The Clay Doll

By Book rivers and Ramnath Sahu

All the daughters of the world are Lakshmi, but where are all the sons Narayan...?  The novel begins with this motto and continues with the struggle saga of Janki. Janki the heroine of the story, at her honeymoon night, learns about her fair coloured handsome husband Kamal, that he is a drunkard, but she found herself unable to leave him and run away.  From then on begins, the journey of her whole life, drowning in the torrent of liquor.  Her only son Ratan also follows the footprints of his father. Both father and son get their premature death.  Janki's family falls apart. In the end, she brings to the public, the battle against alcoholism, what she was fighting in her family, and even in her old age, she has been fighting against it as a 'one-man army'; But just as Sita-Janki entered the earth, in the same way this Janki also got sacrificed on the altar of alcohol… Story related to today's social concerns, specially in rural India. This work screams loudly against all possible aspects and venue of the liquor -consumption, and tries to find any resolution against it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Book rivers
• Release date: Feb 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201540821

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RAMNATH SAHU

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First published in 2022

Copyright- 2022 Ramnath Sahu

All rights reserved

Ramnath Sahu son of late Shri Premnath Sahu,dob 20 may, 1963 asserts the moral right to be the identified as the author of this work.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system (including but not limited to computers, disks, external drives, electronic or digital devices, e-readers, websites) or transmitted in any form or by any mean (including but not limited to cyclostyling, photocopying, docutech or other reprographic reproductions, mechanical, recording, electronic, digital versions) without the prior written permission of the Author nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to a real person, living or dead, or actual events or locales is purely coincidental.

ISBN:978-93-5515-207-7

Mrp:240/-INR

Publisher:Printed and bounded in India by Book Rivers.

Website: www.bookrivers.com

Email: [e-mail]

Mobile: [phone]

Dedicated

to

Dr. N.D.R. Chandra

Former Vice Chancellor

Bastar University

Chhattisgarh

The first audience, for this story-

My little son

Neelesh Sahu

She fought alone, kept fighting, got buried fighting in this earth, if a troop is formed, then something would happen -

A one-man army against the topmost devil for mankind.

[]

CHAPTER-1

The beautiful moon of the fourteenth day ascended some above. Fully white moon rays were entering the room by the fenestra way. From those vents, the fragrance of the wood flowers was also entering. She has been here only for a total of three days. Where has she seen the neighbourhood, next doors?  But it seems there are many of Shirish trees on beside the home and there is this scent of those flowers. New place, new people, new conduct- behaviour; What name is sasural, the in-laws house.  The woman is reborn in the in-laws house.  She has to put off the Chunri, what is from her mother house and have to veil herself by Shyam- the magpie blue coloured cloak of  ShyamSundar. How is her ownShyam Sunder...! Why Shyam Sunder, she is Janki, then he should be Ram...

The door got opened. Janki was stunned, as if her filcher was caught again. She then looked towards the door. There was enough light in the room. What is this ...!  How did the full moon of the sky descend into the ground ... !!  Janki, avoiding all her virtue and values, could not relinquish the greed to see Kamal by. Near about six foot tall, fair handsome man but looking more delicate than a boy. It is difficult to search male affections on his face. What else was Janki looking for?  Now take away your modesty - the most precious gem of the womanhood, what you have carried for so many days.  The one ready to hold that burden is standing in front of you. Give it to him, he is standing in front, ready to hold it. Present...him his best present. This is his right, what are you thinking about ...!

Janki looked at the oil painting of Mata Durga installed on the wall. The aroma of the incense was still spread inside the room.  But how did this mixed smell?

Kamal stood steady in his place like a statue.  He was not coming ahead. The flowers kept in Janki's palm got offered at his feet.  She leaned down to touch his feet.

Kamal, grabbed Janki's hand, and she came in some closure. Oh, h... my father ...! What smell did it make in her nostrils!

Janki did not take long to understand.  The smell that has entered her nose, what is that?  What kind of man this man is. Where did Dada throw her? Brother, who tied this man to her neck.  Even today... in such a good day like this he is drunk, then what would the other day not do.

Dada  surveyed as the single heir of this... Property.

Big brother estimated all assets and status of the entire family and Janki got married to this man Kamal...! Dada...! Janki lost her heart.  Whose curs fell upon her ! Who showed the green- eyed monster to her?  Once upon a time Chandrika Bhouji was being mistaken by Reshamlal brother for the issue of liquor, then she smiled upon seeing him.  Then Bhouji  scolded her like this. And here she is really being a laughingstock for the Bhouji.

Janki ...  Kamal came and stood before her.

Yes ... Oh....! Her heart and mind were not functioning well.  The balance was disturbed.  He looked at her, How do you feel our house is...?

