Idgaah Premchand
Summary
The Story of Idgaah is here after full thirty days of Ramazan
fasting. What a gorgeous and pleasant morning! The trees are unusually green,
the fields unusually lush and therefore the sky unusually red. check out
today’s sun. How sweet and the way cool! As if it's greeting the entire world
on Eid.
The village is bustling with activity. People are becoming
able to attend the Eidgah. Someone’s kurta must be buttoned. he's running to
his neighbour’s for thread and needle. Someone’s shoes are stiff. he's running
to the teli to shop for oil. The oxen need to be fed and watered. it might be
noon before they returned from the Eidgah. it's a distance of three kos then
they need to satisfy and greet many people there. it might be impossible to
return before noon. The boys are the happiest lot. Some among them fasted only
for each day which too till afternoon, and a few didn’t fast at all; but the
enjoyment of getting to the Eidgah belongs to all or any . Roza-keeping is for
the elders and therefore the old, for the boys it's just Eid. a day they
chattered about Eid. Now it's here. they're during a hurry.Why don’t people
move towards the Eidgah? they're not worried about their parents' difficulties.
They don’t care whether or not there's ghee and sugar for the sawaiyan; they
need to eat sawaiyan. How would they know why abbajaan is desperately running
towards Chowdhry Qaim Ali’s house? How would they know that, if the Chowdhry backed
out, the Eid would become Muharrum in no time? And their own pockets are full
with Kuber’s own treasure! They remove their treasures again and again from
their pockets, count them with great delight and put them back. Mahmood counts.
One, two ... ten, twelve! He has twelve paise.
Mohsin has one, two, there ... eight, nine ... fifteen paise.
they're going to buy countless things with their uncountable money – toys,
sweets, bugles, balls, and nobody knows what all. And Hamid is that the
happiest among them. he's four-five year old innocent-looking, lean and thin
boy, whose father died of cholera last year and whose mother became
progressively pale then died at some point . nobody came to understand the
disease she suffered from. She never told anyone anything. And albeit she had,
nobody would have cared. She kept it hidden in her heart. And when she could
stand it not she bade goodbye to the present world. Now Hamid sleeps in his old
grandmother’s lap and is as happy as ever. His abbajaan has gone away to earn.
He would at some point return with bagfuls of cash . His ammijaan has gone to
Allah’s house. She would return with many goodies for him. So Hamid is
extremely happy. Hope may be a great point . which too among children! Their
imagination can transform a molehill into a mountain. Hamid has no shoes on his
feet, and is wearing an old worn-out cap the ribbon around which has turned
black. Even then he's happy. He will get all he wants when his abbajaan returns
together with his bags of cash and his mother her load of gifts. Then he will
see where Mahmood, Mohsin, Noorey and Sammi bring such a lot money from.
Hapless Amina is sitting in her small room and crying. On
today of Eid there’s not one grain of anything in her house. Had Abid been
alive, would Eid have come and gone like this. She was sinking into this
darkness and hopelessness. Why did this unlucky day come at all? Eid was
unwelcome during this house. But Hamid! He was unmindful of these who were
dead. There was light inside him, and hope. Misfortune may strike with all its
force, but Hamid’s joyful heart would always conquer it.
Hamid goes inside and tells his grandmother, ‘Don’t worry
amma, I shall be the primary to return. Don’t be afraid.’
Amina is unhappy. All other children are going with their
fathers. Who is Hamid’s father aside from she herself! How can she let him to
travel alone? He might stray therein crowd there. No she won’t let him go like
this. Such alittle kid! How would he walk three kos? His feet would get
blistered. He doesn’t have any shoes either. She would carry him in her lap for
brief distances. on the other hand who would cook the sawaiyan? If she had the
cash she could have bought all the ingredients on her way back then cooked
after returning. Here she is going to take hours to gather the items . she is
going to need to borrow them. That day she had stitched Fahiman’s dress and
earned eight annas. She had tried to save lots of that cash like her honour,
but yesterday the milkmaid had demanded to be paid. She has nothing for Hamid,
but a minimum of she would wish two paise daily for milk for him. Now she is
left with only two annas. Three paise in Hamid’s pocket and five in her purse.
this is often all she has, and on the day of Eid! Allah alone would see her
through. The washerwoman, the barber and therefore the sweeper women would also
come. All would invite sawaiyan and nobody likes alittle quantity. How could
she avoid them all? And, why should she? The festival comes after a year. Their
fate is additionally linked to her own. May Khuda protect the boy! lately also
will pass.
