‘Everything was dry, as it had not rained for many months’
New novella narrates a story of love, rejection and the many tribulations of everyday life in an ancient village of the Angami tribe in Nagaland. Presented here is an excerpt.
By Easterine Kire Publisher: Speaking Tiger Pages: 128 Price: Rs 299
Anyone who set eyes on him, man or woman, young or old, had to admit that he was a beautiful creature indeed, the young man who called himself Kevi and who walked into the lives of the two women at harvest time.
They were struggling with a particularly heavy load of newly threshed paddy when he appeared, and insisted on helping them carry it.
“Oh, this is embarrassing,” Visenuo protested. She and her daughter, Atuonuo, were busy hauling sacks of paddy to the shed at the top of the field. Some weeks ago, the water in the terraces had dried up as the stalks of paddy stood in the sun and ripened in golden sheaves. The harvest in the village had been delayed by a week because the liedepfu, the ritual initiator of the harvest, had lain sick in her bed for a week. Precious days had been lost and now the race against time and the elements had begun to bring in the harvest before unseason- al rain came and destroyed the hard work of several months. The two women did not expect any help from th their neighbours because everyone was busy working to get their own harvests to safety. Nearly one third of the previous year’s harvest had been spoiled by rain that had pelted down mercilessly on the final day as they were beating the sheaves of paddy to separate the grains from the stalks. Since it was taboo to throw away grain, they had brought it all inside, but the grain turned black within weeks and had to be used for chicken feed. “We will split the paddy into smaller sacks,” Visenuo explained to the stranger by way of refusing his offer of help.
“There’s no time for that,” the young man said with urgency in his tone. “Look how overcast the sky is. It will rain soon. Let me carry the paddy to the shed. Better not risk getting it soaked.”
Visenuo had to agree with his reasoning, and reluctantly let go of her hold on the sack.
“You two can bring the others,” he shouted as he hurried to the hut with the load of grain.
“Azuo, who is he?” Atuonuo asked in surprise.
Visenuo shook her head and said, “I have no idea, but let’s find out later. Look, he was right about the rain. It’s almost here!” Hurriedly, they dragged the sacks to the shelter of the hut, and the stranger went back for the paddy remaining in the fields.
When every sack was safely inside, he turned around and introduced himself.
“My name is Kevi. I happened to be passing by this way when I saw you struggling with that big load.”
“Well thank you so much, Kevi. It was our good fortune Lucknow’s famous Ganga-Jamuni is seen in its art, architecture, dance and music. But nowhere is this better represented than in its food, redolent with the tastes of Turkey, Persia and Afghanistan and infused with the flavours of Sindhi, Parsi, Punjabi, Nawabi, Mughlai and British food. A celebration of the tehzeeb of Lucknow as well as its the book is also a portrait of the city. that you came by just then. I am Visenuo, and this is my daughter Atuonuo. We lost quite a bit of grain last year, so we are relieved to have got the harvest to safety now.”
“Then it’s good we got it to the hut in time. If you don’t need any more help, I should get going,” the young man said and stepped towards the door.
“No, of course not. You must stay and share our food. That is the least we can offer you.” They both insisted that he stay back. Offering a meal was the traditional way to thank somebody who had given unsolicited help.
“In any case,” added Visenuo, “this rain looks like it will fall all afternoon. Just listen to that thunder! It’s dangerous to be out in that. It’s a proper storm building up.”
“You’re right,” Kevi said looking out the window. The wind was bending the trees over, and big drops of rain splashed on the dry ground. Everything was dry as it had not rained for months, and, in a little while, the heavy rain began to drench the dried grass, and small pools of water formed in the fields.
“I guess it is going to take its own time to clear up.” Kevi remarked as he took the lone chair in the room.
“Looks like it,” Visenuo answered with a smile. “Now I will get the fire going and we can all eat. Tuonuo, will you bring some more wood?”
Atuonuo quickly looked away from the young man to her mother. She mumbled a yes and went to collect wood from the corner. She blushed in embarrassment when she realised she had been staring at the young man. Her hair had fallen forward and framed her delicate features and dark eyes. At 18, Atuonuo was almost as strong as her mother. She had reached the age of marriage. In fact, her grand-aunt thought she was in danger of being passed over, because girls younger than her were already married and had borne children. But Atuonuo would not entertain the thought of marrying yet. A couple of young men had proposed, but she had refused both of them. That was the custom amongst her people: young men proposed to girl after girl and married the one who said yes. So a girl had the right to refuse if she didn’t like a suitor.
Atuonuo’s father had died when she was only seven, and her mother had never remarried. Together, the two of them worked their fields, and much of their time was spent in work. In the first months of each new year, they hired workers to help with the ploughing, breaking up hard clods of earth, and coaxing the soil to be more malleable for the seeds that would be sown after the rain had softened the earth. The early rain in the months of March and April was used for planting beans, pumpkins and any vegetable belonging to the gourd family. But work began in earnest only when the monsoon rains came to the ancient green valley, and farmers could flood their fields with sufficient water to plant rice. Harvest time made all their hard work worthwhile and no one missed a day’s work then.
From the dark corner where the wood was stacked, Atuonuo stole glances at the stranger. He was tall and lean, and had a very pleasing face that drew one in and kept one’s attention riveted. He was much better looking than any of the men back in the village. And he was so self-assured; it was all rather fascinating to her. He gazed in her direction, and she shyly turned her attention to the wood and brought it to her mother.
Atuonuo’s father had died when she was only seven, and her mother had never remarried. Together, the two of them worked their fields, and much of their time was spent in work. They hired workers to help with the ploughing.