Kurukshetra

NOTE: This story was co-written along with writer my foster brother Adhithya Sakthivel. He have provided most of the Bhagavad Gita quotes and helped me to write this feature. Because, it's my first story. So, due credits to my foster brother first.

Kuruksethra. This word itself reminds us of the war, that was fought between the Pandavas and Gauravas in Mahabharata. We know, how the war ultimately caused a huge havoc amongst both the sides.

Further, we know why the war was fought between the two groups. Amongst the any reasons, the main reason for which the war was fought is: For harassing a women sexually, in front of the assembly hall, where many remained silent, without raising any questions. The same happens in the present world. We never raise questions against the wrong things, that happens in the society.

"We are all souls, spiritual beings (Gita 2.13), entitled to rejoice in eternal love with the supremely lovable and loving God, Krishna." When our loving nature is contaminated by selfishness, we start loving things more than persons, especially the Supreme Person. This misdirected love forges our misidentification with our temporary bodily coverings and impels us to exploit others for our self-centered desires. This had been told by Lord Krishna during the Kurusethra War to Arjuna.

In the present world, everyone want to lead a happy and luxurious life. They never realize the importance of life and importance of leading a peaceful life. Rather, they searches for lust, sex and other bad things, that dominates the present world. 

In such a world, these four men Akhil, Charan, Ram and Harish live a happier and peaceful life. They are the final year Commerce students studying in Jain University.

All the four hails from different economic background. Akhil is from upper-class family. His family owns a chain of departmental stores in the city. Similarly, Charan and Ram are from a middle-class background. Their fathers worked as teachers together in a school. Like Akhil, Harish is from a rich family background. They have fun, hear music, eats food and leads a good life.

Meanwhile, near to Nayandahalli, a rotten smell comes from a nearby dustbin. As the smell worsens, dustbin is cleared up by the cleaners. While cleaning, they finds out a dead body(covered up) and informs to the police.

Inspector Aravinth comes and views the body, thinking that it's just a dead body. However, he starts to vomit after seeing the body's condition in the dustbin. 

"What are you seeing man? Take that body quickly in that ambulance" said Aravinth.

Doctor Prasad, who postmortemed the dead body comes and meets Aravinth.

"What happened doctor? Did you find anything by examining that body?" asked Aravinth.

"Sir. How can you be able to ask questions like this? You could know my pain, only when if you have come with me in order to examine that body" said Doctor Prasad.

"Why sir? What happened?" asked Inspector Aravinth.

"I felt like seeing the 18th day battle between Duryodhana and Bheema sir" said Doctor Prasad.

"I don't understand what you say sir!" said Aravinth.

"In Mahabharata, Duryodhana got killed by Bheema as he was hit in the lap. The same way only this guy too was murdered sir" said Doctor Prasad.

"Sir. You are confusing me...now what's the link between Mahabharata and this particular guy's death. Tell me clearly" said Aravinth.

"That guy's murder was extremely brutal. He got hit in the lap. Then, got hit in the head and finally died by experiencing a hell death. I had got a severe headache, after examining his dead body sir" said Doctor Prasad.

Aravinth collapses after hearing this kind of reply from Doctor Prasad. A few hours later, he wakes up and rushes to meet Commissioner Avinash Rao in Bangalore.

"Sir!" said Aravinth, saluting him.

"Come Aravinth. What happened?" asked Commissioner Avinash.

"I investigated the murder of that dead guy sir. That's really disgusting to investigate this kind of cruel case sir" said Aravinth and he reveals everything that was true by Doctor Prasad, previously.

However, Avinash is not ready to let Aravinth go that easily. He tells him, "I don't know what will you do Aravinth. Find out who is that guy. Search everywhere of Bangalore...village, city, etc..etc...including their family and parents...I want this case to be completed as soon as possible..."

Aravinth reluctantly agrees telling to himself, "I think, I shouldn't have come to this police job. So much of tortures..." and proceeds. Nowhere and anywhere, Aravinth gets a clue.

