Sangharsha 1.7

The final instalment of the first story of Sangharsha.

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“Hey babe. How are you holding up?” Varun asked.

“Quite fine and all thanks to you,” Karan replied. It had been 3 months since Karan had started seeing a psychologist, a personal friend of Rahul’s.

The therapy sessions had helped Karan immensely. He was no longer afraid of the dark as long as he was with someone. Alone, he still had problems, but he was working on it. His nightmares had lessened and so had the seizures. His health improved considerably and his face showed it, becoming more vibrant. But above all, he now had a companion to share everything with.

“Ready?” Varun asked his boyfriend.

“As I can ever be,” Karan replied with conviction.

Together, hand in hand, they walked onto the road where it had all started in the shadowed corners of the night – M.G. Road.

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Author’s notes:
I wrote this story a long time ago. So long ago, that it feels like ages. At that point of time, my stories were more like excerpts of a larger storyline (as is evident from Sangharsha I). Over the years, my storytelling ability has evolved and, I’d say, I’ve become a better writer with experience.

This story is based on someone I interviewed for a project of mine. He was grateful enough to consent to let me write a story based on him. Of course, majority of the details are changed….but the essence of the harassment he faced because of his sexuality remains the same in this story. Even though Sangharsha has a happy ending, at the time of writing, the man on whom it is based was still living a tough life.

This story was written somewhere around 2007.

I hope you enjoyed reading the story. Sangharsha II will be out soon.

Sangharsha 1.6

Here we go….second to last instalment.

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Karan entered the N.G.O’s office for a meeting with Rahul Sharma. Dost was a Non-Governmental Organisation working for the emancipation of homosexuals in India. It had a helpline wing that provided people with professional help like psychologists, psychiatrists, lawyers, and sometimes even friends. Varun had contacted them in hope of getting Karan out of the clutches of the shadowy people at M.G. Road.

Ravi and his friends had taken compromising pictures of Karan that night. They regularly used extortion, forcing him into embezzlement and even sexual gratification after that incident two months back. All this was wreaking havoc with Karan’s psyche, which was on the verge of a complete collapse.

When Karan told Rahul all the details, he was enraged. Of all the cases he handled, non-consensual sex really ruffled his feathers. If there was one thing he could not stand, it was one person taking advantage of another. He resolved to do everything in his power to sort everything out and tried to assure a disturbed Karan that everything will be all right.

Dost’s team handled the situation perfectly. Ravi and his friends were jailed for extortion when they were caught red-handed by police officers known to Dost. When they tried to influence the police officers with Karan’s pictures as well as money, Dost’slawyers ensured that the charges of blackmail, libel and bribery were also added to the list of charges against them. The lawyers also ensured that Karan was not booked under any offence as, according to law, gay sex was a criminal offence. It took a lot of string-pulling, but they were successful in the end.

Varun had been a pillar for Karan right from the start of this ordeal and he continued to offer unconditional support to the distressed boy in his times of need. Karan finally acknowledged his feelings for Varun and they started dating shortly after Ravi and his goons were tried for the charges. They were sentenced to five years in prison.

*    *    *    to be continued   *    *     *

Sangharsha 1.5

Enjoy!

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“Hey Karan! What’s up dude?”

“Hi Varun,” Karan said hi-fiving Varun.

“Dude, I want to take you somewhere.”

“Where?” Karan asked, confused.

“Just come na, you’ll get to know where when we reach.”

*        *        *

“I can’t believe you did this to me Varun!” exclaimed Karan. He was indignant. “You went behind my back and told everything to a complete stranger? I thought you were my friend; I trusted you for God’s sake!”

“Karan, these people can help you,” Varun tried to reason with him.

“But why? I specifically told you that I do not want this getting out. Why did you break my trust?”

“I can’t continue to see you like this for fuck’s sake!” Varun shouted, losing his cool. “I see you in turmoil night and day. It tears me apart to know that you’re in so much pain and that I can do nothing to help you.” He was in tears by now. “I care for you too much to let you suffer. The way you’re dealing with this will only make you sad. Karan, I am in love with you and I want to see you happy.”

“I…I don’t know what to say,” Karan stammered. Out of all the things he had thought were even possible, his best friend declaring his love wasn’t one of them.

Varun took Karan in his arms, still sobbing, “Don’t say anything. Just go with this. Please. If you have ever considered me anything more than just a friend, let me help you.”

*        *        * to be continued  *     *     *

Sangharsha 1.4

Here is the next instalment —

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“Excuse me, could you please tell me where L-67 is?” Varun asked a roadside vendor.

“Straight from here and then the second block on the left,” the vendor said, pointing down the road.

Reaching his destination, Varun knocked on the door. He asked for Mr Rahul Sharma when the door was opened. Varun was led into a nice spacious house and they passed a living room to enter a workroom.

Rahul Sharma, a man in his mid-thirties, was sitting behind a large desk. He greeted Varun with a warm smile. “Welcome to Dost. What can we do for you?” 

Varun shook the man’s offered hand and took a seat. “I’ll get straight to the point,” Varun said nervously. Fidgeting with his wrist-watch, he continued, “There’s this friend of mine that needs Dost’s help…”

*        *        *  to be continued  *      *     *

Sangharsha 1.3

Here we go…

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Thinking back to that fateful night, Karan remembered entering his home, hoping against hope that his parents had gone to sleep. But lady luck had not been favouring him then and he had found himself wrapped in his mother’s arms. She had been waiting for her son with dinner on the table.

“Go wash your hands and face while I warm up the food.” She broke the hug with a loving smile, a look that only a mother could give.

The smile was swiftly washed off of Shalini’s face when she had seen the condition Karan was in. He had a swollen lower lip and a cut on his eyebrow. His shirt, which was usually white, was tousled and dirty.

“My God! What happened to you?” she gasped.

“Nothing,” Karan replied nonchalantly, shrugging his mother off by turning his back to her.

“This doesn’t appear as nothing to me,” Shalini said sternly, yet her voice dripped with concern. “Have you been in a fight?” 

“Ma, can you please drop it? Karan pleaded. “It’s nothing that I can’t handle.” He turned to go to his room. “And please don’t tell Dad,” he said over his back.

Now he wished he hadn’t been so stubborn and had confided in his parents. M.G Road wouldn’t have become a torture otherwise.

*        *        *  to be continued  *      *      *

Sangharsha 1.2

Here’s the next instalment in the first chapter of Sangharsha. By the way, the word is in Hindi and, when translated, means “Struggle”.

Introducing: Life of a Queer Indian

As promised, here we go!!

So, long time ago, when I was going through my identity development… I took to writing as an outlet. The following story is based on a true incident. However, much has been changed to make it a part of a larger storyline.

I titled the series “Sangharsha” and this is the first story in it.