SELECTED SHORT STORIES OF CHANDRASEKHAR RATH

1

KEDA

If you look at it from down below, it does not look like a black-top road; rather it does seem to be the running flow of atrocious molten lava coming down from the scorching mid-day sun. Very few people normally travel by that road lying to the outskirts of the city. During the hot summer afternoon the road looks as if a long flat steel plate has been kept leaning against the sky and is constantly releasing hot steam from its surface. It of course requires so much courage to climb from down below through that steep road to reach comfortably at the top end of the slope at one go. Yet an occasional jeep or that old modeled van runs through that road carrying a few heavily built hungry labourers returning from the factory after their duty hours. Although the engine of the vehicle expresses its protest while climbing up the steep road with its chocked, grumbling and irritating sound, none is there to sympathize or to take note of its agonizing shrill cry. On the contrary the dark complexioned travelers and the driver force the engine to drive up the slope as if they have stood up putting their heels on its neck urging the vehicle to move. Thank God, it is an engine, not a living being.

Nowhere one finds any living being in that area right beginning from the road up to the horizon till one could see. The entire stretch of land on both sides of the road lies silent, motionless and immobile. That being a rocky desert seems to be burning under the tremendous heat of the sun. A few poles holding some lines of electric wires straight above their heads are found separately standing motionless by the side of the road without any kind of throbbing; totally lifeless. While the electric poles maintained equal distance from each other, what were noticeable were the dwarf barren shadows each of them had cast on the ground.

All on a sudden, that shadow by the side of one of the poles felt like moving slightly. The pole no.932 had been standing at the beginning of the elevation of the road like that of a sorrowful security guard. Keda was anxiously waiting with his eyes stretched down the road while placing his chin on both of his knees. He kept on waiting agog with some twinkling expectations that one or two rickshaw-pullers with passengers on them should slowly come towards him to reach the start of the elevation of the road. It’s for quite some time he had been waiting, but not a single cycle-rickshaw had come to sight.

Keda drinks water twice a day. He eats once in two days. He wears a misfitting bigger size half pant. His body complexion is that of ordinary human beings, so conditioned by the mixture of sweat and dust. Many people call Keda ‘Hey Liliput’. His body stands on two curved legs and he measures only three feet and a half in height. If Keda is addressed as ‘Hey Fool’ he looks up and smiles. He has to always look up in order that he could look straight to the face of the concerned individual. All the veins and arteries of his neck are stretched and tightened that time like that of the string of the bow. The construction of his neck is also somewhat odd. He cannot speak properly and converses whenever needed through his own sign language. His eyes are always drooping. His forehead also looks downwards and drooping. His entire appearance gives a look as if it has been pulled downwards. It seems as if all the inauspicious planets of the zodiac signs are hanging from his elastic veins and arteries. Probably all of them are making efforts to bury him under the Earth and fill the hole with heaps of sand. But undaunted Keda always stands as strong as a mountain by raising his head with those disheveled hairs and by keeping his bent legs wide apart from each other. Normally it so happens that to the time the sun travels West wards and its scorching rays have lost their severity, the world mellows down and looses its belligerent character. It can be compared to that of a round pumpkin after having been cooked thoroughly have lost its strength and lie crumpled. But such grinding of the pumpkin never leaves any impact on that boney stem sticking to the head of the vegetable. It stands erect with its head held high. Similarly Keda keep on standing and waiting by the side of the electric pole till the arrival of a rickshaw with passengers on it.

Keda has to cover a long distance up to that Punjabi Hotel in order to quench his thirst. It is situated there only, once that last electric pole is crossed. When he goes there, the owner points his finger at those black silver dekchis. By the side of the dekchis heaps of bones, roti crumbs, a few plates with dry dal and the remnants of meals already consumed sticking to the dishes are seen to be lying there. Keda notices all those, probably understands everything and seems to be exuding a smile by raising his head. As soon as he completes washing and cleaning the plates and dishes, he keeps them arranged in their assigned shelves. Now it’s time for him to drink water and he fills up his belly with some cold water from the huge earthen pitcher. He wipes his mouth with his wet palm. Then he looks at the invincible slope of that black-top road which looks like an arrogant, formidable hood of a snake. Keda then proceeds adamantly under that heavy scorching sun to conquer over his enemy with tremendous confidence. He goes up to that fixed electric pole to put both of his legs firmly on the head of his enemy, that burning black-top road.