Left disgusted and frustrated, Aravinth meets Commissioner Avinash Rao in the Commissioner Office where he tells him, "Sir. For so many days that dead body haven't been received by anyone. Let's close this case telling that as an orphaned corpse."

While this investigation happens in one side, Akhil faces a problem on the other side. He have been followed by his love interest Keerthi, with whom he broke up, a few days back

She tries to reconcile with him. However like a silent bird, Akhil politely refuses telling her that, "His father is not ready to accept their love. In addition he obeys his father's words as a God's words and won't go beyond it."

Even her father's talks with him fails and he leaves from the place, in tears. Keerthi's father requests her to forget him because he is very stubborn in his decision. However, she tells that, "He still loves her and avoids her due to some other problems." Her father agrees to the doubts, after recollecting Akhil's tears.

"If we continue to close the case like this means, the murderer will continue to do killings(without the face identity of the victim) and crime rate will increase. Then, government will humiliate us by raising numerous of questions. I am not going to let this case, go as such. Planning to give this case to the CCTV department. Who is the tough and intelligent cop in our police department, man?" asked Avinash Rao.

"There is one such officer in our department sir. But, he is in Cyber crime branch at present" said Aravinth.

"Who is that, man?" asked Commissioner Avinash Rao.

"Assistant Commissioner Arul Adhithya sir" said Aravinth.

"Why did he go to Cyber branch?" asked Avinash Rao.

"That's a big tragedy sir" said Aravinth.

"Why?" asked Avinash Rao.

Aravinth opens up the past life of Arul Adhithya to Commissioner Avinash Rao and narrates the events, that occurred a few months ago.

FEW DAYS BACK:

Sir. Arul Adhithya sir hailed from a middle-class family background. His father was a retired bank employee. Arul wished to join IPS since childhood after witnessing several tragic incidents of bomb blasts, riots and violence.

But, his father was stiffly against his ambitions. In a man's life, he have to.battle against all odds and achieve his dreams. Like such only, Arul achieved his dreams and finally became an IPS officer.

He came to Bangalore very recently, transferred from Pune. As he stepped in, the first step that he took was to bring peace in the city. Though everything was going good, his wife Anjali was unexpectedly murdered by a gangster. Because, he wanted to avenge the death of his closed one. 

From then, Arul sir shifted to Cyber branch in order to look after his child. Avinash meets Arul.

PRESENT:

He reveals about the brutal murder to him and request to start an investigation regarding the mystery behind the murder. At first, Arul refuses. But, taking into the account of crime rates, he eventually agrees to investigate the case.

Like a Pouncing tiger, Arul wears his police uniform back and returns to Crime branch again. He goes to the crime spot, along with Aravinth and meets Doctor Prasad.

"Aravinth. Tell me how the body was rescued by doing a demo" said Arul.

"Sir. Seeing the body itself, I vomitted. But you are asking me to show a demo of it" said Aravinth.

"Do what I say, you understand!" Said Aravinth, with his commanding words.

Aravinth does the demo and later, Arul meets Doctor Prasad. He tells about the brutal way of murder to Arul. While speaking with him, Arul remembers the shirt and pants. He asks about them.

Doctor gives the shirt and pant...while examining the shirt, they find no clues. However, Arul finds out Raman Tailor Shop, Kushal Nagaram with a tattoo. 

Arul heads to Kushal Nagaram with Aravinth, where they goes for a Shiva Temple and worships the God outside. In between the worship, Arul gets a flower from Akhil(who have come to the place, along with his three other friends).

Later, Arul meets the tailor and gets to know that the guy's name is Puneeth Mahesh. They further learns that, he is running a bakery shop near to a college.

As he is from a nearby locality of Kushal Nagaram, Arul meets Mahesh's parents and learns that, "he have been missing for so many days after, he had left the house."

