Lordof bowing

25
lostsick,andcloaks
be the hill Poodna's
cheese, the morning:had an the
tambourines
swayed near
jungle the mostoffered
aloneher necessary
phallus littlefrom
*
The
witch
wouldto some hadfallen unholy Googa Theymaking to
left make foodexpended Mahesh,Thenher down
and down
wearing
prayed, next She
it of brothers
among one.without
mother,
to the stone took
milkagain,
herd wife hadsomething andBut the and
couldmaking
corn.
of. she went
had deity.
village, serious in
bear she and
mutton,their custom his them
common cymbalsdied
meat
Poodna's money and the think
husbands,
Vishnu
Goddess,
and
grass, plant,
the
could possessions
once andof she In
the
eaten father very awith wine
drive Poodna village the peace.
giving
andthen, Two everything
thethe of rareclashingOne been a it. of Brahma.basil the
been one.hadpriest-shamans of by in beloved
reserves she
meat and was a the some fought
And
hadbrothers. they trom
that unmoved.had killed rest in
gods,
deityGooga
of
goat's crop by of propitiate souls
drink. as
Himalayas, wOven
beat tater.
days
twocourse, third
father
had
goddess.
the
eaten
been
did her her of Ganges, remain1ing
one other
neW mother,
the sons, thefor all trinity will
husbands'
bread, twofathers the remained and had
to was prayers
before
theheaddresses and theriveranysupreme
makebeerplant Doodna'shis belief to to
of
the sin,sheep andfour her
rice and three All danced
dawn offering
to herd
for to
and
to to valley. oftribesfather the strange.
her departed
offerings the and
otherTheir
Goddess a TheChamba Prayers
rye with time their
and andanduntil the
killed With priesther Ram,Shiva,
OT
to
theSOns
shoulder
village was shape thestrips
throw
wouldthe and down Chenab grain haveby would and
it at holdwealth warmedwheat
the houses, the year,fewandthey goats, Thewould They
the it, and
would
from in over a up toolsrice theirandRavi again.
enough
under piled Every snow,andharvesting.
journeyknow thrownscratchTheir all
primitivewhich snow, with
sheep
ran we and year. driving the up the
days'roadas collected
roofall
would it. plots of betweencame
on
melted months,
beneath for
'house' there theirgrain leave, herd they ready
twothe of they terraced forests lyingthe few
sort with a
would over
aboutwhere
a stones live other
September, of frombe a
Hardly some form been would for
not hillsidesome they the was water well
roughly
witd
The was place of
heapwithdid
house mountain. Then
theinto winter
had sun,
a family the or in Pangi, the rather
at of
a shelter,beginning rye the which
on possessionsWhen up spring
Poodna's
Pangi, like
His landorwheat in rainwater. soaked
then
live
the more plant below
IIvers. crop,
a the
of of of of
 & Otler Stories
26 + The Second Nose The Witch * 27
the
narrow mountain pass, into her clothes torn to shreds every year by the thorn
Pangi, through the high and
lined the path of their bushes that
jungles of Chamba.
Poodna was the eldest of her
four sons. Even before
he journey.
The pride of her heart was now h¢r
walk with the tread of a man, son
was thirteen he had begun to
swirling dashingly
ho up his head like a
heheholds young stág! May the
Poodna-see
how
the flared skirt of his long white wool coat him! May Googa be merciful gods protect
around his
around his ankles. From the grass rope wrapped hat and
towards him! Every month she
made an offering of one thing or the
waist hung a long,curved knife. In his tall
hillman's
well-being of her SOns: a hen or a
other to the gods for the
he led his sheep goose, or
sometimes alamb
a long stick placed cockily on his shoulder, from her own herd. The temple priests gave
and goats like a victorious general leading his army. powerful blessings, generously calling her th¹ir most
His mother could not get enough of this sight. He reminded upon their own heads
any possible calamity that might be threatening
her of Samang, his father. Although he was the youngest of the old woman's
Sons.
her three husbands, Samang had. been the first to give her a Poodna's mother had one last desire: to find a girl, somehow
son. And how he had fought with that enormousbear! People or other, as a wife for the four of
said that if the bear had not been the pet of the Goddess of them and to get them all
married in a big ceremony.
