20. Beauty And Brahmin - 2

At night, the girl arrived as usual. The wife saw her, and let her sneak up the stairs. After a while, the wife too went up, and put her ear to the room's door. She heard sound of laughter. Enraged, she banged at the door and asked the Brahmin Narayan to open up.

The Brahmin said from inside: We won't open the door. This isn't your business. Go away.

The wife replied: You have always been a philanderer, but we haven't met (slept together) for the last six months. You expect me to be content only with food and clothing (that you provide) and carry on? Am I not young?

The Brahmin replied: You have a two-year-old son. I am no more indebted to you, I do not want to sleep with you.  Now scram, otherwise you would get a thrashing.

The wife was helpless, she stepped down and sat weeping under the stairs.

The news spread across the city. Within a short period, four-five other Brahmins were enamoured with the lass. She told this to her patron, and asked: what should I do? The Brahmin Narayan said: You don't need money. So tell each of those who desire you: I will sleep with you, but you must hand me your sacred thread (yadnyo-pa-vit).

The other suitors of the girls readily agreed to this bargain. She slept with them in return for the thread. This went on for two years.

The governor came to know about the plight of Narayan's wife. He sent a Kotwal (police chief) to his house. Kotwal and his men found the Brahmin with the lass. Both were arrested.

Next morning, they were brought to the court. When people started slandering Narayan, the Bhangi girl said: He alone isn't guilty. Many (other) Brahmins of the city visited me. I only took their threads, police may go to my house and check. A pot full of threads was indeed found, there were about 175 of them.

The Brahmin (Narayan) said to the governor: I had a son from my wife, my marital life is over. Now I may be allowed to leave the city with this girl. Governor gave them the permission; both of them bid adieu to Jhansi.

But now the governor was worried: (almost) the whole city had sinned. Then it was decided that expiation must be carried out. Cow's urine was brought, and all the brahmins underwent expiation. 

So it once happened in Jhansi.

 

19. Beauty And Brahmin - 1

Jhansi is in Bundelkhand; water here isn't good for men. It breeds too many impotent men. A quarter of the men are impotent. 

I saw some men: the wife lusts after a stranger, she asks the husband to invite him over. Then she befriends the stranger, meets him by herself, and makes love to him. There were many instances of this.

I heard and wrote down in my note-book a tale: It happened in Jhansi in the time of Madhavrao II. A Brahmin, one Narayan, once saw a woman of Bhangi caste (toilet cleaners' caste) with her 15-year-old daughter when he came out of latrine. The Brahmin had studied the tradition of love-making, he thought that the girl must be what scriptures define as "Padmin", an extremely beautiful lass.

The Brahmin said to the girl's mother: don't marry off this girl, instead, I will keep her. She won't lack for anything, nor would you. But don't tell anyone about this.

The Bhangi woman agreed. Then the girl started visiting Brahmin's place every midnight, they would make love, and she would depart before the day-break. The Brahmin's wife became suspicious; (she thought) never before he let eight months pass without sleeping with me, we made love (at least) once a week. He has got some whore now, she has possessed him. Then one day, Brahmin's wife stayed up to keep watch below the first-floor room (where the Bhangi girl used to meet the Brahmin). 

18. A Queen's Day

A few days later, the weather deteriorated; it rained heavily. Severe cold set in. The beggars in the city thought of seeking warm clothes from the Queen. One evening, when the Ladyship was visiting the Mahalaxmi temple, over a thousand beggars congregated near the southern entrance. When Lakshmibai came out, the beggars created a hullabaloo. The Queen asked, why these people have come here? Lakhmanrao, the secretary, said: These are destitute beggars, and presently it is very cold, so they demand clothing, sheets.

The Queen then directed that every poor person in the city be given a woolen cap, a jacket, and a blanket each, these things be distributed at a gathering of beggars four days hence. The tailors were summoned, and announcement was made across the city. On the fourth day, some four thousand beggars -- men, women and children -- gathered to collect warm clothing. There were a few ordinary poor among them, too.