The villagers removed during a group. And Hamid was also
going along side other children. a number of them run and take lead. Then they
stand under a tree and await others to hitch them. Why are they walking so
slowly? It seems Hamid’s feet have grown wings. How can he get tired! they need
reached the sting of the town . The road is flanked on each side by orchards
belonging to the rich. there's a pucca wall around them. The trees are laden
with mangoes and litchis. Occasionally a boy aims a stone at the mangoes. The
mali comes out cursing. The boys are at a secure distance from him and are
laughing. How they fooled the mali!
Big buildings inherit their sight. this is often the court,
this the school , and this the club-house. There must be many students studying
during this college. All aren't boys,O dear. Some are men, really, with big
moustaches. they're so grown up and still studying! nobody knows how long
they're going to continue , and what they might do after studying so much! In
Hamid’s madarsa there are two-three grown up lads, and price three cowries, get
beaten up a day , for shirking their homework. Here too there must be boys like
them. Why not? The club-house may be a place for magic shows. it's said that
the skeletons walk here. Big-big shows are held here. But nobody is allowed
inside. And within the evening the sahib log play here. Big-big people,
moustached, bearded. and therefore the mems also play, really! If my ammi is as
long as which is named bate, she won’t be ready to hold it. She would subside
if she tried to swing it.
Mahmood says, ‘My ammi’s hands would
shake, by Allah.’
Mohsin says,
‘Oh no. Your Ammi grinds maunds of wheat. Why would her hands shake, if she
caught alittle thing just like the ‘baint’? She draws out many pitchers of
water from the well. Your buffalo alone drinks five pitchers. If a mem had to
draw only one pitcher she would black out.’
Mahmood says, ‘But she can’t run, or
jump around.’
Mohsin
replies, ‘No doubt, she can’t jump around. But that day when my cow entered
Chowdhry’s field she ran so fast I couldn’t catch up together with her ,
really.’
They advance
. Now, the halwai shops. The sweets are so beautifully stacked! Who eats
numerous sweets?
Look, there
must be maunds of them in each shop. People say djinns come in the dark and buy
all of them . Abbajaan wont to say that in the dark an individual involves each
shop , buys all the sweets and pays in real rupees, a bit like those we see.’
Hamid can’t believe it.
‘How would the djinns get rupees like these?’
Mohsin says,
‘No dearth of rupees for djinns. they will pick them from any treasury they
like. Even steel doors can’t stop them, janab. What does one know? They possess
even jewels and diamonds. If they're pleased with someone, they provide him
basketfuls of jewels. Now they're here, within five minutes they will be in
Kalkatta.’
Hamid asks, ‘Djinns
must be huge in size?’
Mohsin says, ‘Each is
as large because the sky. If he stands on the world his head touches the sky.
But if they want they will become so small on enter a lota.’
Hamid asks, ‘How do
people please them? Tell me a spell by which I can also please a djinn.’
Mohsin says,
‘Now, I don’t know all this. But Chowdhry sahib has many djinns in his control.
If something is stolen, Chowdhry sahib can determine . He can even name the
thief. Jumerati’s calf was lost. They looked for three days without success.
Then they visited Chowdhry sahib. Chowdhry sahib directly told them that it had
been locked up within the home for stray cattle. The djinns come and tell him
everything.’
Now he could
understand why the Chowdhry was so rich and why he enjoyed such a lot respect
among people.
They advance
. this is often the police line. All the police constables parade here. ‘Rai
Tun. Fai Fo.’ Poor fellows patrol the town the entire night to stop thefts.
But Mohsin
objects. ‘Do these constables patrol to stop thefts? Then you recognize
nothing. Dear sir, these very people wink at the thefts. All the thieves and
robbers of the town are hand in glove with them. in the dark these people tell
the thieves to steal in one mohalla and that they themselves move away to a
different mohalla shouting ‘jagte raho, jagte raho.’ That’s why these people
have such a lot money. My mammu may be a constable. His salary is twenty
rupees, but he sends home fifty rupees. By Allah! Once I asked him where he got
such a lot money from.
He smiled and said,
‘Allah gives it all.’ Then he added, ‘We could get lakhs of rupees during a day
if we wished. But we take only this much in order that we don’t earn a nasty
name and are caught.’
Hamid says, ‘Why
doesn’t anyone catch them once they help the thieves?’
