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(Music is on. All the artists enter. They sing a folk song.)
Song:
(1)
Bilaire kar ghare rahila bilai
Bilai palai jai re
Kar ghare rahila bilai
(2)
Haloi lalou halou lalou bagariye khai
Tor baper bidesh gaile tore ninda gai
Re halau lalau lai —
Edalire haitha charai xidalite pare
Akasmate manat pari xarag bhagi pare
He halaou lalau lai …
(Biman is sitting)
Biman: Have you seen an elephant? Elephant, elephant. Huge, big, gigantic. A giant animal—mighty too — a tuskar. It has a trunk ! It trumpets — knaut— ha ha ha (laughter). I am going to introduce you with an elephant. All of you know an elephant, seen elephants. Kna—u—t. I too ’ve seen. That means I’ve been with elephants from my very birth till date— elephant— elephant— only elephants. Some people do not call it elephant. They call it ‘Baba’— Do you know why they call it ’Baba’? Simply out of fear. Ba— ba. Ba— ba. Ha — ha— ha—
(A woman is shouting.)
Baba is coming
(Roaring of elephants. People shout, scream. Movement/ sound of hurried footsteps)
Taking a spear in his hand Biman also runs.
First man: In this way— in this side-..
Second man: (Pulling Biman): Go to hell, don’t go forward. Nothing can be seen in darkness. The tusker goes at the end of the herd. Beware, beware. Be alert.
Biman: Nothing happens. Meh.
First man: Don’t behave like a maniac. As they have been chased daily the herd becomes fearless. Be alert. Beware of the herd. Be alert.
(One man busy in bursting out of firecrackers. Another man hits on a tin)
Slowly the scene Fade(s) out
Biman is sleeping. Two persons are massaging him pulling his legs.
Biman: The granary of Benu is somehow saved today. O’ it is saved. The tusker pushed its trunk. Luckily we arrived there at that very moment. Oh! If we had not burst the firecrackers! If they had once obtained the taste of grain —
Bupan: With that back pain you should not run as such.
Biman: Do the elephants spare something for us if I care for my waist?
Rupan: Hush! You should not speak like that.
Biman: Huh!
Bupan: Come, Kokaiti. (Rashid comes)
Rashid: It seems that so many people started this far will go futile. How is it possible by chasing elephants day after day!
Biman: I’ve never thought that elephants would haunt this place. Look, the beast turns up.
Rupan: Hush! you should not say like this. Sleep here. I’ll pull your legs and arms from tips to toes. How briskly you ran, I think you won’t be able to stir tomorrow.
Biman: Wait. (He sleeps)
(Rashid helps him. Bupan pulls his legs)
Rashid: This is our own medicine, a kind of rural treatment, kabiraji dewai. Pain would be cured in this way.
Biman: Hope they won’t come today.
Rashid: Mainul has seen the leader crossed the road. So, they may not come again.
Biman: Ow! You have hurt greatly— you have pulled so tightly! Eina!
Bupan: Oh! I can’t guess how tightly I pull; aargh! talk makes me inattentive —
Biman: This body has to under so many strikes, so many blows banged on this body! Do you know the other thing? I trust you, so, I let this body loosed to you. And at this time I am hurt painfully. Aargh! Trust is the father of pain.
Rashid: I don’t understand what you say. Hello, Bupan?
Bupan: What happens?
Rashid: Have you prepared meal?
Rupan: Yes, I’ve. Today I have cooked here for both of us. I will carry my share to eat in my hut. One more fellow stays there.
Rashid: Then, take your meal soon. Who can say what’ll happen tonight! Hello, Bupan —
Bupan: Yes, yes. You seat here. I will serve rice.
Rashid: Okay. O’ boy, look, look, don’t go asleep.
(Rashid singing a song)
Bupan: (Goes, keep the lamp, takes rice etc.)
I have lit the lamp and put it here. Wake up, don’t asleep. I have covered your dinner with a dish. Eat it. Look, don’t lie like a log.
(Rashid sings. Bupan goes.)
Biman: (Rise suddenly from the cot): Oh! Baba is coming —
Rashid: Baba? Where? Where? No—No—
Biman: Yes, they are coming — they are coming— elephants — -elephants — elephants— bring the burning flame —firecrackers— bangers —
Rashid: No. No, it’s not like that. You may dream in your sleep.
Biman: No. No. Yes they are elephants— elephants — elephants— (Bupan comes running)
Bupan: Sleep —sleep — Nothing happens.
Biman: Elephants — elephants. How can I sleep?
Bupan: Go asleep.
Rashid: Has he dreamt? Suddenly he has woke up.
Bupan: No—no---. Nothing happens. Sleep.
