My Name is Tamra....

Chapter 17:

The palace of Suraj Rathore was in a commotion. Two days had elapsed but still no news from the daughter of the house Tamra. Suraj Rathore was in a very angry and foul mood. Mihir shared his father's feelings. Sukanya was the one who had to face the verbal abuse both by her husband and father-in-law. She herself was worried and concerned about the safety of her daughter. The men of the house were more worried about the attitude than the safety.

"It's all your fault woman! You have not raised her to respect parents. She had run away with someone, may be a cleaning boy." Yelled Mihir Rathore. "How can you say that? Tamra is not that type of girl who would confuse with crush and love. " replied back Sukanya. "Shut up! Because of you! All these things happened. You wanted to work in the office instead of staying at home, your daughter ran away. This thing is in your blood. Lowly family" said Suraj with vehemence. "Stop talking like this Papa! You encouraged me to run the business, when it showed all profit, you were happy. Then you never said I should not run the business, go to the office?" asked Sukanya. Next moment he held her cheeks with pain. Yes! Mihir Rathore had hit her. This was too much! At this age, getting slapped from her husband was unbearable.

"Stop all your violence! I have swallowed all humiliation and ill treatment. But I won't tolerate it. How dare you hit me?" yelled Sukanya. Suraj Rathore came near her and again hit her on the cheeks. "Listen woman! This is my house! No woman should open their mouth in protest! Understand?" Suraj turned towards his son. "Your wife has started questioning us. Not a good sign. Lock her in her room. She need not come out! Already we have enough problems. Not this one is needed now." To her horror, Sukanya was dragged to her room and was locked in there. She sat down and started crying.

In the hall Suraj and Mihir were whispering to each other about the plan of finding Tamra. The servants of the house were greatly disturbed mentally as they saw the treatment given to a learned woman. Even then Aditi did not open her mouth. She just went on as if everything was going normally. This suited Suraj so no conflicts between them came up.

"What shall we do Papa? Shall we produce the same girl as Tamra?" asked Mihir Rathore in a small voice. "Of course, we are going to do that! But What to do with that whore Tamra? She had made fun of our honor and pride." Said Suraj. This was shocking to Mihir himself. Because all along he was under the impression, that father was searching for Tamra to marry her off. But now he was saying a new story. "What do you mean?" asked Mihir with fear. "Listen Mihir! After me, you are the person to lead this family. Once a female steps out of the house without our knowledge, never allow her inside again. And never let her live in peace. If you let her, that will pave way for other females to follow that. "Mihir got the point.

"But Papa…" he hesitated. "No exception for this. Tamra had ruined family pride, she had to be found out and given the punishment." Said Suraj decidedly.

"But how can we find where had she gone?" asked Mihir. "Leave that to me! A few questions to the servants, information will be got. Call them one by one, never let them know they were being questioned" said Suraj Rathore. Like he said the servants were called one by one. They got a wind that something had happened and they wanted to know about Tamra. From the cook to maid, from the gate security to gardener everyone was questioned individually. At last, a boy who had recently joined gave information about Tamra. "I saw madam going by a taxi." Said he. "Do you have any idea about the direction she went?" asked Mihir. "I heard madam ordering the driver to go to the highway!" said the boy. Suraj gave a 2000 rupee note to that boy and dismissed him. "Mihir, she had planned her escape! Deliberately Tamra had taken a taxi, not her car. There is more to this than we think. I don't think it's just a love escapade, she wants something else. Her name is the problem!" said Suraj. Mihir could not understand what he meant by that. "What..?" he opened his mouth, his father snapped him. "No time now! First, we have to get to Tamra! Probably she had gone to Jodhpur. Call her supervisor Mr. Tripathi, he might tell us something!" ordered Suraj.

Mihir did not have Dr. Tripathi's number, so Sukanya was asked. She gave the number without any interest. Mihir rang and the professor picked up. "Please give the phone to my daughter Tamra!" said Mihir even without introducing him. "Who are you? Why would I have your daughter? Is that some sort of a joke?" the professor cut the phone. Again, Mihir called. "Halo! I am Tamra's father. Has she not told, about me? Please hand the phone to her!" said Mihir with irritation. "Tamra is not with me! I have not seen for more than a month." Said Dr. Tripathi. "What? Listen here professor, you know who we are don't you? If we find out Tamra was with you, then you will regret it!" said Mihir threatening. "Excuse me Mister! I don't care a damn who you are! Tamra is not with me. If you want to believe it, believe it. Otherwise, it's your problem!" the professor cut the phone again.

