Summer of Indian Aunties Ch. 12

"OK, mamani."

I hugged Taiba again. In full view of the other rickshaw drivers, I put an arm around her waist and then kissed on her cheeks, very close to her lips.

SMOOCH!

SMOOCH!

"See you." Taiba turned and headed towards the ticket counter. Plenty of eyes followed her big figure as she left the rickshaw stand. I turned to Tara.

"Tara." I told him. "Change of plans."

I quickly paid him for the ride, and then tipped him generously.

"I am going to take this bus with my mamani." I told him. "And I will be back on the next bus."

"I see, dada." Tara smiled. "You want to stay and protect your mamani on the bus. Good for you."

"Something like that." I lied. I wasn't about to tell him everything. "Just be here in an hour -- at 8 -- so you can drop me home."

"Yes, dada."

As he left, I quickly covered my face with my baseball cap, pulling it so it was shaded, and put on my dark sunglasses. I then headed towards the ticket counter, taking care to stay well behind Taiba so she wouldn't see me. I watched my mamani as she made her way to the crowded ticket booth. She thought I was naïve and ignorant, but I knew exactly what was going to happen here. As I had alluded, the sexual harassment of women on board these inter village buses had become a huge problem recently. It was on an epidemic level.

This was Tinpur -- one of the most patriarchal, backward, close minded villages in the state. The average family was poor and uneducated, and the men earned through menial jobs such as farmer or labourer, while the women worked in the fields or as housemaids to a few of the rich. Most of the well off people lived away from the village in their own gated places, like my mamanis and their lodge. And this poor, male dominated, uneducated patriarchal culture meant certain things that were completely out of place in New India such as Kolkata and Delhi were common place here.

Such as harassment of women on public transit. It was only tolerated, but tacitly accepted and encouraged.

It was sort of acknowledged in Tinpur that the morning buses, from 630 to about 10 were mostly for the labour class men to go between villages for jobs and also for them to go to Kolkata for shift jobs. Women and families tended to avoid these times. If you were a woman who was travelling on the crowded bus, full of men from the lower strata of society, at these times by yourself, alone, you were going to subject yourself to harassment and molestation. It was well known, and sadly, people looked the other way when it happened.

After all, why a woman from a good family would ride the bus on that time, went the backward thinking. If she was molested, she deserved it. By travelling on that time, she asked for it.

The women who usually travelled on these routes at this time knew fully well that they would be pushed up against strange men, their asses were going to get pinched, their buttocks groped, and a hand or two would rest on their waist, caressing them, and they could do nothing about it. Just grin and put up with it until the journey was over, even as their backside was being molested.

These ladies also knew that as long as they let the pervert men get away with this, nothing else would happen. There was a delicate balance. The eve teasing lecherous men also knew their limits, and were discreet in their molesting. If a lady was travelling with her husband or some other male relative, she was usually (and I say usually) left alone bar an "accidental" touch or two. Yet, those "accidental touches" would happen, and happen all the time. And if, however, if she was alone, the lady was considered fair game and men were drawn to her like moths to a candle. She knew it, the men knew it.

It was all done in a very hush-hush wink-wink nudge-nudge manner.

There was even an understanding of the limits this molestation would go to. If a lady was putting up with advances on her bottom, saying nothing as her ass was being pinched, groped and even fingered, or her navel played with, the men who were enjoying her respected this limit and did nothing else to her. No one played with her breasts, for example. Or tried to forcefully kiss her.

The men would also stop their molestation two to three minutes before the bus reached its destination, giving the lady time to compose herself, smoothen her dress or makeup. Being discreet was always part of this delicate unspoken deal. Usually (and again I say usually) it would be six or seven men to one lady, and they would shield the scene from view so no one else could see or record the scene. The lady would be shared between this six or seven men, and often she wouldn't even see their faces, as the assault would happen from behind. All she had to do was cooperate, stand stoically and look on straight ahead even as the men played with her rear bottom.

