Games That Men Play

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GAMES THAT MEN PLAY The wayward drizzle outside finally made up its mind, it slowly picked up pace and settled down to a steady drumming rhythm on the tiled roof. A couple of hours back, as if on cue, the electricity department cut off the power for the entire village. Suggi Raju sat huddled in the corner of the wet and humid room. He did not even bother to replace the protective glass of the kerosene lamp as the occasional gusts of wind were threatening to blow off the solitary flame in the room. This brave little flame was a metamorphic symbolism for him, of the similarly flickering flame of life outside in the rains, which was at the risk of being extinguished any moment now, by the winds of fate. Suggi Raju suddenly remembered that, the bundles of hay that he stored in the upper loft of the cowshed would be getting wet. He involuntarily reached out to grab the gunnysack that he used as a raincoat, to check on the hay and the solitary cow in the shed outside.

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the vengeance knows no boundaries

Transcript of Games That Men Play

Page 1: Games That Men Play

GAMES THAT MEN PLAY

The wayward drizzle outside finally made up its mind, it slowly picked up pace and settled down

to a steady drumming rhythm on the tiled roof. A couple of hours back, as if on cue, the

electricity department cut off the power for the entire village. Suggi Raju sat huddled in the

corner of the wet and humid room.

He did not even bother to replace the protective glass of the kerosene lamp as the occasional

gusts of wind were threatening to blow off the solitary flame in the room. This brave little flame

was a metamorphic symbolism for him, of the similarly flickering flame of life outside in the

rains, which was at the risk of being extinguished any moment now, by the winds of fate.

Suggi Raju suddenly remembered that, the bundles of hay that he stored in the upper loft of the

cowshed would be getting wet. He involuntarily reached out to grab the gunnysack that he used

as a raincoat, to check on the hay and the solitary cow in the shed outside.

The futility of his action suddenly struck him and he let out a resigned sigh and stopped himself.

He let the gunny sack fall onto the floor right onto the puddle of rainwater formed from the one

of the numerous leaks from the roof. It no longer mattered to him. He went back to his corner of

the room and started looking at the flickering flame of the kerosene lamp.

His mind was in turmoil, will his very carefully calculated and executed plans bear fruit? Will

fate once again intervene and thwart his plans? It really did not matter if the coin that he tossed

threw up a “heads” or a “tail”, either of the outcomes would be a win for him.

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Suggi Raju’s thoughts were now totally concentrated on his son Ranga Raju, whom he sent out

on a do or die mission.

Ranga Raju was partially wet, as he patiently hid himself under the insufficient cover of the

awning behind the cattle shed. The half a dozen cows, some with calves settled down on the

floor and were lazily chewing cud, neither bothered with nature’s furry outside nor the actions of

the humans around them.

Occasional flashes from the streaks of lightening illuminated the image of a young robust man

tense and shivering wet. With one hand he held tightly onto the thick partly wet blanket that he

covered himself from head to feet, while in the other hand he clutched the wooden handle of the

brand new sickle. He had spent hours in the day sharpening it to a very keen edge for the job that

was to follow in the night.

He could make out the faint sound of the diesel generators running somewhere, in the back

ground. This was one of the few of houses in the entire village that enjoyed the luxury of diesel

generated back up supply of electricity. The drone of the generators helped sustaining the

burning rage in his heart as he patiently waited to make his next move.

Meanwhile in his dilapidated house Suggi Raju kept staring at the flame, while he ruminated

over the events in the past that led him to the present situation.

Suggi Raju and Koti Raju’s were distant cousins. Their common lineage went back to a common

forefather a few generations back. Their grandfathers were brothers. Suggi Raju’s father was

one among six brothers, while Koti Raju’s father was the only son followed by a sister.

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This unequal distribution of the boys and girls in their respective families was probably the first

reason for the unequal distribution of fortunes. The philanthropic nature of Suggi Raju’s father

only added to Suggi Raju’s misfortune. Suggi Raju’s father managed to inherit only a fifth part

of the ancestral property, Whereas Koti Raju’s father inherited almost all his father’s property.

Suggi Raju’s father was a naïve and good natured man. The villagers and other relatives played

on his weakness and like the bandicoots in the fields, managed to slowly and steadily to gnaw

away the property little by little. By the time Suggi Raju was big enough to understand and stem

the losses, the inheritance had dwindled to a mere three acres of agriculture land.

