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 !
‘HO̠Ṛ BUDDHI’
Original Story in Santali: Sunder Manoj Hembrom
No̠wa
go̠lpo̠ do̠ kana Sagrampur ato̠ re̠yak̓, Bo̠rdo̠man-Hawr̠a me̠n line re̠
Pandua̠ steso̠n kho̠n uttạr nakha re̠ no̠wa ho̠r̠ ato̠ do̠ me̠nak̓a. Ho̠r̠ ato̠
do̠ ce̠t̓ kana… ho̠r̠ ar dēkō mēsal te̠ge̠ me̠nak̓ ko̠wa. Ar Pạndua do̠ ona
Pandua ge̠, Sho̠ro̠tcho̠nd Chattopadhay re̠n “Devdas” ak̓ Pạndua. Mari diso̠m
re̠n ho̠r̠ do̠ bo̠n bujhạwa pase̠c̓ ho̠r̠ ko̠do̠ nalha kạmi ko̠ he̠c̓ le̠na ar
no̠te̠ re̠ge̠ ko̠ basaw e̠na; Asam re̠ basaw akan bo̠yha ko̠ le̠ka, me̠nkhan
o̠nkan katha do̠ ban͂ kana. Pase̠c̓ abo̠ kan ge̠ya bo̠n nowa casa kisạ͂r̠ disōm
re̠n ạsli bōsinda do̠.
Ado̠
kisạ do̠ kana: barya gate̠ wak̓. N̓utum takēn do̠ Rubēn Tudu ar Somnath
Mukherjee. He͂ ho̠r̠ ar dēkō kajak̓ gate̠. Dēkō re͂ho̠͂ ce̠t̓ Bangali babr̠e͂.
Kạtic̓ kho̠n ge̠ “mit̓ mạci mit̓ durup̓” pase̠c̓ ic̓ ho͂ ic̓ gatē ta͂he͂ kan
takina. Rubēn ma ar ho͂ ạdi kusi …jumidar re̠n kor̠a re̠n gatē tho̠r, e̠tak̓
ho̠r̠ gate̠ tala re̠ dho̠mo̠k ge̠ judạ. So̠nge̠ te̠ge̠ ato̠ skool re̠ kin par̠haw
le̠na. Ja͂ha͂ le̠ka te̠ 8 kēlas te̠ye̠ rakap̓ le̠na Rubēn do̠; par̠hak̓ re̠
mo̠ne̠ ge̠ ban͂ lagat̓ tay, e̠ke̠n ce͂re͂ tuti, tạr̠i n̓u ar kur̠i ko̠yo̠k̓.
Mit̓ tala go̠so̠r-go̠so̠r Jumidar re̠n kor̠a Somnath sa͂w te̠ge̠. Dēkō kur̠i
nolaw e̠ me̠n jon͂ kan ta͂he͂na pase̠c̓. Somnath do̠ e̠nho matric e̠ pas ke̠t̓
ge̠ya…laha se̠c̓ do̠ o̠ko̠y e̠ par̠hak̓a; hudis bar̠a ke̠day…jumidari o̠ko̠y e̠
n̓ela. Onạk̓ gan gạnit ar ạnreji ma ye̠ cit̓ ke̠t̓…ho̠r̠ e̠r̠e̠ le̠ka ma.