Rashid: You should sleep after having your dinner. Who knows what would happen tonight!
Biman: Elephants— elephants —
Bupan: Sleep. You will have your dinner after a while. There is pain on your waist. If I would pull the legs —
Rashid: Take the leg.
Bupan: No. Sleep.
(Biman sleeps)
Bupan: Rashid Kakaiti. Look, you should do like this —
Rashid: What?
Bupan: ‘Excise’—‘excise’(exercise) for the waist pain. Look, I’ll practise it.
(Displaying some yoga practices)
Rashid: Heh, what mimicry you’ve done at this hour of night in the courtyard! Have you visited Daloi on the way? Yes? Damn! go to hell.
Bupan: (Showing with his finger) Just a little.
Rashid: Go. Get out.
Bupan: You go slowly. I shall go after sometime.
Rashid: (Sings a song)
(Lamp is glimmering. The scene ends.)
Minakshi’s house
Minakshi washes face and hand in the morning. Biman comes. A bundle of leafy vegetables in his hand.
Minakshi: Biman, you! You are here! In this early morning! Where have you come from?
Biman: Direct from the farm. Elephants ravage the farm at night. They destroy the crops of a number of people. So, I reside in the hut there inside the farm. (Points out the leaves) New vegetables, I brought to my house. Happy to give you a bundle of leaf.
Minakshi: (laughter)
Biman: Why are you laughing so much! Why, baideu? Is it a matter of laughter? These leaves!
Minakshi: What are these on your face? Those paints!
Biman: What? Nothing.
Minakshi: Come here --- to this basin. Look at the mirror. Give me the leaves.
Biman: (Watch his face at the mirror) Ha ha — where have these black spots been smudged?
Minakshi: Wash them.
Biman: Whole night long I was sleeping outside. The lamp was flickering. All the smoke emitted from the kerosene lamp glued on my face. That’s why my face spotted black.
Minakshi: Soap is there. Take.
Biman: It won’t do any harm— Always a black faced fellow. For a couple of days I have seen it black.
Minakshi: Don’t tell the same tale. Wait. I would prepare tea. I too have not had. I‘ve got up and just washed my face.
(Minakshi brings tea)
Biman: I’ve detected one great fault in me, you know, madam.
Minakshi: But I don’t see any fault in you.
Biman: You are my doctor. So, you tell such things to console me.
Minakshi: Am I acting as a doctor all the time?
Biman: That I am a psychiatric patient is known to you. So, you treat me tactfully.
Minakshi: That may be true, but not wholly. A half- truth. Don’t you want to know what the real thing is.
Biman: What ?
MInakshi: I wish you all good.
Biman: And here I discover my fault.
Minakshi: Fault?
Biman: I do believe this.
Minakshi: I like it. I like it very much. Now my only faith is you.
Biman: I believe that with a gun I would bring a change to my country. Those boys who misled me with false hopes, I believe the deceitful friends, and the trial in the party. But I’ve. They struck me and after beating black and blue they threw me from the peak of a mountain. It seems that death calls me. But I am saved. Now I am happy. I have been saved. Alas! I turn mad. I become a lunatic. An insane. I become mad. Mad! I am a mad man? Ha ha ha (laughter), I am a mad man. They have handed over me to you.
Minakhsi: I don’t know these things. You should not tell this.
Biman: If you were not here won’t I behave like that boy who wearing a loose trouser runs on the street? Shall I not be asking men —“Where is marriage? Marriage? Where? Where?”
Minakshi: That has not happened.
Biman: But that would have happened.
Minakshi: You can imagine lots of ‘if’, lots of. But what’s important — who you are at present. That matters most.
Biman: You do my treatment with these words.
Minakshi: You are too good. I like it very much. I don’t like you reminding me every time that I am a psychiatrist. You know so many things, tell me those. What you tell is always anew.
Biman: Do you know, If a tea garden is made by destroying a big forest, what great event happens first ?
Minakshi: What?
Biman: Destroying variedness/variety single plant is planted. Diversity (is) destroyed. That there is variety— diversity; is not it the ultimate truth?
Minakshi: I never think like that.
Biman: At night a man must chase elephant keeping himself awake, only then the truth is realized. Only a single plant transplanting variety! Only one, only one —
Minakshi: A serious matter!
Biman: Very serious matter. The reason behind all those chaos in this world is this. Single cultivation, — only one crop. Madam, I have severe back pain.
Minakshi: Consult a physician, I’ll ring up.
Biman: I fear if pain increases! So, Bupan often pulls, and somehow I carryon my activities.
Minakshi: Damn your doctor Bupan. Don’t sit on the floor while eating rice. Drive the bike less.
