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Doesn’t a little hope show up every time we embark on a journey? The doors of a closed room always open to a journey. To find relief from a monotonous life, to explore something new, a journey takes place. May be Lord Jagannath too took the journey to Ghunucha garden to seek relief from the monotonous life within the four walls of the temple, and eventually had to face the wrath of Goddess Lakshmi. Tanushree loves to wander through such stories. The immortal Hindu gods and goddesses still carry the touch of the feelings and emotions of the mortal beings. The imagination of the creator, in this way, may be is needed to keep people engaged with religion. He wants to keep God as someone among them.
After having a quick breakfast at Holiday Resort of Puri, the journey that Tanushree sets out to take as she seated herself at the backseat of Damodar’s car, is a journey so surreal. Such journeys have always kept her tied. Tenderly she gathers all those bags of familiar emotions of happiness and tears on unfamiliar faces to carry them back after every journey. The car moves into a lane off the right side of the main road. The gardens, the houses, are similar to those of villages in Assam. The palm trees are the only unfamiliarity. The huts too are thatched with palm leaves. The car drives in through a gateway that has the name of the village inscribed on it. Damodar stops the car in front of two long concrete houses. When the car door opens and Tanushree’s feet touch the ground, two dhoti-clad men immediately arrive to stand by her. But Tanushree, without showing much interest at them, looks on the nearby signboard. It was written in English – leaf-painting on palm leaves, wood and rock sculpture, adivasi artwork, mask art etc. Tanushree has seen such artefacts at the shops near the Golden Beach of Puri. But nothing has yet been purchased. With Damodar along, she goes into the village further. The walls of the small, but tenderly built houses have colourful artwork done upon. Each and every house in the village is the house of an artist. Tanushree had come across this village on the internet. Raghurajpur. She had talked to Animesh about visiting this village.
“Go there when we visit Puri this time. Damodar will definitely be there.”
Animesh said that absent-mindedly as he slid the razor over his growing beard. Nowadays, Tanushree has grown accustomed to such reactions of Animesh. There is nothing to worry about to go with Damodar. She has visited many corners of various places of Orissa with Damodar. But she wished Animesh too is excited to get ready to accompany her. His mind too is filled with curiosity about Raghurajpur. The hopes gradually transform into disappointments. The excitements are renamed as apathy. She has given up making complaints. A girl not having many problems is she. She can blow away the likes and dislikes of the mind to the roadside ditch. But is she really like that? The hopes seem to raise their heads again and again from the ruins.
Damodar seems to have shortened his broad steps of his huge body to keep pace with those of Tanushree. During the days spent in Puri, Damodar stays along like a shadow with Animesh’s family. Till Tanushree and Animesh’s marriage, the parents of Animesh have been visiting Puri every year during this time: to pay obeisance to Lord Jagannath. Arriving on the last day of the Rath Yatra and leaving after offering prayers once Lord Jagannath enters the temple. Those days Animesh never accompanied them. But since the last five years he, alongwith Tanushree, has been visiting Puri regularly. Yes, five years. They have been married for five years now.
Humming a song, a middle-aged man crossed them smiling innocently. The whole village seems to be humming some melodious song in the same tune. Tanushree stops to see a broad land covered with a bamboo roof. She takes a few photographs with the camera she carried. It is a paan garden, Damodar said. The paan vines climbing on betel nut trees in the villages of Assam are familiarfor Tanushree. She was unaware that paan is cultivated in such a way too. Tanushree moves on. Soon she notices an open stage amidst rows of coconut trees. Tanushree knew about the practise of Gatipua dance form at Raghurajpur.
The birthplace of the famous Odissi dance exponent Kelucharan Mahapatra too is this same Raghurajpur. All the information regarding this place is precisely written on a concrete wall in the middle of the village. Tanushree starts reading that keenly. The village has many artists who are national awardees. A group of young boys who were playing some kind of a card game suddenly came up to Tanushree. They request Tanushree to visit their homes to see the collections of artefacts. Tanushree is in a fix. Meanwhile, Damodar signals her to come away from the boys and she too, accordingly follows him. Crossing a narrow lane they reach a house standing aside. The walls, the chairs, the pillars and even the basil pedestal, placed at the front side of the house, are all replete with fine designs. The household must be known to Damodar. An elderly person hascome out. Damodar introduces us in Hindi. His name is Prakash Mahapatra. As it is easier to show the drawing room to the tourists it is being filled with artefacts. On a mat spread over the floor of a lengthy room on the left, an old woman is sitting. She is wearing a brownish purple coloured saree. The bone of her bare shoulder has no trace of flesh. Prakash Mahapatra and a young man show Tanushree the artefacts in the drawing room and then, take her to an adjacent room to show her how the work is done. Damodar goes out. Four men were working in the room. Two men are painting the masks, one is preparing the canvas for the pattachitra and a girl was doing miniature painting on coconut shells. Tanushree captures the whole scenario on video. Prakash Mahapatra paints a pattachitra there itself to show Tanushree how the art is done. The woman sitting on the mat is gazing at Tanushree. She feels uncomfortable. But Tanushree has noticed one thing that every craftsman working in that roomshows the woman their respective work from time to time. The unknowingly wandering eyes of Tanushree are now fixed on the woman. The woman signals Tanushree to sit on the mat she spreads for her. She brings the painting materials from the girl who was painting a picture of Lord Jagannath on a coconut. Swiftly, she starts to draw a design on the coconut. Tanushree presumes the woman to be around eighty years of age. Still, without any spectacles she has been devoting to art so comfortably. Prakash Mahapatra introduces Tanushree with the woman.
