When you reach the haveli, you will simply know where the room is. The secret Konada in the wall, it’s a secret because it’s hidden behind a brick. Unless you remove the brick, no one can find the hole in the wall. I have lived through my consciousness and pure thoughts, that’s how you see me and understand me although I don’t speak to you in words. Go Kavita, my play is safe!”
“I still have my original question, why me? Why did you choose me?”
“You have not understood yet? We both are pure thoughts; you were ready for me the moment you found the touch of the divine. The moment you wanted to do away with the mundane. I am you and you are me. I am back for my play.”
Kavita ran; she ran towards the Trivedi family’s haveli. She was in a trance; not thinking of her surroundings. Her only goal was to find Janaki’s manuscript.
Niranjan was stunned to see her running towards him, with her clothes wet and hair falling over her back.
“Niranjan, where is the room for the new born and the mother in this house? Where is the Balantinichi Kholi? It’s urgent.”
“It is behind this, towards the bath house but it has been locked for many years and part of it has fell apart years ago.”
“Listen, please open it, I will explain later.”
“But there will be lot of dirt and cobwebs and possibly even bats and other insects.”
“Can you? Or can you not? Don’t waste time please, Niranjan.”
“Okay, okay. I will, but be careful when we enter.”
Amidst the debris, dirt and cobwebs accumulated over half a century, Kavita found the niche in the wall – the Konada. She found the brick and the old brittle yellow manuscript rolled in leather.
“Look, Niranjan look, Janaki’s manuscript. Today’s post-modern spiritual world will understand what she has to say.”
“But the pages are so old and brittle. How will we read it and translate it to suit modern times?”
“Oh, I will take care of that. I will remember, like I remembered all the old texts.”
That afternoon, Kavita finished packing. She paid Pragya bhabhi and saw the simple woman feel sad about Kavita’s departure. Kavita hugged her and told her that she would surely come back one day. She also assured her that she would keep in touch with both of them. But now was the time to go back and finish the work she began here.
Kavita reached her campus with severe jet lag and exhaustion that’s inevitable when you finish a major phase of a project without taking a break. For first couple of days she wanted to soak up the campus surroundings. She felt young and free again.
After meeting and hanging out with a few friends she had made on campus, and telling rambling tales about her visit to this mysterious place, Vishrampur in India, she was ready to get back to work.
She showed the data she had gathered on the Mahabharata tradition to her guide. In spite of her attempts to give her gathered data a structure, they both realized there was a lot of work to be done before she could begin her final thesis.
In the evening, Kavita decided she would try to translate Janaki’s script to English while working on her thesis. That way she would also get the much needed relief from her rigorous doctorate work from time to time.
When the work began, looking through Janaki’s manuscript wasn’t that easy. The pages were old and brittle plus some pages were stuck to each other. The story did not come to Kavita through her intuition or Janaki’s memories. As the days passed by, she actually lost track of time. She loved her teaching hours. Overall, the number of students taking this course was limited and her association with each student was deeper and more personal than the traditional teaching model. She loved debating about theatre and pushing students to embrace new concepts. She also encouraged them to try and write a play.
Hours were dedicated to her doctoral thesis. Again she found her workflow to be smooth and she could get a pre-planned, good day’s work done.
Only Janaki’s play proved to be a difficult task. The first few pages were not giving any idea to where the script was headed? Translating each page and then trying to make sense of what was translated was another story altogether.
One evening, Kavita decided to watch the rehearsal of an experimental play that was produced by the theatre department. Kavita always enjoyed these productions right from script reading to the actual stage performance. This evening’s play under production was a fantasy tale of a princess who decides to search for happiness. A fantasy-comedy full of modern day clichés, Kavita loved it. The princess believes that a Jimmy Choo pair of shoes and her coveted new Kalvin Clein perfume will ensure her happiness and she will not feel so empty and restless. But as soon as she acquires it, she gets to know about the latest Prada collection. At one point, the princess enjoys the best Italian white wine but as the effect of wine wears off she is restless again. It was so aptly written. As the play unfolds, the princess gives up being a fashionista and decides to embark on a career. She tries her hand at climbing the corporate ladder, but in spite of working hard and eventually finding success, she is still unhappy. She feels empty inside. Then she realizes that it’s the demon that comes from the netherworld “Patal” that is luring her to all these false promises towards happiness and contentment.
Kavita had a sense of déja vu. While watching young students rehearse, she felt like she was losing herself in a day dream again.
Janaki was sitting cross-legged to pray and the rehearsal of her own play was about to begin on the other side of the large room in her haveli. Even though she was slowly getting detached from her surroundings, she liked seeing the preparations of her play.
“Janaki didi! Why have you shown a demon capturing our heroine’s brain? Why is the Tantrik casting a spell on her? What did Bhaiyya say? In this world, nothing like spells exist and to heal you need to see an English educated doctor,” Ram Sharan said.
“Yes, all these tales are old. Bade Baba says we are now going towards the light, gaining more education. We should do away with all our superstitions,” said her cousin Arjun.
