Poker of the patriarch
In an ancient land of Sindhusthan, he was the lord. He liked singing songs that created titillation in his poker and he admired his waking up father turning inside his langot. At the acme of his popularity he decided to get himself immortalized. He chose iron as the material for making his statue but his ministers proved his wisdom a bit less thought. Iron may catch rust. And then iron could never look as ancient as a great king of his stature should appear like without appearing decadent from any angle. Court astrologers made a worldwide survey of the various arts of sculpture making in their star-studded chart and finally decided to have one, which combined the best of everywhere. Whatever was thought, planned, and decided by the court officials meant nothing unless the lord approved it. And lord’s decisions were made at the dead of the night when he lied sucking toes of some beauty and she milked him into drain. Standing poker meant all approved for the next day. And if the lord refused to budge on any decision everyone knew that last night his dog refused to budge. Some new wine, new singers, new paintings and some new beauties were sent to his regal lodge with a great hope of making the gradually defuncting poker work a few more days.
The lord stood at the height of some fifteen meters and his head was held high. flowing hair like a healthy horse’s mane was just heart snaring. His chest was bared with utmost care as not to expose the impatiently peeping ribs but show the immensity of his heart which could hold all the love and care of this world. The rest of the description may look tediously boring so let’s cut it short. He was just too much in love with his beloved poker and at no cost he was to separate from it. He wanted to have that as an integral part of his statue, standing there to command equal love, adoration and awe. While his athlete body was perfectly there to be copied, his poker was putting some strain on the artist’s imagination. No one could have pointed a single snag in the whole body he had made so far. But this poker thing! He sucked all the fingers in his both hands but still without any clue. He dared not ask anyone what he needed to proceed with the same perfection. And as most of the self proclaimed artists have the enigmatic craziness for originality, he was also too reluctant to proceed with his work unless having a detailed view of the lords poker. After several rounds of meeting in the dead of the night, leaving their wives at the mercy of some unseen but expected bed-rockers, the ministers decided to tell this problem to the lord. They just decided to hold it till the opportune day. They just waited for some favourable night. Unfortunately, neither was budging.
Artists can reach beyond the reaches of the sunlight. Poor chap cursed whoever was the maxim maker every time some one repeated It before him. only imaginative peple can understand the imaginary boundaries of imagination. He always murmured with exhaling like some watered oven. Where to get the required details for making the poker. He approached all the discarded pieces of beauties from the lords lodge. But every time he got some different idea about by now the most haunting and dreaded thing. Some went on to say that he did not even have any. Some just scratched their head as if trying to remember how many times they went to pee without feeling any urgency and then declared in an unburdening tone that he had something looking like some inverted spoon. Some just yawned and said that it was like the bottom head of a bamboo stick. One told that his was like a dancing fish which is actually suffering in the absence of water and dies in a few moments. And then just stale and stuffy outside the cavern.
Even lords get worried. Mortality makes them vulnerable to commonality. Moreover, the most effective immunity against such a common fate was still not in effect. All tried in every possible way to establish some authentic ground on which the statue can get the finality of perfection, but all for almost no result. The image of the object that the artist had to copy was still not clear . and the lord was not getting his poker correct for the last many months. No new supply was proving effective enough to affect his these days defunct poker. Finally, they gave over to technology when nature failed to help.
The artist was very busy drawing all the possible sorts of positions that could fit the lords fantasy. He took several models fitting various postures as discussed in multiple techno-philosophical, bio- technological and other scholarly texts coming from different ethno-racial sources. Everyone felt impressed by his assiduous effort and irritated by his still dissatisfied artistic satisfaction. the lord was cursing his courtiers, the artists and time. The courtiers were cursing the artist and time. The artist was cursing the bloody illusive poker that was not revealing its true image. Pokerless lord kept waiting in the open and the white cloth wrapped around his waist could not hide the absence of that cloth-elevating object. The moon changed its position every night.
One night the artist woke with some bestial noise coming from the regal lodge. he smiled . it was pleasant to his ears. he just threw some clothes over himself and ran towards the sound. The long chain of heaving and moaning could end with an orgasmic cry of despair and he did not want to loose that moment. Magnitude of the lordship at its best before it starts shrinking up again.. he pushed the door in a rush and it opened with a pull. He collided with a beauty just in her natural garb and a shriek pierced into his ears and through it into him. he felt his package humiliating mauled. The beauty leapt away without giving another glimpse.
The lord was standing near his bed with his poker still and erect, making an angle of around sixty degrees at his waist. Muscles of his butt were tense, he was biting his lips and his eyes were closed. Blood was trickling down, in inches, from the top of his poker. The artist measured the length and the angle and ran out that very moment to accomplish the long-waiting job.
People still tell the story of a mad artist who roams naked at night. Who reincarnated the great lord in his superbly built statue. The lord with his blood oozing poker is still a secret cult god of all the womanizers who perform their antics n the dead of night. As story goes, the lord died after receiving a mortal injury. He was hunting in the forest I a full moon night when a tigress attacked him from behind. Even though taken by surprise, the lord thrust his spear into his adversary’s chest. Unfortunately, he held the spear on the wrong side as the bottom side was turned at the tigress and the head was at him. The jumping tigress hit against the butt and the sharp spear tore his chest apart. A defiant roar came from his mouth and frightened the whole forest and the tigress also ran away.
His statue stands with his poker pointing to the heaven. It is in divine communion with the divine powers and whenever Sindhusthan is felt to be in any kind of problem the priests perform an appeasing and pleasing ritual which restores the earlier peace and calm. While two musicians are playing trumpet and vina respectively, priests wash the poker of the lord with sacred water and then offer fresh hymenal blood mixed with the writhing pain of the sacrificed virgin. It is believed that the lord kept penetrating hymens even until he lost his appetite for food, sense of natural calls, desire of being in this world and all the rest. It was the perfection of the performance of the royal duties and the bloodstain on his poker symbolizes the perpetual proliferation of nature’s fertility. Foreign attack or famine or any other calamity can be averted by pleasing the lord. Every true patriarch of this Sindhusthan wears a garland of miniature pokers, made after the model of the poker of the lord, and it keeps his poker working and dominating his women.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
SALMA AGHA
SALMA AGHA
dil ke arman ansuon main beh gaye,
hum vafa kar ke tanha reh gaye.
zindgi ik pyas ban kar reh gayi,
pyar ke kisse adhure reh gaye .
hum vafa kar ke tanha reh gaye
dil ke arman ansuon main beh gaye-2
sayad unka aakhri ho yeh sitam,
har sitam ye soch kar hi seh gaye.
khud ko bhi hamne mita dala magar..
faasle jo darmian se reh gaye...
some unknown hand wrote down these lines and besides many things which remain, often, away from common men’s knowledge, Salma Agha immortalized them in her voice . Filtering through or trickling through, a bit tricky to decide which is right, these lines entered the You Tube.
Music has some mysterious relation with human mind. I would have used ‘heart’ but many doctors are advising against this. Science is moving forward and upward.
Immediate response was the first expected thing and it happened. The Zaheer Ahmed wrote. I cannot stop listening this music. Urdu is such a beautiful language and the voice is just amazing.
Everyone knows that NIKAH was a Bollywood film and no one can mistake while guessing its location. Fine, it might be just some confusion. Some misunderstanding of history. VinayShivlal responded with paternal correction. This is hindi dude,not urdu.
Some came around with immense liking for the music but some problem with the language. Some blamed the song of being burdened with Persian. But it was with the lyric. Music was just sublime. Some one was sighing like a hot furnace. Beautiful poetry.... finds its way straight into heart....rather a beautiful dialogue between a hopeful heart and a broken heart... wonder what happens next in such a situation.
Jenab added :
Fazaa: Atmosphere, Environment
Ravaan: Move, Flow, Soul, Life
Samaa: The heavens, sky, firmament; a canopy; height, altitude, meridian, highest or uppermost part (of anything), culminating point, prime, spring.
Qaafila: Caravan
Bikhar: Scatter
Wafa: Fulfilling A Promise, Fulfillment, Fidelity, Faithful, Sincerity, Sufficiency
Qurbatein: Closeness, Nearness, Together, (Plural of Qurbat)
Visaal: Death, Meeting, Union
The zaheer ahmed probably woke up to find that some important changes had turned the course of thought and an essential issue remained unsettled. He rolled things back in order to carry them forward.
The film is called Nikah, which in Urdu means Marriage Ceremony - no part of this film is Hindi, all the words are Urdu language. Typical Hindu! in your hatred for Pakistan and Urdu every thing that You admire is Hindi and the rest is Urdu.
Sleeves must have come up.
Quasim streched his eyes to explore some more ditches of history . and his gravity was unmistakable. Before we were British India and before that the Mughals made what is today known as India, India was never a nation state. In fact most of Pakistan belonged to Iran until Alexander the great made it part of the Hellenistic empire. However, we have a shared history that’s for sure and a lot of good art and architecture came out of that ,as did literature, dance and food. to deny this is to be blind.yet we have our own unique culture too.each province, each village!
persian and urdu both belong to indo european language, thats all. yes we have persian influence but we also have turkish,arabic and of course sanskrit and hindi.
History was witnessing its making. No error should stain our role in its making. The worst part of history is that we don’t have a say in this. But that is our predecessors’ mistake. In this age of technologically democratized world one should not miss any chance of correcting or makng the history. Drills were going on. Salma is a paki. But she made her carrer in india. Some discovered that she was a sister of Rajkapoor. The immense love was creatin an enormous amount of pressure on both the parties as salma was becoming heavier and heavier. Quasim 65 came veilding a pin in his hand to diffuse the tension. yes she is pakistani but cut the crap.not all indians are aryans and south pakistan has aryans too.
Much as I commend the noble intent behind your words, I think credit must be given where it is due. Let’s preserve the individuality and co-exist rather than trying to fuse into "one". Hindu and Muslims are different and yet they CAN co-exist with affinity. Salma Agha is Pakistani and not too Indian. We'd be hard pressed to find any Dravidian roots in her. What endears and unites her and others to each other is music, talent and "the eye of the beholder". Rather a simple concept, really.
In some other corner of the world some one was quite unaware of this urgency of the situation and unable to appreciate the noble mission of setting the historical records straight.
people i beg you all,please forget about hindu-muslim crap.we all are one.i love this song like i love my life,salma aga is as much indian as she's paki.she's my fav,nobody else cud have sung this song the way it is.absolutely amazing......NO WORDS.....never had:)
several chukling sounds echoed on this naïve request. World is not merely for such trivial
things like pleasure, amazement other innocent ga ga gas. It’s the serious jobs as of theirs that keep it going. And they were doing it.
Someone bursted in with a deafening voice. Watt u sons of fucking bitches mother fuckers go and fuck ur sisters asses . its better than liking the stinking cunt of that paki whore while sitting in india. A sudden silence . it continued. The stormy course of history halted for a moment to see the immensity of this torrential outburst. And then it changed its cource.
On this new course new events were happening to guide and protect the history. Aftab had a sheet in his hand. Nice song But I hate this women. She is a home breaker. She destroyed Mahmood Sipra's house and then Javed Sheikh’s house. Both the men divorced their wives becasue of this Two dollar Whore. She is the kind of women who will do anything for money. That’s why I hate this Bitch.
