SAMUDI/3
Once Shanta Aunty was very seriously ill. A doctor came on scooter from the city and gave a prick. But her fever was not normal. Harshad sat on a stool very close to her cot. Samudi used to keep on forehead a piece of cloth soaked in cold water as ice is hardly available in rural area and she sat nearby. There was no light due to some repairs on gridpoles; and the doctor came in a great hurry by the evening time and in a fit of some hurry the coverglass of the lantern had been broken by Samudi. So there was a very small flickering kerosene lamp in the room. Shanta Aunty used to call it Tamtamiu! There were several fluttering shadows of different shapes on the wall. There was high fever. Harshad’s father was confused and he used to moving around in the house and his shadow used to be constantly changing. Due to stress one of the veins of his forehead was clearly visible in that lamp. Samudi had continued to keep on changing soaked piece of cloth in cold water yet there was hardly any notable change. After an hour or so Harshad checked up her fever. But there was some change in her fever. Due to high fever Shanta Aunty began to babble some thing. Harshad’s father went to postoffice to give a call to the doctor. Samudi continued to keep on changing soaked piece of cloth on the Aunty’s forehead. Now there was some kind of alertness on her face. Samu said slowly white keeping soaked piece of cloth on Shanta Aunty’s forehead, Harshadbhaee, take up, you may keep on soaked piece of cloth, (I just come in) ‘mu hamna aavoo soo.’ Samudi got down the stairs and went away. Due to wooden stair case, there was mixing up of jingling of Samudi’s and let and the howling of a forecious street dog. Then Samudi’s voice was heard driving away that dog. Then it was quiet. The whole village and wild area of the outskirts seem to be quiet. Steupfied. Sometime bellowing of some animal was heard or even a fox’s howling or spotted outlet was heard and then everything used to be motionless. Harshad continued to keep on soaked piece of cloth. It was quite windy. Therefore Shanta Aunty’s high breathing was not heard. But once again she started meaningless babbling little loudly. Currently it was quite windy compared to evening and suddenly that kerosene lamp had gone off. For a while that redtaper was visible in that darkness and its kerosene smoke was mixed up. One would unwilling inhale through nostrils. Shanta Aunty continued to babble perhaps it was a little more. Harshad was all alone at home. He was perplexed. Shanta Aunty body was too hot Harshad thought of taking a thermometer. To check up her fever. But currently that small kerosene lamp was off, and it was not possible to find out a matchbox without Samudi’s help. Harshad began to think – Oh God! It will be good if father returns soon after making a call… Now there was not possible to soak piece of cloth in cold water, as even pot water was hot. He got upto take some water from the pot: He moved ahead while ransacking. He dashed with a stool. Luckily he didn’t fall. As Samudi had left him all alone, he used abusive term at the back of his mind. Where was she? She couldn’t sit till his father’s return! All the times she keeps on saying ‘Shanta Faiba Shanta Faiba’. She wouldn’t get tired of it. She would pretend as if she used to be on her toes to nurse Shanta Faiba! If she had kept on cool soaked piece of cloth till Pa’s return! Ah, if she were to be by the side, someone would feel presence in the house. But how is it that Harshad didn’t strike to ask Samudi to stay on! He was upset. It was quite tough for him to go and have mere cold water and began to use soak piece of cloth. Shanta Faiba’s babbling was too much and even the very rhythm on breathing was changed. It would be good if father returns, doesn’t matter, if call is not responded. Meanwhile, faroff a lantern was visible! Ah! Papa might have got someone else’s lantern, but as it was nearby he realized that it was someone else. Oh God! It was not his father’s style of walking. There was someone else also walking speedily. But one could see the shadow only. It was Samudi’s shadow. Really, it was no one else but Samudi Thank God…! Samudi and a fellow with lantern came up. A witch doctor was summoned in Samudi’s community, if someone’s illness was uncurable. It was Samudi who called a witchdoctor at the mid-might hour! It was all dark night. All alone. By the time bright light was seen from the outskirts. It was the light of a scooter. Perhaps it could be a truck with onelight only, meanwhile noise of the scooter was heard. It was very near our house. His father was on the back seat of the doctor. The witch doctor was murmuring on seeing the witchdoctor, the doctor laughed at him. The witchdoctor was engrossed in his attempt. The doctor gave a prick and a few tablets and left. Even the witchdoctor collected a peacock feather, incense etc. and left the place. Samudi sat beside Shanta Faiba for the whole might. Her emersed eyes indicated deep rooted faith. Next day Shanta aunty was alright. Soon after Shanta Aunty’s recovery Samudi said: ‘Kal mon nai aavoo…. Mari boon kali aavse.’ (i.e. I shall not come but my sister Kali would come) Shanta Aunty won’t ask her about any reason, she would imagine firmly. Samudi had taken a vow to offer Goddess Maladi for speedy recovery of Shanta Aunty. She must fulfill it to go to deity. As soon as Harshad could recall at the back of his mind just as a bursting of a thorn on cactus – there used to be a question – what Nayna would ever take such a vow!