A Queen's day

The Ladyship never hesitated to spend money. Her valour and generosity were priceless. The people in the Fort, as well as in the palace below were fed well. She wanted her protege to be happy, well-clothed. 

Lakshmibai wrote well; she drafted her own ordinances. She habitually dressed like a man: a pair of trousers, a tunic or a jacket, a topee. She always carried a sword. After her husband's demise, she stopped wearing jewelery; except a couple of bangles and a pearl around the neck. Hair would be tied in a bun.

In the morning, after the bath, she would do pooja, wearing a white sari and a white blouse. There was a basil plant, and a lingam. There would be a recital of Puran, and noblemen would come to offer respects. There were around a hundred and fifty who came to pay court daily; if one of them was absent, she would ask him the next day why you were not there. 

The Queen came to her office around noon. Dressed in man's outfit sometimes, sometimes in woman's. Secretary Lakshmanrao would be there, alongwith seven-eight clerks. This is how she went about her administration.

The Ladyship loved working out. She got up at dawn, to do malla-khamb, followed by an elephant ride, and a nutritious breakfast with milk, before the bath.    

She had her own ways, but never crossed the line. 

On Fridays and Tuesdays she visited the Mahalaxmi temple. 

War was in the offing, preparations were on. 

17. Queen Rules in Jhansi

 At night, Garden Sahib came to meet Her Highness Lakshmibai. He was taken to her chamber. The Lady offered him a chair to sit.

Garden Sahib said to her: I do not care what happens to us, but you must protect our women. My wife is a delicate lady; matchless in beauty and wit among the European women in this country. And, she is seven months pregnant. So please keep her at your house. She would wash pots, grind grain, whatever, but do save her life. I say nothing further.

Lakshmibai said: I would protect her as best as I can, worry not. Saying that, she left. Garden Sahib left the palace.

The next morning, English women in the city came to the palace, with the children. Lakshmibai put them up in a vacant quarters, under guard.

The native soldiers became restless around ten and started firing in air. The Jhansi cantonment was small, there were (relatively) fewer Englishmen. Natives killed all of them. They also seized the treasury and the ammunition. The buildings of cantonment were set on fire.

The soldiers then rushed to the palace, and called out to Lakshmibai. The Lady came out and met the native officers. She assured them that they were safe. The officers said to her: You are our mistress (from now on), we would obey your orders. Treasury has twenty-five thousand rupees, and we are battle-ready. 

Lakshmibai had it announced across the town that she was now the ruler. Foundries were started to make new guns, a factory to make gunpowder too was set up. After doing all this,  the Lady moved into the Fort on an auspicious day

16. Jhansi

Things had now settled down in Kalpi; the English had disappeared from North India. We then went to Jhansi. 

Jhansi is a densely populated city. Streets are flat, some of them are even paved. Many skilled people live here. Money-lending is conducted with honesty, financiers are a credible lot. It is often called Pune of the North.

There are several open spaces, and small gardens set therein. There is a big ground in front of the government house. Four check-posts stand in four directions. Some 200 southern Brahmin families live here. Houses have sloping roofs, and not flat mud-roofs (unlike elsewhere in the North) because it rains heavily due to proximity of Vindhya ranges. Groundwater is abundant, every house has its own well. 

Adoption issue

After the death of Jhansi's prince, Gangadhar, the English Resident took over. But he paid no attention to treasury or the royal estates, he only took care of security and order. Lakshmibai, the prince's widow, wanted to visit Prayag, for undergoing head-tonsure (as ordained by Hindu texts). But the Resident denied her permission to travel. 

Lakshmibai had adopted an 11-year-old boy. Around this time, mutiny broke out at the Jhansi cantonment. The Englishmen panicked. The Resident, and a few other Englishmen, called on the Lakshmibai and said to her that the Englishmen were now doomed, so she should take reigns of the state in her hands. Territories under Jhansi state yielded revenue of rupees 25 lakh. The Resident further said: The mutiny is about to start,   please protect our lives. Keep us within the fort.

