Lure Of The Dice

The people of Dostipur had a good easy-going life. They were not plagued by stress and worries. As a result, they had their means of entertainment to spice up their lives. Gambling was one such. A habit had grown among the menfolk and they played a game which resembled some extent the modern game of ludo. But it was not ludo, in the true sense. It was derived from the dice game that was played during the mythological period of Mahabharatha. One of the conditions of this game was that the participants had to pawn their securities and after the game was over the winner took all that was pawned. Because the winner was now the new owner.

 So gambling was their mainstay. Slowly this became an obsession. The gentle and calm atmosphere of the town was now becoming toxic. Peaceful family life was getting disturbed. Friendship was turning into hostile relationship. Alcoholism was rising. As defeat and frustration after the game manifested itself on the bottle. 

Suresh and Ramesh were two good friends. They stayed away from this game of dice. But on Festival days they had to play the ceremonial games. On those days taking drinks was also a token of custom which had to be followed. 

On one Diwali night, a competition was held and all the citizens had to mandatorily take part. Free drinks were served to all the participants. Both Suresh and Ramesh had drunk each before the board game. 

Suresh had a few drinks too many. He was now in a different world. But his senses to play the game of dice was in place. Ramesh had also few pegs but was not so affected. Then the game started. All the players pawned their securities. Suresh was playing as if possessed. Only two players remained in the fray. All others had lost everything and withdrew. Now the battle was between the friends Suresh and Ramesh. Slowly Ramesh started losing. After a few games, Ramesh had lost all his movable assets. Only his house remained. Everyone was cheering Suresh. 

Finally, Ramesh put up his house as security. Ramesh had lost his sense of reason. He thought that slowly he could win everything back. But then that was not to be. He lost that too. The crowd watching the game was in a frenzy. Then the shout came from the crowd to Ramesh to put his wife at stake. Everyone had taken drinks so no one was in his sane mind. Ramesh also in the heat of the moment without thinking of the consequences let his wife's name go up as a pawn. Many years ago in the mythological tales of Mahabharatha King Yudhisthir had pawned his wife Draupadi, the wife of the Pandava brothers, and had lost. Everyone knows what befell the Pandava brothers and their wife Draupadi later on. So in a way now Ramesh was enacting a Yudhisthir. 

Suresh was playing as though possessed. He won this crucial round also and won the prize of Ramesh's wife. Then when Ramesh had nothing more to offer the game ended. 

As per the rule of the game, the winner became the owner of all the goods and items he had won. This time there was a tricky situation. No one had lost his house or wife before. This was the first time in the history of Dostipur such an event had occurred. But the rules of the game have to be honored. All the physical transfer of assets had to be completed within the next few days. 

The next morning when the senses had returned, Ramesh was in a deep quandary. Suresh was very elated but felt sorry for Ramesh. But the sanctity of the rules of the game had to be upheld. Otherwise, the town elders would make life hell for the loser. Ramesh couldn't come face to face with his wife. His wife, Nutan, knowing everything was silent and deeply anguished within. She was very angry with her husband but kept silent. 

The house along with all the belongings was handed over. Ramesh had to vacate his house and as he had no other place to stay went away to a relative's house for some days till a new arrangement was made. Then it was the turn for Ramesh's wife, Nutan to be switched over. All the town people gathered to witness a unique event of their lifetime. Everyone had read in the Mahabharat what had happened to Draupadi but this event was replicating the mythology. 

The situation was very tense. Now Ramesh's wife, Nutan had to do as per the bidding of the Suresh family. But she was given a little relief by Suresh's wife, Samata. The Suresh household was in the need of a cook so Suresh's wife Samata said that she would be availing of the cooking services from Nutan. But this would be without any wages as now the ownership had been transferred to Suresh. It was a very strange deal rarely seen or heard of. Only in some tribal societies, such practices may be followed. 

Ramesh had lost his credibility in the town. He just could not come to the grips with the situation. Overnight how his fortunes and life had changed. Everything had turned upside down. He now had no work because all his assets had gone over to Suresh.

Suresh now felt like a king who has conquered new territory. He became indulgent and engaged in partying and drinking. With drinks, Suresh didn't know his limits. After having drinks he was a different personality. Now he had targeted Nutan, Ramesh's wife. 

One evening Suresh came home early. He was fully drunk. Samata, his wife had gone out. Suresh went straight to the kitchen where Nutan was preparing dinner. Suresh went from behind and caught Nutan by the waist and held her in a tight embrace. He was reeking with the smell of alcohol. Nutan was taken by surprise. She tried her best to come out of his grip but he had held fast. Then she shouted from the top of her voice and continued shouting. Suresh was slowly getting his control over her. Then as a last resort, Nutan took a hot spatula and poked it hard at Suresh's face. Feeling the hot metal on his soft face Suresh let go and immediately Nutan feeling freed ran towards the door. At the door, she was confronted with Samata, Suresh's wife. 

A small crowd had gathered by now hearing the shrieks from Nutan. Seeing her disheveled clothes and hair, Samata could feel something was wrong. She found Suresh lying on the kitchen floor with a burnt mark on his cheek. She estimated what might have happened. A woman will hit out at anything when her honor is at stake. She couldn't blame Nutan, seeing the behavioral change in her husband from the recent past. 

The whole town had now become a gossip factory. People were lapping up the hot news and time had come to a standstill. 

For Ramesh, this was the last nail in his coffin. Things could not have been worse. His wife was in trauma. He blamed his impulsive behavior and blatant irresponsibility. His wife had to suffer for no fault of her. 

Finally, there was better news ahead for Ramesh, however. A distant relative from Nutan's side had come to know of their terrible plight. This relative was an aunt of Nutan. She asked the couple to come over to her place and build a life anew. This aunt lived in a distant city and was the owner of a lottery ticketing distributorship. She was quite well off. Being now widowed and without any inheritor, she was on the lookout for any relative who would help her out in her business. 

This aunt who went by the name of Savitri took on Ramesh as an employee cum partner and made Nutan take care of her household. 

Ramesh adjusted to this new life. He learned the nuances in the business of lottery and sweepstakes. Personally, he made a resolution never to gamble and never to touch alcohol. But Nutan could not get over the hangover of being outraged of her modesty. The aunt Savitri counseled Ramesh and Nutan that as a couple they should have a child. This childbearing and rearing would help Nutan overcome the trauma. 

True to her saying. Nutan was overjoyed taking care of her bundle of joy when she gave birth to her daughter.