Beyond The Water
(Translation of Hindi Novel - Jal Tu Jalal Tu)
(11)
Kinjan somehow managed a holiday and decided to spend some time outside Buffalo City. His friends called it a honeymoon trip and looked after his business with so much dedication that he would not suffer any loss, as if he had gone on some spiritual mission.
In a remote corner of his heart, Kinjan had sweet memories of a small city Grove, like a flower one after put between the pages of a book. Actually this was the place where he used to go to school in his childhood. When he put the proposal of going that place Parina readily agreed. It is said that after marriage girl are more interested in the boys part than their present. It is like opening a locker containing inherited treasure. The discovery of knowing the nursery in which the full grown tree on which they made their next grew, the feel of air and water which nourished it delights them.
After a few days they reached via. The were driving in black limousine the journey with Kinjan was very exciting and Perina was overwhelmed. Kinjan, lost in his thought, was diving in past little memories disturbing him like thousand of colorful fish. Most of the houses were made of big red stones hence the town looked like a freshly washed bouquet. The serpentine lanes bound it in a unity. Every citizen had vast broad vision.
At the back of the unique hotel in which they were staying, there was a warm tranquility. Every particle in the atmosphere seemed to vibrate, to rise upwards. But the night hid everything.
God knows what happens and where, in the famous epic Kumauni, written by Jay Shankar Prasad Manu and Shhradha were creating a new world, the famous poet words worth’s eyes spanned ten thousand daffodils a glance while returning home near Landon, white someone created verses with rhythmic beats for Adam and eve in Greece….
The poles were ready to sell the unending nights but none had time to buy.
The moon that shines like a silver platter on the night of full moon soon starts playing hide and seek with clouds and becomes blurred like a snow ball. The sweetness of honey is completely satisfying and can be seen all around.
One morning Kinjan showed Perina his school which he still remembered and for which he had came his town. Perina did not find anything unique in that could be remembered for years. Kinjan guessed what she was thinking so told her the real reason why he that chosen that particular town as this honeymoon destination.
In fact not for from there in that hilly area there was a church with a big farm house, where a saint from India had made his ‘Ashram’ she saint had settled permanently in America. Hundreds of people came there and the place was jam, Packet with vehicles. The Ashram had about seventy branches in different Countries. Thousands of people came to the saint with their problem and found their solution. Kinjan too was longing to know whether his dream of crossing the Niagara Fall would ever be fulfilled!
Perina heard the whole thing with indifference and gave no reaction. How can another person predict whether this particular person would succeed in his attempts.
For Parina this was enough that Kinjan was with her and they were walking together land in hand. And it was her own philosophy of life, if someone wanted to achieve something why should some other person deter him from doing it. She did not want to get involved in any which argument, if the saint gave an indication that Kinjan would succeed, and Kinjan really did succeed in his mission, who`ll finally get the credit of this success. The saint or Kinjan? If the saint had his doubts and still Kinjan succeeded. What his punishment will the saint get? And if the saint gave his blessing to Kinjan to be successful and still he failed, what compensation will he get? And finally if the saint`s foretell was about Kinjan`s failure and Kinjan did fail in his done devil attempt. Who will be held responsible for it, the saint or Kinjan ? and if the saint said something and something happened to Kinjan. Then why are the people of seventy Countries spending their money, valuation time or to be more exact themselves like that?
But if the second most dense country is wearing and tearing itself for such things, how was Perina concerned?
After sometime Perina were climbing the steps of the Ashram holding Kinjan’s arm. Just as they were going to enter though the main gate of the Ashram, so many people were coming out of it. Perina wondered how could people have more confidence in a person sitting in a closed room. Who was just like them, then on themselves. Every question had two answers ‘yes’ or ‘no’. If a person closes his eyes and says ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to everyone who comes. At least Fifty percent of his verdict was going to be true and he would be acclaimed as a sear.
Some people were waiting to be called in a well-furnished room. A delicious drink with a good aroma was being offered to them. A token was also given to them. A request to donate something willingly to the Ashram was constantly broadcast. Kinjan was much impressed, he took the glass containing the drink in his hand and settled down on a sofa. Perina was rather bored so she went st the back of the Ashram to enjoy nature. There she saw a big herbal garden in which many persons were working.
Perina tried to talk to an old woman but her monosyllabic replies disappointed her so she just walked along the boundery wall quite far. There was so much crowed inside that Perina knew Kinjan would take hours in coming out.
Then she was happy to see that the old woman was coming towards her and talked to Perina.
