Are you a virgin?

Human existence is a mystery. More mysteries make it more interesting. Let me take you through one such thing. Some term it a disorder while some treat it as one more fad, but it kindled my thoughts and here Iam with the story.

Read on……..

Beams of sunlight are penetrating insubstantial curtains and kissing Ram Prakash a very good morning. A contented soul with a happy family, Ram Prakash woke up to the sweetness of one more day. Grabbing his spectacles, he jumped out of bed.

The customary “Grand old man, bless me” followed his salutation to the portrait of his demised grandfather.
“Why are you smirking at me? Today is the last day of my final year at college. Bless me.”

“He blesses you Prashy and he is always with us” Ram Prakash heard his father. Everyone at home is happy with his academic achievements and his recent, not to say his first, job. Force Computers found him the only capable person from his batch to absorb into their workflow.

“I miss you grand old man” spoke Ram Prakash in a low voice with tiny tears dribbling down his cheeks. Involuntarily his hand rose to wipe his tears.

“Hey dude” hugged Hemanth. Ram Prakash never felt comfortable in Hemanth’s embrace. Hemu and Prashy are friends from Nursery way into their Post graduation. “You upto express your love to Pallavi?”

Pallavi is a final year B.Tech student. She is not much of a contemporary beauty but her serenity and grace are a beauty in which Ram Prakash delighted. They met at the annual youth fest two years back and exchange pleasantries , now and then. Today he is ready with his dialogues. But what he spoke is entirely different from what he prepared to speak.

“Pallavi there is something I want to tell you. Can I, if you have time to spare?”

“Please.”

“You are looking great in this dress.”

“Thank you.”

“Hmmm. Can I tell you one more thing?”

Silence pervaded for another minute. Ram Prakash is preoccupied whether to speak or not. She slowly said “Please”.

“Will you marry me” This time Ram Prakash is bang on the point.
In the silence that ensued, death seemed better than anticipation.

Pallavi stood. She walked without giving an answer. Mud from the moist grass splattered her dress and his gaze fixed on the brown spot that it left on her dress. That spot drifted away taking away with it his love. He couldnot think anything else. Suddenly she turned back and walking in fast strides came and stood facing him, the first time she saw into his eyes as far as he could remember.

“Will you come with your parents and speak to my parents about the marriage proposal?”

Everything happened in a jiffy, after all it is a contented soul, and their parents agreed and they got married.

Pallavi entered and closed the door of the room she is not used to until now, but one she is going to share with Ram Prakash for the rest of her life. Mild light along with the fragrance of Jasmine made the night more romantic.

“Are you tense?” asked Ram Prakash.

“Why?” replied Pallavi.

“Today is our first night. Iam quite tense and the first time you have sex it pains. So tell me are you not tense about it?”

“But Iam not having sex for the first time. Right?”

“W-H-A-T? You mean to say that you had sex before?” His hands loosened around her waist.

At this point the colour in her cheeks vanished. “Ram, please don’t joke. We had sex on our trip to Ooty after our engagement.”

“Hey comeon, I don’t remember any such thing.”

Still believing all this to be false she said “ Ram, please don’t joke. What do you mean by saying that you don’t remember? That day we stayed for the night in a hotel. You said that we have only one more month for the marriage and having sex is not at all wrong.”

“When did we go to Ooty?”

Her head started reeling. “We went to Ooty and Hemanth and his fiancée too joined us.”

“No. I don’t remember any such thing. Tell me whether you are a virgin or not?”

Those words hit her like lightning. He did not say anything else and turned his back to her and slept. Still dazed, she lied on the bed feeling thorns all over awaiting her body. Time ticked on. All of a sudden, she opened her eyes and there she is in his embrace. She tried to retreat. He strongly clutched her.

“Please leave me”

“SHUT UP”

His voice is altogether a new one to her. Gruff and demanding. The more she tried, the more he inflicted his strength on her. Slowly he crept into her.

“No. Leave me”

He slapped her and threatened to kill her if she doesn’t shut up.

By morning her face showed traces of sogginess and Prashy’s mother couldnot miss noticing the same.

“Are you fine Pallavi?”

“Iam fine amma.” Pallavi addresses Prakash’s mother

“No. You donot look like you are fine. Do you want to speak about anything?”

Pallavi told what all happened the last night and cried incessantly. That evening Pallavi’s father came home on amma’s request. The sight of his distraught daughter caught him offguard. Amma explained the everything to Pallavi’s father and Prakash’s father. Dr.Mauli, Pallavi’s father, nodded his head and called Dr.Hemachandra.

