SAMUDI/11

(11)

All had a roaring laughter then Samu realized that there were other people also! And then she was stunned up…. So much so that once again she rushed towards the upper-storey. Shanta Aunty tried to call her but she didn’t come at all. Shanta Aunty asked Harshad to go to upper storey, ‘Go and call for Samudi’. Harshad went up and saw – Samudi tried to hide her face in a wooden bed stand. Even Harshad also used to hide his face in the same wooden bed stand like this to weep a little and Samudi would come at the back and used to keep her hand on his shoulder. ‘Harshad said, Samu, come to the ground floor.’ Samudi made her long face. It was quite reddish. It was too tough for her to keep her eyelids upward. Her ear tips and lips were too reddish as if it were likely to blood. She had kept the end of her short-Sari between teeth, lips were tightened. Ofcourse, one could notice her joy from one of the sides of her lips too. Harshad took Samu’s hand and said, ‘come on Samu, why do you feel shy at all in our house!’ For Harshad that touch was quite unforgettable. It was a touch to his throbbing heart Samudi might be totally tally unaware of it! In fact, both of them might have come down from the outskirts of the hillock. But Harshad had never thought of having a girl’s hand like this. But today! There was no Samudi today. But it was quite shy image of it! And suddenly heartbeats turn out to be countless. Harshad could imagine its meaning today! But how was that sort of experience! It was very smooth soft touch of warmth early sunlight. Harshad had felt as if Samudi’s heart might have been too close to his ears’ flip – throbbing…. That short of throbbing was full of warmth! As if one is just in front of the sun. I had touched Nayna for several times even kissed also. But somehow for Harshad it was not feel like that: But somehow today the very touch of Samu turned out to be full of warmth…. quite hair raising. And then? It was quite stimulating bodily spirit. Harshad felt as if he were in a volcanic pushup. Harshad embraced Samudi as if a drowning fellow would catch up a canoe. Even Samudi was perplexed, what was that? Harshad had forcefully tried to kiss Samudi as if he were to gulp her…. Samudi pushed him forcefully aside then he realized what he had done so far! Oh…. What….. have I done so far! It was not easy for him to look at Samudi. He came down but Samudi remained at upper storey. Shantaaunty was busy talking to someone- ‘aam too Samudine puchhaya k kali inoo nom hoons! tokok nom to shi ti devay: (i.e. We did ask Samudi ye what’s his name! How can I tell you his name?) ‘pas aa mee puchhyou kaya akshar thi nom sharoo thay ss?’ (i.e. Then I asked with which is the very first alphabet of his name?) Eeto k….k. ‘ta’ oooparthi ghanooya nom mee ganayoo pan eeke hachho nen padyu, pan Samudi boli, nom motethi to non bolay. Pan ha tamara hamna kaoo Shontafaiba, pas a cheek konma moodher nakhin k – tejo. (i.e. So it begins with ‘T’ there are several names but none of it could be true. Then Samudi said ‘name cannot be uttered loudly, but she could, she was to tell Shanta Aunty in her ear. Tejo.) All of them had a full throated laughter. Harshad was alright by now. Now Teja’s facial expressions were quite normal now he didn’t feel shy at all. Large face, big jaws…. Thick moustache. Sharp sparkling eyes. Rough skin. Some small dots on both the cheeks. Hardly of twenty. Fairly hafty. Height six feet. Broad shoulders. Commendable chaste strongly built tough muscles. He could be an easy match for six to seven persons. His tough tone would give thrill to a person even at the outskirts of the village. It was quite rhetoric tone. His flickering eyelids seem to be quite magical! Shanta Aunty felt that it was good matching youth for Samudi. Samudi didn’t come to the ground floor. Therefore Shanta aunty asked Teja to go to upper storey. Samudi had soaked rice flakes earlier, she had brought coconut chips, chilly, lemon everything that earlier evening. Aftersome time Samudi came to ground floor and said: Harshadbhaee tame ghadeen oopar eemni pahen behoo, tyan hoodi moon batakapaon banai daon. N pass a chha menkoo. (i.e. Harshadbhai you go upstairs and beseated with him for sometime till I may prepare rice flakes with potato and tea.) Harshad just looked at Samudi with sort of blankness…. Meanwhile Shantaaunty held her hand and said ‘why did you come to the ground floor? Go upstairs, I am here to prepare tea and snacks! Samudi looked at Shanta aunty as if she were her mother. ‘Shontafaee….. She said that much. Her voice was chocked up. Suddenly she had tearful eyes. Samudi’s heart experienced acute inner feel of affection which shatterup tears flow. Even Shanta Aunty embraced her and began to weep. Then