Although, both their respective fathers managed to maintain a cordial relationship, it was not so

between the two cousins. The stark economical difference between them was too obvious. Koti

Raju went to the private convent school in the town to complete his twelfth standard. Whereas

Suggi Raju’s schooling in the village government school ended when he was in the fifth

Koti Raju was always immaculately in dressed in silk shirts ironed pants, while Suggi Raju could

wear them only on very special occasions. Koti Raju only went to the fields to lord over the

scores of hired farmhands toiling in the fields. Whereas Suggi Raju had to toil alongside the

couple of old hired hands in his meager holding. The childish rivalry between the cousins only

grew stronger and bitter as they grew up into young adults, and reached a peak with the advent of

Kanakam in their lives.

Kanakam was the youngest daughter of Bucchi Raju, a marginal farmer of the village and also a

distant relative of the cousins, a typical situation where half the population were remotely related

to each other.

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He had lived a good and prosperous life once, but by the time he got his four of the six daughter

married off, his financial situation dropped down drastically. He still had Kanakam and Parvathi

to be married.

Suggi Raju saw Kanakam for the first time at the village jatra. The chirpy girl was barely into her

teens and was accompanied by her younger sister. They were haggling with the bangle seller, to

buy two sets of bangles but their father had given money enough for just one. Neither sister

wanted to own the bangles at the cost of depriving the other. Dejectedly they turned away

without buying them. Suggi Raju who was observing the scene quickly went to the seller and had

a word with him. The Bangle seller called back Kanakam and pretended to give in and sell both

the sets for the prize of one. Latter Suggi Raju paid up the rest of the amount to the seller. The

Happiness and radiance on Kanakam’s face brought a certain unexplainable feeling rose in Suggi

Raju’s heart. A year later the bangle seller let onto the little secret to Kanakam. Kanakam

formed a soft corner for Suggi Raju. As if it were a natural progression love blossomed between

the two. Small things like these did not go unnoticed by the nosy villagers, whispered rumors

made the rounds. Even Koti Raju heard of them and a certain emotion of jealousy took root in

his heart.

Meanwhile a close relative brought a proposal for Suggi Raju’s elder sister. It was a very

appropriate match for her. The boy’s parents and other elders came over to see the girl and

finalize other important matters. The boy liked the girl and it was assumed by default that the girl

liked the boy. They quickly came to the dowry negotiations. Suggi Raju’s mother agreed to give

up all her gold ornaments for the daughter. Next in the list came the demand for two acres of

land as part of the dowry. Although it would mean that Suggi Raju would be left with just two

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acres for himself, he agreed to it without hesitation. The demand for two lakhs cash became the

stumbling block.

Suggi Raju’s father was hesitating when Koti Raju’s father stepped in. “Brother don’t let this

good proposal slip away, as for the cash don’t worry I will take care of it” he assured. “You can

return it back as per your convenience”. Suggi Raju’s father being a man of principles agreed

and got the transaction signed on a stamp paper. By the time all the formalities of the marriage

were over Suggi Raju’s father had incurred a debt of three lakh rupees to his cousin.

This debt was almost a forgotten thing as Suggi Raju’s father was never able to raise the amount

and neither did Koti Raju’s father ask for it.

Years passed by and the minor skirmishes between the cousins continued. On occasions Koti

Raju had the upper hand vis-a-vis his financial advantage, and occasionally Suggi Raju won,

with his wit and physical prowess. During those days Suggi Raju’s mother fell seriously ill and

the father and son watched her die a slow death as they could not afford the medical expenses.

Kanakam was just out of her teens. And the villager’s whispers about Suggi Raju and Kanakam

were getting louder. One fine day Suggi Raju’s father raised the topic with Kanakam’s father

Bucchi Raju. Although Bucchi Raju readily agreed and expressed his joy at the proposal, he said

he wanted a year’s time, till he sold off his crop and arranged for the money for the marriage.

A couple of months latter Suggi Raju and his father were surprised to see Bucchi Raju at their

house quite late in the night. Suggi Raju welcomed him into the house with all due respect;

blushing all the while at his would be father-in-law.

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Bucchi Raju’s with a crest fallen face, blurted out the whole story to the father son duo. When

the news of the proposed alliance of Kanakam to Suggi Raju reached Koti Raju’s ears, he

informed his father about his desire to marry Kanakam. Bucchi Raju was summoned by Koti

Raju’s father and was coerced into agreeing to the proposal. They did not want any dowry and

also all the marriage expenses would be borne by the boy’s side. Bucchi Raju never even deemed

it necessary to take Kanakam’s opinion in the matter.

Before Suggi Raju and his father could say anything Bucchi Raju came up with a face saving

proposal, he wanted to give his youngest daughter, Parvati’s hand in marriage to Suggi Raju to

make up for this helpless man’s forced betrayal.

