“Ee…..ya a….rgh….”
The trumpet of an angry elephant somewhere, jolted Velu to wake up. He lay dazed a few seconds under his torn blanket. He knew, occasionally wild animals ventured out when forests dry up in summer heat.
After all, “Muthaari ” is a woodland a little bigger than a village at the fringe of Wynad forest. A row of thatch huts separated the dwelling area and the wilderness. These were of the tribal ‘Paniya’ community who struggled to survive collecting roots and leaves from the jungle or volunteering to petty labour.
Of course, there is the barbed- wire fencing, a hundred yards beyond the huts. Although it was intended to control trespassers, to and fro, men, very often crossed over it into the forest, over a variety of purposes, some harmless, some harmful. It is paradoxical to think, there are people who encroach the jungle to take life while some enter to save life. While many think of collecting twigs, honey, fruits and herbs, to live and help others live, some find satisfaction, of only in poaching or illegal logging in order to lead a posh life.
In fact, the contra interventions from the animals are once-in-a-while, for their existence during shortage of food and water in forest. More often, they are indiscreetly blamed for all unpleasant consequences.
The forest bungalow built by some British officer, as early as 1940′ is the only solid building here. The market itself had only a dozen shops with stonewalls and tin roofs.
The mud road bifurcated in to the bus stand and ferry. Nearest town was Ativaaram, six kilometres away. More than a thousand families lived without much grumbling, although they had to reach the town for temple, church, school or cinema theatre. 0f course, they had to worry over the intrusion of wild animals in summer and landslides in monsoon. While wild boars and elephants plundered cultivation, leopards killed goats and calves. Velu had seen the bodies crushed by elephants.
Naturally the trumpet disturbed him. He decided to get up, ignoring the freezing cold. Looking out, he wondered:
‘Was it frenzy in sleep or any elephant had actually got down? Who can live fearlessly in these areas? Velu himself wished to get rid of a nightmare. Scorching flames, burning bodies, piercing screams, everywhere! His Papa was among the guards who rushed to rescue. Before they could do anything to put out the fire or pull out the victims, everything perished!
The flames devouvered three hits, four or five people and all what was their belongings in a few minutes. He found the kid, wailing beside charred bodies, ashes and smoke. Despite colleagues dissuading him, decided to go home with the boy, holding his finger. He hoped Janaki, his wife will not grudge. The couple were after medicines and rituals, for want of a child, for over five years.
To his dismay, she was in fury:
“How dare you, bringing him here? I do not want a tribal brat, in this house!”
He was upset over her hostile reaction. But was not prepared to discard him over her sentiments.
‘ Paniya kid sure, but he could be a lovable child.‘ He was firm:
“Do you expect me to leave this boy to misery; never! He will be here, and, you must look after him.”
Papa once told Velu all those things and assured, he will ever be his eldest son. And, he never gave a chance to feel otherwise. …………….
As Velu was drowsing over those old memories, there was a clicking sound at the gate. It cut Velu’s thoughts. His eyes twitched. He worried whether something unpleasant is going to happen. He felt a kind of uneasiness.
It was yet to be dawn in the dim light, a movement outside! He had to strain his eyes. What he saw shocked him. It was Chinju, in school uniform with the air bag on her shoulder. Was she leaving home? She has to be stopped. But, how?
She had many times warned him; not to interfere in her matters “No bluffing, I don’t like some owl- head posing brother over me!” How could he leave her like that? Although he pretended to keep away from her, he had been watching. He often inclined to remind her not to be rude to her mother. A couple of days ago he heard the girl threatening Aunt,’ she may quit home rather than answering nagging questions.’
‘ The other day she was angry when her Mom asked, where she had been till night. She shouted, she hated living in such a nasty place and went away to sleep starving.’
He could not believe,’ just a girl of tenth Class, so bold to run away like that! Lord Ganesha’s blessings, if the elephant’s roar did not wake him up she would have gone, long before anybody knew.’
He got up, dashed to the gate, jumped to the road and ran to reach her and block her way. He pleaded:
“Listen to me, darling, am not I your elder brother? Don’t be stupid; leaving home, you will not be safe outside”
Pushing him aside roughly, she shouted:
“You? My brother? Dull head! Who are you to interfere in my matters; get lost?”
He stood still as she spat and walked away. He heard her swearing:
“Claiming, my brother? Nincompoop !”
Her words hurt him more than her act of pushing him down. He thought sadly:
‘She repeats what she heard from her mother, who seldom let chances miss, teasing me.’
