by Binodini
Truth be told, Sanatombi did not want to send the letter at all. Manikchand thought she had a point and put the letter away, saying, ‘Very well. I am taking a trip to India. I will go to Vrindavan this time and so I may be away for a longer time—there are some other people who will be going too.’
Manikchand going abroad was nothing new to Sanatombi. She would stay back at home weaving and working around the house when he was gone. Sanatombi also felt it was a time to remain quiet. But not a day passed when she did not remember her Sovereign Father. She could never forget her father who had died in an ambiguous manner in an alien land. She remembered him while they talked about the paddy fields. She remembered him all the time; she felt like crying all the time.
As he had assured Sanatombi, Maxwell did not stay idle. He wrote to his superiors that the request of the princesses was a reasonable one. It was simply that he had not heard back. Moreover, he was very busy. He was very caught up in securing the position of the new king Churachand, calming the unrest that was still among the people and with building and developing projects. He also had to go to Shillong and a few other lands in the middle of all this. So, he did not remember the matter of the paddy fields. One day, about a month after his last meeting with Sanatombi, a letter arrived from the Viceroy, asking for details on the matter. As soon this paper arrived, Bamacharan Mukherjee said, ‘Perhaps it would be right to write a letter to the queen and let her know? It would be good if we got the necessary details from the queen.’
Maxwell however said, ‘Bamacharan, where does Princess Sanatombi live?’
‘In Wangkhei Leikai, sir. In her husband’s house.’
Maxwell also asked one day, ‘Bamacharan, the two “sphinxes” of Kangla, which king built those?’
‘Some say during the time of Maharaja Narasingh, others say that they were there ages before him … … … .’
‘Do you know in which year?’
‘I do not know precisely, but it would be there in the court chronicle.’
‘The Cheitharol Kumbaba, correct?’
‘That is correct, sir.’
‘They have stopped writing it?’
‘Yes, they have.’
‘Get them to write it again. And when you have some time read it out to me. If possible, let us translate it into English.’
‘I would not be able to do it on my own without the help of the Meitei scholars.’
‘Who is there? Let them take part.’
Taoriya Hidang and the Fortuneteller of Sarang were summoned and Maxwell had them start writing the court chronicle again.
He could not forget how Sanatombi had confronted him in anger about the blowing up of the leogryphs of Kangla Fort. When the idea came up, Maxwell had not agreed to the destruction of the two ancestral beasts on whose mouths the Meiteis had smeared the blood of the slain sahebs in worship. They had seen in this the fulfilment of the powerful prophecy that white heads would roll in front of the beasts one day. The proposal had seemed to him to be a childish gesture of taking it out on them. And the Meiteis were not that stupid a race. They would not be browbeaten with bluster. The matter was discussed at great length but his word did not hold sway at the time—he had had to go along. ‘What is to be gained by blowing up the two beasts?’ He had used these very words to vigorously oppose Captain Allen and Lieutenant Casegreen, but it was a time when the tension from recent events had not subsided yet. Sanatombi had asked the very same question that he had asked: ‘What use was to you to destroy them?’ He had been surprised to hear it; it was as if he heard his own voice from her mouth. It woke him up once again. He said to Bamacharan, ‘Do not tell anyone yet about the arrival of the paper, I will think on it.’
Manikchand left for Vrindavan. He also took many people along with him, saying he would be back in time for the spring festival. He would surely bring back with him a lot of goods—one-stringed fiddles, Brinam shawls of Jaipur print, lanterns, and the like. Manikchand went trading and Sanatombi took up weaving seriously. Her mother-in-law ran around setting it up for her. She had not thought Sanatombi would be so diligent, or that she would learn so quickly. Mainu came often, and what with her husband being away, Sanatombi relaxed a great deal when she came. Mainu would bring her work with her when she came. She would place her embroidery tripod of brass at the foot of Sanatombi’s loom and work on a children’s striped sarong. Sanatombi began to get used to her new life.
One day when Mainu and Sanatombi were taking a break and chatting in the weaving shed, Pheijao the Saheb’s groom entered.
