A few minutes later, at the khooh, Bikkar said to Jagat, "Sahab has ordered you to come to the Takia. You didn't get the message?"
"Sit and have a tea," replied Jagat holding a glass and pointing to an emplty cot.
"No time. Sahib wants the three of you and Gogi. He isn't there either."
"He doesn't live with us," said Gamma.
"Nowadays children don't listen to parents as much as did we. You, what's your name?" asked Jagat looking at the cop.
"Havildar Bikkar Singh. IG Sahab's sent SP Sahib. He's here to deal with the crime," replied Bikkar hoping to impress Jagat.
"The SP, the Inspector General, too, can come here and talk to us," said Jagat before getting up and walking away. Bikkar Singh got the message, one he wasn't used to, and shuffled away.
"It's already past midday. I should fill the manger. Gamma, you could take the cattle to the challah. And Bhaaji, the SP Sahib would be mad at us for not showing up especially after he sent the Havildar to fetch us," said Dhumma.
"Mad? May be but without any reason to be so," replied Jagat.
"A Principal could disobey a police order. I can't," said a pale looking Gamma.
"You and I have the same rights. Don't worry," said Jagat.
Dhumma and Gamma got busy with the other khooh chores while Jagat walked over to cut some hay. Gamma's fears about disobeying the police grated on Jagat and after a few minutes of sickling hay he dropped the sickle, walked over to Gamma and said, "Let's go & see the bloody SP. The colonial master have left their bastards behind."
"Some people disobeying the police think they're above the law," the trio heard Gulab say as they approached the Takia. The SP had encountered Jagat several times, more recently when the latter had accompanied Keeto's parents urging him to investigate her rape.
"Principal ji, come and sit up here," Gulab said pointing to his own empty chair. Gamma and Dhumma joined the crowd on the ground. Standing to the side Jagat began:
"Gulab Ramji, please note I didn't say Gulab Ram Sahab because we overthrew the Gora Sahabs, not to just replace them with the brown kind. You summoned the village as if we're cattle, sheep but we've work to but now that I'm here let me tell you a few weeks ago Keeto, a poor chuhri daughter of Qaadian was raped, you didn't lift a finger. Now a rich zamindar's daughter is raped, she and a rapist killed, I'm glad you're here because no one deserves to die at the hands of another. But the sad thing is you weren't here for Keeto and even now you aren't here for us squatting n the dirt, only for those in the chairs. You want to speak with my family you're welcome to do so at my Khooh."
The trio walked away sparking a mini uprising as several other left as well.
"Bhaaji, I am worried, Gogi wasn't at the Takia," Gamma to Jagat as they began walking to the khooh.
"He may've gone somewhere, he'll be back. He's a good kid," answered Jagat.
Gulab Ram returned to Qaadian several times, each time summoning Qaadian's men to the Takia. With every tri the number of men at the takia dwindled.
Chapter 47: Ratno
An early in the morning, at the crowded New Delhi railway station, Jagat's letter in hand, Ratno and Jaggi wrapped in blankets boarded the train; it whistled, swished and moved. Ratno had returned several times to Ambala to see Durga and Sherkur before they passed away. Cleaving the thick winter fog, stopping at stations big and small the train reached Ambala. Ratno spotted Deepak behind the stall serving passengers. To his right the empty bench pulled her for a visit. She sat on it and remembered how Durga had wished to hand over the stall to her but she persuaded him to give it to Deepak; he needed it to make a living.
Deepak noticed her on the bench and Jaggi standing close to her, waved at them and smiled, poured them each a samosa and chholay in the banyan leaf bowl and said,
"Ratno Sister, long time no see. Like Chacha I too, love both of you as family!"
"We love you too Deepak mama. You're family," said Jaggi.
The mother and son finished the samosas. Discarding the leaf bowls they bid Deepak goodbye and got back on the train and it soon resumed its rhythm. Ratno's eyes were fixed on the fields, factories and homes by the tracks. Since leaving Zillapur one early morning, ending up in Badshahi Bagh and in Delhi this was the first time Ratno was going back north past Ambala. It all seemed so different. As the train hurtled her fears escalated; Qaadian might demand an explanation of her mysterious absence, of Jaggi and his paternity.
