Gandikota

Rescued

It was a lazy afternoon, as the two tribal boys came to the banks of the stream, having been hunting since morning. They had managed to shoot down a couple of squirrels using the betta kola , a good enough initiation for them. Mallanna and Timmadu both of them just entering their teens, a dhoti girdled around their loins, carrying their trophies on their shoulders. Mallanna was the taller of the two, with a lean frame, chest drawn in, long hair falling down the shoulders and tanned skin, covered with sweat, while Timmadu was more stocky, with broad shoulders,a mop of curly hair sitting on his head. They would graduate soon to hunting deer, rabbits, and maybe even  wild boar, as they grew older. 

For now, they were just tired with all the running around in the forest, and all that mattered was a dip in the cool stream. They stripped down fully and jumped into the waters, splashing around, scooping up the startled fish, and letting them back. As they swam and splashed around, they saw it in the distance, it seemed like a large log floating down. As it came in sight, they saw what it was , a human body, floating face down, coming towards them. 

Out of curiosity they swam closer to have a look, he was someone they never seen before, more fair, thick beard, broad chested, muscled, bruises all over his body. Was he dead or alive? They were not even sure.

"What do we do Mallanna, leave him here itself?"

"Pedda Ayya, always told us to help any one in distress, let's bring him to the banks"

And they began to drag the heavy body, fording against the rapid currents, that threatened to sweep them away. Balancing with great difficulty, in the water, clinging to the man, they slowly dragged him along inch by inch, reaching the banks, after what seemed an eternity.

While Mallanna held him by his shoulders, Timmadu, held the lower part, as they dragged him on to the wet sand. As both fell, panting, catching their breath, bodies drenched with water, looking at the man there. 

"We cannot carry him to our gudem, I will go and inform Peddayya, Timma you wait here and guard him".

"Come soon Mallanna, I feel afraid all by myself here".

"When were you not afraid of anything, at least now is a chance for you to be a bit more brave. Don't worry, I won't keep waiting you all day".

Timmadu, left all alone by himself, felt scared, with this mysterious stranger near him, and all sounds around him.  The chatter of monkeys, the chirping of the insects, the bird calls, and in the distance he heard that roar. A chill ran down his spine, he had heard about tigers, leopards often coming to the stream, to drink. 

Closing his eyes, he repeatedly began to mutter prayers to Mallanna, whom they said, was an invisible force, in the jungles, protecting the weak and innocent. And all of a sudden, a silence fell on the forest, like a shroud. The monkeys had stopped chattering,  and clambered up the branches further. The deer scampered away into the dense undergrowth.  And that happened when he was out on the hunt, the king of the jungle.

In normal times, he would have clambered up the tree, to save himself from the tiger,but now he was entrusted the task of guarding this stranger, who was lying unconscious. He could not just leave him at the mercy of the tiger, he would never be able to show his face to Mallanna, who had trusted him and left him. He would be shamed in his Gudem, where cowardice was considered worse than death. 

Come what may, he would not abandon the man there. He might have been a coward, but he was not the one to break trust. If he had to die, let all say, Timmadu died with honor, than running away like a coward. He grabbed his small bow and placed the arrow across the string. His hands shook nervously, as he heard the steps coming closer, the rustling of the bushes, increasingly louder.

His heart beat louder, his pulse quickened, grabbing the small bow and arrow, which he knew had no chance against the tiger. And soon it came into sight, a large beast, with it's eyes glinting like embers in the dark, its massive frame in sight, with it's coat glistening in the sun, as it kept growling, showing off rows of sharp, pointed teeth. Timma stiffened, ready to shoot the arrow, when a din began to break out. 

Drums were sounding, loud calls and screams, a huge commotion, as he instantly heaved a sigh of relief. They had come at last as he heaved a sigh of relief, but he had just seen the face of death, at close quarters.  As the group came closer, the tiger slinked away quickly into the undergrowth. 

As the group came into being, he saw Mallanna, and rushed to his friend, holding him, as he broke out in relief, who held him back with a bemused smile.

"You are fortunate to have seen the tiger, not every boy becomes a man so fast"

As he felt a hand, ruffle through his curly mop, he looked up, Peddayya, standing tall above him, his greyish locks cascading down, his grey straggly beard, an imposing frame. 

No one knew his real name, every one called him Peddayya only, the eldest of the Gudem nearby, who often mediated in their disputes, taught them hunting and bee keeping. A man with a gentle disposition, a father figure to every one in the village who was one of them. And yet could be equally stern too when delivering judgement. The chief to around thirty other gudems scattered in the forests, who would also officiate as the priest during their ceremonies.

"Mallanna, knowing your friend, it was not fair on your part, to have left him all by himself"

The gentle admonishment in a rather firm, and dulcet tone, was Chenchi, the daughter of Pedayya.  Just into her youth, with a lissomely shaped body, rounded hips, long limbs, her dark hair neatly tied into a bun, fastened with wooden clips. A large nose ring, with tattos on face, and forearms, clothed in a reddish robe, wrapped around her, and fastened at the back, showing her bare shoulders. 

Beautiful as she was, even more renowned was her prowess with the bow and arrow, as she hunted the big game with ease, bringing down large sambar deer and wild boar. Many a youth sought her hand, but she rarely showed much interest. 

"He does not look like one of us father, where did the stranger come from"

Peddayya motioned her to be silent, as he looked at him intently, this was clearly a man of royal lineage, the thick straggly beard, could not conceal, the sharp features.  The bruises and scars on his bare chest, showed him to be a warrior, only he could have survived such rapid streams. Holding his wrist in his hand, he checked the pulse, and placed his ears to the chest. He was still breathing, though unconscious. "

As he signalled to his men, they quickly improvised a bier out of the leaves, branches, and stems in no time. It took four men to lift that rather heavy frame, onto the bier, as they began the journey back, singing songs at a high pitch, that would help them to overcome the rigours of the trek.

Ramalinga Nayaka, had found refuge among one of the numerous Chenchu hamlets in the Nallamalla hills.