“My sister, Subala Mahapatra. Was conferred a national award.”
The woman looks at Tanushree for a moment, and asks –
“Are you an Assamese?”
Tanushree is taken aback on hearing the woman speak Assamese.
“Yes, I am Assamese. Can you speak in Assamese?”
Smiling, she resumes her painting on the shell. At one moment she shows two fingers towards Tanushree.
“I was in Guwahati for two years. Stayed near Kamakhya. My man had a small job there. The landlord of the house where we lived was an Assamese. The neighbours were Assamese. That way learnt to speak Assamese.”
There is no vermillion on Subala’s head. Probably, her husband has passed away.
“Are you on a trip to see Puri?
Tanushree shaking her head a little, says, “No, have been visiting for five years to pay obeisance to Lord Jagannath.”
“Do you come alone?”
“My husband comes too. He is now at the hotel.”
“Would you see the Niladri Yatra today?”
“Yes.”
The woman seems to have turned somewhat emotional. “Daughter, are you here with a wish?”
The eyes of Tanushree seem to have quivered.
Subala’s questions seem to pull Tanushree to that world she wants to forget, but carries the same all along, every day. While she was rushing out in the morning, Animesh was still sleeping. He must have woken up by now. But, he has till then never felt it necessary to call her up once. Who would say theirs was a love marriage! The Animesh before marriage and his words seem to be an illusion to hernow. She doesn’t understand Animesh or Animesh doesn’t understand her? It is not a crime to listen to one’s parents. But when the same parents who uses their son to beat the hollow drum of the family’s aristocracy, Tanushree then loses her patience. So, nowadays, she is unable to speak out her likes and dislikes. As per convenience, she reaches out to the human world, to the world of artists or to nature’s bosom. Tries to find herself. Animesh neither stops her, nor shows any encouragement.
While colouring Lord Jagannath’s eyes, Subala said,
“It’s over fifty years now since I saw Niladri Yatra. Today, the former people or the ambience maynotbe there. My brothers go there sometimes. I offer my prayers from here. Have been drawing the Lord with colours every day. What more do I need?”
Subala seems to console herself with the words. It is two hours distance from Raghurajpur to Puri. Still she has not visited the temple for the last fifty years. On the other hand, in spite of being married she lives with her brother. Somewhere, Tanushree feels, the things are not matching. She looks at Subala with utmost curiosity. She is absorbedin giving the finishing touchesto the shell.That moment a woman came from inside and said something to Subala in Oriya. Subala gathered the colours aside. The coconut shell has turned into an attractive oval-shaped piece of art to decorate the drawing room.
“Would you take lunch with us?” Tanushree immediately agrees to Subala’s offer. The veg sandwich taken early in the morning has already been digested. On the other hand, she has an interest in trying out local cuisines of different places. Mats were spread in another room where Subala and Tanushree were served rice. Somehow, Tanushree felt as if she is meeting very closely, an old friend after many years. Over lunch, everything that was in their minds flew out like butterflies. Subala went on narratingcomfortably to Tanushree the story of her life. She had left for Assam soon after their marriage to be with her husband. She used to visit home every year during Rath Yatra. Once the first bhog, after Lord Jagannath returns to His abode, is consumed, they used to board the train to Guwahati. Everything was going as usual even after they came back from Guwahati. But after five years, things started to become topsy turvy. Her husband turned disinterested towards Subala. Even at in-law’s house she was made responsible. For she was barren! Blessings of Lord Jagannath was soughtevery year. But there was no sign of hope. A village doctor was also consulted. She seems to have taken birth as a barren flower. Like the pot bought from the market is kept away in a cornerwhen found having a hole, Subala too was neglected by everyone. The incident took place during the Rath Yatra of the sixth year into their marriage. Subala’s husband suddenly vanished. Subala was worried, but she believed that he must have left for some unavoidable work. As usual, on that Niladri Yatra day too Subala had gone along with one of her aunts to seek the blessings of Lord Jagannath. After taking the rosogulla bhog, as they were coming out through the western entrance of the temple, she suddenly saw her husband just before her. A young girl was with him: a dazzling newlywed bride with vermillion, and draped in a chocolate coloured Katki saree. Subala had paused where she was. The aunt pulled her away holding her hand. She never had to return to her in-law’s place. She engaged herself with her heart and soul to her father’s legacy of art of craftmaking.
“I have placed Lord Jagannath in my world of art. My Lord doesn’t go anywhere. So, for me there is no need of Niladri Yatra.”
It seems all the sorrows of Subala have become still to take shape as a sculpture on the rock. As Tanushree is about to take some paan and supari served in a wooden plate after lunch, a call came from Animesh.
