The Priest

(warning: Profane language)

(Disclaimer: The story is not written to hurt sentiments of any community rather it portrays the fact that an evil can mask himself in any identity.)

“Panditji is such a nice man….”

“Oh, he is a gem of a person. What is his name, you said?”

“Pandit Madhukar Shastri.”

“Ram Ram Pandit ji!”

“Ram, Ram”, a voice responded.

Madhukar woke right at 4 am, the Brahma muhurta, bathing in the holy Ganges during the month of chilling November.

People swore by his devotion as the priest. It's been only 9 years since he took up the priesthood in their village temple but each member of every family of the village knew him and he knew them well.

If someone's daughter is sick, they will approach him to do some pooja and the next day they would even thank him for curing the child. If someone needed to know the best suitable time to start a business, Madhukar was approached. Right from the naming ceremony to the inauguration ceremony of any small business, Madhukar was contacted. Except for astrology, Madhu knew every skill involved in being n ideal priest.

Madhukar, a 35-year-old priest in a small village of Uttar Pradesh, was short and stout. People don't remember how and why he came to their village but he settled there and gelled with the villagers so well that they didn't care who he was.

His daily routine consisted of waking up early morning; going to the temple and doing pooja; coming back home and preparing lunch for himself; taking nap; having a cup of tea; going back to the temple for the evening pooja; returning by 8 pm followed by meal preparation of the meal and eating it alone. While on the way to the temple he would exchange greetings. In 9 years, he had not been able to accumulate wealth but he has certainly received admiration and respect from all around him.

One day Ratnakar, a new village postman requested him for a small Pooja of his new motorcycle.

“Panditji, my mother won’t allow me to drive the motorcycle until I crush lemon under its tire, please tell me when can I come for the Pooja? You see I bought the bike so that I can reach the office on time. Today also, the boss scolded me because I was 5 minutes late. But you never seem to be free. I tried reaching out to you yesterday also”

“Oh, is that so? Well, you can come in the evening today. I reach the temple at 6 pm. Be there with the things I am writing in the list.”

“Sure, sure.”

Ratnakar reached on time. Madhukar inaudibly chanted some mantras; sprinkled some holy water on the postman and his bike; put tilak/tika on his forehead, made an Om sign on the bike as well; tied a red auspicious scarf on the handle of the bike. He put lemon under the front tire of the bike and signaled the postman to crush it. The process was over. Ratnakar gave Rs 200 as Dakshina (offering), which Madhukar put promptly in his white crisp kurta pocket.

“Thank you, panditji. Please give me chance to treat you someday with dinner at my place. My wife cooks really well, though I never tell her this (snigger).”

“Yes, definitely. I will let you know.”

“Okay, thanks again. I will be waiting for your response.”

__________________________

“Ratnakar, you! Are you looking for something?”, asked Madhukar from Ratnakar who was peeping into his house.

Ratnakar’s face flushed red as if he was caught off guard.

“No, no, I thought to take you to my home for dinner tonight. Are you free?”

“Not today. See you later. Now please excuse me.”

Ratnakar had heard that Madhukar would greet everyone pleasingly but he never mingled well. He would listen to everyone but he would never share anything with anyone. He was reticent.

The other day Madhukar was going to the temple when he felt someone following him. He turned but there was no one there. He had his suspicion on Ratnakar. Somehow, he started feeling uncomfortable with Ratnaker around him. He started avoiding him.

After some days, while returning from the temple Madhu saw a flash of light. ‘Had someone clicked his picture? Who will do that?’

Madhukar quickened his steps and sighed when he closed the door of his lonely house.

____________________________________

Like daily, Madhukar was coming back home from the temple for lunch. Conscious yet lost in his thoughts he was plodding towards his house when.

A hand on his clutched his shoulder lightly and a voice uttered, “Manoranjan Mishra!”

The whole blood of Madhukar’s body flushed his face red. Coming to his senses he said, “I am sorry, you seem to be mistaken.”

“No,… no mistake this time Manoranjan Mishra,” said Ratnakar.

“It’s been nine years I have been looking for the killer of my sister. I told that fool not to marry you but she didn’t listen. She just ran away, trusting you, but see what you did to her.”

Manoranjan alias Madhukar could hardly swallow his spit. He was choking. He could feel the noose he had been evading after that grey night. He immediately went into his flashback.

Sarita was a whitish complexioned curvaceous girl, desirable by any man. He instantly fell in love with her. After following her for two months he could coax her with his care and admiration.

He knew he won’t be accepted by her family so they decided to run away. The next two years went blissfully as a married couple but love doesn’t fill the tummy, one needs money. Money- the root of all the difference in the world, how could it spare the couple?

Sarita started repenting her decision of marrying Manoranjan. But, she couldn’t return to her parents after dismaying them and bringing shame to them.

Manoranjan took a job as a cutter in a clothing factory. But the salary wasn’t enough to sustain the two. Sarita started doing work as a maid. It was, anyway, a helping hand as far as finance is concerned. Soon, things seemed on right track. Sarita started taking care of herself. She would dress elegantly in the dresses passed on to her by her employers, put on lipstick, and wear some pieces of cheap imitation jewelry.

Manorajan didn’t like her dress-up.

“So, whom are you meeting today? Are you a maid or a prostitute?”

Sarita won’t say much in defense because there is no treatment of suspicion.

It was Karwachauth (an auspicious day on which women fast for their husbands and adorn themselves with all sorts of ornaments and makeup). Sarita wore the red saree gifted to her by her lady employer.

“You whore! You shameless, you have worn the dress gifted by your boyfriend?”

“Are you crazy? This is given by Maya madam.”

“Shameless woman, I will kill you.”

“Manu, have you lost your senses? I am leaving for work.”

“At this hour and then you say you are not seeing anyone?” Manoranjan shouted pointing a finger towards the clock that struck 8 pm.

“Maya madam has called me for preparing dinner tonight as she has kept fast today. You are out of your senses. I must leave. She will drop me back.”

“You whore….” Manoranjan tried to punch Sarita. She slammed the door and left.

Just a kilometer away, a shot was fired and Sarita laid there in the pool of blood.

The silence after the shot was deafening. The red color of the saree failed in front of the tint of the blood of Sarita.

A heavy tread of footfall and Sarita’s body was all alone.

(Presently)

“Since that night, I looked for you. I could have not found you until one day I met a man who worked in my factory. He is from this village. We were having normal chat about family and whereabouts of each other when he showed me few pictures of the naming ceremony of his daughter. I couldn’t believe my eyes and my luck as well. He spoke all good things about you. I asked him if the name of the man in the picture was Manoranjan, he denied it. I kept quiet because your alibi in this beard can ditch anyone. That’s when I decided to nab you myself.”

Manoranjan, aka, Madhukar, the respectable priest was caught. There was no escape. Ratnakar called the police and held him captive when suddenly a shot was fired at Ratnakar’s head.

________________________________

 “Maulvi sahib is such a nice man….”

“Oh, he is a gem of a person. What is his name, you said?”

“Maulawi Nadheer-ur-rehman.”

“Salam maulvi sahib!”

“Salam, salam”, a familiar voice responded.