Beyond The Water
(Translation of Hindi Novel - Jal Tu Jalal Tu)
(5)
Was happy. He knew he would come across the tamarind shaped small orange fish that emits smoke from its body and clean water become murky. Hence deep waters look shallow and small insects come into that deep fast flowing current. The cunningness of that worldly golden fish often surprised. At times he wanted to catch and eat it. But as soon as he tried to catch it, the fish twined and twisted in such an agonizing way that one was filled with pity and gave up the idea of catching it. Heaving a streak of smoke, waking the clean water dirty, creating an illusion which is a part of the sea world, it speeded up and went ahead.
Actually, this deceit has become a medium to earn bread and butter is the world. The insects thus tactfully drawn into deep waterfall an easy prey to other creatures who eat them up conveniently.
Kinjan was told by someone that in New York there was a very proficient artisan who could coat a plastic ball by applying such a paste inside it that would strengthen the ball without increasing its weight. He got the address of the shop in Manhattan and wanted to go there once.
But going there was not easy. It was expensive and carrying such a big ball was cumber some as well. He decided to take a trial in Buffalo itself early next morning from where the great waterfall was seven km ahead. He and his friend arranged a pick-up.
Next morning when the friends started for the tried early, even before the dawn break, the speed of the pick ip was nothing in comparison to the rate at which Rasbi’s blood. Pressure was shooting up. She was all the time remembering her late husband.
The van stopped in deep forest near the river where water was deep, the bark very clean. Kinjan got down and inspected the terrain. He took off his clothes and waved to his friend who took it as a signal that Kinjan was ready for action. He used all his skills in taking out the big ball from the pick-up.
Kinjan jumped into water from a high point. He dived among high unruly waves, encored the river to seen the rocks and bushes around and beckoned to his friend by waving his hand.
Ernest got inside the ball and with the help of the driver slipped into the river. Kinjan at once dashed towards it’s the ball sometimes rose high with waves and when dashed against rocks it was thrown high in air and fell back into tumulus waters. Ernest felt his heart sinte but Kinjan was monitoring the ball like a player well veried in water sports. Though the boisterous flow of water had all the features that nature can display in a waterfall, Kinjan, like a football player was using all his skills to save the ball from opponents.
Kinjan looked satisfied with the preparation and yet the craving for going just once to New York was getting stronger. Perhaps it was the call of Hudson, the river wanted his image to be engraved in maximum pair of eyes.
Ernest did not know how horrified and angry Rasbi was due to this expedition. He thought he was proving was due to be a true friend by helping Kinjan but when he saw hostile attitude of Rasbi, he came to know the reality.
They returned in the afternoon. Ernest was telling Rasbi Aunt about the trial but the atmosphere was such as if a meal merchant was happily telling a goal with relish how he was going to cut its each part. Had Kinjan told all this mother she would either told all this to his mother she would either have slapped him hard or had struck her own head against the wall. She was listening Ernest just as a doctor forces down a litter syrup down a little girl’s throat and she closes her eyes. The innocent Ernest was waiting for some snacks that Aunt would offer them. Kinjan was looking with the corner of his eyes at his mother’s face that was devoid of all emotion but was changing colour every minute. He could sense the heat that was building up inside her. He wondered why mother did not understand his forvour of attempting something new.
The determined Kinjan, along with his friend Ernest made preparations to go to New York. There was a possibility that a courier company might sponsor the expenses involved in sending out the boat.
New York the metropolitan of that great country was not only a convenient destination but also a platform to realize their dreams; this Kinjan felt the next day only. It was just a coincident that while Kinjan was challenging the raging tumultuous current in Buffalo, fighting the fuming furious waves, a press reporter from New York had taken his photograph and thus the ball-like boat had indirectly voyaged from Buffalo to New York through a newspaper and entered every house. The whole city knew Kinjan as a valiant dauntless player.
And next day, near the Rockefeller University a crowd gathered to water that globelike boat, matching its movement with the shy them of waves of river Hudson and Kinjan gliding at its end with lightening speed. People were greeting, waving to him and waiting for him to come ashore. Even dogs of rare breeds who been brought to parks near the bank of the river balanced themselves against the railing and enjoyed the spray thrown up by splash that seemed to touch the sky. Ships and boats of all types crossed the river round the clock envying the palacial buildings they ran through the proud waters of Hudson. It was a common sight. But seeing a young man with determination to challenge the Niagras was amazing. Thousands of speclators wished him good luck and were filled with emotions.
A surprise gift was waiting for Kinjan next day
Kinjan’s photograph, along with a news item was published in newspapers in New York. Whenever any local or foreign tourist came to Buffalo to see the Niagras he visited a museum also where the photographs of all the courageous persons were displayed who had dared to cross the great waterfall. Many had lost their lives in this dauntless endeavour and were now only a chronicle in the pages of history. But seeing a very young person who ready to go on this expedition was astounding. They gathered to give him their good wishes.
