The cold eyes
In the weekend of September, I went to the fields in the night along with my farm labour.The fields were located in the Cauvery delta region.That year the south -west monsoon had failed.We were fully depended upon the river water.Usually my eldest brother used to go with the labour.He had gone to the town to attend an important marriage.The fields were dry too.It was our turn to supply water to the fields.I was hardly ten years old and I was very much afraid of the darkness. Because my grandma had told us so many stories about the ghosts, demons,devils, phantoms,bad souls and others.We went to the fields with hurricane light, sickle, steel how, blanket and water jug.Our labour opened the water channel to the field with the steel hoe.I took the hurricane light in hand and the sickle in the other hand and stood near him.Then we sat near the field.The village cremation ground was very near to the field.The labour sat near me and chewed betel leaves, betel nuts with quick lime.After that he had told so many stories about the farmer's fights for using river water in turn system.Soon he took his towel and spread it on the ground for sleeping.He had told me that I would not be afraid about anything and he would be near me.I spread the blanket on the ground and laid down to sleep.I saw the beautiful stars, half moon, milky way and dark moving clouds in the dark sky.Further more, I also heard the dogs barking and foxes howling.The birds which sat on the banyan trees made more noises.I had seen that the labour had slept with with snoring.I awakened from the sleeping suddenly.Something ran fast near me.The hurricane light was not there.I touched the ground like a blind man.The labour was not found there.Everything around me threatened a lot.I didn't know what to do.I called the name of the labour thrice.But I had received the echoes of the sounds only.I roamed here and there like a mad dog in the night.I left everything things there and ran towards the approximate direction of the home.In the darkness,two penetrating eyes watched me.The eyes were infront of me in some distance.Nearby I had seen more sparkling eyes.They were the eyes of the dog's wild cats and foxes.I stood there like a statue for some time.Then I started to run.Now the watchful eyes were very near to me in calling distance.They were the marble eyes of the forest God.His big eyes and huge moustache made me to cry.But I controlled everything and started to run further.I jumped the mud banks, ridges and small channels.I fell down two or three times into the channels.I was completely wet.After a long struggle I reached the home and I became unconscious before the door.I was not noticed by any one of the family members.In the early morning my mother came out the home for milking the cows.She found out that I was lying down in front of the home unconsciously.She cried and called others to help.All the neighbours had come out of their houses and crowded before my home.But I didn't know about anything for three days.I was told that the temple priest had visited my home for treatment.He had told my mother that I was afraid of the forest God.Further he told that I would be alright within two days..He spelled some mantras and put the holy ashes on my forehead.Aftet the two days I became very normal and told all the incidents that had happened on that day.I also came to know that the labour had gone to seal the mud bank whe I was awakened from the sleep.He also said that the hurricane light was stopped due to the strong wind which had blown at that time.My mother and grandma shouted at me for taking a wrong decision while I was in the field.I realized my mistake and I would rectify such mistakes in future.I came to know that superstitions would be removed from the tender minds and it wouldn't be sown in the young minds.
Comments