At times whenever the Punjabee owner is in an upbeat mood after having pushed into his mouth a jarda (betel spices) mixed betel, calls Keda from behind and throws a one rupee coin to his extended hands. Keda perforce smiles. He does not understand anything, like he does not understand anything by looking at the mound of bones. Often he feels like putting some of the left over bones to his mouth and wants to suck the juice out of them. But he throws all of them at one diseased dog whose body hairs have all been uprooted. He scans the one rupee coin by turning it this side now and then the other side as if trying to search for something. He then slips it to his big pant pocket. His dwarf hand does not reach up to the end of the pocket, but he gets that feeling that the coin has positioned itself securely in his bag like big pocket.

It’s time now to go for quenching his thirst, but not a single cycle-rickshaw is seen to be coming his way. Keda had been standing with two minds, whether to wait there or to proceed to the Punjabee Hotel. Suddenly a two-wheeler was seen to be approaching after turning at the distant bend. Keda jumped from near the pole and stood on the road by tightening the towel on his waist. It was a straight road, but why the cycle-rickshaw did not seem to be coming soon? It normally does not take that long time.

To the time the rickshaw came near the start of the elevation, the rickshaw-puller had almost fagged out. His mouth remained open out of exhaustion and the veins surrounding his head and neck had become stiff. Keda being too glad zealously went hopping to the back side of the rickshaw. Immediately he started pushing the rickshaw from behind. There were two heavy and bulky Marwari Passengers occupying the small rickshaw seat. Having squeezed themselves into the rickshaw seat with difficulty, they were looking worn out from the hot wind and the afternoon sun. One of them was desperately trying to repeatedly wipe the sweat from his face by taking out the silken handkerchief from his pocket.

For Keda, his attention was on the hot, shinning, bulging back portion of the rickshaw on which the license number had been written in red colour and its two rear wheels. Both the wheels it seemed were wobbly and struggling hard to keep pace with the push from the back and the pull from the front. Keda was pushing the rickshaw with the help of both of his hands and also his head with unkempt and disheveled hair. He was trying to position himself on both of his toes by putting them firmly on the hot molten black tar of the road and pushing the hot tyres by his hands and also by the pressures of his body weight from below. The rickshaw-puller was putting all his efforts by bending his body in a forward motion. The two fat Marwari passengers were sitting still like two stone wheels on the rickshaw. Half portion of the elevation was yet to be covered. Keda was not able to make the rickshaw move any further in spite of all his efforts. He was also panting and was getting out of breath. It looked like that the cycle-rickshaw would not move an inch any further. Keda felt as if a bundle of four to five electric poles have stood before him blocking his way. He became bold internally and made up his mind to overcome the challenge. He pushed the rickshaw by making his last efforts. Loosing all control from his own self a hideous cry came out from his mouth. The rickshaw-puller, passengers and also the rickshaw itself were surprised with that frightful shout and instantly moved forward from their positions.

Further six feet!

Keda bit his lower lip hard, made his muscles stiff and applied all his strength to push the cycle-rickshaw further five feet. Yes, it moved……….

Another one foot only. All the joints of the rickshaw were making macabre sounds – so also Keda’s waist and the rickshaw-puller’s rib cage.

Further one foot only. Keda was getting suffocated by the hot steam blowing from the scorching sun. On closing his eyes he could see in the darkness that a good number of stars were swimming inside a sea of blood. Both of his underfoot were sticking to the molten tar of the black top road like the wooden sandals. The wheel tyres of the cycle-rickshaw were getting buried on the surface of the thick tar-mud and were getting slowly released from it by making a cracking sound. Keda was feeling as if innumerable hot needles were piercing at his back. Ah!…… Hoop!!……. Ah!!!

