The Slave Incarnate

"The scriptures speak about the last descent. Riding a white horse armed with all the mightiest and powerful weapons of the universe, he is known to descend on time. Kalki, the final incarnation is yet to descend on earth". Devyansh reads the excerpt with pride. "She has come and she is the last incarnation of the almighty", he murmured.

"She is not his favourite but she is needed by him. Her father needs her comfort. Samaira, is the only special heart that holds the secret to everyone's happiness. She is a magician's doll or a miracle herself! She is a necromancer's life".

Known to be a wanderlust, Devyansh never settled for peace. His yearning for something grew stronger than before, as the days passed by.

His dreams manifested his desires and soon he was found wanting for more. He once thought - "I should visit a psychiatrist". His visits weren't frequent. The psychiatrist advised him proper rest and good sleep.

Devyansh Patel alias Dev revealed his innermost desires to his friend, Mohan.

He once said 'I want her heart. When will it come to me?"

"Heart? And you? Since when have you moved on from platonic love to the transactions of heart".

"Are you through with romancing or what? Don't you want your food of sex and foreplay that you are having cravings for a heart". Mohan laughed.

"No, it is not about love. I need to do something about it". Dev, was completely wrapped up in his own thoughts and took Mohan quite seriously.

"At the moment, all you need to do is to get up from the sofa, said Mohan who began losing patience with Dev and his rambling. "Don't you want to get ready for class? Your students are waiting for you", he added testily.

Devyansh just wouldn't budge. Mohan splashes some water on his face.

"Ughh...I hate you. Why did you splash water on my face?" spluttered an angry Dev.

"Yeah, I know... placated Mohan, you will hate me now as all your love goes out to the heart you were talking about" laughed Mohan.

Mohan and Dev share a 2BHK apartment in Mukherjee Nagar, Delhi. Mukherjee Nagar shelters students of all genres who come from across the nation to take coaching in the Institutes. While Mohan shares his room with Dev, Nachiket and Rehan are his other mates sharing the same flat. All are teachers teaching different subjects at an Institute by the name "Learner Coaching Institute" that provides training to students for various competitive exams at the national and state levels. One of the most reputed institutes in Delhi, Learner was known for subjects like mathematics and reasoning and it's training to the students by Keshav Sir. He was a well-known figure in the field of Mathematics.

"I need her heart?" continued Dev, muttering under his breath to himself.

"Whose heart are you talking about? Is someone new on your mind? I know you had a break up with your girlfriend recently and you miss her a lot but I cannot see you sad and missing her badly".

"No, it is not so. I don't miss anyone. You know how I am."

"I believe you. Now, let us keep going. We need to reach the Institute on time".

The morning was bitterly cold. As cold and bone-chilling as winter mornings in Delhi can be.

Samaira sipped on a cup of hot chocolate when she received a call from her home.

"Hello, Mom. How are you doing? How is everyone at home?"

"Everyone is fine. How are you doing? Are you ready for your interview?

"I was just out to searching for another job. Let's see what happens".

"I'm sure you will be able to secure a good job for you soon. I have full faith in you".

"What time is your interview?" asked Rita.

"I will be leaving in the afternoon. Don't know what will happen today."

"Are you nervous?"

"A little bit."

"Don't be, everything will be fine."

My heart is a "weak heart" it seems, and my worries are never ending.

"I don't know when I will get someone with whom I can share my worries".

"What did you just say?"

"Nothing mother. Talk to you later".

Having a decent 3 years of practice in the various lower Courts of Delhi and High Court of Calcutta, Samaira was fairly experienced in her field. She decided to leave her practice only to prepare for the union civil services. It is her quest for learning that landed her in Mukherjee Nagar. Before coming to Mukherjee Nagar, she was placed with a proprietary law firm, "Ranjan and Associates." Smart, witty, intelligent, and known to succeed at anything, she had a spiritual bent of mind. Short and small in size, she was mocked throughout her life. However, she attracted many males into friendship due to her sweet looks, round features and amiable nature. Her spectacles covered her small eyes. She always preferred short hair and wore a tomboyish look, not intending to please anyone.

It was noon, around 1 pm. It is getting late, she thought. I should be leaving now.

Samaira left her home to board a share-auto to Mukherjee Nagar. Aboard the auto, she saw someone staring at her. Stalking was not a penal offence yet, and women were not considered safe especially in Delhi, even in broad daylight. She became apprehensive. He was a strong-built man, tall, smart, with curly hair and adorned with spectacles. He was Dev.

Wearing an astonished but carefree look, she starts dialling a number. "Yes Mom, I am out to the Institute. Will speak to you later? I've reached my destination...."

Turning her head, she finds the man still looking at her. He begins speaking to someone over the phone when sudden, screams filled the street. There was hustle and bustle around the place.

