35

“Paapu Mari…Poor child!” Mother said holding Dhatri closer. The motherly warmth calmed down Dhatri and she smiled back at Mother. “Paapu Mari..!” Dhatri called her mother and they both grinned. Dhatri ate nine hundred and twenty eight grains of puffed rice and jaggery and with full belly slept that night peacefully to the relief of Bojoy.

She became one of them soon with a difference of the color of the skin. She became darling of the hamlet soon, her giggles and pranks spreading around everywhere. She would go to any house, play with the kids, throw tantrums and people around would give in. Her papu mari, Bijoy’s mother took over her care. They soon realized her abilities.

“She was no less than a goddess to us… A demigod sent for us…!” Bijoy said with overwhelming emotions. “She cured our people, enduring herself….” He said and Ravi turned his face…

“Uneducated, superstitious tribals…” he murmured.

“Mother used to take her away from people to save her from endurance…. ! ”

Dhatri would cure and then pass out on the floor with physical distress. Someone would come to Mother and she would run to pick up Dhatri cursing and yelling at people and carry her to the nearby stream to give her a cold water bath.

A night after around two weeks… Grumpy came to Bijoy’s dismay. “If we want to save her, we have to send her to the recruitment camp…” he said gravely.

“I… I will smuggle her out and take her to her home….” Bijoy said hopefully. Grumpy shook his head hopelessly. “You can’t…. they are everywhere…they will kill both of you…” he said and Bijoy broke down.

“Bu… but this is not our ideology… we are not in for this… kidnapping a kid and recruiting…” Bijoy spoke furiously. Grumpy nodded… “Yes…. But we are trapped now… they will burn down this settlement…. Do you understand?” Grumpy dragged Bijoy aside seeing his mother approaching.

Bijoy looked at him hopelessly. “She is just a child…” Bijoy said in dismay.

“We have no other option…” Grumpy said. They sat there speechless….! Then grumpy got up. “Look… we can buy some time…. I will go, tell them she is sick and needs time to recuperate…!” he got up excited with the idea. Bijoy nodded. “Please…. In the meantime, I will do something to smuggle her out and take her to her home…”

“Not possible… you can’t take her out of this …! I have to do something in the recruitment camp…!” Grumpy said.

“What? What are you planning to do with her?” Mother asked suspiciously. Bijoy jumped startled. “Mother..!” he sighed.

“Either you take her back to her family or she stays with me...!” mother said sternly and grumpy shook his head. “Either is not possible...!” he said gravely. Mother clutched her palm on her mouth, horror struck!

“What are you planning? Kill her?” Mother asked after a while. “No! We have to send her to training camp!” Grumpy said at once. Mother was aghast. The drumming in the temple had picked up rhythm and people started gathering for the dance.

“I am not leaving her alone in that camp. I will go with her...!” Mother got up concluding. Bijoy looked aghast. Grupmy's eyes lit up. “Yes... you go with her. I will create a need for the cook in the camp.... in next few weeks, she will start her training... We have a month.... !” his brain working super fast, Grumpy got up with excitement.

Dhatri oblivious to all this, was running towards the Mariamma temple for the dance.....!

Tea served in steel glasses was getting cold. No one had bothered.

“Cured people? A kid? Bullshit!” Ravi thought pitying the illiterate tribals. Maria was lost in her own thoughts, thinking more about Dhatri's suffering...! “What happened at the training camp?” She couldn't wait to know...!

“What happened then? Did you take her to the camp?” she asked with bated breath. Bijoy opened his mouth and stopped. Dhatri again had walked in with handfull of puffed rice and had stuffed something in her mouth. Pappi followed giggling. Ravi looked at her puffed cheeks and suppressed a smile. “Aunty gave her …!” Pappi clarified and Bijoy looked at another set of people gathering in the court yard. He hurriedly went out and Maria grew restless. She wanted to know more. Ravi looked at the boy, Putta and they both went out to see what was happening.

Maria couldn't wait. The team would arrive anytime and then she won't be able to ask anything...! She went inside. The old lady was cooking something on the stove. Maria looked at the hearth and the big vessel with a lid. She smiled at the lady.

“Can't hear...!” the lady waved her hand pointing at her ears. Maria sat there watching the fireplace.

“A primitive civilization.... but they seem to have a good social hierarchy...” she thought. She forgot about her botany research project. Her sociology interest triggered. “I must talk to other people in the village...!” she got up to go out.

“Were they talking about Baby?” came a question from behind. Maria didn't understand the language but hearing the word baby, she turned. “Yes!” she nodded coming back and sitting by the hearth. The lady looked at her intently. “Iindi?” she asked and Maria shook her head. The lady looked away. They had a communication problem. Maria needed a translator...She came out and saw Dhatri and Pappi in the backyard. “Dhatri...!” she called out and Dhatri came in.

“Where is Ray?” she asked and Dhatri shrugged pouting her lower lip. Maria went out.

“Ray...” she called. He came up. “You know Hindi? I need someone..!” she said in a whisper and they both went inside. “Another facet of Dhatri was getting unfolded with the help of Ravi's translation....Nanu was telling a different story...! Dhatri had vanished somewhere in the neighborhood...