Umạr
ho̠y e̠n takina bana ho̠r̠ak̓ ge̠, bạhu ye̠ ạgu jo̠n͂ e̠na Rubēn do̠ ar Somnath
ho͂ ko̠ bapla kade̠ya. Menkhan gate̠k̓ do̠ bakin bȧgi le̠da. Ade̠-pase̠ ge̠
or̠ak̓ e̠yate̠ adda re̠do̠ kin n̓apamo̠k̓ ge̠ya. E̠nho͂ gharo͂j do̠ calaw ge̠
ho̠yo̠k̓a. 20-25 bighạ casa jumi ta͂he͂ kan taya Rubēnak̓ do̠, casa re̠y lagaw
e̠na. Ar Mukherjee bạbu ma jumidar. Be̠go̠r cas te̠ge̠ sanam jumi ayak̓. Engrej
ko̠ calaw e̠na ar jo̠to̠ that-bat do̠ no̠ko̠ jimạ ge̠. Pe̠ tala birat do̠lan
orak̓ baba har̠am takō jamana kho̠n ge̠ ta͂he͂ kan tako̠wa. Ko̠r̠a the̠c̓ do̠ e̠ke̠n
maintenance re̠yak̓ jimạdạri. Rubēn ho͂ ayak̓ hasa ka͂t ar khapra chạpri
o̠r̠ak̓ re̠ ạdi kusi ge̠ye̠ ta͂he͂ kana. Dino̠m hilo̠k̓ sundi-go̠dam re̠ mit̓
bo̠to̠l pạurạ do̠ do̠ho̠ ge̠ ta͂he̠n taya ar so͂ge̠ te̠ jēl cakhna. Mit̓
bo̠to̠l do̠ ac̓ mo̠to̠c̓ te̠ purạw do̠ bay n̓uya me̠nkhan gate̠ ko͂ ho̠ ko̠
se̠le̠dok̓a. N̓u gate̠ ma ho̠r̠-dēkō banar ge̠. Pạurạ re̠yak̓ thēk re̠ge̠
ja͂ha͂nak̓ bhēdbhaw ba͂n̓ ta͂he̠na, onka yin̄ bujhạw akada. Ado̠ taka do̠ pạli-pạli
te̠ jo̠to̠ ho̠r̠ ge̠ ko̠ e̠m bar̠aya. Me̠nkhan so̠ro̠s gate̠ Somnath do̠ hȧdi-pạurạ
kho̠n ạdi jhạl re̠ge̠ ye̠ ta͂he͂n kan ta͂he̠na.
“Tomra
sala sa͂wtal ko̠kho̠no̠ manus hobē na” tala-tala re̠ Mukherjee do̠ Tudu ye̠
me̠taway ge̠ya. He͂ e̠nte̠c̓ ạkil re̠yak̓ thikạ ma o̠nko̠ the̠c̓ ge̠. Ruben ho͂
dhēr do̠ bay me̠t̓ lutur bar̠a wataya. E̠ke̠ne̠ jo̠baba: “Ha͂ rē (b*r̠*)…so̠b
bugdhi tō tōmar kachhe e, amra to so̠b matir manush, na ki?” Bhagwa gate̠ kana
kin tho̠r ja͂ha͂ nak̓ ge̠ kin me̠n jōnak̓a…e̠kdo̠m fanka-fayar̠.
Ado̠
so̠mo̠y paro̠m edē yēna. Somnath ma Somnath kho̠n Somnath Babu ye̠ be̠naw ede
ye̠na. Taka po̠ysa ar dho̠n-do̠ulat bo̠lo̠ edē ye̠na. Bo̠lo̠ ce̠ka te̠ ban͂
bo̠lo̠ a bap-dada wak̓ gun do̠ oka te̠ calak̓a. Ho̠r̠ ho̠po̠n kō lut re̠do̠ ạdi
gạkhur̠ kō ta͂he͂ kana Somnath re̠n har̠am ko̠do̠. Ho̠r̠ tho̠k kate̠t̓ 250 bighạ
re̠n mạlik ko ta͂he͂ kana no̠kō Mukherjee do̠. Ar Rubēn ma gidrạ apat’ huy-huy
te̠ ye̠ pico̠-po̠co̠ caba ye̠n. Pạpita jo̠ le̠ka ac̓ bạhu re̠n e̠nde̠-e̠nde̠
gidrạ…jo̠to̠ te̠ mo͂r̠e͂ go̠tēc̓. Gharo̠nj calaw re͂ho͂ muskil e̠ aikạw e̠da. Calaw
do̠ bhage̠ ge̠ calaw ko̠k̓ taya…ado̠ o̠ne̠ bo̠to̠l rēyak̓ fēr…ho̠r̠mo̠ ho͂
dhingạl-sangal caba ye̠n taya. Dar̠ē na kar̠ē e̠nho͂ dho̠mpo̠ ma Madho Singh
lēka ge̠.
