As the end of the wall came into Ganesh’s sight, his heart began to beat wildly. From the wall’s corner he would be able to see Madhurani. He began to trace quick steps. Sada was still following him. But Ganesh was neither aware of Sada or of people he was passing by. Ganesh was extremely eager to meet Madhurani.
Then the moment came. Taking a turn at the corner, Ganesh was able to see Madhurani sitting at her cash-counter. She was engrossed in her work. He was anxious that she looked at him and that he got drenched in the ardent ness of her eyes. He went and stood before Madhurani.
“Yes..Ganeshrao.. what shall I give you? A cigarette?” Madhurani gave him a casual glance and asked.
Ganesh realised that all the dreams within him had shattered. She spoke to him as she would to a total stranger. He did not expect her to treat him like a stranger especially considering the manner in which Madhurani had taken his leave the other day. Ganesh was shocked. Whatever was happening was completely unexpected. He began to feel that the earth under his feet should give way and draw him within. Ganesh’s face fell. He did not know what to say. “No..I needed one Lux soap,” he said just to say something. Two cakes of lux soap were already lying in his room. But now the situation was such that he simply had to buy something.
“Or shall I give you Wheel?” Madhurani reminded him of the previous incident and laughed aloud.
Ganesh gave a weak smile. He somehow felt that Madhurani had seen the disappointed look on his face and was now trying to make fun of him.
Madhurani took out a cake of Lux soap and placed it in his hand. His hand strangely trembled. But this time, purposely, she had gently dropped the soap on to his hand. He was thoroughly disappointed. Taking out money from his pocket he paid her and began to return with a disappointed look. Just then Madhurani’s enchanting voice reached him from behind.
“Did you go home for two days?.. I missed you a lot.”
Ganesh turned and looked at Madhurani. His face had suddenly brightened now. Madhurani was once again giving him an ardent look. He felt like going back to her.
But no…
It won’t look nice…
He turned and with a renewed vigour began to walk towards his room. He began to think. I am so stupid…
In front of all her customers how could Madhurani express her inner feelings.
But she could have at least touched him gently.
But when returning she had again given him a sign.
The fact that she had taken note of his absence for two days meant that she indeed felt something for him.
Complete novel - Honey - A story of a feminine power
Re: Complete novel - Honey - A story of a feminine power
Ganesh was sitting in his village office. A crowd of villagers had thronged the office. More than those who had come with some work in hand, there were those who had none. A few sat on the platform crushing tobacco and some were smoking chillums. In the office, the Grampanchayat, at its own cost, had purchased a large radio and putting it on people listened to news or songs. The period around eight on Wednesday evenings was strictly reserved for the youth. They never allowed any one to put on any thing other than Binaca Geetmala, a weekly hit parade of popular Hindi film music People sitting on the slabs were listening to news broadcast by the radio. Ganesh’s office was in the same hall. Three tables were joined together and placed in a corner. Behind the tables were placed two chairs. Of the two, one in the extreme corner was occupied by Ganesh. Two persons were standing in front Ganesh’s table. One of them was an uneducated aged villager. Ganesh asked him.
“Yes, what do you want?”
“Sir .. that 7-11 or something like that…,” the villager said.
“7-12” Ganesh corrected him.
“Yes. That’s it.” The villager said getting excited.
“Do you have an old 7-12 or its copy?”
The villager gave a questioning look to first Ganesh and then to the 20-21 year old youth standing next to him.
“Tell me your name,” Ganesh asked.
“Ganpat Sadoba Khot,” the villager told him his name.
Ganesh recorded it in a register kept on the table before him.
“Do you know the Survey number?”
The villager again gave a questioning look, first to Ganesh and next to the lad standing beside him.
“This is always the trouble with you people .. You don’t have copy of the old 7-12.. and you also don’t know the Survey Number… You only know your name, And that’s quite a fortune.. To search records only from a name will take time… Come next Monday..” Ganesh said with obvious irritation.
“See if it can be done earlier, Sir” the villager pleaded with utmost submissiveness.
“Okay.. okay .. come and take a chance on Thursday,” Ganesh told him trying to cut him short.
The villager went away with folded hands.
“Yes, what is it that you want?” Ganesh asked another lad who stood there.
“We and our cousins have problem of sharing … I came to find out how we can settle it.”
Gaensh had seen that lad many times coming to Madhurani’s shop. Ganesh was tackling office work but his thoughts were constantly about Madhurani. A fly, when brushed away from one side of the ear, going to the other and when brushed away from there too, buzzing continuously from the earlier one.
“Sit down,” Ganesh pointed at a chair and asked him to take seat.
Just then the villager who had come earlier returned.
“Now, what is it?” Ganesh smirked.
“No, how much will it cost for my work?” the villager asked in a hesitating voice.