He mumbled, "We need her....her heart...and her life energy. You know what I mean?" Saying so, he gazed at the students around.

There was tenderness in his look, his smile and his touch, which of course, was out of bare necessity. He needed to open the door of the vehicle to get down. Both looked at each other. He looked directly into her eyes. Not out of any romantic inclination, but to try one of his tricks, for which he was famously known in his circles.

He got down from the vehicle.

Samaira moves towards him. He doesn't know what to do other than stand tall before her.

'Why is she coming towards me?' he pondered. What do I do? I can't even run away from her. Nor can I stay with her for a longer time. I am not allowed.

Oh my gosh! She is nearing me.

Seeing her coming towards him, he closes his eyes, in fear and amazement.

Samaira crosses Dev. She waves at Hisden, an old friend of hers.

Hey. What are you doing here? She shouted.

Phew! What an escape! Dev hurried to his destination. "It looks like some meeting", he murmured.

Hisden got down from the vehicle and sped towards her.

What are you doing here? he enquired.

Oh. I have come here looking for a job.

We are seeing each other after a long time. Are you here for competitive exams or for work purpose?

I am trying both. What about you?

As many other students, I am trying my luck at work. For the said reason I have applied to all the institutes in Mukherjee Nagar for a job and visited some of them only to be disappointed.

Do you know about Aim Law Institute? You can try your luck there. They recruit freshers. The Aim Law Institute, is the second-best institute in India for training in judicial services and civil services. The Institute is headed by a renowned figure in the field of law known by the name of Sebastian Ranjan. The headmaster, as he is known for his strict discipline is a tall, stout man in his late fifties. He has a bald head, which shines in the sunlight.

So that is how can I can identify him? She laughed.

You don't know how much mesmerizing effect he has on the students whenever he spoke. Being a good orator and having good command over the law, he taught well.

I must be leaving now. It is time for my class. Hisden hurries up to his class and bids goodbye to Samaira.

On knowing about the Institute, Samaira gets overtly excited and heads towards the Institute for a meeting with the man himself. However, she failed at securing an appointment. It was when she was leaving the Institute that she was asked to wait for fifteen minutes. Mr. Sebastian Gonsalves was running heavy with his appointments and was unable to make time for anyone. Browsing through the magazines, she finds herself immersed in her thoughts when she hears a voice.

"You can go in", began his personal assistant.

Inside the room, he was sitting beside a large bookshelf comprising of law books, bare acts and journals all arranged neatly in order. He was holding her resume in his hand.

"So what do you want to do ahead in your life?" was his first question

"Sir, I want to prepare for the civil services". She replied gleefully.

"Do you have experience of teaching?" he added

"No sir, not as yet"

After a pause, he began. "Then you should try again after gaining some experience in teaching". Saying so, he became busy with his work.

Depressed and dejected, Samaira became hungry when her eyes trolled the surrounding market at Mukherjee Nagar. "It is the busiest hub of coaching centres", she thought.

At once, an idea struck her and she proceeded towards the wholesale market at the Old Delhi. She purchased some diaries from a known vendor at a reasonable price from her savings.

No sooner than later she started selling the diaries at a retail price. Two to three book shops running at the place allowed her a purchase. Her endeavor led her to the publishing house by the name of ABC Publishing House, owned and run by the mentor Keshav Sir. The manager of the book house informed her of a vacancy for freshers in the field of teaching and training students at the Learner Coaching Institute. At the Institute, her interview was brief. It was a mere formality. She was given a book titled "Magical Book series, Analytical Reasoning" a preparatory book on reasoning for various competitive examinations, like SSC, UPSC, CPO, LIC, GIC and UTI among others. Looking at the book, a tensed Samaira began -

"I have never read this book before, Sir".

"Then read it and begin your classes", he roared. The mentor gave her a list of assignments for the next day and asked his coordinator to arrange her classes on a weekly basis. She headed for her home, temporary home. Outram line, GTB Nagar was her address for all professional and personal communications. Her room in the paying guest cum hostel was situated on the topmost floor. It was the biggest room in the building of four floors, all owned by a family. However, the accommodation bore a heavy cost for her. She was asked to manage a good amount of rupees four thousand as monthly rent. Her room came with an attached bathroom, a common kitchen, and two doors allowing cross ventilation.

Her two prized possessions in the room being an idol of Shri Krishna and a workstation comprising of a study and a small shelf housing important books for preparation of exams.

"An ordeal in faith, she named her first story in the diary. It was her new diary. She was a regular writer and religiously filled the pages of her diary. She wrote -

"A string of faith is enough to stride over the oceans of turmoil..."

"Do I have a right to live my life on my terms?"

This is the vital question that governs my life. I have been all throughout living my life for others – my family, my relatives, my friends......'My' though was not in essence connected to 'Myself'.