She felt stranger to her old world.
Jagat had lingered at the office with a cup of tea as Qaadian's rapes, the country's woes and the years in jail cells swirled in his head when he recognised the voice outside.
"We'd like to see Principal Sahab," it had said.
"Oh, lucky you, he's late leaving for Qaadian," said Shiv Singh.
"Come in Madam Principal, and Jaggi! Chacha would be so happy to see you both," said Jagat coming out to greet them.
They went into the office and Jagat poured them water.
"Jaggi how do you like Principal Uncle's office? It is bigger than your mom's, I mean mine, eh."
"Jagat's eyes were focused on Ratno's fingers; as nimble as ever, clutching the glass. They were busy catching up since his visit to her school when Jaggi noticed what he had seen in Delhi: Lack of distance between them. Once he had asked her about his own name.
"The jewel of the world, it means; you are the jewel of my world," she had replied.
"Mom, I just figured out my name, a part of Principal Uncle's added to yours."
"It's going to get dark. Let's leave," said Jagat promplty rising from his chair, afraid to be found out by Jaggi.
"I don't know Qaadian anymore, you know, the freedom struggle was all about change and like som of Gandhi's soldiers, I changed but many remained the same. Like before, the Gundus and Rams rule the villages, the cities and the police and nothing much seems to have changed," said Jagat as he drove.
"Old age has made you pessimistic huh," said Ratno turning to him.
"The Gundus of religion murdered the Mahatma. Makes me wonder if there's anything sacred anymore?"
Not wanting to ponder his question Ratno looked toward the khooh now visible from the car; it looked big clump of trees, its top seeming a one big green umbrella.
"The mulberry trees, wow, they're so big. Quite small when last I saw them," said Ratno as the Fiat stopped in front of the hut.
"Well in twenty years people grow old like me and the trees mature," said Jagat.
"Are you telling me I'm not mature," asked Ratno, a huge naughty smile on her face.
"I was thinking of myself."
"Self deprecation won't earn you any praise or sympathy from this woman."
They stood near the mulberries talking about their lives and catching. The Sun had gone down.
So far neither Ratno nor Jagat had broached their Zillapur night of long years ago.
All the way from Delhi to the khooh the eventful Zillapur night between her and Jagat had glided like a record on the gramophone that played the same song over and over again. After so many years of distance between them desire of him had once again begun to awaken in her min; Preeti's death had opened the door to it but worried about Qaadian's verdict she had been suppressing the thought.
Jagat too was silently wrestling with his past with Ratno and desire percolated through his mind, too. And yet soon after they had reached the khooh Jagat had yelled, "Hey Shiv, come see, it's Bhooa Ratno and Bha Jaggi." Ratno had blushed and Jagat looked away, both contending in their own minds with their carnal sin against Qaadian an the lie just uttered by Jagat about her being Shiv's Bhooa that she hadn't contested; to be Shiv's Bhooa she would have had to be Jagat's sister or sister like woman from Qaadian and she was neither and Shiv and Jaggi's sibling like resemblance reminded both Jagat and Ratno about their life's hidden big lie.
Jagat, Ratno and the boys walked home with Gamma while Dhumma had gone ahead to bring Sukhia home; Jagat had decided they'll all eat at home and stay the night there.
The dal boiled on the chullah as Seeto greeted them and stirred it.
"Seeto, this is Ratno, your sister in law and Jaggi," Jagat told her.
"Come sit near me Sister Ratno," said Seeto.
They began making rotis. Ratno rolled them. Seeto turned them over on the tava until the heat transformed them into oval balloons. Coming off the tava each balloon flattened and Seeto buttered them.
Sukhia walked in with Dhumma and smelt ginger, onion, chilli, and other condiments from the daal. In the light of the kerosene lamp Sukhia could make out there were two women at the chullah.
Daal smells mouth watering Seeto but who is with you at the chullah?"
Ratno jumped up and embraced him.
"Bapu, it is me, Ratno. Please don't be cross. Here is your grandson Jagrath, Jaggi. His father had died."
Once again a blatant lie from Ratno mutely acquiesced in by Jagat.
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