Zindaginama

by Krishna Sobti

  Chhoti Shahni joined them. ‘Both brothers are at the courts today. Who will deal with these self-willed policemen? Sister, send someone to ask after your people. We can send food from Lala Vadde’s house. After all, they have to eat.’

  Chachi grumbled, ‘Ashes upon such offspring. One dark fortnight, and can’t rest until they’ve done some thieving-looting.’

  ‘Worthless good-for-nothings! If they had any wisdom, wouldn’t they have joined the police or the army?’

  Mabibi whispered in Chachi’s ear, ‘Mustafa’s elder brother, Shaukat is already in jail for murder. Now what will his mother Nasibani do?’

  ‘She will fill the jailer’s pockets and visit her sons in jail, what else! She can’t very well take the case to the upper courts, can she?’

  Nawab emerged from the stables tying his mandasa around his head, and looked up at the women upstairs. ‘Lo ji, our barkhurdar Mustafa has also made an auspicious beginning. The police are here to stay. Now let’s see who all get their fortunes read.’

  The children of the village, the elders and the Chaudhary Panch were all gathered on one side, and the constables and the thanedar on the other. The crowd swelled full, like at a royal court.

  Replacing the well-known Thanedar Salamat Ali after his transfer, Mehboob Ali sniffed around the village with his parrot nose and took it all in into his copious thanedar stomach. Sitting on the cot, he rapped his cane sharply a few times and breathed fire upon the youths gathered there, as if they were a herd of sheep and goats, not men. Sipahiji, the constable stamped his cane and shot a question at the simple Banta standing in the crowd, ‘How many types of dates?’

  ‘Ji-ji …’

  ‘Oye, tell him how many kinds of dates are there, can’t you?’

  ‘Ji, Loona Pind, Banki Pind, Shangisti and Pind Cheekho.’

  ‘So let us feed the rascals dates of Pind Cheekho today.’

  The boys from the madarsa tittered, ‘Is this a police station or a madarsa?’

  Sipahiji puffed up importantly. ‘You will know soon enough, when Village Cheekho will get its name from the culprit’s screams.’

  Mustafa’s cousin, the one-legged Usman Langa was summoned. ‘Oye foot-in-mouth moonh-khure, show us how you walk. And since when are you lame? Were you too feeding the dogs on the night of the dacoity?’

  Usman took fearful halting steps and went up to Thanedar Mehboob Ali to offer salaam. In reply, he got a boot kick on his rear that sent him reeling face-down to the ground.

  As if applauding the thanedar, a wise one said, ‘Consider this hapless one’s lameness congenital only, Sahabji. Put him to work serving you. If nothing else, at least let him run around handing you your cane.’

  Guruditt Singh nodded approvingly. ‘Sadke upon your wisdom. While Usman Langa takes his time fetching the cane, the one being thrashed will also brace himself for the next blow.’ The thanedar’s chirayta-bitter eyes swung to Guruditt Singh, who sheepishly scratched his head.

  Sipahi Hukma and Sipahi Khudabaksh arrived with the wretched worms, Mustafa and Naubatiya. The thanedar lashed out, ‘Your accomplices are in custody. Now fill us in about Tatta Sansi.’

  Mustafa avoided Naubatiya’s eyes, looked at the thanedar and blurted out, ‘Sansi was headed towards the sand dunes.’

  Thanedar rested one leg upon the other as he sat. ‘I am listening … spill.’

  ‘Jewellery is with the Motiramiyas. Rest of the goods are at Tibba Islamgarh.’

  All young and old of the village spat on them in anger and indignation, Thhoo! Thhoo! Dacoity, and on such livers! Lakkh lanat! A million shames on such cowardly jackals!

  Barkhurdar Khan remained standing there with his arms crossed over his chest, grinning ingenuously, as if he knew nothing. When the thanedar glared at him, his tongue itched. He taunted Mustafa, ‘Oye, you could have at least shown some patience. Making yourself a witness for the prosecution! You should have been a hawker like the Aroras and Karads, good only for selling hankies, oils and combs. Professions of bravery are not for you.’

  Thanedar threw Barkhurdar a dismissive glance, looking through him as he might a pine-nut, not a strapping young Jatt. Sipahi leaned close to his ear and whispered, ‘Huzoor, he’s from a family of known criminals. Best ignore him, shake him off casually.’

  Thanedar maintained his customary hauteur. ‘Seed of evil, come to mark attendance at the thana.’

  Barkhurdar Khan got his heart’s desire. Laughed engagingly and said, ‘Thanedarji, I am all yours to command, but I am not fond of fame after death. I present myself only when I am in trouble. But if you say so, I will certainly come to pay homage.’

