Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Chai


Sakhubai almost tripped over it. She let out a small curse and looked down and at once she saw that it wasn’t a normal potato. It had a tiny protuberance the shape of a trunk. Turned neatly to the right. ”Ganpati Bappa Morya” she exclaimed loudly, hoped the lord hadn’t heard her cursing and rushed to her house all the while loudly exclaiming. The whole slum was within her house in minutes. A small pooja was immediately conducted to secure blessings and the shapely potato occupied centre stage in her modest hut, appropriately anointed with sandal, kumkum and strewn with flowers. A small trickle of people portly women were praying devoutly. The appearance of a Ganesha provided for a much needed break in Jag Jivan nagar. The nearest festival was months away, the heat had already begun to stifle. For most denizens of this slum in north Mumbai, highs on the cruel plot of life were such, and interspersed amidst a grim, penurious existence.

Jag Jivan nagar was divided into two halves by a large gutter with one bridge. It wasn’t always like that but after the riots in 1993, the police, the politicians and the mafia lords had felt it prudent to divide so that trouble could be contained. One half became Hindu with a temple and a saffron flag atop it. The other half obviously was Muslim. Mosque, prayers, minarets, Id. The dividing gutter was a stinky black morass of plastic bags, human excreta and sewage from the apartment complexes around. It was also only during holi that the gutter actually saw secularism, its blackness lost in a sea of gulal and shimmering silver pellets. Most areas of Mumbai are similar in hiding a dank slum behind the glamorous façade of sky scrapers. For every building sweeping cobwebs off the sky, a real cobweb of teeming enterprise and life existed. Vegetable vendors, domestic help, rickshawallahs and the mass of humans that made for the smooth running of suburban lives.

Fatima Bibi heard of the tuberous manifestation of God. It was time to pray Sakhubai a visit. She too worked as domestic help, as did most of the women in the slum. In a time polarized by religion Fatima was proof of blurring boundaries and mixing colours. Just to be safe though she would go in the night, in a saree. Just in case. With the elections in sight flare ups were common and deep down she felt the appearance of the potato wasn’t a mere accident. But Ganpati she prayed to. And she would go. It was dark when Fatima reached the other side. Slowly she crept up the lane and saw lengthy shadows outside. Shadows of Hindu caps and a trident even. She saw a typical profile and instantly slunk backwards. Saheb was visiting the Ganpati.

Saheb stood tall in his starched kurta, bowed down gently. He had heard of the miracle only some time ago, in his own land and one of his own people and had romptly rushed. A Ganpati with the trunk towards the right! As the evening shadows lengthened Saheb had arrived with his men all around. He looked grim, almost angry as he pushed his way through to Sakhubai’s hut. His wife, Tai was attired in all her Maharashtrian splendor and had an aarti plate with her. Husband wife made a great show of praying and devotion. At once led by his men a spirited rendition of the Ganpati aarti ensured. The spectacle of the Ganpati aarti in Maharashtra is not an ordinary one. The words and the tempo, along with cymbals clanging lend a spirit and a unique high. Ganpati ceases to be a pleasant benign God then, and at once becomes a terrifying avatar, a true destroyer of obstacles. A vanquisher of all evil. A beacon of hope from all dreariness and as suddenly after the crescendo, Sakhubai snapped out of the trance with the last few notes.

The next morning dawned muggy and pregnant. Sakhubai’s home no longer remained a home. It was thronging with people, Sahebs men. Why the Saheb himself had come to pay his respects. After the cursory aarti, he had even touched her feet. Asked for her blessings, she was destined for greatness one mentioned. Several praised her fates and cursed theirs. A right-trunked Ganpati is more demanding it was said. Mere poojas and aartis wouldn’t do many added. Sakhubai was mainly confused, scared and realized that the potato and God no longer figured in the scheme of things. Something greater was brewing.

to be continued…

18 comments:

maxdavinci said...

I'm first and the rest of you can rot!

caan't comment anything intelligent unless I read part 2 which will be in 3 months now!

Anonymous said...

dude..your unfinished stories are piling up...better finish them soon, leke Swamini Sakhubai ka naam!!
But why is the post titled 'Chai'? Will the secret be revealed in the sequel?

Gradwolf said...

in terms of writing, this is the best so far...

Liberal said...

Nice one, though it looked like u titled the post with one idea in mind and then continued on another, maybe as karthik gaaru says the relevance of the title will be seen in the sequel

Swatimala said...

i can't wait 4 the sequel...like every1 has said. mayb we all will know the relevance of chai in the sequel

Lavanya said...

Huh! You just cant leave it like this! You can't!

Nandini Vishwanath said...

Dude! This is unfair. Email me with the rest of the story! Grrrrr

buddy said...

@max: part 2 coming up..dont fret

@karthik: yes

@gradwolf: ty ty

@liberal: yes..i had something specific in mind, but it went totally somewhere else...wait and watch

@swatimala: yes

@chutney: wont.

@nandini:haha no email-shemail...part 2 coming up soon

Unknown said...

well begun.u have the right style 4 a novel.go ahead.make it interesting.waiting 4 part 2

Anonymous said...

Lovely!!! How do u write so well?

I second Adi in saying this is one of your bestestest posts to date...had me glued to the entire post, and am now eagerly waiting for part two!

chocoliciousgal said...

* raises eyebrows thoughtfully * :D

Unknown said...

nice... waiting for this to take a twist somewhere soon...

Fat Gujju! said...

dude i saw Delhi 6 n this blog of urs verry much resembles Delhi 6 to some extent.. not d boring part but the way both of them r handled... good good.. also it is well written wid many undercurrents!.. nonetheless good job... (although many din like i liked Delhi6...)... both of these pieces are art of master.. awaiting second part... do not disappoint!...

Srividya said...

When's the next part coming up?

buddy said...

@shyamala: part 2 isnt as easy as it sounds!

@kusublakki: thanks man! and yes part 2 should be up soon..notwithstanding the sudden writers block i seem to have

@chocoliciousgal: raises eyebrows right back!

@karthikk: keep waiting :P

@fat gujju:such expectations! what can i do?

@srividya: should be up soon..hopefully

Vivek said...

Well written!
Part2 part2 !!!
Come on!

Nandini Vishwanath said...

Ezhiduda!

AMIT said...

Best writing from you.

Meridian real estate