Gopal sat alone in the Post Office, Nalini had asked him to marry her, Gopal would have loved it, Nalini was his dream girl, he could not say yes, there were no other girl in his life, but his conscience would not permit it, how could he bring misery to such a beautiful girl, the British Government may arrest him for sedition and her life would be in danger, she herself may be arrested, the British were getting paranoid of young Indian Leaders. His heart would not permit him to endanger Nalini. That was it and it was his final decision. He said so to Nalini. An emphatic NO.
Nalini walked out closing his door, and it was a symbolic gesture. Why did she come back to open the door and to leave it open? It baffled him, Nalini always baffled him, climbing the public platform and raising her fist in rebellion. Even during the preparation of war against the Japanese.
Nalini conveys her message by strange means. Did Nalini close the door to convey that her heart was closed to him? But why did she come back to open the door? I simply do not understand such messages. Gopal went and closed the door and the window, in the dim light his mind would be open, yes open to analyse the situation. Gopal took out the one Rupee coin that Nalini had brought to buy a postal envelope. ‘It had touched her hand, it was consecrated by her skin, it is my souvenir, and my treasure.’
… xxx …
Gopal sat alone in the darkness, the darkness enveloped him like a shroud, his body and heart atrophied in the chair, so was his thought, all sentences deserted him, even the words were assembling and breaking up in his mind, nothing made any sense, he continued to sit without any thought, slowly it occurred to him, this is how a dead man would sit in the chair, no thought and no words, no worry and no happiness. Strange it seemed to him, and Gopal began to like it, just to be dead was painless, loveless and flat, yes flat as a dead body. In the stillness of the night, Gopal heard the sound of a Dog moaning, someone had died in the night, Yama the messenger of Death had come to take the soul. Gopal felt his heart to see if his heart was dead, it was still beating, and why then was the Dog moaning?
Gopal opened the door, he was surprised that the door opened with little effort. He found the Cycle Raleigh at the base, it was patiently waiting for him. ‘Poor chap it too was alone and lonely like me.’ Raleigh too had a hole in its heart, one of the shining ball bearing had fallen off, the Freewheel bearing was moaning, turning phlegmatically and yet bearing the burden of motion and sharing the agony of its master.
Gopal was moving in the dead of the night, he seem to have lost his way, The Raliegh seem to have taken him to the gates of Nalini house. Strange it was to be standing there, yes he saw Nalini, walking up and down, yes it was Nalini, upstairs in the corner room, the light was still on and there she was with her hair flying with the wind.
Gopal stood looking up at her, and Nalini had no clue that Gopal was there at her gate. The dog barked again, Nalini stopped at the window, she could see nothing. How could she? Gopal’s heart was empty.
Gopal was clear in his mind, his conscience will never permit him to bring misery on another human being, Nalini was more than a human being, she was his love. Gopal said ‘Come Raleigh! Let us go home’. Raleigh moved in an erratic motion, the night was such. The dog ceased to bark, as he moved in a final gesture, a tear descended from Gopal’s cheek and fell in the dust, the tear was seeking its own destiny.
… xxx …
When Gopal reached home, he did not park his cycle, he just left it, and it fell on its side. Raleigh did not complain, the whole night, it lay like a dead Cockroach. In the stillness of the night, as he walked the long corridor of Mangaden house, the old shoe did make a noise, it woke up Parvathi, and she could recognise the sound even when she was half asleep. Parvathy rushed out.
Gopal walked as if he was drunk. Parvathy held him, Gopal did not smell of liquor. Parvathy was silently praying ‘What is happening to my Gopal Muthappa! O Muthappa?’
Parvathy made him sit on the chair, she rushed to the Kitchen to make a special Black Coffee and a special ingredient. Some forest seeds that was Parvathi’s secret. It has the capability to kill all problems of the mind, now Gopal seem to need one.
