Heat - The Rise

Part 1 - Ruhi

There is always a chapter in books of Physics subject right from Class 5th upto PhD level—

“Heat”. The crux of the chapter is whether it is a good conductor or bad conductor, there is no

substance in the world having complete immunity to Heat transfer. Heat travels from one end to

another in each and every material, only time varies in this process- may be some seconds, or

may be some years.

A lot of happenings were taking place at Ramcharann’s house in Model Town today. It was

imminent too, as the family had to meet a guy and his family at Karolbagh, for Ruhi’s

marriage—their only daughter. Ruhi herself chose the boy therefore that created doubts in her parent's minds as to who is the guy and what does he do for living. Ruhi had herself told them that he is a Sikh guy, but without turban or heavy beard. He is even two years younger than Ruhi. Now

that’s a problem for traditional type of parents. They raised several questions on the differences between them.

What will the people of our community say?

Did you find only this Sikh guy in the world?

Are you going to marry a Sikh despite being a Brahmin? And that too, a Sikh without turban or beard?

Two years younger? Different religion and castes?

Ramcharan and his wife Janaki became very angry when Ruhi first told them about Rupinder and so refused the approval for marriage immediately, come what may.

Ramcharan blamed her wife, “Let your daughter be more educated. She has only learnt to violate rules and traditions of your community. Choose a Sikh boy instead of Brahmin as all Hindu-Brahmin guys have gone. She did not find any Ramesh, Suresh or Pradip from Agra, Mathura, Bharatpur et. She chose only a Punjabi guy Rupinder”.

But who could stand against Ruhi’s wishes?

She was a girl child but Ramcharan and Janaki raised her exactly like boys. Her every wish was

almost an order to them and they fulfilled it. She had a younger brother too but the status enjoyed

by Ruhi was unmatched. She was the first girl from her family who got admission in D.U., and

that too, in Economics department of prestigious Hindu College. After a first class B.A. and a

first class M.A., she opted for B.Ed. and then prepared for government jobs and secured a decent

teaching job at Bholanagar Sarvodaya Vidyalaya after cracking a Delhi Govt. exam. She was

equally unmatched in studies too. She found just one person who could match her in studies and

it was Rupinder. Both were totally unaware when exactly their arguments and funny leg-pulling

turned into admiration, affection and love.

Ruhi told her parents about this very guy and after

getting a rigid, negative reply from a retired DSP of Delhi Police, Mr. Ramcharan, she declared,

“If I will marry in this birth, then it would be only Rupinder, nobody else."

Parents can not do much against their child and if she has an earning from Govt. job, then certainly not. DSP surrendered and He, along with his wife Janaki and son Narendra and some relatives, were visiting Rupinder’s place today.

It was not that everything was right between father and daughter. They had not been liking each

other very much since Ruhi’s birth. Ramcharan was a Mishra Brahmin from Mathura who got a

job of Sub-Inspector in Delhi police. Due to nature of job, his friend-circle and habits got eroded

seriously. He started drinking and after a time, liquor started drinking into him. He used to come

every night to his home after drinking heavily and Janaki who worried about his well-being, was

abused and beaten mercilessly by her husband. Many a times, his friends took him to his home

as he could not walk or even stand and when Janaki opened the door, he completed his way from

door to his room on their shoulders explaining names and deeds of so many women and Janaki

had to bear the shame with heavy heart in front of his friends.

But despite such treatment by her husband, she always defended him whenever anybody even her own parents and relatives questioned about Ramcharan “No, no. He doesn’t drink now. If some close friend offers, that too once in two or three months only then he takes a bit, otherwise he doesn’t drink now."

The next person understood itself that it was good not to ask further.