“Why, don’s you know it?”
The villager shook his head. Pandu is sitting on the platform outside, find out from him, “Ganesh tried to ignore the villager and said without looking at him.
“yes sir” the villager said.
Sir had asked me to take the chair but had I heard correctly?... With this uncertainty the lad, for some time, looked at Ganesh and then looking at the chair he lingered on.
“Why don’t you sit?” Ganesh again asked him to take a seat.
He sat feeling slightly embarrassed.
The villager looked at the lad who sat in the chair and then also at Ganesh and went out.
From the corner of his eyes, Ganesh saw the villager going out and he straight away came to the point.
“I have seen you many times in Madhurani’s shop,”
“Yes… I buy my provisions ,, that shop is nearer,” he said blushing.
“Many young people gather there in the evenings .. what’s the matter?” Ganesh was trying to take a stock of various things but his main objective was to learn more about Madhurani.
“Nothing, Sir. They gather there to smoke beedis. Useless buggers… what else can they do?” he said.
“Don’t bluff…” Ganesh said smiling to himself.
“It is like this, Sir. Where there is jaggery, flies will automatically gather, won’t they?” he said reducing his one eye to a narrow wink.
“That means.. even you… “
No, Sir ” I go there because other boys gather there.”
“Is that so?” Ganesh smiled to himself and gave the lad a sharp look
Feeling embarrassed the boy began to look here and there. Just then a village lad came inside. Ganesh gave him a displeased look. He had wanted to ask some more questions to the lad sitting before him. And he did not want anyone else nearby. But the village lad stood there determinedly.
“But isn’t there any one else in her house?... It is only her that I always see sitting at the cash counter.” Ganesh had thought that if he carried out the conversation without taking Madhurani’s name the other lad would not make out anything.
“Her father in law is there.. But he is always rolling in the dust bin, dead drunk,” the boy told him.
“And her husband?” Ganesh asked what was an important question from his point of view.
“Sir , her husband has died.. Poor one.. within a year of marriage he died.”
“Who says that he died?... The Patil got him killed.” The second lad who was still standing near Ganesh’s table said.
“Hey the son of bitch,.. the Patil has already proved the matter in the court,” the lad who had sat in the chair now got up in excitement and said.
“Patil has great influence in the court… There he will pay an amount and make a dead person come alive… If he needs to do that…”
“Oye, don’t speak whatever comes to your tongue and blow like into a hollow pipe.
Both were about to break into a heated argument. Ganesh interrupted,
“Hey, first you go out… let me finish his work.. then, you can come in.”
The lad who had come later on was sent out by Ganesh.
Giving filthy abuses, looking over his shoulders every now and then, he went out.
Then Ganesh extracted all possible information about Madhurani.
Poor Madhurani…
Within a year of her marriage, her husband had died…
Poor one, she was ill fated…
How her heart must be aching.
Ganesh began to feel sympathy for her.
“Yes, what do you want?”
“Sir .. that 7-11 or something like that…,” the villager said.
“7-12” Ganesh corrected him.
“Yes. That’s it.” The villager said getting excited.
“Do you have an old 7-12 or its copy?”
The villager gave a questioning look to first Ganesh and then to the 20-21 year old youth standing next to him.
“Tell me your name,” Ganesh asked.
“Ganpat Sadoba Khot,” the villager told him his name.
Ganesh recorded it in a register kept on the table before him.
“Do you know the Survey number?”
The villager again gave a questioning look, first to Ganesh and next to the lad standing beside him.
“This is always the trouble with you people .. You don’t have copy of the old 7-12.. and you also don’t know the Survey Number… You only know your name, And that’s quite a fortune.. To search records only from a name will take time… Come next Monday..” Ganesh said with obvious irritation.
“See if it can be done earlier, Sir” the villager pleaded with utmost submissiveness.
“Okay.. okay .. come and take a chance on Thursday,” Ganesh told him trying to cut him short.
The villager went away with folded hands.
“Yes, what is it that you want?” Ganesh asked another lad who stood there.
“We and our cousins have problem of sharing … I came to find out how we can settle it.”
Gaensh had seen that lad many times coming to Madhurani’s shop. Ganesh was tackling office work but his thoughts were constantly about Madhurani. A fly, when brushed away from one side of the ear, going to the other and when brushed away from there too, buzzing continuously from the earlier one.
“Sit down,” Ganesh pointed at a chair and asked him to take seat.
Just then the villager who had come earlier returned.
“Now, what is it?” Ganesh smirked.
“No, how much will it cost for my work?” the villager asked in a hesitating voice.
“Why, don’s you know it?”
The villager shook his head. Pandu is sitting on the platform outside, find out from him, “Ganesh tried to ignore the villager and said without looking at him.
“yes sir” the villager said.
