The Secret of the Chalisa by Dr. Runjhun Saxena Subhanand Read Free Book Online Page B

by a butler dressed in white uniform. He gently asked the duo whom they wished to meet, as if such a gesture was a part of his everyday door opening routine.
    “Is Mr. Pratap at home? We would like to meet him for some important work,” said Sanjeev.
    “Come inside Sir, I’ll call Saahibji,” the butler answered and went inside the home.
    Sanjeev and Ravi were standing in front of the most splendid home they had ever seen in their life. With an ochre painted background, the walls had textured surface throughout which was just perfect to display the extortionate paintings and sculpture. A carpeted helical staircase led to the upper floor of the house with a grand overlooking gallery. The parapet was beautiful decorated with fine filigree which shimmered like gold. Up high in the center of one of the walls was a huge truncated head of a dear mounted on a wooden oval frame. Below it was an intricate fire place which had burnt coal ashes still remaining. The floor had a rug of tiger skin and Ravi wondered if he was stepping on a real tiger. Sanjeev and Ravi took their seat on the grand sofa which was placed there.
    It was not long when Pratap came and asked with a coarse voice filled with authority, “What important work brought you here? If you are seeking youth party tickets, then sorry we can’t entertain any more as of now.” He was tall and sturdy but his face carried an expression of anger. He wore a white kurta pajama with a thick fur waistcoat to match the winter season. Though the dress looked simple for a politician, his shoes were black and expensive leather make.
    “No… No Sir, not for ticket,” stammered Sanjeev. “Actually I am Dr Anjana’s student. I… I… came here to ask for some information. Actually Sir, she left me a wooden box and a booklet of Hanuman Chalisa,” Sanjeev hurriedly took out the relics as he tried to explain Pratap. “I… I just wanted to ask you…..” He couldn’t even complete when Pratap roared in coarse voice, “Look Mr…., whatever you name is, I don’t know anything about these and neither I’m interested in helping you out in any way,” his voice was filled with annoyance.
    “Actually Sir she mentions about Dhuvaje and Vajra in booklet which are your party symbols, so I thought,” Sanjeev stammered again. “And it mentions about your children also, so….”
    That was enough to flare Pratap’s frenzy, “I don’t know anything about Anjana and you cannot speak to my children. Just leave immediately, or else I’ll throw you out.”
    Hearing Pratap scream, his wife came out to the living room. “What happened,” she said,startled.
    “See Kesari, some dumb head has come inquiring about Anjana,” he grunted.
    “What is he asking about Didi? Maybe he knows something and has come here for help. After all she died in a mysterious way,” she stated.
    “No, no. I’m not entertaining him. You leave else….,” Pratap commented.
    While everyone else was caught up in the raging talks, Ravi glanced towards the parapet. He saw someone sneaking through the curtains. A graceful young girl dressed in pink kurta and chudidar and a matching pullover, with a white coat on her shoulder and a stethoscope hanging across an arm, she had an air of compassion surrounding her. She stood there looking at the scene below, but disappeared as soon as she saw Ravi staring at her.
    Ravi held Sanjeev’s arm and hushed him out of the house. “Not now,” he whispered in his ears. They stepped out of the house and stood on the opposite side of the road staring at the house. Sanjeev was disappointed. Pratap's rude behavior made things tough for him. Just then Ravi saw the same figure peeping through a window from the balcony onlooking the road. Ravi sensed something strange. He signaled Sanjeev to stop and see, but she vanished away in a flash again. They just waited there trying to decrypt the mystery when they saw her coming out from the bungalow on an Activa. The Activa stopped