गातेको ! मानोतान सुंदर मनोज हेम्ब्रॉम ऑलाक् आर मित् टेच् हॉड़ कहनी पाड़हावपॅ । इंगरेजी तॅ तोरजोमाव कादाय मानोतान रंजीत कुमार हाँसदाक् ।
साथियों ! पेश-ए-खिदमत है जनप्रिय लेखक श्री सुंदर मनोज हेम्ब्रम का मूल
संताली में लिखा और एक कहानी । मूल कहानी का संताली से अंगरेजी में अनुवाद किया है
श्री रंजीत कुमार हंसदा ने ।
दोनों महानुभावों को हमरे तरफ से बहुत-बहुत आभार !
“BẠDMAS BUDDHI”
Original
Story in Santali: Sunder Manoj Hembrom
Ayma din laha re̠yak̓ katha kana. Mit̓e̠c̓ atō ta͂he͂
kana; Rạghnạtpur. Lạtu atō ge̠ ta͂he̠ kana, mo͂r̠e̠ to̠la ar 200-250 gan
or̠ak̓, jo̠to̠ ho̠r̠ak̓ ge̠ casa-basa lagit̓ jumi ta͂he̠ kan takōwa; ado̠m do̠
jạsti, ado̠m do̠ ko̠m. Nalha kạmi do̠ sadhe̠r katha. Kic̓ric̓-khạdwak̓ lạgit̓
po̠ysa ghatak̓ khac̓ ge̠ bajar se̠c̓ nalha kạmi do̠ kō calak̓a, ōna ho͂ ạdi
so̠ndhe̠ ge̠. Kusi-rạskạ te̠ din calaw ēdēk̓ kan ta͂he̠na. Re͂ge̠c̓-kisạ͂r̠
banar ge̠ he̠se̠c̓-se̠kre̠t̓ te̠ kō ta͂he̠n kan ta͂he̠na. Menkhan, me̠nako̠
kusi-rạskạ do̠ dhēr din mit̓ jayga re̠ ban͂ tarhak̓a.
Rạghnạtpur re͂ ho͂ o̠nka ge̠ ho̠y e̠na. Mit̓e̠n bạdmas
ho̠r̠ atō ye̠ chin̓-chạtur akat̓ ta͂he̠na. Ar hay re̠ jala uni ge̠ ato̠ re̠n
mukhyạ ye̠ ho̠y e̠na. Aso̠l re̠ do̠ atō ho̠r̠ ho͂ laha do̠ bakō buje̠ kan
ta͂he̠na je̠, birat badmas kanay. Atō mo̠d re̠ ac̓ mo̠to̠c̓ ge̠ mētrik pas…o̠na
ēyạte̠ ho̠r̠ ho͂ kō “vote” kạy kēdēya. Bakō tah le̠da je̠ tayo̠m te̠ uni ge̠ye̠
gahtra ko̠wa nahak̓. N̓utum do̠ ta͂he͂ kan taya: Thạkur Tudu. Taka-po̠ysa te̠
ma birat kisa͂r̠ ar hur̠u-cawlē te̠ ho͂; Bo̠lo̠k-pancayạt se̠c̓ kho̠n skim
re̠yak̓ labh ar jumi bho̠rna kō ho̠y hataw bar̠ay ge̠.. te̠, atō ade̠-pase̠ re̠
rōbab ge̠ judạ. “Rajdoot” fo̠to̠gadi te̠ ge̠ ye̠ fat-fataw bar̠aya, tạndi te̠
dak̓sec̓ lạgit̓ ho͂ ona te̠ge̠ ye̠ ringạk̓a. Ar “dress” ma kan tay:
Dhuti-kurta, e̠kdo̠m neta le̠ka, wa̠ise MP ar MLA kho̠n ko̠m do̠ bay hudiso̠k̓
kan ta͂he̠na. Ho̠r̠ kō do̠ uniyak̓ dho̠mo̠k̓ n̓e̠l kate̠t̓ kō ho̠ho̠way kan
ta͂he̠na: Mukhyạ Sahe̠b.
