The time exactly five thirty.
Monsoon season. Sunlight is there; rain also. The water in the river nearby is rising up ‘Khoom!’. To just look at that and to take a bath Abdul Khader sahib with no shirt and with a thorthu came out of the house when Jameela Bibi quietly came to the door and called:
‘Suno…oh!’
Abdul Khader sahib thought: Must be to tell him to wear a shirt and go! Actually you see, after marriage as soon as they started living together there came out certain ordinances from Jameela Bibi’s side.
Abdul Khader sahib must become a gentleman! Must go out only after being properly dressed. The demeanour must be proud. Must not speak to those loafers the old friends on the streets outside. Beedi rolling workers, poets, coolies, freedom fighters, motor drivers, rickshaw wallahs- must not behave as if they were equals. Then should keep a maid for the housework. Abdul Khader sahib should not cook rice and kootaan. Should live up to some sort of status. In short he should improve! Should become Gentleman! Any woman marrying any man the main objective is to make him better isn’t it? Make the man walk the straight path, put a hand into every one of his mind and body matters and do complete golmaal with them. All this is the duty of women Jameela Bibi believes. All women believe. This beautiful woman philosophy, Abdul Khader sahib didn’t say anything about it. What to say? It’s also only a short time since the marriage isn’t it? He said soothingly:
‘My Jameela, I’m going to take a bath isn’t it. Do I need to wear a shirt and go?’
‘Oh!’ Jameela Bibi said as if her heart ached: ‘Will not listen if I ask isn’t it?’
‘Have I not-obeyed anything you said Jameela?’ He said and ran in and wore a shirt and came out. But there were no buttons on the shirt.
See, the man’s carelessness! Jameela Bibi got three buttons and put them on for him.
Abdul Khader sahib walked.
Jameela Bibi called again:
‘Suno…oh!
Abdul Khader sahib turned around and stood. He thought: Yarabbool Aalameen! It’s the ricecook question coming up! What to do? Can’t one live without a ricecook? Our things we should take care ourselves. A girl just because she has passed BA why can’t she cook rice? What BA even if it is a MA Phd waali should cook rice and kootaan. Don’t know how then Abdul Khader sahib will teach. Is beginning to teach. Himself knows how to make everything from biryani to tea.
‘What’s it Jameela?’ Abdul Khader sahib asked: ‘Is it the ricecook question?’
‘No’ Jameela Bibi said with annoyance: ‘I passed BA to become a kitchen waali isn’t it!’
‘Dearest!’ Abdul Khader sahib said: ‘My heart you don’t enter into the kitchen. I’ll fix everything. Ok?’
‘Oh…Ok! Everyday you are saying it.’
‘Today also my maharaani enter the kitchen. From tomorrow this your servant…!’
‘Just like that don’t say something!’
‘Why did you call just now?’ He thought, must be to tell him to comb his hair and put powder on his face and go. But, Jameela Bibi bashfully and nervously and lovingly said:
‘Poovanpazham!’
‘What Poovanpazham?’ Will women ever say anything in a straightforward manner? He asked:
‘What are you saying?’
‘Poovanpazham! Will you buy and bring two?’
Havoo! Poovanpazham is it? Desires to eat it? Will bring. Will bring. It’s there in the riverside shop. Otherwise if it’s not there can go across by the ferry walk about two furlongs and buy it in the small bazaar there. He said:
‘I’ll get a bunch of poovanpazhams.’
‘Two is enough.’ Jameela Bibi said: ‘Don’t wander around here and there! Come back quickly. Don’t wait for it to become evening. I’m afraid to sit here alone. Don’t forget anything. Did you hear?’
