Punishment

The Mistake

Amarnath was seventy-five now, yet he doubted whether he understood why people took decisions that had the potential of hurting people and destroying relationships. In his own lifetime, he had seen people going wrong in their decisions, suffering the consequences of mistakes they made, or even getting away with it. He recalled having read somewhere: “Sin. Repent. Repeat.” Human beings are one of their kinds when it comes to learning from mistakes. They never do. Even if they do learn and repent, the laws of nature seem to be so constructed that they are bound to either repeat or do something new again.

The head of a Joint Hindu Family had to be something like God Himself. Running a Joint family required a great deal of patience and understanding, and these were not something one is born with. These are qualities you acquire through painful experiences and learning. Even with experience, you cannot claim to be adept at resolving problems. The problem currently faced by Amarnath was a complex one, and he did not have any readymade resolutions for it. But decide he must, for the entire family expected him to announce a fair decision in the matter.

For Amarnath, the leadership role came naturally. He recalled his own experiences as a member of the Joint family headed by his father. At that time, the set up was far more complex. The joint family under his father comprised three brothers, four sisters, a widowed mother and two widowed sisters of his father. He did not want to dwell too much on that experience but felt thankful that things were more simplified now than before. Amarnath headed his own family consisting of his three sons and two daughters. All of them married and settled down. The daughters were settled in their own families and the three sons had been living quite harmoniously. 

The family business too had evolved over a period of time. Amarnath had inherited his father’s cotton business. There had been a division of business amongst the brothers and now all of them did their own business. Amarnath had done well to groom his sons, and at some point in time, they had decided to diversify. The cotton business was looked after by the eldest son Deepak. Sumit, the second son, handled the cloth business and the youngest, Sandip, initiated and ran the IT business. Amarnath was proud of his sons as each of them did well within their chosen field.

Amarnath was proud of his wife too, his partner and soul mate. She had stood by him in his every decision. They had seen ups and downs in life and had navigated through good and bad times with equanimity. But the problem presently confronting him was something he had not foreseen. It threatened to shatter whatever he and his wife had created, nourished, and preserved. Adultery was quite unheard of in his family. Adultery within the family was most heinous and he frankly did not know what to do.

Aparna

Aparna married Sumit and their five-year-old marriage had been coasting along peacefully, until now. Sumit was a near-perfect husband, cast very much in the traditional mould. He was religious, both in his belief in God and Family. He respected all and took good care of Aparna in every respect. There was, therefore, no need at all for Aparna to get into an affair with Sandip, Sumit’s youngest brother. The attraction had been fatal as it was now threatening, not only to devastate the family but also ruin her life permanently.

Sandip was drawn to Aparna from the time he had seen her in a photograph sent by her family. The proposed alliance was for Sumit, but how he had wished that the proposal could be for his marriage with Aparna. Sandip was the youngest in the family and the youngest was always the most pampered. His playful demeanour, mischievous ways and winsome smile brought Aparna closer to him than anyone else in the family. There was, however, never any hint of passion in their relationship until much later.

Aparna now realised that she had committed the ultimate mistake, a blunder. And she repented it. She felt sad about hurting Sumit. She had no intention of doing so but had finally done it. The last three days had been hell for her with Sumit refusing to talk to her. She would have preferred him to have burst upon her, shouted at her or even beaten her. But he would do nothing of the sort. 

She remembered the day when Sarla, Sandip’s wife, had caught Sandip trying to kiss Aparna.

Sandip had steadfastly refused to marry, privately telling Aparna that he was so deeply in love with her that marriage with any other girl was unthinkable. For Aparna, it was pure infatuation, one that completely blinds you to rational thought. It was physical for her. She had felt guilty initially but then fell a helpless victim to her own passion and desire. They had succeeded in keeping their relationship a secret. They would hardly do anything to arouse suspicion about their affections for each other. Joint families allowed a great deal of intimacy and affection to be displayed amongst the members, of course within certain limitations. They had used this to grow their intimacy.

Aparna had realized early in the illicit relationship that such a liaison cannot last long. It was also morally and ethically wrong to deceive her loving husband. She, therefore, advised Sandip not to do anything foolish and not to consider their relationship as something that will last forever. She wanted Sandip to marry and settle down, and get over their dangerous liaison. It was at her persuasion and behest that Sandip agreed to marry Sarla. Aparna, on her part, had decided that she will no more allow Sandip to be distracted by her. She, therefore, kept away from him as much as possible. She did not want Sarla to misunderstand her or create tensions for Sarla in any way. She, however, had not bargained for what Sandip would do. Unable to get over his crush on Aparna, Sandip had dogged her constantly. 