Some one was more worried. He had seen an interview of salma on you tube and the anchor, a cracking masculine voice, was pouring all his humility on her while addressing her as the asset of the land.
what a shame, now under a corrupt General we are putting kanjars as our assets..........no wonder we as a nation are going down the drain...
Again the things were contextualized on the sub continental level but in an oblique manner.
Kanjroon ka kia hota hai jo marzi bulwa lo are yeh to mazze mein thee abb haal hee mein iss kee cousins daikh lo Karina & Karishma from bollywood
Someone was making another point.
Well we call this performing arts. There is nothing with to dance and sing. Its an art. Only our backward and stupid religion tells us that we should not dance or sing. Kanjar are also children of God. So dont throw stones when you live in glass house yourself.
Dins were echoing sometimes in ding dong and sometimes in silence.
Across the wall another salma was singing in a music reality show. Some bengali song on some Bangladeshi channel. Someone smiled with compassion and sent an advice.
Yaar Bina Chain Kahan Re Yaar Bina Chain Kahan Re Sona Nahin Chandi Nahin Yaar to Mila Chal Pyar Kar Le...stop copying songs silly cow .
Reply came quite close to the heels.
this song is our folk song and older than 100 yrs.Yaar bina chaen kaha re was tuned by Bappi Lahiri and it was sung by Runa Laila of Bangladesh.U may know Bappi Lahiri’s old home is Bangladesh,he might've copied from here or the tune worked in d back of his mind while making Pyaar bina chaen even RD Burma and SD Burman were in Bangladesh and their old home are still in Comilla Bagnladesh. we gifted to India for them you are proud now so see back past brother.
Some old voices were still wandering in search of some empathy. Finally, they sat on their bottom, waiting for some sympathetic touch of warmth.
Adiba had seen Nikah, the film, and felt moved by it. She appreciated its effort to give women some voice. At least on the silver screen. Commendable job for its period and also quite inspiring.
It is not a slap on Islam but rather how some people misuse divorce laws for their own ends; it's not about Islam abusing women but men abusing Islam against women. ABCDE had cried-
i dont understand ur comments. there is nothing 2 do with religion or so. It’s just d love for music we come here n listen or upload our favorite songs here....so just enjoy music n give positive comments.....Allah hafiz .
dil ke arman ansuon main beh gaye,
hum vafa kar ke tanha reh gaye.
zindgi ik pyas ban kar reh gayi,
pyar ke kisse adhure reh gaye .
hum vafa kar ke tanha reh gaye
dil ke arman ansuon main beh gaye-2
sayad unka aakhri ho yeh sitam,
har sitam ye soch kar hi seh gaye.
khud ko bhi hamne mita dala magar..
faasle jo darmian se reh gaye...
some unknown hand wrote down these lines and besides many things which remain, often, away from common men’s knowledge, Salma Agha immortalized them in her voice . Filtering through or trickling through, a bit tricky to decide which is right, these lines entered the You Tube.
Music has some mysterious relation with human mind. I would have used ‘heart’ but many doctors are advising against this. Science is moving forward and upward.
Immediate response was the first expected thing and it happened. The Zaheer Ahmed wrote. I cannot stop listening this music. Urdu is such a beautiful language and the voice is just amazing.
Everyone knows that NIKAH was a Bollywood film and no one can mistake while guessing its location. Fine, it might be just some confusion. Some misunderstanding of history. VinayShivlal responded with paternal correction. This is hindi dude,not urdu.
Some came around with immense liking for the music but some problem with the language. Some blamed the song of being burdened with Persian. But it was with the lyric. Music was just sublime. Some one was sighing like a hot furnace. Beautiful poetry.... finds its way straight into heart....rather a beautiful dialogue between a hopeful heart and a broken heart... wonder what happens next in such a situation.
Jenab added :
Fazaa: Atmosphere, Environment
Ravaan: Move, Flow, Soul, Life
Samaa: The heavens, sky, firmament; a canopy; height, altitude, meridian, highest or uppermost part (of anything), culminating point, prime, spring.
Qaafila: Caravan
Bikhar: Scatter
Wafa: Fulfilling A Promise, Fulfillment, Fidelity, Faithful, Sincerity, Sufficiency
Qurbatein: Closeness, Nearness, Together, (Plural of Qurbat)
Visaal: Death, Meeting, Union
The zaheer ahmed probably woke up to find that some important changes had turned the course of thought and an essential issue remained unsettled. He rolled things back in order to carry them forward.
The film is called Nikah, which in Urdu means Marriage Ceremony - no part of this film is Hindi, all the words are Urdu language. Typical Hindu! in your hatred for Pakistan and Urdu every thing that You admire is Hindi and the rest is Urdu.
Sleeves must have come up.
Quasim streched his eyes to explore some more ditches of history . and his gravity was unmistakable. Before we were British India and before that the Mughals made what is today known as India, India was never a nation state. In fact most of Pakistan belonged to Iran until Alexander the great made it part of the Hellenistic empire. However, we have a shared history that’s for sure and a lot of good art and architecture came out of that ,as did literature, dance and food. to deny this is to be blind.yet we have our own unique culture too.each province, each village!
persian and urdu both belong to indo european language, thats all. yes we have persian influence but we also have turkish,arabic and of course sanskrit and hindi.
History was witnessing its making. No error should stain our role in its making. The worst part of history is that we don’t have a say in this. But that is our predecessors’ mistake. In this age of technologically democratized world one should not miss any chance of correcting or makng the history. Drills were going on. Salma is a paki. But she made her carrer in india. Some discovered that she was a sister of Rajkapoor. The immense love was creatin an enormous amount of pressure on both the parties as salma was becoming heavier and heavier. Quasim 65 came veilding a pin in his hand to diffuse the tension. yes she is pakistani but cut the crap.not all indians are aryans and south pakistan has aryans too.
Much as I commend the noble intent behind your words, I think credit must be given where it is due. Let’s preserve the individuality and co-exist rather than trying to fuse into "one". Hindu and Muslims are different and yet they CAN co-exist with affinity. Salma Agha is Pakistani and not too Indian. We'd be hard pressed to find any Dravidian roots in her. What endears and unites her and others to each other is music, talent and "the eye of the beholder". Rather a simple concept, really.
In some other corner of the world some one was quite unaware of this urgency of the situation and unable to appreciate the noble mission of setting the historical records straight.
people i beg you all,please forget about hindu-muslim crap.we all are one.i love this song like i love my life,salma aga is as much indian as she's paki.she's my fav,nobody else cud have sung this song the way it is.absolutely amazing......NO WORDS.....never had:)
several chukling sounds echoed on this naïve request. World is not merely for such trivial
things like pleasure, amazement other innocent ga ga gas. It’s the serious jobs as of theirs that keep it going. And they were doing it.
Someone bursted in with a deafening voice. Watt u sons of fucking bitches mother fuckers go and fuck ur sisters asses . its better than liking the stinking cunt of that paki whore while sitting in india. A sudden silence . it continued. The stormy course of history halted for a moment to see the immensity of this torrential outburst. And then it changed its cource.
On this new course new events were happening to guide and protect the history. Aftab had a sheet in his hand. Nice song But I hate this women. She is a home breaker. She destroyed Mahmood Sipra's house and then Javed Sheikh’s house. Both the men divorced their wives becasue of this Two dollar Whore. She is the kind of women who will do anything for money. That’s why I hate this Bitch.
Some one was more worried. He had seen an interview of salma on you tube and the anchor, a cracking masculine voice, was pouring all his humility on her while addressing her as the asset of the land.
what a shame, now under a corrupt General we are putting kanjars as our assets..........no wonder we as a nation are going down the drain...
Again the things were contextualized on the sub continental level but in an oblique manner.
Kanjroon ka kia hota hai jo marzi bulwa lo are yeh to mazze mein thee abb haal hee mein iss kee cousins daikh lo Karina & Karishma from bollywood
Someone was making another point.
Well we call this performing arts. There is nothing with to dance and sing. Its an art. Only our backward and stupid religion tells us that we should not dance or sing. Kanjar are also children of God. So dont throw stones when you live in glass house yourself.
Dins were echoing sometimes in ding dong and sometimes in silence.
Across the wall another salma was singing in a music reality show. Some bengali song on some Bangladeshi channel. Someone smiled with compassion and sent an advice.
Yaar Bina Chain Kahan Re Yaar Bina Chain Kahan Re Sona Nahin Chandi Nahin Yaar to Mila Chal Pyar Kar Le...stop copying songs silly cow .
Reply came quite close to the heels.
this song is our folk song and older than 100 yrs.Yaar bina chaen kaha re was tuned by Bappi Lahiri and it was sung by Runa Laila of Bangladesh.U may know Bappi Lahiri’s old home is Bangladesh,he might've copied from here or the tune worked in d back of his mind while making Pyaar bina chaen even RD Burma and SD Burman were in Bangladesh and their old home are still in Comilla Bagnladesh. we gifted to India for them you are proud now so see back past brother.
Some old voices were still wandering in search of some empathy. Finally, they sat on their bottom, waiting for some sympathetic touch of warmth.
Adiba had seen Nikah, the film, and felt moved by it. She appreciated its effort to give women some voice. At least on the silver screen. Commendable job for its period and also quite inspiring.
It is not a slap on Islam but rather how some people misuse divorce laws for their own ends; it's not about Islam abusing women but men abusing Islam against women. ABCDE had cried-
i dont understand ur comments. there is nothing 2 do with religion or so. It’s just d love for music we come here n listen or upload our favorite songs here....so just enjoy music n give positive comments.....Allah hafiz .
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
हम
हम छी एक टा खाली घैला ...
ताप संतिप्त , व्याकुल जननी के
कर्महीन , जलरहित जलधर।
जीवन के संग्राम में भटकैत
कउनु लोहित रहित जीवित धर।
घस्कैत ,तृष्णा, शुष्क ठोर सब
हमरा जीवित बुझी आबै छैथ ;
पाबि के हमरो ओतबे व्याकुल
मुंह मोरि गरियाबाई छैथ ।
हमहूँ घुराकलौं उही मुंह के
जिम्हर हरियर देलक देखाय;
रास्ता में देखनाहर हंसला
खली घैला धन्कल जाय।
हरियरी के जैर में बैठ के
सांप बजल आबू यजमान !
ई सब पुलकित जीव सब जेकाँ
अहूँ करू ई अमृत पान ।
एखनोऊ हम छी खाली घैला ,
कानू के व्यस्त कंसार में;
अप्पन सफल उपयोग करबैत
ई उपयोग जनल संसार में ।
ताप संतिप्त , व्याकुल जननी के
कर्महीन , जलरहित जलधर।
जीवन के संग्राम में भटकैत
कउनु लोहित रहित जीवित धर।
घस्कैत ,तृष्णा, शुष्क ठोर सब
हमरा जीवित बुझी आबै छैथ ;
पाबि के हमरो ओतबे व्याकुल
मुंह मोरि गरियाबाई छैथ ।
हमहूँ घुराकलौं उही मुंह के
जिम्हर हरियर देलक देखाय;
रास्ता में देखनाहर हंसला
खली घैला धन्कल जाय।
हरियरी के जैर में बैठ के
सांप बजल आबू यजमान !
