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“Dhaa...That boy... has written a mail... and sent some snaps..!” Rini said grinning.
“What?” Dhatri was surprised.  A wicked smile appeared on her face.  “Hehehe... I had given your mail id... not mine...” Dhatri knew, her Rini Didi will take care of those wicked boys.  She had given Rini's mail id and not her dhatri.dixit@gmail.com  She knew those 'Gori Chamadi' boys will try to contact her.  She had no wish to keep in touch with any of the team members.  She wanted to go back to the jungle and she did it with this expedition.  She had no other interest.

“Come I will show you!” Rini took out her laptop.  Dhatri peeped in.  Jim had written saying he missed her and he would appreciate if she replied.  Dhatri grinned.  They saw the photographs... the tribal dance... the Tigress and her cub they encountered while passing through the reserved Tiger Corridor, the four horned antelopes, Two fighting spotted male deers, the hare trying to reach up to its hole... and numerous photos of her team.  They both scrolled through and Rini said...

“Dhaa...! I think you should write back to him... He seems to be nice guy!” said Rini winking at Dhaa. 

“No Rini Didi... I am not interested...!”Dhaa dismissed.  Rini sighed and her eyes flashed.  “Wait... let's play some prank on him...!” she clicked on the 'reply' link.  Dhatri's eyes flashed with malice. 

“I don't know, who you are!!” she replied giggling...!

*******  ******

“Damn..! That was not Dhatri!” Jim was disappointed.  He called up Ray. 

“Humm...!” So she gave us the wrong one..! “Dhatri Dixit...! I will find out!” Ray swore under his breath.  “I will handle it later...” He set aside her thought.  He had something else in his mind. 

“Dad....!” He waited.  “Yes?” his dad looked up from the book.  Ravi walked into the library.

“I mean... I want to spend some money...!” he said hesitantly.  His dad looked at him questioningly.

“Umm  I mean … from my savings..!” he clarified.  Sayajirao looked at him. 

“Its your money, son! Spend it as you like it!” he was clear enough.  “No! I mean, I want to send it to India...!” Ravi looked up for approval.  Sayajirao nodded.

“Your wish, Son!” he didn't ask further questions.  But Ravi wanted to explain.  He lingered there.  Sayajirao kept the book aside.  Ravi sat on the chair nearby. 

“Dad... I told you, I met a teacher there... I want to help him!” he said looking at his Dad expectantly.  His father thought for a while.  “You can utilize the Trust Money...!”

“No! I don't want anything from that rotting Trust... I will help from my money!” he said with hatred.  “Ok!” his father nodded.  “Do you mind me contributing my money?” his father asked.  Ravi thought for a while and said “That will help, Dad!” he got up excited.

"I will write to him and send the check...!" he went out hurriedly.  His father smiled.  "Humm... " His American son was finally taming...!  "Interesting...!" He sighed and got up to write his check too.

**************   ********

The morning after the Dance, they all were ready to move on.  Nanu was always behind Ravi giving him instructions to be careful and stuffing something in his hand.  He had settled himself in the Kitchen constantly chomping something Nanu gave him.  A parson appeared in the courtyard and Appa hurriedly welcomed him.  Nanu looked out at his sillhuite and murmured. "Pant Man!" Ravi looked out startled.  A man wearing a shirt and trouser came in and sat on the chair.  Bijoy introduced.  "Teacher!" Indroneel shook hands with him. 

"He comes three days in a week to teach us... One man school... in the temple!" he grinned. 

"Three days I stay here!" The man said.  He was in his fifties and was lean and tall.  Ravi forgot his mission food! He came out curious.  He was Abhiram Mudagal....!

"I do this voluntarily... All by myself... I was in Government service a class one officer ... I left it three years back and now work for three days a week....!" he said briefly.  "My wife works for a bank and I devoted myself to this.  During my administrative service, I visited this remote, inaccessible place and was drawn towards this.  Then decided to quit and work for these people.  I quit when I was eligible for Voluntary Retirement and started coming here!" he said smiling and Appa nodded.  "He teaches us and our children...!" Appa said proudly and soon Ravi was engrossed talking to Abhiram.  Abhiram was a one man army, not attached to any NGOs.  He didn't believe in them.  "They are very superficial, sometimes... I work to the best of my capacity...!" he said.  He had lot of things in his plan for the tribal settlements in remote areas, right from ensuring nutritious food to education and development.  Ravi was fascinated.  So was everyone else.  Ravi had decided to contribute to his work.  He had sensed honesty in Abhiram's work. 

***********  **********

"Look, Dhaa... Don't think about anything else now! Only study, ok?" Dharini warned her sister.  Dhatri nodded.  "These two years are very important... Once you get into computer science, you can relax a bit! And no treks and expeditions...!" said Rini sternly.  She was brainwashing Dhaa to take up computer Engineering, preparing herself for entry into Indian Army. 

"Do you think, I can manage?" Dhatri was not sure about herself.  "I am sure Dhaa... Its not difficult.  Study as I say and you will do well...!" Rini pumped confidence in her.

"But you will not be there..." Dhaa said with fallen face.  "It won't matter... once you get into it, you will come out with a degree!" Rini knew by now, the examination system...! She grinned.  "Ok!" Dhatri said tentatively turning to her notebook.  Rini went out. Dhaa lost in her expedition dreamily.........

"What you want to be, Dhatri?" asked Maria and Dhatri shook her head.  "Don't know! Rini didi says I should do computers...!" Dhatri was unsure about her future.

"Don't you like studying plants and jungles and animals?" Maria asked wondering.  Dhatri nodded..."But Rini didi says computers has scope..." Dhatri again talked Rini's words.

"But what do you think, you want?" asked Maria.  "Rini Didi thinks for me!" she said trusting her Rini Didi completely.  "Humm!" Maria was surprised at the influence Rini had on Dhatri.  Dhatri virtually had stopped thinking... Everything she did was what her Rini Didi wanted her to do.  She knew Rini will do what was best for her....She was proud of her elder sisters and knew that she was not a match.  She was always driven by her elder sisters.  But she was unaware that she had a talent of different kind.

Her Papu Mari, Bijoy's mother had sharpened her ventriloquism... The Jungle had brought out her reflexes... taught her survival...She was born with extraordinary ability to heal wounds...But conventionally, she was not as talented as her elder sisters, not getting enough marks to match them...  Disha was in NASA working as research assistant and Dharini aspiring to enter into Indian Army.  Both extremely talented as their father... Dhatri was always overshadowed by their brightness.  She didn't mind! She was sure of their love towards her.  She was safe and secure, always shielded by them, with virtually no ambition for herself...! 

"Dhaa.... come back from the Jungle and concentrate on your studies...!" Rini yelled from behind and Dhatri came back with a thud.  She grinned sheepishly and buried her face in her notebook.  When she saw her Rini Didi had gone out, she opened her brand new laptop.  Her father had gifted her one after the expedition.  She logged on and saw a contemptuous mail waiting for her.....!
"This ABCD... Gori Chamadi...!" she frowned reading that one liner mail....!!