The person who took me was named Sudhakanta Bhowmik. The gentleman will be around sixty years of age. Short man. Tough looking look. Even at this age, he can walk fast. The gentleman is soft-spoken. The hair of the head is pale white. He looks like a sage because he is wrapped in an ocher colour sheet.
I said, " Sir Sudhakanta, how far is your house?"
"Near," he said.
The people of the village and the town have no idea about the distance. Their "proximity" is like Delhi Hanuj's distant existence. I am walking but the path is not ending.
Agrahan month. It is a good winter in the village at this time. A thin Punjabi is on my body. Feeling very cold.
I said again "Brother, how far?"
"Near"
We came close to a river. Frightened, I said, "Do we have to cross the river or not?"
"There is no water, take off your shoes and take them in your hand."
My body burned with anger. I shouldn't have come with this guy. I took off my shoes and rolled up my pyjamas. There may be some joy in crossing the river on foot. I didn't find any joy, just the fear of falling into a deep ditch. However, the river water is quite hot.
Sir SudhaKanto said, "I gave you trouble."
Even with politeness, I should say, "No, what trouble!" I did not say that. I was unfolding my pyjamas after crossing the river, Sir Sudhakanta said, "What is your relationship with the boy?"
"Cousin."
"It's better not to get married. In the morning, explain to everyone."
"Why!"
"The boy died because of the girl. Now it is not right to get married in a hurry. It should be a while. "
"What are you saying!"
"The boy ate poison in the morning. Dhutra seeds. Dutra's are very common in this region."
"What are you saying, brother?"
" The boy's father could have agreed. The boy would have survived. Very stubborn man. His "no" means no."
"Does everyone know about boy-girl love?"
"Why don't they know? This news is not suppressed in the town. It's different in your city. Always happening. "
I feel bad. What a problem! The two of us crossed the rest of the road in silence.
It doesn't feel right to say completely silent. The gentleman was muttering to himself from time to time. Probably reading pishogue.
The gentleman's house is in the middle of the forest. One storey building. Spacious yard. Basil tree in the middle of the yard. Adjacent to the house is two huge Kameni trees. There is a well on one side. The house looks like the Hindu houses, as clean as the picture. Standing in the yard, a feeling of peace of mind came to mind. I said, "Why so quiet? No people at home? "
"No."
"Are you alone?"
"hu (yes)"
"What did you say! Living alone in such a big house! "
"There were a lot of people before. Some died. Some have gone to India. Now I live alone. You take a bath."
"No need to take a bath. If you can get some food, then so be it. "
"It will take some time, I have to get the cooking done."
"Will you cook now?"
"What do you eat if I don't cook? It won't take long. "
The gentleman brought a towel, soap and a water jug and placed them beside the well.
"Take a bath. Having travelled all day, it would be nice to take a bath. Well, the water is very good. Let me, I'm picking up water."
"You don't have to. You'd rather start cooking. Eyes are getting dark due to hunger."
"Wear this lungi. It's washed. This morning I washed it with soda. I have the disease of staying clean again, I can't stand dirt."
It is clear that the gentleman can not stand the filth. He sits in the yard to cook. In the yard, there are two clean earthen stoves. Sir SudhaKanto is sitting in front of the stove. I see dishes, bowls, pots all being washed twice or thrice.
"Sir SudhaKanto?"
" yes."
" Are you married?"
"No."
"Life long bachelor?"
"kind of"
"What do you do?"
"I do the teaching. High school math teacher. Manohardi High School. "
"Do you cook yourself?"
"Yeah, do it myself. I cook one meal a day. I eat rice at one time, and in the morning I eat chira(chira is Flattened and fried rice), fruits. "
"Why not hire a workman?"
"No need."
"The house is empty, is not stolen?"
"No. What will the thief take? I am a poor man. You take a bath. It would be nice to take a bath."
I had no intention of pouring water on my body in the cold in an unfamiliar place. But it seems that Sudhakanta Babu will not leave me without getting wet. The man is probably a patient of OCD.
continue...