Ratanjog village, Samang would certainly have torn out its
entrails with his kmife. The bear had jumped on him from That year with the onset of winter Poodna's family was
behind and Samang had not had the chance of reaching his again
on the journey down from Pangi. They stopped on the
knife that was lying nearby. The will of the gods, the will of western
slope for arest and to let their herd graze. In the uninhabited
Googa!
Poodna's mother had first seen Samang doing a sword country around Pasna they met some travellers, two men with
dance at the fair at Kulu. She had paid some money to his their three servants, from the country -beyond their own
family in dowry, married him and brought him over to her mountains. For Poodna's family that was the unknown country,
house. He must have been some man, for she herself had been down and away from the Goddess's mountains, the place from
so beautiful and of such good family that (had she wished so) Where came salt and sugar. Where women by magical spells
she could have been carried in a palanquin, to be married to turned their men into goats and sheep and kept them tethered
some high-caste squire of Lahoul. There she would have spent totheir bedposts.Where money grew on trees. What suspicion
her life lollingon a couch, surrounded by servants, or passed and contempt every right-thinking hillman feels for that
the time by playing with her husband's prize-fighting partridges. country!
But she had given all this up for Samang,choosing, in its These particular people from those foreign lands were, as
the life of travel between the hills and the valley and stead, Cney generally are, rich. And strange. For no apparent reason
having
(Tor pleasúre, they had said) they were making the diticult
 day He
unfolded
Go and carried
less four, and muchfistfuls Chamba partyoflost tears been situation
river,travellers. herd sons wavered,
her seen servants, and had hadclimb 28
*
andwould, back gazed Money than counted After
days'
five several aroused. Poodna'sBut with behind head silver his
to to
slipped Te
and money
of the make up
to dissuade just and but brothers Second
he before in his then silversahib her,
of
Pasna, in times coins, fourth a and to
a Pangi.
was astonishment them His
her. their
waving
course, hiwhole
s four before; went
into
and she out litter Nase
very his pocket, rupees to him, curiosity of She or by
carrier broken
over with in
brothers &
find eyes.
herd and the journey the
setgreed motherpeopleoffers to They
he but told her carry Otber
hungry. gohis off was his
back, for
four and piledhospital. jungle
He Poodnaas of hetried and into for them
hands saw
from of leg had Stories
family over. his needed. the
did goatsagain. coinsthe money. silver onlost
Upbut wonders wages. towntheof before left perhaps to the what
in injured
Poodna stretcher th e not that
to for and not sat and Four quietly stop
forest. a coins. snow-covered a the
There was
tofirmunknown They
now now, show know outside Taking way
of sheep. times up He he him, his get'no',
happening. The
man.
the were inhad was caught sympathy, in tried
he the
too,had entangled and
them what
itDalhousie the columns
times
four,
four Dalhousie. crossedtheythe his her Wi t h
had was she country. boys to
four never then night.
mother boys They one
hospital up pushed lure
been late the to given had onlyslope. of
money! do and with Shaking Poodna
in ofseen He and in
never three They them
given next. town gate two four two They shed
the So the got her this her

ala OL cud i S lo SOonbegan and Poodna.for

and-dumb. imaginary
toget coin his himself this, hands. at thathis in Hehis a
one eat.
The some hand the
Poodna Hey! armacist ration
did
gawkingexchangé
honest homnetown asity 1hefound and He had own
high of to pharmacist. He
everything first He understood wife
milespharmacist' the understand
s more to
this,
vigorously You! at was heard meals. and of
But They nodded his rice
servant. as higher that few was needed everything
camearoundhim stillby
of
his he and money, about
south-east was days money mouth in not Want Where
could
status Poodna learned spoke the you' ll Out. sitting
in and as his to The Sure
Poodna orders name at mimeda the flour
and the he head and air. and the a aHe
servant. but
of
Kangra
pharmacist what job?
the 'shops' by
he in was
was talk was fast. him tothe Poodna getstupid noticed
in pharmacist' s and leastatworked food, he where hehis
metDalhousie.
was e
thintelligent servant's a find
all kshatriya Nazar their told Heby got hillbiíly: job' called hospital employers,
where
looking district,
these got understood you'l Poodna him were food
language. togestures, up. he his made was.
