Land of Five Rivers Read Online Free PDF

her forehead.’
    He sat up on his knees. He wanted to remove all doubts. He recalled the marks Lajwanti had had tatooed on her body as a child; they were like the green spots on the leaves of lajwanti, which disappear when the leaves curl up. His Lajwanti behaved exactly in the same way; whenever he pointed out her tatoo marks she used to curl up in embarrassment as if in a shell — almost as if she were stripped and her nakedness was being exposed. A strange longing as well as fear wracked Sunder Lal’s body. He took Lal Chand by the arm and asked, ‘How did Lajo get to the border?’
    â€˜There was an exchange of abducted women between India and Pakistan.’
    â€˜What happened?’ Sunder Lal stood up suddenly and repeated impatiently. ‘Tell me, what happened then?’
    Rasalu rose from the charpoy and in his smoker’s wheezy voice asked. ‘Is it really true that sister-in-law Lajo is back?’
    Lal Chand continued his story... ‘At the border the Pakistanis returned sixteen of our women and took back sixteen of theirs... there was some argument... our chaps said that the women they were handing over were old or middle-aged... and of little use. A large crowd gathered and hot words were exchanged. Then one of their fellows got Lajo to stand up on top of the truck, snatched away her
duppatta
and spoke: ‘Would you, describe her as an old woman? ...Take a good look at her... is there one amongst those you have given us who could measure up to her? And Lajo
bhabhi
was overcome with embarrassment and began hiding her tatto marks. The argument got very heated and both parties threatened to take back their ‘goods’. I cried out ‘Lajo! ...sister-in-law Lajo!’...There was a tumult... our police cracked down upon us.’
    Lal Chand bared his elbow to show the mark of a
lathi
blow. Rasalu and Neki Ram remained silent. Sunder Lal stared vacantly into space.
    Sunder Lal was getting ready to go to the border at Wagah when he heard of Lajo’s return. He became nervous and could not make up his mind whether to go to meet her or wait for her at home. He wanted to run away; to spread out all the banners and placards he had carried, sit in their midst and cry to his heart’s content. But, like other men, all he did was to proceed to the police station as if nothing untoward had happened. And suddenly he found Lajo standing in front of him. She looked scared and shook like a
peepul
leaf in the wind.
    Sunder Lal looked up. His Lajwanti carried a
duppatta
worn by Muslim women; and she had wrapped it round her head in the Muslim style. Sunder Lal was also upset by the fact that Lajo looked healthier than before; her complexion was clearer and she had put on weight. He had sworn to say nothing to his wife but he could not understand why, if she was happy, had she come away? Had the government compelled her to come against her will?
    There were many men at the police station. Some were refusing to take back their women. ‘We will not take these sluts, leftover by the Muslims,’ they said. Sunder Lal overcame his revulsion. He had thrown himself body and soul into this movement. And there were his colleagues Neki Ram, the old clerk, and the lawyer, Kalka Prasad, with their raucous voices yelling slogans over the microphone. Through this babel of speeches and slogans Sunder Lal and Lajo proceeded to their home. The scene of a thousand years ago was being repeated; Shri Ram Chandra and Sita returning to Ayodhya after their long exile. Some people were lighting lamps of joy to welcome them and at the same time repenting of their sins which had forced an innocent couple to suffer such hardship.
    Sunder Lal continued to work with the Rehabilitation of Hearts Committee with the same zeal. He fulfilled his pledge in the spirit in which it was taken and even those who had suspected him to be an armchair theorist were converted to his point of view. But there were many