I was born in a conservative Sindhi family residing at Calcutta. The residence being two flats 5CD at Mansarovar Building, a cooperative society.

This family had a unique history of its own which has been one of the major originators of my pain.

I belonged to a joint family which met its fateful end for good.

I am the eldest daughter in the family and also the eldest amongst all my siblings and cousins.

I was loved and pampered by my grandparents and was their favorite until my uncle's jealousy affected my grandparents.

Thereafter, my grandparents started maintaining distance from me on my uncle's dictates. His jealousy manifested in many forms.

I still remember how he snatched a piece of chocolate from my hands and gave it to his daughter while my mother was busy serving food to other family members completely bereft of what was happening around.

I was very small then and could not understand why he did that. He was my dear uncle. I cried and wept but that was my first impression of my uncle's evil intentions and what was unbecoming of him.

That was one day when my uncle snatched petty chocolate from my hands and then there were many when he snatched my happiness....one by one.....

My story has been a constant struggle to take back what has been snatched from me by my uncle and my destiny and to bring justice to my family.

My father, Mr. Kishan Sidhwani is the eldest in the family. In legal parlance, he was the Karta in the joint family and a partner in the erstwhile Partnership Firm which was run on the whims and fancies of my uncle.

My father had no standing of his own. He was not looked up with respect and was always ignored by the members of the family.

All three of them – my father and my two uncles, Mr. Kamal Sidhwani and Mr. Kishore Sidhwani could never receive proper education whilst they were busy running affairs of the partnership business which was primarily involved in the sale of suits and dress materials at wholesale rates.

My father always was deprived of basic school education due to a crisis period in the family when he was made to join the family business.

My parents, even though being the eldest were made to lead their life at the mercy of my uncle, Mr. Kamal Sidhwani, and his dictates.

But who knew that future had something else in store.

Who knew that a person will be born in the same family to fight the injustice meted out by my uncle?

It was me.

Incidentally, both I and my uncle are Arians. I was born on 3rd April 1984 while he celebrated his birthday on 6th April every year. Let me introduce myself to you. I am Samaira, a person who was born with no line of luck in her palms but was destined to create one if not many.

Every person has their own perspective of life. I claim to maintain none as I was too busy sorting out the knots of problems in my life.

The knowledge gained by me was more from experiences than from mere learning from school and college. I was privileged to have overall access to a gamut of varied experiences which had a price tag attached to it.

The price to be paid was "pain".

But education was tough for me. Not in terms of learning.

I was a bright student in my school and college days as I took a keen interest in sports and studies alike.

I liked all subjects of study starting from subjects of humanities, science, and commerce to that of vocational ones like law...

LAW, this was one subject that prepared me for my future battle. Education was tough for me as I never had enough money for pursuing it and my family found it very hard to support my education.

I passed my school education in very tough times when the dispute had just started and the first change in our life was paving way for our future.

And she stopped writing.

Her thoughts drifted towards the various incidents of the past few days. She wondered who could be the man whom she saw looking at her in the share cab. Why was he stealing looks at me? Did he know me? Various questions bothered her. These questions were however better than her reminiscences.

Little perplexed at the events, she expressed her gratitude to the almighty for getting a job in the Learners Coaching Institute and goes off to sleep.

It was a cold dense morning on Friday, 13th of September 2012. Samaira shares her happiness with her mother, Rita, who often held that "Untying knots of everyday life is better than an idle life".

Her mother hailed from a poor Sindhi family of Prayag. Like all mothers, she has been living her life for her children. She has been the only pillar of strength due to which the family could cross the tides of bad times. Problems are never too big. It can be overcome by sheer patience, she often used to say. She had a belief that when the storm blows one must not stand and face the storm but lie low for the storm to pass.

Recollecting the olden times, Samaira continues – "Do you remember your old times, mother? How badly we have been tortured by our joint family?

"How can anybody forget those times? A joint family as is known is marked by petty differences and disputes but injustice, unnecessary harassment, domination, slavery, and mental torture cannot be tolerated at any cost. It pains me to relate such incidents where a soul is compelled by circumstances to cry for justice, liberation, peace, and in all, right to life.

Rome was never built in a day is the most famous saying....here too a series of events ignited the first change. We were victims of those events.

I remember how much I have hated my grandmother, cried Samaira.

Rita smiled and continued - The only irritant in your grandmother's eye was my poor social background. I wasn't treated as a newly wedded bride in the house upon my marriage but as a free maid, a slave for life. I was a slave to everyone in the family including your father who was amongst those who substituted love with dominance.

I hated Dad because of the treatment he gave you. It is such an irony. I often wonder how you were looked upon with respect from the outsiders while inside the family you were taken for granted. All used you - emotionally, physically, mentally, and in all respects.