Pulis-thana ar kort-kacahạri do̠ ghamaw caba. Bo̠lo̠k
ar so̠r̠o̠k̓ ar̠ē cok̓ re̠ma mit̓ ada ge̠. Bạnuk̓ ko̠a o̠ko̠y ho͂ je̠ bakō
n̓e̠l ar baday akadēya; thana-pulis, hạtyạ-bạtyạ, kort-kacahạri, lạtu-katic̓,
atō-dēhạt gōta ge̠, ạdi namdak̓. Atō re̠n ho̠r̠ tho̠r…o̠lo̠k̓-par̠hak̓ bakō
baday, jahanak̓ o̠lo̠k̓ se̠ par̠haw lạgit̓ uni the̠c̓ ge̠ kō dạr̠ ēdēy. Uni ho͂
ayak̓ mo̠ho̠t uduk̓ lạgit̓ kajak̓ e̠ ạcur ạcu ko̠wa. Ado̠ ona lạgit̓
taka-po̠ysa do̠ bay hatawa. Baday kan ta͂he̠n ge̠yay: no̠wa e̠yạte̠ ge̠ ho̠r̠
ko̠ hijuk̓ kana ar kō puchạw ēdē kana.
Mukhyạ wak̓ kạmi do̠ kana, ho̠r̠ kōwak̓ sewa. Me̠nkhan
MP, MLA le̠ka ge̠ abōre̠n mukhyạ sahe̠b ho͂ jumidari ge̠ye̠ bujhaw akat̓
tahe͂na. Mit̓ do̠m pawo̠r re̠ he̠c̓ le̠n khan ge̠ laha ro̠r̠ akat̓ jo̠to̠ kō
hir̠in͂ cabaya. Akōwak̓ lac̓ bar̠e̠ ko̠ n͂e̠l, baki janta lạgit̓ ma me̠nay ge̠
Candō Baba.
* * *
He͂ ado̠ kisạ do̠ bōn lahaya. Mukhyạ sahe̠b do̠
mite̠c̓ “samasya” ta͂he̠ kan taya: uni do̠ ac̓ kho̠n ce̠tan e̠tak̓ ho̠r̠
ho̠po̠n do̠ bay n̓e̠l sahawe̠t̓ kō ta͂he̠na. Ōna ēyạte̠ nōwa kurumutu re̠ge̠ye̠
ta͂he̠na je̠ ja͂ha͂y ho̠r̠ dho̠n-dạulạt ar taka-po̠ysa te̠ uni kho̠n bakō
lahak̓ je̠mo̠n.
Ja͂hay ge̠ lar̠hại-jho̠gr̠a lạgit̓ e̠ uskur bar̠a kō.
Bo̠yha-bo̠yha re̠yak̓ kạtic̓-mạtic̓ jho̠gr̠a ho͂ bay sōlha takō, sidhạ kacahạri
se̠c̓ ge̠ye̠ uduk̓ ako̠wa. Je̠mo̠n kes lạr̠hạy-lạr̠hay te̠ bhagwa dhil utạro̠k̓
tako̠. Ja͂hay sa͂w te̠ ēdrē se̠ jalan me̠nak̓ tay khac̓ “survey office” calaw
kate̠t̓ po̠ysa e̠m kate̠t̓ ho̠r̠ e̠ lagaw ko̠wa, n̓utum golmal lạgit̓. “BDO, CO
office” re̠may ada ko̠t̓, ja͂ha͂yak̓ ge̠ “voter-list ar rashan card list” re̠
n̓utum e̠ gar̠bar̠aw acō dar̠e̠yak̓a. Arho͂ jōdi atō ho̠r̠ milạw kate̠t̓ kō bicạre̠
khac̓, atō sudhạ ye̠ kes akōwa. Ma atō sudhạ kes larhai bar̠ak̓ pe̠, mạhna-mạhnạ,
kạmi-dhạmi chadaw kate̠t̓ e̠ke̠n “det ar det” Sunny Deol e̠ me̠n le̠ka.
