An Unexpected Adventure

THE BEGINNING

Another morning, bright and fresh, dawned on the village of Bhadrapur. The sunlight streamed into the huts of the people and shimmered on their faces. The slumbering villagers awakened to the sweet and melodious singing of the Kokila and instantly set out to do their morning chores. In a matter of minutes the entire village was filled with sounds of people- some began reciting their morning prayers, mothers could be heard trying to wake their children, villagers left their homes to go to the river to bathe, women set out to fetch water from the well and the dogs, to prove they too were awake and part of the community, began barking incessantly.

Harinarayan jumped out of his bed and ran to the river. He plunged into the cold waters and began bathing rapidly. The speed at which he finished a bath and rushed back home left the others wondering. His mother was completely taken aback when she saw that he had dressed up so early and wondered what miracle had taken place that day. Harinarayan, called Hari by everyone in the village, was the son of a brahmin priest. His father was the priest in the village temple and his mother managed the domestic affairs, as all women were expected to do so. Hari, a young lad of twelve and was known to the entire village due to his carefree and indolent nature. Inertness was the only quality endowed onto him by the Almighty. While other boys of his age studied under the tutorship of his father and played games in the maidan, Hari would sit dozing under a tree and squandering time. Thus, his mother's surprise was natural when she saw her lazy son ready so early and running to the maidan. Harinarayan had been waiting for this day eagerly and his excitement knew no bounds. His heart leapt in his breast. The day had come at last, he thought as he stuffed a banana in his mouth, bolted out of his house and charged zealously down the streets of the village towards the big maidan.

Dawn had now broken into morning and the sun was shining radiantly in the sky. The villagers left their huts and went to their jobs, eager to start a new day at work. When Hari reached the maidan, his friends Chandra and Sulochan were already waiting for him. He ran to them and they greeted each other. ''

"Where is Priyakant'' inquired Hari

"Oh, he has caught a fever because we scared him as ghosts last night!" answered Sulochan. "He is completely rattled up and shivering in his bed. He won't be coming today". They laughed at the plight of the poor fellow and set out towards the forest.

Situated at the foothills of the Satpura mountain range, Bhadrapur was surrounded by forests on three sides, and on the fourth a road began, connecting the village to the city of Ujjain. It was these forests that Hari and his friends had decided to explore. Tradesmen and merchants coming to Bhadrapur always talked about the grandeur of these woodlands. The boys were constantly deliberating whether or not to go to these forests and had finally decided in the affirmative. "The interior of the jungle is quite dense, perilous and dangerous;do not make the mistake of going in there.....but the outskirts are pleasant and its worth spending a day there" a merchant had once told them. Their destination was a couple of miles away but the boys were so engrossed in talking, laughing, and merrymaking that they didn't even realise when the distance was covered.

What they saw when they reached the forest, took their breath away. Beyond them, stretched out the lush, magnificent forest land filled with different varieties of vegetation and myriad species of wildlife. In front of them there was a pond surrounded by trees yielding fruits and nuts. They stood in the vast grassland which extended beyond their view. Birds chirped in the fruit trees and cattle grazed around them. They were stupefied, too dazed to do anything. Eventually the spell broke and they leaped with exultation.

The three boys chatted and laughed gaily and didn't realize how the time slipped by. They talked of poor Priyakant and made plans of troubling him again, they talked of eccentric personalities in the village, they discussed what they were to do over the course of the day and Chandra and Sulochan tried once again to persuade Hari to forsake his laziness and be like the others but to no avail. They played various games and enjoyed themselves thoroughly. It was not till their stomachs rumbled with hunger that they realized lunchtime had passed. They broke various fruits from the trees, sat down on the grass and ate voraciously. After they finished, they lay down and gazed into the blue sky. The feeling of the soft breeze brushing against their bodies, the sight of clouds drifting in the sky and birds flying across the heavens enchanted them magnificently. It appeared as if Time itself stopped travelling and the boys felt as if they were in the land of the dreams.

Morning turned into afternoon, afternoon into early evening and the hours whizzed by like seconds for Hari, Chandra and Sulochan. As Hari lay gazing at the blue April sky, various thoughts crossed his mind. Why did everyone have a problem with the way he led life? He didn't think himself lazy, then why did everyone else? What would his life be like five-and-twenty years later?Would he follow the footsteps of his father or be something different? Thought after thought filled up the young mind of Hari. He had no control over them and no sooner had one thought began to fade than another took its place. Then he realised that lying there indefinitely was fun, of course, but why not do something adventurous and have an exploit of his own.....what fun it would be to blow his own trumpet back at home! He thought for a while and suddenly a shiver of excitement ran through his body and he sprang up from the ground.

"Chandra, Sulochan get up quickly! I've got a marvelous idea!" he exclaimed.

"What is it?" asked Chandra, slightly annoyed at being hauled out of Dreamland.

"Why not go deeper into the forest and explore! We've never been inside and imagine how exciting it will be!" shouted Hari

"Don't even think about it" reproached Sulochan. " Do you have an idea about the dangers lurking in there? Going in there will be sure death."

"Don't be a spoilsport Sulochan" said Hari with alacrity. "It will be so much fun and an amazing experience!"

"I agree with Hari...it will be thrilling to explore the depths of the jungle!" said Chandra

"Don't you remember the warning the merchant gave us? He told us clearly not to go deep into the woodland."

"Oh come now Sulochan, don't be a dog in the manger" Chandra exhorted.

"Alright, but if anything happens I will hold you responsible....don't say I didn't warn you then" Sulochan consented reluctantly.

Hari and Chandra galloped towards the jungle and Sulochan trudged slowly behind. Why did he have a feeling of an impending danger? The words of the merchant rang in his ears 'Do not make the mistake of going in there....' and a chill ran down his spine.

Angamala curled his lips into a sneer as he saw the figures of Hari, Chandra and Sulochan getting smaller and smaller as they entered the forest. A powerful emotion churned within him for he knew that the moment he had waited for for years now, had finally arrived. His heart danced with joy, devilish exuberance, as he thought of the fate of the three unfortunate boys.