Mohsin,
taking pity on his innocence, says, ‘You fool, who will catch them! They
themselves are the catchers. But Allah punishes them severely. The ill-gotten
money is lost quickly. a couple of days ago mammu’s house caught fire and
everything was burnt. Not one pot or pan might be saved. for several days that
they had to sleep under a tree. By Allah, under a tree! Then they borrowed 100
from somewhere and purchased the utensils.’
‘Isn’t 100 bigger than
fifty?’ asks Hamid.
‘Fifty, and 100 . No
comparison! Fifty are often put in one bag. But hundred can’t be put even in
two bags.’
Now they're
within the thick of the town . Groups of individuals going towards the Eidgah
are often seen. Wearing very bright colored dresses, each brighter than the
opposite . Some are coming in an ekka, others during a motor, all drenched
perfume, their hearts filled with joy. And this small batch of villagers is
moving along, contented and carefree, quite unmindful of its precarious
existence. Everything within the city looks extraordinary to the youngsters .
Their eyes become riveted on whatever they appear at. They don’t listen even
after repeated horns. Hamid is almost run over by a motor.
Suddenly, they will see the Eidgah. it's shaded by thick imli
trees. Under these may be a pucca floor, on which a printed cloth sheet has
been spread. Rozadars, who have come to mention the namaz, substitute rows that
reach far out even up to the pucca platform around the well, where there's no
sheet. The late comers come and substitute the last row. Here there's no
distinction of status or wealth. All are equal within the eyes of Islam. The
villagers also perform the wuzu and are available and substitute the last row.
How well has everything been arranged and arranged . Lakhs of heads bow
together in obeisance, then the rozadars get up . They bend forward and sit
down on their knees. This sequence is repeated repeatedly , as if lakhs of
electrical bulbs illuminate then explode in unison, and this goes on and on.
What a unprecedented sight, that fills one’s heart proudly , devotion and bliss
through this vast, timeless and collective act, as if the spirit of brotherhood
has strung all the souls during a single thread.
2
The namaz is completed . People are embracing one another .
Now people swarm round the sweets and toy shops. This batch of villagers is not
any less enthusiastic than children. Look there, the hindolas, the swinging
cradles. Pay one paisa and have a ride. One moment you're feeling you are
flying within the air, and therefore the next moment that you simply are
falling to the bottom . And this is often the merry-go-round. Wooden horses,
elephants and camels hang from iron rods. Pay one paisa, and luxuriate in going
round and round twenty-five times. Mahmood, Mohsin, Noorey and Sammi ride the
horses and camels. Hamid stands away. He has only three paise. He can’t waste
one third of his treasure only for going round a couple of times.
All alight from the merry-go-round. Now they're going to
choose the toys. Here there's a line of toy-shops. All sorts of toys – sipahis
and milkmaids, kings and lawyers, water-carriers, washer women and sadhus. So
beautiful! So life-like as if they're almost to talk . Mahmood buys a sipahi,
one with khaki dress and red turban, carrying a rifle on his shoulder. Looks as
if he's happening a march. Mohsin likes the water-carrier. His back is bent
which he's carrying a goat-skin water bag crammed with water and holding the
mouth of the bag with one hand. He looks happy. May be, he's singing a song.
he's just getting to splash water from the bag. Noorey loves the lawyer. He
features a scholarly look on his face. Black gown and a white achkan
underneath. within the pocket of the achkan a gold chain for a watch; and an
enormous law book in one hand. It seems he's coming back from the court after a
cross examination or arguing a case. of these toys are worth only two paise
each. Hamid has only three paise. How can he buy such expensive toys? And if
the toy fell off his hands it might forced an entry pieces. a touch splash of
water would discolour it. What use buying such toys?
Mohsin says, ‘My
water-carrier would bring water a day , morning-evening.’
Mehmood says, ‘And my
sipahi would guard my house. And ‘faer’ his rifle directly if someone came to
steal.’
Noorey says, ‘My lawyer
would fight many cases.’
Sammi says, ‘And my
washer woman would wash clothes daily.’
Hamid begins
to decry the toys. ‘They are only made from clay. If they fall they might
forced an entry pieces.’ But he's watching them with lustful eyes and needs to
carry them in his hands and fondle. His hands choose them but children aren't
easy givers, particularly when their possessions are new. Hamid is left crammed
with longing.
After the toys, the sweets. Some are buying
reories, some gulab jamuns, some sohan halwa. they're eating with delight.
Hamid is outside this group. Poor fellow has only three paise. Why doesn’t he
buy something to eat? he's just watching others with greedy eyes.
