Head Lines!

“Order Order! Silence please!”

The court felt silent after hearing the judge’s order. The big guy smirked at the uproar caused in the court. He didn’t mind the curses that poor Ramu’s family spat out at him. He was simply smiling away to his glory. Smiling away to the fact that in sometime, Ramu’s land would be his! Only his! His evil grin clearly showed that the registration paper of the land, that he submitted was not authentic.

But who cares!

As long as the case is in his favour.

“Based on all the proofs, I hereby declare that the land does not belong to Ramu and he has been trying to deceive the law by submitting false registration papers”

The smirk on the big guy’s face broke into one wide smile. Now he can build the big bungalow that his wife wished for on that land. All he cared was to fulfill his wife wishes. Her wish to build a bungalow on that very land. Just because their family astrologer told them that they will rise to a very superior position in their lives if they do so.

He didn’t care for the tears of Ramu’s wife.

He didn’t care for the pleas of Ramu’s aged mother.

He didn’t care for the fact that they don’t have another place to live.

He went home and told this good news to his wife. He asked her to choose a colour for the bungalow. She told him that she wants to paint it in peach. He called the famous engineers and interior decorators of town to build his bungalow.

“I want the bungalow to be the grandest one in the whole town. Even bigger than the Gupta’s house. Understood?”

“Yes sir, don’t worry. It will be the one!”

The work started. After three months the work got over. He took his wife to the place after finishing was done.

“How is it my dear?”

“Oh, it’s beautiful. We should call our pandit ji to fix up a date for pooja”

“Don’t worry my dear. I will do it right away. You don’t worry about anything at all.”

The astrologer told them that fifteenth of the same month was a very auspicious date. So he started preparing for the pooja.

The big guy’s wife made arrangements for a party as well in that house on that date. She wanted the whole town to know their joy. From the false papers to the party arrangements cost him a big fortune. But he did not worry about it. After all, it was for her.

It was the fourteenth night and after checking out all the arrangements, they finally went to sleep.

The next day morning they woke up with a start. The house was shaking very badly. The ground was rumbling. It was like as if they entered into the hell. He shouted for his servants but no one came. Everyone was panic to move from their places. The big guy’s wife clung to him in fear. They thought that they are going to die. After few minutes, things became normal.

“What was that?”

“Pata nahin sahib”

Everyone chorused in fear.

He looked around. He felt relieved. He was not hurt, neither was his wife. Who cared about the servants!

He was not able to understand anything. He switched on the news. All the news channels were talking about the earthquake and their town which was the epicenter. He was changing the channels. Suddenly he stuck to one channel. His eyes widened. His hand trembled at the very sight shown on that news channel. He broke into a sweat. He was not able to believe the sight behind the reporter on the screen.

The remains of a big and new building.

The remains of a badly damaged peach colour bungalow.