Janaki only smiled and said, “I am only telling this story using demons and tantriks so our common folk will understand. I am not supporting any superstition. I can feel the negative turn all our current, modern thoughts and values are taking. I just feel it, I am too young to claim that I know it but I can feel it. Under the name of individual freedom, I don’t want people in the future to choose selfishness over the greater good and a lot of other such things.”
She could feel many eyes on her from the group; no one had understood what she was trying to say.
She realized that her already troubled production was going to run into more trouble.
“Hi, where are you? Are you on planet earth?” someone was asking Kavita, trying to get her attention. She came back to reality, turned around and gave her full attention to the person asking her the question.
He was a tall, handsome, slightly darker man, Italian maybe.
“Umm, yes I am. I liked the play and it reminded me of something, so I got lost in my own thoughts.”
“I am directing this play, my name is Gabriel Santorini.”
“Hello, nice to meet you. I am Kavita. I teach a course here and I’m doing my doctorate.”
“Yeah, I have seen you around. I teach the practical part of theatre like production, direction, props etc.”
“And you direct?”
“And produce also.”
“Wow! I truly liked your play.”
“I am passionate about this subject, Kavita. I see families failing, relationships failing, even this religious fanaticism, everything points to internal emptiness that comes from the lack of higher purpose and too much materialism.”
Kavita smiled. “I can easily relate to what you are saying. I am working on a play written about a 100 years ago on similar theme. No one, absolutely no one understood it, neither liberals nor conservatives.”
“Oh, a 100 years old you say? So how much have you worked on so far?”
“There lies the true challenge. The manuscript has become very fragile, the pages are stuck to each other and the ink has faded. It’s becoming very difficult to read and make sense of the book as a whole.”
“Oh, but have you tried approaching the history department. They have a section specializing in old manuscripts. They treat it with some scientific techniques and even help us read it. The science involved is beyond me, but I sure have seen results with some old manuscripts that they have treated.”
Kavita was a bit apprehensive, still she pressed on, “Do you happen to know anyone who can help me there?”
“Oh yes,” Gabriel nodded typically, “I know the right guy for you. He is interested in more recent books rather than ancient, but he will do it for you.”
“When can we meet him?”
“How about tomorrow? We can have lunch with him.”
“Suits me. I have no classes tomorrow.”
Kavita thought this was moving too fast and again, why was this stranger helping her.
“I want to ask you one upfront question, why are you helping me?”
“Common interest in theatre, plus I am intrigued by a 100-year-old play that is relevant in today’s world. Nothing else. We belong to the same faculty so…” he trailed off.
Kavita was now convinced and felt silly. Anyone with resources was bound to help fellow theatre enthusiast. She was actually feeling good. Now, she can finally get a coherent storyline from the yellow, fragile manuscript… finally!
In a few weeks’ time, Kavita and Gabriel became good friends. Gabriel assured her that the restorers from the history department did a good job. Slowly and steadily, the pages came to life and Kavita was able to translate it. The parts that were still not legible after the restoration process, she began writing herself after referring to parts before and after these paragraphs. It was a very slow process but Kavita was enjoying it, she had already done so much for Janaki’s play. This was the last phase.
As the story began to come to life Gabriel became more interested. The theme resonated with his quest to find the purpose of life on earth and inner dissatisfaction that individuals felt. As individuals, we became more obsessed with the outer image of how society slowly becomes dysfunctional. For a sixteen-year-old, Janaki’s work was profound. No wonder the liberals did not understand her. For them, science was a new God that had answers to everything, even to our spiritual needs.
One day as Kavita met Gabe at their usual coffee shop outside campus, he gestured Kavita to stop telling him anymore of the story as he had something to say.
“What happened? Don’t you want to know what happens to our heroine after she decides to use Tantric spell?”
“I want to listen to everything, but first I have to ask you something.”
“Go Ahead!”
“What if I decide to produce this play in the next semester? You think we can finish the translation before that and prepare a proper script in English that can be turned into a full-fledged stage production?”
Kavita couldn’t believe her luck. Though she was succeeding in bringing out the story and translating at the back of her mind, she always worried about whether this play would ever be staged? Now, suddenly it seemed like an achievable reality.
“Wow! Damn good idea. I will make sure I finish the translation well ahead of time. We can even hire an editor to bring out the nuances, which I may have missed. You have made my dream come true. Thank you, my friend!” Kavita said, laughing and crying at the same time.
The next few months were even more hectic. There were so many how’s, when’s and why’s to address in addition to their routine work and studies. At times, an exhausted Kavita thought that the complete script may not see the light of the day.
Finally, it was over and the English play by Janaki was ready. Gabe went about production process swiftly. After all, he was accustomed to producing two plays in a year.
When the show date was decided and rehearsals were in full swing, Kavita had one more idea. She decided to approach the local newspaper with the background story about Janaki and the play. She was sure that this backstory would add allure and give it more coverage than the usual stage productions the university got. It worked, as well connected as we are today, soon the story was picked up by bloggers and news post websites everywhere.
