SAMUDI/15

(15)

Harshad was quite upset as whatever had happened previous day. He sat beside the window with a newspaper his hand. By now he had read the paper. By now he had gone through the newspaper, he was watching those doves in front of the house which were feeding themselves. Those doves which were violet-greenish used to glitter due to the early morning sunlight. There used to be quite good design of doves feet! Suddenly that group of doves flew away. Nayna came out of the house speedily. There was a tiny mouse tried to run away and she had brick-in her hand. It was a matter of big surprise for Harshad! What had happened then! Meanwhile Nayna dashed that brick on the floor. Harshad felt as if it were on his chest! Then were two pieces of that brick. There was some brown powder and that tiny mouse had a very narrow escape to run away. But another piece of that brick fell on its tinyone, it was crushed probably its shriek also choked up. One could notice Nayna’s facial victory. Hitler’s smile also might be very much like this only. Nayna readjusted her sari on the shoulder and with strong feel as if nothing has happened, she went inside the house as if she seemed to be totally in a different mood. The poor tiny one was crushed up quite mercilessly. One could take note of Nayna’s cruelty as there were blood dots shining on that pieces of that brick. A stray puppy might have inhaled smell of that tiny mouse it came suddenly picked up and ran away towards the turning of our street. Harshad had stunned up at that moment. Was Nayna so very cruel? So merciless! She would have used some medicine to get rid of its would have been totally different matter. But this is too much… As a child, Harshad had heard lot of witch stories, he was reminded of such things. How Samudi used to entrap mouse while keeping some flour in a big brass bowl! She used to be quite careful even of its tail! It is not desirable to marry Nayna. No. She seems to quite heartless, cruel, insensitive…. If there is any venture in this direction…. It could be! I had I magined Nayna to be an angel like! But…. but this one? Once Samudi took me beyond the outskirts of the village, she showed one of tamarind trees and told me that if any bird came to take rest during night, a witch used to eat away that bird. No bird used to sit on branches of that tree. Harshad tried to see very carefully towards that and he could feel that there was some kind of movement at the top of the tree. Harshad was so much frightened that he embraced Samudi saying ‘Samu! Samu used to say ‘Harshadbhee Harsadbhee.’ He was so much so frightened that for some time has voice choked up, he felt as if a witch had pressed his neck, therefore there was no voice at all. After some time he said, Samu, I am really afraid of…. Harshad was only of nine or ten at that time. Harshad had hold Samu’s hand very tight as they were returning from the hillock Harshad didn’t go towards that hillock for several months. Samudi did try to convince him several times she said ‘aa jeevti dacan nenee soonkarane to koyn noo karaa.’ (i.e. Samudi said, that Witch is very much alive, she doesn’t do anything to children.) Harshad began to take interest after that event in reading stories of a Witch with three hands and an angel coming down from the sky on a full moonlight. He would even tell Samudi about those stories, which he might have read. Samudi would listen to him giving a very sharp look and used to think…. ‘Harshadbhai Chetloo badhee jonna hh’ (i.e. Harshadbhai knows a lot of things.) Whenever they used to go to the hillock, Harshad would narrate only. Once Harshad told Samudi signaling at a plant full of fragrance (Ratki Rani) This plant turns out to be an angel at night, its fragrance spread ever, that angel, knows chanting (mantras) Sanskrit Stanzas which could convert giants into mosquitoes!

(i.e. Do you see that Pipal tree? There lives one eyed witch. It disguises in a spirit of an old parrot, once I did see, yes, she had no shadow. That is how I came to know it to be one eyed witch.)