Situation became grim after Ruhi’s birth. Janaki was beaten as usual and poor Ruhi watched all

this every night in fear. Now Ruhi was also included in Ramcharan’s abuses. It was daily

routine. Nothing changed after Narendra’s birth too. Ruhi was 5 years old then. In such

poisonous atmosphere at home Ruhi found solace in school and books. She was also getting

better in her studies. Janaki, despite bearing all ordeals, was very careful about studies of both

the children and made sure to keep it unaffected from Ramcharan. Gradually Ruhi moved upto

12th class. One night Ramcharan who was S.H.O. then, returned after drinking as usual and

started abusing and beating Janaki unnecessarily. Ruhi got fed up of this whole mess. She was

not 4-5 years old then but a 16 years old girl who had her own mind and thinking. She left her

chair-table, went to the next room and came between Ramcharan and Janaki.

She said angrily to her father, “What the hell you have created in the house? This happens daily. You come here after drinking, and beat her mercilessly. You have become a father of two but still

you are not ashamed of your deeds. You always do this in front of your children."

The devil inside Ramcharan woke up and he shouted, "Would you tell me the manners now? Would you tell me how I should behave with my wife? You people depend upon my earnings for your life

and are lecturing me?” and Ramcharan started abusing Ruhi too.

Janaki interfered, “Ruhi, go from here please. You have your board exam na….please go.”

Ruhi replied, “No….I will not go. My head is about to burst because of this thing on daily basis. Now, today I will tell him clearly that he must stop this daily non-sense and he should respect you…”

Ramcharan shouted again, “Yes, now you will tell me.” He pointed towards Janaki and

screamed, “You have given this lesson to her, should I respect you?” Then he said to Ruhi, “You

see how I will respect her..”, and he kicked upon Janaki’s stomach brutally and she fell down near

the wall.

Just at very next moment, Ramcharan received a mighty slap on his left cheek, which

made his face turn-around. His hand was on his left cheek where a huge red mark of five fingers

was clearly visible. Janaki was weeping on the ground and Ramcharan did not have enough

courage to see Ruhi’s face. Her hands were trembling and her nostrils were flaring. On that

night, Janaki was beaten by her husband last time. Since that incident, Ram did not talk to Janaki

and Ruhi for a long time. He had been drinking continuously. Janaki was his wife. Compromise

was her nature so she started talking as she belonged to traditional school of thought that

whatever the husband do, a wife must be committed to him selflessly. But Ram hesitated a lot in

Ruhi’s case.

Seeing the situation in the house, Ruhi decided that she would do a job and she would be self dependent.

She would not tolerate her husband’s torture as her mother did.

Part 2 - The Gulmohar Tree

After passing 12th with flying colours, Ruhi got admission in B.A. Economics course of

prestigious Hindu College of D.U.. She completed her M.A. and B.Ed. subsequently and got a

job also. Ramcharan was ageing and also had heart and liver’s ailments. He lowered down his

drinking habit too. Janaki cared a lot about his diet and Ruhi too ,forgetting old episodes, spent a

good time with him. He also liked it so much.

One day, Ramcharan and Janaki tried to explore Ruhi’s marriage possibility and her state of mind, “Ruhi, you know well that in our village and society, girls do not pursue higher education as such. They don’t even think of jobs outside but still, we agreed upon your desire to go for higher education. You were not ready so we dropped the idea in B.A., then you were not ready in M.A. also, so we followed as per your wish. Then you insisted upon B.Ed., we agreed to it too. Now you are earning, that is good indeed. Now please let us fulfill our moral and social responsibility as we wish. You are 27 now and its quite an age. We will not do it without your approval. Your opinion matters the most."

Time had changed. Even Metro train had turned 8 years old by then. Ramcharan and Janaki were fully aware that it was not like their times when parents fixed marriages of their sons and daughters

without their opinion and the concerned person latter came to know about his or her marriage

date. It was not an information, it was an order.

But it was not now. Ramcharan and Janaki themselves observed massive changes in Delhi and

the good thing was that they agreed to the changes, though a bit unwillingly.

Ruhi was sitting besides them keeping her head down, and with a lot of hesitation, twisting the corner of her dupatta, she said, “Papa, there is a boy in college. He is a nice guy. He practices in Tees hazari court now. He completed his graduation and post-graduation with me and then

completed LLB. from DU also. He works presently as an assistant of a famous lawyer, and also

teaches in a private coaching institute."