Lakshmibai replied: When my late husband, ailing, wanted to adopt a son, so as to provide a successor, you said that adoptive son may not succeed to the throne. Later, when I sought permission to travel to Prayag, it wasn't granted. How would I protect you now? (If I did) the native soldiers would turn on me. 

 

15. Tantya Takes Kalpi

Lucknow 

(After the Muslim King's death) The Queen governed Lucknow. She was a frugal ruler.

Lucknow is an ancient city; once it was a part of Mughal empire. The city hadn't witnessed war or disorder in the last thousand years. But it had to pay tribute to the Sovereign. Never did it have dispute with neighbouring rulers.

It's a big city, river Gomati winds her course through it. There is a lot of greenery, gardens, bridges. The Nawab had got built a special garden for himself, it is said that it had silver cisterns.

When the strife in North India began, some companies of soldiers supported the Queen; she took over the rule.

The English assaulted the city with a big force. But there was this Nepali general, Jang-Bahadur, who sided with the Queen. He had a force of ten thousand; soon he ran off the English. 

The English approached Jang-Bahadur. He was offerred bribe to betray the Queen. Eventually he transferred the loyalty to them. A battle began, it went on for five-six days. The English took the city, the Queen fled. The victors looted the city for several days. Hundreds of men were massacred. It being a big city, some partisans of the royal side kept up the fight in their (respective) burrows. 

Tatntya Takes Kalpi

Kalpi is located on the banks of Yamuna. A fine fort stands there, at the riverbanks. Tantya was in this area about the time Lucknow fell. He ransacked many villages and then marched on Kalpi. Some of the troops joined him, and the English inside the fort were outnumbered. After a brief battle, they fled, but were captured by Topi's army and were put to death. Topi raised ochre flag at the fort.

The surrounding area -- which yielded annual revenue of rupees 54 lakh -- came under Topi's control. He began administering it in earnest, Kalpi was made the headquarters, revenue officers were appointed. 

14. Sack of Brahmavart

Nanasaheb left Brahmavart with Raosaheb, Balasaheb, and the women of the household. They took some family heirlooms with them. It included the ochre robe which Ramdas had given to King Shivaji, handed down to Peshwas by King Shahu later. Rest all was left, and they set out at sun-down. People saw them leaving, and cried. The scene could be only compared to that of Lord Ram leaving Ayodhya at the beginning of his 14-year exile.

On reaching the river bank, Nanasaheb paid obeisance to Ganga. Mother, you blessed us all these years, and now you have willed that we leave. Saying so, they boarded a barge. Nanasaheb said to the people who had gathered there: Do not follow us further. We have spent some good time together. I will never forget you. Go back home, we will meet again. 

Before the barge set off,  Nanasaheb asked the fishermen -- who were supposed to steer it --  to get down. We would steer it ourselves, he said. So fishermen got off. Barge sailed in the darkness, lit up only by candles. People had lined both the banks of the river. Upon reaching midstream, Nanasaheb had the candles put out. Then he threw the heirlooms into water. When people saw that candles were out, they thought Nanasaheb had sunk the barge, alongwith  its passengers. Wave of grief swept the onlookers.

(But it was only a camouflage. The barge took them to Lucknow, where the ruling Muslim Queen gave them shelter.)

The British attacked Brahmavart on the third day of Nanasaheb's departure.  They killed every native man in sight. British soldiers entered houses and dug up the floors to get buried treasures. Those who were fleeing were looted. The pillage went on for two full days. People became penniless.

It stopped on the third day, when the Government issued a fiat and reestablished order. Those who were involved in the mutiny were arrested and hanged. 

13. Defeat, Grief, Panic

As native soldiers started fleeing, Balasaheb himself took charge of one of the unmanned cannons. It's gunner had got killed. Balasaheb loosed off a few shots; but English shells soon picked off other gunners. Infantry and cavalry took to heels. 

Nanasaheb, Raosaheb and Balasaheb agreed that the battle was lost. There was no point in dying a dog's death. It was better to run away, regroup armies, and fight again for the victory.

