Chapter 9
I
Next day Dhanesh started his work early in the morning. He had already cut deeper into the bony part and it was not likely to be very long when the tree would show signs of crumbling. Now he was really at the point of finishing his last friend. Was he somehow responsible for the death of Sita too? Was it his sin that caused her death by a mysterious fever? His mind once again drifted to the memory of Sita.
One day when he had asked Sita to accompany him, she smiled shyly and said she was not feeling well and asked him to bring ripe tamarind from the tree close to the lake. Dhanesh got worried and asked what had happened. She did not reply and his mother came out and intervened, ‘she is alright. Go bring the things she had asked for.’ All the way to the lake everything appeared mysterious to Dhanesh. He sat beneath the bushy tamarind tree and started to reason out. At last he realized that his mother did not like her daughter in law to roam in the fields. There were mischievous spirits that might take possession of her. This occasionally happened in this area and ojhas were to be employed to exorcise the evil spirit from the body of the possessed female. He should have been careful about this and should not have taken the risk to take out Sita to the field and the forest, he thought. Good luck that she was still safe. Dhanesh thanked his mother for being aware of the possible danger and intervening in time.
He climbed the tree and plucked a bagful of ripe tamarind for Sita. Early next dawn his sleep broke and he heard Sita retching on the verandah. He was asleep when she had gone out opening the door. Dhanesh jumped out of bed and hastened to the verandah and was worried to find Sita retching and vomiting. It was steel dark and how could he find a Doctor at this moment? He ignored the strong nasty odor and got close to Sita. She had now recovered and asked Dhanesh to bring a bucket of water and then started giggling. He got angry and said gruffly, ‘what the hell do you laugh for? I don’t know how I can find a doctor in these hours and you are bristling with joy!’
‘No need of calling the doctor.’ He heard the harsh voice of his mother who had come out with a bucket of water. ‘Idiot, don’t you understand what has happened?’
Now everything became crystal clear to Dhanesh and he got exited and felt strongly to hug Sita notwithstanding the vomits and the nasty odor but he had to resist as his mother was there, washing Sita. So he was going to be a father. His joy knew no bounds and he started singing and dancing forgetting the presence of his mother right outside the room.
Soon Sita returned to the room wearing a new sari and she fell into his arms and kissed him hard. She took her mouth to his ears and said, ‘I’m going to offer puza to a Hindu goddess praying for a son. Mother has also given permission. So this noon accompany me to the temple of goddess Sasthi in the town.’
II
Nimu came in the afternoon with some Nepali and Bihari laborers. Examining the tree intently, Dhanesh explained to them that cutting of one or two more hours may be needed to make the tree fall down on its own weight. So the next day would be crucial. The most urgent thing would be for Dhanesh to move quickly to a safe place before the tree crumbles down. The tree may break off from the uncut trunk and hit Dhanesh or it may roll down on its own weight after falling and crush Dhanesh. So it would be an urgent necessity for Dhanesh to run fast to a safe distance with the slightest sign of the crumbling of the tree. Meghraj and Nimu were busy consulting the elderly Biharis about how to monitor the signs of the crash. Dhanesh himself, however, was carefree as he knew that his friend must give signals before falling down. He simply felt overwhelmingly morose and empty.
The laborers were overwhelmed by the stupendous job done by the old man only in a few days. It could have taken them months to do the enormous job. They talked among themselves that adivasis (tribals) have god gifted prowess. One of them commented that their unbelievable strength comes from simple living, honesty and from taking secret herbs.
Nimu discussed with the laborers the subsequent tasks after the tree crumbles down. If the tree remained attached with the trunk by the thick bark, it was to be isolated carefully and then the small branches were to be cut off. Thereafter the large branches and the main body were to be pieced, the main tree and roots uprooted and the timber transported by truck to the saw-mill at Siliguri. So a vast amount of work remained and it might take about a month or so. Nimu asked the labor leaders that they might bring more laborers if it was necessary but the latter replied that it was not required. His men here could finish the job properly.