‘Didn’t I!’ He said and walked away. Did everyone hear what the women say about not wandering around here and there! Abdul Khader sahib laughed. Immediately he thought of his love also. The first thing that Jameela has asked for. If it was some other woman, Yarabool Aalameen, Abdul Khader sahib thought, what all impossible things they would want! Gold, silk, choodis, motor car, dakota plane- Let those be they are after all small things. He thought, there are some: They want completely inexpensive things from their marriage partner: Two hairs from the face of a lioness with new born cubs in some jungle! If you don’t get it then sulking ‘Oh. I only asked for two hairs from a cat like lioness…Oh, it’s all worth nothing now!’ And crying their heart out! What will the husband do? There’s another type: What they want is a piece of ice from the top of everest mountain. If it’s not brought for them will say; with tear-filled eyes and sobs; ‘Oh, a man who couldn’t bring a tiny piece of ice I asked…Just kill me!’ What will the husband do? Is what Jameela Bibi wants anything as impossible as that? Just two poovanpazhams only! Abdul Khader sahib thought, after a bath, and taking oas, will go and buy a bunch of poovanpazhams. So he reached the river bank.
The rivers become a muddy brown sea. What a flow! On both banks the trees that had been leaning into the river have disappeared. What all things are floating by! The rivers become all bhayaanak!
Abdul Khader sahib got down into the river and had his bath. That is to say he just had a quick dip. The water is colder than ice. He forgot to take his oas. Quickly got up onto the riverbank. Dried his hair and ran to the shop near the ferry. When he reached there there’s Kannanpazham, there’s paalenkotan, there’s patatti. But no poovanpazham! What to do? He got into the ferry. The boat moved off. When they reached the middle of the river a strong wind started blowing. Also with that the world started darkening. The boatman somehow managed to get his boat over to the other side. Abdul Khader sahib got off and ran. Halfway to the bazaar the rain started. He ran into a shop in the bazaar. Very heavy rain! Lights started appearing in the shops. He waited like that for the rain to let up. Terrible wind also blowing. He didn’t notice the time passing. Sat around talking to some loafer friends from his past. Then looking noticed that it was nearly eight’o’clock! He got all hassled! Jameela Bibi will feel afraid alone at night. He got out. Asked in a lot of shops. But poovanpazhams only are not there! What to do? Felt very disheartened. In the end he bought a dozen oranges. Isn’t an orange better than a poovanpazham? More expensive also; More vitamin also. Put them all in a paper cover and walked. Rain and inky darkness. No light anywhere. Poovanpazhams and the rain are together plotting something terrible aren’t they? Abdul Khader sahib reached the ferry boarding point. Nobody. He looked into the darkness and called the boatman through the rain. Ten-twenty times ‘Poo…Hooii!’ he shouted. Who to hear? Lost his voice a bit that’s all, no other special news. Thought it out and decided to swim for it. Took off his shirt, tied the oranges in the thorthu and put it on his head. Tied the two ends firmly on his chin. The shirt and mundu he tied on his head over it. He thought, what will she be doing now? Look Jameela, Abdul Khader sahib thought, if I was not married couldn’t I have slept anywhere? Do you see the way the man’s independence goes! Yarabbool Aalameen, o god, I’m going to jump into the river and swim! You must save me! Thinking thus Abdul Khader sahib walked a furlong eastwards along the rivers edge. The river flows from east to west. If you swim straight the flow may carry you more than a furlong westward!
Abdul Khader sahib boldly got into the water. Yet if he should drown and die? But, isn’t it for Jameela Bibi? The water came up to the waist. The feet are not getting a firm grip. He just started swimming. Only the head is out of water. Paddling and swimming he moved forward. In the flood in darkness what’s forward what’s backward! Don’t know anything. Is going on by some guess. When the middle or the far bank will be reached can’t say anything. Hands feet started to tire. In the end, in something somewhere he got a handhold. The current’s strongly pulling him down! Didn’t let go. Drank some two three mouthfuls of water, Abdul Khader sahib understood, he’s got a hold in a bamboo thicket. Not paying heed to the opposition from many thorns and branches he climbed on to the shore. Sat and shivered. Thought and was afraid and shivered. What just sit like that? Through the thicket and thorns Abdul Khader sahib walked. Stark naked! The shirt and mundu are lost. The oranges and thorthu were not lost because they were tied to his chin. Abdul Khader sahib broke a branch with many smaller branches and using it as a stick walked. A banana plantation! He saw the world in a lightning streak. A house too, then he realised. He’s half a mile downstream to where he should have reached!