ई सब पुलकित जीव सब जेकाँ
अहूँ करू ई अमृत पान ।
एखनोऊ हम छी खाली घैला ,
कानू के व्यस्त कंसार में;
अप्पन सफल उपयोग करबैत
ई उपयोग जनल संसार में ।
Saturday, January 3, 2009
BONFIRE
Bone fire
Aahh…yo…aah…yoo…ah….yyooo…come on..
Hey da role some grass…just baby wait a minute…hey dude do it quick…just baby…hey move a bit…hi Sid how u chap…new glasses oooohhh…mast man…aahh…yo…aah…yoo…ah…yyooo…yupp me back and now say what were you asking?
Sam your documentation is awesome man! How did you do it? I mean it’s just awesome…brilliant…moving. I love you for this bastard. What a charming natural setting. Awesomely beautiful scenery…oh what a…
Samresh was having a really big drag that just kept on going and going and going while all possible compliments candied with most charming words showered over his chest and flowed from Shweta’s mouth and showered over Sam’s face and kept flowing. Bonfire was burning and the flames were leaping into air and coming back to spring again and music was filling every heart with some energy that moved all feet with the rhythms changing with the changing tracks and demands and the whole atmosphere was bathed in the alcoholic aroma that had its sacred resources in those many beautifully moulded bottles bearing various labels and various flavours and tastes and fragrance and everything else.
You know I got this grass from there only. It’s dirt cheap there you know. They have cheelum in which you can stuff larger amount of grass and a single drag is enough to fill you inside and outside both. Look at this guy! Sam stopped the video suddenly and dragged his browser to a particular face. Look this man can make this much big flame rise from his cheelum in the very first drag. Sam waved his palm in air to denote the rising flame. And it is really difficult to do so in the very first you know. It’s not even properly lit and grass takes some time to catch fire. Man he was just awesome with his cheelum…Ohh damn! At least four or five faces were looking at his face and experiencing the same awe as if the person was performing the wonderful feat right in front of them. Video was running again. Samresh was holding his glass of whisky. Shweta had her beer can that she took to her lips and removed again after having a sip and her eyes were fixed upon the video. Music was playing and many bodies were following the rhythm, jerking their body and waving their hands holding glasses or cigarettes or both and bonfire was fed with some fresh wood by that guy who again shifted himself into a distant corner and wrapped his shawl around which was holed by rats and the catering owner had promised to give another one in a few days. Shweta had removed the headphone from her ears and was calling for Sam. He was just busy in rolling another. His friends had got some stuff. In full excitement he came to her and told look this is the stuff I simply love. I had got some with me when I went to shoot this documentary and you know men just fell for it. Hey something funny now. You know those people rub tobacco and the dust that remains they sniff it and sneeze and sniff again. Their nostrils glisten with that sticky stuff…owwwh it was disgusting. I don’t know how they did it. And now my part. I showed them this stuff and asked if they wanted to sniff this. And they started laughing upon me. Said that that tobacco dust was medicine for their nose when it gets stuck with goo and this powder... You know they thought this stuff to be powder and said their women can use it but it is so little. Blockheads…simple blockheads. And then I explained everything to them. And you know once they were in they were in. they were just dying to have another sniff but I had no more. They bought my promise for more when I come again. And look they gifted me this much grass. Sam waved his palm in the air to show the quantity he received for his promise. Hey Sam it’s not fair man. You must give us some. Jaggy was showing all his front teeth as his eyes were almost closed after sipping a bitter drink. Fuck..Fuck…fuck…I think I changed my drink with somebody. He is always a late reactor. Sam and Shweta and Pal and Addy, all were laughing as Jaggy was swaying his body up and down and side and side and uttering the same four-lettered fashionable taboo word with increasing vehemence. And suddenly he ran towards a corner and holding his chest with one hand and another supporting against the wall he was puking once twice and thrice…and …and…
Water! Just one gulp and stop. Sam was holding a glass of water, Pal was stroking his back, and Shweta was saying something and sitting at some distance that shawled boy also murmured something. Music was high and bonfire was high and party was on. All were back. Shweta was watching that video and Sam was sitting, explaining certain things and jaggy was also watching that video. Addy was back into the rocking group and Pal was rolling another one and Sam was sipping from his peg and talking with Shweta and Jaggy and Pal. It’s quite a dismal scene there. I mean it’s just poverty, hunger, starvation and you know it’s just like some hell. Thankfully, I carried that much water and food. Still I had to travel back with my whole group to the nearest town, which was at least hundred kilometers. I cannot believe how one can drink that water or eat that food. Sam took another sip, his peg was finished, and he took another from pal’s hand. Rolled grass was also in his hand. Shweta just shifted a bit closer to him and Jaggy was feeling sleepy so he went to sleep. I think Paul sir will be very happy with your work this time. It is really brilliant and can move any heart. Shweta’s remark drew Sam’s attention to her as he was looking at a girl standing in a corner of that video still. He is a damned bastard. Even this time you know he will begin with oh Sam this is really a brilliant video but dubbing part is not up to level. It does not create the vibes you know. This word doesn’t go with the scene and this doesn’t give the shocking effect what is needed and then just add some more idyllic flavour. Usually this goes with general image of these sorts of rural lives. And blah… blah… blah…blupp.
She was just laughing and laughing and laughing and he was also. Anyway, who is this woman? Shweta had noticed that woman standing in that corner. A real bitch. Sam’s tone was unusual here. And Shweta noted that. She put the video on move and soon both were engrossed in the various aspects of that documentary. It had crooked legs, shrunk chests, ballooned bellies, and bulging eyes. And parallel to it ran the dubbed sound narrating the story of their poverty and diseases and superstitions. A narrative of malnutritioned maternity and irresponsible males and the oral stats of pregnancy deaths followed the hanging breasts of women covered in a strange manner that left them almost showing. How can they do this? It’s brutish I mean they simply fuck their wives into pregnancy and then leave them to rot. Bastards. Sam caressed her back above the jacket and under her jacket and cooled her. They are just like that. Almost savages. Video was running and they sat close to each other and they were so close that when they spoke they felt the warmth. Look this is a ritual that they perform with musical accompaniments. Is this a music? All those naked men howling their lungs out! One minute. Sam how can you appreciate this music that is no music at all? It’s just howling and howling and howling. Just jumping around the fire, swaying the body in such weird ways, and making these howling noise. Shweta had taken off the headphone and rested her head on his shoulder. And what these women are doing there? Standing like zombies.
It is a part of their belief. They believe that these men have got some divine spirit and whatever they are chanting are supposed to be divine sounds. It brings fertility to their land and their cattle and their women. And unmarried get husbands very quick. How dumb! Shweta felt indignant at the wretched condition of her sex and hurled as many stones as possible by the time sam switched off his laptop and put it into his car.
Bonfire was leaping into the sky, the bodies were jerking with the music’s rhythm, and that guy had fed it with some more woods and shweta stood there, waiting for sam to come. He had already taken off his jacket and now shweta also did the same and both joined the dance around that bonfire. It was some Brazilian band’s track, all bodies were swaying this way and that way, and sam and shweta were close again, feeling each other and determined to evade any distance that could creep between their bodies.
I will miss this campus very much. These bonfires, these parties, and these friends. You know journalism was my dream career and I swear this college proved to be my dream college. Just exclude the creepy teachers and it was the best place. I hope this documentary will prove a good project work. His hands were following his instincts and moving through and exploring her body. She was caressing his back and holding his hair and stroking his chest. I believe it is the best portrayal of rural poverty and backwardness and no one can see as closely. Words were flowing this way and that way, music was flowing all around, drinks were still flowing from bottles into glasses and from glasses into all the mouths and lungs, and alchoholic aroma were flowing from every mouth, as there were several aaahh…yyoo… ye…aah…yoo...yae…and whistles and shouts and whistles.
Our last wild time in this college. Both sighed. Do you want to be a bit wilder? Sam looked into her eyes as if trying to read her answer in her eyes. Fire leapt higher and higher and higher. Fire was surrounded by a thick and still growing cover of fog and at some distance from all this…
Don’t worry I have got pills.
Thank god.
The shawled guy rose again as he had to feed the bonfire.
It was leaping again into the sky and music was getting wild and people around were getting wilder and that guy shifted to another corner now. He was just waiting this party to get over. Someone may be waiting for him…probably outside this college campus…at his lodging place…or far away at a place where he might have left his wife when coming to this distant city of hopes and dreams.
I stood there, looking at this wild night and remembering many such wild and wilder nights from the past and thinking about the many that are to come and felt the warmth of leaping bonfire and jerking bodies and intertwined wildness and…and his shawl as he sat against my wall, murmuring something. I heard the music of machine and music of soul, music of flesh and music of love, music of orgasm and music of arousal, music of enlightened despair and music of blind hope. I still stand there witnessing similar nights.
Aahh…yo…aah…yoo…ah….yyooo…come on..
Hey da role some grass…just baby wait a minute…hey dude do it quick…just baby…hey move a bit…hi Sid how u chap…new glasses oooohhh…mast man…aahh…yo…aah…yoo…ah…yyooo…yupp me back and now say what were you asking?
Sam your documentation is awesome man! How did you do it? I mean it’s just awesome…brilliant…moving. I love you for this bastard. What a charming natural setting. Awesomely beautiful scenery…oh what a…
Samresh was having a really big drag that just kept on going and going and going while all possible compliments candied with most charming words showered over his chest and flowed from Shweta’s mouth and showered over Sam’s face and kept flowing. Bonfire was burning and the flames were leaping into air and coming back to spring again and music was filling every heart with some energy that moved all feet with the rhythms changing with the changing tracks and demands and the whole atmosphere was bathed in the alcoholic aroma that had its sacred resources in those many beautifully moulded bottles bearing various labels and various flavours and tastes and fragrance and everything else.