Ja͂ha͂
tinạk̓ lạtu gha͂ro̠nj, unạk̓ ge̠ lạtu bo̠jha ar hamal ho͂ ạdi hamal…gha͂ro̠nj mạlik
cētan re̠do̠. Casa-basa bhage̠ re͂ho͂ kulạw calaw muskil te̠ge̠ hōyōk̓ kan
ta͂he͂na. Ar o̠na ce̠tan re̠ jo̠to̠ gidrạ dakto̠r khana rege ko̠ ho̠y le̠na.
Ne̠tar dakto̠rak̓ kharca do̠ ko̠m..? bhale̠-bhale̠ ho̠r̠ kō tir-tirạw utạro̠k̓
kana. Ce̠t̓ e̠ ce̠ka ya Rubēn do̠...? karja re̠ ye̠ bo̠lo̠ ye̠na. Mul bay ruwạr̠
dar̠e̠ le̠t̓ te̠ jaga-jumi ho͂ bho̠rna ēdi kan taya. Ar bạy-bạy te̠ jumi kago̠j
jumidar the̠c̓ jama calawe̠na. Jumidar Somnath Mukherjee, Rubēn re̠n bhagwa
gatē, me̠nkhan uni ge̠ye̠ cusạw gitic̓ ke̠de̠ya.
“Mul ta
tar̠a-tar̠i ghurye daw, nei to tomar aro dui bigha jumi jabe.” Mukherjee do̠
dho̠mo̠k te̠ Rubēn e̠ me̠ta wade̠ ya. Ayma din bad adda re̠ kin n̓apam e̠na.
Bar cando̠ laha re̠ge̠ 20hazar taka ye̠ hataw le̠da, jumidar the̠c̓ kho̠n…ce̠t̓
e̠ ce̠kaya dakto̠r ko̠ me̠n le̠da, o̠pre̠sạn huyuká …ba͂n khan gidrạ ar go̠go̠
banar ho̠r̠ ba͂n kin ba͂nca a. Laha re̠yak̓ 50 hazar taka ruạr̠ lạgit̓ laha
kho̠n ge̠ mo͂re͂ bighạ jumi maye̠ e̠ma wadē ta͂he͂na Jumidar ma. Ar ho͂ unạk̓
usạra taka ye̠ tagada kēdē khac̓ bo̠ho̠k̓ lo̠lo̠ ye̠n taya.
“Ha͂ rē
so̠b ghuryē debo kintu amar jumi ta firo̠t deye daw.” Rubēn e̠ ro̠r̠ ruạr̠
ke̠da.
“Ki
ko̠re̠ ghurabē…tumi ki poysar gachh peye geyechi, na ki..?” co̠tkar macha ye̠
ro̠r̠ ke̠da jumidar. “jodi ami to̠mar dik te̠ poysa pelam to suro̠j po̠chim dik
te uthbē!”
“Kal ke
suro̠j pạchim dik te̠ hi uthbe, jo̠di bisas no̠y to̠ baji ko̠r!” acka ge̠ ce̠t̓
hudis kate̠t̓ co̠ kajak te̠ye̠ ro̠r̠ ke̠da Rubēn. “Suro̠j puro̠b dik te̠ uthle
amar so̠b jumi to̠mar ar jo̠di pạchim dik te̠ holē …tumi amar so̠b jumi firo̠t
diye dēbi. Bo̠lo̠ baji rakhbi?”
Somnath
Mukherjee ye̠ hudis ke̠da, mo̠j moka kana nui matalak̓ jo̠to̠ jumi harap lạgit̓.
Ato̠ re̠n jo̠to̠ se͂r̠a ho̠r̠ ho̠ho̠ kate̠t̓ nōwa baji kin do̠ho̠ keda. Jo̠to̠
ho̠r̠ te̠ Rubēn kō bujhạw bar̠a wadiya. Menkhan uni ma mit̓ katha ge̠ye̠ ro̠r̠
e̠da: “ami baji ta rakhbō ē.”
