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| Puthumai Pithan |
This is an English translation of Akalikai, a Tamil short story written by Puthumai Pithan. Translated into English by Saravanan Karmegam.
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It was the times of Vedas, on the banks of river Indus…Unlike
now, were there thickly grown jungles…grasslands. Human settlements in huts in
small groups scattered here and there. The place where human beings live in
dense settlements in large numbers, is termed as city. As the head, the king
lives there it becomes to be known as the capital. But this place is situated somewhere
far from all these, where the bustles of humans are non-existent. It is the place
where the river Indus enters the plains after leaving the lap of the Himalaya.
The trees and creepers wouldn’t know what a human success was all about. The
river Indus is at the peak of its pristine profoundness, gushing through rocks,
smiling at everything like an innocent soul. Gautama rishi’s hermitage is located
somewhere near the river, in the interiors of jungles at a stone throw distance
between his hut and river bank. In the North, near to his hut is there located lush
grassland at a little distance. Yonder, seen snow clad peaks of the Himalaya as
though standing like a barrier preventing any harms directed at them. Gautama
is a Brahmin. He has devoted his whole life for the sake of learning and art -
It is all once upon a time.
Teaching one’s learning to youth and small children is
an enchanting experience. But it is an old story now. He was once interested in
exploring the reasons behind the beauty of this universe, reasons for its
evolution and its genesis. To fulfill his quest of knowledge, he sought a lonely
place, a peaceful place and thus settled here. Leaving his society behind, he
is living in that hermitage with his wife. He is thirty years old. Thickly
grown, dark beard. Broader, light emitting eyes. Tender lips. Well-toned broader
chest. Flat stomach. All his attributes reflect the tenderness of nature. There
emitted a divine light, a splendorous oneness of himself - from those eyes and
lips capable of attracting one’s attention, however, without evincing slightest
of a beastly beauty, any element of fascinating others - proved the peace that
prevailed in his heart. His wife is Akalya. If he is an embodiment of men, she
is the quintessence of women folk.
Doe- eyed, her eyes are expressive of her immense love
for her husband whenever she sees him. It appears that she has not only kept him
in her heart but also proved her every move is intended to keep him happy. She
finds a happiness in it. Gautama also loves her so much. But his love is not
like a wild river; it is born out of peace in his heart. Even a gentle throw of
some dust on her would be sufficient to break Gautama’s heart into pieces. She
is also very well aware of his love and it is not surprising thus to see her as
epitome of chastity.
It is an evening. The sun hasn’t set yet. The snow
clad mountains at the distance are shining like crimson flames.
Akalya comes out of her hut to the front yard of her
hut, with a pot on her waist. Gautama, sitting in the front yard is busy
reading a holy book. She stands near him. Gautama is so engrossed in the holy
book that has kept him unaware of her presence. After a while, he realises that
she has been standing beside him for some time. With love pouring out of his
eyes, he smiles at her, asks her, “O! My dear Akalya! I got you late. Are you
going for bathing? I will come after sometime once I complete the remaining
parts of this holy book”. She keeps the pot down, and cuddles his head onto her
chest, her lips resting on his head for some time as she doesn’t attempt to
release herself from that state. She then says “It is okay. Let me go alone”,
and leaves for the river, picking up her pot. She is disappointed as what she
has expected of him didn’t happen. She isn’t angry at her husband though, even as
she couldn’t play happily with her husband while bathing in the river. Washing
clothes and cleaning the pot are performed in a mechanical precision after that
as she reaches the river.
She takes off her dresses, keeps them on a boulder,
and jumps into the water. The pleasure of taking bath in that cold water is
known only to her. Isn’t it? She is totally absorbed in taking dips in the
depths of Indus River, climbing onto the rock and then diving again. It is at
that time Lord Indra appears from somewhere, and reaches the opposite bank of
the river. The voluptuous, curvaceous frame of Akalya arrests his attention and
makes him besotted like a stone forgetting even to pat his eye lids. He decides
to possess her by hook or crook, climbs down a rock and gets into the water.