At this place, even the engine of a motor vehicle is strained to its limits. Possibly, its waist curves like a bow. Finally, sucking lot of fuel, that devil, the engine drags the jeep or the van to the top of the slope.

Once again a hideous cry was heard. The cycle-rickshaw shook with its impact. Its front wheel rolled over to the other side by crossing over the tip of the elevation. Keda forced himself to stop his fierce breathing. Few bags full with stone powders chocked the insides of his chest.

Is it only one foot!?

The whole world felt like a closed impregnable burden of darkness at that moment. Keda was swimming in the vacuum of seven layers, each layer being equal to the height of a human being. His puffed-up huge figure was able to chock all the ten directions including the heaven, the sky and the underworld. He was able to shoo aside a number of disobedient suns and stars and was able to move ahead.

All on a sudden Keda contracted. Both of his hands which had expanded up to the cluster of stars fell down to hang loose, out of exhaustion. With only one deep breath, the entire expanded body weighing lakhs of tones suddenly vanished. He could see that dazzling curved back and two anxious wheels of that cycle-rickshaw.

The long, frail, six feet tall rickshaw-puller and the three and half feet tall Keda stood up facing each other. Both of their chests were pounding with the exhausting labour they had put to drag the cycle-rickshaw past the steep slope. There was no time to talk nor was there any need. The rickshaw-puller having been drenched in his own body-sweat pulled out a wet coin with his dark complexioned rough hand, a one rupee coin from his small bag tied to his waist. He placed that on Keda’s hand. Without exchanging a single word, the rickshaw-puller, the employer of Keda turned away with his rickshaw. While wiping the real sweat from his brow, Keda smiled looking at his master and could realize the real worth of the coin. But when the Punjabee owner threw that one rupee coin at Keda, while chewing that spicy betel, Keda really did not understand anything.

After such labourious efforts, it was time for Keda to return that long distance to the Punjabee Hotel to drink cold water. But he came down the slope to stand near the pole no.932. He was yet to get over that extreme tiredness. His eyelids were closing down. At that moment he could hear some piercing metallic sound. That was the sound coming from the small iron rod being beaten on the rickshaw handle. A cycle-rickshaw was seen to be coming swiftly downwards from the top of the slope like an eagle trying to swoop down on its prey. Keda looks at those rickshaws without any feeling of excitement. The rickshaw-pullers sit relaxed on their cycle-rickshaws while going down the slope. He feels that the rickshaw-pullers are flying in airplanes. Possibly they must be thinking that all the cycle-rickshaws should always roll on the road quickly without any manual effort. Ah! What pleasure!! Keda knows all those rickshaw-pullers. He also recognizes each of the rickshaws. He knows well as to whose wheels are wobbly, whose wheels are bent, who has got jingling bells tied to the rickshaw handle and also who has tied plastic flowers at the front etc. But none of those rickshaw-pullers look at this dwarf man sitting below electric poll no. 932 while they zoom past through the slope.

The rickshaw rolled down. Keda was observing those wheels which were moving very fast. He just looked up to find out, who was that? It was that six footer frail rickshaw-puller who was smiling at him. That smile was too precious for him because he knew that it was filled with deep understanding and intense proximity. Keda instantly felt that something within his heart suddenly swelled up. Some of them came up to his throat and stuck there without rising up any further. If they found any chance of flowing out, they would certainly flow out as nothing other than tears.

The rickshaw-puller told Keda something through sign language by turning his head and by movement of his hands. It could be understood that he would come back soon to Keda after dropping the passengers.

