battle for survival

 

 battle for survival 

There is no account of him being dead.

What terrible heat! The huge river is drying up in drought. The condition of the villages on the banks of the river is even worse. Dull, dusty and desolate. The grasses are all burnt, there is nothing left in the field except the husks of last season's cut rice. They are scorched by the intense sun. The big tamarind and banyan trees have no leaves, they look like skeletons stripped of their bark.

In such a frightening environment, the river bed or riverbed sands are more prominent. There is no shade to cool the hot surface. But once the scenery of the village was so beautiful. Kallolini Kaveri river flowed with the roaring sound of cow-filled youth, paddy, corn, millet and vegetables grew in abundance in the riverside fields. L

Khangi stood near the Kumbakonam bank of the river. He has to go to the other side of the river for an urgent job. Her baby on her left lap. Still older years. Although the child looks older than his age. While walking thongi, the baby leans forward all the time trying to suck the mother's left breast. Wearing thongi only saree. She is wearing a red and white saree with a patch. The pain is on the chest. This is how southern working women wear sarees in warm summer. There is no problem for the baby to take off the saree and drink milk.

Thangi is going to her husband's uncle's house. Like her husband, this uncle is a small farmer by profession and lives on the other side of the river. Uncle said he will give some rice seeds. The seeds stored by Dhangi's husband have been cleared away by a group of demon rats in one night. After a few days the monsoons will come. The seeds should be buried in the soil. Thangi's husband owns a piece of land, where he grows paddy and vegetables with inhuman labor. Even though thunderclouds have been moving across the sky for the past few days, they have not been able to break the iron ring of terrible heat. But such a situation will not last forever. The rain will come.

Her husband did not want to send Thangi to her uncle's house in this terrible sun that melts the brain and burns the skin. Because he has to cross six miles of rough roads to reach the river, then walk another six miles from the other side of the river. They are not afraid to walk. Because they are used to being cheated since birth. But this heat! However, Thangi's husband has to plow the land in this hot summer. He will cultivate the land with a plow drawn by an ox. But it will not be done by plowing the soil, seeds have to be planted in it. Otherwise all the fuss is in vain. Uncle has not been giving seeds for quite some time. Finally Thangii offers to go to uncle's house himself. If you see him, even if it's for the sake of eye candy, uncle can't help but give him seeds. Bangi's husband convinced his wife to leave. But if the seeds are not planted in time, everyone will die of starvation. When reminded of this with a thong face, the innocent husband remained silent, unable to refute the argument. He himself might have gone on this daring expedition (the expedition itself! Not even a vulture or a chile flies in the sky in such a hot sun. The dogs are all tongues out and yelping in exhaustion.). But only that day Bangi's husband Thirunga recovered from fever. Very weak

the body So there is no question of him going. Pangi comes out with the baby in her arms. Because it can make the evening come back. If the milk baby does not get milk by then, it may become hungry due to hunger.

This year has also been hot. Ignore all other years. The heat has been increasing for the past few days. Many cattle have died due to the heat, dogs have gone mad and hundreds of birds have died. So hot, even swarms of insects have disappeared from the ground. Dead animals litter the roads and fields. Long after sunset, the air still hot but not blistering, the villagers gathered up the carcasses of the dead animals and set them on fire.

At midday they do not work in the field, know when to take a break from work, return to the earthen house, drink the bitter tasting water collected by the wives from the tubewell. Most of the village people would have traveled endlessly due to drought and lack of water if the Sadhasya government had arranged for them to install two tubewells three years ago. No matter how hot it is, there is water in the tube well, even after the great river has dried up and become a skeleton.

Thangi stood on the bank of the river. looks at He walked two miles along the river bank, crossed the embankment. This dam was built a hundred years ago by a brave Tamil king. The dam has been renovated and repaired hundreds of times so far. And still stands safe and sound. The function of dam is to prevent water from entering Garh due to heavy rainfall. There is a reservoir behind the dam. There the canals are cut and the water from the reservoir is fed into the canals, connecting them with irrigation channels to supply the agricultural land all over the village.

Water is done.

But this year due to the lack of rain and heat, the Khalbil has all dried up. The reservoir behind the dam is also deserted. There was some muddy water in Thakoth. It has also been vaporized due to intense combustion. Now the soil is dry.

Thangi decided that from here he would descend to the river. That will save some time. Thanqing wants to return home before evening. Who knows if the storm clouds start to rain, both she and the baby will be soaked. Water will freeze in the river. He will not be able to cross the river. He has to go around the embankment. An additional four miles of road must be walked.

Bangi looked down the river. The wind blows steadily. The intense heat. The wind is blowing hot breath on the body. Below, the sand is blowing in the wind along the river, small waves of sand are being "created" by each gust of wind. Everything else is still, still. There is no sign of life around.

Thangi has already covered six miles of road from Gaon, burning in the scorching sun. Sometimes the giant trees got a little shade. Of course, before this tree was absorbed, now the leaves have been burned and almost shaved in the terrible fire. However, passing under the shadow of the little one, there was a brief escape from the intense heat. Thangi walks barefoot, village people are used to walking barefoot, their feet are rough, suitable for walking on hard stones or hard ground. But the ground is so hot, the heat flows in through the hard soles. Thangi turned. He looked at the way he had walked. Except for trees, the whole land is barren.