He stood staring at her, hurrying away. Suddenly he regained. Turned and ran back home, kicking the wicket gate aside and knocking at Aunt’s door.
With annoyed expression, Chinju’s mother came out. He knew, she will be shouting now, having disturbed like that. Although breathless, he managed to drive the fact in to her head. Next moment hitting on her own chest, she started wailing. Then she turned to Velu :
“You, dull head, don’t just stand blinking; go get her from where ever she has gone. Chickens hit!”
she had been like that. Whatever unpleasant happens, she will finally divert the blame on to Velayudhan.
When his father was alive he used to ask her:
“Why Jaanu, has he done anything wrong? Where could be found a boy more obedient and affectionate than him? At least stop demoralizing him with such stabbing slangs.”
In fact, he had long, stopped feeling over whatever she called. He grew up, all along, absorbing utter neglect and indifference from her. Even when her husband was alive, for years, she managed to feed them differently. As she preserved rice and fish-gravy and pickles to Chinju and Cheekku, she kept an old bowl to be pushed to Velu with left-over rice-water, salt and chilli and cursing words! When he was a kid it used to disturb him.
That was not his concern now! He was sad after Chinju’s behaviour. It hurt him like the pestering pain of a never healing blister. Chinju was born four years after Cheekku. She was ten years younger to him. When she was a kid, Velu used to carry her on his shoulder, and tried all gimmicks to keep her cheerful. Those days, she was fond of him. That Chinju, as she grew up, is openly hostile at him. Probably she learnt that he was not her brother. Of late, he found her becoming a replica of her mother; Angry, over silly reasons, shouting at mistakes not committed by him. Haughty and insulting even in the presence of outsiders.
After joining High school, ten kilometres away, she grew more and more ill tempered and intolerable. Her affluent friends from town must have been instrumental. Her inferiority complex might have made her feel bad about her limited resources and low domestic profile. Velu was aghast at her stunt last night over faded clothes and empty moneybag. With a face, distorted in disgust and a finger pointed at her mother, Chinju was yelling:
“You, a vagabond, Cheekku here, a filthy scoundrel and there a gaping ninny hammer, I am done. I don’t like to live a day in this hell of a place!”
As for Velu, what could be more frustrating than her latest vocabulary! He was wondering, where she picked up all these slang. In fact his heart crumpled whenever she called him ‘stupid tribal.’
His heart was craving for a call from his Chinju, accepting him, brother. His prayer every day, started with Chinju to be safe and happy, and, must be realizing his affection towards her ……………………….
He was running along the road, looking for his sister. He stopped at the junction, in confusion:
‘Which way she might have chosen the bus stand or the ferry?’
He stood wondering there. He doesn’t know why, but he was engulfed in grief. Aged twenty five, he never once asked anything for himself. From the preferences Chinju and Cheekku enjoyed, he could imagine how comfortable it is to have one’s mother alive! He never forgot how eagerly the three used to wait for Papa’s return from forest office. They run to the gate hearing his love-oozing call of ‘sonnie.ee….’ and the sweetness of the jaggery roll, shared among them. Thinking about him eyes turn moist.
‘He was, indeed, humane. He had three children with Sonny Velu, being the eldest! He used to say:
“If anything bad happens to me, Chinju and Cheekku will be taken care of by Sonny.”
Sadly, his words came true, one evening, three-four people brought his body home, lifeless and..Bluish; they said, it was a cobra! Papa left, leaving three helpless kids and a woman who knew only to quarrel with others! Velu was then in eighth class.
Realizing his role Velu stopped going to school and got down to face life. He felt himself like the beetles which frequent cowsheds. They struggle to roll up balls of cow dung, many times larger than themselves!
Very many times he kept deaf ears to Aunt’s bluffing:
‘Better remember, he grew up with whatever I cared to spare for him.’
He never mentioned, he was hardly fourteen when he started struggling to uphold the family. Commuters were reluctant to employ a boy, so thin and frail. Gathering sympathy of elderly porters, rubbing his aching muscles at night, he proved his perseverance, loading goods and vegetables in trucks and filling water tanks in teashops. He survived. People around liked him.
He believed, his Ganesha will never drop him. The credit of every favour he got, he put on Lord’s mercy. He was only twenty years old, when the forest officer placed him as watcher in the forest bungalow! At the unbelievable achievement he offered ten coconuts at the way-side temple.