Keda also understood the same. He stood there under the hot sun below the dwarf shadow of the electric pole no.932 by putting his hands on both sides of his waist. He fixed his gaze on that cycle-rickshaw which was gradually shifting away to finally move out of sight. Maybe for a moment he witnessed a delirious dream. He saw a swan flying over in his imaginary world by spreading its wings. He thought over, How would it feel like to come down the hill by comfortably sitting on such a cycle rickshaw? The next moment of course those delicate wings of the swan got burnt by the hot winds of the scorching sun. Its supple body cracked and broke into several pieces because of that unbearable thirst and fell to the ground strewn all over the place. Keda looked ahead of him and also at his back. He looked beyond the horizon. He looked up to the sun and looked down to that arrogant black top road. There was no throbbing anywhere, no sign of life anywhere – that was probably like the greed of mankind and its silent desire to kill.

Thirst! Keda felt that a mound of sand had choked his throat. He could hear a distressful cry coming out from all over his body beginning from his neck to the feet. The whole of his tongue dried up like a chalk. He eagerly desired to reach at the Punjabee Hotel. But that rickshaw-puller had promised to come back soon. Could he be able to drag the rickshaw single handedly upwards with passengers on it on the slope of the hill? This rickshaw-puller is special; he is not like others. He smiles at Keda with a fellow feeling as if he is his own relation. He is no doubt different.

Drops of sweat came down from his head to pass by his slanting forehead. One of the drops came as far below as his lips to enter into his mouth. He felt a tingling sensation on his tongue. It seemed like a drop of water falling on a hot spoon. He sucked the salty drop of sweat. Just for a moment he felt as if life came back to half of his tongue; but alas, it could not reach up to the root of his tongue. It was like a helpless thin flow of a stream that committed suicide in the middle of the desert.

No, he cannot tolerate any longer. Keda has to go. That Punjabee hotel is some distance away. Even if he reaches at the hotel he would take further some time to finally reach near the earthen pitcher so as to quench his thirst. There on Keda’s path those black dekchis must be waiting for him. Also those unclean plates with leftover food had to be cleaned. Those heaps of bones had to be disposed off. Now that Keda’s unbearable thirst got the better of him, his inner soul got ready to fight for the few glasses of clean water preserved in those coloured earthen pots. He looked down the road to the far off horizon.

Nothing was there. He could only notice that the last portion of the slope at the far distant road that was dazzling under the sun had suddenly vanished by turning into steam. He saw a shadow coming on to the road. Was it a cycle-rickshaw? Or, might be a jeep? That vehicle came forward with high speed. Why did it come to a halt near to the pole no.932 was not known, but it stopped there. Did it feel apprehensive on seeing that steep slope? Keda’s smile could not come over to his face after crossing over his dry tongue. But he smiled within himself. Probably that engine could not be able to climb up the hill. But, was it possible on the part of Keda to push the vehicle from behind and help it cross the entire stretch of the steep elevation?

The engine was producing its discordant roaring sound. One dirty man came out from the vehicle and came to stand at the front. He picked up a bag hanging there and spilled into his mouth some water to pass through his throat producing a gurgling sound. The water was spilling over to his sweaty chin covered with small thick hard beards. His chest and the shirt over his chest were getting wet. Keda could not know what he was doing, but by his reflective action he went on licking his dry lips for some time looking at that man from behind the pole. Well, how about that man pouring some water down Keda’s throat in similar fashion? – Thought Keda. But, how was it possible? Did Keda wash his dekchi kadhai etc. to get water as remuneration? But again, it was some negligible quantity of water only. That driver could have offered some water ‘free’ of any labour in exchange.

Keda burst into laughter. ‘Free’ – what was that? Keda could not at all appreciate such an idea. The driver could hear half of Keda’s scornful laughter. He turned around to look towards Keda to know, who was that? But soon after ignoring Keda’s presence climbed on to the vehicle and dragged it up the hill in a single motion. Near that pole no.933, the vehicle produced some different vibrating sound. But within twinkling of an eye it crossed the pole no.934 and went out of sight to the other side of the hill.