On that fateful day, Sandip had cornered Aparna and had demanded an explanation from her. Was it wrong for him to love her? Was it a crime to love more than one woman? These questions hurt Aparna, and much as she would like to give him the answers he needed, she told him that it was not right to love two women at the same time. His wife was his primary duty and responsibility, everything else was secondary. Likewise, loving her husband and being faithful to him was right for her. She had already transgressed her limitations by having an affair with Sandip. And the guilt was eating into her like acid. She had no right whatsoever to hurt her husband or to bring disgrace to the family. Yet, she had done the unthinkable and it was always right to stop and make amends.

Aparna could not pacify Sandip even as he imposed himself forcibly upon her. It was when she was trying to push him away from kissing her that Sarla had caught them. All hell broke loose.

 Aparna was called for explanations. How and what could she explain? And whatever she explained cut no ice with either Sarla or the others. Sumit could not handle the development. He simply retreated into a shell and refused to come out of it. Deepak and his wife could not believe this had happened in their household. The kids around sensed trouble but were studiously kept away from all the drama.

A decision was pending now on Aparna’s fate. As was the convention in the family, the decision rested with the Karta, her father in law. He seemed to be in some sort of confusion and was taking his time to evaluate and decide. Sarla meanwhile was impatient and was demanding to be sent to her home. 

Sarla

Sarla could not believe that her world would collapse so soon. She could not understand why Sandip married her when he was so apparently smitten by Aparna. She was also revolted by Aparna’s brazen behaviour. How could a woman do such a thing to her husband? She had a very healthy respect for Sumit and pitied his plight. Aparna definitely had bad blood in her. Whatever her reasons for the affair, Sarla could never think well for either Aparna or Sandip. And to think she actually liked Aparna’s company when she entered this house! No woman with a sound family background can ever indulge in such a shameful affair. 

Sarla wondered what the old man would say. This was a matter of honour for him and his family, and perhaps he would prefer to hush things up. She had not yet spoken to her parents, but should justice be denied to her, she would ensure the worst for all involved.

Despite the heinous nature of the crime and its implications for Sarla, she found herself exploring various options. It was for her, she thought, to decide what solution she wanted. That was always difficult, to decide what you want. Here the options were actually simple. All she had to do was pack her stuff and go home. She had to terminate the marriage, for there was no other way out. On second thoughts, she wondered what her parents would make of this disaster. 

Sarla knew her parents were not wealthy. She understood their responsibilities for two more daughters. She was well aware of her own traditional background. But the tradition never sanctioned adultery and had not made exceptions for adulterous persons to go unpunished. She had to punish Sandip for having cheated her out of a normal and happy life.

Sarla was educated enough to realize that such happenings always brought out negative opinions in people about the women involved. It is the women who are always blamed and stigmatised. It would be easy for her to get divorced; perhaps Sandip too wanted that to happen. But what after that? She could marry again, or choose to remain single. She had enough talent to survive without depending on her parents. The courts would provide for her maintenance. Sandip too would be free to do whatever he wanted.

Gathering the broken strands of her life would be difficult, she knew, but not impossible. After the incident, she had spoken very little to Sandip. On his own, he had told her all about the relationship with Aparna. He regretted that he had betrayed my love and trust. He apologized and said that he would accept any punishment that she deemed fit to be meted out to him. He had not defended his betrayal and did seem to be genuinely sorry.

This, Sarla believed, was the most infuriating part. Commit a mistake, accept the blame and to hell with the damage. Sarla believed that mere acceptance of guilt does not absolve one from punishment. But such a summary admission of guilt takes the wind away from the sails of anger. Sarla had spoken her mind to him, but she would have loved to go beyond that had Sumit shown any signs of aggression. She soon found out that bashing Sumit for his indiscretion did little to help her find a resolution. He would simply hang his head, avoid meeting her in the eyes and wait for her to exhaust.

Sarla knew her options well, but could not be decisive.