Biman: Then I would plant the saplings of cabbage on the dining table ——.
Minakshi: Haha (laughter)
Biman: All the prescriptions are not applicable to all.
Minakshi: I know. The middle class mentality has not gone, so, I often tell without thinking much. (without any thought).
Biman: Nowadays I go to a place. There I learn meditation. (There meditation is taught). I don’t eat meat-fisf-or garlic or onion etc. Sitting like this for a long time.
Minakshi: If those things help you then it is nice. But you should not allow them to control you. You should not lose faith in yourself. Nobody is dearer to you than yourself, there is no help.
(The scene changes)
(With a rough firewood Biman chasing Bupan. Then sitting on the floor he cries.)
Bupan: Uph. Whether a man cries sitting in an uncovered place at this odd hour of the night?
Biman: Why do you make me eat? Why do you feed me the curry with garlic? The garlic has entered my head and got clutched. (Crying) The garlic —
Bupan: I don’t know. I don’t know what you have started again afresh. I gave earlier: so, today too used garlic in the curry.
Biman: Now the matter of garlic has entered my head. What do I do? (cry) The garlic —.
Bupan: Where shall I die? (Go to hell). Look, how can a pod of garlic which resembles the tip of a finger makes this man cry.
BIman: A bullet which is just like the tip of the little finger can kill a man. He tells me about the size. Why have you make me eat? A pod of garlic and an elephant are equal. Why do you feed me? I have given up all these. Tell me— tell — tell, you won’t take it again. Don’t eat. (He cries)
Rashid: What happens Bupan? Who is cryning?
Bupan: Don’t worry Kakaiti, nothing happens. Baona, bhaona. (Simply a drama). Rehearsal. Drupadi, Drupodi’s Batraharan, Pulling Away of the Dresses of Drupadi. (Change). Damn. People have to ask! (Change) Oh! Bhimsen! Where is your might? Brother Dushasan!— ha ha ha— pull away the clothes — ha ha ha — keep silent. Pull away her clothes-— ha ha ha-—
Biman: Nothing, nothing happens. I would be cured. It would be good. Good for me. All that’s good will prevail. Flowers are beautiful. Lovely flowers! Birds are loving. It would be good for me. The stream running through our little farm— those songs sung by our Rashid kaiti — how sweet— how beautiful —Dunialoi ahilo (We have come to this world).
Bupan: Oh Lord, save him. Save Biman. What he will do? May God bless him.
Biman: It would be good. I would be nice. To acquire goodness one has to fight. Lots of fighting! Look, the moon appears in the sky. Moonlight blooms flowers there — So much flowers! So much flowers— flowers of moonbeam —I am going to be good — goodness prevails— I am curing of— my back pain has gone— tomorrow the saplings of cabbage will be pulverized— the saplings of cabbage ——
Bupan: Yaah. Your saplings grow —
Biman: The cabbage plants never become jealous of each other, isn’t it?
Bupan: What nonsense you have said!
Biman: But elderly people are jealous of those little kids also. Yes, they become jealous of them.
My son is reading in Class VI; they envy him.
Bupan: Jealous of him? Ohhh, they would be jealous of that toddler !
Biman: Not would be, they do. In a competition one of his drawings has been awarded first prize. It was that he would be sent to participate in a competition outside. But, a mother of his class mate became jealous of him and played a trick. His drawing had not been sent. He was jealous of because he secured highest mark in the class. He understands nothing, those elderly parents are jealous of him. (I would do good.) (he cries). Jealousy —. I would be good. (I would do good.)
I must be. A good human being— good— good—
Bupan: You have said that just like the little finger— ?
Bupan: Yaah
Biman: Is not my son just like the nail of the little finger-— aren’t those elder people jealous of him?
Bupan: What a comparison! You are good— handsome people— all these things—
Biman: Beautiful — beautiful – the woman is very beautiful.
Bupan: Where from does this woman appear?
Biman: It’s the mother. She is the mother of my son’s class mate. Sometimes while I go to the school to take him I meet her. She comes in beautiful dresses. While she comes near me she smells good. Despite she is jealous of my son reading in Class VI. How he will understand when I fail. (When I am not able to understand).
Bupan: Don’t brood over these things.
Biman: Do I brood over! Those things come naturally to my mind just like the elephants they come silently. I am busy with the cabbage saplings. Do I invite those elephants? They come themselves. They come from their own and silently they smash the paddy.
(Bupan sings a song)
Biman: Oh, you don’t know how to sing. Rashid Kakaiti knows
Rashid: (from away) Bupan, babas are going in that direction. Hello —
Bupan: Baba— ba — ba— rise up— come, come — sit down. Get up ——
Biman: Where — where —?
