Natasha watched the interview on the television with a growing interest. Her large saucer shaped eyes had dark shadows underneath, indicating yet another sleepless night, despite her sedatives.  So that was Fatima the self acclaimed ‘Witch’. Well she appeared more like the aunt next door. Fifty something, her long hair hung loose on her shoulders and she wore a light coloured saree. A large silver pendant of a hemispherical shape with a large moonstone hung on her neck with a black string. Nothing unusual. Only her eyes; they gave the impression of serenity and wisdom. Then suddenly she smiled as her interviewer asked about her celebrity clients. Yes, Natasha with her unerring instinct knew that despite her pretences, the witch also suffered from the same insecurities as all the humans she wanted to, ‘heal’. Fatima was saying in a dulcet tone, ‘that people had a misconception about witches. They only wanted to heal and with their ancient knowledge tried to remove the imbalances of life. Witches seek to heal and to help all of Life, and when we are working for "the good of all", it is natural that the "good" will come to us also.’ Well she could give this witch a try, may be she would be able to help her thought Natasha. Everything else had failed. Hope stirred in her heart and she picked up the phone. A soft obsequious tap and her ever-obliging secretary entered the room. The interviewer droned on about a web site and a book written by Fatima on the myths and mysteries surrounding witches. Natasha pointed silently towards the T.V. and commanded, “Get me an appointment with her.”

The secretary a middle-aged balding man in his many years of association was used to all kinds of strange requests from his employer and he remained expressionless. “Fatima lives in Delhi madam”, was a statement and a question as well. The beautifully arched eyebrows shot up, “So?” He just nodded his head in compliance and left the room softly.  

   This brought her to think of Upansu. Who had been a simple Sulemaan Khan to begin with. Acting changed him to take on the name Upansu Kumar.  Where was he she wondered, dragging herself up with difficulty? Must be with that Zaheeda. She felt like throwing up at the thought of that tall, dark buxom woman. It was rumoured that she had a son who many claimed was Upansu’s. Her eyes traveled to her flat, tight stomach and she sighed with disappointment. How proud she used to be of her perfect figure.  Natasha was the first to start the trend of wearing bikinis in Hindi films. She just loved to flaunt her body. Men just drooled over her navel. She was the ultimate pin-up girl. She had no dearth of admirers. Each and every film of hers would be a box office hit. She had been christened ‘The Enchantress’ by the press. Her looks were truly angelic, soft curly hair framed a perfectly oval face. A tip tilted nose and a rosebud mouth completed the picture. When she smiled a shadow of a dimple enhanced it further. Life had been good; she was the pampered darling of the nation. Why then did she chase Upansu, a man twice her age? Natasha’s mind traveled back to those halcyon years when Upansu was the heartthrob of the masses. The black and white films only accentuated his silent grief when the heroine betrayed him. His lopsided smile made her heart beat that much faster when he smiled mesmerizingly into the actress’s eyes. Natasha was wildly happy when she finally signed a film with the great ‘Upansu’!  He had just looked at her quizzically and treated her like a kid. It went without saying that he enjoyed her wide-eyed adoration. He was twice her age and to her relief still an eligible bachelor. She turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to all his ‘affairs’. Her justification that nobody had been able to ensnare him! What about the rumours of his ugly temper and the mean dealings. Natasha would give the example of Farzana, a struggling actress whose mother’s medical bills Upansu had paid. He was generous; all his donations to charitable organizations were well published. His indifference only heightened her desire to possess him. Natasha’s mother had been alarmed initially and tried to dissuade her but when Upansu suddenly turned the charming admirer, she was also bewitched. What had Upansu thought about her then, wondered Natasha? She had been too busy posing for the deliriously happy pictures splashed in all the film magazines and even the staid daily newspapers to bother. It was after all the hue and cry had died down that the true meaning of her action began to dawn on her. Upansu the man was very different from the one portrayed on the screen. Her baby face crumpled up in rage and humiliation as she remembered the first time she had unknowingly stumbled on his ‘harem’. The women had openly jeered at her ‘innocence’. Upansu had been quite indifferent to her tantrums. When Natasha had threatened to walk out on him, Upansu had said quietly, “It will really be much more painful for you.” It was not a threat, just a statement of facts. She had been so open about flaunting the fact that she was the only Mrs.Upansu Kumar. And certainly it had its privileges, the power of money, adulation. Well she was familiar with both, but as a woman married to one of the most successful actors of the age it was just that much more, plus the halo of a married woman bestowed by a society, which treated unmarried women as a plaything and an outcaste. Natasha had swallowed her pride and anger with difficulty and displaying the grit and determination she was famous for had played the role of a woman much in love with her husband. But living out a role had taken it’s toll. Natasha had however driven a bargain; Upansu would never marry again. She had remained satisfied with the arrangements till Nandini an editor of a film magazine had whispered the rumours of Zaheeda the tall sultry ex-model. She had been married to some army officer, Natasha recalled who was also related to Upansu. Natasha had been used to the open adoration of these women in social gatherings, but there was something quite electric about these two. Nandini had warned of a deeper relationship. With Upansu a man who lived only for himself? A person who could not sustain interest in a woman beyond a few months? It was rumoured that the ageing actor had wanted a progeny desperately. Natasha it was well known was incapable of delivering the goods. Maybe, Zaheeda who was young enough to be his granddaughter inspired some hope. Her long suppressed rage surfaced and Upansu just viewed her with supreme unconcern, yawned and turned away. It was then that she decided to play her final hand. The next day’s papers carried the copy of Upansu’s marriage with Zaheeda and Natasha’s declaration of divorce.  It brought forth a swift reaction. She had been on target. There were wild stories of Natasha’s indiscretions. Her incapacity to produce an heir. Her constant forays into films after her marriage. Through the entire storm she just maintained her stand, no second marriage. Finally, Upansu conceded defeat and the woman disappeared. It was truce of sorts and although Zaheeda was not publicly acknowledged, she remained there firmly holding on to the man. Natasha knew that this outcome was not out of any affection for her, but that Upansu Kumar harboured political ambitions. It would not go down well with the masses that he had deserted his wife of many years.