Akalya hears the sound of his moves, turns back and notices an unfamiliar male -
with a face filled with dishonest beastly desire - ogling at her. Looking
handsome anyway! She could decipher the meaning of his attempts of approaching
her. She throws a frowning stare at him, an angry stare. Indra is stunned at
her look, shaking with fear, he stands immobile, in trance. He didn’t expect
her to react in this manner. Akalya goes behind a big rock, dresses up, fills water
in the pot and leaves the spot immediately.
Lord Indra is feverish with a singular aim - to
possess Akalya. His mind is not in a position to examine the pros and cons of his
acts- who she is and what he has intended to do. When she is walking like a
woman possessed by some spirit, her husband Gautama comes in front of her. The
pot from her waist drops, and falls on the floor. She goes running to him, falls
on his chest and cries with inconsolable sobs. Gautama hugs her and asks her
lovingly, “What happened? Tell me”. She explains everything amidst her sobs. He
comforts her and brings her to the hut. The magnificence of her love and its
manifestation in the form of her chastity make him understand a new truth- It
is her utter disgust towards other men. Indra is still around waiting for one
right moment to fulfill his intention. Akalya is not even aware of his
intention. Her heart sinks into despair as if she has done a big mistake, a
mistake her heart would never forgive. Gautama’s love and care are her only
comforts.
That day, both of them take longer time than usual to
sleep.
“It is not possible for everyone to be blind for your sake”
Gautama says.
“But, it does mean that one has to ogle like an owl”
Akalya replies.
Indra is busy roaming around her hut, looking for an
opportune time to satiate his carnal desire. If he could succeed in hoodwinking
Gautama into believing a wrong time as dawn, he would be able to easily fulfill
what he has been planning.
It is midnight. Sky without moon. The stars are shining,
emitting dim light sufficient enough to make one believe that it is dawn. Lord
Indra crows like a rooster. Gautama is in half sleep, half cuddling Akalya. He
never sleeps deeply. As he hears the sound of rooster, he gets up and leaves for
river side to relieve himself. Since Akalya couldn’t get adequate sleep that
day, she is in deep sleep. Half of it is with dreams and the remaining with
deep sleep. She dreams that she is hugging her husband to her bosom and remains
with him. Lord Indra comes into her room, without making noise like a cat. He looks
at the hapless woman who is sleeping without even realising her dress partly
loosened. His animal craving for carnal pleasure is thus fulfilled. Akalya is still
in her half dreams- She hasn’t woken up yet from her sleep. She hugs him thinking
that it is her husband. It is the moment where the instincts of nature partially
become triumphant.
O! My good heavens! It is that scoundrel! Her head
spins, and everything around her starts spinning. She couldn’t understand
anything. How come he is here…that too in my house! She picks up a rod lying
nearby, swings it against his head and gets up. The ignominy of losing
something important is killing her inside. Indra could regain his composure and
understand his mistake. What sort of a madness is this? What sort of a beastly
injustice I have meted out to her? He feels that his heart is about to blast
out of angst. On reaching the river, Gautama understands something had gone
wrong back home as he realises that it isn’t yet dawn. He hurries him up, comes
back home only to realise that what has happened at his hut is now beyond his
control after seeing Akalya writhing in anguish. He scoops his wife up into his
hands. Her body wriggles like a worm thrown into fire. Indra is standing there carrying
the burden of sins he has just carried out.
“Indra, is it that difficult to think other women as
your sisters?” Gautama tells him. The he turns to his wife, and says, “My
dearest Akalya! Your body has turned into a stone at that time. Hasn’t it?” as
he fondles her head.
His heart is at peace with a newly found truth - Lust
could make even a god as animal. Chastity is all about the purity of one’s
heart. What could a hapless woman do when she gets her body defiled when
something happens out of sheer circumstances?
A silence followed.
The peace that has been prevailing in his heart is now
visible even when he utters these painful words, “Indra, you may leave now”.
What then about Akalya?
The last dance of eon that she has just witnessed in
her heart is now standing against the peace and tranquility of her husband like a
battle field.
***Ended***
Source: “Akalikai”, a Tamil short story written by
Puthumai Pithan
Translated into English by Saravanan Karmegam.