Through that houses courtyard moving blindly then over a coconut log bridge he walked. By then a dog barked! Then another, and like that every dog in the country! Must be barking in the name of sympathy! He thought. What to do! Crossing tiny paths, bridges and roads somehow he managed to reach his residence. Havoo! There’s a light there. Dearest Jameela is not asleep. Abdul Khader sahib thought, a wife who loves her husband! Jameela open the door- that he didn’t say. Let it be after wearing the thorthu he thought and got into the verandah. Then he looked in through the window. Although he was shivering with cold Abdul Khader sahib found himself laughing! A beautiful scene.
A light burning on the table. Next to it two large plates. Both covered with two other plates. Nearby four five smaller plates. They’re covered too. It’s rice and curries in them. Also waiting for the husband the wife. In her hand a terrible vettukathi! With that Jameela Bibi is sitting in a chair and tired has fallen asleep with her head on the table!
There’s other special things as well: The front door is latched from the inside. But what if some thief pushes the door and breaks the latch and gets in? Therefore a table has been dragged to the door and kept against it. And as if the table is not heavy enough a small pillow on it! Isn’t that enough?
See the brains of women, thought Abdul Khader sahib and was about to call and wake Jameela Bibi when another joke: There’s a lot of light falling into the courtyard from the kitchen door side! He went over. Good fun! In her agitation she’s forgotten to shut the kitchen door. All the thieves in the world can form a procession and just walk in thought Abdul Khader sahib and walked in. Without making a noise softly very softly he shut the door and latched it. He left the branch he was carrying in the kitchen and quietly went into the dressing room. His body is bruised in many places, blood is flowing too. Jameela for you how much blood I’ve shed! See! He put her perfumed powder liberally all over his body. Then dressed and combed his hair. Kept the oranges in the dressing room. Then thought of waking Jameela Bibi but remembered his prayers. He’s not prayed magreeb and eesha. So decided to do these. He went to the kitchen and got some water and made oas and prayed. He also thanked the Rabool Aalameen god for having spared his life for Jameela Bibi. That over he put the oranges in two plates and put it on the table and called:
‘Maharaani!’
Jameela Bibi started awake frightened and with the vettukathi in her hand opened her eyes!
‘Don’t cut me up!’ Abdul Khader sahib said:
‘I’m not some thief. Standing in front of you is a sadhu and brainless Abdul Khader in the flesh!’
‘So came back after wandering about all over the place?’ She said and looked towards the door and became angry: ‘How did you get in?’
Abdul Khader sahib said:
‘When this here lad comes all doors open by themselves: All hearts by themselves…!’
‘Don’t talk like an idiot, how did you get in?’
He said:
‘Through the kitchen!’
She asked:
‘Used some stick to open the latch from outside? If some thieves saw that? Now they will also come in! Now how will we live with peace of mind in this house?’
Abdul Khader sahib said:
‘O bloody fool! The door was open.’
‘O…talk with some semblance of civility. The door was open he says!’
‘Ya Rabool Aalameen!’ Abdul Khader sahib thought:
‘Is it possible to ever make women admit their mistakes?’ He asked:
‘Have you finished your prayers?’
‘Have finished!’ She said and got up and she saw the oranges. Her face reddened. She became angry. Will anybody eat this?
She looked at the oranges with revulsion: With an anger enough to burn them. Yet she didn’t express any opinion.
Abdul Khader sahib said:
Poovan is not available anywhere.’
Jameela Bibi didn’t say anything. What to say? Has brought and kept it here…!
She brought the water to wash hands: Both of them washed their hands and ate dinner.
‘The kootaan is very nice!’ Abdul Khader sahib said. In truth all the curries are really bad. No salt: some have too much mirchi. Yet is it correct to criticize the sahadharmini?
She made a happy proclamation:
‘I am going to sleep!’
He said:
‘Let’s sleep after eating the oranges. No poovanpazham anywhere. I had to swim the flood waters to get it!’
‘Don’t just tell some lie. I don’t like oranges! Let the people who brought them eat them!’
She raised the tip of the nose walked out stretched straight and just went and fell into the bed.
Abdul Khader sahib peeled the oranges. Filled the pieces in a plate. Then called:
‘Jameela…!’