Suggi Raju was aghast on hearing this Villainy of Koti Raju. He stormed out of the house, in a fit

of murderous rage. Suggi Raju’s father became very agitated and angry at first but the gentle

persuasion of Bucchi Raju slowly made him to see sense in the whole proposal. For one this was

the best opportunity to repay the moral debt of Koti Raju’s father help during his daughter’s

marriage. And second this way Suggi Raju still gets to marry Bucchi Raju’s daughter so what if

it was Parvathi instead of Kanakam who was as beautiful as her elder sister.

Suggi Raju went straight to the toddy shop on the outskirts of the village, bought a bottle of the

cheap liquor and went to drink and console himself.

The next day morning he staggered home and went to sleep in a drunken stupor. When in the

evening Suggi Raju woke up, his father was astonished when he calmly said “ok father if fate

decides that I marry Parvati so be it”. Suggi Raju’s fathered was happy that the expected storm

had passed by, at the same time a nagging worry started eating him as, it was not normal of

Suggi Raju’s reaction. He had the ill-boding about the storm only got put off for a further date.

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The wedding of Koti Raju and Kanakam was a mega event. The entire village was assembled

there and relatives from the cities and also some from far off countries attended. Those three

days everything was on the house right from morning coffee to the diner at night. Suggi Raju

was conspicuously missing, with a flimsy excuse of having to buy fertilizers.

A year later Suggi Raju and Parvati got married. But it was a very modest affair as Bucchi Raju

was almost scrapping the bottom of the barrel for funds to perform the marriage. An acre of the

fallow land was given as a dowry. This time Koti Raju did not even bother to give a reasonnot to

attended Suggi Raju’s marriage. Kanakam came for the wedding of her sister. The two sisters

hugged each other and consoled each other and lamented on their respective fates.

As women of the clan their opinions and likes and dislikes did not matter. They were mere

pawns in the games that their menfolk played.

Suggi Raju and his brother-in-law hit it off well and worked as a mutually beneficial team. They

shared made plans together and gave good support to each other in times of need.

This camaraderie of the brother’s in law did not go well with Koti Raju. He bid his time, and

looked for an opportunity to break their good relationship. He finally got his chance when Suggi

Raju decided to sell his crop at the prevailing rate in the market. But on realizing that he sold too

early and the rates were actually going up, he convinced his brother-in-law to hold on to his

produce. But a sudden fluctuation in the market as the crop from neighboring state flooded the

market and the price went tumbling down.

Koti Raju saw the opening he was waiting for, he managed to isolate Suggi Raju’s brother-in-law

and filled his ears and stoked the misunderstanding till it caught fire. Suggi Raju was aware as to

what Koti Raju was up to, and on many occasions tried to make his brother in law see sense.

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Unfortunately the sway of Koti Raju grew stronger as Koti Raju got the brother-in-law addicted

to alcohol, he let him to drink free daily from his stock of the foreign liquor. The brother-in-law

slowly started neglecting his fields and most often end up losing his crops thanks to Koti Raju’s

subtle machinations, he slowly started incurring debts.

Over a period of time Suggi Raju’s brother in law got so indebted to Koti Raju that he although

retained his land but was forced to became an part time employee of Koti Raju. As time went by

Suggi Raju’s sister was also forced to spend more time in Koti Raju’s house hold than at her own

home. Almost the entire day both husband and wife went to Koti Raju’s house and went back

home only at dusk.

By virtue of being Suggi Raju’s sister, she was very close to Kanakam and was treated with

respect and was given a free hand to do as she pleased in Koti Raju’s home. Kanakam was

pregnant and as time went by she became a constant companion of Kanakam, and during the

delivery of Kanakam’s first child she assisted the midwife in the delivery. Soon she even

became a mother to the girl and as Suggi Raju’s sister herself was childless she doted on the

child almost like a god mother.

Around that time Suggi Raju’s father suffered from a massive heart attack. The village elders

suggested that he should be immediately taken to the town, some of them went to Koti Raju’s

house to ask his help, by lending his car for this emergency. Koti Raju did not want to oblige and

he used some excuse of the car having some engine problem. Suggi Raju took his father to the

town in the rickety Auto. By the time they reached the hospital it was too late. Suggi Raju

blamed his father’s death to Koti Raju’s small mindedness and this incident only Suggi Raju’s

grudge against Koti Raju stronger.

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Two years later coincidentally both Parvathi and Kanakam conceived almost in a week’s

difference. As the months went by Suggi Raju’s financial situation became very dire.