Atō ho̠r̠ “pạresan-hairan” kō ta͂he̠ kana. Me̠nkhan
ce̠ka ho͂ bakō ce̠ka dar̠e̠ way kan ta͂he̠na. Ar uniyak̓ mo̠n do̠ bar̠haw ēdē
ye̠n taya. Ho̠r̠ do̠ bo̠to̠r te̠ unikho̠n farak ge̠ kō ta͂he̠na ar
ban͂khan uni re̠n camca ge̠kō be̠nak̓a. Camca ēyạte̠ badmasi ho͂ bar̠haw ēdēk̓
kan tay tahe̠na.
* * *
Din paro̠m ēdēye̠na, Mukhyạ Sahe̠b do̠ ye̠ kisa͂r̠
ēdēye̠na. Ar badhaw calawe̠n taya; badmasi ho͂. Ban͂ do̠ jo̠no̠m badmas ge̠ye̠
ta͂he̠ kan, ban͂ do̠ badmasi-badmasi te̠ badmasi he̠wa. Muskil ge̠ya lạlạy do̠.
Ato̠ ho̠r̠ak̓ tho̠r̠a gan rawal hōy e̠na, tē re̠ tayo̠m “Mukiyạ Election”
re̠ye̠ haraw e̠na. Me̠nkhan, badmasi re̠yak̓ ētạ maye̠ ro̠ho̠y thik akat̓
ta͂he̠n. Ce̠ka te̠ kō bancak̓a atō re̠n ho̠r̠ do̠. Amca-camca ar office ren
babu jo̠to̠ o̠na ho̠r re̠ge̠. Ja͂ha͂ atō ren ho̠r̠ kō n̓e̠l ke̠t̓ ko̠, nạndri
limbạt fe̠ra re̠ge̠ kō ta͂he̠na.
* * *
Me̠nkhan o̠kte̠(so̠mo̠y) do̠ jo̠to̠ kho̠n maran͂ ar
dar̠i. Jo̠to̠ ho̠r̠ak̓ o̠kte̠ hijuk̓ ge̠ya: bhage̠ ar bạric̓ banar ge̠. Thạkur
Tudu wak̓ bạric̓ din ho͂ se̠te̠r e̠na. Maran͂ ruwạ “cancer” n̓am ke̠de̠ya. O̠na
ho͂ mo̠ca cancer. “Fokat” re̠yak̓ po̠ysa ta͂he̠ kan taya tho̠r, “pan-gutkha”,
thamakur-sigret, hạndi-pạwrạ jo̠to̠ ge̠ye̠ ho͂go̠re̠t̓ ta͂he̠na.
Hor̠mo̠ o̠suk̓ jala te̠ bat-be̠bo̠har ar ro̠bab jo̠to̠
bo̠do̠l caba ye̠n taya. Sạri ge̠ kō me̠na: Ce̠tan re̠ne̠ cạrnạw le̠m khan, upạy
banuk̓a…sudhrạk̓ te̠ge̠ hōyōk̓a…ja͂ha͂ tinak̓ bayar-kada ye̠m ta͂he̠ kan jubạn
o̠kte̠ do̠...ban͂ ge̠m bancak̓a. Mukhyạ Sahe̠b ho͂ har̠amo̠k̓ dēla-dili ge̠ye̠
ta͂he̠ kana. Ar cētan kho̠n ho̠r̠mo̠ re̠yak̓ bhabna-cintạ. Tar̠a-tạr̠i ge̠ye̠
har̠am go̠l e̠na.
Nit̓ ma jo̠to̠ ho̠r̠ sa͂w te̠ ạdi he̠r̠e̠m e̠
galmaraw. O̠nka ạykạk̓a; n̓ui kho̠n bhage̠ ho̠r̠ do̠ dhạrti re̠ge̠ bạnuk̓ kōa.