Velu didn’t want Chinju to stop her study for want of money. Papa dreamt of his children becoming graduates. Papa’s demise upset his study. Aunt dissuaded him from correcting Cheekku Who failed in tenth, joined the gang, around the bus stand, engaged, day and night in playing cards and gambling. He found a way for pocket money; thieving coconuts, Jackfruit, and plantain from nearby compounds. Not long, he was caught and manhandled. Velu preferred to keep away from him knowing that he won’t mind an insulting confrontation. For Cheekku Velu was nothing more than a spit.
Velu decided when her mother and Cheekku are indifferent; he has to be extra careful. He surprised his colleagues who never found him taking a tea, lime juice or soda even after tiresome work. Only he knew, he was saving for Chinju’s future. He wanted to hand over every penny to Aunt expecting her to be thoughtful of Chinju’s Wellbeing.
At the junction, seeing Velu in confusion the fish vendor pointed towards the ferry. The lady picking fish looked up:
“She was walking hand in hand with the Waiter boy of the teashop.” It hurt him, but he said to himself:
‘The mistake is her mother’s too. She is habituated with roaming here and there; even reluctant to cook timely food!’
As he hurried by the road leading to riverside, he heard a commotion from behind. Velu was shocked to see a tall, bull-elephant coming in his direction. Shaking its curved, massive tusks, plundering ground, pulling down everything what is in its reach, on either side. He knew, the animal is in fury, particularly because of the crowd behind. Probably it was eager to cross the river to the other side of the forest. The crowd shouted, in excitement whenever it pulled down a roof or a pillar and who backed away, screaming, every time the elephant stopped and turned.
Before it was closing in, Velayudhan ran and managed to duck behind a pile of stones. He sighed in relief as it passed by. The relief didn’t last. He stiffened; on realising that the elephant is after all, running towards the ferry.
“ If Chinju happened to be in front of the animal, unimaginable!”
He joined the front row of alert youth, running after the elephant. Reaching the bent of the road he could see, far away, on the steps to the ferry, there were two fellows sitting together. Even at that distance he could recognize, one is a girl and she is in school uniform!
‘0h God! Within minutes the elephant could reach her!’
His worry knew no bounds!
Though lost in chats, It seems, the noise and dust, effected by the approaching elephant and the crowd behind with stones and sticks, came into their notice. They were seen climbing up and looking around for a safe place Leaned on to the wooden bridge. The elephant was not prepared to get into the river. Instead it stopped and stood beside the bridge. Something fell from the bridge. The elephant saw the pair and trumpeted. It hit on the pillar two three times, caught hold of the hanging edge and tried pulling it down. The bridge was shaking and swaying with the two shivering souls clinging on.
The abandoned bridge with half of it already washed away could fall down anytime in the power display of the elephant. In the mean time a jeep came with four or five policemen. They too were blinking, not knowing, what can be done.
There were opinions sprouting out. 0ne said:
“If we have petrol bombs it could be driven away.”
Someone corrected it:
“Gather crackers; a handful will see him run away.”
“It will be more effective if we surround it with burning tyres.”
Amidst virtual discussions, the crowd was in surprise seeing the entry of Appu. Everyone knows that the old man had been an expert mahout up to three years ago and he might be confident of an attempt to chain the elephant. He carried the typical hooking rod and his boy, a huge roll of iron chain. As Appu moved to the backside of the bridge deftly undercover of the trees and bushes, somebody, wise cautioned him:
“Don’t be overconfident of the rod; you have a wild bull here. Be careful nearing him!”
The elephant stood, as if tired, rubbing its back at the edge of the bridge. There was no sign of it taking the man’s approach seriously. Appu got ready behind the pillar and beyond reach of the trunk. He might have thought of trapping it, with the chain. What followed was fast and horrible. In the swiftness of its turning, Appu lost concentration, the rod poked the trunk and with an unbearable growl the animal slashed at the man. The man was thrown up to fall crumpling like a mouse hit with the hammer.
Before he could even scream, the angry beast dug its tusk, blood splashing. By the third hit the body was poked on tusk as an empty sac to be swirled away. That stopped even the low groan.
People stood speechless. The animal lifted its blood-drenched tusk and roared. All backed away. The elephant turned again to pull the bridge down. While Chinju, who witnessed the whole terrifying scene is on the shaking bridge crying aloud. The boy ran to the other edged, jumped in to the water and swam away to the other bank.
People stared at each other in shock.
“It has gone mad. It may kill many more. It may have to be shot down.”
It was Chatha, old Panchayat Member. Some of them looked at the elderly person and agreed to his opinion.
The Sub Inspector spoke, as if to all concerned:
“The RDO and the conservator are contacted already; If they get consent to shoot, they will send an expert.”