You know I got this grass from there only. It’s dirt cheap there you know. They have cheelum in which you can stuff larger amount of grass and a single drag is enough to fill you inside and outside both. Look at this guy! Sam stopped the video suddenly and dragged his browser to a particular face. Look this man can make this much big flame rise from his cheelum in the very first drag. Sam waved his palm in air to denote the rising flame. And it is really difficult to do so in the very first you know. It’s not even properly lit and grass takes some time to catch fire. Man he was just awesome with his cheelum…Ohh damn! At least four or five faces were looking at his face and experiencing the same awe as if the person was performing the wonderful feat right in front of them. Video was running again. Samresh was holding his glass of whisky. Shweta had her beer can that she took to her lips and removed again after having a sip and her eyes were fixed upon the video. Music was playing and many bodies were following the rhythm, jerking their body and waving their hands holding glasses or cigarettes or both and bonfire was fed with some fresh wood by that guy who again shifted himself into a distant corner and wrapped his shawl around which was holed by rats and the catering owner had promised to give another one in a few days. Shweta had removed the headphone from her ears and was calling for Sam. He was just busy in rolling another. His friends had got some stuff. In full excitement he came to her and told look this is the stuff I simply love. I had got some with me when I went to shoot this documentary and you know men just fell for it. Hey something funny now. You know those people rub tobacco and the dust that remains they sniff it and sneeze and sniff again. Their nostrils glisten with that sticky stuff…owwwh it was disgusting. I don’t know how they did it. And now my part. I showed them this stuff and asked if they wanted to sniff this. And they started laughing upon me. Said that that tobacco dust was medicine for their nose when it gets stuck with goo and this powder... You know they thought this stuff to be powder and said their women can use it but it is so little. Blockheads…simple blockheads. And then I explained everything to them. And you know once they were in they were in. they were just dying to have another sniff but I had no more. They bought my promise for more when I come again. And look they gifted me this much grass. Sam waved his palm in the air to show the quantity he received for his promise. Hey Sam it’s not fair man. You must give us some. Jaggy was showing all his front teeth as his eyes were almost closed after sipping a bitter drink. Fuck..Fuck…fuck…I think I changed my drink with somebody. He is always a late reactor. Sam and Shweta and Pal and Addy, all were laughing as Jaggy was swaying his body up and down and side and side and uttering the same four-lettered fashionable taboo word with increasing vehemence. And suddenly he ran towards a corner and holding his chest with one hand and another supporting against the wall he was puking once twice and thrice…and …and…
Water! Just one gulp and stop. Sam was holding a glass of water, Pal was stroking his back, and Shweta was saying something and sitting at some distance that shawled boy also murmured something. Music was high and bonfire was high and party was on. All were back. Shweta was watching that video and Sam was sitting, explaining certain things and jaggy was also watching that video. Addy was back into the rocking group and Pal was rolling another one and Sam was sipping from his peg and talking with Shweta and Jaggy and Pal. It’s quite a dismal scene there. I mean it’s just poverty, hunger, starvation and you know it’s just like some hell. Thankfully, I carried that much water and food. Still I had to travel back with my whole group to the nearest town, which was at least hundred kilometers. I cannot believe how one can drink that water or eat that food. Sam took another sip, his peg was finished, and he took another from pal’s hand. Rolled grass was also in his hand. Shweta just shifted a bit closer to him and Jaggy was feeling sleepy so he went to sleep. I think Paul sir will be very happy with your work this time. It is really brilliant and can move any heart. Shweta’s remark drew Sam’s attention to her as he was looking at a girl standing in a corner of that video still. He is a damned bastard. Even this time you know he will begin with oh Sam this is really a brilliant video but dubbing part is not up to level. It does not create the vibes you know. This word doesn’t go with the scene and this doesn’t give the shocking effect what is needed and then just add some more idyllic flavour. Usually this goes with general image of these sorts of rural lives. And blah… blah… blah…blupp.
She was just laughing and laughing and laughing and he was also. Anyway, who is this woman? Shweta had noticed that woman standing in that corner. A real bitch. Sam’s tone was unusual here. And Shweta noted that. She put the video on move and soon both were engrossed in the various aspects of that documentary. It had crooked legs, shrunk chests, ballooned bellies, and bulging eyes. And parallel to it ran the dubbed sound narrating the story of their poverty and diseases and superstitions. A narrative of malnutritioned maternity and irresponsible males and the oral stats of pregnancy deaths followed the hanging breasts of women covered in a strange manner that left them almost showing. How can they do this? It’s brutish I mean they simply fuck their wives into pregnancy and then leave them to rot. Bastards. Sam caressed her back above the jacket and under her jacket and cooled her. They are just like that. Almost savages. Video was running and they sat close to each other and they were so close that when they spoke they felt the warmth. Look this is a ritual that they perform with musical accompaniments. Is this a music? All those naked men howling their lungs out! One minute. Sam how can you appreciate this music that is no music at all? It’s just howling and howling and howling. Just jumping around the fire, swaying the body in such weird ways, and making these howling noise. Shweta had taken off the headphone and rested her head on his shoulder. And what these women are doing there? Standing like zombies.
It is a part of their belief. They believe that these men have got some divine spirit and whatever they are chanting are supposed to be divine sounds. It brings fertility to their land and their cattle and their women. And unmarried get husbands very quick. How dumb! Shweta felt indignant at the wretched condition of her sex and hurled as many stones as possible by the time sam switched off his laptop and put it into his car.
Bonfire was leaping into the sky, the bodies were jerking with the music’s rhythm, and that guy had fed it with some more woods and shweta stood there, waiting for sam to come. He had already taken off his jacket and now shweta also did the same and both joined the dance around that bonfire. It was some Brazilian band’s track, all bodies were swaying this way and that way, and sam and shweta were close again, feeling each other and determined to evade any distance that could creep between their bodies.
I will miss this campus very much. These bonfires, these parties, and these friends. You know journalism was my dream career and I swear this college proved to be my dream college. Just exclude the creepy teachers and it was the best place. I hope this documentary will prove a good project work. His hands were following his instincts and moving through and exploring her body. She was caressing his back and holding his hair and stroking his chest. I believe it is the best portrayal of rural poverty and backwardness and no one can see as closely. Words were flowing this way and that way, music was flowing all around, drinks were still flowing from bottles into glasses and from glasses into all the mouths and lungs, and alchoholic aroma were flowing from every mouth, as there were several aaahh…yyoo… ye…aah…yoo...yae…and whistles and shouts and whistles.
Our last wild time in this college. Both sighed. Do you want to be a bit wilder? Sam looked into her eyes as if trying to read her answer in her eyes. Fire leapt higher and higher and higher. Fire was surrounded by a thick and still growing cover of fog and at some distance from all this…
Don’t worry I have got pills.
Thank god.
The shawled guy rose again as he had to feed the bonfire.
It was leaping again into the sky and music was getting wild and people around were getting wilder and that guy shifted to another corner now. He was just waiting this party to get over. Someone may be waiting for him…probably outside this college campus…at his lodging place…or far away at a place where he might have left his wife when coming to this distant city of hopes and dreams.
I stood there, looking at this wild night and remembering many such wild and wilder nights from the past and thinking about the many that are to come and felt the warmth of leaping bonfire and jerking bodies and intertwined wildness and…and his shawl as he sat against my wall, murmuring something. I heard the music of machine and music of soul, music of flesh and music of love, music of orgasm and music of arousal, music of enlightened despair and music of blind hope. I still stand there witnessing similar nights.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
SITA RAVAN SAMVADAM
SITA RAVAN SAMVADAM
India can have the pride of calling itself the oldest civilization of this world in more than many regards. It’s very recently that I found another ground. So far we have seen journalism as a western gift to its less developed eastern counterparts. They were more liberal than us to allow secular and truth speaking journalism. But a recent recording that I found while rambling through the old archives of my great grandfather’s library has changed this perception, at least for me. People used to say that he had some magic devices. But they also blamed him for selling his soul to the evil forces. I was least concerned with all these. In fact I had lost my last wife’s letters (we are very recently divorced) and suspected that my new wife could have dumped them with those cockroach-infected scraps. My ex wife wrote in Hindi, my granda wrote in Sanskrit and my new wife writes in English. She does not know devnagri script and therefore for her all devnagri is the same alien scrap. It was during this search operation that I found this audio recording. It was labeled as SECRET. I was really curious to know this secret. I thought it to be my granda’s secret confessions of his extra marital relations or some steaming love scene. I had to buy a new audio system that could play that antique recording. Honestly it cost me a fortune to get that cassette played. It began with a typical Bollywood declaration and I got turned off. But the coming line was just like some sting operation and I became all attentive. I thought to make as many copies as possible because that audio could have been played only once. I took a pen and copy to jot it down. It began:
All the characters, locations and whatever the rest are fictional and have no conscious relation with any dead or living or imagined. Any such relation, even if imagined, will be foolish on the part of the person who notices it. Thank you.
A SUVALMIKI CREATION
SITA RAVAN SAMVADAM
(Ashok vatika. All the romantic flowers are there but not as important to be privileged over this divine dialogue between Sita and Ravan. A woman sitting under a tree and a hunk sort of man is talking to her. Many other women are standing beside him. I am just coming there. Not every journalist gets this opportunity to record a history in its making. I know it will sell for millions. And if some godly parties wish, even for more. I am here and now it goes.)
Ravan : this self torture is not getting you anything. My dear Sitey, why don’t you understand? I cannot bear this sight. The ivory carved body of yours is gradually melting down in hands of this rasviheen kal. Don’t be so ruthless with yourself. See this tamed lover is dying to hear just a single word from you. Just a single word of love. And you are so callous as not to grant even that.
Sita : and it is a single word Ravan , is not it? I can see what you wish me to speak. You want to hear “priyatam” and later it should be “swami”. I hope I have not misunderstood you. Any way, you are just the old type and a new face. I got you through your type.
And then I will have to lie where you wish me to. You will undress me and explore the contours with a victor’s gait. Hurrying along some lines and pausing at some points. Sometimes when you have got others beside me, I may be supposed to perform your hands on my body by myself and give your gazing eyes just another type of pleasure and satisfaction.
Ravan : sitey…
Sita : let me finish now. You wanted a word na. I am not dumb Ravan. I just did not feel like answering your fooling around. You want me to accept this heaven which lies at your feet. and look at your shoes which have led your to several such conquests. You got me by…
Ravan ( in a proud tone): it was not trickery in the way you term it. I defeated your husband in a contest of planning and you are my prize. I …
Sita (in a disdainful tone): I have got nothing to do with your planning contest or whatever. Subterfuge as wisdom in practice. You will love to have this sort of terming. Isn’t it? But what have I to accept or to refute? Practically nothing. I rule in a virtual world which , in fact, makes me to compromise in this real practical world. I am promised the future of a goddess or something equally divine. And I should be happy and content with that. A bow was broken and I was conquered. Curious I was for that magic stick but a painful encounter shook my faith. Bettering of the things was held as a promise and I retained myself at the seventh height. God knows what those promises could have been but a single episode changed the entire course. My father- in -law kept his manly vow and my husband was exiled. My step saas did whatever was within her capacity to secure the throne for her own son. And my husband took another vow. He will maintain brahmacharya during the exile. That night my maid cum friend had taught me
“Secret art of how to love longer;
Where to rush and where to linger.”
( Sita was pretty lost in her thought and time recollection and it became a sort of internal monologue with the only exception that it was aloud. Ravan too looked sympathetic and came closer. His eyes were lingering on her cleavage as it was exposed by the wind that carried away her aanchal. Sita was too lost to notice all this as she was rambling through her devastated memory lane, collecting bits and pieces and trying to form a narrative as she had got some spare time.)