Bupan: That one, that huge tuskar — don’t go to the round lemon tree.
Biman: Where? Where?
(Unknowingly Biman hits an elephant. A crowd gathers)
Bupan: Rashid Kaiti, Rashid Kaiti, BIman has hit the elephant. O, bring the fire crackers, bring the crackers (bangers) —
Rashid: Hello, bring the fire crackers. O Allah, Allah—
Bupan: Baba, please, don’t do us any harm. ---Please, don’t do any harm. (Between the legs of Biman)
Rashid: O Baba, Baba, please, be kind to us. Please, don’t do any harm. He Allah, Allah
Bupan: Bangers —torch — torch— O God—
Rashid: Allah — Allah —
(Great hue and cry. Slowly the scene changes)
(Mother of Biman comes. A big knife is on her hand. She cuts a branch of a tree, and prepares fire wood. His father prepares ganja. Another person is sitting near him. He is Chome.)
Lahoi: Hello, Biman, bring a burning charcoal.
Mother: What do you want? You our Fandi wants! Burning Charcoal! Is there any firewood to be burnt in the hearth? I have just cut those fire woods. Beware — he has opened his books ——don’t call him. I warn you.
Laloi: This woman fears much. O’ Marati, how can you live with this fear! He is the son of Fandi. What will he do by taking education/with studying? He will have to catch elephants.
Mother: Don’t take the name of elephant. Hello, Some, don’t you find a place to die? Why you have come hear and taste those wild ganja with this old man? Don’t you find any other place?
Chome: Why do you scream/scold (in this way) like this?
Mother: Do you see this? I will cut your throat. Don’t make any reply to me.
Chome: Ehh! I’ll go.
Lahoi: She is short-tempered. She turns angry soon. We are elephant catchers. We have to bring a wild elephant fastening a rope around its neck. Can we live by being angry like this woman?
Mother: Fandi! Oh! Fandi! Don’t take those names of elephant. You have made the Mahaldar rich and himself is going to die. At the dead hours of night this man goes to catch elephant! Here I and Biman remain awake and wait restlessly. We fear even to go for sleep.
Chome: Fear? Is not it that while we are sleeping fear goes away.
Mother: With this brain don’t come to sit on my court yard. Those wild ganja has spoiled your brain.
Chome: What happens?
Mother: While the eyelids closed I watch bad dreams.
Chome: Is it?
Lahoi: This woman has great fear. We on the other side singing a song and tame those elephants.
Some: Singing songs? What kind of song?
Lahoi: Those songs for taming an elephant. Elephants like listening songs. Till she brings charcoal let me sing a song.
Halou laou halou laou ————
(Slowly a scene gets created)
(A scene of taming an elephant)
O’ you are an expert fandi. This little calf! How courageous he is!
Lahoi: Too naughty. Being chased again and again he becomes clever. As it knew that we were advancing how it hindered the female elephant—hi hi — how I caught it— Oh! at that time I was at the point of falling down. Fortunately the female elephant knows me well, otherwise what would have happened. Look, could give a bidi —
(They sit with pipes)
Mother: Only I know. Only I know how this household is running. There are three stomachs. Amidst all these adversity I send Biman to the ‘eschool’ — if he would become a man.
Lahoi: By taking education Fandi’s son would become a sub deputy collector! He will become a Fandi — nothing but an elephant catcher.
Mother: He will become a Fandi! Where does that fand remain? How many days have gone without any work? You have made Mahaldar rich. How much I told that you should seek another job. Leave those elephants. No! This great saint has not listened!
Chome: Of course, he does. He does some works.
Mother: Does he work? Does he? He works for a day and sleeps for a month. If he works, Biman and me won’t have to suffer like this. We eat once a day by doing hard labour in neigbouring households. Teachers say that Biman should not drop out of his school. Often I cannot send him school--- for those works---.
Lahoi: Our son would become a Fandi.
Mother: Don’t mention that. My son would stand away from the elephant. He won’t die of starvation— one should not destroy himself in this way by smoking/taking ganja.
Lahoi: I fed you a lot. By doing the job of a Fandi I fed you a lot.
Chome: Don’t tell about them. There are ups and downs in human life. Good days are coming.
Lahoi: This woman fears much.
Mother: Good days — better days — I am awaiting those days —
Lahoi: This woman fears much——
Mother: How can a hatimaut know what is called fear? Only the mother of the son understands.
Lahoi: I am not a Hatimaut but a Fandi. Fandi. I catch elephants in the forest and the Mahaldar sends lots of assistants with me.
Mother: The Mahaldar has eaten your head. Mahaldar’s Hatimahal has been stopped/has gone, but the ways of earning money has not stooped. But what about the Fandi? What has happened to him? Where from the food has come, do you know? There is fear in my heart— a great fear in my heart —
Some: Fear of which?
