LIGHTS
OFF!!
After a boring engineering
education at Calcutta, finally I had been at my home town. I was surprised to
see lot of changes in station premises like new platform, neat toilets& new
cloak room e.t.c.I felt happy and thought that may be the sign of new
government in the state. I picked up my luggage and came out of the station.
You know it’s a 2 km walk from the station to my place by a dusty road among
the most beautiful paddy fields. And a sort of beautiful village smell
welcomes you, as you pass on through it. Once you enter into the village, you
can see so many smiling faces as inviting you. Which you cannot see in these
cities.
That’s so
nice. But it’s not!
What Sashi Rekha? What happened? (ACTING LIKE KNOWING NOTHING)
Why are you coming closer
Arjun? (WHILE SHE IS TRYING TO MOVE AWAY)
Don’t know, but you are looking so dazzling in this white Saree.And
especially your jasmine smell is forcing me to reach you.
Just
close your eyes and nose. Then there will be no problem. If you do like this, I
will call my grand ma. (WITH HIDING LAUGH)
For what? Complaining? Or for any suggestions? If it's the reason, I know how
to play the game. (WITH A SHARP LOOK INTO HER EYES)
Shut up dear!
Then, what she will do in our first night?
She is a good story teller.
Till yesterday, she used to tell me the stories in the nights. And I used to fall
into sleep slowly, while listening to her stories like a baby!
Baby? You?
Ya.Dont you know? I
am sweet and small baby. (WITH A EXPRESSION AND VOICE, REALLY SEEMED TO LIKE A
BABY) I am amazed with your cute
baby expressions. You are really looking like a baby. You know onething, I have
decided just now, to buy toys & chocolates to you. (IN A CALM VOICE)
Really! Thank you
so much. Then I want...I want many! (THREE YEARS BABY
ONLY CAN TALK LIKE THIS)
many means?
Many means many.
(WITH CHILDISH EXPRESSIONS AGAIN)
Deal is okay. But this time I am out of control with her childish behaviour. I
have taken her beautiful face into my two hands. I came close to her less than little
nano millimeters.Her face resembles like a wet red rose, in my hands. Her lips
are shivering like; petals of flower in the rain. I winked her, and slowly
moved to her fore head to kiss.
Arjun!
Arjun! Where are you? Are you dreaming?
With her shout, now I am feeling present. Bull shit! Is this my dream? How
beautiful the dream is!
Arjun,
can you continue the story or can I call my grand ma? (WITH HIDING
LAUGH)
Do you know? This is block mailing. I think in the universe, no bride will want
to hear a story from bridegroom on their first night. May be this is the first
case & best to accept for Guinness book of world records. And I have turned
aside. (NOW THIS IS MY TURN TO PUT CHILDISH FACE)
This time, she has come close to me. I expected a lot. But she has just grabbed
my nose with her smooth right hand.
Its paining baby! My nose is very sensitive. (ACTING AS I
HAVE MORE PAIN)
Then, can we cancel the
programme dear? (IN A CALM VOICE WITH SMILE ON FACE)
Devil..!
Then continue the
story Arjun... (WITH A LAUGH)
Okay Rekha..Sashi Rekha.I will... (WITH A BIT OF ANGER, I KNOW SHE IS LAUGHING
INSIDE)
As I had entered into the village, I felt there is some sort of disturbance. As
I was stepping ahead, found a 60 years aged woman. I thought that “I knew her before”.
She wore a heavy crumpled green Saree, and her hair was irregular around her
head. She sat on a rock, which was under the tree. I observed that “she is
talking to herself”.
Bloody thieves, stolen everything from me. From
the alone old woman..Bastards! God is there He will curse you. He will punish you
.you will smashed off. Bloody thieves.
I tried to talk with her. But she
was not listening to me. And she gave me advice “take care, thieves are
there"...She was continuously telling "take care, thieves are there”.
A sort of tense rose in me, not because of her. Due to, what she told! I had started
my walk to home& reached the home in 5 minutes from there.