Sạri ge̠ o̠kte̠ lutur e̠ pe̠te̠r le̠m khan bo̠do̠l te̠ge̠ hōyōk̓a. Me̠nkhan
ato̠ re̠n ho̠r̠ do̠ unạk̓ usạra kō hir̠in̓a se̠ ce̠t̓? Saman͂ re̠do̠ hu-ha͂ ko̠
ro̠r̠ay ge̠ya, me̠nkhan diya tayo̠m do̠ ko̠ “ạchim-kharak̓ay”. No̠wa katha do̠
Thạkur Tudu ho͂ bhale̠ te̠ge̠ ye̠ baday ge̠ya.
* * *
Kajak̓ po̠ysa-taka kho̠rca kate̠t̓ ho͂ bay jut le̠na.
Marē pap tho̠r ban͂ ēkạ a̠, Iso̠r Baba cancer te̠ye̠ cạrnạw kedeya. Thạkur Tudu
ho͂ ye̠ buj ke̠da: “nit̓ do̠ ma͂gar̠ gupi calak̓ te̠ge̠ hōyōk̓a.”
Ato̠ re̠n gōdēt e̠ ho̠ho̠ adiya ar kharca-barca e̠m
kate̠t̓, jo̠to̠ ato̠ ho̠r̠ e̠ ho̠ho̠ jarwa ke̠t̓ ko̠a. Taka n̓am kate̠t̓ gōdēt
ho͂ bēs te̠ ayak̓ e̠ kạmi ke̠da. Jo̠to̠ tōla acur kate̠t̓ jo̠to̠ ho̠r̠ ge̠ye̠
riyạw ke̠t̓ ko̠a. O̠ko̠y ho̠r̠ suro̠k̓ ban͂ sanaye̠t̓ kō ta͂he̠na, o̠nkō ho͂ kō
he̠c̓-se̠te̠r e̠na.
* * *
Mạnjhi Than the̠c̓ bar̠e̠ dare̠ latar, parko̠m re̠ Thạkur
Tudu, mo̠ta macha bạlis do̠ hatlak̓ latar re̠ ar mo̠ca do̠ gamcha te̠
e̠se̠t̓(mo̠ca seya thik akan tay te̠), ạdi bạpuric̓ ar nacar e̠ n̓e̠lo̠k̓ kan
ta͂he̠na. Ja͂ha͂ tinạk̓ maran͂ kisạ͂r̠ ge̠, go̠jo̠k̓ baday kate̠t̓ do̠
nacaro̠k̓ ge̠ hōyōk̓a. Niạ kan gēya dhạrti re̠yak̓ “rit” do̠. Mukhyạ Sahe̠b ho͂
pase̠c̓ e̠ baday jo̠n͂ kan ta͂he̠n ge̠ya go̠jo̠k̓ babo̠t̓ te̠ do̠.
Thạkur Tudu ayak̓ jo̠to̠ dar̠e̠ lagaw kate̠t̓ e̠ ro̠r̠
ke̠da:
“He̠nda ho̠, no̠wa ato̠ re̠n bo̠yha ar mise̠ra. Nit̓
ma no̠k̓ o̠y parko̠m in̓ sap̓ thik akat̓…ne̠ calak̓-ne̠ ban͂. Ado̠ adi a͂t in̓
tạklif akat̓ pe̠ya. Sạri ge̠ in̓ạk̓ kạy do̠ ēkạ “layak” do̠ ban͂ kana. Me̠nkhan
nito̠k̓ go̠jo̠k̓ o̠kte̠ re̠ kajak in̓ kastak̓ kana. Ma daya kate̠ ēkạ kạn̓ pe̠.