As long as the lady did not scream, draw attention or try to create a scene, her harassment and molestation would be within these limits and would be discreetly done. When the bus ride was over, she was left alone. No one followed her, no one teased her afterwards. The lady herself wouldn't feel in any further danger, as most of the time she didn't even know who had molested her. It could happen that you -- the lady -- could be buying vegetables from the same man who -- unknown to you -- had his finger up your ass the previous day on the bus. The man would know, for sure, but you the lady wouldn't, which added to this power dynamic.

I knew most of these from Taiba and Shaheen's past accounts about their own harassment on these bus rides, and from talking to Tara a few times. Since Shaheen -- being tall and of heavier built -- usually wore shalwar kameez, no one could play with her bare waist, so men usually restricted themselves to her buttocks. She would be standing, holding on to the handrail, when a hand would be discreetly placed on her buttocks. After fondling her for a bit, the hand would grope her ass cheeks, and perhaps softly pinch her bottom once or twice, before moving on. Usually the men stopped after a few minutes, as there were five or six other men waiting to have their turn. But sometimes this rule was relaxed if she was the only lady on the bus. I had overheard Shaheen remarking to Taiba that once on an eighteen minute bus ride she had been groped by 28 different men, including the conductor. It seems everyone except the driver had had a piece of her ass.

With Taiba, it was different. She used to wear saris, so a bit of her big waist and hefty tummy were always visible and showing. Given that she was chubby, with big gelatinous buttocks and giant bouncing boobs, she always attracted more attention, and hence she usually avoided travelling during these times unless it was absolutely urgent. Like today. Lechers and perverts were drawn to her like flies to honey. She would often find herself surrounded by men and the bus would be crowded, with these men pressing against her.

A hand would automatically be placed on Taiba's big naked waist, from either side. The hands would remain there, caressing her skin and taking turns playing with her navel, until replaced by other hands. Another set of hands would immediately tap her bum.

If the bus wasn't too crowded, Taiba's big bottom would be groped, pinched, caressed, fingered or spanked (only lightly, remember it was all discreet and no loud noises could be made). However, if the bus was crowded, men would push up against her, rubbing their hardness against her. Taiba would be holding on to the guardrail, standing helplessly as men after men dry humped her, placing their hardness in between the clefts of her giant derriere, rubbing against her, all the while their hands holding her firmly by the waist.

At about three minutes remaining till the journey, suddenly one of the men would say something. Immediately all hands would immediately withdraw themselves from the women they had been harassing, and one of the men would tap the lady on her bottom -- a farewell tap as well as an indicator. This was when the ladies smoothened their dresses and composed themselves, or retouched their make up. So far they had mentally zoned out to the harassment; but they would use these three minutes to get back mentally into the 'real' world.

I knew that none of my mamus -- my uncles -- knew of this. For the most part, they didn't even know their wives travelled by these common bus. And even if they did, they never suspected what happened on the buses, and my aunts weren't going to tell them.

Of course my mamanis never told me all of this in detail. All I knew directly from them was some minor details. I pieced together the whole narrative from overhearing their conversations with each other from time to time, and other information from hearsay, and then from seeing it happen to women myself on the buses when I had travelled a few times, and from conversations with Tara.

Every one in the village, from the lower class men to the single women who usually travelled knew the rules of the game. Hence families and respectable women avoided the morning times, which was filled with labourers, farmers and other poor men, and also hoodlums, jobless perverts and others.

So, given all of this, I was a bit curious as to why Taiba would travel at this time. She could easily take the 10 am bus. Her inner slut must be acting up. In any case, I followed my aunt discreetly.

I watched as Taiba approached the throng of men milling about near the ticket booth. With her big sashaying buttocks and giant swinging boobs, draped in a sari that clung to her chubby body, she was bound to draw attention from the labourers. Taiba tried to draw in her achal so she was showing less of her cleavage, but even her pallu couldn't hide how huge her melons were. A lot of eyes were now on her.