Sandip

As the gravity of the situation sunk in, Sandip began to feel truly and sincerely ashamed. He had put everyone he loved in a spot, that is, apart from himself. He wondered how his parents felt right now, how his brother Sumit must be feeling, what would happen to Aparna, and most of all, what would Sarla do. He tried putting himself in the shoes of each character involved. His wife should rightfully kick him out and get a divorce. He had absolutely no right to put her in such a situation. She had not yet spoken to anyone beyond the family, but soon she would be forced to do so. Her future lay at stake and he was responsible for it.

His infatuation for Aparna was something of a riddle. She was sensual no doubt, but it was not her sensuous personality alone that had attracted him. Right from the moment, he had seen her photograph, he somehow got drawn to her. Inexplicably, he had allowed his baser instincts to get the better of him. Something in him had kept on telling him that she was the person he was searching for, his soul mate. If it had been possible, he would have asked his father to allow him to marry Aparna.

He loved his family and was eternally grateful for everything he got here. His brothers and parents had loved him immensely and given him all the care and affection one could get. He was particularly fond of Sumit who always loaded him with toys and gifts. The infatuation had taken over him and held him in a spell where he forgot all this. Now that the spell was broken, he deeply regretted the fact that he had come to senses only after everything was lost. He should have listened to Aparna when she wisely asked him to cut off from her. But enough had not been enough for him. He had married at the insistence of Aparna, but he came to love his wife. She was cultured and talented and loving. He had genuinely tried to reciprocate her affections and did succeed. But not enough to break the spell of infatuation.

That fateful day, he had taken the opportunity and cornered Aparna. After the marriage to Sarla, Aparna had taken enough caution to keep away from him. Instead of taking the cue, he had felt disappointed with Aparna and angry with her for avoiding him. It did occur to him that she did it with a purpose, but the infatuation was such that he started believing that she had stopped loving him. In that state of mind, he could not differentiate the physical from the emotional. His emotions for Aparna grew so physical that soon he ached for her. And when he found that she was denying him the chance to get anywhere close to her, he had pounced on her. Against her wishes he had kissed her, ignoring her protestations and entreaties. All he wanted to do was to touch her and feel her warmth for him. Sarla had caught him at that very moment.

He knew there was no explanation he could offer to Sarla or anyone for his behaviour. The ones that he offered sounded hollow even to him. Now, he was worried, not for his sake, but for Aparna and Sarla. He had to do something soon to make things right for them. Something that will redeem their lives and keep the family honour intact.

Sumit

Sandip was the last person, Sumit believed, who would betray him. His love for Sandip was more than his love for Aparna. Now that his kid brother had betrayed his love and trust, Sumit felt there was nothing more left in his life. Aparna’s betrayal had simply compounded his feelings of gloom. In his present state of mind, he could still not bring himself to believe that he had given Aparna reasons to find love in his brother’s arms. 

So shocked did Sumit feel that he could hardly look at Aparna and Sandip, let alone talk to them. He could see that Aparna wanted him to talk to her so that she could explain, but what explanation could be enough to justify such behaviour? Their son, three-year-old, must be wondering what went suddenly wrong in the household. Sumit locked himself up in the washroom to cry. But even tears did not bring relief.

What his respected father would say or do, he did not know. What can anyone say or do at this juncture? The marriage, to him, was over for good. Aparna had chosen the worst possible path in relationships. For all he cared, she could as well marry Sandip. But he feared the worst for Sarla. What wrong had the kid done to suffer such a fate at this young age? If there was justice, it had to be God’s justice; no human being on earth could mete out sufficient punishment to the two guilty.

Sumit wondered about love. There was so much love involved that he now hated to even think that he loved his brother and his wife. He had always thought of love as a very positive emotion, capable only of healing and bringing people together. But now it was so different. How can such a noble emotion drive someone to become insensitive? He had no doubts in his mind that Aparna and Sandip loved him in their own ways. But they also loved each other, so much so that they had been carried away by their love to the extent of endangering everything dear to them. How could they have been so silly and stupid to destroy their beautiful world? Not only theirs but the worlds of so many others who had cared and loved them?

He thought about life after Aparna. There wouldn’t be any for him, but his son mattered. Sumit would have to sweep aside the debris of his personal life, forget the tragedy and carry on for his son. The poor boy would not understand till much later what his mother had done to him. 

Sumit’s parents had discussed with him briefly. He had told them simply that he left everything in their hands and would accept their judgment, whatever it may be.