Singh do. two would jaws, out.
house ge t tasks, when gate those one in
conditions. for His about caste: and In
good as "You'll gestúres He and looking could this and
salary,
a and
reliable. The a get might money.'
then trying stared the shops? strange witch*29 The
ifwere thathe remembreg had
simple, one the he short meals difficult he
pharmacist was something tossed have towith hospital's lost get
Poodna, alas, hundred belonged
Rajputs. time He mutely things place?cooked
cheap was day
adeat make
to
he anput do his and
feslu
 31 behaviour
The
witch hadown
and
Surju
into irritating,
mule-
foundwhilehappened
not and looking
her
withnoticed then the withSuddenly
control
if
himself
move. desperation
In
her. for
him escape'of tookthreatened
:
excitement.
where
daughter onee
there bump
one's couldup frightened Shaking lathi,
was sheor sizzle not at
lookedhad every he
his house
cavilling kitchen, ed you.' and
clung
to
with to Poodna him just she he shed did theaRajput!
manif
servant., occasions theyandstillhe would her
wonderedif arms.
pleasure.S beg Surju with money
Singh's
working with
the warmth first the at old
needless orif right,If followed
to I under lookPoodna
eyes, Whether
around at
cheeks
direction. out knowledge in Please! The
angry effort his and
a
as In
Nazar
any many Surju's courtyard, found alone
in around
neck
his
buckling servant stealing
workedagainsther be
not
certain
she eyes an her
Poodna out.
was her Don't! up him
in hadnd )toeach to
find his timesoon make -hertook
anticipated a for
high-caste
beat
He threw
In tried thefeel a
it him,
caught Poodna'sThis found and
case,
never prejudice
Poodna
hands. it. then knew in dare
between police
usedit.enjoy in would glancessome
away.
she to
him. andhim, trembling
had she buffalo; Sometimes
seemed
he Singh.
Hów and
Forbut that to day
One
Poodna
tethered arms
her the
Poodna Poodna
servile when
to meltingSurju
she
an
stop
intimacy money
Since
any
wasnbegan other. but
oldtobedbne,
the
heartfurtive nerVOusneSs,
embarrassment.
saw close with to
triedbegan
to
him
not
anger:
headed, feeding her Surju stood her
was She
threw Nazar his
he her she legs This
support. all Teport
O
was her
N'an
ton she
filled buffalo
fear her away
her old
a
sometimes
newof Nazarbarebeginning
andwuld at yearswhen for father for a deed, his onlyand PoodnaWhenorders,andHe are,stirrings
Poodna.
little one as
return
his not clumsy husbands families,If hometown them. coat,men.men
Rajputs, Whoever eighteen
crazy face groom's was
goodson-in-law.
did her
in asee hillthe
Hc engulfed the
and little a
her a
as a it long
time. woolother
to between felt
covering find age,
Dalhousie.me high-caste In
purdah
family.crazy.
andwas the ceremony
Some doing
his
response as
longlikefair,she
let a Surju, to theirripe
albeit servant from
but first easyGenerally,son.of a grow kurta him
the was
bit of benefit thisaway for at in
mother,
mind, in thesimple,a thoughtquite marriage
daughter, his to at
andandHelooked
the lived a communitysmile
laughed to
Stories in of was for dowry to
life amongoutside before families. the up been began face.
hat trousers
Oter wory-freehis 'Never daughters so he never
was bride
the for or married also
sometimestall his Surju
and thought
them eldest
purdah it had tension
his
think, custommen
shave
&
Nose brothers had district of a or gift
Singh' s around.
was
Poodna good getting
expensesgoodwill his had
Singh up
cotton when
andbeforeto they observe token
not of Surju given to Now shyness.