Gopal drank the Coffee, he soon was sleeping in the chair. Parvathi put him to bed, removed his shoes, he was looking serene and calm, and in deep sleep. In the dim light of the Kerosene light, she brushed his luscious hair.
… xxx …
Gopal had a pleasant dream, it made him smile. He would tell no one of his dream.
… xxx …
Gopal woke up when he heard the sound of Temple bell, Ambalavattom Temple was close by. He also heard the sound of birds, the beautiful sound the nature makes to wake up man. Parvathi entered the room with hot steaming Coffee in a brass tumbler. Parvathi was happy to see him refreshed. She wondered as to what could have happened to him the night before. Gopal has a problem, I need to find out. ‘Could it be Nalini?’
Parvathi had learned a lot from an old lady, who lived in a small hut by the Pandakkal River. The old lady Mamathi was a wizard, some say she was a witch, she had a cure for everything. She could read the mind, none dare tell her untruth. People go to her with various problems, they all get solace and relief. She does not charge any money, she throws it back at you if you offer by mistake.
Some say that Mamathi is an Avadoot, a messenger of Lord Muthappa, an incarnation of Lord Shiva. When a poor man goes to her for help, she picks up a handful of earth and gives it to them, in their hands it becomes silver or gold coins. When someone goes to Mamathi in sickness, she picks up a leaf or flower and asks them to eat.
They return cured. Mamathi is rarely seen, she spends most of the time in the forests.
She had blessed Parvathi and she had learned a few tricks from her. Parvathi smiled at Gopal and said ‘Karnavar wanted to see you after breakfast.’ The words fell on him quietly, then it became hot! Red hot!
Gopal ‘Does he know?’ Parvathi ‘Know what? Tell me what?’ Gopal could not say and he did not want to say. Gopal picked up the Coffee, he began to sip, it burnt his tongue, he could not put the tumbler down and he could not sip. Parvathi smiled and walked away. Gopal ‘Does he know? What will I tell him? How could I tell him? ‘Tell him that Nalini had come to him at the Post Office and asked him to marry her, Nalini from the famous Ambalavattom Tharavad, Advocate Haridas’s daughter Nalini. Such affairs are arranged by Karnavars.
Gopal realised that no one will believe his story. Postman Gopal can never dream of such a marriage.
But does Karnavar know anything? Why did Parvathi smile looking at him?
… xxx …
Gopal went to the bathroom to take a bath, Parvathy had placed hot water for him in the bathroom, Absentmindedly Gopal drew water from domestic well in the bathroom and poured it on his head. It was cold water, ice cold, he was shivering, and he continued to pour. His head was hot. ‘How will I face the Karnavar?’ The hot water lay unused. Gopal was shivering, it still did not calm his nerves.
… xxx …
Gopal reported to the Karnavar with trepidation. Gopal stood before the Karnavar and said nothing, he was ready for the lashing. Karnavar looked at him, his eyes bore through him. Karnavar ‘Gopal the roof is leaking, I want you to repair the roof, Moothamma will give you the money. And ….. ’Gopal stood rooted, and he was waiting for the words after ‘And’, nothing came. Gopal ‘Yes Karnavar, lots of things are leaking here.’ Karnavar ‘What?’ This time Gopal did not complete the sentence. Karnavar turned and looked beyond the horizon. It was an indication that the meeting was over.
… xxx …
Gopal was busy in getting the thatched roof replaced with coconut leaves, the leaves were in plenty in every house. The century old system, very effective in rain and in summer, in rain it prevents the water leaking through the roof, the drained water gets absorbed in the ground, the water table maintained. During summer the rooms are cool, the leaf absorbs the heat.
… xxx …
A man came to deliver an invitation card. It read,
Karnavar Krishnan of Ambalavattom Family
Invites
Karnavar of Mangaden Family with family and friends for the Marriage of the daughter of Advocate Haridas
Nalini
With
Subhash
Place, date and time.
To be continued…
Trance Series 