‘What a surprise, Ta’Pheijao! Where are you coming from? Come, come right in. Long time since we’ve seen you.’ Sanatombi received him warmly.
When Mainu started to lay out a seat for him, Pheijao said, ‘Forget the seat, my lady Mainu. Your Highness, your servant the Saheb is here. He says he would like to see you.’
‘What saheb?’
‘The Political Agent, Mesin Saheb.’
‘Oh? Why him?’
‘He seems to wish to say something.’
‘Where is he?’
‘He is at the gate. Perhaps your ladyship might come out for a bit.’
‘Go on ahead, I am coming.’ Saying this, she changed into presentable clothes and came out with Mainu to where the Saheb was.
They found Maxwell standing there. He saluted Sanatombi.
He said to Sanatombi, ‘Your Highness, I come to give news.’
‘What news?’
‘The Viceroy’s letter has come. He has permitted the princesses’ use of the paddy fields. See.’ He brought out the letter from his pocket.
‘But I can’t even read. I said, I cannot read.’
‘Sorry,’ he said and put the paper away. Then, not knowing what next to say, he remained standing silently.
Sanatombi finally said, ‘Go inform the Dowager Queen first.’
Maxwell did not understand the words for ‘Dowager Queen’ and ‘inform’. He only knew some simple words. He looked at Pheijao. Pheijao translated into Hindi for him.
Maxwell said, ‘I will say to you first. I want.’
‘What’s the point of telling me? What would I know? Ta’Pheijao, tell him to inform the Dowager Queen first.’
After one or two more words, Maxwell went back. He saluted Sanatombi again before he left.
‘So that’s the Saheb. That one doesn’t look like he would beat people. And how did he know where to find the house?’
‘Well, Ta’Pheijao was with him, wasn’t he?’ answered Sanatombi.
As for her mother-in-law, she was left saying it was unfortunate Manikchand was not around so they could understand each other.
After getting back to Kangla Fort, Maxwell called Maisna Mitlao and said in Hindi, ‘Mitlao, how is the road repair work coming along?’
Maxwell had made preparations to fix the main roads of Imphal as soon as the monsoon was over. The roads of Manipur used to be in terrible condition after the rains. Maxwell thought it necessary to repair the roads and bridges.
Mitlao answered, ‘We are working very hard on it.’
‘In which direction?’
‘We have begun work on Uripok and Sagolband. After that we will start on Wangkhei and Yaiskul.’
‘The road in Wangkhei leading to the new palace is in very poor shape.’
‘That road has always been in bad condition.’
‘Take up Wangkhei and Yaiskul very soon. The approach roads to the palace should be good. Assign more workers. I will also come to see the roads.’
Repairs on the roads of Wangkhei and Yaiskul began without further delay. Maxwell came now and then to inspect. He would drop in on Sanatombi to give her news or gather information every time he came. He never stepped in past the gate. He would send Pheijao in to tell Sanatombi that he had come. He would always say a word or two and leave. Sanatombi also began getting used to talking with him. She became used to talking so he could understand her.
One day as the conversation veered t
owards Maxwell’s visits, her mother-in-law said, ‘Your Highness, I wonder if our older brother’s horse that was caught in the round-up has been sold off? Do you think you might ask the Big Saheb? There would be nothing to it if he wanted to give it back. My brother is still weeping over that horse.’
‘There are a lot of people whose horses were also rounded up. It would not be proper to broach that subject now.’
‘How about giving him the letter now, the one that Manikchand wrote separately on behalf of Your Highnesses? The Saheb is intimidated by Your Highness,’ said her simple mother-in-law.
‘Mother, it would be better to wait till the royal son-in-law got back.’
And on yet another day her mother-in-law said, ‘It is not right to make such an important person stand at the gate. Would it be a problem for him to sit in the front courtyard?’
‘He won’t come in, Mother. I also do not think there would be anything wrong since he is actually not coming inside the house,’ said Sanatombi.