Ramcharan asked her, “What is the name of the guy? His full name.”

She said in a low voice with some hesitation “Rup…..Rup….. Rupinder….Rupinder bazwa.”

Puzzled Janki looked to Ramcharan and asked him, "Which caste?”

Ramcharan had already turned angry and lines over his forehead and movements of his two

fingers and thumb were clearly indicating his mood. Janaki suddenly became very cautious and

was expecting again a showdown between father and daughter.

Ramcharan spoke angrily, “Hmmm, he is Punjabi then.”

Janaki’s hands were on her head in a disbelief, “What! A Punjabi?”

Ramcharan scolded Ruhi, “Did you find only a Punjabi guy in this Delhi city? Did you not even think a bit about your roots, your traditions, your society and family?”

Ruhi replied, “Why? What is the problem in this guy? His nature is quite good and he is well-mannered person. He neither drinks nor smokes, does his work diligently and no bad businesses. He is a lawyer and also a teacher in a coaching centre. His earning is quite good also and….” Ruhi spoke the last line in a low voice but they heard it clearly “….he respects women a lot in his home and outside and never beats them.” Both Ram and Janaki were looking at each other.

Then Ruhi said, “He is a Sikh but without beard and turban.”

Ram said, “He is playing with you. No Sikh is without turban or beard.”

Then Ruhi said, “In 1984 riots, many of his family members were killed so his mother had forbidden him from wearing turban and beard.”

Ramcharan’s expressions suddenly changed and he asked her taking off his specs, “Why? Where does he live?"

Ruhi said, “Karobagh.”

“Which famous lawyer he is assisting to?” Ram asked.

Ruhi replied, “I don’t know much about him. He is some Siddhu or somebody like that may be. I

don’t know in detail."

After some time, Ram and Janaki refused Ruhi’s choice. Ruhi was too Ramcharan’s daughter after all.

She clearly told her parents, "If it will be marriage, then only Rupinder would be my groom, nobody else. Don’t show me the photo of any other guy and don’t talk to me in this regard also.”

Finally after 3 to 4 months, Ram and Janaki gave in to Ruhi and agreed to meet Rupinder’s family.

Rupinder was 25 years old, a decent, well-cultured, handsome punjabi guy but he was quite

different with respect to other Punjabis. He was not loud and volatile-tempered at all. May be his

upbringing and the situation around him played a crucial role in it. He was born in Feb.-March of

1985. It was a very critical time in Indian history. The news related to terrorist activities in

Punjab were being broadcasted in newspapers and T.V. in those days. Then in 1984 May-June, ’Operation Blue Star’ took place followed by most unfortunate assassination of Prime minister

Indira Gandhi. Then suddenly Anti-Sikh riots were erupted in Delhi and surrounding areas,

including metro cities of India. Those riots had been controlled only by Nov.-Dec. 1984.

Unfortunately Rupinder’s family became victim of those riots. His father, Tau ji, and Tai ji were

killed in the riots. Rupinder’s mother Surjit and sister Shalini survived somehow. Then Rupinder

was in womb of her mother. After his birth, he found himself and his family in Rajanagar

refugee camp near Shahdara. He spent his childhood days in refugee camp. He minutely

observed the daily struggle of his mother and sister for survival at that camp. He was the

eyewitness of the journey of his mother and sister from Rajanagar refugee camp from their

daily struggle for drinking water, food, blankets, utensils 25 years back to ownership of a

beautiful, very famous restaurant of Karolbagh, 'Bazwa di hatti' along with a small but quite

decent house. He also helped his family in whatever capacity he could do. Therefore he was very

quiet and evils like smoking and drinking habits were strangers to him. He had not done

anything for which his mother and sister should feel sad and let-down. He had just started

practice in Tees Hazari court sometime back and he had 3 years experience of private coaching

to CBSE students.