I followed him through forests and rivers. I worshipped him like my lord as I was taught since my childhood days. A calm of wisdom on his face and his eyes made me to bow in reverence. Laxman was just a blessing. He got us all the delicacies that the forest offered. How delicious fruits and honey. Spreding over my lips and my tongue and my heart and my soul and … oh how I looked towards him! Like an eternally thirsty traveler looks at a distant pond. And he was busy in his prayers. Mirage, jus mirage. I cursed my already cursed life and felt the honey drying over my lips and making it slightly sticky and I tried to rub it away. I bled and my lips got even redder. But he never even kissed me. It was a manly vow and I was paying for it. I felt like being an alien to my body as it felt no sensation when I touched it. My own delicate fingers felt like a trespasser whenever I tried to explore my own bodily treasure. I was always sure that it was with me but how that it did not belong to me. I lingered where to linger and I lingered even where it was not needed. but for no good. I felt my sensation, my consciousness, my everything alienated from my own body. What was happening with me? Its true forests are infected by all sorts of black magic. But was it any different when in the palace? I don’t think so. He had moved his hands over my body and I felt a strange current passing all through. I did not know but he told that it was the sensation love brings. And I fell in love with him. yes he owned all the sensations of my body as he had named them. It was never different. Forest was an innocent victim of my anguished heart but I know it knew my heart. It remained the same friendly. Laxman brought honey and fruits and flowers. Yes, nothing was changing.
Ravan ( almost taking her in his arms): and I changed it.
(sita looks too shocked to react in anyway.) and I freed you from that prison of unchanging. Sitey I love you. See my arms are open to clasp you and fill your every pore with the nectar of love. I am a wreched beggar, begging in your court of love. Just open your treasure of love for a moment and my soul will be satisfied for the eternity. I am all saturated with an unyielding desire for your love and nothing less than your heart can be the remedy for me as I am tormented by the every moment of separation. Its not wise to starve your soul in this manner. Ram did not deserve you. And what that human weakling is when compared with me. Sita it is providene that wants you to be my beloved. All my queens will be your maids. I promise I will make you feel like a goddess.
Sita (stepping back and resuming the air of disdain) : sure Ravan. But I also know what goddesses mean. I have been a goddess before. And I was always taught how to fortify this goddess ness. How many years with the almost same lesson!And I took pride in my impenetrable purity. You were also present there. Do you remember? You must be. Your wounded pride when you failed to lift that barricade around my body. Surely it was just a barricade. Whoever manages to cross it. Barricade around a fort which I believed to be owning but in fact I never did. And Ram performed the feat. He lifted that rotten bow and tried to connect its ends with that bowstring. And it broke down. He failed to connect and he broke it. I had some apprehension since that time and finally it came true. And my fort stood on such a weak soil that he holed through it without any extraordinary effort. How foolish I was in erecting all those high walls around when the ground itself was so weak. But Ram again failed to connect. Some times it is bow and some times it is string. He could never connect with me. I knew the secret methods of connecting but his manly pride in his manly wisdom…oh. And then I was a conquered a fortress. I had no right to suggest something. And the day my maid taught me how to manage under such adversely configured circumstances this unseen and unsuspected thing happened. My father in law was a man of words, his son was ideal and obedient and me…what about me? I also followed him in a distant hope of connecting with him someday. They praised my decision as the duty of a good wife. Follow your husband in under any circumstances. only if they could have peeped inside my heart and tried to understand what I wanted. Not even my mothers in law had this mind. They were women. Oh! Why should I forget that my step saas had done all this for her son? Really, women never understand women. And men always misunderstand because it benefits them. But I will understand everyone because I have no secret designs. Its why I understand everyone now. ( suddenly turning to Ravan who has been walking behind her as she was walking around that ashoka tree while reflecting upon her past life.) I also understand what you mean by this goddess. (She looks towards all the women) all these women has been a goddess for you some time or other. Your warm breathings on their soft skins might have been the prayer of a devotee and your kisses like the offering of heads. And when you found her ready to welcome you, you entered. Wasn’t there always a conqueror’s smile when you heard
a shriek? You knew the goddess was penetrated to subjugation and you were the triumphant god. Say If I am wrong. I can see even now those past proud moments returning into your mind as your eyes are reflecting them. Why are acting so sincere to disguise your lechery? It shows Ravan. I am an already subjugated goddess you know. You cannot hide the things from me. And then what’s the use? I know what my welcome means for you. I can see my body acquiring a new meaning. Configuration is still the same. It is a site of conquest. Even now. But things are a bit changed. I am In a condition to negate this role. War and conquest are inevitable. In fact I want it more than anything else. But it will be like a transferred epithet. Fighting to conquer a body in a battleground. How do you feel now Ravan? You still love me? Want to offer any more prayers? I refuse to be your goddess and you fail to conquer me. I rejoice in this. One who could not connect with me and one whom I did not permit to connect. And both will fight. See what a penetrated goddess can do. I know am lost. But I had already lost and that too was long ago. Now I will revel in my lost territory. I will revel in my lost sensation. I will reve…
Ravan: it is horrible. I cannot believe my eyes. But it’s true. It’s horrible. ( he almost runs away from the place, still shouting) IT IS HORRIBLE…IT IS HORRIBLE.
(Sita is laughing with a maniac’s jest.) You will fight over a lost territory and shed your blood. Once it was my predicament and now it is yours. Neither can escape that. Ha…HA…HA…HA…HA… see the universe will still keep moving …moving in a circle. Don’t you feel that? See it is also moving beneath my legs. And also beneath you. Ha …ha…haa…war is coming…war over a lost territory. And you can not escape that.
(Ravan is running away. his palms are tight upon his ears. )
Sita is sitting with a dark woman. That woman is caressing her arm and she is playing with her hair. A loud ding is heard.)
That woman: this sound is horrible. I can feel something ominous. I …
(Sita puts her palm upon her lips and silences her.) let us just savour these calm and soothing moments. those dings happened long ago. Only the voice is coming now. Come closer a bit. Lets see some fun. She lies in her arms, it grows dark, and nothing could be seen. Only love was spread in the air like some never felt before aroma and I could not record that.)
I KNOW you must be feeling cheated of your quality time. It had nothing that dramatic what one finds in sting operation. In fact I too fell the same. And now I have got to explain to my wife how and why I spent that money. It was from her salary that I took this money to buy the audio player. Any way I am not worried. After all she is my wife. And just imagine if this becomes tomorrow’s BREAKING NEWS. Who knows. She will be kissing my hand and certainly whatever else I want her to. Let us see.
India can have the pride of calling itself the oldest civilization of this world in more than many regards. It’s very recently that I found another ground. So far we have seen journalism as a western gift to its less developed eastern counterparts. They were more liberal than us to allow secular and truth speaking journalism. But a recent recording that I found while rambling through the old archives of my great grandfather’s library has changed this perception, at least for me. People used to say that he had some magic devices. But they also blamed him for selling his soul to the evil forces. I was least concerned with all these. In fact I had lost my last wife’s letters (we are very recently divorced) and suspected that my new wife could have dumped them with those cockroach-infected scraps. My ex wife wrote in Hindi, my granda wrote in Sanskrit and my new wife writes in English. She does not know devnagri script and therefore for her all devnagri is the same alien scrap. It was during this search operation that I found this audio recording. It was labeled as SECRET. I was really curious to know this secret. I thought it to be my granda’s secret confessions of his extra marital relations or some steaming love scene. I had to buy a new audio system that could play that antique recording. Honestly it cost me a fortune to get that cassette played. It began with a typical Bollywood declaration and I got turned off. But the coming line was just like some sting operation and I became all attentive. I thought to make as many copies as possible because that audio could have been played only once. I took a pen and copy to jot it down. It began:
All the characters, locations and whatever the rest are fictional and have no conscious relation with any dead or living or imagined. Any such relation, even if imagined, will be foolish on the part of the person who notices it. Thank you.
A SUVALMIKI CREATION
SITA RAVAN SAMVADAM
(Ashok vatika. All the romantic flowers are there but not as important to be privileged over this divine dialogue between Sita and Ravan. A woman sitting under a tree and a hunk sort of man is talking to her. Many other women are standing beside him. I am just coming there. Not every journalist gets this opportunity to record a history in its making. I know it will sell for millions. And if some godly parties wish, even for more. I am here and now it goes.)
Ravan : this self torture is not getting you anything. My dear Sitey, why don’t you understand? I cannot bear this sight. The ivory carved body of yours is gradually melting down in hands of this rasviheen kal. Don’t be so ruthless with yourself. See this tamed lover is dying to hear just a single word from you. Just a single word of love. And you are so callous as not to grant even that.
Sita : and it is a single word Ravan , is not it? I can see what you wish me to speak. You want to hear “priyatam” and later it should be “swami”. I hope I have not misunderstood you. Any way, you are just the old type and a new face. I got you through your type.
And then I will have to lie where you wish me to. You will undress me and explore the contours with a victor’s gait. Hurrying along some lines and pausing at some points. Sometimes when you have got others beside me, I may be supposed to perform your hands on my body by myself and give your gazing eyes just another type of pleasure and satisfaction.
Ravan : sitey…
Sita : let me finish now. You wanted a word na. I am not dumb Ravan. I just did not feel like answering your fooling around. You want me to accept this heaven which lies at your feet. and look at your shoes which have led your to several such conquests. You got me by…
Ravan ( in a proud tone): it was not trickery in the way you term it. I defeated your husband in a contest of planning and you are my prize. I …
Sita (in a disdainful tone): I have got nothing to do with your planning contest or whatever. Subterfuge as wisdom in practice. You will love to have this sort of terming. Isn’t it? But what have I to accept or to refute? Practically nothing. I rule in a virtual world which , in fact, makes me to compromise in this real practical world. I am promised the future of a goddess or something equally divine. And I should be happy and content with that. A bow was broken and I was conquered. Curious I was for that magic stick but a painful encounter shook my faith. Bettering of the things was held as a promise and I retained myself at the seventh height. God knows what those promises could have been but a single episode changed the entire course. My father- in -law kept his manly vow and my husband was exiled. My step saas did whatever was within her capacity to secure the throne for her own son. And my husband took another vow. He will maintain brahmacharya during the exile. That night my maid cum friend had taught me
“Secret art of how to love longer;
Where to rush and where to linger.”
( Sita was pretty lost in her thought and time recollection and it became a sort of internal monologue with the only exception that it was aloud. Ravan too looked sympathetic and came closer. His eyes were lingering on her cleavage as it was exposed by the wind that carried away her aanchal. Sita was too lost to notice all this as she was rambling through her devastated memory lane, collecting bits and pieces and trying to form a narrative as she had got some spare time.)
I followed him through forests and rivers. I worshipped him like my lord as I was taught since my childhood days. A calm of wisdom on his face and his eyes made me to bow in reverence. Laxman was just a blessing. He got us all the delicacies that the forest offered. How delicious fruits and honey. Spreding over my lips and my tongue and my heart and my soul and … oh how I looked towards him! Like an eternally thirsty traveler looks at a distant pond. And he was busy in his prayers. Mirage, jus mirage. I cursed my already cursed life and felt the honey drying over my lips and making it slightly sticky and I tried to rub it away. I bled and my lips got even redder. But he never even kissed me. It was a manly vow and I was paying for it. I felt like being an alien to my body as it felt no sensation when I touched it. My own delicate fingers felt like a trespasser whenever I tried to explore my own bodily treasure. I was always sure that it was with me but how that it did not belong to me. I lingered where to linger and I lingered even where it was not needed. but for no good. I felt my sensation, my consciousness, my everything alienated from my own body. What was happening with me? Its true forests are infected by all sorts of black magic. But was it any different when in the palace? I don’t think so. He had moved his hands over my body and I felt a strange current passing all through. I did not know but he told that it was the sensation love brings. And I fell in love with him. yes he owned all the sensations of my body as he had named them. It was never different. Forest was an innocent victim of my anguished heart but I know it knew my heart. It remained the same friendly. Laxman brought honey and fruits and flowers. Yes, nothing was changing.
