Part 6 – The Price of Protection
One humid evening, Swapna was preparing tea in her small one-room house when a heavy knock shook the wooden door. Before she could react, the door flew open and a burly police officer stormed inside. Without a word, he grabbed Swapna by her long braid, dragging her out of the house into the narrow, crowded lane.
Her cries echoed through the gallis as neighbours peeped from their windows, but no one dared to intervene. The officer, with ruthless force, pulled her all the way to the police jeep.
At the station, Swapna was thrown to the ground and mercilessly beaten. The inspector’s belt left angry welts across her back, and his shoes stamped on her arms as he shouted, “Where is Tanish? Tell us, or you will not leave this place alive!”
Through the pain, Swapna’s answer remained unshaken—“I don’t know who Tanish is.” That was her only line, repeated like a mantra.
Hours later, as dusk settled, Radha Maa entered the police station, draped in her deep crimson saree, followed by her group of chelas. With her commanding presence and sharp tongue, she confronted the officers. “You cannot torture one of my children like this. Release her immediately!”
Under social pressure and Radha’s influence, the police had no choice but to let Swapna go. She was rushed to the hospital, her body bruised, her spirit trembling but unbroken.
Meanwhile, Tanish remained clueless in his small hideout. He was unaware of the storm raging outside in his name.
That night, Radha stormed into his room. Without a word, she slapped him across the face so hard that his ears rang. Her voice shook with rage—
“You are the reason for Swapna’s suffering! I warned her. I told her, if you stay here as Tanish, the danger will never end. But she disobeyed me for you. Today look at her condition! You’ve ruined her life!”
Tanish fell at Radha’s feet, trembling, his eyes welling up. “Maa, don’t abandon me. I have no one else. If I step outside, the police will throw me in jail. Please, don’t disown me.”
Radha’s expression turned stern, almost merciless. “Then there is only one way. Prepare for SRS. Only as Tania, my chela, will I accept you. Otherwise, you are nothing to me.”
For a long moment, silence filled the room. Finally, Tanish whispered, “I agree… Maa. I will do it.”
Radha snapped her fingers, and Keerti and Jenny stepped forward. “Take him. Arrange everything for the surgery. I want no more trouble for Swapna because of this girl.”
Keerti and Jenny pulled Tanish aside, speaking gently. “Don’t worry, everything will be fine. Trust us. Maa is harsh, but she only wants to protect the family.”
Days rolled by. Swapna, lying in the hospital, slowly recovered from her injuries. As soon as she could walk, she called Keerti and Jenny, her eyes full of worry. “Where is Tanish? Tell me the truth.”
The two chelas exchanged a heavy silence, avoiding her gaze. Before Swapna could press them further, Radha entered, her voice cold and final.
“Tanish is gone. That was the past. Do not think about him anymore.”
Swapna’s eyes filled with tears. She bit her lip hard, holding back her sobs in fear of her guru maa. But in her heart, grief raged like a storm. Tanish—her closest companion, her secret love—was being erased forever.
Part 7 – The Jalsa of Fate
Days passed, but Swapna’s body was still weak. The marks of the police torture had faded from her skin, yet they had dug deep into her soul. Her heart carried a constant ache—not for herself, but for Tanish. She asked Keerti and Jenny many times, “Where is he? How is Tanish?” But they never opened their mouths, only exchanged nervous glances.
In the meantime, one evening a folded note slipped under her door. It was from Guru Maa Radha. The message was short but commanding:
“A Jalsa has been arranged. You must attend. It is a grand occasion. Don’t fail.”
Swapna had not attended any Jalsa for months. Her heart was heavy with fear, but this one felt different. Rumors spread in whispers that it was a special celebration, arranged in a private resort. Someone important was being honored.
“Who is the lucky chela?” Swapna asked cautiously. But no one gave her a clear answer.
That evening, the entire community dressed in their finest. Shimmering silk sarees rustled, bangles jingled, and the air smelled of jasmine and sandalwood. Swapna, though weak, wrapped herself in a red Banarasi saree and tied her hair in a low bun. Something inside her told her this night would change everything.
At the resort, the Jalsa was grander than anything she had seen before. Glittering lights hung from the trees, music played, and a feast was spread. Everyone danced joyfully to Bollywood beats.
Suddenly, Guru Maa Radha rose and raised her hand. The hall went silent. From behind the curtains, a new chela stepped forward—draped in a green saree, her face hidden by her pallu. Radha’s voice rang with authority:
“From today, she is one among us. A new life, a new journey. Her name shall be Tania.”
Applause broke out, and the crowd cheered. Swapna froze in her seat. Her heart skipped a beat. She knew that voice, that gait, that hesitation in the steps. Could it be…?
Tania was seated on a chair at the center, shy and blushing, her hands trembling under the pallu. Just then, a hush fell over the gathering as a new figure entered—a tall woman in a rich Kanchivaram silk saree, her aura commanding respect.
She was holding a plate decorated with saree, blouse piece, turmeric, kumkum, bangles, and sweets. Everyone bowed slightly as she walked forward. No one knew who she was, but her presence was magnetic.
The woman approached Tania. She gently smeared turmeric on her cheek, applied kumkum on her forehead, and then handed over the plate.
Tania kept her head down, still blushing nervously. But suddenly, the woman held Tania’s chin firmly and lifted her face.
The crowd gasped.
A cold smile spread across her lips.
“So, how are you, Tanish?” she said, her voice sharp like a blade. “Hope you are enjoying your new life. You will have more fun from now on. Did you think you could sit in prison and escape all your sins?”
Tania’s eyes widened in horror. The woman leaned closer, her words dripping with venom.
“Let me make you experience hell on earth.”
The hall froze. Guru Maa Radha’s face turned pale. Swapna clutched her saree pallu tightly, her breath heavy.
Tanish—now Tania—stared in disbelief at the woman before her.
She was none other than Jhansi, CBI Additional DGP.
Her smile was one of triumph, her eyes blazing with revenge.
The drums started beating again, but now their rhythm felt like thunder in Tanish’s chest. The crowd danced, unaware of the storm that had just begun.
What was Jhansi’s past with Tanish? What revenge did she seek? Would Swapna gather the courage to protect Tania? Or was this the beginning of an even darker chapter in Tanish’s life?
The answers remained buried in silence, as the Jalsa lights flickered like warning flames.
To be continued…