Ohh…! Keda’s chest was drying up. He would not be able to withstand the thirst any further, it seemed. His thirst that day felt like taking him within its grip. All those devil like planets that had been dragging Keda downwards by straining his veins and arteries, had probably been putting further additional efforts to pull him down. He felt some weakness on his knees. But the mountain like strong heart inside him did not buckle under any pressure.

Ho…… ho……. hey……. hey…… Keda burst into laughter. Nothing is going to happen to this hardened, stony, oppressed and intimidated Keda.

Nowhere in this huge sky, are rain clouds seen. Nowhere in this huge Earth, are cluster of green leaves seen to have germinated. Nowhere from the womb of these huge hills and mountains, is there any flow of streams and brooks seen coming down to douse this fire.

Hot afternoon wind was dashing against the electric pole. Its dwarf shadow became insufficient even for Keda. He stood there waiting inside a large half-pant of the same colour as that of his own body. He tightened the towel around his waist with a little force and looked at that shinning horizon with wide angry eyes. Ah! How much he wished for a glass of water!! Possibly he could not be able to cover the distance up to the Punjabee hotel on foot.

‘Shut up! Since when did you get that habit of drinking water? You had not been breast-fed by your mother. You did not get any affectionate love from your father. When did you get such fixed habits? Why don’t you notice the trees? They are simply standing still without quenching their thirst. See the cattle grazing in the sun. They are also moving under the scorching sun feeling thirsty and without any grumble.’

Thirst! It was that thirst which could gulp down the throat the entire sea water through one’s palm.

‘Hey rascal! Who does care for your thirst? There is no water. Well, go and complain to your Godfather or whomsoever you may so desire.’ Keda looked at the sky. His drooping eyes came down still lower. The entire sky was looking like a huge hot canopy. One could not be able to look at the vastness of the thirsty sky. Keda laughed once again. What did he understand none could know, but he simply lowered his eyes to cast his looks at the mother Earth?

Keda felt that the arrogant hood of the road did not remain his enemy any longer. It became one of his well wishers. It was that road with which he was fighting regularly by tying the towel tightly on his waist. But now he understood that it was the same road which was earning for him his livelihood. It was that road which painted his useless life with a brush for manifestation of its hidden meaning and value. It was that landed property through which he used to produce all his food grains. Keda realized the bounty he received from that land. He also realized that the scorching hot sun was his friend. Whenever he carried the load of others, it had given him courage and strength by whipping him with its heat like cane. Wow! Keda felt that that was his empire. He was its King. He was not inferior to anybody else.

Keda had fixed his gaze at the top end of the slope near the pole no.934. He felt as if the shadow of a cloud just halted near him while floating forward. It was a very soft and soothing shadow. He turned to look at the road. He found that his six footer friend smiling at him while hitting the cycle-rickshaw bell to produce the metallic sound. Keda forgot his thirst. He forgot his anger. He found that his soul opened up with myriad petals. But his face probably did not brighten up.

Where are the passengers in the rickshaw? The rickshaw-puller called him by waving his hand. He threw hints at keda to come and sit on the rickshaw. With such friendly gesture Keda was filled with extreme joy. Although he felt delighted, Keda shook his head. Keda indicated politely that he did not consider himself worthy enough to take a ride on the rickshaw. He had come near to his friend by that time. They simply exchanged glances at each other and with that they were able to touch each other’s heart and soul.

Keda thought that he would rather push the empty rickshaw from behind. His friend would drag it from the front. Both of them would carry the cycle-rickshaw with total ease up to the last of the elevation. The rickshaw-puller understood and agreed.

Both of them made the rickshaw run up the hill in one breath. After reaching the top end of the hill both of them looked at each other for some time. Simultaneously both of them were smiling and were taking deep breath to calm themselves down from the excitement as well as tiredness. An isolated cloud came that time from some unknown cornor of the sky and floated above their heads like a cluster of smoke.

For the first time Keda noticed the growth of some young cassia tora trees near the pole no. 934 covering a wide area. There were so many yellowish-green coloured fresh soft leaves on them.