Ravan ( almost taking her in his arms): and I changed it.
(sita looks too shocked to react in anyway.) and I freed you from that prison of unchanging. Sitey I love you. See my arms are open to clasp you and fill your every pore with the nectar of love. I am a wreched beggar, begging in your court of love. Just open your treasure of love for a moment and my soul will be satisfied for the eternity. I am all saturated with an unyielding desire for your love and nothing less than your heart can be the remedy for me as I am tormented by the every moment of separation. Its not wise to starve your soul in this manner. Ram did not deserve you. And what that human weakling is when compared with me. Sita it is providene that wants you to be my beloved. All my queens will be your maids. I promise I will make you feel like a goddess.
Sita (stepping back and resuming the air of disdain) : sure Ravan. But I also know what goddesses mean. I have been a goddess before. And I was always taught how to fortify this goddess ness. How many years with the almost same lesson!And I took pride in my impenetrable purity. You were also present there. Do you remember? You must be. Your wounded pride when you failed to lift that barricade around my body. Surely it was just a barricade. Whoever manages to cross it. Barricade around a fort which I believed to be owning but in fact I never did. And Ram performed the feat. He lifted that rotten bow and tried to connect its ends with that bowstring. And it broke down. He failed to connect and he broke it. I had some apprehension since that time and finally it came true. And my fort stood on such a weak soil that he holed through it without any extraordinary effort. How foolish I was in erecting all those high walls around when the ground itself was so weak. But Ram again failed to connect. Some times it is bow and some times it is string. He could never connect with me. I knew the secret methods of connecting but his manly pride in his manly wisdom…oh. And then I was a conquered a fortress. I had no right to suggest something. And the day my maid taught me how to manage under such adversely configured circumstances this unseen and unsuspected thing happened. My father in law was a man of words, his son was ideal and obedient and me…what about me? I also followed him in a distant hope of connecting with him someday. They praised my decision as the duty of a good wife. Follow your husband in under any circumstances. only if they could have peeped inside my heart and tried to understand what I wanted. Not even my mothers in law had this mind. They were women. Oh! Why should I forget that my step saas had done all this for her son? Really, women never understand women. And men always misunderstand because it benefits them. But I will understand everyone because I have no secret designs. Its why I understand everyone now. ( suddenly turning to Ravan who has been walking behind her as she was walking around that ashoka tree while reflecting upon her past life.) I also understand what you mean by this goddess. (She looks towards all the women) all these women has been a goddess for you some time or other. Your warm breathings on their soft skins might have been the prayer of a devotee and your kisses like the offering of heads. And when you found her ready to welcome you, you entered. Wasn’t there always a conqueror’s smile when you heard
a shriek? You knew the goddess was penetrated to subjugation and you were the triumphant god. Say If I am wrong. I can see even now those past proud moments returning into your mind as your eyes are reflecting them. Why are acting so sincere to disguise your lechery? It shows Ravan. I am an already subjugated goddess you know. You cannot hide the things from me. And then what’s the use? I know what my welcome means for you. I can see my body acquiring a new meaning. Configuration is still the same. It is a site of conquest. Even now. But things are a bit changed. I am In a condition to negate this role. War and conquest are inevitable. In fact I want it more than anything else. But it will be like a transferred epithet. Fighting to conquer a body in a battleground. How do you feel now Ravan? You still love me? Want to offer any more prayers? I refuse to be your goddess and you fail to conquer me. I rejoice in this. One who could not connect with me and one whom I did not permit to connect. And both will fight. See what a penetrated goddess can do. I know am lost. But I had already lost and that too was long ago. Now I will revel in my lost territory. I will revel in my lost sensation. I will reve…
Ravan: it is horrible. I cannot believe my eyes. But it’s true. It’s horrible. ( he almost runs away from the place, still shouting) IT IS HORRIBLE…IT IS HORRIBLE.
(Sita is laughing with a maniac’s jest.) You will fight over a lost territory and shed your blood. Once it was my predicament and now it is yours. Neither can escape that. Ha…HA…HA…HA…HA… see the universe will still keep moving …moving in a circle. Don’t you feel that? See it is also moving beneath my legs. And also beneath you. Ha …ha…haa…war is coming…war over a lost territory. And you can not escape that.
(Ravan is running away. his palms are tight upon his ears. )
Sita is sitting with a dark woman. That woman is caressing her arm and she is playing with her hair. A loud ding is heard.)
That woman: this sound is horrible. I can feel something ominous. I …
(Sita puts her palm upon her lips and silences her.) let us just savour these calm and soothing moments. those dings happened long ago. Only the voice is coming now. Come closer a bit. Lets see some fun. She lies in her arms, it grows dark, and nothing could be seen. Only love was spread in the air like some never felt before aroma and I could not record that.)
I KNOW you must be feeling cheated of your quality time. It had nothing that dramatic what one finds in sting operation. In fact I too fell the same. And now I have got to explain to my wife how and why I spent that money. It was from her salary that I took this money to buy the audio player. Any way I am not worried. After all she is my wife. And just imagine if this becomes tomorrow’s BREAKING NEWS. Who knows. She will be kissing my hand and certainly whatever else I want her to. Let us see.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
FALL
FALL
Meditating upon the further possible ways of taking his character to a height of sublimity which has been a hall mark of our age long tradition of saints and sages, Pundit Ganpat Shastri climbed a few moves higher on the tree and leaned with the support of a branch to break a datoon(an indigenous thing for cleaning teeth). His downwards turned eyes fell upon her cleavage as that girl was sweeping dead leaves and an intoxicating charm, her sensuous youth vaporized by the heat of his gaze, overpowered him. “How unfortunate that such a great man got this ill fate", said a man as Pundit Shashtri's wife was turning into white clothes and others were weeping and thumping their chests.
Meditating upon the further possible ways of taking his character to a height of sublimity which has been a hall mark of our age long tradition of saints and sages, Pundit Ganpat Shastri climbed a few moves higher on the tree and leaned with the support of a branch to break a datoon(an indigenous thing for cleaning teeth). His downwards turned eyes fell upon her cleavage as that girl was sweeping dead leaves and an intoxicating charm, her sensuous youth vaporized by the heat of his gaze, overpowered him. “How unfortunate that such a great man got this ill fate", said a man as Pundit Shashtri's wife was turning into white clothes and others were weeping and thumping their chests.
Friday, December 12, 2008
SHIVLINGAM
“I was going to paikhana, you know, when I saw it. First, I thought it to some trick by some one. I left my lota there, In the field, and came near it.”
Suddenly another of the enthusiastic crowd there broke into and hijacked the narrative. “he was trying to move the stone. I was just in the middle of my business when I saw him bent upon something and trying to pull something out. I thought it was some hidden gold pitcher( he flashed his teeth for some time with a coughing laughter and all responded to this sense of humor with a bored curiosity). I just threw the water in hurry and ran, wrapping my dhoti on the way.” “Hey did you wash your hole, did not you?” a laughter put some embarrassment on his face but soon he back in his spirit. “I saw him fighting with a stone and I realized. It was god and that fool was trying to move him.” “But I think he did not know that it was god”, someone interrupted. “See! Dear bro it’s a matter of common sense. Where did this stone suddenly come from? And you can see that it is not just put there. It is still half buried. It means, quite clearly, that god has appeared by breaking the earth.” A voice, slightly louder than the one who was holding the center of talk, suddenly captured all the ears. “I knew this beforehand. Last week, on the same day, god came in my dream. He was talking about the evils spreading in this world. Haven’t you heard about kalki avatar? It is that time. Anyone who knows…”
“Oh! Baba knows everything, doesn’t he? Last week Lakhia’s cow was missing. He came to baba. Baba asked him to offer hundred rupees to god. When Lakhia was returning after making the offering karia told him that his cow was at Hareshwar babu’s dyodhi. Poor lakhia went there running. His cow was tied and some one was milking her. His cow was caught grazing in Hari babu’s field. Bags full of abuses and five hundred rupees fine got him his cow back.. next morning lakhia milked his cow and found Baba waiting at his hut’s door. Half of the milk came to Baba’s lota.” Those three boys were telling the story in turns without changing the narration. And while one was busy in story telling the rest busied themselves in laughing. “All vampanthi(leftists would be an incomplete translation). Look at their faces. Sons of kaliyug. Sick with brain fever and say they are modern. Why don’t ask your father when he comes to temple. Why…” Baba kept shouting and yelling and even abusing and they kept laughing . “All left and modern and dark age and whatelse heretics”. Baba was still shouting . And his dream was suspended in air which was trapped inside his belly and suddenly it refused to be held back. A big roar made its way into the public notice and two sense organs perceived it simultaneously. They closed their nose and started laughing but remained civil enough to stand there, listening Baba with great care. But this strangely self articulated revelation reminded baba that his lota was still filled with water and the task of morning ritual was not accomplished. He waved everyone away, took his lota and ran towards the nrearest orchard which could hide him from the increasing number of eyes without losing the sight of that place. “ fools! Cant come after some time. Don’t care about ….aaaaah. Baba felt relieved after discharging some nightlong waste with some sound effect. Crowd was increasing . Baba was getting impatient with this nature-call that was keeping him away from that place. And dream was also not fully told to the public present there. He felt irritated with his larger and smaller and any other intestine. he was having constipation. Really a bad thing. New oils in market have no purity left. Once he used to eat kilos of rice and all sorts of vegetables and fried stuffs and was hungry again by the time his hand was dried enough to receive the gifts from his client. But those were happy days when dharma ruled the world. Now everyone is kaliyuga’s son. How heretic that Raghu babu’s son was speaking. They spend a few years in colleges and cities and think that they know everything. Value nobody else. I must talk to his father. Yesterday I saw that idiot walking with a chamar’s son. Really, kaliyuga is showing its colour. Religion is getting corrupted. No body cares a bit about his caste. Suppose we were fools. Baba turned the lota on his butt and moved his left hand’s fingers quickly to ensure that he was properly washed. He rushed to the spot, wrapping his dhoti around his waist, where things had changed like anything.