The artisan, who had applied a paste in the global boat also, had a hand in all the publicity Kinjan was getting through newspapers. He arranged a special function for Kinjan at the Time Square that evening under was a gigantie photograph of the Niagra Falls with Kinjan standing in front of it, laughing. When people saw Kinjan himself standing in front of the photograph, everyone, right from school going children to elderly people wanted to shake hands with him and clicked their Cameras to have a photograph with him/ people coming from all corners of the world showered blessing on him on behalf of their family, their seat, their city and their country everyone wished him success.
The list of people who wanted to put their signature on the while board was endless. Stephen von
Timothy, Ranjitm Akshay, Anuj, Ankesh, Gaurav…… There seemed no end to it/
When Kinjan reached in front of the Empire state Building, then only he realized the magnitude of his dream. The masses that streaming in the Time Square enthusiastically encouraged Kinjan’s adventurous enterprise/ there were inhabitants of all the Countries who waved to him. It was a new flare for his dream.
Kinjan was weighing this enthusiasm of the crowds with the despair of his mother Rasbi.
This heartwarming sentiment made him emotional. He had never thought the whole world would be so hopeful of his success, would have confidence in his dream except his own mother Rasbi.
He was getting so many proposals. A college in Albany offered to employ him as a couch for swimming if he was successful. Kinjan felt he was on air. The only means to earn his livelihood according to his mother was joining army. He was overwhelmed.
A Chinese woman, who had her laundry in sixty-seventh lane of Manhutton promised through a newspaper to buy the clothes which Kinjan would wear while crossing Niagra at very high price.
An Infian gentleman deckared in Pittsberge, he would build a swimming pool in India, named after him.
At eleven thirty that night, Kinjan, Ernest and the artisan were having dinner when a lady from twenty-fifth lane requerted the artisan that she was prepared to pay ten thousand dollars if Kinjan would take her puppy of Brazilian breed with him on his expedition.
Kinjan’s eyes filled with tears of only once his mother would wish him success along with her blessings; His mother had given him birth hence he ought to be thankful to her, not his mother to him. He had never given her anything, except nightmare.
It was quite late when two representatives of a noted company in New York came to meet him. They informed him they arranged a fun fair sort of get-together for the employers and their families in a luxurious garden situated on an island. The day was spent in enjoying delicious dishes and a variety of amusements. They suggested if Kinjan displayed his boat in which he proposed to cross Niagra the company would help him with finances and there would be a banner to declare it.
Not only that, many employees came forward to help him. Kinjan was convinced, at least there was no lack of funds. He said to Ernest, “I wish there was an angel who could convince my mother.” He was sure if she had come to this place with him and seen the cooperation and blessings people were offering, she would be moved too.
The ball shaped boat that Kinjan had made to cross the Niagra Falls was constantly being photographed. Some Indian youths applied the auspicious vermillion’tilak’ on the surface of the ball thus displayed their sentiments. A Japanese girl tied the violet scarf she had round her neck on Kinjan’s wrist and declared she would name her house she had just bought in Florida “Kinjan” if he succeeds in her expedition.
Such propositions made Kinjan very emotional. He was young and yearning for success, that much he understood, he also knew he had not achieved anything as yet, so he just listened to all the proposals but remained silent. He was not yet in a position to take decisions assertively.
Secondly, he was feeling uncomfortable and downhearted. He did not know why was in low spirits. He was thinking of his mother when he had left alone at home.
Rasbi wasn’t happy as life did not see pleasant that night. She was all alone in the house. She cooked some food reluctantly but did not eat as she had no appetite. She thought she was feeling sleep and would retire to bed early, but it was actually a drowsiness one feels due to weakness. She kept on turning and twisting right and left till late night. In early hours she felt she was in deep slumber and some vision appeared before her closed eyes. It was like a silver screen stretched in front of her sleepy eyes.
She felt she was standing on a rock with her feel firmly set on it but soon the ground below her feel gave ways slipping like sand and then the sand transformed into water. She couldn’t remain stable and tried to struggle for life and save herself against the fast current and high waver. The flowing river was uprooting her speed of the water was like landscape one views from a fast moving vehicle’s window, that appears to move in opposite direction. She reached a point where she fell she was falling from a height as high as sky, just like a droplet of water. She had no hope of surviving and went on falling deep down where ferocious aquatic creatures rushed towards her. In agitation she closed her hands into fists, her nails biting into her palms. Her palms started bleeding. Then there was the round of an explosion, as if some meteor had exploded thought there is no acted round when you see a meteor. But this meteorite had exploded inside Rasbi with so much force that the horrible echo could be heard all around.
***