‘As for the gate, there is the holy water from the Ganga that Manikchand brought. We could just sprinkle some of that ... … … What is the problem, let him come in as far as the courtyard at least,’ mother and daughter-in-law conferred.
Sanatombi called Maxwell in the next time he came. He entered very hesitantly. He asked Pheijao constantly, ‘They won’t mind? If they do not like it, I will not go in, Pheijao. Tell the princess.’
Sanatombi assured them it was quite all right and so Maxwell came in as far as the courtyard. Sometimes he came with Pheijao, at other times by himself, and he would ask after Sanatombi. Sanatombi enjoyed talking with him a great deal, and corrected his Meiteilon when he spoke. When she found something funny, she would burst out laughing. Since Sanatombi was young, Maxwell began to call her by her name.
Sanatombi said one day, ‘Mesin Saheb, why did you put a stop to the Lai Haraoba? They say you forbade it.’
‘Lai?’
‘Yes. Don’t you know the Lai Haraoba?’ Sanatombi let him know it was like Christmas.
‘Oh, I see. All right, I will take care of it. It is good you remind me, thank you.’
Maxwell went back and called Tonjao and asked him about the Lai Haraoba in great detail. One day on a Wednesday his lordship the king of Moirang started the festival again. He had notices put up that every prayer and ritual was to be performed without any change in the name of Little Majesty.
One time Sanatombi washed her hair with fragrant herbs late in the day. Her hair loose about her, she came out towards the pond that was at the edge of the compound. Her mother-in-law had gone to fetch yarn as they had finished a weave on the loom. Mainu had also not come that day. Sanatombi felt empty on the days that Mainu did not come. She felt very empty. One could not talk with Tembi. The reservoir in the Nongmaithem household was obscured by the front gazebo and so it could not be seen from the house. It was a pool that was kept very neat and clean. It even had steps leading down to it. As Sanatombi walked towards it she saw Maxwell was standing looking towards the pond. She did not know what he was doing.
Sanatombi called out happily, ‘Mesin, what are you doing? You didn’t even tell me you were coming.’
Maxwell turned to her and smiled.
‘Where are you coming from?’
‘There.’
‘Who’s going to understand if you just say “there”. Where were you?’
‘Sanatombi.’
‘Yes?’
‘Do you eat the pond?’
Sanatombi laughed out loud, ‘Say, “Do you drink the pond water?”’
‘Yes, do you drink the water?’
‘Where else would we drink from if not from the pond? We don’t have a river, do we?’
‘It is bad, do not eat.’
What bothered Maxwell most was not being able to express all that he wanted to say, and not being able to understand all that Sanatombi was saying. He thought, ‘How difficult Meiteilon is!’
But Sanatombi could now understand what he was saying. She had gotten used to the way he spoke. She was getting used to him.
Not too long after this, he sent Chonjon over one day to teach Sanatombi how to boil drinking water. There was nothing in Manipur that terrified the sahebs more than cholera. Not long after they had taken possession of Manipur, their soldiers had been mowed down by cholera. One saheb was also among the casualties. Maxwell’s alarm knew no bounds when he heard that Sanatombi drank water from the pond. He said to Chonjon over and over again, ‘Tell Sanatombi, tell her not to forget to boil water.’ Hearing this her mother-in-law laughed and said, ‘He is just like our Manikchand, my son is also very fussy. How nice it would have been if he were here.’
Sometimes Maxwell would not come for five or ten days. He would go abroad. Sanatombi would say to herself, ‘Whatever has happened to Mesin? He has stopped coming.’
Mainu said, ‘I don’t know what’s happened to him. … … … Your Highness, I am thinking something.’
‘What are you thinking?’
‘This Saheb, I don’t know, there is something about him.’
‘So, what is it?’
‘I don’t know, Your Highness. He must be crazy about you … He comes around much too often.’
‘What nonsense. He is just dropping by.’
‘I am not at all comfortable with this. He’s got a strange look in his eye.’
‘You’re just being mean, that’s all.’