Finally the day that was going to play a turning point in their lives arrived. Both the sisters went

into labor pains on the same evening.

Suggi Raju personally went to call on the mid-wives, and was aghast to find none of the three

were available, as all of them were summoned to Koti Raju’s hose.

Suggi Raju ran all the way to Koti Raju house and found the gates closed and guarded. Suggi

Raju killed his pride and asked for an audience with Koti Raju. When Koti Raju appeared at the

gate Suggi Raju humbly put his head down and requested for the services of one of the mid-

wives. Koti Raju did not find the Suggi Raju’s humility good enough he simply refused to relent

and said “it is your wife’s fault that she chose to give birth at the same auspicious time as Koti

Raju’s child, better luck next time” he said and walked off not bothering to listen to Suggi Raju’s

desperate pleading.

Suggi Raju’s sister who was watching the whole drama at the gate, approached Koti Raju and

pleaded to be allowed to talk her brother. Koti Raju just nodded with a huff. Suggi Raju’s sister

consoled her brother and passed on the information from one of the mid-wives. There was this

very old lady in the village outskirts, but she had stopped practice since a decade due to poor

eyesight. “Go and call her for Parvathi’s sake and please now don’t make a fuss that this old lady

belonged to the untouchable caste” as it was the question of two lives the mother and child go

and get her” she advised. And she also took a promise from her brother that he will be back at

the gate later on to give her the good news. Suggi Raju with tears in his eyes promised and went

running to the village outskirts.

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Suggi Raju ran though the unfamiliar narrow dirty lanes of the untouchable’s area on the village

outskirts. It was getting darker as the daylight faded and the skies were threatening with ominous

occasional thunders and streaks of lightning. The dark clouds heavily moving above were on the

verge of letting loose the rains any moment. Asking for directions every now and then he

managed to locate the old woman’s hut. He was almost in tears as he beseeched her to come to

his house, any hesitations of the untouchably issues were swept away from the old woman’s eyes

on seeing Suggi Raju’s plight. The only help she could get at the moment was her own twelve

years old grand-daughter. The old lady quickly gathered her long unused equipment in a cloth

bundle and ran after Suggi Raju to his house.

The few neighboring women around were shocked on seeing the untouchable following Suggi

Raju. They muttered under their breath and turned their backs and ignored him. Suggi Raju

provided the old woman with vessels, water, clean shaving blades and whatever she asked for

and went outside the house. He was being buffeted about with the emotions of rage against Koti

Raju’s cruelty, the unfairness of the gods and at the same time praying fervently to those very

gods for the well-being of his wife and child.

Hours later the small girl came out and shyly told Suggi Raju that the baby is born. Suggi Raju

ran into the house to see the old woman grinning with her toothless smile and assured him by

God’s grace there were no complications, it was a baby boy and Parvati gave him a weak tired

smile. Suggi Raju was lingering around in the room when the old woman asked him to scoot and

come back a little later.

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Suggi Raju now ran all the way back to Koti Raju’s house and once again begged that he wanted

to speak to his sister. She came out and both the siblings moved under the canopy of the cattle

shed.

Suggi Raju told her about the healthy boy being delivered. Suggi Raju’s sister heaved a sigh of

relief, and thanked the almighty above with folded hands. She informed her brother about

Kanakam too giving birth to a healthy baby boy. Now that the uncertain difficult period was

over, the seething rage of Suggi Raju returned. He made an urgent and emotional appeal to his

sister, and told her about his plan and she readily agreed to it, as she had her own axe to grind as

well.

Suggi Raju went home and relaxed on the cot for a while to conserve enough strength for the

task ahead. Suggi Raju looked at the watch it was past 2.A.M, he quietly went into the inner

room to check. The baby and mother were fast asleep so were the tired old woman and the small

girl.

Suggi Raju very quietly tied a bundle to his chest and stepped outside, into the light drizzle. He

covered himself with the plastic sheet that served as a raincoat and set off at a good pace towards

Koti Raju’s house. This time there were no guards at the gate and all was very quiet.

He waited with baited breath hiding in the shadows of the cattle sheds awning. Meanwhile the

slight drizzle too died out. He slowly slipped out of his hiding place and proceeded as per his

plan.

The cowherd sleeping near the cattle shed woke up with a start, as his nose picked up the

familiar smell of burning straw. The hay bales stored in the cattle shed roof top were on fire.

The cattle inside were braying with fear and straining at the tethers to break free and escape.