“How are you Mauli?”

“Chandra, Iam at Pallavi’s house. There is a problem can you come down immediately?”

“I will be there as soon as possible”

Hemachandra is an indefatigable Psychiatrist and a bachelor dedicated to Psychiatry. While Pallavi told the details of Prakash’s behaviour , Prakash came home.

“Hello Prakash, how are you?”

“Iam fine. Thank you.” Prakash went in and came out with a cup of coffee.

“Prakash we need to speak. Can we go into another room?”

“Sure”

Once they both are inside, Chandra hypnotized Prakash. In that state, he asked Prakash about the Ooty trip.
“Do you remember what happened in your Ooty trip?”

“We did not go to…” Chandra could make out the change in Prakash’s tone. “I and Pallavi went to Ooty along with Hemanth and his fiancée. We stayed at the Mountain View.”

“Do you remember anything else?”

“That is none of your business doctor”

“Do you love Pallavi”

“No. I hate her” Again a change in his tone.

“Prakash Iam not asking you whether you hate her. Let your friend tell me.”

“My friend? Doctor are you mad…”

“Yes doctor, you are mad. Iam not Prakash. Iam Jagan. I hate Pallavi. I hate G-I-R-L-S”

“Jagan, will you please tell me why you hate girls?”

“No”

“Thank you Jagan”

Chandra came out after what seemed like eternity for all waiting outside. “Prakash is sleeping. Don’t disturb him and don’t ask him anything when he wakes up.”

Turning his attention to Prakash’s parents he asked “ Does he have any friend by the name Jagan?”

Amma spoke “ He has only two friends-his grandfahther and Hemanth. He is generally reserved and never makes friends.”

“Then who is this Jagan?”

“Jagan is his pen-name, with which he writes poems. Why are you asking all these doctor?”

“Praksh is facing a mental disorder called multiple personality disorder. It is a dissociative disorder in which two or more distinct personalities exist in the same person, each of which prevails at a particular time.”

“Uncle, you mean to say…..”. Before Pallavi could complete Chandra said “Yes. Your husband and Jagan are two personalities in the same body. Prakash doesn’t know that Jagan is dominating him. Where is Prakash’s grandfather?”

“He reached God’s abode a year back.”

“Sorry. But how close is Prakash to his grandfather and to Hemanth?”

Amma spoke, still vague about the multiple personality concept.

“Prashy is very close to his grandfather and shared everything with him rather than with others. Hemanth is Prashy’s friend since childhood.”

“Can you show me Prakash’s poems?”

She left the scene and appeared with a diary. Most of his poems are filled with feelings of love, grief and death. One particular page attracted his attention. The writing is haphazard and about a girl Ramya. It is addressed to his grandfather and it said that Ramya ditched him, married and flew to America. “I hate her. I want to kill her.”

“Please call Hemanth.”

Once Hemanth came and he understood the situation, Chandra asked him whether he knew Ramya.
“Ramya is our B.Tech class-mate. Prashy and Ramya loved each other. After B.Tech she succumbed to her parents’ force and married a person of their choice and she is now in America.”

“This explains why he hates girls. Whenever he gets depressed Jagan comes out. He cannot see Prakash worried. He goes to any extremes to keep Prakash happy. When Prakash is sad Jagan makes him happy. When he cries Jagan wipes his tears. When he is happy Jagan too is happy. The freedom Prakash has with his grandfather is irreparable. That is when Jagan came into existence.”

“Uncle can’t he become normal?”

“He will. He should be happy and whenever the past pricks him Jagan takes over. Hemanth, you have to tell him that Ramya is no more. That is the only way out.”

“Yes doctor”

Prakash came out yawning. “Sorry doctor uncle. You are supposed to speak to me about something.”

“I spoke to your parents. Thank you.”

The next day Hemanth told Prakash that Ramya is no more. Tears flowed down his cheeks. Involuntarily his hand wiped those.

Slowly everyone could observe the change in Prakash’s behaviour. Chandra revealed Jagan’s identiy to Prakash. That night….

“Pallavi, Iam sorry for hurting you.”

“Prakash, you didn’t hurt me. Now can you switch off the lights”

Prashy went to switch the lights off. A fiendish smile escaped unnoticed in the pitch darkness.

Do you think Jagan left Prashy????



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Some information.
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Amma means mother in south Indian language "Telugu".