Sometimes I wonder where would you vent up all your anger. It used to be vent out on me. I was the victim of your anger which disturbed my emotional and mental frame of mind immensely. My childhood was therefore bereft of your love and affection. You always held my uncle in good light despite his evil endeavors. You always maintained that he was not evil enough to take such a strong measure of creating havoc in our lives. His evil intentions were aired by his aides - my aunt, and my uncle's close friend, Mr. Amit Gupta who was an accountant in the partnership firm.

His aides had an impressive list of those including the auditor of the firm with the help of whom he fabricated the accounts of the firm and cheated his brothers to see them at his mercy throughout their life.

I never liked him. He always wanted our family to be dependent on him for our necessities and therefore lead our life at his mercy. He wanted us to be his slaves with no wishes and rights of our own. Our opposition could at no cost be tolerated by him and hence the big change.

Your teachings of Simple living and high thinking gradually became a part of our life.

The shortage of money and the resultant showdown seemed frustrating to us but in the long run, made us realize many things. We realized that the world is a temporary union of have and have not's and the man-made differences cannot be removed overnight. These differences are harsh lessons that have to be lived with and cannot be ignored. The greed of money or ego or vanity of my uncle...whatever is the reason, affected our lives in one way or the other. Not one but all of us were made to think in a certain way about the finances.

I clearly remember how your uncle conspired against your father and filled the office space with all unnecessary suit material to be supplied at fake costs thereby creating trouble for your father. He created an atmosphere whereby his brothers would be compelled to leave the office and the assets at his disposal to be enjoyed and exploited by him. Formally, the partners (the three brothers) prepared minutes of the meeting for the retirement of the partners wherein it was expressly stated that the retiring partners would be given a share as per the tentative division of share done for all the partners in the meeting. Your youngest uncle chose to take his share while my father opted for keeping the share as a loan with the firm on which we were to receive a percentage of interest in terms of the minutes of the meeting. It was also agreed that the partners would get the amount of share as provided in the first balance sheet to be prepared by the firm after retirement. This constituted the main germ of the dispute in the future as your uncle chose to cheat us by siphoning our funds and not showing a true and correct amount in the balance sheet thereby fabricating the balance sheet.

We were never given complete papers of separation. Not to mention we were not even made aware as to what was going on. We were very naive. It was when you became a lawyer that we figured out the deception of your uncle.

Your father couldn't do much except taking a share of what was given to him by the partners. The share was though, kept with the firm and in particular, with your uncle as a loan whilst we were enjoying the interest receivable out of the share.

I remember how I completed my school and college education partly on the basis of the interest we received from the share and partly from the loan taken from banks and some of my relatives from the maternal side. My education was thus very expensive and truly, hard-earned. We separated from the joint family in 2000 and were partially independent to lead our lives. It was the biggest change for all of us. However, every month we had to beg and call up my uncle several times before he would send us the money, our money to us. The money also not being sufficient for the whole family, there were many mouths to feed but no hands to work.

The relatives who favored your uncle never wanted to see my family grow. They always saw us in bad light. It was out of such jealousy that once your father's sister pointed out to me "My daughter could never clear the entrance exam of law, then how could your daughter clear the exam". To this, I was left with nothing to reply but merely pass an agreeable smile. It was you who was madly in love with Law. You pursued it with strong determination. It was the only savior and hope for us. We realized it very late. You were destined to be a lawyer and so you became. The process has been very difficult.

We had many apprehensions about you undergoing legal education. All of which to start with had something to do with fees. The rest of the apprehensions were regarding your living alone in a distant place and staying away from the family.

I remember, for the first time, I was going to stay away from my family. It was even more difficult for me to leave my family as I would be left all alone in a distant city whereas my family had the togetherness of each other. I knew I had to be tough and keep going in any case. It was that day and it is now when the seeds sown in my past bore the fruits today. I passed the law course with flying colors. That flight took five years to complete though...

You have proved your mettle once again and secured a good job for yourself. Congratulations.

Thanks mom.

Samaira puts down the receiver. Immediately thereafter, she receives a call from the Learner Coaching Institute -

"Mam, we have arranged three lectures for you tomorrow. Rest of the details will be provided to you in the institute". Saying so, they ended the conversation.

As for Samaira, she expressed her gratitude to the whole universe, god's, goddesses, humans, even the demons, who were detested and frowned upon since time immemorial. It was her daily chore before going off to sleep. Thanking the almighty for all good and bad, she goes off to sleep. However, fixing her mind to a point in meditation for a long time was difficult for her. She did not even try.

Few hours later. She wakes up. It was 3 am. "Devil's hour," she thought. It is not a good thing to wake at this time of the hour. Why do I get up around this time only? I don't feel nice. Oh my gosh, what is happening? I feel somebody is there. Somebody is watching me.