The Untimely Sunset

No matter how far the rays scatter

No matter how long the beams flatter;

When the cloud of vice is beckoned

And the thunder storms are summoned,

No one has the power to control

Satan’s possession on the soul.

The ray of consciousness is bound to be doomed

The darkest thoughts are meant to be boomed.

The greed and mischief engulf the flares

The holy sun of the soul sets untimely in despair.

“Jay maa... jay maa...”

After many forceful attempts Bablu, finally, is able to get some space for himself amidst the crowd. Kaddu is there a little far from the noisy crowd--- scattered, desolated within herself.

“What’s wrong with her!” Bablu mumbles.

It’s only five days ago they met under the banyan tree behind the Temple of Lord Shiva. Everything was fine that day. They spent almost two hours together in that lone place. It was their place, their time. Then how is this possible now! Bablu tries to see in the eyes of Kaddu--- there is tons of reddish tiredness, the face is pale, hairs are dusty, and the salwar suit is torn from places. The flowery lips which were tasted by Bablu only five days ago have dried now. There is a huge tilak of sindoor on her forehead, bearing the mark of this turbulence. Bablu tries to run towards her, but suddenly some people pull him back and shout:

“Line mein raho... line mein raho....”

 

***

Kaddu, she had a good name also, Kadamvari, given by her grandfather. But after his death no one else cared to call her with that. After grandfather’s death they had to leave the village also. Grandfather was like a grand figure of their village, not for his wealth, it was never there in their family, but for his personality everybody seemed to obey him. However soon after his death few people came to their village. They were like dandies--- well clothed, sober looking, and moreover they came by costly cars and had good command over the subject of manipulating others. With their mastery of manipulation they offered something to the villagers and they happily accepted that.

  Kaddu was very young at that time; she couldn’t understand what was happening. She only realised that they had to leave their village home. Several years have been passed after that, Kaddu is grown up now. In these years Kaddu has heard her father to lament for many times. He mourns that if the villages didn’t fall for the words of those Saheri Babus, then they didn’t have to sell their lands on that lump sum amount. After that incident they had left their village and came to this town in search of fortune. Here he works as a daily purohit and earns their living with utmost difficulty.

  It’s the season of monsoon but Mausami wind had not paid her yearly visit yet. It was a sweaty morning. Kaddu woke up early as usual and came outside of their tin-roofed-hut. They has a well in their yard, it’s the only luxury which her family has in this town. Although it turns into a thirsty crow even before the summer approaches. However, Kaddu was wandering in the yard that time when she noticed it first--- it was resting in their dry well like a coil. The well is not deep enough, the creature could come out at any moment and enter in their hut. Kaddu trembled with that thought and she cried, “Maa... saap... maa come here...”

Lata was preparing their breakfast when she heard the cry of her daughter. No sooner she heard it, she threw the utensils and rushes to the well. Seeing her mother coming, Kaddu showed her that creature. Lata was born and brought up at village; she had more knowledge about the plants and creatures than her daughter who had been raised in town. Lata didn’t take time to recognize it, it was not a normal snake, it was the favourite snake of Devi Manasa, and it was indeed that. Lata immediately called for her husband. Raghu Mallick was still sleeping inside; he woke up by the call and came out rubbing the eyes, “What’s the noise? Who’s dead in this early morning?”

“Shut up you drunkard! See this. What should we do? We have to offer something to Maa’s own pet but we have nothing in our house.” Lata asked tensely.

“What’s the matter? What’s it?” Raghu dragged Lata aside and peeped into the well. He saw that creature sleeping peacefully in the well.

“Maa’s favourite snake....” Raghu mumbled and thought something for a while, and then a crooked smile flashed in his lips...

***

“Now what will you say Bablu? You were not believing me...! Now see with your own eyes. Your girlfriend has been possessed by Maa Manasa indeed. Peep into the well, her messenger is sleeping there. See... see it.”

“Just shut up Bantu. I don’t believe in these superstitions. Something is wrong here, I’m sure about it. There is nothing like possession.”

“Oh my great scholar! Open your eyes and look around. You secondary pass scholar! Just see how the whole town has broken out here. Can you see that gorgeous lady, she is Mrs. Paul, the mistress of great Paul Enterprise of our town. She has even come here. And what about the other people? Do you really think all of them are uneducated?”

“But... it can’t be true. It iss superstitions. Let me talk to Kaddu.”

“You can’t. You have waited in the queue until your turn comes.”

“Hey Bantu what are they doing? Are they crazy? Why do they make her drink the raw milk...! It would be full with germs, and those fruits...! Those were lying on the ground a moment ago... hey...!”

“Don’t be scared my friend. All of these are the Prasad of Maa Manasa.”

“My foot! Those are full of germs. She will be sick. Look at her face, I think she wants to tell something...”

“Keep patience Bablu. Nothing will happen. Maa’s blessings are with her. In fact maa is within her right now.”

“Bablu please try to understand... she is sitting here for all the day in this scorching sun... and then those foods... dust...

     Hey Bantu... why is she gasping...? Kaddu are you feeling unwell? Kaddu ... hey please let me go to her... please... side please... don’t do this... she is not well... please try to understand... where her parents are? Side please...”

***

Raghu Mallick was busy in counting all the coins and notes.

“Five thousand one forty five... See dear wife.” Raghu boasted.

“Oh I am proud of you my dear. It seems that the air of this town has casted its spell on you.”

“Ha ha ha probably... did you ever imagine that we can earn so much within three days only?’

“It’s indeed Maa Manasa’s blessing.”

“And your husband’s intellect...”

“And my daughter’s acting skill.”

“Shh... remember that the walls have even ears. And don’t boast about your daughter that much, if I didn’t force her, she did never do this voluntarily. The girl doesn’t care about us.” Raghu sighs.

  Lata was going to say something but suddenly a ghastly windbreaks out in their hut and the utensils fall on the ground with a horrible metallic noise.

   And outside the hut, the gasping pale Sun in the sky is bound to set untimely by the clouds of vivid darkness...

 [Maa Manasa - A deity worshiped in Bengal. She is believed to have possession over snakes. A type of Cactus is actually worshiped as this deity's emblem].