The rickshaw-puller once again asked Keda to sit on the rickshaw by beckoning him. He held Keda’s small dwarf hands and called him with affection. He said, Come. Come and sit on it.

He then dusted the seat cushion by slapping that some two three times. As if Keda, his passenger was worth one lakh rupees! The rickshaw facing downwards was waiting for its passenger. Once someone sits on the rickshaw and the pedal is initiated by giving it a small push, it would fly off to some unknown land like a winged-horse.

Keda could see the Punjabee hotel in his mind’s eye. Yes, that is there at some distance away. He could visualize those dekchis, left over plates and also cold water in those brick coloured large earthen pitchers. Keda once again came under the grip of intolerable thirst. His head hung low. Both of his hands hung down from his shoulders.

One more time the rickshaw-puller held his hands and smiled at him. Keda forgot his unbearable thirst. He jumped with joy and danced like a child by shaking his legs. Soon after………

Keda sat down on that soft red throne. The sky pulled up the decorative umbrella over his head. The Earth spread the welcome red mattress under his feet. Keda was trying to feel the soft cushion by clandestinely touching it from time to time and also slightly squeezing it at times. His heart beat was racing. He sat by squeezing himself and raising his legs. He kept looking down. The rickshaw-puller burst into laughter. He bent down slightly and by looking at Keda stated, Hey.

Thereafter he released the rickshaw in that slope all on a sudden.

Rickshaw flew in the air. Keda felt somewhat suffocated as gusts of wind entered into his mouth. He felt that he had turned into a colourful balloon. It would vanish in the sky being blown away by the wind. He felt that as if his liver had risen up to his throat and is pounding there.

Pole no.933 passed in a flash.

The rickshaw mingled with the wind by spreading its two small dwarf hands. Keda was sitting on the rickshaw by holding its two arm-rests tightly. He was holding his breath in order to withstand the speed at which the rickshaw was zooming past. He felt scared and also felt sick. For no reason he felt like going for potty. Why do people ride on a rickshaw? Don’t they understand that it is disastrous to travel in them? Keda tried to rationalize; it is one hundred times better to walk on the hot tar with small but cautious steps rather than to travel the distance at such break neck speed.

When Keda felt a little comfortable he looked ahead, to some far off distance up to which his eyes could travel. He was filled with an unprecedented ecstasy. He felt some sort of titillation within him which he had not felt anytime earlier. He shouted with glee like that of a baby eagle.

The rickshaw-puller imitated him and also expressed his thrill in a similar fashion like that of a child. He lifted both of his legs to put them on the handle.

Without any understanding Keda also lifted his legs to rest them on the seat of the rickshaw. Those two squeezed up, crumpled men were speeding ahead by piercing through the wind while sitting on a fast rolling rickshaw. They left behind electric pole no.932. In spite of that there was no let up in the speed. Gradually the sun and stars came to occupy their assigned positions. The electric poles also slowly came to stand still without swimming any more like live snakes in water. The legs of the rickshaw-puller came down to position them on the paddles. Keda also brought his legs down to the floor of the rickshaw.

The cycle-rickshaw came to a halt in front of the Punjabee hotel. The owner of the hotel looked up to the passenger on the rickshaw and felt astonished. He could not make out as to what had happened? No words came out of his mouth; he was almost dumb-struck. It was an unprecedented event to which he only looked with amazement writ large on his face. The six-footer slowly came down and stepped away from the cycle-rickshaw. But Keda continued sitting there in one position by spreading his hands and legs and looking blank at some vacuum. He was yet to come out of that wonderful experience through which he passed just a while ago. The rickshaw-puller just gave a look at both of them.

Hey, who is there? Serve meals here quickly – The rickshaw-puller stated in a startling voice.

He then pulled out a few folded notes from the crude knot made to tie his cloth at his waist. Those notes had become wet with sweat. After giving a look at the surroundings he pulled Keda from the rickshaw