Pelo Penple saa n! Eee Penple per en ankhwalee dakan reens. Ghaida Popatnee roop leene eene dalpar bethalee to meen najronav bhailitee. Haa, eeno padchanyon n to padtoo atle man khabar padi gaee kk aa ghaide popat e eek ankhvalee dakan se. On hearing such thing Samudi used to feel, Harshad is very clever. There is no problem, wherever you may go. There won’t be problem even to enter into the very mouth of a Witch, sitting with her mouth quite open. It was quite a different world of childhood. What a fearcomplex used to be of giants and a living Witch? Since we have grown up there is no such fear at all. But Harshad had a shockwave due to Nayna’s pose. He felt for a moment that if it were his heart instead of that tiny one. I will tell everything to my father today only that I shall not marry Nayna at all. One may bear with any other thing but not this type of approach… Her parents seem to be at fault, Nayna just as a child might have been catching an insect to kill, perhaps she might have been wrongly encouraged by them. Nayna came upstairs at that time Harshad did tell her very gently all that he had seen, as Naynoo is it fair to do this! But that tiny one was a headache for me! Nayna’s family had a fairly commendable status among the caste fellows, but what can be done if there is no culture! Some time people of lower class families do owe decent approach! There are young mothers who often scold their children but there is a limit to it. Nayna said with a full throated laughter, I may do and undo it. Harshad couldn’t be so strong enough to bear it. It was quite stigmatizing for him. In anguish Harshad said, ‘don’t take it easy.’ Are you here to enjoy or embroil upon? One can’t change the very color of a coal. Nayna went away on hearing making a longface. How am I to marry such a girl? Does it matter if betrothal is fixed up! How can any bear with such a girl! Harshad experienced a big shockwave as if it were earthquake, having kept on rosy castling turned out to be chaos. It turned out to be dilapidated. There were stormy echoes of a living Witch’s laughter… and it kept on clashing in Harshad’s mind. Harshad had experienced unused stretching force. He felt for quite sometime that he might fall flat. It was as a huge locusts attack on lavish greenary. He couldn’t restrain his line of thinking. It is better to be bachelor. It was quite very tough for Harshad brain to bear with. No more Witch such a girl, no…no….no.. But he realized that he should not have given affirmation in a fit of hurry. Ofcourse, there is time. Not yet married! But after having loitered so much so and then how to say ‘No’! There were many bridegrooms who opted for refusal. But what will happen to be so chicken hearted father! He won’t commit suicide but how can he move around the village! He would be at home, or if the leaves the village permanently… forsaking the caste. But why does he think of his father like this! I should not think like that. But I shouldn’t marry Nayna. Thereby, forefather’s prestige might be at stake. There is need to have breakup of betrothal. It’s a question of my life. What’s important? It’s a question of son’s life or father’s status! I shall tell everything to my mother, all that has happened. She would definitely convince my father, and he would give permission to break up betrothal, but incase if he doesn’t agree! My father won’t be so hard hearted, no, no. As soon as he knows about Nayna, he would agree. I am the only son. They had a baby only after their ten years of marriage, and even that one died. I was born latter on… three years had passed by. I have been fairly pampered as a child! He had never said to me ‘No’. Ye! Samudis peaceful marriage arrangement was done by him! Father is not at all orthodox. He would undoubtedly agree to have breakup of my betrothal. But… but incase, if he doesn’t agree! If so, I shall go away… from his house. Harshad had all the way such thoughts while returning from his father-in-law’s house. Nayna said, Harshad, how’s that you don’t talk at all? ‘What should I say?’ ‘You may say something. How long you will be so much so reserve!’ Harshad didn’t answer at all. There was chocked tone of Nayna, won’t you pardon me? Harshad. Harshad looked of Nayna tried to give a smile, pressing his lower lip, tried to give a smile. I fail to imagine this sort of affection! Both of them walked side by side. It seemed to be some sort of curtained. Every moment seemed be weighty. Nayna couldn’t bear such sort of weighty silence of Harshad. Nayna asked, Harshad how long you will have this type of silence! Is it fair to have such tormenting severe pain so long! Is it fair to have tormenting attitude at the time of saying ‘Good-bye’. I said all that just to tease you! Harsh, I assure you, I won’t behave or say anything like that. Harsh, say Good bye to me with a smile, don’t you! Harshad laughed quite unwillingly. With a view to get rid of gloomy sphere, showing her college, she said: ‘Harshad, look at that my college!’ Harshad just looked at, it was quite a huge building. There were beautiful cypress trees in quite attractive groups. There were decent gardens on both the sides of the college compound. Those planted sunflower bushes were not blooming. College compound was fairly four feet nicely constructed. There were urinals on the right side of the entrance. Light yellowish distempered wall someone might have written with a charcoal NAYNA + SHARMA. Ofcourse he was surprised. But he didn’t give any feel about it to Nayna. As Nayna was telling something her cheeks seem to have contractions, lips flapping with gentle smile. They were near a bus stand. Waited for the bus. With a view to create some sort of tempo, Harshad said affectionately, Do write to me, Nayno! I shall write but first you write to me. Nayna responded. Thank God..! Nayna’s facial expression instantly could give a strong feel that she had not taken anything ill from Harshad. Yes, what did I say? Just I forget! Harshad asked gently. What? Ye… Naynee! What was the name of that professor of English? V.K.Sharma. She answered quite unknowingly surprised. But what about that! Why do you recall these types of talk! If by chance, I happen to see Sharma sahib, I shall definitely call him. Is it o.k.? Meanwhile bus was at the stand. Few people could manage to get into the bus prior to its reversion at the stand. A few people threw their small bags, kerchiefs through window. Harshad had push of the crowd. He was dragged along with the crowd. In fact he had no identity. Of course he was a part of the crowd. There was some kind of rivalry among the people to board a bus. So none could get in that bus for quite sometime. Latter on, as rowdism power began to decrease, all could board the bus. Harshad was dragged. A few people pushed him aside and boarded the bus ahead of him. ‘Bairane to chadva do pelan aadmi to bhaishab…kedmoon nenoo sokaru hoy. Aaye jota nathi…’ i.e. (Let women board the bus, they have small baby with them, men don’t bother about it.) Two or three women could get ahead of Harshad due to their trick of elbowing, then there was very hard push from the backside and Harshad was on the very entrance of the bus. He tried to get in holding a bar. But that bag was stuck up in the crowd. But the belt of the bag was broken. He could get in the bus as if it were a big bundle. The bus was jam packed. Harshad moved very fast to occupy the vacant seat. Harshad looked outside. Nayna’s eyes’ revelation was quite apologetical. Will you pardon me? As the bus moved. Harshad raised his hand as Nayna looked at him. Due to severe heat and rattling noise of the busengine, and undesirable flood of thoughts he seemed to be quite restless. The bus engine might be very bad, so it rattled on a lot. For a while, he thought to get down from the bus and to sleep under the shade of a green tree but how Samudi would come to knead up my forehead… But how’s that he remembered Samudi! But why not! Samudi used to massage his forehead whenever Harshad had headache. The bus used to run as if it were a local bus, infact it had red board indicating Supper fast. That rattling noise created itching effect. Road was too bad, so the bus went on bumping and constant rattling noise glass windows. Therefore Harshad thought, it would have been better if he would have occupied the back seat. Whatever seat you may get the front one or the back seat, to have a seat is good enough. Harshad thought of his own hometown – when it would be? He frequently looked at milestone thought the window. How many kms! Yet left? He took support of the front seat, keeping two hands in the cross bars, supporting his head, shut eyes and sighed heavily. He felt vomit sensation, it would have been better if I had taken Anacin or something like that. His home town was yet five kms. away. I shall reach in ten minutes time. He looked at the very borderside of the road, watched milestone. Four kms. He watched road side border scratches in soil seem to be slippery due to speed of the bus. The bus was going ahead trees, fields… hedges, dull bushes left over, yet brown coloured dots alike forest line and foggy sphere was following the bus. Some one’s face seemed to be swimming in such a foggy sphere. With a view to know the face he tried a sharplook but somehow it disappeared behind the fog. Once he waited for the milestone mark. Now 2 kms. 1 km… 0 km. Pe….a….ce! As Harshad reached home, he threw away his bag in a corner and thought of relaxing in a cot. He had kept two of his palms on his forehead to sleep in upturned position. On seeing him such position, Shanta Aunty asked him, ‘Bhai Harshad, are you alright! Did you find father-in-law’s house quite comfortable? I have severe headache. Do you want Anacin, may I rub balm? Oh! You have fever too! Shall I call for a doctor? No, give me Anacin, I will be alright! Harshad slap. He had no fever. Harshad used to babble even in sleep and general it was very common feature in his sickness. Shanta Aunty came close to him and heard… ‘Ma, I don’t want to marry Nayna! Ma! You may tell father.’ After some time once again, he started groaning in sleep, ‘I…. with Nayna…. Samu where are you? Do some massage on my forehead! Where are you?’ Shanta Aunty began to think for herself ‘Why does Harshad babble like this! What has happened at Father-in-law’s house?