Rupinder was so good in studies. He fetched consistently decent marks despite his tough

situation at home. Therefore he got admission in Economics (Hons.) course of Hindu College in

DU. He was fond of three things so much- his studies, Sufi songs, and Hockey. If he was not

studying in library, or listening sufi songs then surely one could find him in college’s hockey

ground with his hockey stick.

The road going to Hindu college canteen from Main gate turned left nearby Chemistry

department and passed beneath the huge, extremely beautiful Gulmohar tree which was located

just outside of Main entrance of hockey ground and ended at the canteen. Hindu college canteen

was very famous among the students of the university, especially for its fried idlis. The people

used to visit there in large numbers for crisp, fried idlis but the stock was finished by 2 p.m. One

day, after having fried idlis with her friends, Ruhi was returning and the group stopped for a

while under the large gulmohar tree. That huge tree brought extreme relief in that blazing hot and

humid atmosphere. Hockey ground’s gate was located nearby from where a group of 6-7 young

boys were coming outside with their hockey sticks and sports kits on their back. Many of them

were Sikhs.

A friend of Ruhi spoke then to her friends, “Look at them. People are mad about cricket and these Punjabi Sardars, they are crazy about hockey over cricket.”

Another girl said, “They are playing Hockey here now, and in nights, they uncork bottles and that too daily. They can’t live without bottles at night.”

Then Ruhi said, “And after drinking, they definitely beat daily their wives, sisters, daughters mercilessly.”

The group of boys clearly heard this comment but did not react and avoided it but one of them did not feel good. He stopped, turned around and proceeded towards the girls group. One of the friends of Ruhi whispered angrily to her, “Was it necessary to you to say this loudly?"

Ruhi also felt jitters but did not show it. The boy came close to the group and spoke pretty gently, “Madam, you probably you have wrong notions. Punjabis are not like this. They drink no doubt but they do not torture women in their homes. And for your kind information madam, I don’t drink while I am hundred percent Punjabi, and my mother and sister are more important to me than any other

thing in the world."

The guy turned around and went with their friends. This was first face-off between Ruhi and Rupinder.

Next day, somehow Ruhi reached late in the class. Professor was having lecture and Ruhi

entered from the back door of the class. She looked in the class and did not find a seat

unoccupied. Then suddenly she found a vacant seat near a boy wearing black and white check patterned shirt. She could not see his face and quickly occupied the seat. The boy looked at her

for a second and then again concentrated over the lecture.

Ruhi also saw his face “Oh, it is the same guy who lectured us under the gulmohar tree. Is he in my class?”

After few minutes, Ruhi wrote 4 words at unwritten portion of a page in the boy’s notebook

‘S’…..’O’..….’R’……’R’…..’Y’….’SORRY’.

Boy was surprised by this sudden act of a complete stranger and quickly made a question mark beneath the word ‘SORRY’ and again started looking upto the Professor. Ruhi wrote beneath the question mark "For yesterday at that Gulmohar tree."

Boy quickly wrote beneath it. “Does not matter….leave it”, and then both started looking

at the teacher.

After the class ,Rupinder smiled and said while leaving his seat, “Madam its o.k. Its a very

common perception about Punjabis which is not true always. Yes, there are some cases but they

are not norms. You should take it lightly and I did not mind it too. Just chill."

Then he left the class. Gradually their interaction increased. Ruhi thought about him by his passion for hockey that this guy was not-so-good at studies but her confusion was soon over when she found his name ahead of her in class tests. Frequently, they had their lunch together. If a class of anyone of them got over then he/she waited outside after the class for another person’s class to be over.

Then they came outside of the Hindu college’s Main gate for enjoying ‘Bhelpuri’. The

‘Bhelpuri’ of Hindu college’s gate was very famous through-out the North Campus. Venue of

their lunch was mostly Hindu college’s canteen. Ruhi never stopped Rupinder from playing

Hockey passionately. Rupinder frequently went to neighbor states like Punjab, Haryana,

Himachal etc. for various Hockey tournaments. He was in hockey team of Hindu college too,

but Ruhi never objected to it.