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The cowherd raised the alarm and soon the courtyard was in a bedlam with people running

about with buckets of water to douse the fire.

In the melee, Suggi Raju quickly ran out towards the rear of the house and entered through the

small door that was exclusively used by the servants and women for emergencies.

Koti Raju and a few others suddenly picked a new noise coming from the house. There was

distinct loud thudding sound from the right wing of the house, where Koti Raju’s bedroom was

located. They realized there was an intruder in the house. They ran back into the house and

straight to Koti Raju’s bedroom. By the time people reached there they saw the door wide open.

Whoever was in this room had already escaped just minutes ago.

Now again they heard a loud clattering noise from the kitchen. Some of the inmates ran towards

the kitchen, a cupboard full of steel vessels was toppled over. But again the intruder managed to

escape through the rear entrance.

In spite of the chaos at the burning cattle shed someone spotted a lone person jumping over the

wall and running away. A few of the servants gave chase but lost the intruder due to the rain and

slippery muddy lanes.

Koti Raju ran back to his room to and realized the intruder had tried to break open his steel

almirah where he stored the valuables and also the documents. But he managed to only dent the

door not open it at all.

Suggi Raju ran all the way back home at a steady lope. He gently opened the slightly ajar door

and went inside. The old woman and the little girl were fast asleep on the floor. Parvathi was still

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in a semi sleep state. Suggi Raju woke up the old woman and asked her to help Parvathi to suckle

the baby. After that he went to the verandah and tried to sleep off the exhaustion of the night.

The next day morning the police inspector from the nearby town came to investigate. He made a

study of the area and made inquiries with the household members. The Inspector re-constructed

the crime sequence and came to the conclusion of what had transpired during he night. For the

start the intruder knew about the childbirth in the house and knew that everyone would be tired

and not alert like any other day and the night was the most perfect opportunity for the intended

crime.

The intruder had first deliberately set fire to the cowshed to draw the attention of the household

member and servants. He then managed to undo the wooden latch of the rear door, or someone

forgot to close it properly and entered the house. He had a good idea about the layout of the

house and went straight to Koti Raju’s bedroom as evident from the wet mud tracks leading

straight to the bedroom. He tried to forcibly open the almarih thinking that every ones attention

would be on the burning cowshed. Unfortunately he made too much noise and as he heard people

coming running, he panicked and ran out through the kitchen again and accidentally toppled the

cupboard there too. He managed to run by the cowshed escaping attention and was unlucky to be

seen while jumping over the wall.

As part of the investigation the Inspector asked Koti Raju if he suspected anyone. Koti Raju was

in a fix, during the past decade he had usurped lands and properties of scores of villagers and

was sure that many would have attempted the robbery in his house. He suddenly remembered

that, the intruder was very cunning and agile. He gave names the inspector six likely names,

including Suggi Raju’s. Koti Raju accompanied them to lodge the F.I.R.

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The police took into custody all the persons named and took them to the town for questioning.

Suggi’s alibi did not stand scrutiny. Suggi Raju claimed that he was at home all the time due to

his child’s delivery. The old woman and the little girl were also questioned, but they admitted to

have slept off for a couple of hours after the delivery, thus making Suggi Raju’s case weak.

The circumstantial evidence against Suggi Raju was strong. But since nothing was actually

stolen the police charged Suggi Raju with arson for burning the cattle shed and was sentenced

him to three months imprisonment. Kanakam persuaded Koti Raju to let Suggi Raju’s sister go

and take care of Parvathi till Suggi Raju returned.

Three months latter Suggi Raju returned to the village, mellow and subdued. He responded to the

curious villagers queries about the topic of that night with a shrug of his shoulders. He went

about his work with suppressed intensity.The daily quarrels and squabbles between the two

cousins took a down turn, post the botched robbery attempt.

Life was back to normal in the village. Both the toddlers were growing up. When Dhana Raju

was about five years old he was sent off to Hyderabad to stay in his Aunt’s house and was

enrolled in a reputed international school. Koti Raju and Kanakam occasionally visited their son

in the city. There were very few occasions when Dhana Raju visited the village. Suggi Raju only

saw Dhana Raju on a couple of occasions and emotions welled up in him that only he could

understand.

Ranga Raju meanwhile joined the school in the village. By the time Ranga Raju was about ten

years old, his education came to a sudden end and he started accompanying his father to the

fields. He took care of the cattle, took them out to graze, collect the cow dung and make dung

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cakes as fuel for his mother in the kitchen. As he grew older his tasks only increased which he

carried on occasionally grumbling.