Tayo̠m
te̠ orak̓ se̠te̠r katet̓ mit̓-bar ho̠r̠ gate̠ ko̠r̠a kō bujhạw bar̠a wadiya,
“He̠nda ya to̠ya, ado̠ candō do̠ pạchim se̠c̓ kho̠n do̠ ce̠ka te̠ye̠
rakap̓a?...caba ye̠nam am do, nito̠k̓ do̠..ale̠ the̠c̓ kho̠n ho͂ alo̠m
aso̠k̓a.”
Jo̠to̠
ho̠rak̓ anjo̠m kate̠t’ ạdi khạtir te̠ye̠ ro̠r̠ ruạr̠ keda: “katha yin̓ manaw
taya to̠be̠ nahi..? AMI MANBO̠ Ē NA KI SURO̠J PURO̠B DIK TE̠ UTHE̠CHE̠.
BAS, AR KI…? MUKHARJI BABUR SO̠B KHE̠LA KHO̠TO̠M.”
Epilogue:
“Sin̓-cando̠”
ma purub sec̓ kho̠n ge̠ rakap̓, no̠wa katha do̠ judạ ge̠ya je̠ okatak̓ purub
bon me̠tak̓ kan ona do̠ ro̠j hilo̠k̓ bo̠do̠l calak̓ kana. Ce̠dak̓ je̠ dhạrti ma
sin̓-candō be̠r̠hay te̠ ạcur calak̓ kan rōj ge̠. Ado̠ o̠katak̓ purub bun
me̠tak̓ kan o̠na ho͂ co̠ bo̠do̠l calak̓ kan. Me̠nkhan pase̠c̓ Rubēn do̠ nowa
katha do̠ bay baday ya. Uni do̠ e̠ke̠n mit̓ katha ge̠ye̠ badaya je: “Jumidar
do̠ ye̠ e̠re̠ ēdēn̓a.” Me̠nkhan ce̠dak̓ pase̠c̓ o̠na do̠ bay badaya.
O̠nka
ge̠ dhạrti re̠yak̓ jo̠to̠ ạri-cạli (belief & custom) ho͂. O̠katak̓ jinis
se̠, o̠katak̓ pạtyạw(belief) ho͂ ‘permanent’ do̠ bȧnuk̓a. Bises kayte̠ manwa
jȧtak̓ bebo̠har(behavior). Abō manwa do̠ abō ade-pase̠ re̠yak̓ gho̠tna
‘against’ se̠ ‘favour’ re̠ bo̠n ‘respond’ a. Ado̠ o̠katak̓ Rubēn e̠ ‘respond’
ke̠t̓ o̠na do̠ “social transformation” re̠yak̓ ‘result’ bo̠n me̠n dar̠e̠yak̓a.
Abo̠wak̓ swabhaw ge̠ “saral” ge̠ya ar abo̠ ho̠r̠ ho̠po̠n do̠ pase̠c̓
‘isolation’ ge̠ bo̠n kusiyak̓a. O̠na ēyạte̠ usạra ba bōn he̠r̠a-ghe̠sa
go̠do̠k̓a a e̠tak̓ jạt sa͂w te̠. Se̠ e̠tak̓ jạt ho͂ abō sa͂w te̠ ‘apprehensive’
ge̠ kō tahe̠na. Nowa karo̠n kan ge̠ya pase̠c̓ ban͂ do̠ “mainstream” sa͂w te̠
bo̠n milạk̓ kan…ban͂ do̠ abo̠wak̓ ạri-cạli ge̠ bo̠n do̠ho̠ dare̠k̓ kan.
Ruben
okatak̓ katha jumidar e̠ jo̠bab waya nahak̓, ona do̠ abo̠ ho̠r̠ bhasa te̠ do̠
“he̠te̠t̓” bo̠n me̠tak̓a. O̠lo̠k̓-par̠haw re̠ bay se͂r̠a le̠na Rubēn do̠, o̠na
ēyạte̠ ‘survival of fittest’ theory re̠ bay fituk̓ kana. Me̠nkan, “respond to
own survival” do̠ ạdi ‘natural’ gun kana jo̠to̠ jiw-jạntu wak̓ ge̠. Mōta bugdhi
eyạte̠ ye̠ hudis ke̠da: “sala, ango̠c̓ ge̠ ban͂ in̓ ango̠c̓ a ar inạk̓ jumi
firo̠t in̓ hatawa.”