Second the would the seemed too andsexual
wife from
Kangra wasNazar members
talk
loose
learnt
likedhis world.the faces that Nazar she the
of
a had
first wore sturdy.
The is
he As Singh'sPoodna
missed to
witless, and girlsall favour
of gavedaughter
because to of new
gesture
their bother
also
* too, life, that!old, In otherAt began He
kind
30 the paidthe still nowhadanda
a of
 grain family's the ofhalf than more crop. autumn harvesting
the of
time the Pangi
at arrived
at
year that for crop Aboutafollowed. feast great Poodna slopes, snowy upherpulling and hildeserted
s across
quarter
of
herd their accepted
aas De leading
her jungles, densethrough back his Surju
on Carrying
tribe." of
the woman
Only whole the TOr ast
odna'
ite s wil then community.
She wine. skins
of large two Orering of pace. his up
kept andshoulder his toonher liftedPoodna
ngea also must
and sheep sacrifice
ten must mother Foodna's bleed. started
to soon they paths; rough on
such trodden never
he make spoke finally GoogaWll. Poor
them: ofonethrough her
had feet purdah, inlife her spent had She Surju!
Goddess to
the called and chains Iron Khajiyar.
e express
the to
beat They wine. rice the Sura, Of miles twelve covered had they
with hour anfor backs their over
to crossed had and
They temple. the Googa in Image
of seen being
aby risk than forest
owl after bowldowned daybreak Before being. human
circle in
adown satpriests The gods. theinvoke haunted that witch
in the hands of the deathatpreferred
tbefore
he ready terror, other
in
They held. was elders village meeting
of A have would They together. die to
cidedto stalked
by being
sent. their for gods the asnecessary k to bewil before?It to They spirits.
each clung evil andwitches
intoamarried wind in
the rustling leaves of
hing sucha ofhear ever you Didfamily. Pangi fear the with them filled
from woman objected,
A Theyjealous. Witch's called he
hill tbeyond
haslands foreign the Even
feel to sound of Broomstick'.
the inoff
households in that
many abundance in
such Khajiyar, towards forest dense through darkness
the
began village the
prosperity and luck Good Poodna room. was of
her window
mily Poodna's returned to had set They for
her. waiting
only have you down herself let Shebedpost. to fastened
her them
sons! thefrom after Just
gesture ain together
and sheets several tied Surju midnight
Mablessing,
y her gave finally and
welcome, of pride. midnight.' hospital
at the
hair smelled
her then chin, Surju's touched gently She
him tohim tell and bazaar the in
that from below road the onme for wait the of
with filled heartmother's His land! strange shewoman, cleaning
with back wife broughta actually not had Poodna for look and 'Gobegged, every
back,
he come only would andmorning
Poodna household? Now thornament
e in thePlacing evening. and
sucha intodaughteri their give His hand old the fwaited
or
who married, for other the clean came
to who woman Shestolea
get toable been not hadbrothers Would latrines gold
action. such: disgraced
by publiclythemselves jewellery mother's herfromornament herself. kill would
felt havebeyond box
familself-respecting
y Pangi an Small nowas be
she his, either
country
Any matter. small
a or,
like herself, to said
the for hills the home ircle. she girlRajput true a house.
in leaving his Poodna'shappiness,circle. uttering without all itbore She
in
himaround danced then She word. a told
to was and
and hands their joined They woula room her stay
in
tears
of shed put upper the on the leave not did
themselves and neck s
hiaround arms their of
the storey also was Surju town.
joy. with His thrashingp good given
a
beside werbrothers
e and mother Second Tbe *32
Stories Other Nose&
33wi*tch The
 country!" own her back
to Gone 8ne! witch up! breakit andfamily separate
my to Do
want you house?
jabber: began
to and shriek
let Suddenl
she y 1S
outa my
into come wives
to four three
or expect you thing!
Do
The'Gone! swayed a
them. with head her shook and also Surju mantras. such allow never wil mother,I the family?