Baday ge̠yạn̓ in̓ do̠ ēkạ laya̠k ho̠r̠ ho̠n̓ ban͂ kanan̓. Me̠nkhan, ape̠ bape̠
ēkạ lin̓ khan inạk̓ jēwē ho͂ o̠na bhabna re̠ge̠ ta͂he̠n tin̓a.” Ar
hidir-hidir me̠t̓-dak̓ e̠ jo̠ro̠ ke̠da.
Mạnjhi har̠am, gōdēt ar paranik kō laha ye̠na…uni jēwē
e̠may lạgit̓. O̠nko̠ n̓e̠l kate̠t̓ ar ho͂ye̠ hēdēr-hēdēr ke̠da.
“Ma jo̠di inák̓ jēwē rar̠e̠c̓ pe̠ me̠ne̠t̓ khac̓, enạk̓
mit̓ te̠c̓ ne̠ho̠r anjo̠m kat̓ t̓in̓ pe̠. Ạdi a͂t ge̠ yin̓ pap akat̓a. No̠wa dhạrti
re̠ge̠ ape̠ ti te̠ jo̠di ban͂ sạjạy in̓ n̓am le̠khac̓, ce̠tan calaw kate̠t̓ ạdi
a͂t in̓ sạjạy acu a̠. Ma ho̠ bo̠yha, daya kate̠t̓ go̠c̓ bade̠ do̠ alō pe̠ tōpa
ye̠n̓a. Tayo̠m se̠c̓ kho̠n mitte̠n ke̠te̠c̓ macha mat̓ ade̠r kate̠t̓ mo̠ca
se̠c̓ kho̠n paro̠m pe̠ ar kulhi mucạt̓ tạndi re̠ ultạw te̠ mat̓ do̠ bit̓ kat̓
pe̠. No̠wa ge̠ in̓ak̓ ‘kastawna’ do̠.” No̠wa ro̠r̠ kate̠t̓ e̠ thir e̠na.
* * *
Bar din bad sạri ge̠ Mukhyạ Sahe̠b ma ye̠ paro̠m e̠n.
Ade̠ pase̠ go̠ta kho̠bo̠r pasnaw e̠na. Uniyak̓ mo̠ro̠n din re̠ gade̠l ho̠r̠ ko̠
jarwa ye̠na. Mạjhi, paranik ar le̠kman ho̠r̠ak̓ so̠lha te̠ kō go̠ta kēda je̠;
Mukhyạ Sahe̠bak̓ “mucạt sana” do̠ purạw hōyōk̓a…ban͂khan uniyak̓ jēwē ar ho͂
no̠wa ato̠ ade̠-pase̠ ge̠ bhut be̠naw kate̠t̓ ạcur badaya.
Bit̓ kade̠yako̠ kulhi mucạt̓ ‘kunki tạndi’ re̠, ac̓ e̠
ne̠ho̠r le̠n le̠ka: ultạw te̠ mōca kho̠n latar bhugạk̓ paro̠m ke̠te̠c̓ mat̓ re̠
gathaw!
Kriyạ-karm kate̠t̓ o̠r̠ak̓ ruạr̠ ho͂ bako̠ ruạr̠ akan
tahe̠na ar pōn gạdi pulis jeep ‘sansanaw’ kate̠t̓ Rạghnạtpur ato̠ te̠ bo̠lo̠
ye̠na. Ar sidhạ kulhi mucạt̓ kunki-tạndi re̠ tēngō ye̠na.
“Kaun mara hai, Thakur Tudu ko? Pakdo sab ko. Sara
gaon isme shamil hai. Achha hua, Thakur Tudu ne marne ke thik pahle…chitthi
likh kar thana me ittla kar diya tha. Koi bhi bachega nahi. Pakdo sab saalon
ko!” Daro̠ga sahe̠b kajak-kajak̓ te̠ ac̓ re̠n pulis e̠ hukumak̓ ko̠a.
Hay re̠ ”badmas-bugdhi” ma͂gar̠ gupi calak̓-calak̓ te
jo̠to̠ atō ho̠r̠ maran͂ o̠r̠ak̓ e̠ se̠te̠r ket̓ ko̠a.