Mohsin says, ‘Hamid,
come, have a reorie. it's so sweet-smelling!’
Hamid
doesn’t believe this. It seems a cruel joke, for Mohsin can’t be so generous.
But still he goes to him. Mohsin takes one reorie from the leaf-bowl and shows
it to him. Hamid extends his hand to require it. Mohsin immediately puts it
into his own mouth. Mahmood, Noorey and Sammi clap their hands and laugh. Hamid
becomes shamefaced.
Mohsin says, ‘This time
I’ll give, by Allah, come, have it.’
Hamid says, ‘Keep it to
you. I too have money.’
Sammi says, ‘You have
just three paise. what percentage things would you purchase with them?’
Mahmood says, ‘Come,
Hamid, I’ll offer you a gulab jamun.’
Hamid says, ‘What’s so
great about sweets? Books say numerous bad things about them.’
Mohsin says, ‘But in
your heart you want to be eager to eat them. Why don’t you're taking out your
money?’
Mahmood says, ‘I know
his tricks. once we have spent all our money, he will buy and eat to tease us.’
After the
sweets shops come the shops selling things made from metal. Some are selling
things made from tin, some are selling artificial ornaments. The boys aren't
interested. They move forward. Hamid stops at the shop selling iron things. He
sees a pair of tongs. He remembers. Dadi doesn’t have one. Her hands get singed
when she bakes rotis. If he bought a pair of tongs she would be very happy.
Then her fingers won’t get singed. this is able to be a useful thing reception
. What use are toys? You waste your money. they provide you pleasure for a
brief while. Afterwards nobody even looks at them. they could forced an entry
pieces before they reach home; and if they did reach, the youngsters who
couldn't come to the fair would willfully take them and smash them to pieces. A
pair of tongs is extremely useful. you'll use it to carry chapatis and bake
them as you wish . And if someone involves borrow fire, you'll just pick a bit
of burning wood and hand it over. Amma has no time to return to the market. And
then, when would you've got money for this! She burns her fingers a day .
Hamid’s
companions have moved ahead. they're drinking sherbet at a charitable stall.
Look how greedy they are! They bought numerous sweets but nobody shared them
with me. On top of it they inquire from me to accompany them. do that or that
for us. Now I’ll see how they inquire from me to try to to anything for them.
allow them to eat sweets. Their mouths would rot. they might get sores. they
might become hooked in to the taste of sweets. Then they might steel money from
home and obtain thrashed. Books don’t tell lies. My tongue won’t be infected.
And amma would come running towards me on seeing the tongs and exclaim , ‘My
child, you've got brought this for me!’ She would bless me thousand times. She
would show it to her neighbours. the entire village would mention it. ‘Hamid
has brought a pair of tongs for his amma. What an honest boy.’ Who would bless
these boys for bringing the toys? The blessings given by the elders reach
straight at Allah’s court and are accepted. I don’t have money. That’s why
Mohsin and Mehmood boast . i might also do an equivalent . allow them to play
with the toys and luxuriate in eating sweets. I won’t play with toys. Why should
I care about them? i'll be poor, but I don’t go begging. After all, my abbajaan
would come at some point . And ammi would also come. Then i might ask them.
what percentage toys would they like? i might buy basketfuls of toys for every
and show them how one should treat one’s friends. Not like them: that you
simply buy reories for a paise and begin eating ahead of you. All of them would
tease him for purchasing a pair of tongs. Let them.
He asked the shopkeeper
the worth of the tongs.
The shopkeeper checked
out him and said, ‘This isn't for you.’
‘Is it for sale?’
‘Why not? Why have I
kept it here?’
‘Why don’t you tell me
the price?’
‘Six paise.’
Hamid’s heart sank.
‘Tell me the proper
price.’
‘Five paise. Nothing
less.’
Hamid hardened his
stance and said, ‘Would you're taking three?’
Saying this
he walked away, fearing an angry retort from the shopkeeper. But the shopkeeper
didn't rebuke him. He called him back and handed over the tongs. Hamid kept it
on his shoulder as if it had been a rifle, and joined his companions with great
pride. He was able to hear their criticism.
Mohsin said, ‘Why did
you purchase the tongs, you fool. Of what use are they to you?’
Hamid threw
the tongs on the bottom and said, ‘Just you are doing this together with your
toy sipahi. All its bones would crack in no time.’
Mahmood said, ‘This
isn't a toy.’