  “Can aging be reversed? Why does god let us grow old and weak? Why is there so much pain?” Natasha’s questions were more a plea to Fatima. Both the women eyed each other like battle weary soldiers. The response from the self proclaimed witch had been quick. Each was assessing the other as to how much benefit she could extract from the other. “God has planned the strength and beauty of youth to be physical. But the strength of age is spiritual. We gradually lose the strength and beauty that is temporary so we will be sure to concentrate on the strength and beauty, which is forever. We will be eager to leave the temporary for our eternal home and if we stayed young and beautiful, we might never want to leave,” intoned Fatima in a husky voice, smiling faintly. She realized that Natasha despite her still innocent baby looks was frightened of ageing as countless other actors and actresses before her had been. She almost anticipated her request. Natasha opened her eyes a little more widely and stated speculatively, “The latest scientific discoveries deal with delaying death in fact a person can live for over two hundred years.” Fatima’s eyes grew a velvety black and she whispered, “There is no beginning, there is no end, there is only the infinite passion for life.” A slight tightening of the lips and Natasha shook her head in annoyance, “We are not getting any where.” Fatima looked at her with compassion, “What is it that causes you so much distress?” Natasha decided to take the plunge. “Can you make me remain young and beautiful forever? I read your book that you cast spells to harness positive energy and make people fall in love.” Fatima shuddered; there was so much greed and violence in Natasha’s statement. Her voice was just barely a whisper, “Then you also know about the Law of Three. Basically, this is the natural law of "cause and effect". The Goddess charges us to exercise great care in all that we, as Witches, do and say and even think. The Threefold Law takes the notion that "what we reap, we will sow", a few steps further…in fact, THREE steps further. For what we do "for good or for ill, shall be returned to us threefold." In light of this fact, Witches are loath to cause any harm, lest it be returned to them in spades!”

 “Who or what are you harming by making me young and desirable?” Natasha was petulant and felt that some headway had been made and she could possibly get a bargain. “You will probably be doing a lot of good for my fans and possibly get a three-fold blessing in return, she added triumphantly. I quote again from your web site ‘for the good of all and the harm of none.’ Besides Sulemaan saheb can arrange for the Rajya Sabha nomination we had heard you had wanted.” Natasha’s eyes gleamed with delight. She knew she had zeroed in on Fatima’s weakness. Fatima was beginning to feel a little breathless; her old asthmatic problem was making its reappearance. She began coughing, suppressing it initially, but finally giving in to its violent spasms. Natasha was irritated, just when they were reaching a point of understanding this Witch had to go red in her face coughing like an old patient of tuberculosis. How awful she looked, tears streaming out of her eyes and then she began to choke. The prominent sharp nose all red, the eyes all screwed up, the mouth open showing a huge big black gap.  Natasha left the room, in a hurry asking the person at the outer office to go in. As she waited Natasha recollected how she had played the waif thin girl plagued with illness after being torn from her lover by a strict father. How she had coughed in her illness, but then she was adorable, just picture perfect. The man appeared a little distraught, “Fatima madam has cancelled all her appointments for the day.” “But I didn’t finish my session with her,” Natasha was clearly annoyed. “Madam, you can call up tomorrow and fix another appointment.” The actress debated whether she should totally drop this woman. There should be no dearth of these sorts of women. However, experience told her that Fatima had the prowess and the others had been from the dubious underworld of untrustworthy people. Well she would try her luck again.

   Peering from behind the curtains, Fatima saw the huge black Opel Astra car sweep away from the driveway with relief. She always picked up her client’s vibrations. Her asthma was sensitive to people. If she was near a person she disliked it came on virulently. She was psychosomatic. It had taken years of self-control and rigorous discipline and use of old forgotten medicinal herbs to be rid of it. Now Natasha’s presence had triggered it off. Fatima repeated mentally, I must never meet her. Try and avoid her at all cost. She will lead me to my destruction. All these thoughts flashed by in her mind. Fatima slowly went over what all she had been taught as a young witch …

Witches have a deep and abiding knowledge of the workings of the Universe. All things are connected to all other things- we are related to all Life, the Earth and the Stars. We know that all that we do affects everything else in the Web of Life. We are very conscious of this responsibility. We are known as "The Craft of the Wise" because of our knowledge of energies and the natural and spiritual laws that govern the workings of the Universe. To work within these laws is wisdom; to work against them is chaos. Because we hold this knowledge, we know and are willing to accept responsibility for our actions and what will result from them.

    Fatima drew a deep breath and felt a lot calmer. How did she know that my name had been suggested for the Rajya Sabha nomination? Probably it was public news as the person who had floated it was an influential film financier. Fatima had been able to help his son get out of an old drug addiction habit. And that had opened up all her latent ambitions… Ah yes, she would certainly like to sit in the parliament.

 

                                                                       ...to be continued