* * *
EVIL INTELLIGENCE
Translation:
Rạnjit Kumar Hãsdak̓
It’s a very old story. There was a village:
Raghunathpur. It was quite a large village, with five hamlets and 200-2550
houses, with everyone having land for cultivation, some more, some less.
Working for wages was a matter of choice. If there was shortage of money for
buying clothes, they used to go to work for wages, that too, on rare occasions.
Days passed by in happiness and enjoyment. Rich and poor both lived merrily.
But, they say that happiness and enjoyment do not last for long in one place.
It happened like that in Raghunathpur, too. One wicked
man crushed and scattered the village in pieces. And, to worsen the agony, the
same man became the Mukhia of the village. Actually, the village people had not
understood initially that he was a wicked person. Amongst the villagers, he was
the only person to pass the matriculation examination ... and because of that
he managed to win the villagers’ vote. They could not foresee that the same
person would be stabbing them in the back. His name was Thakur Tudu. He was
rich, both in terms of cash as well as kind, he used to take advantage of the
developmental schemes floated by the ‘Block’ and Panchayat and contracts for
land-fill, etc., and thus his status was somewhat different from others in the
neighbourhood. He used to roam about only on his ‘Rajdoot’ motorcycle, even
used to take it for relieving himself. And, he dressed in Dhoti-Kurta, exactly
like a politician, and never thought of himself as any less than an MLA or MP.
Due to his arrogance, people used to call him ‘Mukhia Saheb’.
The police station and the courts were his playing
fields. The ‘Block’ and the ‘Chowk’, his favourite haunts. There was no one,
who had not heard of him. In village markets, Courts, Police Stations,
countryside, old and young, everyone had heard of him, he was very famous. Rural folks ... they were unable
to read and write, to get anything read and written, they used to rush to him.
He, too, showed off his importance, made them run around. But he did not take
any money for that. He was aware that the people were coming to him and giving
him importance only because of that.
The job of Mukhia is to serve the
people. But like MPs and MLAs, our Mukhia also considered it as his estate.
Once anyone comes into power, he forgets whatever he had promised. They only
look to fill their bellies; for the people, God is always there.
* * *
Yes, let’s move the story ahead.
Mukhia Saheb had one problem; he could not tolerate any Sạntal above himself.
Because of that, he kept on trying that no Sạntal could overtake him in the
matter of wealth or money.
He used to incite people to
quarrel with each other. He did not use to resolve even the small disputes
amongst brothers; he used to point out straight towards the courts. So that,
them fighting cases may make “their thongs loosen”. If he was angry with
someone or envious towards anyone, he used to go to “Survey Office” and bribe
them to alter the names. “BDO and CO Offices were his resting places, he could
get altered the names of the people in the voters’ list or ration card list.
And, if villagers use to resolve any matter together, he used to file cases
against them. Do fight cases along with
the entire village in tow marking your presence in the courts every month
leaving your work aside! “Date after date”, as Sunny Deol said.
Village people had become
distraught. But they were unable to do anything against him. And he had also
become more courageous. People used to stay away from him or else had become
his toadies. Because of sycophants his wickedness also continued to grow.
* * *
Day passed by, Mukhia Saheb also
continued to prosper. And his wickedness also swelled. Whether he was born
wicked or committing bad acts gradually made him that wicked, it was difficult
to say. People were slightly relieved, when he lost in the subsequent “Mukhia Elections”.
But he had already sowed the seed of his wickedness. How would the villagers
survive it? His flatterers and office clerks, all were treading the same path.
Whenever, they set their eyes upon any villager, they looked for an opportunity
to strangle him.
* * *
But time is the strongest and the
greatest of them all. Everyone’s time comes, good and bad, both. Bad days of
Thakur Tudu, too, arrived. He was afflicted by the great malady; ‘Cancer’. That
too, the cancer of mouth. The money he had was “free money” after all;
“pan-gutkha”, “tobacco-cigarettes”, “beer-liquor”, he used to devour
everything.