While I reached my home, my parents
were in deep sleep. I quiet surprised to see, because then time was 11 in the morning.
Not only my parents, while I was coming from the station, I could not notice
any one on the streets except that old lady and some street dogs and pets. I
thought that "They are also in sleep”. I woke up my parents, after three
trials.
"When did you come, Arjun?"My father asked.
"I came before my three hard calls to wake up you “I said.
"Oh
I am sorry my son. “He apologised
"Its
Okay dad. You need not to tell sorry to your son “I replied.
"We
have been sleeping in the day time for a week, not in night “told in a
dull voice, while he was taking off from the
bed."Situation is not so good here “my mother told.
I didn't understand that, what they were
saying. My mother interrupted the topic with her formal questions. But actually
I was so curious to know the situation in my village.
Interesting Arjun! What was the
real situation in your village?
(WITH ANXIETY))
Out of control!
Out of
control means what?
A woman in Saree can kill anyone without any weapons! Especially like you.
Then she
has covered her navel area based on my looks, with wrapping a portion of Saree
around it.
Damn! I couldn’t have told to you.
Shut up! Continue
the story... (WITH A LITTLE SHY ON
HER FACE)
Your Aunt
insisted me that “we can discuss all these things, while taking lunch.
My aunt! Who is that?
I don't think that you are such a beautiful idiot! My mother is your aunt!
Right?
Hey, I am
not idiot. I thought, a new character entered into the story.
Really? Say truth..
Yes it’s true. Then, what happened later?
(WITH A SWEET SMILE)
What happened? We just ate lunch.
Not that. Story! (IN A LOUD VOICE WITH ANGRY LOOK)
After eating,
I slept up to 4 in the evening; in my mother's garden
Mother's garden?
Ya! My mother is so fond of plants. She looks after the plants &trees as
her son. She planted nearly 30 verities of vegetable plants & 20 varieties
plants were flowering daily. I think that is the most beautiful & peaceful place
in the world.
Really? I want to see that.
When will you take me to there, Arjun? Can they accept us?
Sure, but it takes time. There has been no love marriage in my community till today.
Trend started with us. Let’s see. I wondered that" your parents have
accepted me”. Really your family members are such a broad minded and wonderful
persons. But I know one thing; this is all because of you. They strongly believe
in you. And I have seen that they are giving much respect to your thoughts,
taste, decisions, and ideas. You are so lucky Rekha.
Enough...Enough...Thank
you for praising me. You are saying all the nonsense, but what happened in your
village?
I had interrupted my father,
while he was pouring the water to the plants."Dad, you haven't told me yet,
what happened? “I asked. Nothing son, a group of thieves are roaming around all
the villages of our mandal" he replied. I shocked."Didn't you see in
news papers at Calcutta?"My mother asked, while she was helping my father
to bring the water from the nearby well."The situation in our
villages is covered by electronic media also “My dad told while he was taking
off the waste plants."So, all the people in our village have become
security guards to their properties in the night time “A male voice came from
back side with a familiar laugh. It was Rahul, my best friend from childhood.
He hugged me as soon as he came. We chitchatted for nearly two hours about our lives,
our families, situation in the villages.
Rekha has
raised her hand as a student in class IV, and shouted that "One doubt!
Common baby! Ask.
Uncle told to you that “Villages of your mandal. Not about your village”. Then
why you guys were afraid?
I am unable to understand, whether you are asking these childish questions by
knowingly or unknowingly. Villages of my mandal means, my village should be
there among them. Understand! (LITTLE
BIT OF FRUSTRATIION)
Rekha laughs.
Unknowingly my face also becomes smiley. Please don’t ask heart breaking
questions!
Sorry...Sorry I don't ask. You carry on (HIDING SMILE
BY PUTTING HAND ON MOUTH))
Rahul told me that “Thieves are from Bihar”,
“How can you say that?"I asked him."I don't know. I heard from the people.