Sir had asked me to take the chair but had I heard correctly?... With this uncertainty the lad, for some time, looked at Ganesh and then looking at the chair he lingered on.
“Why don’t you sit?” Ganesh again asked him to take a seat.
He sat feeling slightly embarrassed.
The villager looked at the lad who sat in the chair and then also at Ganesh and went out.
From the corner of his eyes, Ganesh saw the villager going out and he straight away came to the point.
“I have seen you many times in Madhurani’s shop,”
“Yes… I buy my provisions ,, that shop is nearer,” he said blushing.
“Many young people gather there in the evenings .. what’s the matter?” Ganesh was trying to take a stock of various things but his main objective was to learn more about Madhurani.
“Nothing, Sir. They gather there to smoke beedis. Useless buggers… what else can they do?” he said.
“Don’t bluff…” Ganesh said smiling to himself.
“It is like this, Sir. Where there is jaggery, flies will automatically gather, won’t they?” he said reducing his one eye to a narrow wink.
“That means.. even you… “
No, Sir ” I go there because other boys gather there.”
“Is that so?” Ganesh smiled to himself and gave the lad a sharp look
Feeling embarrassed the boy began to look here and there. Just then a village lad came inside. Ganesh gave him a displeased look. He had wanted to ask some more questions to the lad sitting before him. And he did not want anyone else nearby. But the village lad stood there determinedly.
“But isn’t there any one else in her house?... It is only her that I always see sitting at the cash counter.” Ganesh had thought that if he carried out the conversation without taking Madhurani’s name the other lad would not make out anything.
“Her father in law is there.. But he is always rolling in the dust bin, dead drunk,” the boy told him.
“And her husband?” Ganesh asked what was an important question from his point of view.
“Sir , her husband has died.. Poor one.. within a year of marriage he died.”
“Who says that he died?... The Patil got him killed.” The second lad who was still standing near Ganesh’s table said.
“Hey the son of bitch,.. the Patil has already proved the matter in the court,” the lad who had sat in the chair now got up in excitement and said.
“Patil has great influence in the court… There he will pay an amount and make a dead person come alive… If he needs to do that…”
“Oye, don’t speak whatever comes to your tongue and blow like into a hollow pipe.
Both were about to break into a heated argument. Ganesh interrupted,
“Hey, first you go out… let me finish his work.. then, you can come in.”
The lad who had come later on was sent out by Ganesh.
Giving filthy abuses, looking over his shoulders every now and then, he went out.
Then Ganesh extracted all possible information about Madhurani.
Poor Madhurani…
Within a year of her marriage, her husband had died…
Poor one, she was ill fated…
How her heart must be aching.
Ganesh began to feel sympathy for her.
Re: Complete novel - Honey - A story of a feminine power
As days passed, Ganesh’s looking at Madhurani through the window kept increasing. When he went to the window even Madhurani looked at him from the other side and responded with a smile. His visits to her shop also became more frequent. Earlier he used to go to the shop on the pretext of buying something. But now days he went to the shop on the pretexts of even such minor things as using a nut-cracker for breaking nuts, needle and thread, a string. With a smile Madhurani gave him whatever he needed and while giving it, without fail, she touched him, maybe gently, with her soft hand. Slowly Ganesh began to gather courage. He also kept looking for an opportunity to touch her. Now days Ganesh’s day never ended without Madhurani’s touch and without getting drenched in her ardent looks. He took it as an interesting pastime in that otherwise dull and monotonous village. And what could she also do, with her young age and with her husband dead?
One day she let him into the secret of her special language.
“Ifre lofravefra youfru… see if you can make out anything? She said.
“Nothing… it sounds like the South Indian language Telugu,” he said trying to concentrate on making out its meaning.
“Its very simple .. just remove all the ’fre’ ‘fru’ ‘fri’ ‘fra’ from it, finished.”
“Is it that simple?” he exclaimed.
“Now tell me again … what you had told me,” Ganesh asked.
“Ifre lofravefra youfru …” she repeated the sentence.
“I..love.. what there after, tell me once again and tell me a bit slowly,” Ganesh said trying to make out the sentence.
“I love you.. meaning.. I love you .. is it right?”
“Yes, perfectly correct..”
Ganesh had known that she had said that sentence.. but he got its meaning a little late. When he understood its meaning his face turned red”
“My, my, look, how you are blushing… why do you blush..I just gave you an example” Madhurani said.
“Its so simple.. but even when it is so simple why don’t others understand it,” Ganesh said trying to get rid of his blush.
“Because, it has another secret.. this language is to be spoken very fast.. otherwise it can be understood by anyone who listens it..”
“Yes, what you say is correct,” he said.
