CONTRADICTION - An Unhappy Ending

Akshat,how did this happen? For god's sake ,will you please break this silence and utter something? AM I ASKING YOU SOMETHING?" , Paarth yells with tears in his eyes.

Akshat burst into tears."She'll die,uncle.Please save her."
Paarth hugged him and assured him that he'll not let his mother die. He will not let his only sister die.

Everyone in the room is filled with grief and melancholy. Chaos and screaming and tears everywhere while she's sleeping. Mansi is sleeping unaware of the whole world.

Kanan, her daughter, is standing in front of Lord Krishna's statue sobbing helplessly and praying to Him to rescue her mother who is fighting the toughest battle of her life.

Samar , elder brother of Akshat and Mansi's eldest son, is completely unaffected, detached and unconcerned about every other person in the hospital. He is showing no interest in any activity and is utterly soulless but there is something about his red,tired eyes as if he's hiding an endless sea full of regression deep inside his heart.

It is surprising for everyone how Samar is behaving so weirdly when his mother is begging for her life on the ventilator.

Paarth said to Samar,"Beta,I think it's time to tell all the relatives about Mansi's condition. They can atleast see her last time. Samar? SAMAR!! Where are you today?" Samar is standing still.
"Akshat is handling everything alone. He has been running here and there since the day you all entered this hospital. Don't you think you should go and help him?Samar..SA..M..A….R? Where are you going? Listen to me."

And Samar walked away. He is unable to control his emotions which he has been hiding from everyone till now anymore. He is breaking into tears. He is groaning. He knows his mother will not live anymore. He is terrified. He is afraid and more than that he is feeling guilty. Why?
Before knowing about it, let me tell you something about Mansi.

Mansi was born in a well-known Brahmin family. She was one of those people who always bring pride and reverence to their families and who excel in each and every field. Such cases are rare,but they experience who dare.

She was a scholar student. She passed her HSC examinations with an aggregate of 96.5%. She made all other girls of her age envy her because of her excellence in all those fields which are collectively termed as 'Must for girls'. To name them,they are -Mehandi,Dance,Weaving and the most important of all,Cooking.

Mansi was a perfect and an ideal daughterShe always obeyed and respected her parents. She never did anything which could let her parents down. The few things which she failed to give to her parents were 'Regression and Embarrassment'.
She was a gem for her family. She was beautiful. By using the term 'beautiful' , I don't refer to the girls on screen or magazines. Mansi was beautiful in an abstract and pure manner. Her beauty could be measured with her innocence, her polite and soft nature, her laughs, her smile which could make anyone's day. She was beautiful at heart. Her father used to call her,"Pari" . He never forced her to work. He always encouraged her to study and aim high. He used to say,"Meri Pari kbhi kisi k liye kaam ni karegi.10-15 naukar ghumenge uske aage peeche." And she always smiled and giggled on listening these words.

Never in her life did she hurt anyone. The diameter of her friend-circle could speak of her friendly and social nature.
She pursued teaching as her ambition. She taught students of primary classes in a nearby school.
Three years passed by happily. Then, Mansi was twenty-two and her parents started thinking about her marriage. The search for a decent and financially stabled guy started and ended with Kanishk Sharma, a businessman, from a very noble family of the town.
Mansi and Kanishk married each other with blessings and wishes of both the families. It was a typical hindu wedding. Both were happy.

Three years of their marital life passed happily and prosperously. Then,Kanishk developed interest in politics lately. He was being careless about his business and devoted his full time and attention to political affairs.  Mansi used to advise him to be sincere about his business but Kanishk's mind was controlled by his friends now. Kanishk lost his thinking ability. And then happened something which changed their life completely. Kanishk's business drowned.Kanishk turned out to be a failure in politics too.

Afrter 10 years,the scenario of their home, which now has three little children, was different. Akshat-the youngest and the naughtiest one, Kanan- a xerox copy of her mother, beautiful and decent and Samar- the eldest and the most intelligent of all the three. Kanishk stayed at home then and Mansi went out to work. She was the only earning member of the family. Somehow, she was managing her home very well.

After 12 more years, Kanishk turned a drunkard. Kanan was married. Akshat was not getting any job so he was not able to help her mother.  Samar also took to drinking. Alcohol became an addiction for him. The boy who had been a scholar in his school was now spoiled and rotten. He used to come late at night, obviously drunk,create chaos in the house and disturb everyone.  He was destroying the goodwill of his family like anything. 
What about Mansi? Mansi DIED. Yes,she died at her soul and heart. She was giving up.


 The condition of her home was at its worst but the mother and wife in Mansi was still alive. Her family was completely dependent on her for everything. Everytime her children said they are hungry, she went to the kitchen and came out with something delicious in her hands,even at two in morning.  She did never let her children know about the hardships she was facing. She used to teach in a school 30 kilometers away from her home and she never ever used a rickshaw. She used to walk up to the school to save some money which was enough for petrol in Akshat's bike.  After coming home from school, she used to prepare food for everyone and complete all the household work. She had never spared a single minute for resting her aged soul and body. It was only at night when after feeding everyone and doing all the pending work ,she went to sleep. She looked so innocent while she slept. She was still different from the women of her age who had maintained themselves so well that they look not more than twenty-five in their 50s.

