RECAP 

Sandhya observes the karwa chauth fast for Bhargava. She does not go for the outingon pretext of headache and performs each and every ritual that a married woman performs on this day. She remembers her past, how in her teenage she got separated from her mother during the chaos created by a bomb explosion on the railway platform and landed in flesh trade. She goes to the temple and prays for the long life of Bhargava. She longs to meet him, but he does not come. Hunger and pain gives her a headache, which she was faking in the morning. Everyone comes back happy from the outing, while she was still complaining of a headache.

CHAPTER 16 

“No, I won’t send any of my girls anywhere. Ask your customer to come here,” Malini said to Murali. 

“That’s not possible, Malini bai,” said Murali, “He’s a well-known social worker and owns a number of vidhwa ashrams and nari niketans. He’ll never want to be seen in this area; it will affect his reputation.” 

“I don’t care even if he is the President of India. I won’t let my girls go out. Don’t you remember what happened with Rajni?” she shouted. 

“Arre, don’t worry, Malini bai. I’ll take care of everything,” he said. 

“You said the same thing when you took Rajni,” she thundered, “You are such a rascal. You still have the audacity to ask me for another girl!” 

“Rajni’s case was different. She had to go to a party. But this time, the woman just has to see this person in a quiet hotel room and satisfy him. She’ll be back in an hour or so,” he explained. 

“You scoundrel! Why don’t you take your wife to him, if you are so keen?” she stung him. 

“Malini bai!” he lost his temper. 

However, the very next moment, he mellowed down and said, “Why are you being such a paranoid? Just think over it; nothing wrong will happen. Plus he’ll pay fifteen hundred rupees just for an hour.” 

“Fifteen hundred, did you say?” Malini’s eyes widened with greed. 

“Yes! I think he won’t mind paying even two thousand,” Murali made the offer more tempting. 

“Hmm… that sounds interesting,” she said thinking over the offer. 

“That’s what I was saying, Malini bai,” he smiled, “The problem is that you don’t listen; you straightaway start abusing and cursing.” 

“But, how can I ask Rajni?” queried Malini. 

“Who’s asking for her? I’ll take Sandhya with me,” suggested Murali. 

“That would be fine, I guess. Let me call her.” Saying this, she summoned her, “Sandhya! Aye Sandhya!” 

“Yes, di!” she came immediately. 

“Murali has got a customer for you. He’s waiting for you in a hotel room. Just satisfy him well; he’ll pay two thousand for an hour,” said Malini. 

The very thought of going out made Sandhya quiver. Her face turned pale. Rajni’s shrieks and cries on that night started echoing in her ears. 

“Di, but…” she opened her mouth to say something. 

“Oh, don’t worry! Nothing will happen to you,” Malini interrupted, “In fact, whatever happened that night was not so bad. Okay, she was assaulted; but the boys paid double the amount they had promised. Now see, there’s nothing that can’t be compensated for.” 

Irritated and anguished, Sandhya left with Murali. 

“What kind of a life do we lead?” she contemplated in the taxi, “I always thought we were commodities. But today I’m feeling, we are not even that. The master owning a particular commodity certainly feels sorry when it is lost. Even a child cries for a broken toy. But who’ll be affected even if we die? Look at Malini di! She’s in a sense happy that Rajni was raped. At least, she got the double amount.” 

“There’s nothing that can’t be compensated for,” these words were deafening her ears. 

“This is the hotel,” Murali’s words dragged her out of her world of thoughts. 

“Just go inside and tell the receptionist that you want to see Mr Dhankar. He’s in Room no. 503,” he informed her, “I’ll wait for you here.” 

Sandhya entered the hotel. A peon told her the way to Room no. 503. On reaching the room, she knocked at the door. 

“Come in,” a voice came from inside. 

She entered the room. A middle-aged man dressed in a night suit wearing gold-rimmed spectacles stood there. 

“Murali sent you?” he asked her. 

Sandhya nodded. 

“Okay, so…” before he could say anything, his phone rang. 

“Just a sec,” he said and started talking on phone. 

““Hello… yes, speaking… who’s this… oh, Mrs Sen… how are you and how are your preparations going on… no, no… please don’t embarrass me… the honour is entirely mine… you chose me as the chief guest for the inauguration of your nari niketan… it’s really a privilege for me… yes, yes…so true… so true… absolutely right you are… most of the nari niketans function as brothels and force women into prostitution… it really hurts me when I see the women of my country in such a degraded condition… oh yes… prostitution is really a blot on our society… what… no, no… don’t worry… I’ll be there on time… oh please, don’t thank me, thank the Almighty for making it possible… sure, sure… okay, then… take care… Jai Maan Durge…”

“Miss big butts, hehehehe…” he giggled in an almost inaudible voice.

Now he looked at Sandhya and grinned, “Quite a beautiful slut you are!”

Without wasting a single moment, he quickly undressed her and pushed her on the bed. Then he got into the sheets and started making love to her. Hardly a few minutes had passed, when suddenly someone started banging on the door. It seemed as if the door was being caned.

He quickly dressed up and opened the door a little to see who was there. Sandhya covered herself with the bed sheet. Soon a big party of policemen barged into the room. 

“What’s going on here?” asked the inspector. 

“Oh, Sandhya the whore!” he said as he saw her, “You both are under arrest.” 

“Officer! Please listen to me,” the man said and took him to a corner. They started whispering in low voices. 

“Hey, you bitch,” a lady constable said to Sandhya, “Come out of that sheet.” 

Sandhya draped the sheet around herself, picked up her clothes and moved towards the bathroom. 

“Where are you going? If you want to put on your clothes, do it right here. What if you
run away from the bathroom window!” another constable said. 

Sandhya, feeling deeply humiliated, started wearing her clothes in front of them, while
the policemen began to hoot and pass nasty comments on her. Thereafter, the lady constable moved forward and handcuffed her. 

By now, the inspector and the man had also had their secret talk. 

The inspector shook hands with him and smilingly said, “Okay sir! Hope not to see you again.” 

The man laughed loudly and said, “Oh, come on! At least you can come for a drink.” 

“Sure, I will,” saying this, the inspector left without arresting the man. Sandhya sensed
what had gone between them. 

They took her out of the hotel. Murali saw her mobbed by the policemen, but did not
move forward.Had he done so, he too would have been caught up in the mess. He went
straight to Malini.

                                                 To Be Continued .....