Hamid said,
‘Is it not a toy? just I kept it on my shoulder and it became a rifle. if I
hold it in my hand it becomes a fakir's tong. I also can use it as a majira. If
I like, with one stroke from this I can destroy all of your toys. And your toys
can do no harm to my tongs. Brave as a lion is my pair of tongs.’
Sammi had also bought
alittle drum. He was impressed. He said, ‘Would you exchange with me?’
Hamid checked out the drum with contempt and said, ‘My tongs
can rip your drum apart. Just a bit of sentimental skin that creates a dub-dub
noise. slightly of water will finish it. My brave tongs can stand against fire,
water or storms.’
The pair of tongs has mesmerized everyone. But nobody has the
cash now. then they're now distant from the fair. it's well past nine and
therefore the sun is getting hot. most are during a hurry to succeed in home.
Buying a pair of tongs is now out of question. Hamid is so clever. That’s why
the rogue hadn’t spent his money.
Now the boys have divided into two camps. Mohsin, Mehmood,
Sammi and Noorey are all on one side, and Hamid is on the opposite side. A
debate is on. Sammi has turned an apostate and joined the opposite camp. Even
Mohsin, Mahmood and Noorey, all elder to Hamid by a couple of years, feel
terrorized by Hamid’s verbal onslaughts. He has the force of justice and
strength of policy on his side. there's clay on one side; and iron on the
opposite posing as steel. he's unconquered, and deadly. If a lion came their
way, the water-carrier would be flattened. The sipahi would throw his clay
rifle and flee. And lawyer sahib would, out of sheer fright, lie flat on the
bottom and conceal his face in his cloak. But this brave pair of tongs, this
Rustum-i-Hind, would hop on to the lion’s neck and pluck out his eyes.
Mohsin summoned all his
courage to mention , ‘Ok, but it can’t draw water.’
Hamid held the tongs
upright and said, ‘He would just order, and your water-carrier would go running
to bring water and begin spraying it at his door.’
Mohsin was down but
Mahmood brought in reinforcements. ‘If he’s caught he would be dragged to the
court. then he would need to fall at lawyer sahib’s feet.’
Hamid couldn't refute
this forceful argument. ‘Who would catch him?’
‘This rifle-carrying
sipahi.’ Noorey said proudly .
Hamid taunted him.
‘Will this poor fellow catch my Rustum-i-Hind? Ok, come, let’s have a match .
All would run away seeing him from a distance. faraway from catching him.’
Mohsin launched another
offensive. ‘Your pair of tongs would daily burn its face within the fire.’
He thought
Hamid would be silenced. But this is often what happened. Hamid retorted
directly . ‘Janab, only the brave jump into the hearth . Your lawyer, your
sipahi and water-carrier would run homewards like girls. Only a Rustum-i-Hind
can jump into fire.’
Mahmood made
another attempt. ‘Lawyer sahib would sit on a chair-table. Your tongs would
keep lying on the kitchen floor.’
This
argument roused both Sammi and Noorey. Mohsin had said something great. What
else can a pair of tongs do except dwell the kitchen?
When Hamid
couldn't find any forceful rejoinder he decreased to tomfoolery ‘My tongs won’t
stay within the kitchen. When lawyer sahib is sitting in his chair, my pair of
tongs would go there, catch him and drag him to the bottom and thrust his laws
into his belly.’
This was no argument. it had been mere abuse. But the thought
of thrusting the laws into the lawyer’s belly completely overwhelmed everyone.
such a lot so, that each one the three warriors were stunned. it had been as if
a half-paise kite had sent hurling down an enormous kite by isolating its line.
Law may be a thing that comes out of the mouth. Shoving it into the mouth
sounds absurd, yet there's something novel during this idea. Hamid had won the
fight. His pair of tongs is that the Rustum-i-Hind. Now, Mohsin, Mahmood,
Noorey and Sammi can’t raise any longer objections.
The respect that a victor naturally deserves from the losers
was given to Hamid. The others had spent three to four annas each, but none of
them had been ready to buy anything worthwhile. And Hamid had done wonders by
spending only three paise. That’s the reality . What are toys? they might break
quickly. Hamid’s pair of tongs would last for years.
Negotiations for terms
of a truce began. Mohsin said, ‘Come, show me your tongs and have a glance at
my water man.’
Mahmood and Noorey also
offered to point out their toys.
Hamid had no problem
accepting these terms. The pair of tongs was inspected by beat turn. And Hamid
petted the toys one by one. How beautiful they were!
Hamid tried to wipe the
losers’ tears. ‘I was just kidding. This pair of iron tongs is not any match
for these toys. It seems they're getting to wake up any moment.’