Because of his sickness, his
behaviour, arrogance, everything changed. It has been rightly said: If God
slaps you, then you have no choice, you have to reform, even if you had been a
raging bull in your younger days, you cannot escape. Mukhia Saheb was on the
verge of stepping into old age. And, above that, worries for his health. He grew
old too quickly.
Now his behavior became very
sweet towards all. It felt like that there was no better man on the earth. But
will the village people forget everything so quick! They used to “yea, yeah” in
front of him, but used to curse him behind his back. This fact was also known
very well to Thakur Tudu.
* * *
He could not be cured even after
spending lots of money. Old sins are not forgiven, God had slapped him with
cancer. Thakur Tudu also understood: “Now, I’m sure ‘to go to tend
crocodiles’ (to die).” He called for the go̠ḍet (the village
messenger), and after paying him the money in advance, told him to gather
everyone for a meeting. Having got the money, the messenger also did his chore
very well. He went around the entire village and told everyone to congregate.
Even the people who had no desire of going near, arrived.
* * *
Near the Mạnjhi Than (a
sacred place in the village where souls of the departed chiefs reside) and
below the Bunyan tree, Thakur Tudu lied in a rope-string cot, one large pillow
below his armpit and the mouth covered in a ‘gamchha’ (his mouth had already
rotted) was looking destitute and helpless. One may be very rich, but knowing
of the impending death makes one helpless. This has been the ‘rule’ of this
world. Perhaps Mukhia Saheb was also aware of his impending death.
Mustering all his strength, Thakur
Tudu said: “Look here, the brothers and sisters of the village. Now I’m already
bed-ridden ... will go now, will go not. I’ve troubled you a lot. Truthfully,
my sins do not deserve any pardon. But, now on the verge of dying, I’ve been
repenting a lot. Kindly forgive me. Although I know that I do not deserve any
forgiveness. But, if you don’t forgive me, my soul would continue to grieve in
that sorrow.” And, tears rolled down his cheeks.
Mạnjhi Haṛam (Village Chief), Go̠ḍet
and Paranik (Deputy Chief) went forward ... to give his soul, salvation.
Upon seeing them, he cried more and more.
“If you want to rescue my soul, please
listen to my request. I have committed many sins. If I do not get punished at
your hands in this very world, I will get a lot of punishment, when I go up
there. Ye bretheren, kindly do not bury me when I die. Please put a thick
bamboo into my rear and drive it through my mouth and hang me upside down in
the field at the end of the village street. This would be my just repentance.”
He fell silent having said this.
* * *
After two days, Mukhia Saheb
passed away. The news spread everywhere. On his death, a large crowd gathered.
On the advice of the Mạnjhi, Paranik and the Elders, they
decided that the last wish of Mukhia Saheb was to be fulfilled ... or else his
departed soul would wander around the village as an evil spirit.
They fixed him in the field at
the end of the village street, i.e., in the manner he had requested: upside
down, wound up rear end to mouth around a thick bamboo.
After performing the last rites
when they were even yet to reach their homes in their return trip, four police
vehicles entered Raghunathpur village at top speed. And stopped straightaway in
the ‘Kunki’ field at the end of the village street.
“Who has murdered Thakur Tudu?
Arrest them all. The entire village is involved in this. It was good that
before dying, Thakur Tudu had informed the police station in writing. No one
will escape. Arrest all these scoundrels!” The police sub-inspector ordered his
men loudly.
Alas! The Evil Intelligence! Even
while going to shepherd the alligators he had sent the village people to
the prison!
* * *
साभार: सर्वश्री सुन्दर मनोज हेम्ब्रम एवं रंजीत कुमार हंसदा
यह कहानी पहले यहाँ छपा था :-
इसे भी देखें :-
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