39

"She seems to be ok.  We all should carry on...!" Dr. Koite said looking at Maria and she shook her head.  "No Dr. Koite, she is not well and I will stay with her, with Ray..." she added looking at Ravi.  He grinned. 

"No I will also join you...!" Dhatri got up sensing what these people were up to.  Appa leapt up sensing what Dhatri was up to.  "We will pack this food and will have lunch in the forest...!" she further suggested avoiding Appa. 

"We are moving around the periphery today and then move through the forest to reach the base camp tomorrow.." said Koite.  "So, you can stay back here... we will be back in the evening..." Koite added.  "But... :Lunch...!" Ravi had nothing in his mind... other than... "We have had heavy breakfast..." Dr. Koite dismissed him.  Putta and two youths joined them.  Appa was unmoved.  Dhatri fidgeted.  When they were all set to go, she knew Appa was not going with them.  "I will also come with you.  I know that jungle" she said looking at Indroneel.  He nodded.  She leapt up.  "Ok! Ask Muki to send the lunch at the lake side.  We will reach there in three hours time...!" She took over, as if everything would be stand still without her.  Maria and Ravi gaped at her.  She dashed in, whispered something in Nanu ear.  "She can't hear... " Dhatri mutterred looking at Nanu's blank face.  The next gullible person was Bijoy.  She came to him... "Good boy..!" she said sweetly.  "No... Ask Appa!" he gave up.  Appa shook his head saying.."No! you are not going.."

"Why?" she stomped.  "No..!" he said firmly.  She saw all were moving out and took out her trump card.  Her lower lip pouted... she shut closed her eyes... opened her tunnel like mouth and Awaaanaaaa....." her face contorted.   "No! stop!" Appa held her hand brought her to Nanu.  "Stupied girl... You are of age now... stop crying...!" he yelled.  She ducked in fright. 

"Baby...!" Bijoy was at the door.  Nanu stuffed some chops in the pouch and giving it to her said in hushed voice.  "Take these.. less spicy..! Go!" Dhatri ran out.

"They are waiting for you...." she looked at Maria and she said.."I will be here don't worry...!" Ravi suddenly decided to join the research team.  Maria had a task to move around with Bijoy to talk to the people, specially to women...! Ravi had a task to keep an eye on Dhatri.  He had seen her stuffing something in her bag.  She led the way with Indroneel and Putta.

At lunchtime, near the lake Dhatri waited for Muki's lunch to arrive and she devoured it as soon as it arrived plucking a huge leaf and dipping it in the lake.  She held it in her hand and served herself without bothering about others.  Others followed with Ravi leading the way.  She filled herself with the delicious food of rice, lamb curry, omllets, pan cakes of rice dough, green chillis, and pickles... smacking her lips. 

When they reached in the evening Maria had a broad smile on her face.  Appa looked grumpy that Baby didn't obey him.  Bijoy grinned and said Dance in the evening....! Her light brown eyes lit up flashing golden brown shade.  She smiled...

"Man...!" Jim floated in the air looking at her dimpled cheeks... "She is beautiful...!" but this time Soumya was not around she was with Indroneel talking to him about the forest composition. 

"And Mahua....!" Dhatri said avoiding Appa's gaze sheepishly.  "Only parrot...!" Appa again put restriction and she flashed up... "No, Tiger" she said looking up at Bijoy.  He shook his head... "Only Parrot..." he said and she retorted ... "then you also parrot... not hog..."

"Shut up!" Appa charged on her and she ran inside.  Maria grinned at the guests' puzzled faces.   "I know the story" she said grinning.  Its a folklore..." she said.

"What is Mahua?" Ravi thought but didn't ask.  He waited for someone to ask.  And Jim Did! "What is Mahua?" he asked. 

"Mahua Daru... Its a kind of fermented, distilled liquor these people relish...! Made up of Mahua flowers... We saw Mahua trees around..." Indroneel said and Ravi looked at Dhatri in surprise.  "This girl drinks?" Dhatri looked down avoiding everyone's gaze.

"Yeah! This area is full of tall Mahua trees .." Soumya said with wide eyes with the thought of getting the opportunity to taste liquor, which she had never done....!

"This is pure liquor...!" Muki said proudly.  "We have it after the evening dance. in the temple complex.."

"What was she talking about... a parrot... tiger...." Soumya asked curiously.  The tribals gathered laughed.  "Its a folklore..."  Bijoy started off...

"My mother told her everytime she asked for more ... we gave her a very small quantity...Its a strong liquor..." Ravi gaped...

"Mahadev sent Mahua tree on this earth and also three animals with men.  He taught people how to make his som ras of this Mahua flowers.  He warned men pointing at the three animals... these were a Parrot, a tiger and a wild boar.... " Everyone was listening.  Ravi glanced inside for some movement of Dhatri.  There was none.. She was busy peeling off and eating pumpkin seeds.

"Mahadev ji warned... if you drink in small quantity... one pint, then you will chatter and speak like a parrot, imitating others...! If you drink little more... two pints.. then you will pounce and roar like a tiger, fierce and angry! and If you drink still more, three pints... you will be transformed into a hog, wallowing in the dirt and rolling in the mud in the backyard....!" said Bijoy sniggering....!

"So you decide what you want to be.... Parrot, Tiger or Wild Boar...! Decide your size..!" Muki said grinning.  Everyone thought hard which one to pick up.

"Oh! We saw a flock of Hill Myna..." Soumya broke the silence.  "Yes! It is our state bird... on the verge of extinction.." said Indroneel gravely.  "That yellow scarf around the back of their head, was so distinct..." Indroneel added.  

"Dhatri showed us..."  Soumya gave due credit.

"Yeah! And looked like one of them with her yellow scarf around her neck and black jacket...!" Ravi muttered smirking.

"Be ready for the dance in the night...!" declared Muki and left.  "Yeah and mahua too...!" Koite winked and sat on the stone bench outside the house.  Everyone relaxed.



******************************************************
Note:  Please click on my page for Pictures of Hill Myna, who imitates human voice exactly and are very chirpy.  They are better than parrots in mimicking humans...!"