"And you do not know anything about Malkhans?" Matthew asked guiding Veronica to the hill.
"Yes, I know very little. I have not gone through internet based datas. I just do not want to be biased or to plagiarize while writing my essay." Veronica said. "I want to base my writing with perfect real life experience."
"Come on you have come here taking so much of pain and wasting so much money just to write an essay. Unbelievable.'
"Why?" she asked.
He curled his lips into a smirk and said, "Erm, either you are lying or you are a very rich father's girl."
She did not answer.
"Whatever it may be, your case is very fascinating." As he said she looked fascinated at him, as if while continuing to snake through the snaky pathway uphill intent upon listening his theory. As she did not say anything, he resumed saying, "If lying, then probably you have run away from your parents." He looked back at her. She neither stopped nor changed her unreadable facial expression. "No, no. your father really rich and you have watched some kind of inspiring movie or video on studying the tribal people. Did you watch Blood Dimond recently? But I must tell you those African tribal people and Malkhans are starkly different from each other…"
"Tell me something about Malkhans." She asked.
"Oh you are not interested in listening my theory about you?"
"Why do you think that I would be interested in listening you telling about me? I have hired you for guiding me and translate my words. Do not do anything for free. It is my suggestion to you." Her voice was calm. She was just tired. She was not insulting or scolding him, for she was tired and bored.
"Ok madam," he said sounding courteous. "I do a lot of things for free, as long as I get the thrill. But come to business. I appreciate that you want to know something about Malkhans."
She asked , "How did you know Malkhan language and so many other tribal languages?"
"Actually my grandpa was an army officer. He was appointed at different tribal places as he was chasing the terrorists down. And as he was a highly sociable man, he had met with the tribal people and he had learnt a huge amount of tribal languages. And he had taught me some. That is how I know sixteen tribal languages."
"You must be very lucky to have such a great grandpa. Everyone is not as lucky as you are. Ok tell me something about the Malkhans."
"Ok, listen carefully. Malkhans are divided into two groups: lower Malkhans, who stay downhill; then upper Malkhans, to whom we are going to meet soon. Upper Malkhans are a bit out of connection from the civilized world. It is very unique that Malkhan boys marry between the ages of ten to twelve; and the bride must be of twenty or twenty one. But now the cases are changing. Well after marriage a Malkhan boy becomes a man and does nothing. Men do not work in Malkhan society. It is women who work everywhere – every time. A woman builds a hut after marriage. Takes care of her boy husband. Feeds him. Almost like a mother. Takes care of the household. Takes care of children. Takes care of her cattle. Goes to field and work as a farmer. Grows food and everything. Entertains guests. She even gets wine from wine palm trees for her husband. She does everything."
"And what does the husband do?" she asked.
"Nothing. Just drinks wine palm wine and sleeps or lives in trance for twenty four seven. Generally he remains calm. The only time he gets agitated if someone else, even his father tries to woo, seduce or molest his wife. He can even kill the wooer. Then he will go to jail himself. Then becomes a lifer. Enjoys prison stay and square meal there.
"As you have seen they are half clad people. Now a days they are wearing good clothes. In the past women only wore thick silver neck bands and a cloth girdle around their waist. According to a legend, some Malkhan women chanced upon goddess Hera who was bathing at a pond in the Malkhan hill and seeing her naked they sniggered. Enraged, Hera cursed them to a life where they would be condemned to remain naked and having their heads shaven. When the Malkhan women pleaded forgiveness, Hera gave them a piece of cloth she tore from her cloak. This is why, Malkhans say, Malkhan women have shaved heads and wear only a girdle or ringa, a length of cloth that covers the waist. Their torsos are covered in strings of colorful beads. Malkhan women also wear metal rings that cover their necks and bangles on their arms."
Veronica said, "Strange people."
"No, innocent people, with blind believes, I must say." Matthew said.
"Why blind people?" she sounded angry. Her calm demeanor suddenly changed. "They are just following their tradition."
"What tradition? Why blindly following at all?"
"What blindly , blindly? They do not need cloth. That is their problem. What is with you?" she had stopped by now and she was facing him and was heaving her fist at him while arguing.
He raised his hands into the air as a sign of surrender and smiled and said, "Do not get angry. I was just expressing my opinions dear. According to me…"
"What do you think you are?" she yelled her mind out. "You are a loafer. Why do you have an opinion at all? Ok. Enough. You equipped me with the knowledge. I do not need more. Thanks for your information."
"Don't you like argument dear?" Matthew asked. And he kept silent. For few minutes though.