Within three weeks, Gabe found his inbox flooded with demands for more information about the production. Both he and Kavita were thrilled. As the date approached, they realized that they may need to do more than one show. It was an incredible journey and an incredible time.
On the eve of the first show, Kavita felt the need to be alone again. She wanted to sit alone and maybe meditate. She wore her light sweater and left the theatre without telling anyone. She had her own special spot on campus. At the edge of the campus was lawn with a loan bench under the shade of some large trees. Kavita always sat there when she needed solitude or peace. As she sat there and watched the sunset, she felt content. The need to complete her doctorate completely vanished. It was as if she had fulfilled her destiny and completed her life’s purpose.
She had no idea how much time had passed as she sat there with no wish or need in this world. As the air turned colder, she got up and slowly traced her steps back. She felt an overwhelming desire to meet and speak to both Pragya bhabhi and Niranjan. She had lost touch completely during the hectic year and a half that she had spent bringing this play to life.
She returned in time to witness the standing ovation that the play received and attended the curtain call as translator for the play.
Gabe was elated and happy but Kavita couldn’t feel any surge of excitement, she just felt content and calm.
“Kavita, Kavita… my writer friend from back home was here. He is going to translate this in Italian. This is the first time my university production is going international. And there are many enquiries of whether we can perform in other cities. This is unbelievable! Simply great!”
Janaki’s play, her play was going out into the world finally! Finally, it will touch the spiritual side of many people. This is what Janaki wanted and this is what Kavita did.
It was almost eighteen months later and there was no communication from Kavita. Initially, Pragya and Niranjan did miss her. They often spoke of her. They wondered how she knew so much about their town and the Trivedi family, and how she knew about Janaki in particular. Kavita’s visit did put their town on the cultural map though. Niranjan’s digitization work received a huge endowment solving an acute financial crunch. This also woke the local government, as usual.
But as months went by, they spoke less of Kavita and missed her less too. Until one day after eighteen months, when Kavita wrote to them and she herself arrived following the letters and emails. But this Kavita was different. She was calmer, and more serene. As if she understood the meaning of life. Her eyes were peaceful, the urgency to achieve and to prove, was gone.
“What a surprise Kavita, you came, you actually came back. Look at you, here you are!” Pragya bhabhi said happily.
“Yes, here I am. You have a room to spare for me right?”
“For you, there will always be a spare room, Kavita.”
“Make some hot tea for me and call Niranjan to join us please. I will tell you why I am here.”
“I will make snacks for you to eat too. You must be hungry.”
Pragya bhabhi then sent her servant to fetch Niranjan.
While sipping tea, Kavita pulled out a large file. It had newspaper cuttings.
“Bhabhi, look at this. Janaki’s play is now on stage. It was a good production. People loved it. Critics are considering her a classical writer. Her work is now considered a part of world literature. See, it has been translated into French and Italian. It hasn’t just been translated, but is also going to be produced for stage.”
Pragya bhabhi found it difficult to take so much in.
“So her play was not about witchcraft or superstition after all, and i
t was not cursed.”
“No, no. It was about recognizing the divinity inside each one of us. Once we are in touch with our higher being, and understand how fragile life truly is, we calm down, we slow down. We become content and feel blessed. This is what she said through a parable, so everyone could understand. Bhabhi, this was needed in today’s cruel, violent world. For us to make sense of what is happening around us, we need Janaki’s play.”
“True. But what about your doctorate Kavita? Why haven’t you finished your thesis?”
“I don’t need it anymore, Bhabhi. I needed a doctorate for this life. Janaki came back because she had unfinished business. Her play needed to reach an audience. What she understood while writing it, she wanted the world out there to recognize. That job of bringing the play to life, Kavita did. Now, Kavita does not need to come back Bhabhi.”
“What are you saying, why speak such nonsense?” Pragya bhabhi was visibly shaken.
“Nothing Bhabhi, don’t read too much into whatever I say. I am tired now, and want to sleep early.”
The next morning Kavita didn’t turn up for breakfast. Pragya bhabhi thought she must have gone to the river bank, as usual. But when she didn’t arrive until lunch time, Bhabhi was truly worried. She went to Niranjan and told him how strange Kavita was the night before, and how Niranjan should have been there.
Niranjan and Pragya decided to begin their search from the Narmada riverbank itself. On the steps of the ghat near the water’s edge, they found Kavita’s data and her anklets.
Pragya bhabhi understood what had happened. Kavita was gone, gone into the Narmada Maiyya waters; gone, to never return again. Just like Janaki. Something snapped and tears ran down her cheeks.
Niranjan placed his hand on her shoulders.
“Don’t cry Bhabhi, don’t cry for Kavita. Janaki came to this life to pull us out of this Maya, this drudgery and cruelty of the everyday world. Kavita finished her job. Kavita has gone home to her Narmada Maiyya, she is happy, and she will not come back. She does not need to come back, Bhabhi.”
EPILOGUE
Arghya Page 4