The (surviving) native army then took the road to Brahmavart. The English commander ordered that victory trumpets be blown. The English army pressed on, and seized the place where mutineers had camped. 

Lot of men died on either side. Survivors (among natives) fled to Fatehpur, some went to Brahmavart.

Nanasaheb reached Brahmavart at sun-down. The news of defeat hadn't reached there. Some of the townsfolk met Nanasahib on the outskirts. Seeing the expression on his face, they realized that victory had eluded him. He was greeted, but nothing was spoken. Nanasaheb sighed. Then he said unto the crowd: We embarked on this venture for the sake of Hindus. It has failed. I do not hope to live through this. Goddess Ganges willed so.

 Then he retreated into his palace.

A great confusion ensued. People said: His Highness would soon leave with the army; where do we go? English would surely follow, and massacre us.

People buried the valuables in the earth. Some dumped it into wells. Everybody was now for himself; women and children were left in the lurch. Grief engulfed Brahmavart. 

 

12. Reverses

(After killing English women and children at Brahmavart) The native soldiers wrote to other mutineers: The enemy's women are clever and scheming; they tried to smuggle a letter out of prison camp. Hence, as soon as you get this missive, kill the English women in your custody. Upon receipt of the letters, English women and children were executed at Delhi, Jhansi, Agra, etc.

The old and the wise among the men said: We were hoping that natives would win, Englishmen would return to their land, and Hindus and Muslims would once again rule. But now that hope has died. For, Vedas do not sanction killing of women. Scriptures say that even a gravest offence by a women can't warrant execution. And yet this vile deed took place: natives wouldn't win now.

A fortnight later, English troops amassed outside Kanpur. Native troops (loyal to the English) marched from Madras and Kolkata. When the news reached Nanasaheb, he dispatched Tantya Topi and Lalpuri Baba Gosavi with army to Kanpur.

Nanasaheb, Raosaheb and Bal-saheb set out for Kanpur later. But there were omens portending calamity: a 

cat crossed their path. A brahmin carrying ashes came upon them; Nanasaheb's horse balked.

They ignored the signs, and full of warrior spirit, reached Kanpur.

A big battle broke out. Artillery of both parties kept up a barrage. Men fought day and night; they didn't stop even for eating. After the dusk, flame throwers were lit, and the fighting continued. Several officers, and countless troops died. This went on for ten-twelve days. Then the tide turned; and providence prevailed over men's efforts. Natives panicked and broke ranks. The English pushed forward with the artillery.   

11. Slaughter of English Women

One day, a galleon carrying English people was spotted by native soldiers downstream from Brahmavart.

It was heading for Allahabad.  Around sixty English women and some twenty children were on board.

The native army had kept the river bank under vigilance. A gunner saw the boat through his binoculars, and rushed to His Highness Nanasaheb. He said: a boat full of English people is coming; as soon as it reaches Dhruv-ghat, we would fire a shell.

Nanasaheb said: If the boat is carrying women and children, we mustn't shell it. Let them pass unharmed. But fate had willed otherwise. When the boat approached Dhurv-ghat,  a sand dune formed in its way, and it ran aground. The passengers panicked. 

The gunners saw that boat had been stranded. They sent a message to Nanasaheb: You didn't give the order to shell, but now the boat is stranded in our territory, it's the will of Goddess Ganga. Now you must give the order. 

Then they fired a shell into the boat.  Store of gunpowder on the boat exploded. The fire killed everybody who was on board, save a few. Survivors were taken into custody.

Some more English women and children had been kept in the captivity at Brahmavart. They were taken out to the river every morning for ablutions. One of the  English women was clever and scheming. She persuaded a low-caste woman attendant to dispatch a letter to Allahabad. 

A guard saw the attendant woman picking up the letter. She was arrested, and taken to Nanasaheb. Upon flogging, she confessed. The native soldiers were peeved. Someone who could read English was summoned to read the letter. The letter said: Enemy is busy celebrating the capture of Kanpur. There are daily nautch, singing. The guard has slackened. The English troops should attack now.

The native soldiers said: Allow us to kill the English. Nanasaheb said: Killing women and children is not permissible.

