Vimukta

SATYA WAS DISTURBED. HE FELT THAT DHAMNYA HAD INSULTED THE `PANCHAYAT`. ALL THE PEOPLE GATHERED THERE WERE MURMURING AMONG THEMSELVES. THE WOMEN AND THE KIDS WERE GIVING HORRIBLE LOOKS TO LACHCHI, AS IF SHE WAS A VAMP. BUT LACHCHI WAS LOOKING SATISFIED WITH HERSELF. SANTYA CLEARED HIS THROAT, HE SHIFTED IN HIS SEAT, AND STARTED HIS SPEECH; "THE WORK DHAMNYA AND LACHCHI HAVE DONE IS VERY DISGUSTING. THEY HAVE INSULTED OUR COMMUNITY. THEY TOOK GULAB`S MONEY AND THEN VERY CONVENIENTLY HE KEPT HIS WIFE WITH HIM. WHAT IF THIS PRACTICE PREVAILS? THEN NOBODY WILL BELIEVE ANYTHING, THE WORD FAITH WILL HAVE NO MEANING AT ALL! IT WILL BE AGAINST THE INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY IF ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN START BEHAVING IN A WAY TO PLEASE ONLY THEMSELVES. SO, I HEREBY ORDER THAT DHAMNYA SHOULD GIVE HIS TENT WITH ALL THE BELONGINGS TO GULAB AND SHOULD LEAVE AT ONCE WITH HIS WIFE AND FAMILY WITHOUT CARRYING ANYTHING ELSE BUT THE CLOTHES THAT THEY ARE WEARING. THEY ARE FREE TO GO ANYWHERE. HEREAFTER DHAMNYA, HIS WIFE AND HIS CHILDREN ARE FORBIDDEN TO HAVE ANY CONTACT IN ANY FORM WITH OUR COMMUNITY. AFTER HEARING SANTYA`S DECISION, EVERYONE ROSE TO GO HOME. LACHCHI AND DHAMNYA FOLD HANDS OF THEIR CHILDREN AND STARTED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY. ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN, CHILDREN WATCHED THEM, THEY WERE THUNDERSTRUCK. BUT LACHCHI AND DHAMNYA HAD OTHER THOUGHTS IN THEIR MINDS, THEY WERE HAVING CERTAIN SHINE ON THEIR FACES. THEIR CHILDREN WERE WALKING VERY CLOSE TO THEM. LACHCHI AND DHAMNYA DID NOT CAST EVEN A GLANCE AT THE PEOPLE GATHERED THERE. NOW THEY WERE FREE FROM THE WORN OUT TRADITIONS OF THEIR COMMUNITY. THEY BID THEIR FINAL GOOD BYE TO THE CULTURE, THE TRADITION AND THE PEOPLE. THEY STEPPED FORWARD TOWARDS DAWN, THEY LURCHED FORWARD A STEP TOWARD HUMANITY, TOWARDS BEING HUMAN....संत्या फारच अस्वस्थ झाला होता. धमन्याने जातपंचायतीचा घोर अपमान केला आहे, असेच त्याला वाटत होते. तेथील सर्वच माणसांत कुजबूज सुरू होती. एखाद्या हडळिणीकडे बघावे, तसे बायका, मुलं लच्छीकडे बघत होती. लच्छीच्या चेहNयावर मात्र समाधान दिसत होते. संत्या नीट सावरून बसला. खाकरून त्याने घसा साफ केला आणि निर्णय देऊ लागला, ''धमन्या व लच्छीनं जातीला काळं फासाचं काम केलंय... जातपंच्यातीचा आवमान केलाय... गुलब्याचं पयसं घेतलं ती घेतलं... आणिक बायवू बी घरात ठिवून घितली... उंद्याच्याला आपल्या जातीत आसच व्हुया लागलं तर... येकमेकांच्या सबदावर कोण सुदीक इस्वास ठिवणार न्हाय.. परत्येक घरातील बाया, माणसं... मनाला यील तसं वागत्याली... ही जातीच्या हिताचं न्हाय... तवा धमन्यानं... आपलं पाल... आशील त्या... सामानसुमानासकट... गुलब्याच्या ताब्यात देवावं... आणिक