Mother : Our Biman —
Some: He is studying— he would drop out of school— he has grown more than his age —
Mother: It seems that he has accompanied a number of unknown/different young men.
Chome: Different type? —What kind of unknown/ different boys —
Lahoi: This woman fears much—-
Chome: Eh! Stop. What kind of different boys—-
Mother: He accompanies some horrible boys. I hear secretly they are talking something—-
Chome: He will be kept away from those boys.
Mother: How can you do that? Those rascals have been coming. He does not talk with me well. I bring him up taking him on my chest. I don’t feel the suffering that I have and send him to school — now he wishes to join that gang ——
Chome: That he wishes to join that group, how do you know it?
Mother: Do you see this? I will slain your head. Is he not my own son? Don’t I know him? Didn’t I bring him up washing his stool and peeing? Do I not know? Now that boy does not look at my face. On the other side, in the head of that old man there’s only elephant; he knows nothing but the elephants.
Lahoi: Heh! You donot know what thing is this elephant. The attraction for the elephants is quite different. Once you know, the Mahaldar took me with him to a place in his car. While we returned it was dead of night. We were coming--- we were coming —- on the way I stopped him for peeing. Suddenly I heard the roaring of an elephant. I told, “stop, stop the car”. The car was halted. While the car stopped roaring of the elephant became frequent. I recognized her and went forward. I recognized her--- she was Mahaldar’s Lakhimi—Getting down from the car I went running--- It was dark —— Mahaldar scolded me--- I reached and yes, the businessman brought her to pull the pieces of wood and fastened her with a amla tree. I touched her body —- --- she did not leave me — . She was trained by me. Why she would leave me? She is Lakhimi—- Mahaldar was astonished at me. I sang a song—-
Halou Laou halou lalou ————
Mother: Attraction for elephants makes the man mad. He does not prefer any other job. How many times I tell him! Despite there is a wild elephant inside the home —-.
Chome: Wild elephant?
Mother: My son Biman has joined in a gun bearer gang. He will leave home and go away---
Chome: That little boy?
Mother: (sings a few lines of Dihanaam)
Lahoi: This woman fears much —- (She has a great fear—)
(‘Dihanaam’ continues)
(Scene Change)
(Biman rises up from lying on his back near the elephant. Others catch him)
Biman: I am going to die.
Bupan: Biman—
Rashid: Allah has saved you. Baba did not do you any harm. In anger making a sound they went away— went away---
Biman: I am dying.( running to one side he brings a clothe, a chadar.)
Bupan: What happens?
Biman: I have died. Now you have to arrange Sradha. You have to fast.
Bupan: Shut up.
Biman: Baba is coming— Baba—
Bupan: Keep quiet.
Rashid: You are well. Nothing happens. Nothing at all. Baba has not harm you. No wrong has been done to you.
Biman: I have died. Falling among the legs of the elephant I have died.
Rashid: Nothing has happened to you. Baba loves you. They listened to my dowa. Allah——
Bupan: You will be fine. It is certain. Baba has cured you of all. They killed me. I am dead.
Bupan: Don’t tell such ominous things.
Rashid: This world is a flower garden, o’ Allah
The world is a garden—
( Scene Change)
Minakshi: What happened, Biman?
Biman: I died yesterday. That’s why I am wearing this dress/ I am in this attire. Sradha will be held.
Minakshi: What do you think? What? What do you think? You think yourself a very important person!
Biman: I don’t understand, Baideu.
Minakshi: Why do you pretend? Why? Are sorrow, sadness, suffering there in your life alone, not in anybody’s life?
Biman: When do I tell that? Yesterday the huge tusker keeping me among its legs with its trunk before my face it was breathing forcefully.
I hit the tusker. Yes I did. People cannot see in darkness. But in moonlight things appear illusory. People think an elephant for a shadow, a banana leaf an elephant. I ran hurriedly and hit it. (Minakshi laughs) I did not se. Bupan screamed, Rashid Kaiti chanted aloud ‘Allah —Allah’—stop your laughter.
Minakshi: You survive after hitting a wild elephant! Who is as lucky as you to hit an elephant and come alive after falling under a tusker? — My God—
Biman: So sallow you are— you laugh too much — Minakshi: Any other man would have heart failed —
Biman: How much will I tolerate ? —
Minakshi: What?
Biman: These elephants —
Minakshi: Time will be changed.
Biman: You know, my sixth class son once stood first in the drawing competition by drawing a herd of elephants— he has been deceived you know— I cannot look at his face— How can I be saved from these herd?