On most festival times Ranga Raju had no new clothes to wear. He got money only once or twice

a year to see the movies. He hardly got any time to play with his friends and there was no respite

from the daily grind.

It was Ranga Raju’s thirteenth birthday and he had no new clothes to wear. Ranga Raju was very

angry and bitter, he was loudly protesting about it to his mother on the unfairness of it all.

Suggi Raju the seasoned farmer had been patiently waiting all these years for the first signs of

the rains to come. He understood this was the right time to plough the fields and sow the seeds of

hatred into the young boy’s fertile mind. He gently took Ranga Raju by his hand and led him to

the fields. He silently started sobbing and surreptitiously wiped away his tears and succeeded in

inducing the boy into confused and emotionally vulnerable state. He slowly opened up his heart

to started narrating his family history from the glorious days of his forefathers and their riches.

He told about how the times changed their fortunes and compounding the situation was the

villainy of Koti Raju compounded their miseries; they were going presently going through. He

spun his own version of the night when he had to go jail as a result of Koti Raju’s deceit. He

played the victim and a man wronged to the hilt.

A couple of hours latter Suggi Raju was satisfied that the seeds of hatred were firmly planted.

Now all he had to do was, to patiently wait for them to germinate and take root. From there on it

was a matter of nurturing the tiny sapling, supplementing with occasional dosage of the fertilizer

of hatred. From thereon he never missed a chance to fill Ranga Raju’s head for every

inconvenience that Ranga Raju had to face every perceived humiliation, every denial and place

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the blame squarely on Koti Raju. Once the sapling took a firm root, it grew by itself stronger by

the day.

Meanwhile Dhana Raju finished his twelfth standard and was sent abroad for further studies.

Ranga Raju had to discontinue his studies after tenth class.

Ranga Raju now became the new thorn in the comfortable life of Koti Raju. Often Suggi Raju

encouraged and abetted Ranga Raju’s nefarious activities. Sometimes the electrical motors of the

bores in the fields were burnt out. Often the stray cattle were found feeding on the crops ready to

be harvested. On occasions the cows fell ill for no apparent reasons. Ranga Raju was clever

enough to make sure none on the mischiefs could be traced back to him.

Suggi Raju meanwhile was working on another angle. He kept a track of all the activities of Koti

Raju. There were quite a number of villagers who were cheated or belittled by Koti Raju and

were lying low waiting for a chance to hit back. He cultivated all such people and kept the

hatred simmering so that he could use it at an appropriate time.

Years rolled by as Ranga Raju grew up into a young strapping youth and also Dhana Raju was

pursuing his master’s degree in America.

During the summer vacations Koti Raju’s had some close relatives lived in the city as guests for

a couple of days .They visited the village temple in the morning, when they bumped into Shastri

garu the astrologer, and was introduced to them by the priest. The relatives showed keen interest

in knowing their future. Next day Shastri garu landed at Koti Raju’s residence and spent a couple

of hours with relatives and children telling them their future in general about how they will

prosper in life and suggested small pujas to ward off unfavorable situations caused due to the

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positioning of the planets. When someone suggested Koti Raju’s palm to be read in a jest and

Koti Raju sporting agreed to it.

Shastri garu was casually reading the palm, when a frown suddenly creased his forehead. He

quickly controlled his feelings and made some generic predictions like about his prosperity and

good fortunes that were to come. Koti Raju was quick enough to catch on to that fleeting

moment and realized it was not appropriate to press Shastri garu further at the moment. Shastri

garu collected a handsome reward and took leave.

Two days later the relatives went back to the city, and Koti Raju quickly summoned Shastri garu

to have a private audience in his study room. He once again showed his palm and asked him to

see again and spell out without hesitation as there was no third person around. Shastri garu

gravely took Koti Raju’s hand and slowly and carefully studied it. He made elaborate

calculations, referred to his dog eared panchagam. Finally he shook his head in disbelief and

took a deep breath and very hesitantly proceeded to tell Koti Raju. ” I see a very strange reading

and it is my duty to tell you. You have a “putra gandam” in your hand.

Koti Raju was taken aback at this revelation out of the blue; his lower jaw dropped in disbelief

and demanded for an explanation. Shastri garu explained that he foresaw a clash between father

and son in the near future, it could end with a very calamitous consequence and one of them

would be seriously injured or even be killed.

Shastri suggested that this should garu be verified by another senior astrologer who should also

be able to give a remedy for the problem. Koti Raju hesitated as this was a very sensitive issue

and did not know what to say. Shastri garu understood his predicament very well. He came up

with a solution. He hesitantly gave a suggestion. Shastri garu’s own guru from whom he learnt

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all about astrology was the ultimate authority on this. He has stopped his vocation owing to very

poor health. He was leading the life of a recluse and stayed all alone in his native village nearby.

