A short Translation of `Majha Pravas' by Vishnu-bhat Godse

This blog is a shortened, serialized translation of `Majha Pravas' (My Travels) by Vishnu-bhat Godse (1827- 1906).

Godse started his journey from his village Varsai -- in Raigad district, near Mumbai -- in 1857. His destination was Gwalior. The purpose of the journey was to seek fortune: a member of Scindia royal family had organised a `Yagna', where Brahmins would be rewarded generously.

But it was 1857, and Godse walked into the heart of uprising that shook much of the North India. He survived it, to write up, in Marathi, a fascinating account of the journey some 25 years later. It was published in 1907.

Friday, December 10, 2010

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). 

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