Soldiers were livid. They rushed to the place where prisoners had been kept. Those butchers shot and hacked all the women and children to death.

10. Kanpur

Queen of Jhansi: Marriage

The prince's men came to know about Tambe's daughter. They learned she was a mother-less girl, fair, and of marriageable age. A royal agent then came to Brahma-vart. The middleman, who represented Tambe, said: we do not seek dowry for the girl. But Tambe himself is widower; he wants to remarry. Hence, the prince may finance Tambe's remarriage, and provide him with a house at Jhansi.

Prince's agent agreed. Tambe's daughter's maiden name was Chhabeli; upon marriage she was renamed Laxmi. The family moved to Jhansi. Within a few days, Tambe also remarried. He has had a son and a daughter from this marriage.

(Uncle said) Let's now proceed to Jhansi.  We won't face much turmoil on the way; because now the war has shifted to Kanpur. 

We needed some company. A Maratha general from Gwalior was going to visit his brother, we followed along.

Tantya

We met several men on the way; they told us stories of the war. The whole of North India was roiling. Native armies  had marched on Kanpur, a great battle had ensued.  

Two gentlemen told us that Tantya Topi landed in Gwalior army camp a few weeks ago with 25 horsemen. He won over four companies of men. Topi told Scindia, the king of Gwalior: we won't harm you or your province. But kindly make arrangement for some carts, horses and camels. We would leave your territory. 

Later, Topi's army moved on Kanpur

Battle of Kanpur 

(At Kanpur)The English army had walled off the bank of Ganges by sandbags. Natives attacked from outside; but their artillery couldn't breach this barrier. The battle went on for several days, but the city didn't fall.

Nanasaheb hired a Nepali brahmin. He came to Kanpur, saw the barrier, and repositioned the native guns. A barrage ensued. The English artillery too responded. The battle started in earnest; men yelled battle-cries at each other. Natives bombarded the barrier with poison-shells. These shells gave off poisonous fumes upon bursting. Those on the other side of barrier were blinded by the fumes. Several Englishmen died. Some tried to escape, and were captured. The providence finally handed victory to Nanasaheb Peshwe. 

*Nanasaheb was the adoptive son of Peshwe Bajirao II - Kapil

9. We All Wear Bangles

(Uncle continued) Gangadhar, the ruler of Jhansi, was hard pressed to get a bride. The reason: he was a queer, one of the eight types described in ancient texts. He was known to wear women's clothing when indoors. He would also wear jewelery, and sometimes,  plait of false hair. He talked like a woman. Therefore, no alliances were offerred to him; it would be better for a girl to drown than becoming his bride, it was said.

Ancient texts speak of eight types of queers. In one of them, person likes to touch other man's organ. It was surmised that the king of Jhansi was like that.  And the king must be a man enough, because his wife had borne a child. She was not known to be adulteress.

Every month, he would segregate himself for a couple of days, much like menstruating women.

And yet, despite these eccentric habits, he ruled the state with a firm hand. His subjects and servants feared him and respected him. He carried himself well when amongst the Englishmen.

Once the (English) Regent said to the king: `My Lord, pardon the impudence, but I want to ask you something... You are a prince, and a brahmin. I have heard that you dress like a woman, and segregate yourself like a menstruating lady. You wear bangles. Is it becoming of a king?'

The king, it is said, smiled, and replied:  `Sir, I am a minor vassal. There are far mightier princes in this land, and yet, before the English, they all behave as if they are wearing bangles.  You Englishmen came from across the seas, and decimated us. Is there a brave man left here?

8. The Queen of Jhansi

At Ujjain, I and Uncle parted ways with the other companions; they went to their relative's place. We stayed at Ujjain for some time, and then proceeded to Dhar, and then on to Gwalior.

The chief of charity took us to her ladyship Bayaja-bai Scindia. Because of the uprising, the Yagna had been called off. Yet, every brahmin who had reached Gwalior for the Yagna received meal allowance of rupees ten a month. We stayed there through the month of Kartik (October-November). Then we thought of going to Jhansi.

