Short story
Destiny
Yasmin Jaldin
The Village Headman was a strict disciplinarian. Ranmali was his only
child and the 'apple of his eye'. She was brought up in the strictest
environment and was not allowed to mingle with friends nor play with
neighbours' children. So, she had no friends and was a virtual prisoner
in her home.
Her father as so strict with her since it had been predicted in her
horoscope, that she would bring bad repute to the family and meet with
an untimely death.
Her parents were so grief stricken after this prediction that they
protected her in every way after she attained age.
She was allowed only to run up to the gate when the postman rang the
bell. The village postman was a young handsome lad who would give her a
brief smile when she collected the post.
Unknowingly, the two were drawn to each other. Ranmali would
patiently await for the postman's tinkle daily, and on days she did not
hear it her day was miserable.
One day the postman gave her two letters, one for her father and the
other addressed to her. Surreptitiously, she read her first love letter
and then on, with the exchange of letters their love blossomed.
Nihal the postman and Ranmali had a secret love affair unaware to
their kith and kin. One day, Nihal suggested that they should get
married. She knew that her parents blessings would never be received
since he was poor, but Nihal was educated.
Her father's intention was to marry her off to someone wealthy in
keeping with his prestige and status. In fact, her father had palmed
over the task of finding a suitable partner for Ranmali to the village 'kapuwa.'
Nihal gave her a fortnight to arrive at a decision.
Pondering at length, she decided that it would be best to go away
with him instead of listening to her father's berating, but thinking of
the reaction of her parents when they discovered she was gone, brought
much pain to her mind.
Anyway, she loved Nihal and her love was also important.
One dark night, taking a few belongings she left home stealthily to
join her beau who was at the gate. Together they arrived at an aunt's
residence of Nihal.
His aunt reprimanded him severely for his rash act and the
repercussions he would have to face since Ranmali's father was a very
vicious and arrogant man.
Anyhow, the following morning the couple were married by special
licence.
Ranmali's father severely reprimanded his wife for not notifying him
of the affair even though she had an inkling of it, and for days the
husband and wife had heated arguments and quarrels on this issue.
The catcalls of the village urchins and their gossips were the most
the parents could not bear.
Enraged with the shame Ranmali had caused the family, he vowed to
bump them off soon.
His wife's pleas to dispel the evil in his mind went unnoticed and
the Village Headman was adamant.
He secretly hired a detective to track down his daughter's
whereabouts and finally she was tracked down at Welikanda.
Meanwhile, Nihal had obtained a plot of land and with the help of his
wife commenced a fruit and vegetable cultivation. Their cultivation
flourished and he became a small time businessman.
Ranmali's father kept a tab on his daughter's whereabouts and was to
informed that she was quite prosperous. His wrath turned to fury.
One day he lay in ambush marking time the duo would enter their chena,
and shot them dead, point blank.
Having realized his folly and the gravity caused, he surrendered to
the law for committing the crime.
Poor Nihal and Ranmali paid for their lives for the simple reason
"falling in love." |
