Yakshagni - An odyssey of unbroken devotion

The Stalker

The Present Era:

Dharma held one end of the thread between her teeth and tried to coax the other end of the thread through the eye of the needle. She worked in the tailoring section of the weaving unit. Following the designer's instructions, woven and dyed fabrics were tailored into outfits. All children who grew up in the township worked in various small-scale industries of the township so they could gain experience as well as earn money. While Dharma worked in the tailoring unit of Mohandham's textile plant, Kamya taught in the primary school and Brahim worked in the IT wing of the township. He had graduated as a programmer and proved to be a wizard at coding. Mohandham's founder, Jaydev Mohan had set up the organization in such a way that resident students who graduated from college found jobs of interest in the township itself.

Managing to pass the thread successfully through the eye of the needle, Dharma began to hem the ends of the dress. It was a simple one-piece dress of batik print. Once these dresses were completed, they would be packed and sent to different towns, particularly to tourist destinations. Ethnic prints and embroideries were perpetually in vogue in cities like Jaipur, Jodhpur, New Delhi, and Goa including tourist centers in Kerala and other states. International tourists loved these outfits. Batik, Bandhini, and chikankari; were some of the sought-after prints. Dharma finished her work by three in the afternoon and proceeded to the canteen where she met Kamya, Brahim, and some others.

"Hey Dharma, are you interested in a movie? We are planning for a 7 Pm show tonight," Ajay asked her.

"Which movie?" Dharma's question went unanswered as the speakers were switched on for an announcement.

"Miss Dharma, you are requested to come to the front desk of the administrative building. You have a visitor."

There was only one Dharma in the township so everyone knew her. Surprised by the announcement, Dharma shrugged her shoulder at her friends' enquiring glances. Marching to the administrative wing, she looked around for her visitor, "Hi..." she greeted the young woman who worked as a receptionist.

"Hey, that man over there...." she pointed at a man in the lobby, "he was asking for you."

"Who is he?" Dharma quizzed with a frown. As if sensing her presence, he swung around. Spotting her, he beamed with pleasure and approached her.

Dharma looked at the man with disbelief. The Jerk!

"Hi Dharma, how are you?"

She stared at him with a grimace, obvious enough to show her displeasure at seeing him. The receptionist perceiving her discomfort asked "Dharma, do you want me to call Mr. Gupta?" Bupen Gupta was the head of security in the township.

"No, I can deal with him," Dharma answered the girl and faced Chaitanya, "What are you doing here?"

"To see you obviously!" he drawled with a smug grin. "Do you think we can discuss this somewhere private?" he asked, glancing at the receptionist who was listening with avid interest. Dharma recalled the way he had blamed her in front of the family in Bilaspur.

The nerve of the man!

"We have nothing to discuss. Please leave or I will have to call security."

"I have a proposal that you will never be able to refuse Dharma."

Dharma shook her head with incredulity. The man should have been apologetic for drawing her into an altercation at Seema's house, instead; he was talking to her as if nothing had happened. Incensed, Dharma phoned her friend Kamya, "Hi can you come to the reception? No, it is urgent."

Chaitanya continued, "Hey, who are you calling? Are you listening to me? I said I have a proposal that you can't refuse."

"I have no interest in your proposal"