Minakshi: Do you notice/observe me? I am six or seven years older than you. Appearance is also slightly good—.
Biman: Not slightly —.
Minakshi: That lady is also slapped and kicked by her husband. He is more established than me. But why does he beat me, you know? He has illicit relationship with two women. (He has affair with two women). One is his colleague, a doctor, other is an employee of the nursing home. Too much dominating, directs me in a commanding tone—- You know that I have to study human mind— I can understand everything--- That I can understand everything is known to him--- and, he beats this highly educated lady —
Biman: Beat?
Minakshi: My husband beats. To conceal his faults/weaknesses— Can you believe it? Even after this giving up all I am living alone. If a lady of my position is beaten think the status of an ordinary woman/ what would happen to an ordinary woman! Think it. Even after this I can survive. Doing a job I can live with pride, and you speak of death.
Biman: You should tell this secret family matters to this insane person. Just an ordinary man— I may be wicked—
Minakshi: Be a wicked man/a bad man. I don’t care. How much I have to fight against the elephants, you know?
Biman: While he comes to beat you whether he takes drink—-
Minakshi: Sometimes——
Biman: I assume it—- I fear so much to look at your eyes ——
Minakshi: You do everything with faith—. You take the gun with a faith— bring vegetables to me with faith— but all would not be taken in faith like you—-
Biman: Don’t you know that woman is very beautiful —
Minakshi: Who is she?
Biman: The mother of my son’s class mate. Do you know what does she say to me while I am going to bring my son from school?
Minakshi: What?
( Sequence change)
Mother: Oh! aren’t you Saurav’s father?
Biman: Yes
Mother: So lucky I am. So intelligent your son is! Please, admit him at a good drawing school. He draws so nice! Sure, one day he’d become a glamorous artist. I’ve seen his drawing book. Do you draw/ make painting?
Biman: I? No---no—
Mother: Certainly does his mother? He is good in study too. He stands first in the class. You teach him?
Biman: No — no —
Mother: Take care of the boy. Take good care. From now onwards you should take good care of him. My son has no interest at all. He watches TV. Does he eat properly?
Biman: His mom knows. Perhaps he does—
Mother: O I see! Our son does not want to eat at all. While feeding him I have to cry. Take care of him— if he does not eat what will happen! One with a sound health can study well. Have you enrolled him in the swimming school?
Biman: No. No opportunity— I does not stay at home—-- he has to go for marketing—--
Mother: Oh! you should not send such a little boy to the market. Don’t leave like that. So brilliant a boy! He draws so nice.
(Rung the bell— hue and cry of the school children)
(Sequence Change)
Biman: Don’t people believe in such sweet words? We cannot but believe in these words, can we? But she —— Oh! my son.
Minakshi: Don’t howl. Howling does not help. You can do anything. You have that faith—- So, I gave more importance on you than any other patients—
Biman: If you did not give more importance than I wearing a loose trouser would ask on the street— “Marriage--- where is marriage— marriage?”
(Both Minakshi and Biman laugh)
Biman: Do you know why the tusker did not kill me?
Minakshi: Why?
Biman: I am the son of an elephant catcher.
Minakshi: Elephant catcher?
Biman: One who bringing the wild elephant from the forest tames; one who catches elephant calf from a herd is a fandi. My father was a fandi. He loved elephant very much. That love cherished for the elephant has destroyed my father. It has destroyed our family. We grow up without food—- Bouti sent me to school--- but ——-- he scented the smell of a fandi in me ——- that tusker found the smell of my father——
Minakshi: You have not tell these stories——
Biman: How many stories will you hear—- how many—
Bilaire —— (folk song)
(Scene changes)
Mriganka: I shall cut— look, I shall cut.
Bap: Stop your speech— “I will cut, I will beat” (mimicry)
Mriganka: No, no. I cannot give up such things. If once I slain someone, then only people would get a lesson. Then only they’ll be cool.
Pabitra: What happened? What is that preparation of beating men?
Kala: No, that means——
Mriganka: But me no buts. I will cut two—- They took things for the market, they have to go on this way— I will fall down two in one stroke.
Pabitra: Then you will be put in jail—
Kala: No—- no— that means—-
Pabitra: you die yourself then you will bring others.
Kriganka: Can I stay leaving them like this—--
Pabitra: Don’t mention them. You should not mention them. All of them do not harm people. Will you quarrel with all of them only for those two quarrelsome men?
Mriganka: For such considerate/kinds words they find indulgence/ they take chance. They would do more.
Pabitra: Thus far and no further. Not to slain a man does not mean sewing our mouth.
Kanak: Why do they behave like this? Why do they trespassing? Why do they come ahead our farm? Boundaries were once mapped!