The Queen of Jhansi: Childhood

The Uncle had lived at Brahma-vart, as in-charge of the Hom-shala (where sacred fire is lit), for fifteen years. (After the collapse of Maratha state in 1818, and take -over of Pune by the British,  Peshwa Bajirao II settled down, in exile, at Brahmavart in central India. - Kapil)

Uncle knew the past of  the Queen of Jhansi. This is what he told me:

Moro-pant Tambe and his family lived under the patronage of the late Peshwa at Brahmavart. Tambe worked under me (Uncle said) at Hom-shala; he was my apprentice. Tambe's wife passed away when their daughter, the (future) Queen of Jhansi, was five years old. Tambe raised her by himself. She had no companion at home, hence she would come to Hom-shala with her father. She studied letters, both Dev-nagari and cursive. She was a darling of her father's. A bustling, bubbly girl. Everyone in the Peshwa's palace pampered her, because she was a mother-less child. She had fair complexion, straight nose, high forehead; she was well-endowed and had a small waist. 

When she was eleven, her father started looking for a groom. It was a bit difficult, because Tambes were Karha-de Brahmin, there were few of them in the area.  He grew anxious.

The rulers of Jhansi belong to the same sub-caste. Years ago, when Mahadaji Scindia was installed at Gwalior as the regent of Peshwa in the North India, the Peshwa carved out province of Bundel-khand for himself. (Rest of the North was governed by Scindia, and Peshwa wanted a foothold for himself.) Jhansi became the headquarters of this province, and Shivrao Parolkar was sent as Peshwa's deputy there.

When the Peshwa's rule ended, Jhansi became an independent state. Gangadhar was the last prince of Jhansi. His wife passed away around this time, and he wanted to remarry. He wanted a girl from a good family, even if poor.

7. The Burning Cantonment

We said to the sepoys: We are brahmins and traders from Pune, Nasik, Konkan. We are heading for the Yad-nya organised by her highness Bayaja-baee Scindia. You may look at the scriptures that we are carrying.

...You launched this battle to defend the Hinduism, didn't you? We are poor brahmins, we have read Vedas. Would it be proper for you to set upon us and rob us? Protect us in this tumult; set us up in one of the towns en route, and then you may go off. This will surely bring you victory. We knew about today's outbreak three days in advance, but we are fearless. For, blacks are fighting for the religion. We are men of learning, we fear no harm.

Upon this, and after seeing the books we were carrying, the sepoys said: Forget about Yad-nya now, but you may travel with us without fear. Don't bother about expenses (of living and travelling).

Then a buggy carrying mail came up.Sepoys killed the buggy-driver, and dumped off the sacks of letters. There were some parcels, which were seized.

Sepoys also felled the telegraph pillars. Telegraph wires were cut, and twined into staves. We were given a place by a neem tree. We had our ablutions and ate there. In the afternoon we went to see the scene of cantonment which was burning. We saw corpses of Englishmen, as well those of the natives. Around twenty natives had died. By evening we returned to our place, and did the evening ablutions.  

6. The Blaze

Thereafter, the assembly broke up. Those present there said: There will be a massacre in the world. Hindus and Mussalmans were unanimous: we will die, but won't forsake the religion. Then everybody dispersed. A date is fixed; it's three days from now.

The black (native) officers of Merath cantonment said: Sahibs are going to distribute new cartridges on June 10. Secret letters were dispatched  to other cantonments. Letters said: Try and dissuade the English from giving out new cartridges. If they do not pay heed, cut down every Englishman. Take possession of ammunition, treasury, and set the the cantonment afire. Forward the letter after reading to the next cantonment.

And therefore (the old Soldier said), we are returning home. You are from Deccan. If you are planning to go up North, most certainly you would come to grief. It's desirable that you go back.

We discussed the situation with our companions. It was agreed that we aren't martial men. We are poor brahmins. If the blacks are set to fight for the cause of religion, no harm will come to us. Hence, we rose early next morning the resumed the journey.