“How much they have stolen till now in the mandal?"I asked. I heard a
shocking reply that “nothing"."What? Then, how the people are
thinking that thieves are present in our mandal?" I asked."Actually
they tried to steal, but they couldn’t. “He replied. I thought that “there is
something wrong".
We had decided to go outside,
because I felt bore. I told to my mother that “I am going out with Rahul. She
insisted me to take care of myself. We came out of the house at 7 in the night.
Children were playing on the roads irrespective of fear of vehicles. Men were
at their entrance gates carrying long strong sticks .Women were ready with a
plastic bottles. I expected that "they were pepper bottles”. All young men
were roaming on the roads with bikes. Whenever they reached to homes of their love,
they were blowing their bike horns vigorously.
I didn't understand that time
"why these young men wants more attention from their love”. But now I do.
God did a magic in my life in the last year, on this day at 10:28 AM .That was
most precious moment in my life, revealing the most beautiful & stunning
Sashi Rekha. At that moment I thought that "Lord Brahma manufactured me
for you only”. From that moment, my heart had been telling that “you are
perfect meaning to me”. Totally, I am nothing without you .My life is for you
Rekha.I love you. I love you forever and ever. I don't know, why I becoming emotional
now. My eyes are becoming wet. I just closed my eyes.
Love you too ...My sweet
Arjun... (WITH MUCH AFFECTION)
I don’t know when she has approached? But now I have sensed her kiss on my
closed eyes, within seconds I have felt her tight hug too. I am hearing her voice,
from a few nanometres away saying that "what next? “.I have opened my eyes.
We are still in that position. Can I switch off the light?
Now she has moved away from me. Do you know stopping the
story telling, in the mid is a big sin?
Really? Who told? I know your grand ma..I have turned aside.
“If you unable to contro....then complete the story telling fast “she has told
and laughs continuously.
Wow! You are positively responding to me, for first time. But, do you know
waiting gives more kick!(I WHISPERED SLOWLY AT HER EAR)
Shut up baby!.. (WITH A SHY ON HER FACE)
Wow, you called me baby! Sure I need to complete it fast.
Rahul got a message that “comes fast to Temple Street from our common friend”.
So we rushed to the place on Rahul's bike. Already our village youth gathered
there and they had started searching. Actually temple street was a full of
mango gardens. Somebody informed to our youth that “thieves are present in
mango gardens”. We searched a lot but could not find any one there. Finally
while we were returning to go back, I had seen a bright light blinking and
white colour background at a considerable distance. I thought that "may
be, a white colour shirt thieve looking at us with an imperfect torch light. I
showed that to my friends. They were also confused about that. But we confirmed
that, “somebody is starring at us from behind the mango tree”. Finally I
convinced them, as “he is a thief”. So we circled, like players in the cricket
match .While we were discussing about the situation, one of group mates told “he
is coming to our side”. Immediately our circle had broken, and tense increased in
our group. We picked up the sticks strongly in our hands, as they can smash in
our tight grip alone."Yes he is coming to our side, take positions guys “I
shouted. We had taken our positions with our weapons, like soldiers in a
Hollywood epic film.
Amazing!
Then what happened? Did you guys fight with him? Or maybe did he carry any pistol?
What happened? Arjun?
We laughed.
Laugh?
Yes. We laughed, by seeing at each other.
What? Why did
you laugh by seeing thief?
He was not a thief or a vilian.He was a cow.
What?
Sorry, that was a cow. Eyes of a
cow usually blink in dark. And the colour of cow is usually in white colour. We
had mistaken.
You idiots! I imagined a lot, as you guys were fighting. And your gang had good
applause from the village people
but, have you observed one thing here? The way we mixed the things is so funny
right?
You only mixed the
things. Why are you adding this to your friends? Idiot!
First baby! Now Idiot ah?
Yes, my sweet
idiot! (SHE CAN ONLY TURN THE
SITUATION TO HER SIDE)
Sweet idiot! So romantic! I have to finish this fast.