Velayudhan was frantic: ‘Poor Chinju! If she faints in fear and falls down?’
He thought he has to find a way to distract the animal and enable her to get down from the bridge. Looking around, he found what he wanted, long banana-bunch hanging in the far off tea shop. He focussed on only one thing; he didn’t care about anything else. Promising to pay later, he untied one bunch and Walked towards the elephant. Many people tried to stop him but his attention was only on the elephant.
Sensing somebody’s approach the animal lifted its hood. That was good. It would have been disastrous if the animal had not dropped its trunk and moved back.
The bridge was swaying to and fro and, at the verge of falling altogether down, in to the river. Luckily the elephant decided to stop and turn. After a deafening roar, lifting its trunk and shaking its tusk, he turned towards Velu. That is what he wanted. He screamed:
“Chinjoo…get down…and run….”
There was a disbelief or dismay in everyone’s eyes. Many, turned away unable to witness anymore horrifying scenes.
Velu stood staring at the advancing mass of rage, motionless, as if in a deep stance, holding the banana bunch, up. As the elephant reached a few yards away he stiffened-noticing something special and very much familiar to him. His eyes scanned through the distinctive marks.
‘The long, white, wound-scar under the eye, extending from the bottom of the large, fan-like ear, up to the top of the trunk.’
He had long acquainted with these marks; they were Unmistakable.
What he found sparked his thought:
‘This is him, Shanku. The serious-looking bull elephant, head of the herd, standing aside behind the tree, watching the cubs running and spluttering over the Jackfruit-waste or papaya or plantain stem. After a while, it used to grunt, as if saying:
‘Enough kids, let’s go now’
That was one of the things that made Velu’s duty in the forest bungalow, highly enjoyable. There, it was convenient for him to watch and interact with some of the most attractive living things! Early morning there were varieties of birds and butterflies and beetles and squirrels. His friend was scowling at him:
“Velu, you appear insane, at times!; I saw you talking to the grasshopper!”
He had no difficulty in answering:
“True! I was advising him not to be idling on the ground; the cat may find him delicious.”
His evening friends included a few hares, squirrels, rat snakes, mongoose, jackals and occasionally dears and the herd of elephants.
He wondered:
‘How could the understanding Shanku transform in to a nasty killer? Like a tamed bull, he had started accepting my gifts and shaking his head when I called Shankoo….’
Then Velu saw on its belly a large widening blister and several Patches of burnt skin. Somebody might have found an easy way to frighten him away, hurling flaming torches, cloth balls dipped in diesel or crackers. Velu was sad, seeing so many cuts and wounds, some still blood- oozing, all over its back. Even as he stood before the anger of the elephant he couldn’t help but muttering:
‘Mad are men who made him mad’
The elephant had slowed down stopping in front of him.
‘Were his eyes appraising me?’ Velu wondered. He showed the bunch up and called:
“Shankoo,..fruit for you…take it”
The animal raised its trunk and hit the bunch away. His reaction shocked everyone.
‘aaagh…my God!’ someone cried.
Desperately looking at the scattered banana and the animal, he could not decide what is in its eyes, ‘fire of revenge or glow of recognition?’
Standing still for long moments Shanku stepped closer, slowly lifted its trunk and placed on Velu’s shoulder. Surprise turned to relief and then to pride. This is the pachyderm who terrorised a whole village and killed a man mercilessly, now standing meekly reminiscing over bits of belongingness shown by a homosapien !
As he stood patting on the trunk of his Shanku a puzzle was rolling in his mind:
‘How could we expect an animal to be humane when men act inhuman?’…………………..
Who knew, that the extraordinary scene was not going to last.
Who thought that the happiness was momentary? As the anger of the animal was dissipating away, Velu was shocked to have a glimpse of the tip of a rifle, under the cover of the foliage, move up and point at the elephant and the person in uniform holding its barrel, about to press on the trigger.
Velu turned raising both his hands and screaming,
‘Oh, no, don’t shoot, please….
At the same moment, the gun spit fire. Before the sound and smoke of the shot subsided the animal rushed, swam across the river and escaped. But…….., the crowd froze, hearing the loud groan from Velayudhan’s throat and seeing him fall face down into the sand, with his hands pressing on his shattered forehead.
There was a heavy silence. It was intercepted by a piercing scream:
“ Anna…., Velu Anna……”
That is how elder brothers are called affectionately!
The girl pushed through the people crowding around and knelt beside the body, wailing. This was the call Velu craved for, lifelong, but ‘the tribal brat’s’ soul had left leaving a question, could he hear that before his eyes closed ?