she said: Samu, my dear one, don’t weep today! Am I not your mother? Samudi’s mother had passed away ever since she had opened her eyes. Harshad was too serious ever since he had seen her sobbing. Even in Harshad’s father’s eyes too glittered dimly. For a while Harshad thought that whatever he had done. For a while, Harshad began to feel, that Samu might have wept probably, due to his harsh treat only! Did she tell anything to Teja! If she speaks to Daddy would he believe it! Even now Samu was too close to Shanta aunty sobbing earnestly. Even her breathing was choked up. The whole house was stuffed up with roaring laughter turned out to be so gloomy and dull. What sort of weighty silence it was! Shantaaunty said, while keeping her hand on Samu you may go upstairs. I shall prepare tea and snacks get you there only. Whenever Harshad thinks to breakup his betrothal, he recalls the very face of his father at the back of his mind. Harshad could think of his mild tempered Daddy how to convey about his thought of breakup of his betrothal, as his Daddy had noticed Samu’s tearful eyes. Not to think of breakup of betrothal, for a while he thought. But Nayna lacks in culture it might be true. But if parents fail to inculcate culture, where in Nayna’s drawback! Is it not possible to improve her as she would come home after marriage! Samudi used to raise up her petticoat upto knee whenever she would sit to wash clothes. But today she had covered her both the legs! She didn’t keep her left hand in soap water. She used to take out clothes from the tub with the right hand kept on bumping clothes with a wooden rod – dhab – dhab – dhab! Somehow today bumping noise and rhythm with a wooden rod was quite dull. It stopped almost after some time. Samudi seemed to be lost somewhere though that sari was on the floor and that wooden rod was in her hand. Her face seemed to be quite weak. There was no luster in her eyes. Eyelids were swollen and slightly reddish. She seemed to be extremely weak as if she were withered away. Her neck was one sided, as if quite loose. Shanta Aunty was watching her for quite sometime. She had never seen Samudi in this condition. Today she did not say a word, generally she would keep on jabbering. It was very much like a bird without voice and wings! What had happened to her? Was she unwell? Did any one scold her? Did anyone hurt her feelings? Did anyone give her shock to her? No, no, Samudi would never be nervous or restive like this. Shanta aunty asked her very gently, ‘shoon thayu ss’ (i.e.) What has happened to you?’ She had slow tearful flow in her response. ‘Reva de, Samu, aatyare kapdon koyyn nathee dhovao. Oooyan aay nn bes mari pahe.’ i.e. Leave it aside, Samu, there is no need to wash clothes now, come to me, sit beside me. She allowed her to weep, giving good embrace to her. She wept a…. lot. Even Shanta Aunty’s blouse and left side of her breast got wet. She felt slightly good only after her weeping. Shanta aunty brought a glass of water. Samu drank somewhat. How beautiful was the morning previous two days! To be with Teja and Harshad…. Samu was lost for a few moments. Harshad was also feeling too shy when she had gone to wake him up! He had covered himself with a bedsheet prior to might pull up. But evening time of that day?.... Shanta Aunty pampering Samu on her back asked…. (i.e. What has happened to you?? ‘Shoon thaee gayee s tane’ i.e. What has happened to you? Then Samu narrated all that had happened previous day. Samudi used to climb a hillock which was on the very outskirts of the village. She went to see the sunset. She used to come to this hillock quite frequently. Climbing was quite simple. Generally, none used to come over here. Indeed, Harshad used to come to see the sunset frequently. Occasionally some had to take a little support removing chapals. However, it was not hot at all. Samudi’s skin was thin and smooth. There was no clear pathway to go up to the hillock. It was partly notable bushy and thorny too. There was unseasonal rain prior to few days. Therefore few sticky puddles seem to be quite wet and slippery. There was all possibility to slip off. By chance if someone were to put a foot on muddy stone lump, it turned out be dangerous. He would slip off down. One has to find support very carefully. To check up a little, one has to be quite conscious that stone does not slip at all. To seen worthy support for the other foot one would seek support of quite deep rooted bushy land, to raise up the other foot properly. During summer there used to be serpants and python too. As there was a jungle at the back of the hillock it was said even a tiger used to be there to pick up its prey from the nearby houses. Thus a weak person would never venture to go upto the