{"id":94163,"date":"2014-09-06T19:47:42","date_gmt":"2014-09-06T23:47:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kanglaonline.com\/?p=68901"},"modified":"2014-09-06T19:47:42","modified_gmt":"2014-09-06T23:47:42","slug":"from-being-close-naknarubadagi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/2014\/09\/06\/from-being-close-naknarubadagi\/","title":{"rendered":"From Being Close (Naknarubadagi)"},"content":{"rendered":"

R.K. Shitaljit Singh<\/span><\/p>\n

Translated by Chitra Ahanthem<\/p>\n

\u201cWho are you looking at? At your own self?\u201d<\/p>\n

Kombirei, who was seated in front of a mirror and combing her hair, was saying these words. There was no one nearby. There was just a striped cat with her on the wide verandah that spanned the length of three rooms. Perhaps sensing the sorry state of Kombirei who had no one to answer her query, the cat cried out \u201cMeow, meow\u201d and looked at her piteously. Hearing the cat, Kombirei looked at it and smiled softly. She felt content that there was at least this \u2018petite being\u2019 that felt a sense of relief for her.<\/p>\n

Her combing over, she held the cat on her lap. Looking at it intently, she hugged it tight, \u201cArangbi, what makes you different from human being?\u201d<\/p>\n

The cat did not answer back but kept saying, \u201cMeow, meow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kombirei further continued, \u201cYou don\u2019t know the difference? You know it but don\u2019t know how to say it. Right? But the tone of your meow conveys your answer, Arangbi.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lost in her conversation with the cat, Kombirei was not aware of what was happening on the verandah. Looking on at the manner in which Kombirei was lost in her talks with the cat, the visitor did not dare to intrude. It seemed best that he remained silent, so he kept quiet.<\/p>\n

Kombirei was asking the cat, \u201cWhy do you love me so, Arangbi? I don\u2019t care enough for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt knows the reason, even if you don\u2019t, Kombirei.\u201d Hearing this, Kombirei turned to see who it was. Her face turned red when she saw the youth she had met on a few rare occasions and she turned towards the cat.<\/p>\n

The youth asked, \u201cKombi, can you see your heart\u2019s reflection in the cat\u2019s eyes?\u201d<\/p>\n

With a soft smile, Kombirei said, \u201cYes, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know why?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of your closeness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kombirei then sighed deeply and said to the cat, \u201cArangbi, go and play now. We will talk later after I finish my work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hearing this, the youth said, \u201cKombirei, you really know how to let go easily.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can I hold on just because I want to, Tada Subol?\u201d<\/p>\n

Subol did not reply. With a long drawn out \u201cHmm\u201d, he turned his face slightly and looked at Kombirei.<\/p>\n

Kombirei stood up and gave the mora she was sitting on to Subol. He sat on the mora and Kombirei sat down on the floor. Subol then said, \u201cKombirei, do you know why I have come?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t.\u201d All this while, tears fell from her eyes. She felt listless and did not bother to wipe her tears with her hands. The tears rolled down akin to a thin river flowing down a cliff.<\/p>\n

Subol saw them but continued, \u201cWhen will you ever understand me Kombirei? In which birth?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot in this one, Tada.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me be off then.\u201d And so Subol got up and went off. Kombirei stayed behind looking at him.<\/p>\n

The next day, Subol\u2019s mother Tharo was talking to her husband Choubhan as she sorted through and cleaned the vegetables for the meal. Choubhan was puffing away at a hookah as he lay on a mat. Tharo said, \u201cDo you know? Our son does not see anything in this world except for Kombirei? I have cautioned him \u2026 said a lot but he does not listen \u2026 does not care. One day, we will surely pay for it if something happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

Choubhan did not reply. He merely listened and continued to smoke in contemplation. The hookah was big and made quite a noise. Tharo\u2019s anger rose with Choubhan\u2019s silence but the din raised by the hookah made it worse. Just as a dying person hates the noise of an engine, so also was her dislike for the noise emanating from the hookah. Her anger rising, she shouted abruptly, \u201cAre you listening at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

Choubhan was startled by this outburst but calmed down and said, \u201cYes, I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why have you not said anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if he brings the girl?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is my son. You should not judge him wrongly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know he is your beloved son. But\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter, Tharo. Call Subol if he is around.\u201d<\/p>\n

Subol came at his mother\u2019s bidding and stood with a subdued demeanor near his father.<\/p>\n

Looking at Subol, Choubhan started, \u201cSubol, has Kombirei agreed?\u201d<\/p>\n

Subol\u2019s face flushed at the question. He remained quiet. Choubhan continued, \u201cIf it is OK, bring her once. Shall I go and meet her parents for their approval?\u201d<\/p>\n