“I can persuade and bring him here quietly for your sake if you agree he said.” Koti Raju agreed

to this suggestion. Next day Shastri garu brought his eighty year old guru along. The old guru did

not take much time to read and confirm what his pupil had predicted. He made further

calculations and thought about it for a long time and said there is a way out of this.

He said the whole problem is intricately mixed with the ownership of the property, as long as it

was legally in Koti Raju’s name the inevitable was bound to happen. The best solution was the

transfer the property in some other person’s name. Koti Raju was angry and upset. “The property

belongs to my son, how can I transfer it to some else” he thundered. The old man chuckled and

said with a mischievous grin. “Son the solution stares in your face. I said the problem lies as long

as the property is in your name not your son’s”. Eventually he is going to own it later on, so just

transfer it right now.

Koti Raju mulled over it through the night. He decided not to take a chance with fate. After all it

was going to his own son who is the rightful heir anyway. Next day he called for his lawyer, and

got the entire property transferred to his son, except for two acres which he transferred to his

wife Kanakam’s name. He got the deed registered and sent a copy of the same to his son by

courier. A few days later a couple of persons were suitably rewarded by Suggi Raju for their role

played in his scheme.

Meanwhile Ranga Raju’s exploits were getting unbearable for Koti Raju. Ranga Raju was

careful enough not to leave any proof of his misdeeds. There were always some boys of his age

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to vouch for him and created good alibis for Ranga Raju. Some elderly farmers who had an axe

to grind with him vociferously supported him.

Koti Raju finally hit upon an idea to reign in the troublesome father and son duo. He decided to

strike at their weak point, their financial situation. He called for a panchayat meeting with all the

village elders. He presented the papers where-in Suggi Raju’s father had borrowed money from

his father and were long overdue. He demanded repayment or the hand over the two acres of land

that Suggi Raju owned. He argued that in fact he was very generous and had given too much

time already, and his patience was being tested. Suggi Raju stood along with Ranga Raju with a

sullen expression and simply wringed his hands and pleaded for more time. After much

arguments and deliberations, Koti Raju suggested a way out. Suggi Raju had to pledge his son

Ranga Raju to work for him in lieu of the pending debt, till the year the debt was fully paid.

Ranga Raju needed to start work from the harvest festival due in two months. Suggi Raju stole a

glance at Ranga Raju to see his reaction. As expected Ranga Raju looked as if he would wring

Koti Raju’s neck at the very moment if he got half a chance. Suggi Raju asked the panch for a

few days to think it over. He quietly walked away from the meeting pulling Ranga Raju along.

Back home Ranga Raju and Suggi Raju had a heated discussion about the proposal. Ranga Raju

was adamant that he would not work for Koti Raju. He argued that he would become a life time

bonded labor of Koti Raju as the debt would never be repaid. And Suggi Raju Countered that if

they did not agree to Koti Raju’s proposal they will become landless daily wages laborers

anyway. At least if he went to work they can still live with their pride intact. Their argument

went on for a long time till sheer physical exhaustion forced them to sleep. Parvathi just stood

behind the partially but she knew better than to open her mouth and offer any suggestions.

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Suggi Raju let Ranga Raju simmer in a helpless rage. On the third day Koti Raju conveyed his

ominous decision. “The only way out of the predicament was elimination of Koti Raju, and you

will have to do it” he said curtly as a matter of fact. Ranga Raju was dumb found at the very

suggestion. It is either you or me who must do it. Let me know if you do not have the guts I will

do it myself he said with absolute clarity. Ranga Raju took only a minute to make his

irrecoverable decision. “Ok I will do It”, as simple as that. They debated on the pros and cons

and decided to wait for the monsoons to arrive when the rains would give them the added cover

needed.

A few days before the rains started Suggi Raju manipulated and convinced Parvathi to go and

visit her ailing aunt in town for a couple of days. Poor Parvathi had no inkling of what Suggi

Raju was up to. The next night it started raining, as if eager to speed up the events. Suggi Raju

decided it was the best time as the village dogs would be sleeping and there would be no alert

guards either and the din of the rain would mask any noise.

Ranga Raju was incidentally hiding at the very spot Suggi Raju had hidden some twenty years

before. The time and path Ranga Raju moved were almost the same. Forcing the small

emergency door at the rear was much easier now as he slipped the sickle though the little gap he

found and pushed the horizontal wooden latch. Dripping rain water along the way Ranga Raju

cautiously made his way to Koti Raju’s bedroom. The dim zero watt bulbs all over the house

made his task easier.

