Gangaa 20 November 2020: Gangaa too retorts back to sagar, saying that he shall look as old as these animals, when he grows old. he pretends to be hurt. In his frustration, he throws a bucket of water on her, and she gets fired up. she starts rushing up the stairs to get to him. he guffaws.
Inside the residence, ammaji, pulkit and his mother sit down and discuss with the inspector, who tells that they could receive back the jewellery but couldnt receive the cash when ganga comes in drenched in water. pukit takes and gives them to ammaji, who says that they got the jewellery back and ganga is safe, they dont need anything else. she gets tensed and passes by stealthily. Sagar too descends down the stairs. then the inspector as to how they caught, and how they have been a group of thugs, who are used to con people like that.
ammaji realises her mistake, and says that she shall stay far away from such people from hereon. then the inspector takes their leave, and pulkit leaves to see him off. then sagar turns to the ladies. his mother says that everything seems to be normalising, and ocne his father returns, they can have a shanti yagna, so that peace can be restored. pulkit returns back. ammaji points out instinctively, that she feels some greater trouble looming ahead but they all assure her not to think like that. they decide to have a getaway soon, and plan on seeing Sangam in allahabad, as supriya cant travel far. while they are finalising the plans, they get a call and his mothr picks it up, and is shocked to hear what she does. all are tensed. she comments as to how is this possible. she asks the person not to worry as they shall reach rightaway. she informs that they have to go to prabha’s place rightaway.
Scene 2:
Location: Prabha’s residence
Sagar reads out Ratan’s letter to the entire family, while prabha is distraught. she talks about what happened last night. she is apalled and beyond consolation, while others listen to her helplessly. she says that she is very tensed, that something wrong shall happen, but they keep assuring her against it. they are tensed to see her like this. she asks sagar if he wont commit suicide. his mother assures her and asks her not to think like this, as they shall search ratan together. she sends her sons to go and see, and decides to call his father too. they leave, while ganga is stressed too. sagar asks her not to tell ammaji and supriya as they shall be tensed.
Scene 3
Location: On the road
Ratan walks listelessly on the road, as words of insult and humiliation from the scoiety resonate in his ears, and he gets dizzy and collapses on the floor when some goon notice him from a distance and decides to mug him, as he seems pretty influential.
Scene 4:
Location: Police Station
Sagar stands tensed, when pulkit hurriedly comes and asks why was he called here, saying that he has searched everywhere but no clue. Sagar and Pulkit are tensed, as sagar tells him that he is going to the police station to file a complaint again mamaji. there he got to know from the police inspector, that at the nearby bus station, there has been an incident. he says that they found a dead body and claims that it can be their maternal uncle. pulkit is shocked too. he says that he couldnt decide what to do, and hence caleld him here. sagar says that he hasnt seen the body. he tells that the police wants the last person who saw him alive, should identify the body. hence he called everyone, including prabha, as she was the last person.
pulkit asks if he told about the dead body. he denies, saying that he couldnt muster the courage. just then, Prabha comes rushing with the family, asking if they got to know anything. on being barged with an array of questions, sagar is unable to respond, and simply asks them to come inside. they tensedly comply. the police asks if they are ready for identification. sagar’s mother and prabha are shocked. she gets berserk, and asks whats he saying, and why the need for it.
sagar hesitatingly talks about the accident, and how they need to identify a dead body. prabha says that he is fine, and she neednt do this. she begins to leave. ganga says that they all feel nothing has happened to ratan, but its best to confirm so that they are at peace that it isnt him. she convinces them all to get it. somehow, they move towards the morgue.
In the morgue, as they stand in front of a dead body, the police warns that the face is completely disfigured. sagar’s mother refuses to see, saying that this cant be their brother, and asks them all to come along. the police says that they found some things from the body, which can be used for verification. he presents an I-card, which is ratan’s and they are shell shocked. the police reveals the body, and prabha identifies it as the same arm, with the same kurta. all are shocked and distraught. sagar’s mother collapses on the ground, while prabha screams incoherently. she clutctes at the body while they somehow manage to take her away.
Scene 5:
Location: Prabha’s residence
As prabha stands in her room, dazed and stunned, outside, ammaji asks sudha, another widow, if she would manage. she says that she shall but doesnt know how she shall manage. sagar’s mother comments that she cant see this. ammaji says that this is the fate of many ladies like them. they get the widow attire, and then knock on her door, ammaji asking her to open it, as she cant escape fate. when she finally opens, they are shocked to find that she is already dressed in white. she says that now that her husband is gone, there isnt any need for beautification, and starts banging her bangles against the wall, breaking them while all stand distraught and apalled at her plight.
prabha says that its best that she understands it asap. all are tensed. she then opens her hairs, and asks sudha to cut them and give her salvation. sudha stands tensed. prabha says that its normal for her, as her husband has died, and she too is a widow. sagar’s mother says that she wont be able to bear this. ganga too asks her not to do this. prabha lashes why is she stopping her for her husband’s grief, and that she cant discard off rituals like she herself did. she asks sudha to do it, or she shall do it herself.
ganga remembers her own plight, and then insistently takes the scissors away just when she is about to cut her own hair, saying that she knows she is doing it herself, and noone is forcing her, but still she wont allow her to do this. she asks that this ritual needs to be stopped, where the wife is tortured as if she is to be blamed. ammaji tries to stop, but ganga asks them all, all the widows, if they are responsible for their husbands’ death, then why the punishment.
Location: Sagar’s residence
Deespite everybody else talking otherwise, ganga vehemently denies prabha that she wont cut her hair at any cost, and even if that means bearing evil, she would take so on her head. all are tensed and apalled, while ganga is vehement on her stand. prabha stands distraught.
At the terrace, ganga is tormented by her childhood memories, when sagar comes and asks whats the matter, and if he is taken back to her haunting childhood memories. she asks how does he know. he says that just like she can feel his every breath, he too understands her and smiles. she smiles back through her tears. he manages to cheer her up, while he cups her face and kisses her on the forehead. he says that supriya told him about how she stopped prabha from cutting the hair. he says that he is proud of her. she says that she feels light. he tries to tease her that he needs to pick her up, to find out how light she is. they both retire away, bantering happily, for the night.
After 14 days, while the ladies of the house are busy working, ammaji storms in frustration and fuming with anger. sagar’s mother is tensed and asks ammaji whats the matter. she says that she forcibly got prabha here, and ammaji lashes at her, saying that syeh did understand, but that doesnt mean she shall stay here forever and asks if prabha shall go back or not. Sagar’s mother asks ammaji, where would prabha go, as she has noone else other than them. ammaji asks if she is liable for her. she says that prabvha wont tell her what to and what not to do. sagar’s mother asks her to stay hush, saying that prabha speaks incoherently, but she doesnt mean wrong while ammaji says that she cant seem to believe it.
she says that she cant stay here, as keeping her here, is like keeping a snake, that might bite anytime. prabha hears this and is shocked. all are apalled. his mother asks her to hush as prabha is here. ammaji eyes her tensedly and then leaves. his mother comes to prabha, apologising for ammaji, but prabha gets into self guilt mode, saying that she has only borne evil, and hence its better that she goes, and she will. ganga comes and tries to make her understand, that ammaji might be hurt, but she doesnt mean ill, and that since she has never understood ammaji wrongly, then why today.
Next: Saturday update gangaa