Vermilion mark was put on the stone god, a woman was plastering the ground with cow dung, and some women were ready with flowers. Yashoda babu was standing there, instructing some young men to cut some bamboos and make a barrier around that place. Domu, who had taken that piece of land on batai, was standing there with oxen, waiting for them to go away so that he could till the land. His four years old son was holding the ropes when he went to see what the case was. “stay away!” a young man stopped him when he neared a bamboo line. It was a holy place now and Domu was an untouchable. Domu looked at Yashoda babu who was also standing there. He was quite busy, instructing everyone for this or that. He called Domu, when he was turning away, to stop. Domu sent his son back with oxen and stayed there to put some soil at the root of bamboos, which were put there to guard the stone god from dogs and animals and… untouchables. People had started pouring there with all sorts of offering and further bamboos were needed to arrange the crowed properly. Baba had come after making himself pure in the nearby pond. He did not go even go back to his home for breakfast. It was an urgent duty and he could not fail here. The bamboo border had an entry point which had a barrier as well. It was lifted, officially, by a young man to let Baba in. and then it lifted permanently for all the visitors. It would be more proper to call them devotees. Domu was making some more bamboo poles and bamboo walls and bamboo sticks(to control the crowd when it tried to break the queue and also to keep the dogs and unwanted and impure humans away) while his body was sweating like a fountain. It was a June morning and the sun was climbing up in the sky. Four or five separate pieces of red cloth were put there on which devotees put the tokens of their faith. As god is all loving and all encompassing, all sorts of gifts were accepted.some gifts made Baba’s eyes shine brighter but, then, scriptures say that different gifts please god in different degrees. But, anyway, all things are welcome if you have devotion. Baba was quite absorbed in putting the stamp of divine blessing on every forehead. If Just the random glances directed towards the offerings are excluded.
A totally confused face was running around the whole scene, trying to find something. He also had a donkey with him. the human wall surrounding the tree looked impenetrable for his struggling eyes. He tried hard. He could go approach any nearer with his ass. He requested Domu to hold the rope for some moment. An irritated face was a disappointing one for that donkey man. But he pleaded with tone of a needy. An explanation was demanded and Donkeyman got even more confused. Answer was must but how to put. Finally he answered it with another query “what is going on here?” Domu gave a wearied smile “ another god has come. They say he will relieve the world from all worries. Worries…” Domu held the rope while his eyes were fixed on some unknown point in the space.
He was struggling to make his way through that wall. Suddenly someone pulled him back and put in a queue. “Don’t you see all are coming in line. From where these donkeys pouring in! difficult to manage. Its getting upon my …” Donkeyman had moved forward and the voice gradually faded in his ears. Barrier was in front of him. a lady had entered inside and was rubbing her head before that stone. Donkeyman was trying to confirm if it was his. it was round like his. but he could not understand the mystery. What was special with his stone? He moved to lift the barrier. but he could not. “ give your offering …give it…where are you rushing to….” Several voices came to dumb him for sometime and he was fixed like a stone. One guy was holding the barrier bamboo, thre or four were surrounding him and all the eyes were staring at him. he looked scared for a moment. His hand was empty. Nothing to offer. “what is he doing there then?” many were standing, waiting for the divine grace that was to come with the moment of Darshan. Is he stone? Why does not he move? Has he given his offering? Has he…? Has he?
Donkeyman found the bamboos not comforting anyway when he was pushed by some divinely inspired devotee who had got a bag full of some thing and something. He tried to steady himself. A relieved look spread on… others faces. No nonsense. Beggars haunting gods place. Standing like stone when everyone is in hurry. “ pray god to get a good job for my son.” The man lowered his head from its extraordinary height before the god and baba gave him some sacred ash to rub some to send for his son.. and he requested Baba to this special request from god. Brahmins are better heard by god. And Baba was special even among the Brahmins. He was Baba. Donkeyman had probably hit his head against some bamboo. It was bleeding. All ears turned in shock. All eyes turned with wonder. All minds rushed in disbelief. What is this?
“this is my stone. My donkey dropped it here and ran away. ..” Donkeyman was shouting breathlessly. Surely he is out of mind now! Is he mad! “ I bought it for twenty rupees from…” he was carried on four shoulders. A good Ariel ride. Domu was surprised by this sudden shouting. He moved his head. Rope was still in his hand. Probably he felt pity for the poor chap. “ you are fooling …” suddenly his voice vanished. It left no trail. Wonderfully clean. People were again put into order and devotees were back on the track. Domu still held the rope, looking at the body on four shoulders.
“Yes, I also saw it”
“He was with one more person”.
“God punished him.”
“Really. But how dared he!”
“did not you see. We had to carry him away even yesterday noon.”
“I think he was mad. Claiming the god to be his stone. Twenty rupees stone.”
A new cloth was put there as much more devotees of that newly discovered god were expected. News had already traveled a lot. And, then, god is everywhere. Attempted theft made the god even more valuable. Some said he was of parasmani stone. Domu was taking his donkey for a market trip. Compensation for the lost batai. His son was also with him.it was a fresh pile of soil. Domu stood there for a moment. Put a plant on it. “what is this babu?” “ we can not touch nor are allowed tulsi therefore I have put this plant. He died and god knows … stone…” his mumbling became incomprehensible and his son became alarmed. Donkey was going in another direction. Domu got his sense. He knows donkeyman had also lost his donkey for once. But he won’t. He repeated it twice to himself. A faint sound of conch came and his son looked in that direction.” “Babu! How much sweets were there!” Domu silenced him, “those for god”. He knew he was lying.
“I am only doing my dharma. God wished it. He came to my house. That is my reward. What else should one wish?” Yashoda babu was sitting with many of his well wishers which was the whole village now and even some from the neighbouring. “it’s your greatness yahoda babu that you are so humble. Who is ignorant of your spiritual life. Never went to your fields even when you could have been a big farmer. So much land. But give them up gradually. And all for god. We know its no wonder that god has come to your folds.” “what’s use! Never saw the comforts of life. No house which can be called by that name. young daughters, to be married, but nothing for dowry.” His wife poured tea into their cups and all were suddenly silent. No answer. She left…without waiting for any answer. “ I am planning to make a temple there. We will need to collect donations. I think people will help.” all mouths opened to assure him. who can refuse to donate for such a noble cause. Yashoda babu had a receipt book. Already waiting.
“that baba is so greedy. Was demanding almost quarter of the total.” Yashoda babu was smiling. He was thinking. She gave him a bowl of kheer. His whole bulk was comfortably lying on that well arranged bed. He was moving his right hand in the hairy growth on his chest. She was standing with a glass of water. Saw the whole bowl passing through his throat and vanishing. His convex belly reflected no change. A thoughtful satisfaction was on his face. “ you unnerved them. I was also shocked for a moment.” Yashoda babu was caressing her and she was counting to him the things they got that day. He was busy, trying to give her a son. He slipped to side and she turned towards him. “ I proposed to make a temple there. Donations will start coming in a few days. You wont have to worry this much. Coming shivratri I will arrange a grand pooja and fair. It will be regular. I have talked. We will have enough money in a week or so to renovate this house…” his voice was drowning gradually. She arranged her saari to cover herself and slept. She had to wake up early. She saw a dream. The grinding stone at her kitchen changed into god and it was frightening. He was badly hurt and bleeding. She had hurt Him. he said that she nailed him and stoned him. he was bleeding and it was terrible. She wanted his forgiveness. And he granted with smile. It was even more terrifying. His mouth looked like a dark cavern. No shining teeth left. He moved his hand to bless her. She shrieked in terror. He woke up and found her sweating. it was nothing. Both slept again.
Domu brought back good money from the market. His son was very happy. He was given a new shirt pant. His wife loved him more than ever. But he could not lie above her. Something was growing inside him. something stone. He can not have her on the top. Stone was already too heavy. she became afraid. checked and his tool was hard like a stone. But it was cold. Strange.
It was a Bunyan tree. Unbelievable growth. Within one year it was double of Domu. Domu watered him every morning and talked and wept. Children never went near that tree. They said it was haunted. And Domu was possessed. Domu took his donkey and he was cursed. His son played with him. his wife still missed the warmth every night. She stopped checking it. Domu was often seen at the top of that tree in the evening. After finishing his work he went there to rest. He worked as a labourer and was a hard worker. All his masters accepted this. He sat on the top branch. In a distance, temple was growing slowly. A twice in a week haat commenced there. Annual mela. Domu told him everything and they laughed together. People say Domu can ride tree. But he knows he can not tell the truth. They feel sad for a moment and start laughing again. Children see donkeyman at night. Temple is siddha and people come to win their impossible wishes. Yashoda babu tries every night on his wife. Some say she has got a stone in her uterus and no son can grow there. Girls …well they can adjust. Baba knows how to capture a spirit. People often come to him. usually its donkeyman or the god thief. And Baba knows how to control him. offerings are coming but Baba has no material interest. It is for god’s maintenance. A flag dances with the wind, singing the glory of god. People say that this flag is divine and dances even when there is no wind. Gods can do anything. No doubt. That Bunyan is dancing without wind and Domu is convulsing in laughter. He is cursed. Baba tells that he is damned and children avoid him. he carries his son on his shoulder. His wife is worried. Yashoda babu has brought another wife. First wife spends her time mostly in the temple. Yashoda babu keeps trying for a son. Baba has prayed for him and he is hopeful.
A marbel stone is donated by some devotee. His sone got a job. Someone donated a gold ring as he won a case. A stone, black stone, is put at door of the temple. " EPITOME OF SPIRITUALISM, BLESSED BY GOD, MOST DIVINE SON AMONG ALL THE DIVINE SONS, SRI YASHODA BABU'S ..."
DOMU reads this to donkeymanbunyantree and both laugh together.
Suddenly another of the enthusiastic crowd there broke into and hijacked the narrative. “he was trying to move the stone. I was just in the middle of my business when I saw him bent upon something and trying to pull something out. I thought it was some hidden gold pitcher( he flashed his teeth for some time with a coughing laughter and all responded to this sense of humor with a bored curiosity). I just threw the water in hurry and ran, wrapping my dhoti on the way.” “Hey did you wash your hole, did not you?” a laughter put some embarrassment on his face but soon he back in his spirit. “I saw him fighting with a stone and I realized. It was god and that fool was trying to move him.” “But I think he did not know that it was god”, someone interrupted. “See! Dear bro it’s a matter of common sense. Where did this stone suddenly come from? And you can see that it is not just put there. It is still half buried. It means, quite clearly, that god has appeared by breaking the earth.” A voice, slightly louder than the one who was holding the center of talk, suddenly captured all the ears. “I knew this beforehand. Last week, on the same day, god came in my dream. He was talking about the evils spreading in this world. Haven’t you heard about kalki avatar? It is that time. Anyone who knows…”
“Oh! Baba knows everything, doesn’t he? Last week Lakhia’s cow was missing. He came to baba. Baba asked him to offer hundred rupees to god. When Lakhia was returning after making the offering karia told him that his cow was at Hareshwar babu’s dyodhi. Poor lakhia went there running. His cow was tied and some one was milking her. His cow was caught grazing in Hari babu’s field. Bags full of abuses and five hundred rupees fine got him his cow back.. next morning lakhia milked his cow and found Baba waiting at his hut’s door. Half of the milk came to Baba’s lota.” Those three boys were telling the story in turns without changing the narration. And while one was busy in story telling the rest busied themselves in laughing. “All vampanthi(leftists would be an incomplete translation). Look at their faces. Sons of kaliyug. Sick with brain fever and say they are modern. Why don’t ask your father when he comes to temple. Why…” Baba kept shouting and yelling and even abusing and they kept laughing . “All left and modern and dark age and whatelse heretics”. Baba was still shouting . And his dream was suspended in air which was trapped inside his belly and suddenly it refused to be held back. A big roar made its way into the public notice and two sense organs perceived it simultaneously. They closed their nose and started laughing but remained civil enough to stand there, listening Baba with great care. But this strangely self articulated revelation reminded baba that his lota was still filled with water and the task of morning ritual was not accomplished. He waved everyone away, took his lota and ran towards the nrearest orchard which could hide him from the increasing number of eyes without losing the sight of that place. “ fools! Cant come after some time. Don’t care about ….aaaaah. Baba felt relieved after discharging some nightlong waste with some sound effect. Crowd was increasing . Baba was getting impatient with this nature-call that was keeping him away from that place. And dream was also not fully told to the public present there. He felt irritated with his larger and smaller and any other intestine. he was having constipation. Really a bad thing. New oils in market have no purity left. Once he used to eat kilos of rice and all sorts of vegetables and fried stuffs and was hungry again by the time his hand was dried enough to receive the gifts from his client. But those were happy days when dharma ruled the world. Now everyone is kaliyuga’s son. How heretic that Raghu babu’s son was speaking. They spend a few years in colleges and cities and think that they know everything. Value nobody else. I must talk to his father. Yesterday I saw that idiot walking with a chamar’s son. Really, kaliyuga is showing its colour. Religion is getting corrupted. No body cares a bit about his caste. Suppose we were fools. Baba turned the lota on his butt and moved his left hand’s fingers quickly to ensure that he was properly washed. He rushed to the spot, wrapping his dhoti around his waist, where things had changed like anything.