"Bhabhi." Suddenly one of the men approached her, using the honorific title that men use here to address women. He was tall, dark skinned, and sported a big moustache. If I was casting him in a movie, he would be a proper 90s Bollywood villain.

"Bhabhi. Are you travelling by yourself?" He asked my mamani. "Are you trying to buy a ticket?"

It did look like Taiba's harassment was starting early, even before the bus ride. If this was a big city, the proper response would have been to ignore this man and proceed to the ticket counter, but this was Tinpur. Taiba, having travelled a few times, knew the rules of the game. She had to be respectful, deferential, even as she was being besieged.

"Yes, dada." My aunt replied. "I have to take this bus to the next village."

A couple of other men were slowly beginning to gather around her.

"I will help you get the tickets, bhabhi." The man replied with a leer. "Since you are travelling alone, you will need help. There's a lot of men around and I don't want to see you hurt."

"Er ... thank you, dada." Taiba answered. She gave a brief look around to see all the men starting to walk towards her, and then turned back to the man. "OK, dada. Will you help me?"

"Sure I will, bhabhi." A big grin lit up the man's face. He immediately turned to the crowd.

"Hey, move aside! Move aside! Let our Bhabhi through!"

He stepped aside to let Taiba proceed. As my mamani went past him, he quietly slipped an arm around her waist and walked with her. I noticed my aunt give a small shudder as the man's arm rested on the bare skin of her waist, but she said nothing.

"Move aside! Move aside!" The man hollered at the others crowding the theatre, who reluctantly made way. "Bhabhi has to buy a ticket."

Holding her firmly by her big waist, the man led Taiba to the ticket counter. Some other men had now slipped in behind her, hiding my view of my aunt and her paramour temporarily, so I inched in closer. I noticed that as Taiba bought and paid for her ticket, the man's hand was on her bottom. He was squeezing and fondling my aunt's ample derriere, right there at the ticket booth, with no resistance from my mamani. Five other men were hiding this blatant sexual assault from the view of the general public by standing behind her and shielding her from view. I was able to see only because I was a bit closer, AND I knew exactly WHAT to look for, and WHERE.

It was a bit unnerving. Usually the molestation started once the lady was on the bus. This was very unusual. Taiba was being molested right out here in public, in full view of anyone not blocked by the few men standing behind her. This man was groping my aunt's ass in public.

Taiba turned to the man.

"Thank you, dada." She forced herself to smile, even as this man was lecherously pinching her buttocks. "I have the ticket."

"Good!" The man smiled, and withdrew his hand from her bottom, only to stand beside her and slip it once again around her waist. "Let me accompany you on the bus, Bhabhi. Times are bad, and you don't want to be alone on that bus. You have a big gaand, and men here would love to pinch that."

Men like yourselves, I thought. Again, it was unnerving how upfront and honestly this man was crudely telling my mamani, you have a big gaand and it would be a shame if something happened to it.

"Ooh." Taiba's face momentarily fell, before she regained her forced smile. "Thank you, dada."

They were now walking back towards the bus, his arm firmly around her hips. Five other men followed them very closely behind, shielding them from everyone else's view. Even if someone had spotted them, from the way this man had his arm wrapped around my mamani's waist people would think he was her husband. The only clue that this wasn't so was the fact that my mamani was visibly a high class lady, especially with her pink skin and her rich clothes, whereas the man was noticeably from the lower class, and dressed like a typical hoodlum.

It was highly unusual, as I said. Men would usually wait until Taiba was aboard the bus. What was going on.

Oh!

Suddenly I realized what had just happened. I also knew that Tara's statement of gundaa and mawalis becoming more frequent here on the buses was true. Wow ... I just wished my aunt understood what predicament she had put herself into!

This man was obviously a big shot among the labourers. Probably a small gundaa (small time gangbanger or hoodlum) or something like that. The other five men were his henchmen, or part of his entourage. They had now 'marked' Taiba. On this crowded bus, no one else would bother Taiba. These men would pick one corner of the bus, and for the rest of the twenty minute ride, this gundaa and his henchmen would get to enjoy themselves with my mamani without being bothered by other men. He was a don, a local mobster, or some powerful man's big enforcer.