Ado̠
o̠na tayo̠m do̠ jahanak̓ ge̠ hōy e̠n…ōna do̠ ape̠ ge̠ n̓e̠l-jut̓ pe̠!
PS: No̠wa kạhni re̠yak̓
‘outline’ do̠ "Mano̠tan Andreas Tudu" ye̠ lạy adin̓ ta͂he̠na.
Ado̠ o̠na ge̠ in̓ak̓ bhasa te̠ yin̓ o̠l jut ke̠da. In̓ se̠c̓ kho̠n Tudu sahe̠b
…ạdi-ạdi sarhaw.
* * *
SẠNTAL
WISDOM
Translation: Rạnjit Kumar Hãsdak̓
This
tale relates to Sangrampur village, this Sạntal village is located in a
northerly direction from Pandua Railway Station on the Howrah-Burdwan Railway
Line. Not exactly a Sạntal village ... it has a mixed population of both Dikus
(Diku, Deko – Non-Sạntals belonging to the oppressor class) and Sạntals. And,
Pandua, too, is the very same Pandua which figures in Sharat Chandra
Chattopadhyay’s ‘Devdas’. We, Sạntals of old country, would presume that
perhaps Sạntals came here as labourers and finally settled down here; like
brethrens settled in Assam, but this was not the case. Perhaps we ourselves are
the original inhabitants of this rich fertile tract.
The
tale is about two friends. Their names are Ruben Tudu and Somnath Mukherjee.
Yes, a Sạntal and a Diku are fast friends. And, amongst Dikus, what kind, not
less than a Bengali Brahmin. From their early childhood, they were “sitting
together on the same stool buddies” (as the Sạntali saying goes) or perhaps,
“passing stool together pals” or “shitting together chums” (as they say in Sạntali).
Ruben was the happier of the two ... he was, after all, the friend of the son
of the Zamindar (the landlord), his airs amongst his Sạntal friends was not
like anyone else. They had studied together in the same village school. Ruben
somehow managed to go up to Class 8; his heart was not into the studies, he was
interested only in drinking toddy, shooting birds and watching ‘birds’. He was
always cossetted with the Zamindar’s son Somnath, talking incessantly. Was
perhaps thinking of hooking up with a Diku girl. Somnath still passed Matric
(but stopped studies thereafter) ... thought that who needed to study further
... who would look after the Zamindari. He already had learnt enough Maths and
English ... enough to cheat Sạntals.
They
both came of age. Ruben brought himself a bride and Somnath also got married.
But they did not give up on their friendship. They had their houses in close
proximity, so they continued to meet each other at their hangout. But, a
household has still to be run. Ruben had 20-25 bighas of farming land, he
engaged himself in cultivation. And, Mukherjee Babu was, after all, a Zamindar.
Without even tilling, the entire land was his. Britishers had left but while
leaving had entrusted all their lavishness to them (Zamindars). They
(Mukherjees) had a large three-storeyed mansion from the time of their
forefathers. The son had the responsibility of only maintaining it. Ruben also
was very happy in his mud-walled and tiled-roof shack.
Every
day, one bottle of liquor along with a meat dish used to be kept aside for him
at the watering hole. He did not use to take the entire bottle himself but his
companions also joined in. His drinking comrades were both Sạntals as well as
Dikus. I understand that it is only at a bar that you will not find any
discrimination. And all the cronies used to pay in turns. But the good mate
Somnath used to stay far away from the rice-beer and liquor.
“You
bloody Sạntals will always remain animals”, Mukherjee used to admonish Tudu
from time to time. Yes, after all, they owned the birthright to all the wisdom.
Ruben, of course, did not lend his ears to such talk. He used to retort only:
“Yeah, you a**h*** ... you do have all the intelligence. Rest of us are clay
dolls only, isn’t it?” Being bosom friends (‘thong pals’, as they say in Sạntali)
after all, they were quite blunt with each other ... brutally frank.