Water is done.

But this year due to the lack of rain and heat, the Khalbil has all dried up. The reservoir behind the dam is also deserted. There was some muddy water in Thakoth. It has also been vaporized due to intense combustion. Now the soil is dry.

Thangi decided that from here he would descend to the river. That will save some time. Thanqing wants to return home before evening. Who knows if the storm clouds start to rain, both she and the baby will be soaked. Water will freeze in the river. He will not be able to cross the river. He has to go around the embankment. An additional four miles of road must be walked.

Bangi looked down the river. The wind blows steadily. The intense heat. The wind is blowing hot breath on the body. Below, the sand is blowing in the wind along the river, small waves of sand are being "created" by each gust of wind. Everything else is still, still. There is no sign of life around.

Thangi has already covered six miles of road from Gaon, burning in the scorching sun. Sometimes the giant trees got a little shade. Of course, before this tree was absorbed, now the leaves have been burned and almost shaved in the terrible fire. However, passing under the shadow of the little one, there was a brief escape from the intense heat. Thangi walks barefoot, village people are used to walking barefoot, their feet are rough, suitable for walking on hard stones or hard ground. But the ground is so hot, the heat flows in through the hard soles. Thangi turned. He looked at the way he had walked. Except for trees, the whole land is barren.

He has walked six miles from there, thinks Thangi. He knows that the river sand is very hot now. Maybe even get a blister or two while walking on the sand. However, Bungi hopes that if he walks fast, he will be able to reach the other side of the river before he gets too many blisters.

The evening news on the radio will announce that it was 120 degrees today, but don't know how heat is measured. Thangi And they have no radio on them. Sometimes when she comes with her husband to the big bazaar in Kumbakonam to sell potatoes, pumpkins, cucumbers, brinjals etc. grown in their land, Thangi listens to the radio. But where is the time for them to listen to the radio while standing and having fun? When the product is sold, he has to buy necessary rice, dal, oil, salt with the money and hurry home. They are not particularly interested in radio people. So don't even listen to the news on the radio. They rely on village elders for news of weather changes. People of this age can predict wind movements from experience. But not always their predictions come true. If the gods change the speed of the winds according to their will, cause storms and rains, increase the intense sun,

Khangi stands on the banks of the river. Suryadev, in a violent rage, burns the girl's head without the veil with blinding rays, and at least a hundred times covers the child's head with a blanket to protect it from the intense flames.

But every time the child is removing the saree with his hands because he is having difficulty in drinking milk. Thangi looked at his son and smiled. The boy is sucking her brown breasts. He loves his son with all his heart.

Thangi turned his eyes again to the scene ahead. He has crossed this river on foot many times during the last few years of drought. At that time the river was partially clean. Sometimes the whole thing. Walked across the sand, sometimes ankle-deep, sometimes thigh-deep in water like a narrow canal. But he had never seen such a terrible sight in the river bed. The grains of sand are so sparkling, one can't look at them for long. Burning with terrible heat, burning like coal. However, this appearance of the river bed did not worry Thangi.

Holding the baby tightly in her arms, she started down the river bank. The ground underfoot feels dusty, but not as warm as the hard ground you walked on earlier. River banks are usually covered with various shrubs, grasses, mosses etc. But they have now turned into a charred brown pile. As soon as Thangi's feet fall, they crumble and turn into dust.

Thangi stood on the edge of the sand. The sand is flying in the wave of the heat wave, as if alive. The surface of the sand is radiating heat, but how blurry it feels. The wind blowing over the sand is like molten glass.

Thangi stepped forward. took a walk The sand is unbearably hot. He quickened his steps, wanting to reach the other side as soon as possible. But the faster he wanted to go, the deeper his feet sank into the sand, sinking up to his ankles. Thangi felt like he was stepping into the burning furnace of his house. Thanggi tried to walk fast, but actually could not move fast, now he tried to take quick steps in small steps. But the result is worse. He feels as if he is walking in the heart of hell, as if stepping on burning coals. He is the coal in the red glow of fakirs and monks at village fairs

Seen walking freely on bare feet. He wondered how it was possible. It was not difficult for them to walk on burning coals; Stay away from burning feet, not even blisters. Fakirs say that it all happened because of faith in God. Thangi prayed to the gods for help. But the gods must have been resting in the cool meadows. Thangi heard Katar's appeal but did not heed it. So Bungi walked without trusting the gods. Sometimes at a brisk pace, sometimes at a slow pace. Because he did not understand what to do. No matter how fast or slow Thangi walked, the hot sand burned his feet with every step.

No one can blame Thangi's descent into the gorge. At that age, compared to young and seasoned tourists, fate could tell what her fate would be. Many go out on long journeys carelessly where without help, many accidents can happen in extreme cold or extreme heat. At the beginning of the journey, everyone thinks that there may be some problems and they have the mental preparation to accept it. But as time goes by, when the cold, heat or wind speed increases, the adventurer's mind is filled with fear, and at one point an intense fear overwhelms him. Even if he survives the arduous journey, it appears that he has lost a hand or a toe due to frostbite in the fierce blizzard, or that the terrible heat has plunged him into a sea of ​​extreme depression. Thangi was confident that he could cross the river. He didn't want to care if there was even a faint doubt in his mind in the power of the tidal wave of youth. And he didn't want to waste any time.

