بھولا - PDF

## بھولا 5012CH01 - I saw Maya putting butter in a stone jar. - To remove the sourness of the buttermilk, Maya washed the butter in the jar with clean water from the well several times. - This was usually a sign that someone close to her was coming. - Yes, I remember now, Maya's brother was com...

## بھولا 5012CH01 - I saw Maya putting butter in a stone jar. - To remove the sourness of the buttermilk, Maya washed the butter in the jar with clean water from the well several times. - This was usually a sign that someone close to her was coming. - Yes, I remember now, Maya's brother was coming to visit two days later to tie Rakhi to his widowed sister. - Usually, sisters would go visit their brothers and tie Rakhi, but Maya's brother would come to visit his sister and nephew himself. - He would tie Rakhi and assure his widowed sister that even if her husband was gone, as long as her brother was alive, he would take responsibility for her safety and wellbeing. - The little Bhula confirmed my thought. - Picking up grains, he said, "Baba, my uncle will come the day after tomorrow, right?" - I lifted my grandson in my arms lovingly. - Bhula's body was very soft and delicate, and his voice was very sweet, as if the delicacy and whiteness of the lotus, the redness of the rose, and the melody of the nightingale are all put together. - Bhula was scared of my long and thick beard, so he wouldn't let me kiss him. - However, I kissed him forcefully on his red cheeks as a sign of affection. I smiled and asked, "Bhula, your uncle is... what are you to your [mother]? - Bhula paused for a moment and then answered, "Uncle." - Maya stopped chanting her prayers and started laughing out loud. - I was secretly very happy to hear her laugh like that. - Maya was a widow, and society prevented her from wearing good clothes or enjoying herself. - I had often told her to wear nice clothes, enjoy herself, and not care about society's opinions. - But Maya had, on her own, accepted the harmful dictates of society. - She had locked all her nice clothes and jewelry in a box and thrown the key into a pond. - Maya went back to her prayers, laughing. ## 5 - She continued to chant, "Hari Hari, Hari Hari, Hari Hari, Hari." - "Why does my Bar take so long?" - Then, to her son, she said lovingly, "Bhule, what are you to your little sister?" - ''Brother,'' Bhula answered. - "In the same way your uncle is my brother." - Bhula couldn't understand how someone could be both a brother and an uncle at the same time. - Until now, he understood that his uncle was his father's uncle too. - Bhula didn't try to figure this out and ran to his mother's lap, demanding to hear a story. - He liked to listen to stories because he loved to hear tales, and he would enjoy listening to the Mahaatmas at the end of each chapter of Gita. - Then he would sit on the banks of the river, surrounded by soft velvet cushions of water lilies, and think about the Mahaatmas for hours. - I had to reach my fields, six miles away from home, in the afternoon. - An old body, burdened with three and three mud sacks, used to run around in the youth's time, but now my back is aching under the weight. - The death of my son had broken my back, turning my hope into despair. - Now, I live off Bhula's support, otherwise, I would be dead. - In the evening, tired, I fell asleep on the bed as soon as I lay down. - After a pause, Maya called out to me to drink some milk. - I was very happy at my daughter-in-law's kindness and prayed for her health. - I said, "My old man, how much do you make me do, my dear?" - Bhula was still awake. - He jumped on my stomach and said, "Babaji! Babaji! Will you tell a story today?" - "My son, I am very tired today. I'll tell you tomorrow afternoon," I said, smiling. - Bhula thought for a minute and answered, "I am not your Bhula, Baba, but I am Mataji's Bhula." ## 6 - Bhula also knew that I had never tolerated such a remark from him. - I was always used to hearing "Bhula is Babaji's, not Mataji's" from him, but that day, I was very tired after carrying the kids on my shoulders for six miles and walking back. - Maybe I wouldn't have been so tired if my new shoe hadn't been hurting my heel and causing blisters in my feet. - Due to this unusual fatigue, I tolerated Bhula's remark. - I started looking at the stars in the sky. - A star was shining like a torch in the southern corner of the sky. - Looking closer, it seemed to fade away. - I fell asleep half asleep. - In the morning, it occurred to me that Bhula must be thinking, how did Baba tolerate me yesterday. - I shuddered at the thought that Bhula might think Baba doesn't care about me now. - Maybe that was why he refused to come to me in the morning and said, - "I will not come to you, Baba." -"Why, Bhula?" - "Bhula is not Baba's Bhula, but Mataji's Bhula." - I coaxed Bhula with the promise of sweets, and within minutes, he was Babaji's again. - He wrapped the blanket around his tiny legs and lay down next to me. - Maya was chanting the Hari Her prayer. - Then, she took out a fistful of butter and put it in the jar, washing it with clean water from the