  Thanedar’s lips twisted into a snarl as he promised himself something ominous. Putting a tiny pouch before Javinde Shah, he said, ‘Take a look at these trinkets and jewellery. These were recovered from their waistbands. Rest, identification and formalities will be taken care of at the police station.’

  Evening had fallen and the lamps at the Shahs’ haveli had just been lit when Tarey Shah’s horse arrived at a gallop and halted below.

  Nawab came running at the sound of hoofbeats and Tarey Shah’s bellows. ‘Khush-amdeed, Tarey Shah!’ Then caressing the horse’s forehead he asked it, ‘Suleiman, where did you take Shah Sahib?’

  ‘Oye Nawab, since when did you acquire a taste for Persian?’

  ‘Tarey Shah, we are only the kings of cattle. What do we know of Persian and Arabic? May Rabb do you good, remember the nautch girls at Lali Shah’s birth? They taught the entire pind to say “Khush-amdeed”. The dancers welcomed everyone who entered the mehfil with smiles and a “Khush-amdeed!”’

  One hand clutching his stomach, the other holding the reins, Tarey Shah said, ‘Idiot, still into your foolish Jatt talk! Don’t you see there’s someone else with me?’

  ‘Ji, I did see something like a shadow in the dark.’

  ‘Now listen carefully, Nawab, I don’t have time. This is Barkati, my new wife. I have come to leave her with Shahni. Help her down.’

  When Nawab took the soft delicate hand of the woman almost completely hidden under a sheet, and helped her off the horse, a thrill ran through him from head to toe. Beneath the sheet, a child woke up startled and began to whimper.

  ‘Balle balle! Shah Sahib, pray what are these colourful tamashas?’ Nawab asked.

  ‘Yaara, today the colour of my deeds is red. I am wounded. My intestines have been gouged out. I’ve tied a cloth over them. It was vital to get your bharjaaee here first.’

  ‘Rabb preserve you, Tarey Shah, did this too have to happen?’

  ‘Barkati, go upstairs, touch Shahni’s feet and seek her blessings. Nawabeya, tell Shahni my wife is the daughter of the Telis, the oil-pressers of Chakk Manhasa. She was widowed last winter. We met by chance. And yes, if they are reluctant, tell them to make arrangements for her in the lasoodewala terrace room. She will cook and fend for herself.’ Turning his horse around, Tarey Shah said, ‘Nawabshah, in my absence, you are her brother. Keep an eye on her. If someone protests or creates problems, tell them I will come and settle scores.’

  ‘Ji,’ answered Nawab. Then requested, ‘Partake of some milk and medicine at least before you leave, Shah Sahib! Your brothers will be arriving any moment.’

  As if throwing a challenge to his absent brothers as he went, Tarey Shah said, ‘My father disowned me, but I have equal claim upon my grandfather’s land and property. Tell them, the property papers of Jahangir’s times are in my possession.’

  ‘Shahji, at least get your wound cleaned with spirit!’

  ‘You fool, has your intelligence deserted you completely? This wounded stomach will only be opened at the police station now. And the Telis’ crime will be registered there itself. Couldn’t feed their sister with respect, so they attacked her love.’ Saying so, Tarey Shah pulled on his reins and turned his back on the haveli.

  Nawab lifted Barkati’s child into his lap and gently said, ‘Bharjaaee, this next step is up to you. My power is only t
his much – to repeat what Tarey Shah said.’

  Barkati started crying.

  ‘Have courage, bharjaaee. Even if there’s some other complication in the matter, there is no need to explain it at this moment.’

  Barkati wiped her eyes and her nose and pulling her odhni low over her face, climbed up the steps in the dark after Nawab. He asked in a low voice, ‘You got the wedding lavaan-pheras done, at least?’

  Barkati shook her head. ‘Where was the time!’

  Nawab reached the low platform and called out, ‘Shahni, a guest of yours has arrived from across the river.’

  Shahni came out, lamp in hand. ‘Who is it, Nawab, who did you say?’

  ‘From Tarey Shah’s house.’

  Barkati, head covered, stepped forward and bent to touch her feet.

  ‘Be content. May your husband live. Ari, I didn’t recognize you.’

  Chachi Mehri came up. ‘Who did you say, dhiye, who is it?’

  Nawab repeated, ‘Chachi, our Tarey Shah’s wife.’

  ‘Have some sense, re! No engagement, no fixing of dates, no mare, no pomp, and the bahooti arrives unwed! Arey, and he brings her home without wedding rites! Malla, don’t fool us.’

