CHATURBHUJ-2 -10. The Possessive Husband

King Sukhdeva allowed Nirmala to speak who then continued, “I have always been a great admirer of Perimalji’s drawings. All I wanted was to meet him once and tell him that I appreciated his work. Is this asking for too much? My husband had reservations even against this wish of mine!”

Both the King and Chaturbhuj noticed the sudden change in Nirmala’s attitude. Gone was her coyness and she had suddenly become quite assertive in her approach. She continued, “I had suppressed this lingering desire in me for so long. Thus, when he went out and incidentally there happened to be an exhibition of Perimalji’s work, I decided to honour my wish. I went to the exhibition, met the artist and finally satisfied my desire! However, during the conversation I happened to look up and Perimalji at once recognized my face even though it was visible only obscurely through my ghoonghat. It had so happened a couple of days ago that when I was going home after visiting a temple of Lord Ganesha, I was taken aback to suddenly see him in front of me. It was only when the wind blew over my ghoonghat did I get back to my senses and quickly moved away from there after pulling the veil back onto my face. He recognized that I was the same lady. To my pleasant surprise, he informed me that he had already started working on his next drawing that was based on that moment when he saw my face yesterday in that incident. He expressed the desire to show me the drawing. I felt honoured that such a great artist was making my sketch and got a strong inkling to see it. I asked him as to when he would be able to complete it. He was confident of finishing his work by the next day. Since my husband would not be around by that time, I asked him if he could come to our house with the drawing. He agreed and came to our residence as was decided and showed me the picture. I was speechless! How beautifully he had done it! I thanked him effusively but then remembering my husband, I asked him if he can fulfill my wish. When he agreed, I told him that he should not show this to anyone else and just keep it with himself.   I voiced my concern that my family may not like it if he went against my request. He agreed and then took his leave.

It is due to the questioning nature of my husband that I did not muster the courage to tell him about these developments. He would have immediately started suspecting something amiss and made my life miserable! Let me state explicitly, Maharaj, that there was nothing unethical between me and Perimalji. I only respected him for his great talent. As for as Perimalji, when he started working on my drawing he was not even aware about my identity. I feel that he was only exercising his creative liberty which is not a crime. When he realised who I was I can say with reliance that he treated me with utmost dignity and respect. When I gave him the reason to keep this drawing away from public glare he agreed without the slightest hesitation that was only becoming of a good human being.   Still if my husband suspects something illicit then it is only his mindset that needs to be blamed! Tell me, Maharaj! What kind of a relation do we share? He employs some goons to keep an eye on his wife when he is not around! That is the trust he reposes on me!”

Haridas glared at her and Nirmala garnered enough courage to glare back at him!   It appeared that since it was increasingly getting evident that Haridas was the culprit, she had lost all the veneration and regard she possessed towards him.  

Sukhdeva asked Haridas to continue with his confession.

“Maharaj, the more I thought over this the more I felt that there was more to this.   I could not digest the fact that she had hidden these facts from me and I had learnt them from an exterior source.   I warned her that she would neither ever attend any drawing exhibition of Perimal hereafter nor would ever meet him over any other reason.   Later a thought came to me that what if Perimal came to my house in my absence and met her? I decided to warn him as well and destroy the drawing.   With this intention one evening I hired this man’s cart and went to Perimal’s house.   On the way I was robbed.   Neither of us could see each other’s faces for we had covered it with a cloth for varied reasons.   He was a thief and thus wanted to conceal his identity and I wanted to protect my face from the chilly winds that blew over.   The theft disturbed me even more.  

Perimal opened the door and welcomed me inside after I gave my identification.   I told him that my wife was referring to a drawing he had made of her which I wanted to see.   He obliged and showed me the picture.   I got infuriated at the fact that he had dared to make this drawing without my consent.   In my fury I asked him as to what was going on between him and my wife.   This upset him, and he asked me to mind my language.   He asked me if my wife had not acquainted me with facts that I was making such a baseless allegation!   Not caring for what he said I warned him to stay away from my wife or face dire consequences. ….”