Once Ruhi teased him, “What is this boring, long name? Rupinder Bazwa. The name should be short, interesting, stylish and sexy!” Then she said with a smile and her imitable style, “Look at my name. Its Ruhi Mishra. What a stylish, sexy name!”

Rupinder burst in a laughter and said, “O.k madam, then tell me. What name you have

chosen for me?”

Ruhi replied, "Your name from today will be Rup. I will call you Rup. Look how

nice this name ‘Rup’ is, isn't it?"

That day, after reaching home young and happy Rupinder saw

himself in the long mirror in his mother’s room and called himself in different styles, “….Rup……Rup……..Rup…..”

Surjit and Shalini were sitting on the bed and looking at Rupinder and they were laughing their heart out. From that day, Rupinder became ‘Rup’ for Ruhi.

Thus, how and exactly when their arguments and friendship had turned into love, they did not

realize and even if they would had realized, none of them would have expressed it. Ruhi was a girl afterall, may be because of it or because of the reserved and reclusive nature of Rup, or whatever was the reason but definitely somewhere inside, in a corner of their hearts, they knew where this ‘friendship’ was heading towards.

Today Ramcharan with his family members were going to meet the family of this very guy

Rupinder. They decided that if all the things fall in place as per their plan, they would perform

‘Roka’ ceremony then and there at Rupinder’s home and for this Janaki and Ruhi bought an

extremely beautiful engagement ring for Rupinder.

Part 3 - Karolbagh

Around 10 o’clock at the morning, Ramcharan’s car arrived at Rupinder’s place in Karolbagh.

Rupinder and Shalini’s husband Avinash received them at the gate and touching the feet of Ram

and Janaki, Rupinder requested them to move inside the house with their relatives. Ruhi

descended last from the vehicle. She was looking refreshingly beautiful in pink silk saari.

Rupinder froze for a few seconds after seeing Ruhi. Ruhi and Rupinder looked at each other

for a while and smiled but realized that elders are with them and it would be improper to do

public display of affection and quickly took their eyes off each other.

Avinash and Rupinder took their guests in drawing room where wife of Siddhu sahib was present

along with some couples of Surjit’s neighbourhood. Surjit was very friendly and helping towards

her neighbor so they also trusted her a lot. They handed over the keys of their houses to either

Surjit or Rupinder whenever they went out-of-station as they thought that this was a lady who

would bear difficulties herself but would not allow any trouble to her neighbors. The Granth Sahib of nearby Gurudwara was also present along with wife of Dr. Sachan, a trusted neighbor.

Both Hosts and Guests greeted each other in the room.

Mrs. Siddhu said, “Please be seated. Shalini and Bhabhiji are coming just in few minutes.”

Rupinder went inside to bring those two ladies. He saw them so happy after a long time. Shalini was insisiting Surjit to wear stylish clothes and jewelries but Surjit was refusing it. Shalini joked, “Girl’s father is a retired DSP. We need someone to match him!”

But Surjit refused it, she finally wore decent, sober clothes without jewelries and started towards drawing room with her responsible daughter and loving son to meet the girl’s parents where Avinash and Mrs. Siddhu were treating their guest gracefully. Surjit and Shalini had already bought an elegant, attractive engagement ring for Ruhi.

Surjit entered into the room with Shalini and Rupinder and the people made way for them.

Her son-in-law Avinash introduced Ram and Janaki to Surjit, “Come here Mummy ji, here are the

girl’s parents- Retired DSP Sri Ramcharan Mishra ji and her wife Janaki ji."

Surjit and Ramcharan both adjusted their specs and tried to see each other. Shalini was also looking at Ramcharan. In just few seconds, the facial expression of Ram, Surjit and Shalini had turned

completely opposite. The glow and happiness of their face had evaporated. Shalini and Surjit

were shell-shocked and a kind of disbelief and anger was quite visible on their faces and

anybody could guess it. Ramcharan’s face had turned pale. As he saw Surjit, he felt as his voice

was choked somewhere in his throat. There are some civilian life’s mannerism, he completely

forgot them.

