The game of Dice (Short Story)

The game of Dice
(Short Story)
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Love never remains hidden for long.
When news of a romantic relationship between his daughter Archita and Sameer—the son of their neighbor Nageswar Rao—reached the ears of Srikant Babu, he flew into a rage. Fuming, he declared,
“My daughter is innocent. That boy has trapped her. I won’t spare him. I’ll cut him to pieces . I’ll set goons on him and have him beaten beyond recognition . We are orthodox Odia Brahmins; they are outcasts. Their caste and lineage don’t match ours. They eat forbidden food all year round. The useless fellow perhaps doesn't know how dangerous a fellow  Srikant Upadhyaya is?”

Archita pleaded with her mother,
“Ma, please explain things to Baba. He believes that Sameer has deceived his simple, naïve daughter, but that isn’t true. True love is never one-sided. And if Baba tries to harm Sameer, I won’t tolerate it.”

Soon, a fierce quarrel broke out between Srikant Babu and Samir's father Nageswar Rao on their children’s relationship. Archita’s father ran around the house brandishing a knife, roaring,
“I’ll chop that scoundrel down ! I’ll send both father and son straight to Yama in one stroke!”

Archita said to her mother,
“Ma, why is Baba putting on this unnecessary drama? The man who faints at the sight of a blood bottle in hospital is now threatening to kill someone with a knife! Tell him to put it down—if it slips, he’ll end up cutting his own limbs .”

The storm eventually subsided. Archita's father left for office. But her mother, trembling with anger, grabbed Archita and warned,
“You are the root of all this. If you even look at that boy from today onward, I’ll gouge your eyes out!”

Without hesitation, Archita brought a knife and placed it in her mother’s hand.
“Here, Ma. Do it right now. That will free me too. I have no desire to witness this drama any longer.”

Her mother flung the knife into the court-yard and stormed off.
After the battlefield fell silent, Nageswar Babu cautiously opened his window and looked out. Seeing Archita, he smiled faintly.
Sameer called Archita on her mobile and joked,
“Hey sweetheart, did you manage to click a photo of your father’s Kalki-avatar performance?”
Archita snapped back,
“Shut up! Don’t joke about your future father-in-law.”

To escape this daily drama and social humiliation, Sameer and Archita made their final decision. With their belongings packed into a briefcase, they left together for Hyderabad. Archita’s father rang up her and declared,
“From today onward, you are dead for me. I never had a daughter, nor do I have one now. Do not attempt to maintain any relationship with me. Within ten days, I will perform your death rites and purify myself.”
From that day on, Archita became untouchable for her entire family. Her parents, her brother—none kept in touch with her. Only her uncle Raju occasionally called, asking about her well-being and updating her regarding her parents. Their anger had not cooled down even after so many days .

Once, Archita asked her Raju uncle --
“Uncle, did Baba really perform my death rites?”
Raju uncle replied,
“No, child. He uttered that in anger. Who can actually do such a thing?”

Archita missed her family terribly. But what could she do? Sameer was deeply self-respecting. He never accepted financial help, not even from his own father. Working a modest job in an asbestos company in Hyderabad, he tried to keep Archita happy within his means. Though he couldn’t fulfill all her wishes, she never complained. Her only sorrow was being deprived of her family’s affection. She often asked her uncle to mediate and soften her father’s heart.

Raju uncle loved Archita dearly. He was her father’s younger brother—a politician, well known in Bhubaneswar’s political circles. Her father always valued his words. Archita firmly believed that only he could resolve the crisis.

One day, Raju uncle rang up her to give news:
“My dear Archu, I’ve spoken to your father. After much persuasion, he has agreed to accept Sameer. But he has one condition—there must be a grand, traditional wedding ceremony again, with all relatives and friends present. He wants to fulfill his dream of marrying off his only daughter with pomp and splendor. He does not accept the Arya Samaj wedding you had earlier. For peace, I think we should agree. The ceremony can be held at my residence in Bhubaneswar.”

Archita was overwhelmed with emotions. She longed to touch her uncle’s feet and pour out her gratitude in tears. Sameer, however, was uneasy and said..
“Archu, knowing your father as I do, I doubt he will accept us so easily.”

Archita reassured him repeatedly saying..
“I trust Uncle. When the proposal comes from his side, we shouldn’t step back.”

Eventually, Sameer agreed.They arrived at the Bhubaneswar railway station, where Raju uncle hurried toward them. Archita and Sameer touched his feet. Blessing them, he said,
“That’s enough, children. Come.”

On the way to the car, he kept asking Sameer affectionate questions—about the journey, food, and his health. Sameer’s fears gradually faded. He felt at ease with Archita's uncle.

Archita gazed out of the car window. It was a cold morning in Bhubaneswar ; the fog was slowly lifting. The fog of doubt within her heart also seemed to dissolve.
The car entered the massive iron gates of Raju uncle’s bungalow. The gates clanged shut behind them. As Archita stepped onto the veranda, she froze. Four burly goons sat there, knives in hand.
Before she could comprehend anything, Raju uncle said coldly,
“Archu, go inside. I’ll deal with this rascal.”
Then the beating began. Sameer was assaulted mercilessly—slaps, punches, kicks, accompanied by a torrent of abuse. Once Raju uncle grew tired, the hired goons took turns beating him. The house was surrounded by high walls; no sound could escape.

Archita screamed,
“Don’t beat him! Leave him alone! He’s done nothing wrong—it’s all my fault!”
No one listened.

Inside the house, she saw her father and mother. Everything became clear. She realized she had been trapped in a cruel conspiracy. Crying out, she begged,
“Baba, Ma—how can you be so heartless? In the name of lineage, how can parents sacrifice their own child? Please spare him. We’ll go far away, never show our faces again.”

She fell at their feet, tears streaming.
Her father shouted--“Silence, you shameless girl! Because of you, I cannot walk with my head held high.”

Still pleading, Archita said,
“Then sever all ties with me, but don’t harm him. Please, Baba.”

No one listened.
Raju uncle finally said..“If you sever all relations with him, he will be spared. His life is in your hands.”

Terrified, Archita agreed for Sameer’s sake.
“Alright, Uncle. I’ll break all ties. Just don’t harm him.”

After that, everything went quiet.
When Archita came out, there was no one—no goons, no Sameer. Panic seized her.Oh my God What a grave mistake she had done ! She had unknowingly pushed Sameer into the jaws of death?

She searched desperately. The police questioned her father and uncle, but nothing came of it. Sameer vanished without a trace. Even in Berhampur, his family home was locked, as though the Rao family had evaporated into thin air.

Archita cut herself off from everyone. With a small job, she barely sustained herself, endlessly searching for Sameer. She never found him. Still, she clung to hope—that one day he would return and say that he is alive.

One day Raju uncle rang up  proposing her marriage to an Odia Brahmin boy working in California and said -- trust me Archita, we are all worried about your wellbeing. "

Archita replied bitterly..“After murdering 'trust' so brutally, how can you vouch of 'trust'again? Iam already married to Sameer.He is living in my heart. Your deceitful game of dice could not kill my love "Sameer"

How can I marry again? Please don’t call me. I am dead for you.Ask my parents to complete my death rites and purify themselves .”

(Written in the shadow of a true incident.)

(Kulamani sarangi )