well to remove the sourness of the buttermilk. - Maya was now ready to prepare "sirka" for her brother. - I was happy to see the brother-sister love and felt joy in my heart. - I was so happy that tears welled up in my eyes. - I said to myself, "The heart of a woman is an ocean of love. Mother, father, sister, brother, husband, children, she loves everyone dearly and never runs out of love. - Even with one heart, she gives all of her to everyone." - Bhula put both his hands on the lines on my face, pushed aside my face from Maya's and said, "Baba, do you remember your promise?" -"Of what, son?" -"You promised to tell me a story this afternoon." -"Yes, son," I said, kissing him. ## 7 - Bhula knew when the time was right. - He knew that Babaji went to sleep on that cot after eating, and he couldn't climb it without help from his Babaji or Mataji. - So, an hour before lunchtime, he started to insist that they have dinner. - It wasn't about eating for him. - He wanted to hear the story. - I finished eating half an hour earlier. - I was about to take the last bite when the patwari knocked on the door. - He was carrying a light whip in his hand. - He said that the people from the Khanqah would be able to measure our land by the well today, otherwise, they wouldn't have time. - I looked towards the hall. - Bhula was making the cot for me. - He was making the cot for me. - He arranged the cushions around the cot, lifted himself onto the cot by placing his feet on the bottom, and tried to climb up. - While Bhula's insistence to get food for me early and make the bed after that was a selfish act, I thought to myself, - "After all, he is Maya's son. May God bless him with a long life." - I told the patwari to go to the Khanqah well, and I would follow him. - Bhula's face went pale when he saw me getting ready to go out. - Maya said, "Baba, why are you in such a hurry? The Khanqah well isn't going anywhere. Relax a bit." - "Hmmm," I mumbled. "The patwari will leave, and this task won't be done for a month." - Maya remained quiet. Bhula pouted and said, "Baba, my story, my story." - "Bhula, my son," I said, trying to divert him. "Travellers forget their way while listening to stories during the day." - "They lose their way?" Bhula thought for a moment and asked, "Baba, you are lying. I am not Baba's Bhula." - "Now that I am not tired and can spare fifteen minutes for some rest," I said to myself, "How can I tolerate Bhula's remark?" - I took off my shawl and put it on the cot. - I pulled my foot out of the shoe that was constantly hurting my heels, and lay down on the cot. - Bhula was back to being Baba's Bhula again. - "Now, if any traveller loses his way, you are responsible," I said. ## 8 - I told Bhula a long story about seven princes and seven princesses. - I narrated their mutual marriage in a more appealing way. - Bhula always enjoyed this story with a happy ending where the prince and princess get married. - But today, I didn't see any sign of happiness on Bhula's face. - He was gloomy and barely paid any attention. - Fearing that the patwari would get tired of waiting at the Khanqah well and leave with his whip, taking his light footsteps along, I hurried quickly but limped because of my new shoe that was hurting my heel. - Even though Maya had applied mustard oil to the shoe, it was not soft enough. - In the evening, as I returned, I happily saw Bhula hopping around the courtyard, going from the hall to the courtyard. - He was turning a wooden stick into a horse and riding it. - He was singing, "Let's go to my uncle's place on our horses, my uncle's place." ## 9 - "Let's go to my uncle's place, yes, yes, let's go to my uncle's place. On horses... " - As soon as I stepped inside, Bhula stopped singing and said, - "Baba, Uncle will come today, right?" - "Yes, Bhula," I asked. - "What will happen then, Bhula?" - "Uncle will bring a wagon, uncle will bring a dog (Kutta), uncle will have a pile of corn on his head, right? - Baba, we don't grow corn here, Baba, and more importantly, Uncle will bring desserts that you haven't even dreamt of." - I was surprised and thinking how cleverly this "desserts that you haven't ever dreamt of" phrase was reminiscent of the story of seven princes and seven princesses and I was amazed at how he remembers it so well. - "May he live long," I prayed. - He's going to be a very intelligent boy and bring glory to our family name." - As evening approached, Bhula waited by the door so that he could be the first to see his uncle and run inside to tell his mother and me the news. - Maya said in a thoughtful tone, - "Baba, Bhua hasn't come yet." - "He must have gotten held up on some work." - "He might have an urgent work. Could you send the money for Rakhi through the post?" - "Rakhi?" - "Yes, he should have arrived by now." - I lifted Bhula off the doorway, and he said eagerly, "Mataji, why hasn't my uncle come?" - Maya lifted Bhula in her arms and comforted him. - She said, "Maybe he will come in the morning. Your uncle." ## 10 - "My Bhula!" - Bhula put his soft and delicate arms around his mom and asked, "What are you to my uncle?" - "Whatever