‘Don’t feel like it!’
Abdul Khader sahib thought: ‘Immediately the nikah was over should have given the girl some six punches in the small of her back!’
‘Jameela! Get up and come here at once!’
‘I’m feeling sleepy!’
‘Is that so?’ He got up went there and with lot of tenderness said: ‘Jameela I’ve brought it with great difficulty. Look, what if I had drunk water and drowned swimming in the river?’
Jameela Bibi lying down pressed her face into the pillow.
‘Jameela!’
Jameela turned her face a bit:
‘What I said was poovanpazham!’
‘There are no poovanpazhams anywhere around! Tomorrow from somewhere I’ll bring some banana plants.’
‘O…We’ll eat it all when they bear fruit and the fruit ripens!’
‘Ok never mind, eat these oranges; lots of vitamin.’
‘I don’t want!’
‘You’ll have to eat them!’
Jameela Bibi sat up in bed. With lot of arrogance in her best lady manner she asked:
‘If I don’t eat will you beat me and make me eat?’
Right! Abdul Khader sahib thought: A nice idea! Without saying anything he went into the kitchen and from the branch broke off two small branches and brought them back.
Jameela Bibi saw the stick. She sat there ‘Bhaa’.
He said:
‘Get up!’
‘Don’t feel like it!’
‘Don’t feel like it?’ He went and got the vettukathi.
‘Buskh!’ she sat there.
‘Come.’ He called. She said: ‘Don’t feel like it!’
‘Is that so?’ He gave Jameela Bibi two good swipes on her thigh. Then showed her the vettukathi:
‘Next time cut!’
She got up with tear filled eyes.
Those tears…when he saw them- What to say! His heart just melted. Isn’t he a man? Seeing the woman’s tears won’t he feel troubled? Yet for the time being Abdul Khader sahib turned his heart into a granite ball. Then said:
‘Jameela… don’t waste your tears! If you want cry into a big vessel. I’ll then take a bath in it later! Do you hear?’
Jameela Bibi sobbing asked:
‘H…are you going to kill me?’
‘H…yes!’ He said: ‘I’ll going to cut you into little pieces and am going to prepare biryani!’
He caught her hand and took her to the next room and made her stand in front of the oranges.
‘Take and eat!’ Abdul Khader sahib ordered.
Jameela Bibi appeared not to hear that. Just stood there ‘Buskh’.
Will not agree to what the husband says is it? He gave her six with the stick ‘Ftruckho!’ on her bottom!
She took one piece and ate it.
‘Not enough! Again!’ He quietly roared. Then he showed the vettukathi also.
‘See? I’ll finish your story; Eat!’
She took and ate the pieces quicktime.
He said:
‘Can eat slowly after removing the seeds!’
Like that Jameela Bibi tears flowing started eating slowly removing the seeds.
Abdul Khader sahib asked:
‘Who am I to you?’
She said:
‘Don’t Know!’
‘See the vettukathi!… Who am I to you?’
‘Husband!’
He said:
‘See the vettukathi!…Will you now try to improve me? Quickly say no! See the vettukathi?’
‘No.’
He asked:
‘What’s that you are eating?’
‘Oranges.’
He gave her one more on her bottom. ‘See the vettukathi?…Say; What I am eating is a poovanpazham!’
‘Poovanpazham!’
‘Do you want a ricecook? Quickly say don’t want. See the vettukathi?’
‘Don’t want!’
‘Are you a lady? See the vettukathi?… You’re my woman- Right?’
‘Yyes!’
‘Motor drivers, rickshaw wallahs, poets, coolies, freedom fighters, Beedi rolling workers – can I speak on equal terms with them?… Can speak, can speak say!’
‘Can speak, can speak!’
‘What’s that you are eating?’
‘Poovanpazham!’
Throwing the vettukathi and the stick down ‘My heart!’ he said to Jameela Bibi, scooping her up into his arms and kissing her.
Marks of the beating on her thighs and bottom! He touched them and his heart broke.
‘Did it hurt very much my dear?’ He asked.
She heaving a sigh of relief said:
‘Nnoo!’