"That Bastard is hiding something! Tamra must be with him!" said Mihir angrily. "That is a possibility Mihir. But we have to widen our thinking. Did she had any man? May be a fellow student?" asked Suraj. "Why do we need that information, Papa? We have to find and eliminate her that's all!" said Mihir casually. Aditi who was standing near a big statue of Venus heard this. She chuckled to herself. "Best wishes to both of you! Try finding her in Jodhpur." Thought to herself with a smile. "Papa? Are we going to Jodhpur?" asked Mihir. "No! Adhrit is going to Jodhpur. I want to explore the other possibilities. You know, there was a guy always accompanying her on her field visit? He was like a servant to her! What's his name now?" asked Suraj in deep thought. "Our old servant's son, called Babu. Tamra took her to every place." Said Mihir with disgust.

"Call him, ask him which places Tamra visited for her so called field visits.!" Said Suraj. So, Babu was called and was asked to send a list of villages Tamra went to. While Mihir was busy with his chore, Suraj called Adhrit and asked to him check on the professor Dr. Tripathi. "Adhrit, at any point of time, the professor should not get the slightest idea of our motive. You should talk to him in way, that we are worried about the safety of our daughter Tamra! Understood? These professors are dangerous people. They might shake some leaves in the government tree." Said Suraj to his grandson. "I will do as you guided grandpa!" said Adhrit and went out.

"Papa! That Babu has sent a list of villages. Shall I read? All are nearer to Khuldara. We can easily trace Tamra, if she went to one of the villages." Said Mihir. The name Khuldhara made Suraj stop for a few minutes. "What happened Papa? Are you alright? You look pale! I shall see to the matter. You go and take rest!" insisted Mihir. "No! No! I am all right! Go on read!" ordered Suraj. Mihir looked at his father and started reading. "Khuldhara, Noor Nagar, Pehal, Harisoli, Dantla…" Mihir stopped abruptly as he heard a crushing noise. Suraj had sat down heavily on a wooden coffee table. Mihir was astonished, his father a real statesman, following etiquette even in sleep, had sat down on a coffee table? "Papa! What happened? Are you Ok?" Mihir rushed to his side.

"I am Ok! But what is the name of the village you read last?" asked Suraj breathing heavily. "Harisoli and Dantla" said Mihir with confusion. "Dantla…Dantla…Is it?" It looked as if Suraj was talking to himself rather than to his son. Mihir could not understand his sudden change. Even in the AC Suraj was sweating profusely. "Papa? Is there anything wrong?" asked Mihir with concern. Suraj did not answer for a few minutes. He was collecting his thoughts and himself.

"Ok! Let me face the fact that Tamra had been to Dantla. So what? What I did in Dantla is over and forgotten. No one is bothered about Tamra, or her friends. Tantric Baba was senile when he told me not to go Dantla again. What could happen If me or one my blood relation to go there? Tantric Baba as a ghost haunt me? No! That's not possible. I was not afraid of him even when he was alive. Why would I fear a dead baba?" Suraj made up his mind and was himself in a jiffy. "I was just tensed up because of your daughter. Nothing to worry!" said Suraj in his commanding voice. Mihir felt bad, because of his daughter his father was feeling miserable. "I am sorry Papa! But What to do now?" asked Mihir.

"There is a third possibility Mihir! She might have fled to any foreign country. USA may be! Just check whether her passport is still here?" said Suraj. He was hoping Tamra would have fled to any foreign country than had gone to Dantla. Mihir rushed and checked Tamra's personal cupboard. No sign of any id proof. All her educational certificates were also missing. Mihir's blood boiled. "What an atrocity? She had planned everything. It's not a sudden decision. She had taken everything she needed. How dare she? Where will she get money for the tickets? Stay? And food? I will block her card." Mihir fumed. He came downstairs running. "Papa! Tamra had taken all her certificate and Id proofs. She had been planning this all along under our nose. That devil! Cunning fox!" yelled Mihir.

Instead of getting angrier, Suraj felt relieved. For the first time in his life, he thanked God for his mercy. "Stop yelling like a monkey! If she had taken the passport, then she may be on the way to a foreign country. This is not possible without the help of her professor. Call Adhrit! I want to talk to him." Said Suraj. Mihir was also relieved that his father became himself again. He called his son Adhrit and gave the phone to his father. "Listen Adhrit! It looks like Tamra had gone to some foreign country. Ask the professor which countries he has tie up with? Don't make him doubt our intentions. Tell him we are sorry for not letting her pursue education. That will pacify the professor." Said Suraj.

"But Papa? If she had gone to a foreign land, why bother about her? Why waste time on this useless search?" asked Mihir. "If Tamra goes to a foreign country everything will be all right? The shame she brought on our family will vanish? I won't leave that bitch even if she had gone to Antarctic! " Vowed Suraj. He was indeed relieved because he need not step into Dantla again in search of his granddaughter.

At Dantla, Trikala, Tamra, Ravi and Kamal were planning how to make Suraj Rathore to come to Dantla.