you are to your little sister." - "Brother?" -"Yeah." -"And what is Bansi (Bhula's friend) to you?" - "Nothing." - ''Not even your brother?" - "No." - Bhula went to sleep, pondering this strange logic. - As I lay on my cot, I again saw the star that was shining like a torch in the corner of the sky. - It was fading again. - I was again reminded of Bhula's face that had turned pale when I was about to leave for the Khanqah well because he was so eager to hear stories. - What a love for stories this little guy has, and he doesn't even let his mom chant prayers! - He only allows her to chant because the ending of the chapter in Gita is a good story. - He waits patiently for the chapter to end and the Mahatama to begin. - Maya's brother still hasn't arrived. - Maybe he won't come at all. - I thought, "He should come to eat the butter that his sister had lovingly put aside for him." - I looked at the stars and started to doze off. - Suddenly, Maya's voice woke me up. - She was standing with a bowl of milk. - "I told you so many times," I said, "Don't go through so much trouble for me." - My tears started flowing out of happiness. - What else could I pray for besides her eternal happiness? - But, as the thought came to me that she was a widow for several years now, I contained myself and thought, "I should say something." - Trying to suppress my emotion, I said, "My dear daughter, you'll surely reap the rewards of your service." ## 11 - Then, Bhula, who was sleeping next to me on the cot, pushed his younger sister away and woke up. - He was trying to get out of bed and said, "Baba, why hasn't my uncle come?" - "He'll come, son. Just go to sleep. He will come early tomorrow." - Maya was also getting restless, seeing her son so eager for his uncle. - As if one candle lights another, she started to pat Bhula gently. - After a while, she fell asleep, too. - Maya was a young woman, so sleep was natural for her, and she would sleep soundly after a day of working. - My sleep was that of an old man. - One moment, I'd sleep for an hour, then wake up for two hours. - Then I'd doze off and spend the rest of the night counting. - I asked Maya to go to sleep and let Bhula sleep next to me. - I said that we should keep the light on, but just dim it, as there were a lot of thugs lurking around because of the fair. - The biggest problem was that people would abduct young children. - There were two such incidents in a neighboring village. - So, I let Bhula sleep next to me. - I closed my eyes for a while. - When I opened my eyes, I did not see the light on the wall. - Scared, I fumbled around and woke Maya. - I searched every corner of the house, everywhere but I couldn't find Bhula. - I yelled, "Maya, we are in trouble!" ## 12 - Maya was a mother. - Only someone who has gone through what she went through can know the pain she felt. - She had never pulled out her hair so much even when she lost her husband. - Her heart was breaking, and she started crying like a crazy woman. - Women from the neighborhood gathered upon hearing the commotion, and they all started crying and wailing upon learning that Bhula had disappeared. - The women wailed more than I did. - Today, I saw a juggler in my house, but I didn't mind. - Oh! Where is that time when I would pray, "Oh God, don't let me see this day before you take my life." - I curse God for all the misery. - Oh! But if it's someone's destiny, no one else can interfere. - My heart was about to collapse when Maya regained her senses, and her presence was like a support for me. - I thought, "I can comfort Maya, and if I lose heart, Maya won't even be able to stand on her own". - I gathered my courage and said, "Maya, my dear, don't despair. Children get kidnapped, but they are found eventually. - Jugglers don't kidnap kids to kill them, they raise them and use them for their livelihood. - Bhula will be found." - Maya was inconsolable. - I felt awkward trying to comfort her, as if I have less love for Bhula than she does. - "No," I thought. "At least, we must maintain our composure." - It was midnight, and the rest of it was ahead. - Our neighbor left for the police station, which was ten miles away from our village. - We all stood holding each other, hoping for the sunrise and some clarity. ## 13 - The door opened, and we saw Bhula's uncle coming inside. - He was carrying Bhula in his arms and had baskets full of sweets on his head, and a cane in his hand. - Maya ran to her brother, did not ask how he was or even ask for his well-being. - She took Bhula out of his arms and kissed him. - Everyone else congratulated him. - Bhula's uncle said, "I was delayed due to some work. - It was dark, and I lost my way. - Suddenly, I saw a light in the distance and went towards it. - In that terrible darkness, I saw Bhula holding a lantern and navigating his way on a thorn-filled path. - I asked him why he was there, and he said that you told him a story about a traveler who lost his way during the day, and if a traveler loses his way, you are responsible. - So, he thought that you were lost and came out to find you. - He was responsible, you see!"