Gambling - a trap

 

 

 

 

 

 

BY N J RAVI CHANDER 

 

 

 

 

LIKE Yudhishthira from the Mahabharata, many gamblers, despite losing everything in betting, continue to depend on luck, anticipating a fortunate outcome, only to find themselves in an embarrassing predicament. My colleague M Vijaykumar Meshak experienced an incident reminiscent of the Mahabharat during his stint at the Kudremukh Branch of a state-run bank in the 1990s. The picturesque iron ore mining town was once home to the Government-run Public Sector Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Ltd. (KIOCL). A secret world thrived in the shadows of its scenic beauty and wildlife. Some locals would venture into the wilderness to hunt rabbits, deer, and wild boar. They conspired with the forest guards and shared the spoils of their hunts with them, evading any potential consequences. One fateful day, two town residents pitted themselves against each other in a high-stakes gambling match. The eventual loser, a man who had known wealth and success, went through a horrific streak and lost everything. With his wealth and resources taken away, an intense despair engulfed him. In a final, desperate attempt to recover his losses, he wagered his most precious possession, his beautiful teenage daughter. Sensing the depth of desperation in the vanquished man, the opponent gleefully agreed to the sinful bet. Unfortunately, the gambler’s losing streak continued, and he suffered another jolt, putting his young daughter in a vulnerable position.

 

Despite facing a dilemma after the reversal, he honoured his commitment and delivered his daughter to the victor, sparking fury among loved ones. The winner took the reluctant girl as his reward and wedded her to a close relative. However, there was another unpleasant surprise in store. When the lass reached her husband’s home in Bengaluru, she was shocked to discover he was married and had a family. Caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, she decided to flee the place. Days later, she sneaked out of the house in the dead of night and returned to her parents’ house. Despite their confusion, they welcomed her back into their fold. Nevertheless, the audacious man, accused of being a bigamist, returned to Kudremukh to haunt the girl. Regardless of the circumstances, he had intended to bring her back to the city. His friends fanned out across the town in search of her. Anticipating the difficulty of returning once she fell into his grasp, the girl sought sanctuary at the home of my colleague, Vijaykumar.

 

The banker’s wife, who provided immense support, kept her concealed in a room until the search party eventually abandoned their efforts and departed. In his relentless search for the girl, the man kept returning. However, they would conceal her in the safe home whenever the girl’s family got wind of his presence. Later, Vijaykumar and another colleague assisted the girl in filing a divorce notice in a leading Bengaluru newspaper. Following this development, the man accused of being a bigamist refrained from going to Kudremukh. The girl, liberated from her past, married a man she chose. This development marked the end of her trauma, and the couple revelled in marital bliss. The girl’s family will be forever grateful to Vijaykumar and his wife for their unwavering help during the challenging moments, which brought hope and joy back to their lives. Gambling and drinking have devastated families, highlighting the importance of avoiding these vices.