She never slept for too long.But today, she is sleeping , sleeping for long. There's a difference. Earlier, sleep provided her rest and today her sleep is giving her pain and suffering.

13th March,2011.

It was a usual evening. Kanishk said to Mansi,"Where is Samar? He's still drinking and roaming around. Can't you stop him Mansi? How many times I've told you that this boy is going to make it difficult for us to stay in this society anymore."

"Yeah,I couldn't stop his father too.",she whispered.
"MANSI !! What do you want to say??"  Kanishk threw the alcohol bottle he was holding and all his five trembling fingers were on Mansi's tired and innocent face.



Mansi fell on the floor. She could barely move and got hurt on her hands. Adding to the worse situation, Samar returned home drunk and started quarreling with Akshat. The situation got inflated. When Mansi tried to interfere, she got slapped by his son,Samar. Many a times he had had a fight and arguments with her but this time,he hurt her spirit. She didn't want to live anymore. 'Papa's Pari' was now losing her strength. She couldn't endure it anymore. Samar and Kanishk were indulged in  fighting. Akshat was sobbing on the terrifying sight.
Mansi was sitting in the corner of the room in moan. She could see her home which she has built and decorated over years, being destroyed. She could sense that her Samar would kill any one of the member that very night. She could see his little son Akshat fighting for her mother. She could see Samar beating Akshat devilishly. She could see herself being lifeless.

A tear rolled down through her eyes. She smiled. This smile was of unknown origin. She stood up. She was very well aware of the things going around her. She was not out of her mind. She took the bottle of kerosene and poured it all over her body, lit a matchstick and put herself on fire.

All the chaos and crying and shouting turned into moan.
Kanishk screamed,"MAANSIII.." Everyone was stunned. It was a horrible scene. She was burning and smiling. Her synthetic saree stuck to her skin. Her skin was melting.


Today it has been two complete days of intense suffering and she's still showing no symptoms of recovery. 70% of her body is burnt as per what doctors say although it appeared to be 90 % or more. Her face is appearing white after the burnt skin has been removed. The doctors have declared that she can die any moment.
As it is a case of accident,the Police has arrived to inquire whether it was a suicide or a murder. The police enquire about the night before the previous day. The Police are sure that it was a case of murder. Mansi's statement matters the most at this moment.

Everyone in the family is certain that Mansi will tell the truth and Samar will be soon behind the bars because it was he who has been making her life troublesome throughout. He used to beat her, slap her and consequently she has reached the steps of hospital now.

On being asked, Mansi told that it is a case of mere accident.The gas stove burst while she was preparing dinner and her saree caught fire. That is all. She is taking the entire blame on herself. She is weaving a totally wrong story so well that it is sounding true. She can tell the truth but she's not doing so because she is a mother who loved her son from the core of her heart. How can she see her son behind those iron bars? Samar, on hearing those words, felt ashamed.

Paarth comes to her sister and holds her hand and says,"Why didn't you ever tell me about all this? Why were you bearing all the pain alone?Mansi..you.." and his eyes become moist.
Mansi smiles and replies,"Bhaiya,see I am looking fairer and more beautiful. Ain't I?"
Paarth is unable to stop his tears. He hugged her tightly and says, ''You are beautiful. You were always beautiful , Mansi." Suddenly, he feels that Mansi's hands are losing their grip. He is seeing her little sister die. He is screaming wildly but all his shouting and screaming is in vain.


Mansi has lost the battle. She is dead. Everyone is grateful that she was smiling at her last moment. She suffered a peaceful death. She no longer has to endure and suffer those hardships. 

We might have often heard that 'History repeats itself' and 'Whatever good or bad you do now,you are going to face the same
in future in one way or the other.' Then why didn't this happen to Mansi?
Mansi was always a good daughter. She always obeyed her parents. She did never hurt anyone in her complete life. Then,was this what she deserved as reward for her sacrifices?
Insult, death, suffering all her life? What she received is contradictory to the above fact. She deserved love and respect from her children and husband. She deserved support from them. She doesn't deserve a slap from his son. 'She deserved a feeling called 'Life'.




Every mother is entitled to reverence. If she can defend you when everyone is against you, she deserves your love in return. If she can stay late at night waiting for you to return home, she deserves rest and peace in return. If she was with you when you were going to take first step of your life, she deserves your presence in the last step of her life.

Many such sayings and facts are prone to contradictions. Contradictions happen with each and everything.One can never predict what will happen to him in the near future inspite of his good or bad deeds. 

So,should Samar change himself now? Or,will he change now? What do you think he deserves? 


-Megha

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