Ranga Raju made it to Koti Raju’s bedside and waited for the next lightening to strike, so that he

could see the sleeping form and strike as he would not get a second chance. The room was

suddenly filled with light. It was not the fleeting light by nature, but the light from manmade

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electrical bulbs. Ranga Raju was shocked and froze in his place and was quickly overpowered by

four pairs of strong hands. Koti Raju was standing in front of him with a thick hard bamboo lathi

in his hands.

The sickle from Ranga Raju’s hand clattered onto the floor, as Koti Raju walked menacingly

towards Ranga Raju. Like father like son he sneered at Ranga Raju. Ranga Raju realizing that the

game was up, spat onto Koti Raju’s face out of frustration. Koti Raju suddenly went blind with

rage and hit Ranga Raju on his head with all might. The cracking sound of the young man’s skull

got could be heard in spite of the sound of thunder at the same time. The persons holding Ranga

Raju let go off him in a panic. The young man slumped onto the floor unconscious. Thick red

blood flowed out of the cracked skull and slowly formed a dark puddle on the floor.

The flame in Suggi Raju’s house as if on an invisible cue suddenly started wavering and

simultaneously getting dimmer. Suggi Raju looked on at it with renewed interest. The inevitable

was happening; the flame of life would go off any time. But whose life was it he could not

fathom Koti Raju’s or Ranga Raju’s. He had to now wait till morning to find out.

One thing he was sure of was that his deliberate cultivation of a drunkard from Koti Raju’s

retinue and accidentally letting slip of the plan of Ranga Raju to murder Koti Raju had worked

out as expected. The incoherent drunkard’s message was eventually passed on to Koti Raju.

Koti Raju was now suddenly gripped with panic as the enormity of what he did kicked in.

Ranga Raju’s was quickly rushed to the town hospital. The doctors checked on Ranga Raju and

declared him dead on arrival.

The police were summoned. Koti Raju was taken into custody on charge of culpable homicide.

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After the formalities were completed the body of Ranga Raju was sent back to the Village for the

last rites. A close relative went and fetched Parvathi from the town. Suggi Raju tearfully told her

about her son’s foolhardy action, conveniently hiding the fact that it was his plan in the first

place.

Suggi Raju lighted the pyre, and went into bereavement and almost stopped talking to anyone.

He tried to console Parvathi as best as he could, but could not bear to see her eye to eye.

The lawyers of Koti Raju managed to get him off the hook with a year’s imprisonment and five

lakhs as compensation to be paid to next of kith immediately.

Only two people knew about what transpired on the fateful day when the two infants were born.

When Suggi Raju learnt of the fact a son was born to Koti Raju too, like his own. He made his

plan on the spur of the moment and took his sister into confidence and made her his accomplice.

As Parvathi was in no condition to notice what was happening around and also the old midwife

and the little girl were dozing on the floor, he quietly bundled the new born in a warm blanket

and ran at a steady gait to Koti Raju’s house. After creating the diversion of fire in the cattle shed

and drawing the attention of every one in and around the house, Suggi Raju ran through the

backdoor of the kitchen, and handed over, his own son to his sister. He then proceeded to make

deliberate noise in Koti Raju’s bedroom and damaged the almarih containing the valuables and

documents. He then ran into the kitchen and toppled the vessels making a diversion again.

Meanwhile his sister using the cover of diversions in the house quickly switched the babies and

handed over the switched baby to him. He then ran over to the compound wall and waited a

minute deliberately to let someone see him and then ran away. His clever ploy of playing the

bungled theft was easily bought by the police and Koti Raju.

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For now Suggi Raju was happy that his own biological son, had so far been enjoying the luxuries

at the expense of Koti Raju and to top it up he also inherited all of Koti Raju’s wealth. Someday

his son will know of the truth of his biological parents, and the sacrifices that Suggi Raju

willingly went through for his sake. Someday Suggi Raju would reveal the truth to Koti Raju.

Meanwhile he continued playing the role of a bereaving father to the hilt and gained sympathy of

the entire village, and led a quiet and lonely life.

Suggi Raju’s sister rued the day in an emotional state agreed to be part of her brother’s plan of

switching the babies. She would not have helped him if she had even an inkling of, to what

extent her brother would go to have his vengeance. He blamed herself for being an instrument in

the death of her own sister’s son. Oh god what games these men play she lamented.