Pabitra: We should take care of that thing. Why are they advancing? Without looking into that matter quarrelling does not help anybody/us.
Mriganka: No need of look into all these matters. We the people who are farming in this part of the river bank, they cannot use this land. If they trespass we would use spears. They would be beheaded.
Kanak: Wait. You should not tell such things so loudly. A small spark can start a great fire.
Pabitra: For such mad man like you great events happen.
Mriganka: If people don’t become insane for such matters tell me for which matters they will be! We established farm in this part. Boundary has been fixed. Now they try to trespass; if they come forward, doesn’t our land diminish? Besides that elephants are there. Can we live with the money that we earn from the farm?
Pabitra: That’s is true. But that can’t be replied with weapons. Reply will be given in some other way.
Kanak: How?
Pabitra: Today we shall have to sit cool headed. Don’t go with this boiled head. All should be discussed and be decided. One unnecessary matter can destroy everything. I warn you. Do you hear?
Kanak: Do you hear? We shall take a decision together. Otherwise, nothing can be done. Always we cannot quarrel. How all these can be done-- chasing elephants, quarreling with people—-
Mriganka: When do we quarrel?
Pabitra: Today— afternoon — remember.All of us will meet and discuss together; then only we can decide what to do.
Mriganka: What’s the use of such discussion? They—-
Pabitra: Keep quiet. I know. I had prepared land in this farm before you. Tigers roared at night. I stayed alone. I started this farm from that time onwards. You should not start quarrel now. I opened this land with much labour. I cannot leave all this in your hands.
(Bupan’s cry come here— come here—)
(All of them run)
Pabitra is looking at them. Devajit and Kumud come towards Pabitra.
Pabitra: Hunh—
Deva: What would happen now?
Pabitra: Yaa
Deva: Can we do? Can we make the people calm?
Kumud: Horrible days.
Deva: Oh horrible. Most horrible days are ahead. We are working here for the sake of eking out our life. Now I think we would no longer dwell here.
Kumud: What would happen? Please, tell me, what would happen?
(Bupan and others slowly carry Biman. He is beaten by the other group)
Mriganka: You stay idle. I will go and certainly slain a few of them --- makepohha.
(All prevent him from going)
Pabitra: Wait
Deva: Do you go mad? All of them are standing united. Going in this way means death. We cannot leave you to die.
Mriganka: Nice— it is nice to welcome death—. It is good to die than to live a dying life.
Kanak: Don’t sat only about death. Please, tell about life.
Deva: All will remain alive.
Mriganka: One of our friend has been beaten to death. He did not do any harm. If Bupan did not reach at time—-
Biman: What would happen? Tell, what would happen?
(The scene ends)
Trailokya: Oh, kela hatipok
Borali: Hatipok! I have not heard about this. Where from it has come?
Trailoikya: I can identify it. Trees are cut there. So they come this part.
Borali: How it would go away?
Trailoikya? Beng. They won’t go.
Borali: Then why do you arrange puja and worship so much?
Trailoikya: I open a way for earning. Earning-- Expenditure!
Borali: Terrible worm. They finish everything trees, leaves, grass — all. How the paddy field would be saved?
Trailoikya: Hatipok. It has a long sting like the trunk of an elephant. That’s why it is called a hatipok.
Borali: Elephants destroy paddy fields. But if this small insect eat nodoby sees him. From which place it has come, how it eats paddy, nobody can watch. No pesticide can kill these pests.
Trailoikya: Medicine fails; so, our puja goes on. Idiot.
Borali: How many days your puja would run?
Trailoikya: This insect will not die soon. Two groups from each banks of the river quarrel over this pest. From one part people come to cultivate on another part. Quarreling--- quarreling---
Borali: Quarreling among themselves. Quarrel among themselves and you have started arranging puja amidst all this.
Trailoikya: Suhh. Don’t tell about this. AS it is going on we are earning an amount.That woman is coming. Prepare yourself.
(Bondipa comes)
(Trailoikya prepares holy water)
Trailoikya: Spray it. Spray it with sacred mind.
Ban: The pest has covered all the places. I have never heard of hatipok. From which place it has come? Where from it has come?
Trailoikya: Spray with sacred mind. They will fly--- go--- go---.
Ban: But those insects torture severely. They eat grass leaves too. They crawl to the soil/root. No medicine does work. What would happen?
Trailoikya: Yes.
Borali: He has given the proper medicine, take it and spray with a sacred heart. The pest will be destroyed.
Trailoikya: Ok. Bye ---(Bandeepa goes)
Borali: Thus far and no further. It would not be possible. Such a lie, how can it be run?
(Trailoikya catches Borali and beats him)
Borali: Why do you beat me?