‘… … … Let him be crazy about you, just you don’t get involved, Your Highness. You don’t speak the same tongue nor are you friends … … … .’
As she was saying this they heard the sound of Maxwell’s horse. Sanatombi heard it first. She said, ‘Mesin is here.’ When Maxwell saw that Mainu and Sanatombi were by the gate, he got off his horse and said happily, ‘I went to the hills. Your hills are very beautiful. I like. I bring for you.’ Saying this, he took off the tribal shawl of red cotton he was wearing and threw it over Sanatombi. He was different that day. He looked very happy. He babbled a lot of things in his language like a young man. They could not understand what he was saying. Then, saying he would come again, he galloped away.
‘What’s the matter with him? Has he gone mad or what? You will have to bathe again now.’
‘Why, did he touch me?’
‘What’s the matter with you, did he not put that cloth on you just now?’
‘Oh.’
‘Really, this Saheb is going to cross a lot of boundaries, Your Highness. It is better if we don’t let him in … … … Your husband is not here either. Who knows what he will say when he comes to hear?’
Sanatombi did not answer. She woke up to the realization upon hearing Mainu’s words—It was true, Manikchand was not around now. But she always kept thinking that Maxwell would come, she always thought she heard him riding his horse in.
On another day, Maxwell had a long conversation with her. She had asked, ‘Mesin, do you know my Sovereign Father, my father Surchandra?’
‘No, but I have seen his picture.’
‘Let me ask you something. People say my father Surchandra was kept in jail, is it true? They say he was kept surrounded by white soldiers, is that true?’
‘Who told you that?’
‘Did you see it? Do you know?’
‘No, I do not know.’
Sanatombi asked him about other things too. Maxwell did not want to talk about these matters but she cornered him. Maxwell could not escape her questioning. Even though he could not understand all of Sanatombi’s questions, he knew Sanatombi had many frustrations. This fallen princess harboured a profound grief. Maxwell and Sanatombi had a deep conversation that day. Mainu did not approve of this. When he was about to leave, Sanatombi said, ‘Wait, one more thing. They say you killed Koireng. That you sat in judgment, is it true?’ Maxwell’s face reddened. He gave an evasive answer and left. But he left unhappily. Sanatombi, too, was left unhappy.
Maxwell did not come for quite a long time. Sanatombi wo
ndered if he was angry. It was not right to have spoken to him so harshly.
One day around evening, after a long time, Maxwell showed up as if nothing had happened, and said, ‘Sanatombi, your road is finished. Let us go look, I will take you.’ Without giving it a thought, Sanatombi followed him out, leaving Mainu watching, disturbed. Sanatombi came back after a fairly long time after looking at the road but she said nothing to Mainu. Mainu also waited for her to tell her about it for quite some time, but there was not a word. Tears came to Mainu’s eyes. She felt hurt. When Sanatombi bathed and went in that day, she could not hide anything from Mainu. It was fairly late at night but without any fear or hesitation Mainu went home without even saying goodbye. She wept a great deal when she got home—for Sanatombi.
Sanatombi cried secretly that night too, but Mainu never knew that. What Maxwell had said as they were coming back from looking at the road was, ‘Sanatombi, I know about your father Surchandra. He did not stay in jail. I am sorry. I am sorry for you all. A woman can reign in England. If Manipur had this custom I would have recommended you. Do not take me wrong. This was plain bad luck. If you want to know who sat in judgment over Koireng I will tell you. They were Lt Colonel St John Forcourt Mitchel, Major Richard Kerly Ridgeway and C.A.W. Davis. It was done by a tribunal of these three. It was my bad luck. It was my bad luck that the day Koireng died, I was the one who bore witness to his death. I am your enemy, but I am not a greedy enemy. … … … Believe me.’
Maxwell said all this slowly so that Sanatombi could understand. He had recited it slowly, remembering it like homework he had memorized well. He had struggled to express himself but Sanatombi could understand what he was saying. The two of them had this talk standing at the gate. Maxwell had felt happy. He had felt a relief after opening up to Sanatombi. He had felt lighter.