Anuttam Anant - II

 

Village.

‘Mr. Ananta Suri, lawyer. He is from New Delhi. He had read about our struggle from the news article that we had published last week in the newspaper. He is here to support us.’ Lobsang was relieved at the presence of someone from the capital city showing interest in their cause. He introduced this young, handsome lawyer to Athang. Also, inside his mind, he was ambivalent about this stranger suspecting it to be a foul play of the opponent.

Lobsang was disappointed to see Athang with no one by his side, ‘Where is Sheshnag? You had promised me to ...’

St. Athang’s head was already drooped in embarrassment. ‘Sheshnag instructed me to be here. Rest, I don’t know.’

Both were dismayed.

Anant talked with the villagers in their local language with empathy and concern so that everybody could relate to him. In a short time, he was popular in the village. After learning the views from the villagers, his next agenda was to know the company that was to do the construction.

‘Mr. Mehta! What a surprise. You could send your assistant. I would have sufficed him with the required documents.’ The builder was startled to see Mehta as he would never attend his client’s office while Mehta stood unperturbed.

Anant followed Rajiv Mehta, the big-shot lawyer handling the Dihang project at the construction company. He learned about several unjustified compromises and clauses being made at the expense of nature.

After a thorough study, he comprehended, where to strike the chord to trap this company and this deceptive project.

Three months later.

Anant appealed to the Supreme Court to put a halt, claiming it to be a disastrous project, and take strict action against Mr. Jatin, the government official for taking bribes immeasurably in the pretext of signing the dam approval. Meanwhile, he launched a campaign to save Dihang.

He was doing everything to save the mighty Dihang. He was on every newspaper’s headline. Athang and Lobsang had always assisted Anant in all his endeavors but were still disheartened by Sheshnaga’s unfulfilled promise.

Within six months, everything was restored to normal. Villagers called for a celebration.

On the night of the festivity, Anant was missing.

Athang and Lobsang looked for him everywhere. His phone was switched off. They contacted his Delhi office but he was not there. They feared some mishappening and wrote a missing complaint at the police station.

The search operation continued for more than 15 days; a few villagers informed them of seeing a man wearing similar clothes as Anant on the night of celebration at the outskirts with a group of goons thrashing him.

Lobsang and Athang couldn't believe their ears and understood that Anant had to sacrifice his life for this village.

**********************

 

 

Delhi.

The doorbell rang.

‘I don’t know what’s happening with me. After returning from the U.S., I have been getting this constant headache. I am drowsy and just not well at all.’ Anant said to his sister.

‘The moment I landed; my phone was constantly buzzing for you. When did you fight for this Dihang project, bhai? You are a hero. I am so proud of you. But, be careful of the opponent. They are dangerous.’

‘What???  What are you even talking about? Dihang?’

‘Stop this joke. See the newspaper’, sister winked.

ANANT SURI: THE NEW MASIHA? The headline of a prominent newspaper read.

He scanned it in a minute.

Anant realized it was not days, but months, he had been sleeping while the world thought he was saving Dihang.

He collapsed.

********************

Village.

Lobsang and St. Athang were hopelessly tired of searching for Anant. Instead of home, they chose the Krishna temple of their village to retire. At midnight, they heard a commotion in the ‘garbhagriha’ (sanctum), hearing upon which, they rushed inside.

 Athang and Lobsang were gobsmacked to find someone speaking to them in Anant’s voice.

‘I was invoked for a purpose and it has been served dutifully. I have perceived, there is so much deception, hatred, and greed on earth. The Kalki avatar of Lord must arrive soon to rescue this world.’

It was the huge serpent coiling around the Lord Krishna’s idol. Sheshnag.

It glided slowly into Mother Earth as it finished speaking and vanished away.

They were utterly dumbfounded. Mouth agape and eyes wide open.

Both recollected the astonishing moments from the past. They remembered Anant could easily procure the file from the construction company disguised as Mr. Mehta. Also, when a group of goons tried to kill him one night, he could thrash them all alone. And many such unbelievable, unanswered incidents. These were possible because he was Sheshnag.

They smiled.                      

They sat on the floor, inside the temple, and spent the night staring at the idol with their folded hands.

………………………….