Monsoon season. Sunlight is there; rain also. The water in the river nearby is rising up ‘Khoom!’. To just look at that and to take a bath Abdul Khader sahib with no shirt and with a thorthu came out of the house when Jameela Bibi quietly came to the door and called:
‘Suno…oh!’
Abdul Khader sahib thought: Must be to tell him to wear a shirt and go! Actually you see, after marriage as soon as they started living together there came out certain ordinances from Jameela Bibi’s side.
Abdul Khader sahib must become a gentleman! Must go out only after being properly dressed. The demeanour must be proud. Must not speak to those loafers the old friends on the streets outside. Beedi rolling workers, poets, coolies, freedom fighters, motor drivers, rickshaw wallahs- must not behave as if they were equals. Then should keep a maid for the housework. Abdul Khader sahib should not cook rice and kootaan. Should live up to some sort of status. In short he should improve! Should become Gentleman! Any woman marrying any man the main objective is to make him better isn’t it? Make the man walk the straight path, put a hand into every one of his mind and body matters and do complete golmaal with them. All this is the duty of women Jameela Bibi believes. All women believe. This beautiful woman philosophy, Abdul Khader sahib didn’t say anything about it. What to say? It’s also only a short time since the marriage isn’t it? He said soothingly:
‘My Jameela, I’m going to take a bath isn’t it. Do I need to wear a shirt and go?’
‘Oh!’ Jameela Bibi said as if her heart ached: ‘Will not listen if I ask isn’t it?’
‘Have I not-obeyed anything you said Jameela?’ He said and ran in and wore a shirt and came out. But there were no buttons on the shirt.
See, the man’s carelessness! Jameela Bibi got three buttons and put them on for him.
Abdul Khader sahib walked.
Jameela Bibi called again:
‘Suno…oh!
Abdul Khader sahib turned around and stood. He thought: Yarabbool Aalameen! It’s the ricecook question coming up! What to do? Can’t one live without a ricecook? Our things we should take care ourselves. A girl just because she has passed BA why can’t she cook rice? What BA even if it is a MA Phd waali should cook rice and kootaan. Don’t know how then Abdul Khader sahib will teach. Is beginning to teach. Himself knows how to make everything from biryani to tea.
‘What’s it Jameela?’ Abdul Khader sahib asked: ‘Is it the ricecook question?’
‘No’ Jameela Bibi said with annoyance: ‘I passed BA to become a kitchen waali isn’t it!’
‘Dearest!’ Abdul Khader sahib said: ‘My heart you don’t enter into the kitchen. I’ll fix everything. Ok?’
‘Oh…Ok! Everyday you are saying it.’
‘Today also my maharaani enter the kitchen. From tomorrow this your servant…!’
‘Just like that don’t say something!’
‘Why did you call just now?’ He thought, must be to tell him to comb his hair and put powder on his face and go. But, Jameela Bibi bashfully and nervously and lovingly said:
‘Poovanpazham!’
‘What Poovanpazham?’ Will women ever say anything in a straightforward manner? He asked:
‘What are you saying?’
‘Poovanpazham! Will you buy and bring two?’
Havoo! Poovanpazham is it? Desires to eat it? Will bring. Will bring. It’s there in the riverside shop. Otherwise if it’s not there can go across by the ferry walk about two furlongs and buy it in the small bazaar there. He said:
‘I’ll get a bunch of poovanpazhams.’
‘Two is enough.’ Jameela Bibi said: ‘Don’t wander around here and there! Come back quickly. Don’t wait for it to become evening. I’m afraid to sit here alone. Don’t forget anything. Did you hear?’