They are unable to get his photo and instead gets his small age photo.

"Sir. What to do now?" asked Aravinth.

"Let's conduct a full search regarding Mahesh's bakery shop in Bangalore" said Arul.

After a long search, Arul comes to the knowledge of Kushal Nagar Bakery shop near to the Jain University of Bangalore. They conducts a search into the bakery shop and finds out nothing except a few spoiled food items. However, Arul comes across his phone and a few amounts, which he takes up.

The next day, Aravinth comes to meet him and sees a message 143 from a girl named Nisha in Mahesh's phone.

"See sir. To a girl, this guy have got money. What to say about him!" said Aravinth. 

"He have got only 143 rupees?" asked Arul, thinking about it.

However, he recalls the word 143, which his wife use to tell him. After thinking a while, Arul recognizes that the "I Love You" have been quoted shortly like such. Later on, they investigates about Nisha in that college. However, the college principal tells that, the girl have died before a few days back by committing suicide.

But, he gives them the photo of 4 students: Akhil, Charan, Ram and Harish. Further explains them that, "They were one of the important close friends for Nisha, since the repoening of college." Arul arrests them and the guys are beaten up severely.

Arul asks them, "Several people like you have become great personalities with their talents. But, you guys have become a murderer despite having so many good records and talents. Why? Ha?"

"You told many have become great in their life by using their talents sir. Among them, I have read about A.P.J.Abdul Kalam. He initially dreamt to become a pilot. But, instead he became a scientist in ISRO" said Akhil.

"We have achieved blissful freedom 

Let's dance and let's sing" This was told by Bharathiyar sir. But, how far did we attained a freedom sir? Despite the 75 years of independence, still rape continues...still premarital sex happens...men harassed women...they use her as a pimp..." said Charan.

"We are all from different economic background sir. Even the girl Nisha is like us. We don't have a sister sir. But, we were happier that, a girl came into our life to show us love and affection" said Ram.

Akhil narrates their college life to Arul.

FEW DAYS BEFORE, BANGALORE:

Sir. My mother died after my birth and it was my father who raised me up. I studied well and finally, joined Jain University in Bangalore. In the college, I met Charan, Ram and Harish. We all became close friends sooner. Nisha too joined our group. Days after, I gradually fell in love with one of my college mate Keerthi. Our love was true.

We enjoyed our college life. Enjoyed party, done stage shows and dance, everything. I never hesitate to entertain. We were leading a happy life by taking in cultural activities, NCC activities, etc. 

Our bond with Nisha grown up. However, she met that bakery owner Mahesh and grew closer with him. She didn't inform to us about it and their friendship turned into love.

One day, she wore red sari and gone to meet him in the bakery. There, he striped her sari and had sex with her, making her nude. Later on, she became pregnant with his child. Only at that time, we came to know about her love sir.

Later, we begged him to accept her and the child. But, he didn't even pay heal to our words and instead explained us, "How he used to lure the girls in the name of love and have sex with them, at the end!"

"Brother. Come. Let's go from this place. You don't have to speak with this fellow" said Nisha. Henceforth, we came back with her. Back in the hostel, she told that, she planned to commit suicide.

"Are you going to commit suicide? We are there for you, Nisha. If you commit suicide or remain quite means, those guys would continue to touch several women, without fearing. Let's forget about this and move on" said Charan, to which I agreed.

We all let her to take rest and went outside, in order to hear some music, which would make us peaceful. At that time, that Mahesh came to her room and tried to rape her again. But, she escaped upstairs. 

While trying to catch her, he accidentally pushed her off the cliff and she died on the spot. What to do sir! That would be closed as a suicide by you...or it would take for years...

PRESENT:

"That's why, we took the law into our own hands. In Mahabharata when Draupadi was humiliated, no one raised a question. But, we planned to raise a voice against our friend's death. Henceforth, we planned to murder that demon Mahesh" said Ram.

