No one knew who he was or where he came from... it was only now that they realized he had 'no' name. He was called 'the bard'. And that was all that people knew about him... Someone shouted to the police that 'The bard' was close to Ramu. And others confirmed this statement. The police now inquired Ramu, the chaiwallah about this mysterious person. Ramu though hesitant and scared at first, opened up slowly to the police.
Adjusting his shirt Ramu began a brief description about 'the bard'. 'Saab, I will tell you everything I know about him. Hope it will help you. He spoke to no one but the tourists who frequented the Taj Mahal. Lovers attracted him mostly, the young and old ones alike walking along the parks of Taj and lost in the eternal world of love. He would choose his customers very carefully calling on to the ones who inspired him. His eyes would scan not for the rich Saab but for love, it seemed. And when he found true lovers he would run behind them, sometimes begging them. He spoke good English and many other foreign languages. He would tell the lovers "Please spend some time with me, I would like to write a poem on both of you. Your love is true, I can feel it". 'Now Saab, tell me who wouldn't want to get a poem of love written about them and that too standing in the monument of love, Taj Mahal. People never refused and paid him handsomely. Sometimes people thought he was mad and didn't pay any heed to him. Then he would start singing his poems aloud and clear. And people found his words irresistible.' The inspector realized this is going to be a long story, he ordered a stool for Ramu and made himself comfortable on the tiny easy chair. The young boys among the crowd laughed as the well built inspector struggled to settle down in the easy chair. Constables shoved them away. The crowd slowly began to get back to their lives, guides went behind tourists. Shopkeepers returned to their shops, housewives turned to their kitchens and 'the bard' slowly began to fade away in their memories. 'I want to listen to this bard's story completely' remarked the inspector. Ramu wiped away the beads of sweat formed on his forehead and looked around the bard's studio. It was a small well kept place filled with a lot of books and stationary. The smell of a strange fragrance engulfed the room, Ramu wondered what it might be. He continued the bard's story ' Saab, he lived here all alone. No family, no friends. I used to bring him dinner and lunch. He was sort of a crazy man, all the while reading and scribbling something. Rarely he drank heavily and sing songs of unknown lands and people. But he never got into fights. Many times he would not eat meals but he gave them to me. He spoke very less Saab.'
The inspector seemed bored, he got up (struggling) and went through the possessions in the small room looking for some clues. 'Bittu, what do you make of this man's living style. Can you imagine this man is, sorry, was a millionaire?' he sighed. As he turned his eyes fell upon a photograph which was fallen on the ground. Ramu immediately recognized it 'Saab, this was taken twenty years ago. He loved this woman dearly but she married someone else he told me once.... 'No wonder he went after true love, Nazeer see what happens to people in love. You don't want to end up like this, right?' said the inspector and roared with laughter. Ramu cursed the inspector mentally and wanted to get away from him. He wondered what 'the Bard' might have thought about him if he was alive, a man who didn't believe in love... he wouldn't have cared much for the inspector.
'Saab who would have done this to him' Ramu asked the inspector as he was leaving the room. 'Look beta, we will have to investigate the whole case and run some tests. How can I say now, it's too early. But one thing I am sure, someone would have killed him for the money. After all, your friend wasn't a pauper... see how much of cash we found in those gunny bags.' Bittu immediately added 'Saab, no cash was taken, everything is here.' The inspector grew furious 'You know better than me? Okay you become the boss' he said and walked away angrily. Ramu knew that 'the bard' was not killed for money... If there was anything that could kill him and take away his soul, it was LOVE. But he couldn't say that to the inspector, could he?