We just came back after taking promise
from each one, not to leak this into village. Otherwise we couldn't have voice
in the village.
So funny!
Continue...
I took leave from the gang, because I tired due to train journey from Calcutta.
I slept that night, even though my parents were still wake up. I woke up '5' in
the morning on next day. My mother was still there at the entrance gate of my house.
She was chatting with our neighbour, Sujatha aunty. I searched for my father.
But he was not there. While I was coming to outside, my mother told me that
"people caught one of the thieves in the night at the Lord Sai Baba
temple".
As
soon as I heard this, I rushed to the temple. There had been lot of people
gathered around the electric people. Some people were at a distance from the
pole and chatting with each other. I expected that “people may tie him to that pole.
I tried to reach him through the huge crowd. While I was passing through the crowd,
I heard while people were discussing about the situation in their own ways.
Somebody was saying that “we couldn't beat him”. Somebody was saying that “what
happened is happened, leave it”. “If we feel sad, will he come as alive?"Many
people supported this statement. I had reached the electric pole finally. Yes
he was beaten by the people badly. His entire body became wet, with his own
blood. I thought that, “his face is not new to me”. I was unable to notice him.
But I was sure, he is not a thief. There was no sign of any moment in his body.
I thought that" he is no more"
What Arjun?
Wasn’t he thief? Is he innocent? Is he dead?
He was not dead. He
was murdered by our foolish people. I enquired the people “whether anyone has seen,
while he was stealing”. But no one replied to me positively. Some people said that
“he is not speaking Telugu or Hindhi “.Some people told that “he is speaking
Bihar language” I didn't understand “how our Telugu people know Bihar language”.
I think they usually speak in Hindi or Bhojpuri. I didn’t understand that “Why
people are chanting Bihar?
Finally after 2 days, fact was revealed. I &
our village people felt ashamed by shocking news. My friend Rahul had wakened me
up while I was in the bed. He told me that "the person was dead by our
foolish people, is not an ordinary person”. Who is he?" I asked in a sleepy
mood."He was a professor, sick professor!"He told. I shocked©
Sick professor?
Mentally sick! Do you know his profile? He did his PhD from Harvard
University and published many research papers on new generation of aircraft engines.
But unfortunately his mind was sick.
Really
it is so unfortunate Arjun.
I felt very bad. Later I reminded him. I studied his articles in journals at
the college.©
Even, what will we do now? Then what
about thieves? Did you guys catch them?
We tried
a lot, to catch them. We had many sleepless nights thereafter. But we couldn’t.
Why?
To be frank, there were no thieves.
What?
Yes. Some useless fellows of my village started this rumour.
Rumour! Oh my god!
Rumour killed a person!
Yes. That too, he is not an ordinary
person.
Ya.Any way we
missed him. I can develop this story into a novel; there can be more people
come to know about the severity of a rumour.
Good! You can put the title as “Rumour can do anything”.
Don't you have any
love stories?
Why? You want to hear a story again? Oh my god!
You know? My grand ma tells love stories beautifully. Can l call my
grandma! (WITH A LAUGH)
grand ma...No way. I don’t want to waste even a nanosecond further. ( I AM SO HURRY)
Have you ever seen my grand ma in the house? (LAUGHING CONTINUOUSLY)
No! But why you are laughing?
You can see there,
she points to a photo frame, which is hanged on the wall..(LAUGH BLUSTERED OUT)
You devil!
You blackmailed me till now. Do you know, what is the punishment for this?
What? (IN A CALM VOICE WITH A NAUGHTY LOOK)
I am
going to switch off the light...he...he
No...No... Please I am afraid of
the dark. (WITH A BIT OF FEAR ON
VOICE)
Me too! But don’t worry I am there for you, you are there for me. You
know one thing; presence of glowing light in the bed room on the first night is
against the THEORY OF FIRST NIGHT.
!!LIGHTS OFF!!
Written By
NARESH GANTALA