Only Janaki said, “Namastey” to Surjit that too in a very low voice and with two minds, one was looking at Surjit and Ramcharan continuously and other was thinking that certainly something had happened which should not have happened there.

An unusual silence was there in the room where so many people were present. Ruhi and Rup

became tensed after looking at expressions over their parent’s faces. Avinash tried to break the

ice “Mommy ji…”, but Surjit put her hand over his and barred him immediately. She was staring at Rramcharan with angry red eyes and Ramcharan did not have courage to look at her or Shalini.

Suddenly Surjit screamed, “Oh mere Maalik…” and fell upon the sofa nearby. Rup, Shalini and Avinash ran towards her, “Mom, what happened?”

Just at this very moment, Ramcharan felt a severe pain in his heart and ran towards outside with his one hand over his chest. Janaki ran behind him. Ruhi, too ran outside following them. After reaching near the car outside Ramcharan started vomiting vehemently.

Janaki and Ruhi just reached to him and asked, “What has happened to you suddenly? Papa, are you okay?”

Ram could hardly say, “Lets move from here. Take me away from here quickly.”

People inside the house were shocked by this sudden happening. Rup and Avinash somehow laid Surjit on the bed. Shalini was weeping.

Rup said, “I am going outside to see uncle.”

He ran towards outside and immediately reached to them where Ram was vomiting. He asked about what happened to him.

Ruhi was weeping and replied, “Heart problem.”

Exactly then Dr. Schan’s wife, Mrs. Sachan came outside and called loudly to Rup and Avinash, “Oye Puttar, take both of them immediately to the hospital. Dr. Sahib is there at the moment. God is great that hospital is in our locality. Come on, move fast!”

Rupinder and Narendra immediately put Ram inside their car and said to the driver to go towards Dr. Sachan’s hospital. Rupinder ran into the drawing room where Avinash was trying to lift unconscious Surjit. Rup helped him and they put her immediately in Avinash’s car outside. Shalini was with her at back seat. Avinash was on driving seat and he started towards hospital the next moment. Rupinder felt sorry to all guests for this inconvenience and the guests responded pretty maturely seeing that both the families were facing unexpected trouble at the moment.

They all said to Rupinder, “Puttar, You lock the door and swiftly go to the hospital. We will reach there too after few minutes. Engagement or marriage can wait.”

Rupinder locked the main door of the house and ran towards hospital.

Both vehicles reached at hospital. Mrs. Sachan had already told this on phone to their husband so

he was waiting outside with stretchers. Both Surjit and Ramcharan were admitted immediately in

two separate rooms at ground floor. Other doctors too came there after few minutes to attend

them.

3-4 hrs. had passed. Ramcharan and Surjit were sleeping in their respective rooms after a

brief first-aid. Dr. Sachan told both the families to not worry about anything as it was nothing serious.

After few minutes, Surjit and Ramcharan slowly opened their eyes in their rooms.

What does usually happen in such situations? Relatives find a sigh of relief and patient smiles

happily looking at their near and dear-ones. But here the situation was different. Family members

were happy that they were out-of-danger but both of them were not comfortable on their own.

After meeting their family members too, they were not behaving normally. Happiness was nowhere on their faces.

Surjit saw towards Shalini with pensive eyes. There was neither any question nor any answer,

nor any directive in Surjit’s eyes, but only emptiness, only a pain was there, and perhaps only

Shalini was able to understand it, may be because of this, she could not muster courage to look

in Surjit’s eyes and started weeping inconsolably. Neither Avinash, nor Rup, nor anybody could

guess why these two were weeping. Even doctor had assured that it was nothing serious, then

why were they weeping?

The situation in Rancharan’s room was also not very different. Ruhi, Janaki and Narendra were

sitting and smiling there but not Ramcharan and anybody could notice clearly the pressure and

tension written over Ramcharan’s face. He was looking more at the ceiling, windows, fan of the

room, his bed and his hands rather than his own family members as it was palpable that only he

was in the room, not his mind and heart. He was barely talking to his family and mostly he was

sitting quietly. Why?