‘Didn’t I!’ He said and walked away. Did everyone hear what the women say about not wandering around here and there! Abdul Khader sahib laughed. Immediately he thought of his love also. The first thing that Jameela has asked for. If it was some other woman, Yarabool Aalameen, Abdul Khader sahib thought, what all impossible things they would want! Gold, silk, choodis, motor car, dakota plane- Let those be they are after all small things. He thought, there are some: They want completely inexpensive things from their marriage partner: Two hairs from the face of a lioness with new born cubs in some jungle! If you don’t get it then sulking ‘Oh. I only asked for two hairs from a cat like lioness…Oh, it’s all worth nothing now!’ And crying their heart out! What will the husband do? There’s another type: What they want is a piece of ice from the top of everest mountain. If it’s not brought for them will say; with tear-filled eyes and sobs; ‘Oh, a man who couldn’t bring a tiny piece of ice I asked…Just kill me!’ What will the husband do? Is what Jameela Bibi wants anything as impossible as that? Just two poovanpazhams only! Abdul Khader sahib thought, after a bath, and taking oas, will go and buy a bunch of poovanpazhams. So he reached the river bank.
The rivers become a muddy brown sea. What a flow! On both banks the trees that had been leaning into the river have disappeared. What all things are floating by! The rivers become all bhayaanak!
Abdul Khader sahib got down into the river and had his bath. That is to say he just had a quick dip. The water is colder than ice. He forgot to take his oas. Quickly got up onto the riverbank. Dried his hair and ran to the shop near the ferry. When he reached there there’s Kannanpazham, there’s paalenkotan, there’s patatti. But no poovanpazham! What to do? He got into the ferry. The boat moved off. When they reached the middle of the river a strong wind started blowing. Also with that the world started darkening. The boatman somehow managed to get his boat over to the other side. Abdul Khader sahib got off and ran. Halfway to the bazaar the rain started. He ran into a shop in the bazaar. Very heavy rain! Lights started appearing in the shops. He waited like that for the rain to let up. Terrible wind also blowing. He didn’t notice the time passing. Sat around talking to some loafer friends from his past. Then looking noticed that it was nearly eight’o’clock! He got all hassled! Jameela Bibi will feel afraid alone at night. He got out. Asked in a lot of shops. But poovanpazhams only are not there! What to do? Felt very disheartened. In the end he bought a dozen oranges. Isn’t an orange better than a poovanpazham? More expensive also; More vitamin also. Put them all in a paper cover and walked. Rain and inky darkness. No light anywhere. Poovanpazhams and the rain are together plotting something terrible aren’t they? Abdul Khader sahib reached the ferry boarding point. Nobody. He looked into the darkness and called the boatman through the rain. Ten-twenty times ‘Poo…Hooii!’ he shouted. Who to hear? Lost his voice a bit that’s all, no other special news. Thought it out and decided to swim for it. Took off his shirt, tied the oranges in the thorthu and put it on his head. Tied the two ends firmly on his chin. The shirt and mundu he tied on his head over it. He thought, what will she be doing now? Look Jameela, Abdul Khader sahib thought, if I was not married couldn’t I have slept anywhere? Do you see the way the man’s independence goes! Yarabbool Aalameen, o god, I’m going to jump into the river and swim! You must save me! Thinking thus Abdul Khader sahib walked a furlong eastwards along the rivers edge. The river flows from east to west. If you swim straight the flow may carry you more than a furlong westward!
Abdul Khader sahib boldly got into the water. Yet if he should drown and die? But, isn’t it for Jameela Bibi? The water came up to the waist. The feet are not getting a firm grip. He just started swimming. Only the head is out of water. Paddling and swimming he moved forward. In the flood in darkness what’s forward what’s backward! Don’t know anything. Is going on by some guess. When the middle or the far bank will be reached can’t say anything. Hands feet started to tire. In the end, in something somewhere he got a handhold. The current’s strongly pulling him down! Didn’t let go. Drank some two three mouthfuls of water, Abdul Khader sahib understood, he’s got a hold in a bamboo thicket. Not paying heed to the opposition from many thorns and branches he climbed on to the shore. Sat and shivered. Thought and was afraid and shivered. What just sit like that? Through the thicket and thorns Abdul Khader sahib walked. Stark naked! The shirt and mundu are lost. The oranges and thorthu were not lost because they were tied to his chin. Abdul Khader sahib broke a branch with many smaller branches and using it as a stick walked. A banana plantation! He saw the world in a lightning streak. A house too, then he realised. He’s half a mile downstream to where he should have reached!