hillock. As Samudi reached at the very top of the hillock after much strain, the red sun was gradually sinking. Orange shades of those tree leaves were being blurred. As the light on the hillock was dimming out even the land seemed to be brownish. Women folk were returning having heavy sheaves from their farms. That very scene seemed to be picturesque. As cattle crowds were back from the jungle roads seem to be quite dusty. The whole atmosphere seemed to be charged with thin sandy layer. It seemed quite dull, as if it were dusty spectacles. Shepherds used make all kinds of calls to their sheep and goats to be back home. Gradually light on the green was dimming out, even the very colour of the grass was changing from yellow greenish to orange shade, then dark green to brownish green then it smelled grass quite darkness! Insects disappeared. A few trees had unusual growth in its height. Butterflies seemed to have disappeared somewhere…. Shirish leaves seemed to be folded. Leaves village seemed to be in waiting for birds. Hot-barten land of the afternoon was now cool. Several dark brownish birds in group were passing by in the eve-colour. A few dull birds were in their nests as if repeating murmuring ‘oh God…. Thou art’ ‘Oh God… thou art.’ Occasionally cucoo used to give some call. A traitor-bird was twittering on a nim tree at the back. Those kites which were flying at very great height and came down a little to settle down on the top of banyan tree of the outskirts of the village. But a group of drakes were seen on the top of a nim tree which was quite on the bank of a lake. It seemed to be a big bulk of white flowers. While colour of the drake seemed to be dull brownish which got mixed up in the dark shadow of those trees. Now the global sunlight covered up. Well spreadout grass far off seemed to be very much like dark. Ofcourse it must be dark green too as it smelled so. Light on the western horizon was being mixed up in the sun. The whole sky turned out to be quiet dark after sometime. It was just some light on the sinking sun. The sun was quite dim. One could look at it Sharply Bottom border slightly pressed. Evening coloured stripes disappear. The Eastern part of the sky was all dark. Darkness covered the sun speedily. The sun sank fully. Its orange coloured intensity was low. Meanwhile a small cloud moved up gradually. It was too dark. Samu used to come frequently to see the sunset. But somehow she had some kind of fear. She thought of to get rid off it. ‘moon to oony ghanivar aavoo soo. Maar aa vali beek shani? mee chyenna aava honana dagina perya hhte chantya!’ (i.e. I often come here. Why should I have any fear at all? I haven’t put on any gold ornaments which would worry me!’) Pagmaon chondinee kado to hh. i.e. But I have put on thick silver ring on my feet. She argued to herself only. ‘pan aattar aayn tekari par aaabba te koon navroo hoya.’ i.e. But which is likely to be quite free to come to the hillock. ‘Vakhhat koee chorbar hantava aayo hoy to? toy hoo mee chyon keyne koyn bagadya hh.’ i.e. By chance a rogue or a thief might have come to hide. If so, I have never hurt anyone so far. And the village is not very far. To getdown from the hillock might take some time. I shall reach there safely. As Samu has coming down from the hillock, she was thinking, she suspected somebody behind that nim tree? For a while, she experienced fear as if some current passed through her body. Shivered a little. As she moved the very flumming noise of her new petticoat frightened. That noise started her throbbing was too mud. Meanwhile that hidden shadow came out. ‘aaa to deeyour Samlo! a rogue… A villain of the village. He seems to have thought of me only. Samlo, quite a robust body, who could be an easy match for three to four persons. Phlegmatic face. Smallpox dots Drunkard pose. Six feet tall. He was imprisoned several times. Of course Samu was highly confused, but she tactfully tried to suppress her fear complex and began to say: ‘te Somlo hh te deeyour hoon thai gyuun? Ea rakhadva aayo hoy kk passa, polishthi hantavay aayo hoy. Mar e hoon! aee inna raste nn moon marra.’ (i.e. What of that, if there is Samlo? He might have come to wander over here or probably to hide away from the police. Why should I bother? I am on my way, he is on his?) However at the back of her mind she had fear. Somla didn’t dare at all, as he saw Samudi walking quite sternly. Somlo was known as a villain of the village. He was severally beaten up by those Patels when Somla had tried to do somekind of harassment to the wife of Pasha Patel. Samudi passed firmly by Somla as if trying to hide her fear complex. Somlo stood there and then only. Now Samudi was at ease, yet her inner feel was quite restive. Samudi looked around the hillock there was nothing. Waving of lights in the outskirts. Lord Shiva temple was ringing of bells was heard quite dim. There was none even to help if she were to scream. Therefore Samu’s fear was little more. So she began to hurry up. Somla too became quite courageous as Samudi had speeded up. As Samudi looked back fearfully, she noticed Somlo was running. It was a hillock slope. Samu could easily get down speedily. She had raised one of the sides of her petticoat but it suddenly slipped off. It was not possible to waste time for her to readjust her petticoat as Somlo nearby. Junno Chaniyo peryoo hot to Saroo that. (i.e. It would have been better if I had put on used petticoat.) It would have been if I had washed it once, it might have been shortened. Hell with it that ruinous Romla tailor who stitched up petticoat prior to its soaking. Tekaree Ootrya pasa aa to gich zadimoothi nekalti kedi par purpat doday, Nechi dalkhiyo aaadi aava tooon moothu namavavoo pada aatloo j aan kedi puri thya pass aa too rood. Rood parto kokneoo kok hashe eeke rood poonkya pass a vooondho naee. Rode ponkya pasaa to pote vagdoo aakhoya chiraee jaye aavee chis padse nn mederni aarti ma ooyelaon badhe chis hoonbhline dodee aavshee. Nn pas too hhharina Somlane tipee tipee nn rotlo ff kari nakhshe… (i.e. As soon as getting down from the hillock, that pathway was through thick bushy trees and would be very easy to run fast for me. I shall have to keep my head lost due to those lower branches and then there was road. Someone would be on that roadside then there was no problem at all. Even if any arise, my screaming would be loud enough so that those who have come to attend waving of lights in the Mahadevi’s temple would hear, they would up run on. Then people would beat up Somla mercilessly.) While getting down the hillock, she was thinking, suddenly the very border of her petticoat stuck up in one of her legs. She lost her balance. And then – Down the hillock, she had vertigo… giddiness. As if the part of that land was totally imbalanced. It was all brownish darken flood of reddish dots. She felt as if she were to be deprived of sense. Her palm and knees were terribly bruised and had lot of pain. It was not easy for her to get up. Her news petticoat was torn out on the knee side. It was quite soiled and even had blood dots on it. Now she was back to normalcy as she looked up Somlo was quite in front of her laughing loudly. Suddenly Samu picked muddy lumps in her two hands and she threw on the very face of Somla was quite confused as he had dusty lumps on his eyes. He began to rub up his eyes and confused too. Samudi smeared some dust on her knees and palm, but due to severe injury she couldn’t run fast. Inwardly she prayed to her deity ‘Meladi’. It would be good enough to be on the main road side. However she could put in all her strength to be quite quick on her feet. Pushing forward. As she looked back Somlo was only five yards away. Once again she began to run with all her might. She went on repeating continuously name of her deity ‘Meladi’… Once again she had some kind of striking and she fell down. By now the nail of the right foot had gone off.. she tried to get up quickly, meanwhile Somlo reached there. She thought for a while that if she had s sickle, she would have cut off his head. Suddenly she tookout silver thick ring from one of her feet and banged it on the very face of Somla but… But… She couldn’t say any more, her voice choked up. But one may imagine due her tearful eyes. Then she showed the way her knees and left hand palm were severely bruised. Shantaaunty said: Samu, dear, don’t tell anyone about this event. Samu said: “I told my father that I had slipped off from the hillock.” After two or three days, there used to be terrible smell from that unused well of the outskirts. There was a dead body in inverse position! Unused well water seemed to be stuck up with layers of mess, seemed be quite dark reddened. None could stand there for a second due to decomposing of the body. Vultures were hovering in the sky as if waiting for someone to taking out of that decomposed body. It was taken out. Its decomposing was such confusing that it was not easy to reckon. Someone might have crushed the very face! There was glittering gold chain in the neck. There was a name of that square piece, if it were not so, it could have been quite tough too reckon. Jivo could reckon he was the same youth with whom Samudi had broken her betrothal – That was Somalo. Innumerable people had enemosity with Somla! Who could beat Somla! But what for! What had happened! All these questions were likely to be quite unanswered. Even the police couldn’t trace it. Those villagers had a question like this for all time! What might have happened?