2

I reached to Maria's house after dropping Narayanan at Kareemboi's house. I

saw Maria coming out of the house, when I crossed the hanging wooden gate. I
remember Maria saying that this gate was made was by Massi. He was not just
an excellent gynacologist but was also good in gate making. Even though the
house was small, it had a big courtyard. That courtyard was the central atract
in that village as it had a huge mangotree and Njaval tree.
“Oh you came back! Thats nice. Im going to the market. Vasundhara will get a
companion to spend the time” Maria said.
Javed didn't have a permanent job, sometimes he sold the tickets for horse
ride, play band in hotels, work with lottery agencies. Because of this we can't
find Javed at this house. He also had some side business between different
guest houses which was situated in the western side of the city. Once the
police came and search for him. But he sent them back by giving them bribe.
Even though Javed was a person who sold women to wealthy people in guest
house. I have seen him read thick books carefully. Once I went to the American
library with Vasundhara I saw Javed making notes from three books at the
same time. Recently when I talked to him, he spoke about the environmental
pollution. He said: “do you know about thr current measurement of pollution?
One cubic meter sulpherdioxide have 181 micrograms, oxide of nitrogen 203,
carbon monoxide 7047, SPM 936”.
There were different bags in Maria's hand. Once in a week, she went to
the market and brought vegitables and grains. Once Narayanan and me went to
the market with Maria. Rotted vegetable wastes were dumped near the
tharpoline roofed shop. Cows and pigs were digging their face into that pile of
waste. While Maria was busy with bargaining for vegetable, I stood there
inhailing the rotten smell of cabbage, discussing about new trends in Plays.
Modern theatre have not found out the traditional values of Indian theatre
history. Narayanan said to me, and he also added, when we depends more up
on the traditional art forms to make a new term it actually makes the drama a
populist one. Maria got in to the car, carrying the bags and went to the market.
She used to use Massi's car only while going to church and the market and she
always had this car with her.
 I felt proud of Maria's decision, when she decided to let me stay with
Vasundhara as her companion. She may take one or two hours to return from
market. She brought the vegitables only after the enquiry about the price at
each an every shop. If she had any doubts about the vegitable’s weight, she
would checke it once angain. Maria was very popular among the vendors in the
market as she was a very elite, and chatting person. I decided to use each
second very carefully before Maria returned. Getting time to spend with
Vasundhara, was very precious to me. Today she looked more beautiful that
unusual. I couldn't understand what was Maria meant while calling
Vasundhara as sindhipasu. Vasundara had a well maintained body structure.
She is always wore faded or stale dresses . But it was alsways neat and ironed
clothes. She had a special skill in selecting colours. We Indians especially
women, like dark colours. But I never saw Vasundhara in dark clothes. And here
the interesting point is that even her brush was a dim, ash colour.
“ I wanted to go see the rehearsal with Narayanan “ Vasundhara said. And she
then added “ but mom didnt permit, she wants to go to the market". Maria
doesn't like to lock the home and go out. She behave as it there was a treasure
inside her home. Even if there was a treasure, Massi was always there to watch
over if like vigilant guard. I know that no one can enter that home without the
knowledge of Massi.
I said , it is good that you didn't gone, we can spent sometime speaking to
each other".
“ we can also speak in the presence of mom" she replied.
“ in some situations, parents also become a burden “ I said.
“ I don't think so. There isn't any secret in my life that my mom doesn't know"
she said.
“ I feel difficulties in sharing few things with others. I raised my head to see her
face, but I was shocked. My eyes were stecked on Massi's photo. It happened
only because of I raised my head more than required angle. Massi stared at me
and moved his left ear smoothly. I always felt as it Massi's photo had
life,because once when Maria, Vasundhara and myself were laughing at a jock,
Massi also joined with us to laugh. Now may be was felt as listening us
sharpenly.
“what are the hard things to share with others?” Vasundhara asked.
“ tjose are only share with you" I replied.
“Gokul, you are like an old fashioned lover. There is no need to be so romantic.”
She said.
Her smile made me uncomfortable. It is my fault. There hasn't any need to say
it in an indirect manner. I thought myself. How will a language grow if
everybody talks in a plain manner? Metaphors, similes etc all are used to make
a language beautiful.
“Let mom came, let us go for a walk.” Vasundhara said.
If anyone asked me, why I wish to marry Vasundhara, I can't give a proper
answer to this. It might be because my lack of confidence in love marriage. I'm
not loving her but I choose her. That's much better that the usage of the word
love. After one and a half hours, Maria came back with the vegetables. I helped
her to bring it inside.
“ you have not given tea to Gokul, haven't you?” Maria asked Vasundhara only
after make is sure that, there was no used coffee cup.
“We are going out, we will have ,tea from out side" I replied.
Just like a school boy who would run happily after the long bell I too run out of
the house with Vasundhara. I wish to walk together in the street. But suddenly
Vasundhara said “ can we go to Kareemboi's home?”