Vermilion mark was put on the stone god, a woman was plastering the ground with cow dung, and some women were ready with flowers. Yashoda babu was standing there, instructing some young men to cut some bamboos and make a barrier around that place. Domu, who had taken that piece of land on batai, was standing there with oxen, waiting for them to go away so that he could till the land. His four years old son was holding the ropes when he went to see what the case was. “stay away!” a young man stopped him when he neared a bamboo line. It was a holy place now and Domu was an untouchable. Domu looked at Yashoda babu who was also standing there. He was quite busy, instructing everyone for this or that. He called Domu, when he was turning away, to stop. Domu sent his son back with oxen and stayed there to put some soil at the root of bamboos, which were put there to guard the stone god from dogs and animals and… untouchables. People had started pouring there with all sorts of offering and further bamboos were needed to arrange the crowed properly. Baba had come after making himself pure in the nearby pond. He did not go even go back to his home for breakfast. It was an urgent duty and he could not fail here. The bamboo border had an entry point which had a barrier as well. It was lifted, officially, by a young man to let Baba in. and then it lifted permanently for all the visitors. It would be more proper to call them devotees. Domu was making some more bamboo poles and bamboo walls and bamboo sticks(to control the crowd when it tried to break the queue and also to keep the dogs and unwanted and impure humans away) while his body was sweating like a fountain. It was a June morning and the sun was climbing up in the sky. Four or five separate pieces of red cloth were put there on which devotees put the tokens of their faith. As god is all loving and all encompassing, all sorts of gifts were accepted.some gifts made Baba’s eyes shine brighter but, then, scriptures say that different gifts please god in different degrees. But, anyway, all things are welcome if you have devotion. Baba was quite absorbed in putting the stamp of divine blessing on every forehead. If Just the random glances directed towards the offerings are excluded.
A totally confused face was running around the whole scene, trying to find something. He also had a donkey with him. the human wall surrounding the tree looked impenetrable for his struggling eyes. He tried hard. He could go approach any nearer with his ass. He requested Domu to hold the rope for some moment. An irritated face was a disappointing one for that donkey man. But he pleaded with tone of a needy. An explanation was demanded and Donkeyman got even more confused. Answer was must but how to put. Finally he answered it with another query “what is going on here?” Domu gave a wearied smile “ another god has come. They say he will relieve the world from all worries. Worries…” Domu held the rope while his eyes were fixed on some unknown point in the space.
He was struggling to make his way through that wall. Suddenly someone pulled him back and put in a queue. “Don’t you see all are coming in line. From where these donkeys pouring in! difficult to manage. Its getting upon my …” Donkeyman had moved forward and the voice gradually faded in his ears. Barrier was in front of him. a lady had entered inside and was rubbing her head before that stone. Donkeyman was trying to confirm if it was his. it was round like his. but he could not understand the mystery. What was special with his stone? He moved to lift the barrier. but he could not. “ give your offering …give it…where are you rushing to….” Several voices came to dumb him for sometime and he was fixed like a stone. One guy was holding the barrier bamboo, thre or four were surrounding him and all the eyes were staring at him. he looked scared for a moment. His hand was empty. Nothing to offer. “what is he doing there then?” many were standing, waiting for the divine grace that was to come with the moment of Darshan. Is he stone? Why does not he move? Has he given his offering? Has he…? Has he?
Donkeyman found the bamboos not comforting anyway when he was pushed by some divinely inspired devotee who had got a bag full of some thing and something. He tried to steady himself. A relieved look spread on… others faces. No nonsense. Beggars haunting gods place. Standing like stone when everyone is in hurry. “ pray god to get a good job for my son.” The man lowered his head from its extraordinary height before the god and baba gave him some sacred ash to rub some to send for his son.. and he requested Baba to this special request from god. Brahmins are better heard by god. And Baba was special even among the Brahmins. He was Baba. Donkeyman had probably hit his head against some bamboo. It was bleeding. All ears turned in shock. All eyes turned with wonder. All minds rushed in disbelief. What is this?
“this is my stone. My donkey dropped it here and ran away. ..” Donkeyman was shouting breathlessly. Surely he is out of mind now! Is he mad! “ I bought it for twenty rupees from…” he was carried on four shoulders. A good Ariel ride. Domu was surprised by this sudden shouting. He moved his head. Rope was still in his hand. Probably he felt pity for the poor chap. “ you are fooling …” suddenly his voice vanished. It left no trail. Wonderfully clean. People were again put into order and devotees were back on the track. Domu still held the rope, looking at the body on four shoulders.
“Yes, I also saw it”
“He was with one more person”.
“God punished him.”
“Really. But how dared he!”
“did not you see. We had to carry him away even yesterday noon.”
“I think he was mad. Claiming the god to be his stone. Twenty rupees stone.”
A new cloth was put there as much more devotees of that newly discovered god were expected. News had already traveled a lot. And, then, god is everywhere. Attempted theft made the god even more valuable. Some said he was of parasmani stone. Domu was taking his donkey for a market trip. Compensation for the lost batai. His son was also with him.it was a fresh pile of soil. Domu stood there for a moment. Put a plant on it. “what is this babu?” “ we can not touch nor are allowed tulsi therefore I have put this plant. He died and god knows … stone…” his mumbling became incomprehensible and his son became alarmed. Donkey was going in another direction. Domu got his sense. He knows donkeyman had also lost his donkey for once. But he won’t. He repeated it twice to himself. A faint sound of conch came and his son looked in that direction.” “Babu! How much sweets were there!” Domu silenced him, “those for god”. He knew he was lying.
“I am only doing my dharma. God wished it. He came to my house. That is my reward. What else should one wish?” Yashoda babu was sitting with many of his well wishers which was the whole village now and even some from the neighbouring. “it’s your greatness yahoda babu that you are so humble. Who is ignorant of your spiritual life. Never went to your fields even when you could have been a big farmer. So much land. But give them up gradually. And all for god. We know its no wonder that god has come to your folds.” “what’s use! Never saw the comforts of life. No house which can be called by that name. young daughters, to be married, but nothing for dowry.” His wife poured tea into their cups and all were suddenly silent. No answer. She left…without waiting for any answer. “ I am planning to make a temple there. We will need to collect donations. I think people will help.” all mouths opened to assure him. who can refuse to donate for such a noble cause. Yashoda babu had a receipt book. Already waiting.
“that baba is so greedy. Was demanding almost quarter of the total.” Yashoda babu was smiling. He was thinking. She gave him a bowl of kheer. His whole bulk was comfortably lying on that well arranged bed. He was moving his right hand in the hairy growth on his chest. She was standing with a glass of water. Saw the whole bowl passing through his throat and vanishing. His convex belly reflected no change. A thoughtful satisfaction was on his face. “ you unnerved them. I was also shocked for a moment.” Yashoda babu was caressing her and she was counting to him the things they got that day. He was busy, trying to give her a son. He slipped to side and she turned towards him. “ I proposed to make a temple there. Donations will start coming in a few days. You wont have to worry this much. Coming shivratri I will arrange a grand pooja and fair. It will be regular. I have talked. We will have enough money in a week or so to renovate this house…” his voice was drowning gradually. She arranged her saari to cover herself and slept. She had to wake up early. She saw a dream. The grinding stone at her kitchen changed into god and it was frightening. He was badly hurt and bleeding. She had hurt Him. he said that she nailed him and stoned him. he was bleeding and it was terrible. She wanted his forgiveness. And he granted with smile. It was even more terrifying. His mouth looked like a dark cavern. No shining teeth left. He moved his hand to bless her. She shrieked in terror. He woke up and found her sweating. it was nothing. Both slept again.
Domu brought back good money from the market. His son was very happy. He was given a new shirt pant. His wife loved him more than ever. But he could not lie above her. Something was growing inside him. something stone. He can not have her on the top. Stone was already too heavy. she became afraid. checked and his tool was hard like a stone. But it was cold. Strange.
It was a Bunyan tree. Unbelievable growth. Within one year it was double of Domu. Domu watered him every morning and talked and wept. Children never went near that tree. They said it was haunted. And Domu was possessed. Domu took his donkey and he was cursed. His son played with him. his wife still missed the warmth every night. She stopped checking it. Domu was often seen at the top of that tree in the evening. After finishing his work he went there to rest. He worked as a labourer and was a hard worker. All his masters accepted this. He sat on the top branch. In a distance, temple was growing slowly. A twice in a week haat commenced there. Annual mela. Domu told him everything and they laughed together. People say Domu can ride tree. But he knows he can not tell the truth. They feel sad for a moment and start laughing again. Children see donkeyman at night. Temple is siddha and people come to win their impossible wishes. Yashoda babu tries every night on his wife. Some say she has got a stone in her uterus and no son can grow there. Girls …well they can adjust. Baba knows how to capture a spirit. People often come to him. usually its donkeyman or the god thief. And Baba knows how to control him. offerings are coming but Baba has no material interest. It is for god’s maintenance. A flag dances with the wind, singing the glory of god. People say that this flag is divine and dances even when there is no wind. Gods can do anything. No doubt. That Bunyan is dancing without wind and Domu is convulsing in laughter. He is cursed. Baba tells that he is damned and children avoid him. he carries his son on his shoulder. His wife is worried. Yashoda babu has brought another wife. First wife spends her time mostly in the temple. Yashoda babu keeps trying for a son. Baba has prayed for him and he is hopeful.
A marbel stone is donated by some devotee. His sone got a job. Someone donated a gold ring as he won a case. A stone, black stone, is put at door of the temple. " EPITOME OF SPIRITUALISM, BLESSED BY GOD, MOST DIVINE SON AMONG ALL THE DIVINE SONS, SRI YASHODA BABU'S ..."
DOMU reads this to donkeymanbunyantree and both laugh together.
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