove the IV needle.  She ointment for her superficial thrombosis, lifting her hand and keeping it in upright position with the help of the strap hung on the bar of her bed.  

He gaped....! “Umm... doctor... Can we shift her to another hospital?” he asked hopefully.  “Will it help?” he asked praying hard for a positive answer.  There was no response from the doctor for a while... 

“She is critical... It will be a big risk to move her in this condition...!” The doctor said gravely.  Salil stared at her twitching hands.....! “She is sensing malady, illness...everywhere...!” he thought looking around seeing patients everywhere.  “She should be moved away from this environment....!” he made up his mind.

“Doctor.. Can we shift her to a private room? Away ...!” He asked holding doctor’s hand.

“I will check.  But it will cost...!” 

“I will manage... Please Doctor?” Salil urged.   The doctor moved, he followed.  “Please Doctor, do something...if we can shift her to private room... I will pay... I can manage...!” he pleaded.  That was the only solution he could think of.  The doctor looked at him intently rubbing his palms.  Salil looked at him.

“Yes, doctor...! Tell me how much..!” the doctor was expecting his cut in the deal.  “Five!” he said and Salil agreed.  Things moved faster than expected when Salil paid the Doctor five thousand rupees, under the table  and soon she was shifted to a private airy room on the top floor.  Salil took a sigh of relief. 

“We do not know the cause of her fever... “ said the dean seriously.  Dr. Salil looked on.  He knew the reason but couldn’t talk about it.  No one would believe him and he wouldn’t tell anyone to put his Dhaa in more trouble.  

“Does she get fever frequently?” Doctor asked looking at the test reports.  Salil nodded.  “How frequently?” Doctor interrogated.  “Frequently..!” answered Salil.  “How does she get well?” asked the doctor.  Salil fumbled.

“Cold water bath and Crocin...!” he gave a lame answer. 

“Strange...! She sustains that kind of high fever...!” exclaimed the doctor.  Salil looked away. 

“This looks like some kind of autoimmune disease...!I am not sure...!” the doctor blurted and went away.  Dhatri still on the bed with oxygen mask opened her eyes.  

“Doctor...!” Salil went out hurriedly to call the doctor seeing his daughter opening her eyes after a week in the hospital.  ... The person under the blanket sitting on the wooden bench on the top floor of the hospital got up to go!!

**********   *********

“Rini... Stop! Don’t speak on her behalf.  Let her speak..!” Salil said sternly.   Dhatri was looking at her family nervously locking her fingers.  

“Yeah.. ok...Dhaa.. tell them...!” Rini ordered Dhaa and she opened her mouth fidgeting nervously.

“Yeah.. I mean... as Rini Didi says... Science..!” she said weakly casting glances at Dharini and her father.  Salil shook his head hopelessly.  

“Rini.. you are letting her grow like a parasite... !” he said gravely and went away.  Rini gave a broad smile and hugged her Dhaa, snatching her tenth standard marks list.  Dhatri hugged her back, relieved.  

“Rini didi...!” Dharini started off weakly but Rini was not ready to listen to anything.  She was dancing with Dhaa’s marks list.  

“Good...Very Good!” she patted on Dhaa’s back.  “shabaash...!” Rini was happy with Dhaa’s results.  Dhaa got ninety percent in her CBSE board exams, less than her elder sisters. Both Disha and Dharini had secured their places in the merit lists. But everyone in the family was very happy.  Disha had called up from USA.  Rini was in her second year Mechanical Engineering and was waiting for her results, sure that she would top again.  

“Rini didi...!” Dhatri tried again.  

 “Shuuu.... Dhaa... Stop.  I know you will do it... Don’t worry!” Rini said in a hushed voice and Dhatri’s resistance died out.

Dr. Salil went into his room to find Nilima sitting at the study table scribbling something.  “Writing to Maasi Maa...!” she said smiling at him.  He sighed and put his arm around her shoulder from behind, resting his head on her shoulder.  She patted sympathetically. 

“Don’t worry!” she said looking at his grave face.  

“We should keep her away from Rini...!” he said sitting on another chair beside his wife.  Nilima smiled...

“Humm... I know..!” she said and got up.  “Soon Rini will also move out..!” she had tears.  “Yeah... probably, she will be the first woman to join Army from this part of the country..!” Dr. Salil said proudly.  Rini had a dream to join Indian Army....!