Rikara Scribblings by Savina

Oh Saaware : Part 2

PART TWO

Omkara walked through the open fields in the wee hours of morning. The scene was extraordinarily beautiful. Pulling out a sketchbook from his backpack, he sat under the mango tree and began to draw the scenic landscape. Sunrise was certainly a sight to behold; the chirping of the birds in their nests, the golden rays of the sun kissing the corns in the field, and fresh gentle breeze. Until now, Omkara never realised how much he detested the complicated city life. Why couldn't he just stay back in the village? He rested his head against the tree trunk, and took a deep breath, inhaling the fragrance of the damp soil and the fields.

"Aapyahankyun so rahehain?" he heard a familiar squeaky voice, and he looked up to see her. "Gauri?" he asked surprised, and his brows furrowed, "Tum isswaqtyahankyakarrahiho? School nahijaana?" he asked looking at her as she kept hopping around in her frock, and not the school uniform. "AajShanivaarhai, humein school nahihai... chuttiii..." she squealed, and then paused. "Aapnebatayanahikeaapyahankyakarrahehain?" She did not wait for his reply when she focused on something else.

Gauri saw the sketch book in his hand, and pointed out, "Yeh kyahai?" He smiled, "Mera sketch book..." She looked confused, and he shook her head, explaining, "...jisme main drawing kartahoon..." It did not make much sense to her until he opened the book and she looked at it. "Aapchitrakaarhain?" she exclaimed, and he shrugged his shoulders. There were various pictures, ranging from the picture of a baby, few animals, few portraits, and a few other pieces of art. "Eeaapneabhibanaya?" she asked, pointing at the picture he drew a while ago, to which he nodded. "Humeinbhiseekhnihai... aapsikhadoge?" she asked him with an eager twinkle in his eyes. "Bilkul. Lekinuskeliyetumhe Mumbai aanapadega... Aaogi?" She frowned, "Lekin hum kyun Mumbai aayenge? Hamaraghartohyahanhai; hamareamma-babujiyahanhai; toh hum kaiseunkochoddein?"

"Ayee Gauri..." a boy of her age came running to her, interrupting her conversation with Omkara, "Munni ki amma bazaar se aam (mango) lekeaayihai. Chal..." he said, and she immediately got up. Taking two steps, she suddenly turned around, "AapchalogeMunnikeghar, aamkhaane?" He shook his head politely in a no. She nodded and was about to leave when he called her back. "Tum sham ko ussjhoole (swing) kepaashogina?" She nodded with a smile, remembering his promise of bringing jalebis for her, and ran away. Omkara too realised that it was time for breakfast at their camping site, and rushed back, with a pleasant smile on his face.

It was around five in the evening when Omkara returned with a packet of hot jalebis to the same spot where he met Gauri for the first time, yesterday. As expected, she was there, seated a few feet away from the swing. However, he frowned to see her lips curled as if she were to cry anytime, and noticed the reason for the same as well. Placing the sweets in his bag, he walked up to her, "Tum rorahiho?" Innocently she nodded, "Hamariamma ne humeinaajdaanta..." "Kyun?" he asked, and she looked away mumbling something.

Omkara held her chin and made her look at him, "Kyundaantatumhariamma ne?" She frowned, scrunching her nose, saying, "Kyunkihumnechachikesarr pe aate ka dabba giradiya..." He looked amused, imagining this tiny girl dropping a box of wheat flour on her aunt, as she continued, "Woh chachi ne hamariamma ko bahut kuchsunaya; unhonehumeinbhigandhibaateinsunayi; humeinsadak ka kachrabhi kaha; hum apneamma-babujikeaslibetinahihainna... Woh humein ashram se lekeaaye the. Humeingussaaaya, aur hum bhichillaye. Tab chachi ne humein bahut maara. Isliyehumneunpeaate ka dabba giraya. Phiramma ne bhihumeindaantakehumneaisakyunkiya. Hum kyakarte? Humeingussemein jo karnatha, humnekiya..."

Omkara looked at her arms and feet closely, and noticed maroon-coloured welts on her skin. "Tumharichachi ne bahut maara? Dard horahahai?" he asked, his face contorting in pain as if feeling the sharp whips of the belt himself, imagining how harshly she must have been beaten, and how painful it must have been for this little girl. He felt a sudden surge of concern and protectiveness towards her. Gauri clicked her tongue and frowned, "Chachi ke maar ki tohaadathaihumein..." she said, rubbing her hands gently on the reddish welts, "Humeintoh Amma ki baaton ka buralaga..."