  Barkati fell at Chachi’s feet and wept: ‘How will I live on lies? I tied my destiny to the Shah and left home. At daybreak, I hid in the sugarcane fields, waiting for him. Hearing hoof beats, I came out, and at that very instant, my brothers sank an iron claw into the Shah’s stomach. Shah came racing his horse, grabbed my hand and pulled me up behind him.’

  ‘Satnam! Satnam!’ Shahni exclaimed in anguish.

  Chachi held her breath and asked, ‘What then, ri, what happened then? Speak, dhiye, speak. Khairon se, is our boy all right?’

  Barkati sobbed: ‘Shah’s intestines were gouged out. But there was no time to stop. Shah poured liquor on the wound upon reaching Panghalli, then he tied a cloth tightly over it, and raced his horse to reach me here.’

  Chachi started berating Nawab. ‘Fool, you should have called out from below! We would have made him drink some milk with ghee at least!’

  ‘I beseeched him, Chachi, ask bharjaaee, but he didn’t listen.’

  Barkati said: ‘I begged and pleaded – don’t travel so far for me, Shahji – but he wouldn’t listen. Said, “Your brothers are mad with rage. If you fall into their hands now, they will kill you.” He has gone straight to the police station from here.’

  Chachi leaned closer and looked at Barkati with new eyes, then ascertained the child’s face and features. ‘Don’t lie, balli, this is not Tarey Shah’s child. Tell us, where is the father?’

  Barkati’s eyes welled up again. ‘He is no more. Last year he got high fever, and closed his eyes.’

  Nawab interrupted, ‘Chachi, mother and daughter are hungry since morning. Offer them some food and water at least!’

  Hearing voices, Chhoti Shahni came out. ‘Who is it, Chachi?’

  Shahni put a hand on her devrani’s shoulder and softly said, ‘Tarey Shah’s sweetheart.’

  ‘Bless me! And how is she here?’

  ‘Devrani, her brothers have wounded Tarey Shah. He has left her here and gone to the police station.’

  ‘That is bad, jithani; this will go to the courts. Our men are not home today. It shouldn’t be that we earn a bad name in all this. Why, my doll-face, didn’t you find a better place to go to?’

  Barkati began to sob loudly. ‘What can I say, bad times fell upon me. I too lost my head.’

  ‘Shh … not so loud!’ Chhoti Shahni warned. ‘You will collect the entire pind today itself. As it is, the whole world will know tomorrow. Have patience for today. Our men are not home.’

  Nawab gestured and said, ‘Give her a bowl of water, let her collect herself.’

  As Bindradayi lowered the earthen pot to fill a bowl, her doubts resurfaced. ‘I say, what did you say the names of your brothers are?’

  ‘The eldest is Ditta. The middle one is Lada, and the youngest, Kukka.’

  Bindradayi frowned. ‘Go on, and what is your father’s name?’

  ‘Mahipat.’

  Shahni softened and handed Barkati a brass bowl of water. Then she took a sweet from an earthen platter and gave it to the child. ‘Eat, girl, eat, bless you. Hungry since morning.’

  ‘Bharjaaee, tell us munni’s name.’

  ‘Raseeli.’

  ‘Aa Raseeli, come to me.’

  When Barkati was given a plate of food, she broke down. ‘This time yesterday evening, I was happily making rotis. First I lost my good sense. And then my mother’s sons, my very own brothers, acted as my enemies. God alone knows how the Shah is faring!’

  ‘Nawab puttar, will our Tarey Shah reach the police station? How was he when you saw him?’

  ‘Don’t worry, Chachi. Our Shah is one strong bull. Barkati bharjaaee, don’t mind my saying so, but your brothers won’t escape the hands of this Khatri son.’

  Shahni said, ‘Ari, he is my devar too, but Tarey Shah is known for his wrongdoings. Murder-ambush, crime-prosecution, police station-court – he’s no stranger to any of it! First he abducts someone’s daughter and sister, then he leaves her with cousins whom he doesn’t even talk to, that too without their consent! You tell me, what does one do with such relatives?’

  Chachi consoled everyone, saying, ‘Let it be, tonight will pass. Tomorrow the boys will deal with it themselves. What power do we have in these matters anyhow?’

  Chhoti Shahni said, ‘It is the heat and arrogance of youth that has gone to Tarey Shah’s head. It will subside. For now, he can revel in his excesses.’