Khangi turned his head towards the bank of the river that came down a while ago. guessed

About six miles of road have been crossed. For a moment, he wondered whether Bhugal would go back. If that is the case, you have to walk a long way along the river bank, around the embankment. Thangi looked up at the distant sky. An ominous dark cloud has gathered. Nah, Pangi will go ahead.

Her feet were now blistered, the cracked skin burning. The baby in the lap is restlessly moving. The skin on his head and shoulders was already scorched and red. The baby started crying.

Thangi walked. He walks with blistered, terribly burning feet. In front of the sea of ​​pure sand. This river is life-giving, thinks Thangi, and becomes life-killer when it crosses two bridges during the monsoons and enters Huhunkare village. People, cows, goats, houses are washed away in the water of Ban. However, everyone has accepted that these are the infallible laws of nature. So Cauvery river is their worship goddess. But apart from the time of flood, the Cauvery did not visualize how terrible it can be

He has come to the middle of the river bed. Now there is no question of going back. He has to move forward. Very hot, dry throat.

No response anywhere. Only Thangi is getting his own heartbeat and breathing sounds. At that time a strange thing began to happen. Trey Pell can't look at anything, he has no control over his legs, they seem to move according to their own will. And worst of all, Thangi feels like his head is no longer with his body, flying away. He suddenly stumbled and fell. However, the child is subject to instinct. He held tight. He fell on the hot sand

the body Bungi let out a terrible scream, as if burning coals were pressed all over his body. He screamed in pain, raised his body with his joined hand on the ground, then straightened up.

Thangi can't stand it anymore. The blisters on the feet are oozing. What a terrible fire. Still, with all his willpower, he continued to walk again. He tore the saree from the upper part of the body and threw it at his feet. Then he jumped and stood on the torn saree. He stood there for a few moments. The heat seeping through the thin saree stings the wounded feet, but the burning coal-like heat is felt a little less. Thangi stepped forward, turned, picked up the piece of cloth from the ground and threw it forward again. A sudden gust of wind blew the piece of cloth several feet away. Thangi ran towards the torn saree like Unyan. But it flew away again in a flash of wind. Frightened, restless Khangi ran again to notice the cloth.

Suddenly all the strength in the body ran out of Thangi. His head was really separated from his body. Thangi sees the head floating in the void, being fried by the cruel rays of the burning sun. Thangi's whole body trembled, he shuddered, then what he did was not possible for any sane person.

If one had been on the other side of the river, he would have seen a sight of Ga Shiurano and even if he had told anyone about the sight, no one would have believed him. However, since he was watching the scene from a far distance, he could not fully understand what hell was happening in the hot river bed. He could only see in the heat wave a woman drop something from her lap to the ground and climb onto it.

is standing If the viewer had been close enough, he could have heard the air shake with someone's deathly cry. Then the sound in the room of choking. Then all is quiet again as before. If the onlooker were near, the death-cry would have been made by the thing lying in the sand, which now lay curled up on the dry ground. Its skin is scorched, its body crumpled under the pressure of heavy feet.

If the viewer had been looking, he would have seen the woman drop down from the object, turn around and stoop to pick it up again, take a step or two, throw it forward again, then stand on top of it a second time. In this way a dozen times or . The woman repeated the act even longer. Thus he proceeded towards the other side of the river. But if the spectator had been still on the bank of the river to see what the woman was throwing again and again and the next time he stood on it, he (the spectator) would have screamed so loudly that he (the spectator) had never heard such a scream in his life when he saw the terrible, horrible thing in his hand when the woman came near. And before the woman reached the river bank, she ran away vomiting.

Her husband became worried when Thangi did not return even after nightfall. He was frightened by all the evil thoughts. Again and again it seemed that Thangi had an accident or was bitten by a snake. There is no shortage of poisonous snakes and snakes.

Many die from snake bites. He went to the neighbor's house. The neighbors first scolded Tharungi for not going out to look for his wife, then lit the lantern and went out towards the river in search of Thangi.

Thangi didn't have to do much searching. The sand is not as hot now as in the afternoon. Thangi was found lying in a hole by the river. Beside him lies a charred, blackened, scaly, flaky mass of flesh.

Thangi is alive. Her husband picked her up. A villager took off the piece of meat and wrapped it in his shoulder cloth. Then they returned to the village to discuss what had happened. None of them could understand or guess what actually happened. Although everyone was talking, only Pangi's husband was silent. He turned to stone like Thangi.

Thangi is still alive today. If you go to that village in South India you will still see him. But you can't talk to him. Because Thangi has gone crazy. But the silence is crazy. Since that incident he has been speechless forever. And the horrible memory of that terrible day haunts the villagers even today.

[The story is based on Riverbed by Vishkadri. But I have taken the liberty of making a few changes here and there to make the story more exciting -Author]