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NAAGPHAANS- Maithili novel written by
Dr. Shefalika
Verma in 2004- Arushi Aditi Sanskriti
Publication, Patna- Translated by
Dr. Rajiv Kumar
Verma and 
Dr. Jaya Verma- Associate Professors,
Delhi University, Delhi.
NAAGPHAANS XIV
Ma, next day thought engulfed me if Shirish had not reached on time what would have been my condition in that dark rainy night – I felt shiver all over the body. I had even failed to thank him.
All of a sudden Shirish appeared before me from nowhere. Bhabhi, where is Vikalpji?
I became overjoyed to see him – I was just thinking about you.
He laughingly replied – I consider myself very fortunate for this.
Please be seated – I get a cup of tea for you.
Shirish started coming to home on a regular basis. One day I had a fight with Vikalp as he disliked Shirish and his regular visit.
Right now I am unwell – Shirish visited just to know about my well being. I know you have developed a snake like misconception which continuously misguides you through its sting.
Yesterday Vikalp came back from his office early. Shirish almost followed him. Vikalp was shocked to see him. It seemed as if he was bitten by a snake. He visualized – Manjul is unwell. Shirish must have touched her forehead followed by …………….
Shirish had just left and Vikalp screamed – I hate him – I hate you – you are a flying snake – a cobra in the guise of a woman.
Ma, I retaliated and told Vikalp – you always discourage me but look at Shirish –
Shirish -- Shirish – characterless and flirt – you think I do not know his reality.
Look, we are not concerned with his personal life. You must clear your mind of all doubts, suspicion and trash. You should not become a pond or a shallow river – be a large river or a vast ocean.
2
After this incident Vikalp started coming home late in night – sometimes he returned over drunk - I had no option except to lament on my misfortune. His drinking habit went on increasing followed by continuous vomit. I never told Ma-Babuji about this even when we lived together. I had never experienced this kind of situation before but tried to bear with it.
Vikalp avoided me. Everyday after returning from office he used to confine himself to his room. He opened the doors of room only to receive breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ma and Babuji were surprised to see his changed behavior.
What is this Vikalp? Why you remain confined to your room? You have stopped interacting with us.
Ma, these days I am over-worked – and he again shut the door of his room.
Ma-Babuji told me – Kaniya, why do not you persuade him?
How can I win over him, Ma.
Ma – do not you know - women are capable of beautifying even the deserts and shrubbery area.
I did not utter a single word. For the first time in my life I tried to imbibe the suggestion made by my in-laws.
Anticipation of a dark future really shook me up. I trembled to imagine a black snake slowly and gradually sliding and gliding down to my future life.
Time went on – Vikalp started sleeping alone. Our relationship became formal – a relationship based on daily needs i.e. tea, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Initially I related his changed behavior to his busy work schedule – troubles at his office.
I also came back in the evening as a tired person. I did not take cognizance of his behavior.
In a metropolitan city like Bombay we were blessed with all the amenities of life such as a big bungalow, car, social status and what not. But in the midst of these amenities I had a continuous longing for four letters of love. What good is the bungalow, the cars or the social status if your husband does not love you. Material things are no replacement for human, emotional love.
Otherwise Ma, in this materialistic world everybody is alone. Gone are the days when we had joint families – everybody shared both happiness and sorrow, plenty and paucity.
3
Participation in family activities by all the individual members was its quality. Every member was duty-bound to assume a direct role or responsibility in family. Family was a
unit for all such purposes as socialization, social control, social order etc. Problems used to be solved through love and interaction. Once problem solved, people returned back to work as a light balloon.
No doubt, still we come across some joint families, but now each and every member is guided by his/her own interest and problem. They remain together but only in name.
Ma, I felt alone and secluded. Ma- Babuji also felt loneliness. We lived under the same roof but everybody was alone and secluded. Isolation is devastating to the human psyche. That is why solitary confinement is considered the cruelest of punishments. This is the bane of modern culture and civilization.
One night almost at 12 O’ clock I stood near the window of my room waiting for Vikalp.
A car stopped and two persons got down. I saw Vikalp being embraced by a beautiful woman.
I trembled with anger and asked him about the woman.
Vikalp replied – do not beat about the bush. You have no right to ask about her.
Ma, I hold his hand and shouted – I am your wife -- I have the right to ask about her.
If you are my wife then mind your own business silently. I do not like these interferences.
Interference … I have always tolerated your sting – never retaliated. But I shall never tolerate other woman in your life.
Vikalp slapped me – never retaliated – now tolerate this and he kept on beating me. I am surprised with the fact that how I tolerated this brutality – why I failed to retaliate?
Vikalp developed the habit of beating me without any reason. My position in the house almost got reduced to a housemaid. It not only affected me mentally and physically but wounded my soul. I had never witnessed any husband inflicting injury on his wife. My soul was crying.
You are my mother – who can understand me better than you? Ma- Babuji always sided with their son. Nobody supported me. You are already worried due to Papa. I never tried to add to your tensions by disclosing my pitiable condition. Moreover, why to disclose this in Naiher?
4
I suffered silently. The girl who was so intolerant, carefree, volatile and recalcitrant at parent’s home underwent this kind of transformation – how and why I became so tolerant – I am unable to understand. Gandhi, Dayanand, Vivekanand worked towards the empowerment of women, but my submission to brutality really puzzled me. My education, the knowledge I gained mocked at me.
Sometimes I resolved to fight back but the thought dissipated due to lack of support. Who will back me? My soul was yearning like an encaged bird for sweet voice. I faced a perennial question – everybody says marriages are made in heaven. Ma, is this the perennial relationship spanning over several births?
My dreams of living happily ever after had been dashed against the hard walls of reality. Our love is gone, our relationship is dead. He used to feel close, but not now. He no longer enjoys being with me. I never imagined wife-husband sharing this kind of relationship in a civilized society. When the time is adverse and hostile, everything becomes counter productive. Laughter appears to be blubber. For women every dream is preceded by deceit and deception.
But everything is supposed to come to an end – so is the SIN.
CONTINUED