I quickly bought my own return ticket, and also bought a big newspaper so I could hide my face behind it, and rushed towards the bus. There was a line to enter the bus from the front door. As I made my way to the line, I noticed that the man once again was fondling my aunt's bottom. Right there, in the line, in full view of anyone who cared to see!

It had to happen. No one could resist Taiba's big peechwade for long! Her huge gaand was created to be played with.

It was done very casually. He was chatting with her, his arm around her waist, when he would so nonchalantly drop it down, caress her bottom, pinch her and then put his arm back around her waist. His henchmen made sure to guard their boss so this wasn't visible to a lot of people. Still, this man wasn't going out of his way to be discreet. I made my way until I was very close to them, my face guarded by the newspaper and dark shades.

"I am sorry to hear about your khala." The man told Taiba. "I pray she gets better soon."

"Thank you, dada." Taiba answered. She had to keep her calm despite being openly, and publicly, fondled like that. By now, even Taiba had probably realized who this man was -- a big hoodlum -- so she knew she had to be extra careful. Instead of flying under the radar with discreet molestation, she had now caught the eye of the local gangster. It was a dangerous position to be in. As I said, usually the harassment started once the lady was in the bus, not outside. I doubt Taiba was prepared for this.

Here, even though his men were shielding them, anyone outside could, if they really tried, see how Taiba was being treated. Just like I was seeing. Shopkeepers, labourers, other travellers from the village ... men who would perhaps interact with Taiba on a day to day basis in the village were now noticing her bum being fondled, in public, by this gangster. Any reputation my aunt had in the village was being ruined, one bum pinch at a time.

I knew that Taiba was hoping that as long as she kept calm and let this man have his way, he would respect the general "understood" limits and she would only have to tolerate this till the end of her journey. As I said, she had done this a few times, so she knew the 'general rules'. As for me, I wasn't so sure. This seemed like a dangerous man who didn't care for the "rules".

"My name is Sachin." The man said. "And your name is ...?"

"I am Taiba." My mamani answered, even as the man pinched her again. "Thank you again for travelling with me, Sachin dada. And for protecting me, dada, from other men."

He's protecting you from other men by molesting you himself, I thought. In public!

"I like you, Taiba." The man replied, once again giving her ass a quick fondle. "I love your big gaand! We will have an enjoyable journey, Taiba. Here's the bus; let's get on it. It's almost time and it's packed."

"Yes, dada." Even though the man had started to call my mamani by her name, she continued to address him respectfully as dada.

Sachin helped my mamani climb on the bus by firmly holding her by her ass with both hands as she climbed up the steps. As she showed her ticket and climbed on board, Sachin stepped up and glanced at the bus conductor. I saw the bus conductor's eyes follow Taiba, glance at her gaand, and then nod at Sachin. He didn't check Sachin's ticket, or any of his men's. I now knew I was correct; people here knew who this man was. Taiba must also have come to this realization, as she was very quiet and obedient as Sachin hustled her towards the back of the bus.

I also climbed on board the bus, showing my ticket.

The bus was really full, and almost ready to leave. It had seats on one side, but not the other, and every seat was taken, and the standing places were getting full. I looked around to see where Taiba was, even as others climbed on behind me.

Taiba was at the rear of the bus, in one corner. Sachin was beside her, and they were surrounded by his minions. I quietly made my way to stand near them, taking care to hide my face as I walked past them. I took my position so there were two or three men between me and Taiba, with her back to me. I could now observe what was happening with impunity. Sachin's men were trying to hide the view, but not very successfully, and Sachin didn't seem to care.

He had one arm holding on to the rail on the roof of the bus. His other arm was around Taiba's big ample waist. Taiba had no rail to hold on to, so she had to hold on to Sachin for support. His men was in front of them, behind them and to one side, hiding the view from all sides as best as they could while their boss openly enjoyed my mamani's big body.