Through that houses courtyard moving blindly then over a coconut log bridge he walked. By then a dog barked! Then another, and like that every dog in the country! Must be barking in the name of sympathy! He thought. What to do! Crossing tiny paths, bridges and roads somehow he managed to reach his residence. Havoo! There’s a light there. Dearest Jameela is not asleep. Abdul Khader sahib thought, a wife who loves her husband! Jameela open the door- that he didn’t say. Let it be after wearing the thorthu he thought and got into the verandah. Then he looked in through the window. Although he was shivering with cold Abdul Khader sahib found himself laughing! A beautiful scene.
A light burning on the table. Next to it two large plates. Both covered with two other plates. Nearby four five smaller plates. They’re covered too. It’s rice and curries in them. Also waiting for the husband the wife. In her hand a terrible vettukathi! With that Jameela Bibi is sitting in a chair and tired has fallen asleep with her head on the table!
There’s other special things as well: The front door is latched from the inside. But what if some thief pushes the door and breaks the latch and gets in? Therefore a table has been dragged to the door and kept against it. And as if the table is not heavy enough a small pillow on it! Isn’t that enough?
See the brains of women, thought Abdul Khader sahib and was about to call and wake Jameela Bibi when another joke: There’s a lot of light falling into the courtyard from the kitchen door side! He went over. Good fun! In her agitation she’s forgotten to shut the kitchen door. All the thieves in the world can form a procession and just walk in thought Abdul Khader sahib and walked in. Without making a noise softly very softly he shut the door and latched it. He left the branch he was carrying in the kitchen and quietly went into the dressing room. His body is bruised in many places, blood is flowing too. Jameela for you how much blood I’ve shed! See! He put her perfumed powder liberally all over his body. Then dressed and combed his hair. Kept the oranges in the dressing room. Then thought of waking Jameela Bibi but remembered his prayers. He’s not prayed magreeb and eesha. So decided to do these. He went to the kitchen and got some water and made oas and prayed. He also thanked the Rabool Aalameen god for having spared his life for Jameela Bibi. That over he put the oranges in two plates and put it on the table and called:
‘Maharaani!’
Jameela Bibi started awake frightened and with the vettukathi in her hand opened her eyes!
‘Don’t cut me up!’ Abdul Khader sahib said:
‘I’m not some thief. Standing in front of you is a sadhu and brainless Abdul Khader in the flesh!’
‘So came back after wandering about all over the place?’ She said and looked towards the door and became angry: ‘How did you get in?’
Abdul Khader sahib said:
‘When this here lad comes all doors open by themselves: All hearts by themselves…!’
‘Don’t talk like an idiot, how did you get in?’
He said:
‘Through the kitchen!’
She asked:
‘Used some stick to open the latch from outside? If some thieves saw that? Now they will also come in! Now how will we live with peace of mind in this house?’
Abdul Khader sahib said:
‘O bloody fool! The door was open.’
‘O…talk with some semblance of civility. The door was open he says!’
‘Ya Rabool Aalameen!’ Abdul Khader sahib thought:
‘Is it possible to ever make women admit their mistakes?’ He asked:
‘Have you finished your prayers?’
‘Have finished!’ She said and got up and she saw the oranges. Her face reddened. She became angry. Will anybody eat this?
She looked at the oranges with revulsion: With an anger enough to burn them. Yet she didn’t express any opinion.
Abdul Khader sahib said:
Poovan is not available anywhere.’
Jameela Bibi didn’t say anything. What to say? Has brought and kept it here…!
She brought the water to wash hands: Both of them washed their hands and ate dinner.
‘The kootaan is very nice!’ Abdul Khader sahib said. In truth all the curries are really bad. No salt: some have too much mirchi. Yet is it correct to criticize the sahadharmini?
She made a happy proclamation:
‘I am going to sleep!’
He said:
‘Let’s sleep after eating the oranges. No poovanpazham anywhere. I had to swim the flood waters to get it!’
‘Don’t just tell some lie. I don’t like oranges! Let the people who brought them eat them!’
She raised the tip of the nose walked out stretched straight and just went and fell into the bed.
Abdul Khader sahib peeled the oranges. Filled the pieces in a plate. Then called:
‘Jameela…!’