But this is often no
consolation for Mohsin’s group. The pair of tongs has already made its mark.
It’s impossible to get rid of with water the stamp that has stuck.
Mohsin says, ‘But
nobody will bless us for these toys.’
Mahmood retorts,
‘Blessings! we'd even get a beating. Ammi would ask whether this clay toy were
all I could bring from the fair.’
Hamid had to
agree that no one’s mother would be as pleased with the toys as his grandmother
on seeing the tongs. He had only three paise to try to to everything, and there
was no reason to regret the way he had used his money. And now the pair of
tongs was the Rustum-i-Hind and king among the toys.
On their way
back Mehmood felt hungry. His father gave him bananas to eat. Mahmood shared
them only with Hamid. All the opposite boys kept staring. This was a gift won
by the tongs.
3
At eleven o’clock the entire village came alive. The
fair-goers had returned. Mohsin’s younger sister ran towards him, snatched the
water-carrier from his hands, and even as she jumped with joy the water-carrier
slipped from her hands and crashed to the bottom and departed for heaven. At
this the brother and sister had an enormous fight and both of them cried. Their
mother became so angry to listen to the noise that she thrashed them both.
Mian Noorey’s lawyer met a more honourable end, befitting his
status. A lawyer couldn’t be seated on the bottom , or during a nich. His
dignity had to be maintained. Two pegs were fixed within the wall and a wooden
board was placed on them. On the board a paper carpet was spread, and lawyer
sahib was seated on his throne like Raja Bhoj. Noorey started fanning him.
within the courts there are electric fans or khass for cooling. Shouldn’t there
be a minimum of a standard fan here? Otherwise the warmth of the laws would
make lawyer sahib's head reel. A bamboo fan was brought and Noorey started
fanning. nobody knows, whether it had been the air from the fan or the fan
itself that downed the lawyer and sent him from the planet of the living to the
planet of the dead. His body of clay became one with clay. Then there was great
mourning and lawyer sahib’s remains were consigned to the rubbish heap.
Now about Mahmood’s sipahi. He was directly given the patrol
duty within the village. But the constable isn't a standard person who he
should go walking on his feet. He would ride a palki. alittle basket was
brought and a few red-coloured rags were spread in it. The sipahi was made to
lie in it. Mehmood picked up the basket and commenced to pace up and down ahead
of his own door. His younger brothers shouted ‘jagte raho’ on the sipahi's
behalf. But the nights need to be dark and Mahmood stumbled against something.
The basket slipped off his hands and fell to the bottom . The sipahi along side
his gun hit the bottom and one among his legs was fractured. Only today Mahmood
realized that he was such an honest doctor. He found an ointment that would
repair that broken leg. But he needed some sap from the banyan . The sap was
brought and therefore the fractured leg repaired. But the instant the sipahi
was made to face his leg gave way. When the surgery failed his other leg was
also broken. Now a minimum of he can sit comfortably. With one leg he was
unable to take a seat or stand. Now the sipahi has become a sanyasi and keeps
watch within the sitting posture. Sometimes he acts sort of a god. Some lines
are etched on his head to form it look turbaned. Now you'll do with him
whatever you wish . Occasionally he's used as a weight.
Finally, hear Mian Hamid’s story. the instant Amina heard his
voice she came running and lifted him up in her lap and commenced to fondle
him. Suddenly she saw the tongs in his hand, and cried ‘Where did you get
this?’
‘I bought it.’
‘For how much?’
‘Three paise.’
Amina beat
her breast. What a foolish boy! it's already noon and he hasn’t eaten anything.
And what has he brought, this pair of tongs! ‘Couldn’t you discover anything to
shop for at the fair? Except this iron tongs.’
Hamid said with a way
of guilt, ‘Your fingers get burnt once you cook. So I bought this.’
The old
woman’s anger directly become affection. Not the love that's long-winded and
expresses itself during a spate of words. But one that's quiet, thick and
sweet. How full the kid is with renunciation, generosity and understanding! He
must have felt tempted on seeing others buying toys and eating sweets. How did
he restrain himself? There too he thought of his old grandmother. Amina was
crammed with joy.
And now
something very strange happened. Even stranger than Hamid’s tongs! the kid
Hamid had played the role of the old Hamid. The old Amina now became the girl
Amina. She had spread her dupatta and was begging for blessings for Hamid, and
shedding big tears. How could Hamid unravel this mystery?
0 comments:
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.