Amarnath

Amarnath was aware that the entire household was waiting for him to speak. He had, for the last few days, discussed in detail with his wife. His sons had all come and left, telling him that his decision would be final and binding. Deepak’s wife suggested that whatever be the decision, at the end of it all, they should separate into individual families. She felt this was good for the future of all concerned.

Amaranth’s wife preferred playing a supportive role, which was not very much helpful to Amarnath. She agreed that Sandip had done a grave mistake but being parents, they should ensure that his mistake does not get compounded. Amarnath appreciated her point of view. No doubt the mistake mattered. But how one approached the resolution mattered most. Left to them, Amarnath wondered how each one of them could react to the incident. He knew Sumit well. He could never resolve anything by himself. But his natural reaction would be to throw Aparna out of the house and his life. She deserved this and more. Deepak was the least affected in this entire drama. He did not say anything but his wife had spoken his thoughts for him. They would like to distance themselves from the entire episode.

Sandip had been very forthright. He admitted guilt and owned responsibility for his actions. Instead of offering explanations he had offered unconditional acceptance of any punishment given to him. Sarla, on the other hand, had been quite vociferous and demanded that she be given justice. Amarnath asked her what punishment would do justice to her? Sarla looked confused. Did she want to continue married life with Sandip? She would not give a clear reply. Amarnath even advised her to talk to her parents so that she could get clarity in her mind. Sarla chose to remain silent on this. Amarnath felt miserable for her. He failed to understand how he can do justice to the wronged girl. How can he set right the wrong that had been done to her? Some wrongs can never be righted and this was surely the case with Sandip and Aparna.

Amarnath knew that long after the nightmare was over, life would even out for the wronged persons. Sumit would forget over time and get on with his life. Sarla would put everything behind her like a bad dream and continue with her life. But the future was not something people around the household were thinking of at this time. He was needed to act now, and act decisively. What would his father have done in such a situation, he wondered.

Amarnath conceded to himself that a solution was beyond his power. It was indeed very difficult for him to provide satisfactory resolution in such a complicated matter. What justice can he do to assure his son and daughter-in-law, who have been wronged? He was not sitting on any judgment seat like the famed Vikramaditya; nor was he wise as Solomon to dispense dispassionate justice. He was simply the family head. He could perhaps resolve mundane issues like who would do what, what responsibilities to give, but this was no such mundane matter. Lives depended on his decision.

As Amarnath saw things, Sumit and Aparna were in that category of offenders whose punishment should be always disproportionate to the offense committed, something severe enough that they would remember for the rest of their lives. But his priority as head of the family was to keep his flock together, ensure that the house does not break up and disintegrate. He wished this had happened after his death, but the reality was different. Ensuring that the family stayed together was a very tall task, and easier said than done. He could, for instance, ask Sumit and Sarla to forgive and forget. But will it be just on his part to ask hem for forgiveness? What if this had happened to him? Would he be magnanimous enough to forgive his wife, forget her infidelity? In the current instance, forgiveness simply would not work as memories of the adultery and treachery would remain etched long after the storm had passed. It would be quite impractical to ask Sumit and Sarla to continue living with their spouses under the same roof. Trust, once broken cannot be mended. At best it would be a compromise and remain so. And who was he to ask the two to compromise their lives? 

The onus of a decision was with Amarnath, and he had to respond. He sent a message to all to assemble in the living room, perhaps for the last time in his life.

Without resorting to any devious preliminaries, he confessed to all, that he had failed to reach a decision. The assembly was stunned. Was that it? Meeting over? What now?

Amarnath drew a long breath and continued speaking. He held Sandip and Aparna morally guilty of breaching the trust and honour, not only of their spouses but also of the family. The matter of what and how the punishment would be meted out was now in the hands of two who had been directly wronged and he solemnly requested Sumit and Sarla to decide about the punishment. What was it that they desired? They need not bother about family honour or fear for what would happen to him and his wife. Whatever they wanted would be done and others will accept without conditions.

Silence hung like a thick fog. No one got up or spoke. Everyone was looking at Sumit and Sarla to pronounce the punishment they had in mind. Finally, Sandip got up to speak.