The
time continued to pass by. Somnath became Somnath Babu. Money and wealth rushed
into his coffers. And why not, genes of his ancestors were bound to tell. His
forefathers were proficient in robbing Sạntals. And Ruben had become pathetic
after he became a father. Like papaya fruits, his wife had closely-born kids
... altogether five. He found it difficult even to manage his household. He
could have very well managed... of course ... but for the bottle ... his body
had also become emaciated. But he still had an oversized ego like Madho Singh.
Larger
the family, bigger the burden, and, its weight, heavier still ... on the head
of the family. Although crops continued to be good, the household was being
managed with difficulty only. And, on the top of it, all the children were born
in a nursing home. And you know that medical expenses these days are not modest
... even very well-off persons grovel under its burden. What was Ruben to do
... ? He sank down in debt. Because of his inability to pay off the principal,
he started to lose his lands. Gradually, the title deeds began to find their
way to the Zamindar’s address. Zamindar Somnath Mukherjee was Ruben’s ‘thong
pal’, but had now sucked him bone-dry.
“Repay
the principal fast, or else, another two bighas of your land will go.”,
Mukherjee threatened Ruben. They had met at the hangout after a long time. Only
two months back, (Ruben) had taken a loan of 20 thousand rupees from the
Zamindar ... what was he to do when the doctors had told him that an operation
was required to be performed ... or else the child and the mother both were
unlikely to survive. He had already failed to repay 50 thousand rupees and had
lost five bighas of land to the zamindar. And, his head become hot when faced
with the demand for repayment.
“Yes,
I’ll repay all but you have to return all of my lands”, Ruben replied.
“How
are you going to repay ... have you found a money tree, is it, eh”, Zamindar
reacted with sarcasm, “if I get my money back from you, the Sun will rise from
the West”.
“Tomorrow,
the Sun is going to rise from the West, indeed, if you don’t believe, let’s
have a bet”, Ruben countered strongly, suddenly thinking of something. “If the
Sun rises from the East, all of my lands are yours and if it rises from the
West ... you have to return all my lands. Tell me, will you have a bet?”
Somnath
Mukherjee thought that it was a good opportunity to grab all the lands of the
drunkard. All the elders of the village were called and the bet was duly
placed. All tried to make Ruben understand. But he said only one thing, “Indeed
I am going to have the bet”.
After
he reached his home, one or two of his Sạntal friends tried to reason with him,
“you imbecile, how can the Sun rise from the West? ... you are finished, maan,
don’t expect anything from us either”.
Hearing
from everyone, he responded confidently, “only if I agree to him. I will
never agree that the Sun has risen from the East. And, what ... ? Mukherjee
Babu’s Game Over”.
Epilogue:
The Sun
rises from the East indeed, it is a different matter that what we term as ‘the
East’ keeps on changing. But maybe Ruben doesn’t know this. He knows only one
thing that: “Zamindar is cheating me”. But why, he perhaps does not know this.
All the
customs and belief of the world are like this. Nothing, no belief, is
permanent. Particularly, the behavior of human-beings. We people respond
against or in favour to the events around us. So, Ruben’s response can be
termed as a result of the social transformation. Our nature is simple and
perhaps we Sạntals prefer isolation indeed. So, we do not inter-mingle with
other communities. And, other communities are also apprehensive of us. This is
the reasons perhaps why we are not being assimilated into the mainstream ...
neither we had been able to carry on with our customs and traditions.
What
Ruben is going to reply to Zamindar is termed as ‘hetet̓’ in Sạntali.
Ruben was not able to study much, so he could not fit into the ‘survival of the
fittest’ theory. But responding to its own ‘survival’ is a very natural trait
of all the living-beings. Being a fat-headed, he perhaps thought, “I will never
accept and will take back my land”.
And
what happened afterwards ... this you are to imagine and set right.
PS: The outline of this
story was told to me by the ‘Respected Andreas Tudu’. I only put it to
the words in my own way. Many many thanks to Tudu Saheb.
* * *
साभार:
सर्वश्री सुन्दर मनोज हेम्ब्रम एवं रंजीत कुमार हंसदा
यह कहानी पहले यहाँ छपा था :-
इसे भी देखें :-
संदेश
कोई टिप्पणी नहीं:
एक टिप्पणी भेजें