Story: Shuktara

Shuktara
Monojit Kumar Das

The rain and storm of the summer evening stopped half an hour ago. The moon , a round dish is shining on the head of the coconut tree. A skeletal river of the summer is a little distance of the balcony. She stands in the balcony of the first floor. The flowers of Madhabilata blossoms magnificently. Sweet scent of the blossomed flowers scatters all round the bungalow.
Sugandhi stares at the bunches of Madhobilata in a pensive mood. A bunch of flowers is about to touch her head. The bunches of flowers are rocking to support on the railing of the balcony .Sugandhi’s mind is concentrated. ‘Now this government bungalow belongs to me. It was unbelievable to me once. ` She says herself. ‘It’s miraculous!’
As soon as Sugandhi had got down from the jeep, the rain and storm sprung. Ranga aunty was mere restless watching the path. She thought her niece was mere a child. Nobody knows her by the name of Sugandhi here. She is Jasmine Ara here, judge in the district judge court. Sugandhi appreciates the feelings of her. Her Ranga aunty passes her whole life with worries and anxieties. She has none of her womb alive in the world. Firoj uncle not returned from the war of ’71. None could trace him. Ranga aunty is awaiting for her husband. Ranga aunty was passing her days with her only daughter Misti in helpless condition. Once Ranga aunty was an accomplished lady .Her only daughter Misti, girl of seventeen resembled to her mother.
Sugandhi becomes absent minded in the moonlit night of Baishakhi purnima. The innocent face of Misti apa flashes in her mind . Her life ended in such a moonlit night.
Sugandhi sits down on the easy chair of the balcony. She closes her eyes and begins to think about the tragedy of her beloved Misti apa. The trial of the sensational murder case in her court had been started. Sugandhi determines to give real judgment of that murder case. The victim of the said murder case is an innocent girl. Sugandi’s mind whirls round and round appearing Misti apa’s innocent face . She thinks, if the murderers of the girl under her judgment get release due to the gap of evidence Misti apa’s soul’ll not get relief. Misti apa was also a victim of such type brutally .It was great regret that the mudersers of Misti apa got rid off the such type of brutality due to lack of proper evidence.Why will a gang of bad elements get rid off doing outrage and murder an innocent girl? Once Sugandhi thought a lot about her apa’s murder.Then she did not find any solution thinking the judgment of Misti apa’s murder case.
It was Sugandhi’s ambition that she would be a college or university teacher in future. After the judgment of Misti Apa’s murder case she changed her decision. She determined to be a judge.

Now Sugandhi feels proud of her success. The moon of Baishakhi purnima is on the middle of the sky. Sugandhi thinks herself, Rang aunty is sleeping now. I’ll not go to the bed not writing the final judgment of Bilkish murder case.
Sugandhi makes a draft of the judgment and leaving the room she stands in the balcony for a while. All around the bungalow is soundless except the drone of crickets. Sweet smell of the night flowers prevails whole surroundings. She says in her mind, ‘I must write final judgment of Bilkish murder case in this night if I’ve to awake the whole night.’
She closes the door and sits on the chair for writing the final judgment. After writing the final judgment her two eyes close down in deep sleep. She sits on the easy chair for relaxation. A bright star is coming slowly towards her, Sugandhi observers. Suddenly the star stands at a little distance from her. In the twinkling of eyes the star turns to an image of a beautiful lady. Sugandhi says herself, ‘Do I see wrong? What’s the matter , Misti apa is standing in front of me!
The lady says in a feeble voice, ` Sugandhi, don`t mind, would I sit on the chair? Not waiting for the answer she sits on the chair. ‘ I congratulate you. I’m extremely glad for your judgment! ` She closes her speech. She again begins to say , ‘ You know that I was brutally killed like Bilkish by a gang of brutes. I also an innocent girl like Bilkish. I was victimized by a gang of perverts in your so called civilized society. I was kidnapped forcibly at the gun point from my bed. They violated me one by one . Then they brutally killed me by sharp weapons’ Sugandhi is listening Misti apa’s saddest tale minutely. Misti apa again said, ‘Mother filed a case against murderers, but none off the eye whiteness opened their tongues due to fear of the terrorists. Then what happened you know all . Misti apa stops a minute and then said, I know, one of killers was the so called top leader of your new society. All of my murders are now owners of huge property. Isn’t correct ?’ Not waiting for the answer she started to say, ‘ I’m happy after writing your judgment. Now I appreciate many things in advance as I’m beyond the reach of your hypocritical world.’ She looks happy. She keeps silence for a while and then said, ‘ I raise as Shuktara in the eastern sky in every dawn . The sun’ll rise in short while . I can wait no more here.’ Saying the last sentence the image is vanished in the twinkling of eyes.
‘ Sugandhi , ma, it’s so late . will you n’t get up?’ listening the voice of Ranga aunty sugandhi awakes up. She realized that she had dreamt a dream.