He admitted that everything that happened was because of him. He had realized the mistake he made and sought to be forgiven. But he wished that he could be punished appropriately. Otherwise, the act of forgiveness would not be complete. Since Sumit and Sarla were reluctant to speak out, he would decide his punishment himself. He would leave the house forthwith and would never return. He asked his father to officially disown him and though it may not be possible in the short run, everyone at home should forget they had a brother or a son like him. This was the only way he could atone for his sins. If there was a better suggestion, he would agree. Sarla can go to court if she decides to disown him legally.

Aparna too got up and agreed with Sumit. She would leave too. Her crime had been as grave as Sandip’s and unforgivable. She had no intention to team up with Sandip after leaving the house, she assured. She would leave the town and seek repentance in a way that would suggest itself to her. She fell at Sumit’s feet and begged him not to hate her for his sake and for the sake of his son. She too endorsed the view that Sumit can legally disown her as his wife.

With this, the two walked towards the door. Sarla suddenly was galvanized into action. She was shouting at the top of her voice. What did they think of themselves, she asked? Did they think they were being divine like God Himself? Walking away like this just did not absolve them of their crime. What good was their going away for her and Sumit? How would it repair the damage done? How was it going to restore their honour? How was it going to heal the wounds? 

Amarnath was at a loss. Here was a situation where the guilty themselves took responsibility and decided they would leave. But the wronged were not satisfied with this. Sarla wanted something more. What could that be? 

Amarnath asked Sandip and Aparna to return. He told them that they cannot decide their own punishments. Punishment, to be effective, had to be delivered by the wronged and the laws of the land. He advised Sarla and Sumit to call the family lawyer and decide on legal action against the two accused. They who bring dishonour to the family that loved and cared for them; they who break hearts of those who loved them; they who betrayed the trust of their own people; who chose deliberately and consciously to defy tradition and custom; such people cannot be allowed to escape the law. Social justice was one thing but they deserved to be judged by the law too. He would certainly disown Sandip and never again speak or see him. Others in the family would do the same thing. This applied to Aparna as well. The world needed to know about individuals who defeat the very purpose society was formed. 

Amaranth’s wife wept even as she agreed with her husband. She was ashamed Sandip was born to her. Deepak and his wife seemed to be in total agreement with Amarnath, though they did not say anything openly.

Amarnath wanted the drama to end now. He asked Sumit and Sarla to be ready for the meeting with the lawyer the next day. He ordered the culprits to leave the house immediately but be available to face the law when they were required.

Finally, Sumit started speaking. He did not agree with his father. Society and law are two facets of the same coin. No punishment would reverse fate and destiny. He had loved Aparna dearly and still loved her. Her act of betrayal was not something he would ever forget, nor would she. She had wronged him, but what about their son? Did he not need a mother and family? What wrong had he done to deserve a life without the love and affection of a family? Atonement comes with realization, and he was sure that Aparna realized her folly. The punishment was something she had to undergo was the constant remembrance of her mistake which would never allow her to rest peacefully throughout her life. The punishment would be more severe staying here and living with her loving husband and family. That way she could never run away from the crime. That way he, the wronged, would ensure she suffered the most from her own feelings of guilt. He, therefore, wanted Aparna to stay back as his wife.

Amarnath could not believe this. Sumit had done something he could himself not do. He watched as Aparna ran towards Sumit and buried herself in his arms. He wondered what Sarla would do now.

Sarla was stunned, to say the least. Everyone was looking at her now. Her brother-in-law had done something she could not understand. He was now talking to her. Sumit was asking Sarla to accept Sandip as her husband, just as he had accepted Aparna. He told her that she could punish her husband better this way than leaving it to law or society. Sandip, meanwhile, was walking towards Sarla and fell at her feet. Sarla bent to pick him up. She was not sure whether she was doing the right thing. But she was neither sure of anything else. This seemed beyond her human ability, but who are we to understand our abilities. She suddenly felt a huge load being lifted off her heart. A lot of problems and complications seemed to just dissolve. Her future, her parents, society; she found herself faced with the opportunity to redeem her life. Whether she could forgive Sandip or not, only time will tell. Whether her wounds would fester or heal, she did not know.

Amarnath was crying. He had never imagined such an end to the problem. Sumit had shown that forgiveness need not be a divine act after all. It is only human beings who have to decide what they consider as appropriate resolutions for wrongs in their lives. He wiped his tears and told all present that the matter should remain within the household. Everyone will now disperse to assemble again for dinner.

He knew it would be long before life would be normal again. A mistake, however, had been corrected and a new beginning had been made.