Trailoikya: Ke --la. Not a sweet word. Not a good word in his mouth. If the hatipok will be destroyed will our business run? Tell me, yes or no?
Borali: But this is a terrible insect. Small in size, but mightier than a huge elephant. They come in swarms. Within a night they destroy a vegetables garden. As if these insects enter human/our heads. Only quarreling--- conflict— fighting--. That day by beating Biman they augmented the conflict. He was once a militant--- nobody can tell up to which extent the conflict will go ——.
Trailoikya: Our business will run smoothly---
Borali: Shut up— go—
Pabitra and Biman come
Pabitra: I know that you get pain. But, will you stay not beating people, not cutting/slaining them?
Biman: I cannot say. But why do they beat me? I never do anything to them.
Pabitra: Armyworms surround everywhere. How much you take pain to cultivate these insects destroy our paddy/crop. So, people cannot identify who is their enemy.
Biman: How men can become such enemies!
Pabitra: One day you take the gun. Everything did not end with that. Then you have changed---got married — You become a father. Started cultivation--- all this is you--- I tell you to try to settle the quarrel. Only you can do it. Otherwise before the hatipok, others will destroy our paddy field.
Biman: Don’t give this mad man lots of responsibilities. I have beaten, after that —--
Pabitra: What will you do more than that? Those who have been beaten have to take the responsibility. And those who take the responsibility are always beaten black and blue. If you become patient we can diminish the quarrel.
Biman: No, no. Don’t give any more responsibility. Don’t give more burden in this head.
Bupan comes running
Bupan: The Govt. officers may come to visit our paddy fields. That is a car.
Biman: Oh! madam’s car —— on this way—-
Pabitra: Which baideu/madam?
Biman: Wait wait— Madam, park the car there— don’t bring on this way—- no road at all —Pabitra: Which madam/baideu?
Bupan: How can I know?
Biman: I have never thought that you will come here.
Minakshi: Do you not like my coming here? I come to visit your farm. Moreover, I have not seen you for a couple of days.
Biman: From this onwards is my cultivation. Those are theirs—- others too cultivate —--
Minakshi: Waoo! A big farm.(Huge cultivation)
Biman: To see the vegetables and crops growing is a matter of great pleasure. (It gives immense pleasure to see the vegetables and crops growing/ to see a growing paddy field.)
Minakshi: To beat a man cannot give pleasure. To make you happy matters most.
Biman: Do you know, they have beat me severely.
Minakshi: You? Who has beaten you?
Pabitra: That is long story. Conflict grows amongst us. Between the farms. He has been beaten without any reason. We try to be too much patient so that the quarrel would not increase.
Minakshi: Oh! I have come to pick up happiness/to make my mind free by watching your paddy fields, but it grieves me.
Pabitra: What would you see the crops! Everywhere armyworms encircle.
Bupan: Hatipok entered the human heads
Minakshi: In the brains? What’s the matter?
Pabitra: Something has happened to these people? They only say about beating -- slaining of people. What has happened I don’t understand.
Minakshi: Why?
Pabitra: Lots of matters.
Bupan: Lots of. How much will you hear?
Pabitra: People do not understand the problem of the armyworms. They die by quarrel among themselves.
Minakshi: Amidst this you have been beaten, and look, how you can stand without being excited. There lies my success.
Biman: Hey, you should prepare some food items for our madam. (Both of them are going)
Minakshi: I am so happy. Looking at your wellbeing that I feel goods is a proud possession for me. We should know how to make us feel good/ our mind happy, we have to learn. My husband does not know. He thinks that two or three women will make him happy— but that never happens. He beats me for not feeling happy.
BIman: Chasing elephants how long we would cultivate?
Minakshi: Then what are the ways opened for you?/ what are the options?(Then what option remains?) Elephants will eat, birds will eat, then only you will get your share— this is life. Nothing else.
Biman: But this hatipok? It destroys from the root. No medicine works.
Minakshi: This is a new problem. I cannot tell how it can be tackled.
Biman: I became mad; you cured me with much labour. Hatipok has made these people mad. It has destroyed their cultivation, hence, they want a solution. Fighting with their own people they become insane. What treatment will you do to these people?
Rashid: Hey, Biman! The herd may turn up tonight. Moinul has seen one or two of that herd crossing the road while returned from bazaar.
Biman: Go, go, get ready with flaming tar balls and firecrackers. This garden made with so much pain cannot be left to be spoiled as such. Be ready. Get ready from this time onwards.
Minakshi: From this time onwards?
Biman: If any other way we have, please, tell.
Minakshi: No, there is no other way than fighting. It is the only way— no option remains.
All are ready for the fight.
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