“What are you doing there so long? Do you need to forget everything just because you have got the freedom? The time for Niladri Yatra is sooner today. Return immediately.”
Saying nothing much, Tanushree keeps the phone. She buys from Subala’s home some artefacts, like a few Pattachitra, drawings of ancient tales on palm leaves, and a few masks. She takes photographs with Subala, with the family and of all the paintings drawn on the exterior and interior walls of the house. Damodar too has already taken his lunch at Subala’s home. As Subala reaches the car to see them off, she embraces Tanushree with love. Such happier feelings of love Tanushree may not ever be able to forget. Throughout the ride back on the car she thought of Subala. It seemed the village of artists, Raghurajpur, has gathered within Subala. Subala had asked her, -- with what wish she has been visiting the place. She was unable to give an answer. But Tanushree feels that Subala has found the answer herself.
When Tanushree along with Animesh entered through the western door to climb the stairs and reach the rooftop of a house shown by Bimal, a panda known to them, she saw crowds of people thronging the temple on all sides. The panda had instructed Animesh that as they witness Laxmi, Balobhadra, Subhadra and Jagannath one by one, he has to hold his wife’s hand and with eyes open, together they would offer their prayers while thinking about their wishes.A wave of sound of the bells, the cymbals, and various other instruments is gradually reaching nearer.Security was stringent all around. No one has been allowed to carry cameras or mobiles inside the temple. A group of pandas enters through the entrance situated on the left of Tanushree and Animesh. All around there is a resounding humming of chants and musical sounds. Subhadra is being led inside. There are also certain rules to carry the idols. A rope, alternately pulling forward and behind, is used to carry the idols inside one by one. Animesh holds Tanushree’s hand within his hands as the panda had asked him to do. Why is it that Tanushree is feeling uneasy with the familiar touch of Animesh? They were gazing from the rooftop at the idol of Subhadra being carried. But it seems Tanushree’s mind loves to wander around. She feels that it is a fair of hopes and wishes all around. If someone has lost anything, some other has found something. In spite of the truth of the present, the people are wandering, lost within themselves.
Like Subhadra, Balabhadra too is being ushered in. An Oriya family is near Tanushree. The oldest lady of the family has been made to sit on the incomplete concrete wall on which Tanushree is seated too. Her face reminded Tanushree of Subala. A little away Animesh is conversing with an Assamese family. Tanushree recognises them. They too come here every year. The husband and wife are both doctors. They had almost abandoned their wish to bear a child. They were disheartened even after consulting doctors everywhere including Mumbai and Delhi too. Ultimately they could have two children after visiting Jagannath temple. Animesh narrates their story excitedly.
Before ushering Lord Jagannath inside, Goddess Laxmi is being carried inside the temple through another path. The people near Tanushree all hustle towards the other end of the rooftop to have a close glimpse of Goddess Laxmi. All these scenes have become old acquaintances for Tanushree. A little while after Goddess has been ushered inside the temple, Lord Jagannath arrives. The air resounds with blessed sounds. The Lord is being welcomed with various dances like Odissi dance and fire dances of the adivasis. Devotees are enthused with the arrival of the Lord at his abode. On the other hand, Goddess Laxmi is waiting at the entrance to accost Lord Jagannath who had forgotten to return home after reaching Ghunucha.
The woman sitting next to Tanushree is now being led forward holding her hand by a girl. Animesh again holds the hand of Tanushree and chants Lord Jagannath’s name. Time and again he reminds Tanushree not to shut her eyes. The panda had told that if prayers are offered with eyes shut the wishes are not fulfilled. In every visit Tanushree has been hearing about this. She is trying too to follow that. But at the last moment she is unable to keep her control. Animesh has been visiting this place to put an end to his parents’ complaints, to remove the obstacles on the path of his family’s growth. The doctor has told that Tanushrees has a serious problem in her ovary. In such a situation pregnancy will be life-threatening for both the mother and the child. So, she wants to go the artificial way. But Animesh’s parents want to see the birth of their grandchild in the most natural way. For this reason, they have been sending their son and daughter-in-law to the Jagannath temple hoping for a miracle. Tanushree finds all these things unreasonable. She starts to feel Animesh to be an unwise stranger. She feels very lonely. It seems as if her life is entangled in the knotted threads.
Through the sea of people Lord Jagannath is gradually approaching his abode. The rhythm of the holy chants seems to forcibly stop for once the thunderous waves along the seashore of Puri. Tanushree’s eyes are going again and again towards the flag shining under the moonlight atop the temple. The whole atmosphere has taken an unreal shape in her mind. Gradually she is losing the power to form any kind of desire. In spite of Animesh’s reminder, this time too her eyes are closing in. Animesh’s pronouncement of “Jai Jagannath” is merging with that of thousands of voices. A symbolic debate is going on between Goddess Laxmi and the devotees and finally, Lord Jagannath is able to win over the mind of the Goddess. Goddess Laxmi paves the way and Lord Jagannath enters inside the temple. Gradually, the rhythm of the holy chants is fading away; Animesh leaves the hand of Tanushree and she opens her eyes.
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