  When lice colonized Kammo and Bimbo’s hair, Ma Vazeero of the Kochhars gave both her daughers two tight thwacks on the head before grabbing their plaits and undoing them. She ground liceplant and other herbs in a stone pestle, rubbed the paste thoroughly into their scalps and hair, and thumped them on the back, saying, ‘Go, khasam-khaniyon, go sit in the sun. When your heads dry, go to Shahni’s rooftop and get them checked by Umra Nayan, the barber-woman. And if you ever play with that Toti again, I will break your legs! Toti’s head is infested with lice and lice eggs. And Ma Mukali can’t see that her girl’s hair is one crawling mass of lice armies!’

  Girls, young and not so young, came and sat on Shahni’s rooftop, untying their plaits, spreading their long tresses out in the sun. When Umra Nayan arrived, she immediately separated Kammo, Bimbo and Toti from the rest of the girls. ‘Ari, you storehouses of lice, sit apart. Go sit on the other rooftop. I will come there. Ari, if you sit here with the rest, the whole village will catch it!’

  First Umra rubbed ghee into Chhoti Shahni’s hair. Then she combed Chachi Mehri’s shining silver hair and tied it into a tight plait. Shahni came up and sat on the peedhi, and seeing the row of open hair, said, ‘Why, you little birdbrains, did all of you decide to loosen your hair today itself!’

  ‘Just my luck, Shahni. Now the whole day will be spent squishing lice and lice eggs between my fingernails,’ Umra grumbled as she unravelled Shahni’s paranda and called out for some warm ghee.

  When Barkati got the bowl of ghee, the girls kept turning around to look at her. Finally, Pasho of the Chiras couldn’t contain herself any longer and called out, ‘Strong as a date palm our Tarey Shah, and Barkati bharjaaee delicate as a gulbashi vine. I say, bharjaaee, what kind of union was this, without matching of horoscopes?’

  Chachi scolded, ‘Chup ri, stay within your limits.’

  Pasho didn’t budge. ‘Scold all you like, Chachi, but the whole world talks. Who all will you silence?’

  Shahni gestured to Chachi with her hand. ‘Malli, what does the world say, let me also hear.’

  ‘That neither did Barkati bharjaaee have a ritual wedding, nor did she circle the sacred fire.’

  Barkati looked at Shahni, then laughingly said to Pasho: ‘At Thakurdwara of Kotli, the panditji recited the Ved-mantras and tied my odhni to your veer’s dupatta. Now tell me, what more do you want, sister?’

  Mohre�
�s bebe started nitpicking. ‘Balihari jaoon, my little bride! But tell us, how did the pandit perform the ceremony? Did he chant any shloks or not? It would have been better to have a traditional Sikh Anand-Karaj instead. And there’s already a little girl in your lap …’

  Barkati’s fair, wilful face broke into a disarming smile. ‘Bebe, in our mountains, we have another way of getting married. If you say so, I will tell you.’

  Shahni forbade with her eyes, Na, ri!

  The girls began to clamour and insist: ‘Tell us, Barkati bharjaaee, tell us!’

  Barkati truly became Tarey Shah’s newly wedded bride in looks and demeanour. Straightened her face and solemnly repeated like the pandit:

  ‘Our girl, your gotra

  Your girl, our gotra.’

  The girls liked the rhyme and started chanting it in unison. Mohre’s bebe was crestfallen. ‘Kyon dhiye, all seven rounds finished in one mantra only?’

  ‘Na, bebeji, a new one for each round. Second time, the pandit said a different one:’

  ‘Our bride, your groom

  Your bride, our groom.’

  The girls cracked up with laughter. Barkati untied newly-wed Kesro’s hair and sat down behind her. ‘Umra bibi, let me show you how we plait hair back in our mountains. Now please sit still, ladhiji!’

  Shahni was amused watching Tarey Shah’s bulbul trill away. She may well be an oil-presser’s daughter, but what a veritable pot of sweetness in gestures and manners. She even talks musical! How could the sharp Tarey Shah not be charmed!

  Barkati began to plait Kesro’s vartani with her slim, graceful hands.

  Kesro interrupted, ‘Bharjaaee ri, first plait the meendis of the forehead!’

  ‘Have patience, my bride, I’ll make such bangs and curls that your groom will blush.’

  Umra watched from the corner of her eye as the elaborate braid took shape on Kesro’s head. When she saw the intricate grid of the vartani, she grew envious and said with a flounce, ‘Jammu girl, it is meendis that are popular everywhere. Whether across the river, Pothohar or Sandalbar. If you want to seat sparrows and parrots on your head, put pomade in it and then give it the kind of shape that will rivet your man’s eyes for a full fortnight.’