A few sepoys met us on the way. They too were a little worried. They said to us: Reach Indore by June 10. Next morning when the journey resumed, the menfolk got down from carts and continued on foot. Because it was the 10th, and we were passing Mahu cantonment. A mile off the Cantonment, gunshots were heard. Smoke was billowing from that direction. Our party was scared. 

Mahu Cantonment is very big, being located in the centre of Hindustan. It was ablaze.

 It was an hour before noon then. Wind was stoking the big tongues of fire. There was commotion and chaos. About hundred and fifty Englishmen were posted in the cantonment; all of them dead by now.

Some two hundred men came up, and surrounded our caravan. 

5. The King Won't Last

Many of the Englishmen too got the wind of this discontent; but they didn't think much of it. The Sahib who had started from England with new cartridges reached Calcutta. He met the Governor General.

Twenty days later, the Governor General convened a meeting of all the princes and grandees in the land. Scindias, Holkars, Gaikwars, Prince of Datia, etc were invited. But Nana-Saheb Peshwa, the Queen of Jhansi and Phirozshah of Delhi weren't among them.

So all these men landed in Calcutta, which is a very big city. The Governor General received them duly at the assembly. Then he read out an 84-articled bill of new laws, and said, you would have to accept these. It's a fiat from England. One of the new rules was that Hindus and Mussalmans should be free to convert. For instance: suppose there is a family of four brothers, who have inherited ancestral house. If one of them becomes a Mussalman, he should still get his share of the property, he may very well continue to live under the same roof.

This stunned those present. Hindus thought: several eons must pass before the era of Kali ends, but (by virtue of this new law) religion would be certainly lost. There would be no distinction between a caste and a caste.

The Sahib who had come from England said: You must accept the new cartridges. If not, dissenting soldiers would be transferred to Kabul or Karachi. There would be a punishment for insubordination.

The prince of Ban-pur, who was present, said: Hindustan is the holy land of Hindus. If the God of Hindus has decided to forsake them, then they must follow Sahib's order. But otherwise, the consequence is anybody's guess. If the Sovereign issues anti-religion diktat, people won't obey. 

Then a Mussalman Nabob spoke. He spoke well, saying: This is a holy land where both Hindus and Mussalmans live. If the Emperor undermines the religion, he won't last. When the Muslim Emperor of Delhi tried to wreck Hinduism, he lost his throne. We have seen that.

Then the Sahib from England said: Let's put the new law aside, but cartridges must be accepted.  

4. Ammunition

The old soldier continued: `Last year new muskets came from Europe. They require bullets the size of Jambul seed. Bullets too came from Europe. Soldiers were excited to see them, for these guns have a higher range. The muskets were distributed across the cantonments in Hindustan.'

`The cartridges of the new ammunition have to be bitten off. Government started a cartridge factory at Damdam, near Calcutta. It so happened that one day a Brahmin was filling up his water-pitcher at a pond. A man of cobbler caste came there, and asked for water. The Brahmin told him: If I do that, it would pollute me.'

`The cobbler said: Don't you be so proud. The new cartridges are lined with beef and pork fat. You have to bite them off. You think that doesn't pollute?'

'It led to a fight. People gathered. Some Company soldiers were among them. In a short while the news spread that new cartridges were impure, anti-religion. Hindus thought: We worship cow. Her fat would be in our teeth -- no sin can be greater than that. Mussalmans had a contrary grievance. They consider pig to be impure and haram, so much so that they don't even say the word. So they too were incensed to realize that they would be biting off pig-fat.'

`There was a great hullabaloo in every cantonment. Soldiers felt that Government was out to convert them, by trick, or by force. So the Lord Sahib, who sits in Calcutta, wrote to England. The affair came to be mentioned in the Parliament. One of them, a mighty Lord, said: I have a lot of experience of soldiering. I will proceed to India, and make them accept the new cartridges.'

`Here, the black soldiers were full of suspicion. The news was spreading at unimaginable speed. Soldiers couldn't think of anything else: day and night they pondered how to avoid this calamity -- the impending loss of one's religion.