One evening wholly tired Ganesh was lying down to take rest. That day he had visited a nearby village. There was no bus going to that village. Sarpanch had made arrangement for a bullock cart. But Ganesh was not used to travelling in a cart. Bumping all through, every part of his body was now aching. Luckily during the journey there were two persons along with him. One was Baban, who went around villages repairing motors, pumps and fans and the other was a ‘madcap’. What his name was no one knew but as he behaved strangely everyone called him madcap. During the journey Ganesh had a nice time chatting with Baban. There was, of course, no question of chatting with the madcap. But every now and then they tried to make fun of him. As he lay down in his room, relaxing, Ganesh remembered an interesting conversation and a smile broke out on his face. The three of them were sitting at the back of the cart and the driver, sitting in the front, was driving the cart. Hay was spread out at the back to reduce the impact of the bumps. It also made for the feed for the bullocks on the way.
“Because of these bumps the entire nuts and bolts of a person would become loose,” Baban said recovering from a bump as the cart went over a stone. Being a mechanic he had used a vocabulary common to his field of work.
Ganesh pointed at the madcap and said, “The bolts and nuts of this mad cap are already loose. How much more can they become more loose?”
Appreciating this comment Baban had laughed aloud. Ganesh, lying on the bed, came out of his reverie. He heard some commotion outside. Continuing to lie down, he turned on one side and looked out of the window. Outside it had become quite dark. Must have been seven-thirty or eight. He tried to make out what the commotion was about.
“Bo bo …Ben..ben..” a man’s harsh voice came in.
“Oh …eh… na.. na..” a woman’s sharp voice followed it.
Ganesh tried to turn on the other side and go back to sleep. Those unrelated sounds kept coming in. As if some one was quarrelling. In between suddenly Madhurani’s loud laughter floated in. Now, Ganesh sat up. He was curious to find out what was going on. He got up, put on his clothes and came out of the room.
One day she let him into the secret of her special language.
“Ifre lofravefra youfru… see if you can make out anything? She said.
“Nothing… it sounds like the South Indian language Telugu,” he said trying to concentrate on making out its meaning.
“Its very simple .. just remove all the ’fre’ ‘fru’ ‘fri’ ‘fra’ from it, finished.”
“Is it that simple?” he exclaimed.
“Now tell me again … what you had told me,” Ganesh asked.
“Ifre lofravefra youfru …” she repeated the sentence.
“I..love.. what there after, tell me once again and tell me a bit slowly,” Ganesh said trying to make out the sentence.
“I love you.. meaning.. I love you .. is it right?”
“Yes, perfectly correct..”
Ganesh had known that she had said that sentence.. but he got its meaning a little late. When he understood its meaning his face turned red”
“My, my, look, how you are blushing… why do you blush..I just gave you an example” Madhurani said.
“Its so simple.. but even when it is so simple why don’t others understand it,” Ganesh said trying to get rid of his blush.
“Because, it has another secret.. this language is to be spoken very fast.. otherwise it can be understood by anyone who listens it..”
“Yes, what you say is correct,” he said.
One evening wholly tired Ganesh was lying down to take rest. That day he had visited a nearby village. There was no bus going to that village. Sarpanch had made arrangement for a bullock cart. But Ganesh was not used to travelling in a cart. Bumping all through, every part of his body was now aching. Luckily during the journey there were two persons along with him. One was Baban, who went around villages repairing motors, pumps and fans and the other was a ‘madcap’. What his name was no one knew but as he behaved strangely everyone called him madcap. During the journey Ganesh had a nice time chatting with Baban. There was, of course, no question of chatting with the madcap. But every now and then they tried to make fun of him. As he lay down in his room, relaxing, Ganesh remembered an interesting conversation and a smile broke out on his face. The three of them were sitting at the back of the cart and the driver, sitting in the front, was driving the cart. Hay was spread out at the back to reduce the impact of the bumps. It also made for the feed for the bullocks on the way.
“Because of these bumps the entire nuts and bolts of a person would become loose,” Baban said recovering from a bump as the cart went over a stone. Being a mechanic he had used a vocabulary common to his field of work.
Ganesh pointed at the madcap and said, “The bolts and nuts of this mad cap are already loose. How much more can they become more loose?”
Appreciating this comment Baban had laughed aloud. Ganesh, lying on the bed, came out of his reverie. He heard some commotion outside. Continuing to lie down, he turned on one side and looked out of the window. Outside it had become quite dark. Must have been seven-thirty or eight. He tried to make out what the commotion was about.
“Bo bo …Ben..ben..” a man’s harsh voice came in.
“Oh …eh… na.. na..” a woman’s sharp voice followed it.
Ganesh tried to turn on the other side and go back to sleep. Those unrelated sounds kept coming in. As if some one was quarrelling. In between suddenly Madhurani’s loud laughter floated in. Now, Ganesh sat up. He was curious to find out what was going on. He got up, put on his clothes and came out of the room.