PUNEETH MAHESH MURDER:

2:30 PM:

That night, the four guys goes to meet him and brought to the secluded place of Nayandahalli. There, Ram tells to Mahesh,

"Woman is like water, she merges with anyone she meets. Like that only, she merged with you right...but, you ruined her life and finally killed her."

"No no...don't do anything" said Mahesh.

"Your death should instill fear for other people, who dares to touch a women or cheat her da" said Akhil. He takes a sword and stabs in Mahesh's lap. He cries out lod in pain. Then, Charan hits Mahesh in the head. He dies on the spot.

PRESENT:

"Then, we buried him in that dustbin and moved on to lead back a normal life, despite knowing that we might get arrested one day. Sir. Why was Kurukshetra war fought? Can you please tell?" asked Charan.

"Because, Gauravas tried to violate the agreement and promises. That's why the war broke out" said Aravinth.

"No sir. This war happened because, a women was harassed infront of the assembly. Did anyone raised questions against the atrocities? No...the same happens still in our society sir. Did we ever give respect to women?Lord Shri Krishna said that women erase their existence like salt and also bind the family together with their love and love and respect. She never lets her husband face any kind of problem and always keeps the family happy. But, are we giving respect to them?"

Unable to give the answers for their questions, Arul asks Aravinth to keep them in the custody. There, Keerthi comes to meet Akhil. She is heartbroken to see him getting beatened.

Akhil apologizes to her telling that, "As a lover, he considered Keerthi's happiness to be important. That's why he avoided her for her good future. As a friend, he is disgusted with the death of Nisha and the men, who considers women as their pimp."

Keerthi tells him that, "She will wait for him and never think about any other guys in her life." Her father is emotionally touched with Akhil's efforts and tells him that, "He will be waiting."

The next day the four guys are produced in the court, where a lawyer accesses the guys for taking law into their own hands. Akhil tells, "How the society is ill treating women from the periods of Ramayana- Mahabharata till now! Men thinks himself to be superior....till the law is severe and women is brave, men will continue to cheat women. Then, many wars should be fought like Kurukshetra war in the Great Mahabharata."

ACP Arul, having a change of heart and being touched emotionally tells a sudden turn over in the case. He brings a few accusts and tells that, "They indeed murdered the guy and shows a few evidence, which he fabricated."

The four guys are released from the case and the fabricated accusts get punished with a warning to the police officers for trying to punish a few innocent people, despite the four guy's confession.

Later on when Akhil asked to Arul, "Sir. Why did you save us from this case?"

"You killed a demon, who spoiled the life of women. I too have a girl child da. I know how it's painful. Because, I myself experienced such kind of pain by losing my wife. Go guys. You all are very important for this nation. Become a big personality by studying well. All the best!" said Arul.

They all goes after thanking him. Aravinth feels happier telling himself, "For the first time, I saw humanity in Arul sir's mind."

When Commissioner Avinash asks, "Why did he framed the wrong culprits for this case?" Arul replies saying, "Is that guy a Rama or Jesus Christ Sir. A Jew only right Sir! If anyone try to rape women, this would be the result. Is that wrong sir? Let's move on Sir...this case is closed....now we don't have to waste our time, you know."

He is eventually convinced with the words and they part ways. The meantime, Akhil, Harish and the friends visit Nisha's graveyard along with Keerthi to place some flowers and pray at her grave. Following this, they moves from the place. While her graveyard rejoices with few flowers falling at her grave.

FEW DAYS LATER:

In the college after few days, Keerthi and Akhil sees a poem which tells:

"Men, if you love us, play no more

The fools or tyrants with your friends,

To make us still sing o'er and o'er

Our own false praises, for your ends:

We have both wits and fancies too,

And, if we must, let's sing of you…"

"In the present world, if a women should go safe, she have to fight multiples of Kurukshetra war with several people" said Akhil.

"Yes. Her life is always like a battlefield" said Keerthi.