“ There is a rehearsal going on there, would it be possible for us to speak?” I
asked her.
“What is more to talk about? I know what you want to say without you even
speaking a single word”.
“What did you heard?”
“ Everything" she replied.
We reached Kareemboi's house. We could see the lights in the terrace from
far. We thought the rehearsal was going on. We could hear Kareemboi's voice
as we went up the stairs. If seemed as if he was drunk Rum.
“ It seems like the rehearsal as over.” Vasundhara said.
“Yes, it's already done before it even got start" Kareemboi said hatelly.
He have a glass of Rum in his hand. Narayanan sitting in a chair, near by Partha
also.
“ There is the bottle, pour and drink it.” Kareemboi pointed. I realised tgat
each one of them had a glass in their hand. Kareemboi poured a glass of Rum
and handed over it to. The usual smile that everybody used to have while
boozing together was not seen. I realised that something terrible happened
there. Vasundhara and I'm shared one chair, because there was very less space.
I drunk the three X Rum that Kareemboi had offered me.
“Why do you need the light? Just off it. I don’t want to see anyone's face.”
Kareemboi instructed. Someone off the bulb. The terrace became black as the
lights were turned off. The lights from the neighbour’s house fellon Narayan's
face. In the dark there was no sight of Kareemboi.
“What happened?” I'm approached Narayanan with an empty glass. “Exactly
what we feared that was happened. “ She was gone, she was not ready to get
on the stage without having any single dress". Kareemboi said.
“ But she was ok with it”. Radhika agreed with it only after read the entire
script and after a long discussions. She is the final year student in school of
drama.
“That's not her fault, we cannot escape from our tradition and cultural
cutoms”. Narayanan justified her.
“Any chance to compromise with it?” I asked.
“ No Gokul. Don't say like this. There haven't any compromise in art" Kareem
boi instructed me.
He drunk one glass of rum and wiped his lips. And he continued “ I didn't said
to perform a cabare up on the stagebut I asked to present the situation of a
insulted dalit woman as like in a realistic way. She does understood what I said.
I'm not questioning her but the burgeoning values and moralities she had.
“It's really easy to curse, you cannot understand the situation which faced by a
woman to stand infront of the audience without any dress. That's only can
understand by a woman” Vasundhara said as murmuring.
“No one can't understand what it is. And don't try to mes it up.” Kareemboi
drunk the rum and loudly hiccogh . Rum has oozing through his chin. This is
make felt that his mouth has an a hole. And Kareemboi continued : “dont be
feel sad., im loos this Play. I appolagize to Narayanan who wrote this for me
with alot of sufferings. I have many insurance business, that's enough for me
to live. Good night.”
Kareemboi stepped down the ladder. We heard a sound like how a laggage fell
down at the lightless area of ladder. We sure that Kareemboi has fall down .
Vasundhara ran to tgere and she tried to helped to become stand up. But he
has pushed away after when he stood up and he told, bloody virgins. They
haven't any problem to show their body in front of their lovers or spouses, but
not to art....
He get inside the room with murmuring.
We can only hear the sound of drinking rum. Tge blowing wind have a
moisture. I sat closely to Vasundhara .
“That was an over reaction of Kareemboi. Im not blaming Radhika. At the same
time I can understand the emotion of Kareemboi" Narayanan said.
“Thats only your mistake”. Someone said at the corner of terrace. And he
added, you has been never creat such these characters.”.
When a playwright does create a character in his Play, it should be present on
the stage. Now Narayanan facing this situation. He looking at the empty glass.
There have light on the tip of the glass, but inside filled with darkness. It's only
know for few people who have connection with drama that, this is a short story
which based on a true insident. To wrote this, he has gone to the Jagadhari
village and enquired for the same. The drama says about the cruelty of land
owner who belongs to a upper class society. This Play especially wrote for
Kareemboi. The landowner, named Gundetcha he invited Narayanan in to his
banglow and arranged foods and facilities.
Gundetcha underestimate Narayanan as he was a journalist. Gundetcha was a
person who haven't any fear on God but he afraid about journalist. He thought,
Narauanan was a upper cast person because of the knowledge and behaviour
of Narayanan. So Gundetcha invited him to accommodate at his residents.
Narayanan accept his invitation and he start writing about Gundetcha’s cruelty.
Narayanan writing about Bhagavandhi while residing at Gundetcha's home.
And he threatened Narayanan after knowing this, with his gun.
That was your luck, and don't go to like these type of activity" Maria advised
Narayanan. Kareemboi’s terrace consumed by the darkness. Narayanan
announced that “ I will be burn this Play on next day at the same time and
place.”
“I will never allow for that" Vasundhara said.
Vasundhara held Narayanan's hand and looked at his face. Others were felt
they are seeing a dramatic scene.