Subol stayed quiet but Tharo, beating her chest with a clenched fist cried out, \u201cAlas! All is lost! You both stay at this house \u2026 decide whom to bring as daughter-in-law!\u201d<\/p>\n

Choubhan looked at his wife calmly and said, \u201cAnd you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRather than accept that uncultured girl as my daughter-in-law, I would \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo back to your parental house?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you won\u2019t agree with your husband? How can you expect your son to obey you when you don\u2019t listen to your husband?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tharo bristled at the suggestion; she was at a loss to reply and remained quiet. Subol went off while Choubhan continued to smoke the hookah.<\/p>\n

After a while, Choubhan said, \u201cTharo, listen. Have you not been able to know your son from the time he was a wee baby? He will marry the woman he desires and you cannot interfere. I did not marry you by choice. I saw your face the day I married you. The ones I desired, I had to leave behind because my elders did not agree. I married because I did not want to hear their taunts anymore. But I still feel the loss of giving up whom I wanted, to this day. So, you cannot speak more on this. I will go and meet Kombirei\u2019s parents.\u201d<\/p>\n

A month has passed by since Kombirei became Tharo\u2019s daughter-in-law. Tharo continued to think that Kombirei with her lowly family background would not be able to fit into the ways of the family and to serve the elders with the decorum that was needed.<\/p>\n

Kombirei knew that her looks alone would not be able to please her mother-in-law. But she still had to live in close proximity with the one person she had thought she should stay far away from.<\/p>\n

One day Tharo called in her daughter-in-law and said, \u201cKombi. Isn\u2019t it true that I was the cause for your tears even while you stayed at your parents\u2019 place?\u201d<\/p>\n

Kombirei did not reply but remained as mute as a pillar. Looking at her predicament, Tharo continued, \u201cBe frank and don\u2019t lie. Tell me, isn\u2019t it true?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you not say to Subol that you would have to go your separate ways for this lifetime?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat has not happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was your father-in-law. I constantly opposed it while Subol was caught in the middle. But Kombi, my feelings have changed. You have changed them. Your nature has impressed me, made me realize\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Kombirei now knew she had been able to please her mother-in-law. Feeling a sense of contentment, she thought she would tell Subol of the development later in the day. After sometime, she asked if she could go.<\/p>\n

Tharo stopped her with a \u201cwait\u201d and continued, \u201cListen, we women are immature. We stay confined to the house and stay ignorant. But we think that we are the cleverest in this world and do not pay heed to what our husbands say. We judge their words as mockery and make fun of what they say. You have corrected my wrong belief. Do not ignore your husband\u2019s words only because you do not agree with it, but only if you know that they are wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

She bade Kombirei to go and she went off to finish the household chores.<\/p>\n

Choubhan came back and turned to Tharo, \u201cTharo, has your low born daughter-in-law still not managed to satisfy you with her conduct?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe has only exceeded my expectations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know. You only acted like you do not know. You believe that only you love your son while the father doesn\u2019t. Isn\u2019t it so?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet it be. Now I realize.\u201d<\/p>\n

Subol who had come in while his parents were talking asked, \u201cWhy are you both shouting?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh! Your mother wants my daughter-in-law as her own. I heard that stealthily. I was only asking her over that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tharo, \u201cEh! You listened stealthily? Isn\u2019t that surprising?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm, you will be surprised. You women will only live a life full of surprises. You will meet surprises at every step you take.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tharo then called her daughter in law to ask, \u201cIbemma, will you be your father-in-law\u2019s daughter-in-law only? What about me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Kombirei listened with surprise but remained silent. Choubhan said then, \u201cIbemma, she was not part of it. I came to take you as my daughter-in-law. Do not be her daughter-in-law.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tharo spoke again, \u201cKombirei, don\u2019t you have any affection for me? Will the anger you brought from your home still remain?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hearing her mother-in-law\u2019s words, Kombirei bowed at Tharo\u2019s feet and replied, \u201cI am my father-in-law\u2019s daughter-in-law and my mother-in-law is my most loved mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

At Kombirei\u2019s words Subol asked her, \u201cKombi, do you know what made my mother say this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom being close.\u201d<\/p>\n

(This translation of the short story written by the late RK Shitaljit has been recently published in Tamna, a half yearly journal brought out by the Manipur Chapter of the North East Writers\u2019 Forum)<\/p>\n\n

Read more \/ Original news source: http:\/\/kanglaonline.com\/2014\/09\/from-being-close-naknarubadagi\/<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

R.K. Shitaljit Singh Translated by Chitra Ahanthem \u201cWho are you looking at? At your own self?\u201d Kombirei, who was seated in front of a mirror and combing her hair, was<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,4],"tags":[2666,330],"class_list":["post-94163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-kanglaonline","category-news","tag-articles-opinions","tag-kanglaonline-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94163"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94163\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}