‘Don’t feel like it!’
Abdul Khader sahib thought: ‘Immediately the nikah was over should have given the girl some six punches in the small of her back!’
‘Jameela! Get up and come here at once!’
‘I’m feeling sleepy!’
‘Is that so?’ He got up went there and with lot of tenderness said: ‘Jameela I’ve brought it with great difficulty. Look, what if I had drunk water and drowned swimming in the river?’
Jameela Bibi lying down pressed her face into the pillow.
‘Jameela!’
Jameela turned her face a bit:
‘What I said was poovanpazham!’
‘There are no poovanpazhams anywhere around! Tomorrow from somewhere I’ll bring some banana plants.’
‘O…We’ll eat it all when they bear fruit and the fruit ripens!’
‘Ok never mind, eat these oranges; lots of vitamin.’
‘I don’t want!’
‘You’ll have to eat them!’
Jameela Bibi sat up in bed. With lot of arrogance in her best lady manner she asked:
‘If I don’t eat will you beat me and make me eat?’
Right! Abdul Khader sahib thought: A nice idea! Without saying anything he went into the kitchen and from the branch broke off two small branches and brought them back.
Jameela Bibi saw the stick. She sat there ‘Bhaa’.
He said:
‘Get up!’
‘Don’t feel like it!’
‘Don’t feel like it?’ He went and got the vettukathi.
‘Buskh!’ she sat there.
‘Come.’ He called. She said: ‘Don’t feel like it!’
‘Is that so?’ He gave Jameela Bibi two good swipes on her thigh. Then showed her the vettukathi:
‘Next time cut!’
She got up with tear filled eyes.
Those tears…when he saw them- What to say! His heart just melted. Isn’t he a man? Seeing the woman’s tears won’t he feel troubled? Yet for the time being Abdul Khader sahib turned his heart into a granite ball. Then said:
‘Jameela… don’t waste your tears! If you want cry into a big vessel. I’ll then take a bath in it later! Do you hear?’
Jameela Bibi sobbing asked:
‘H…are you going to kill me?’
‘H…yes!’ He said: ‘I’ll going to cut you into little pieces and am going to prepare biryani!’
He caught her hand and took her to the next room and made her stand in front of the oranges.
‘Take and eat!’ Abdul Khader sahib ordered.
Jameela Bibi appeared not to hear that. Just stood there ‘Buskh’.
Will not agree to what the husband says is it? He gave her six with the stick ‘Ftruckho!’ on her bottom!
She took one piece and ate it.
‘Not enough! Again!’ He quietly roared. Then he showed the vettukathi also.
‘See? I’ll finish your story; Eat!’
She took and ate the pieces quicktime.
He said:
‘Can eat slowly after removing the seeds!’
Like that Jameela Bibi tears flowing started eating slowly removing the seeds.
Abdul Khader sahib asked:
‘Who am I to you?’
She said:
‘Don’t Know!’
‘See the vettukathi!… Who am I to you?’
‘Husband!’
He said:
‘See the vettukathi!…Will you now try to improve me? Quickly say no! See the vettukathi?’
‘No.’
He asked:
‘What’s that you are eating?’
‘Oranges.’
He gave her one more on her bottom. ‘See the vettukathi?…Say; What I am eating is a poovanpazham!’
‘Poovanpazham!’
‘Do you want a ricecook? Quickly say don’t want. See the vettukathi?’
‘Don’t want!’
‘Are you a lady? See the vettukathi?… You’re my woman- Right?’
‘Yyes!’
‘Motor drivers, rickshaw wallahs, poets, coolies, freedom fighters, Beedi rolling workers – can I speak on equal terms with them?… Can speak, can speak say!’
‘Can speak, can speak!’
‘What’s that you are eating?’
‘Poovanpazham!’
Throwing the vettukathi and the stick down ‘My heart!’ he said to Jameela Bibi, scooping her up into his arms and kissing her.
Marks of the beating on her thighs and bottom! He touched them and his heart broke.
‘Did it hurt very much my dear?’ He asked.
She heaving a sigh of relief said:
‘Nnoo!’
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