She had been working there for the past forty years, and knew quite a lot about the activities of the Ashram. She apologized for not talking to Perina earlier and explaned that no one was allowed to talk during working hours. They were rather strict about it but now she was off duty hence came to her.
She belonged to Narway and had come from also. The Ashram people trusted her and she had been to many Countries. She was very talkative so Perina soon befriended her. Perhaps the hard discipline of Ashram had restricted her and now she was her usual self.
Her voice was like pebbles in a box. She whispered so many secrets in Perina ears. Perina came to know that the saint was not Indian but from Myamar.
Perina was dumb-found when she came to know the whole story of the Ashram that had come into existence about ninety years back, when a very thin old man was brought to the place almost as a prisoner. People say that in caves of the mighty Indian mountains holy people spend their life to seek cognition. It is called “TAPASYA” and has been going on from ancient times. The saints who got some special super natural powers after or during their “Tapsaya” and could foretell. Future were not interested in money nor expected anything in return for their soothsaying.
Later some business minded and powerful people forcefully used them as a source of earning money. They gave them shetter and ran their business taking benefit of their supernatural soothsaying powers. Old Indian states known as “Raywaras” got their entry into different Countries by giving shelter to such saints. Perina wished the women would leave her alone so that she could go and alert Kinjan by telling him all this.
It wasn’t as easy as Perina thought. The women continued her prattle and through her Perina came to know so many things. The women said that the saint who was brought from Myamer was no more but this saint whom she called Mahatma and who is more than hundred years old does not wear any clothes and is the Ashram. His meals are frugal. This saint, living in that cave like cell, is taken as an insane person by anyone who sees him fair the first time. But actually he is very learned that is why the other person, acclaimed is the chief saint is earning so much fame all over the world.
The old women cautiously looked around, lest anyone should hear what she said. Perina wasn’t much interested in the main saint now but wanted to cast a glance at the old mahatma. She wanted know more about him.
She saw Kinjan coming towards them. He had been searching Perina and came to back yard.
The old women’s intimacy encouraged Perina to tell her what she wanted.
She women thought for a minute and agreed to take her to the old Mahatma, on one condition that she would hide herself while Kinjan met him because he did not meet women. She was still hesitating but decided to take the risk. And take Kinjan there.
The women herself was not allowed to go there so she asked one of the boys working in the garden to take Kinjan to the Mahatma. While she and Perina hid themselves behind a carved window.
Meeting the old Mahatama wasn’t that easy. Kinjan felt he was going to see a tiger in zoo, as he followed the boy. The tiger in its eage may come out or may not, is depends on its mood. It hardly matters to the tiger from where the visitor has come and has taken a ticket to see him. After going on crooked curved paths of the Ashram cave, Kinjan ultimately reached near the Mahatma’s cave.
The Mahatma whom everyone called “Baba” had his back towards the door and had lifted his hands towards the sky. Both the young men waited for Baba to see them. Up on the wall a shaft of sun ray lit the cave like a torch. Perina and the old woman were peeping from it and held their breath. They could only see a part of the cave but no part of Baba’s body was visible.
The boy instructed Kinjan not to greet or wish Baba when he noticed them. “What will happen if…” Kinjan asked in whispers when Baba suddenly twined and looked back. Kinjan in his nervousness wished him good day. Baba laughed heartily and came towards the door. The boy who was accompanying him ran in opposite direction but Kinjan stood where he was, rooted to he the ground.
Now Perina could see the Baba from that peep hole.
Baba suddenly sprang and came near Kinjan. With a supersonic speed he put his hand in Kinjan’s pocket and started pulling him. He clenched and started running in the same direction in which the boy had run. The boy was standing some distance and watching the whole thing.
The Baba rushed after Kinjan shouting Panna! Panna!
Now it was Perina’s turn to be shocked. She told the old women that her husband Kinjan called her ‘Panni’. In her nervousness and excitement she forgot that women were not allowed to go near Baba. She too started running toward him.
She had to go down many steps of the circular staircase but the old women caught her by her wrist. Perina was surprised to see the strength of the old women’s tight grip.
Down below the old man caught Kinjan who was running so fast. Panting heaving he put his hand in Kinjan’s pocket trying to find out something. Kinjan now was relieved of his nervousness. He stopped.
When Baba took his hand out of Kinjan’s pocket, Kinjan was shocked to see the golden saffron coloured tamarind shaped fish that had come in Baba’s hand. The fish was dead. Kinjan’s whole body shook with fear because in that frightful dream. He had tried threw this same fish away with all his strength but could that same fish come out of his pocket into Baba’s hand?
***