3. Coup d'état, Three Days From Now

In the morning, Uncle called on the Father. Worry not, he said; Vishnu is like a son to me. The father asked me to find auspicious time to leave.

My mother, that mild and naive lady, was in tears. `I await the day you return,' she said. `I do not say anything further, for I am ignorant.' This moved me. I touched her feet and said: `What worries you is that some temptation would entrap me in the North. But do not worry; I won't be lured,  I swear on your feet. 

I told my younger brother: Take care of the priestly and domestic duties. Be on your guard, always. Do what the Mother bids you to do.  Wash her clothes yourself, because she needs them clean, and she doesn't hand them to her daughters-in-law. Take care of the ladies of the household.

At the day-break, we started.  Reached Pune after two days. We bought some clothes there, and hired another cart for the travel upto Indore.

At Malegaon, we ran into his highness Bapusaheb Sangamnerkar. A very able scholar, he was. A brahmin who was travelling with him was bitten by snake around day-break. He woke up, and aroused others. Treatments were started immediately; some antidote - herbs were brought. He said: I am from Ahmed-nagar. I have a wife, who has just attained puberty, parents, two brothers, and a sister at home. Then he died, and was cremated in the morning.

We resumed the journey three days later and reached the Satpuda hills. Fragrance of newly bloomed trees filled the air. The climate here is mild, rather excellent. The government has built houses every few kilometre, for the opium trade. The hills are rolling, not too steep. They are called Sat-puda, because it takes saat -- seven -- days to cross over. It was a spring-time, and the path was picturesque.

We reached the outskirts of Mahu cantonment, and stayed in a rest-house. Two soldiers were our room-mates. They were natives of Goa, and much pleased to meet us.

The soldiers told us: ` Three days from today, a coup d'état  will occur in the world . Most certainly there would be looting and fighting. You'd better go back.'

We urged them: `Do tell us more.'

The older one of them said: `So far the English government had been ruling well. But now it has lost its head.'

2. Where Men Eat Cannabis

After I was born, my uncle thought of partitioning the joint property. Thus it was done. I was ten years old. Partition impoverished us. Poverty, as though, wedded us thence.

My father taught me alphabet, arithmetic, etc. Should I take a government job? But my father and uncle thought otherwise. I started reading Vedas. A couple of years later I got married. My father had to take out a loan. My brother, sister too got married, and everytime we had to borrow money. Our women were from good families. All the women in the household got along fine, an outsider wouldn't guess which of the young women had married into the family.

I and my brother were like Ram and Bharat. When we were kids, we would share water-jar when going out to discharge night soil. Nothing could spoil the love between the brothers.

At night we would talk about the loan: we saw no way out, barring the providence's intervention. Once we went to Pune, to conduct a ritual. Somebody said in my hearing: Her highness Bayaja-baee Shinde is going to organise Sarvato-mukhi Yagna at Mathura, in the North. Rupees eight lakh would be given away, learned ones have been invited. I, and my younger uncle -- Ram -- decided to travel there.

The father didn't approve. He said: There in the North, men drink cannabis, and their women enchant and enslave men with their cunning; so I have heard. You wont' return, I fear.

I said: Do not worry yourself. I do not go to delight in pleasures of flesh. I swear on oath - I won't, probably, succumb to glances of women. Nor would I eat cannabis. Uncle is with me, all I need is your blessings, and rupees ten. Thus the night passed, and it was decided by the day-break that we would go.

1. The Village

In Alibag district, in the tehsil of Pen, there is a village called Varsai. It's at the foot of a hill, by a river. Several Chitt-pavan Brahmin families live there.

Ours was a family of pundits; but my father was a family-man. Vinchurkars, who were the grandees in the court of prime minister Bajirao (II), were his patrons. When the Maratha state went into decline, and his highness set out for the North, leaving Pune, my father went with the army up to the Narmada. Then he became very weak, and caught fever. So came to Varsai in Shak 1739. He decided he wouldn't take government service; he would spend his life here, as a Brahmin. My mother was a virtuous lady, devoted to her husband.

Later, I was born.