As the brother
in
heads
in theirshaking and one toonlbelonging
y land pi
ofece a wi
orfe heard
a
chanted and prayers said theyunison, of ever
Swaying gongs. tambourines
and struck
at cymbals
and Clashed you Have forever! wander soul myMay worms! wiinfested
th
They temple. courtyard
the of the circle
in ainaround
her sat limbs
be myall may sons, my fathers
of three between
th e
the when throat.discriminated ever witness,
I if my Googais country! your
and hair heuntied r they effect, took wine
her down wine quantityof poureda and knife ahandle
of
the from witches those like just talk You same! the all brothers are
herforced Surju, seized then priests The his andPoodna thing? sucha say you can "How voice, grave
with open mouth Surju
ain explained
to mother-in-law Her sky. clear undera
nonsense. talking stop wil she away
them struck lightníng
had ofbolt areacted
if as brothers and
goes witch the When right. all bewil woman exorcised,
the
mother Poodna's Pangi. heard
in never wasoutrage Such
witch
is the Ifbody. woman's this over taken has witch
me.touch can else one no
wife,Poodna's am
of
aspirit "The advice: their giving before trance intoa went Surju when
said,I She family. Poodna's quarrel starteda
in
priests the again Once advice. for elders the to
went She had week Hardlya
family?" my
into was
feted Community the since passed
everything. do
anything
and
to
her bring ceremony the for justharvest the half and sheep Forsilence. inthat
bear willing
to was she sakePoodna's
tsacrificed
en my haveI
not "Besides, cried. mother Poodna's She belt. wool black long anda wool thick skirt
of
al bore
woman!' a ofsake the for Just son mylose cannot T asked
to was she and away taken childhood,
was
her take or ful weara
yelled. they away?" worn had kind the
she salwar-kameez, dress
of Her
since
himself toher keep brother one anHow family! the eto merriment and this all
joy throughout bewildered sat Surju
their Drawing spears. andswords with
has wife 'A feet. their jumped
to they knives he They
country. her toback should and sura quantities of consumed
vast
goand him with Surju take dancesperformed celebration,
forgot spirit
of
thbrothers
at suggested
his to Poodna out, way no Seeing objections andjealousies their
helplessness in Thedropped. she until feast the
desperation. and but days, several byneighbours,
the carried wrapped she
wept just Surjuresolved. her round cord wool long a
could
be nothing danceda and waist the and
themselves
for among argued quarrelled and brothers The continue.
To would linefamily
celebrate
the blessings,
knife,' your. occasion daughter-in-law
come had a merciful
that. like sin Commita not wil 'but
I said, she
refused Surju house the to Goddess
was the as long
with pieces to mecut may
You listen. Through right! all was pleased,it used
to every he, the in up
Poodna's festivities.
andcustoms land Worry; not dimother
d
country,her. toEversaid practices, OWn its has ac
y heherpersuade
her. . gently
to tried Poodna Even The +34
Stories Other Nose&Second
35wit*ch The
 lands
a Pangi went
below.
rockswherehouse. thinking her Visited
behaviour, mother
anything sheSurju had 36
witch, declared., happened. *
daayom
vali.lolk Poodna down hair When staggered Poodna finally
Everyone Te
can and to
the She
flying the
she never
You of mountain to the
got the her Second
would and with
Without went herself. For priests went up feet. and been
the and effect brothers into was Nose
turn may some
villages his it. straight offearly, the hidriven
to
s relieved
have her
Suddenly of to Leaning &
into try family pausingshestream time, thank
win e and house. brothers Other
been a clothes did away.
thousand a
around to make
decent fell she happy on that Stories
afraid were a she wore them to
spot
dishevelled,
over sat an That helped the
took jumped her. thanks
woman. distraught. jumpedinto offering
near
perfectly off,before with night
to times, a Nextshoulders
jump counsel high Surju an be
the up. her she to
Had a precipice returning
still, to
morning exhausted
into witch shrine she Her realised Googa. did Goga,
together. The streamthe daughter-in-law of
that she ran eyes her
not the
from out head
stream. not elders on of frenzied whathome. She Poodna:object brothere and the
been thos They
Googa
to of
and the the bent had als lim Wit