Yes, looks good.

What looks good ...

Everything looks good.

I know, you must be feeling good, except me.  Am I right, Janki ?

Yes ... No... Oh! Let's run away, Janki from here.  Do not die stuck on the trap of this beautiful form of this handsome but a drunkard man?  Will run away from here, where will you go? What Dada will say? Bhabhi, the sister-in-law, will only be to get fired.  She will definitely say... this rouge girl could not stay in her mother-in-law’s home even for a week.  Brother- If not today, but then tomorrow he will say this.  Clan court- Panchayat all will be called. Skirmish disputes, all will be with her.  Now what do I  do...! What should I do ...!  I am just having a doom for me.  I will just die. Furthermore, I will just die ....

—-

CHAPTER-2

Hey, now you are three years old, but be still clinging to mother, or you will be on earth?"  Janki got fed up and said to her son Navratan.

But where was Navratan supposed to convince.  He was delighted at the mother's loveliness — the nectar coming out of the motherhood temple.

Come on, now ... Janki started trying to force him away from her.  But all in vain!  He was not even leaving her.

Look, there, your father is coming. Janki started telling looking, his father Kamal from a distance.

Seeing Kamal, the child came down from Janki's lap and went to him.

His father's son ...!  Janki murmured slowly.

No, his mother's son. Why son, be your mother's son, huh? Kamal said while pulling the child towards him.  The child did not even know what he thought, he shook his head and showed his heart.

This is not my son, see how his head is shaking in approval.  Kamal said, shifting the small bundle to Janki. On seeing this smallbundle, Janki got shocked, but understood well what must have happened.

At the time of departure to the market, all the balance sheet and budget had calculated, but so a little stuff has to come home. Even half is not seen here. Where would the half have gone? Where else will it go, just where he is coming from?

Take him, Janki. Everything is going a little costly in the market today.  Kamal said, taking Ratan in his lap.

Janki didn't say anything after hearing this.  Yes, but she still kept looking at the baggage of the bundle, which was ration to run for a week. It would hardly run for two days only, then the melodrama of scarcity Hey, a little up down is everywhere, but how will such a big pit be bridged.

All right. Come on and wash your hands. The food is ready. Janki tried to swallow the bitter taste full in her mouth.

OK, I won't mind.

Why won't you?

I am a bit...

Janki did not have the strength to insist. And why would she insist? She kept quiet. Here Kamal kept playing with the child for a while, kept him entertained, then slowly took him off and started going out.

Hey, where are you going again?  Janki was angry and said a little intimidating.

Understand, I'm coming out a bit.

It is not so full and going out ...

Oh no, Janki. Kamal said and started trying to laugh a little.

What does Janki say...?  In his company of four to five years, she had done all that was worth doing.  Explain — resentment- flare up- anger ... She had best tried everything but all in vain ...!  Kamal, who was just his merry.

The sun of the afternoon had ridden over the head. Even at twelve o'clock in the summer, the shadow does not appear.  Janki came to the courtyard and started folding the washed clothes all over the place today. Seeing her doing this, Ratan also came to her while walking, but the courtyard was getting so hot that he started crying from the feet burning.  Janki saw this, then my child... ran towards him, leaving her clothes. She picked him up on her lap with a blow.

"Shut up, keep silent son, look there, your father is coming, he will take you to the lap; now relax please! Janki told this, but later she realized her mistake.  He will only come after being late enough.  Will come... of his choice!

On hearing this, the child became silent, but Janki's eyes became watery after seeing his sobbing mouth.  The child did not understand what he saw the mother, he started crying again.

Shut up ... Shut up! Why are you crying now, now I have got you in my lap. Janki said, patting him on the back.  But the child did not stop crying.

Cry ... cry!  Cry as much as you like, as you can!  Here we have born only to cry — Janki said and keep off the child to the floor of veranda.  This made the child cry more loudly.  Seeing him crying like this, Janki also started crying with a loud spell.

The cries of these two mothers and son continued, but the people of the neighbourhood were happy in their own cooling by the fan-cooler in such a comfortable summer noon.  Nobody got interfered by this howling but one who should, must be, was not yet returned home.

Weeping, Navratan fell asleep.

Hey... darling, how he slept, my... son! Staggering, Kamal was setting foot on the threshold.

—-

CHAPTER-3

The good arrival of the rainy season is considered to be the first date of the month of Ashadh, whether it rains or not. But today, the Ratha Yatra, the visiting-ceremony by the chariot of the lord, has arrived today by count down of the days. Today is the second date of Shukla Paksha, the bright half of lunar month but even by ceremonial there is nothing any drop of the rain till date, only dust is still blowing here and there.  But where is the enthusiasm of the festival to be reduced. Right near the chaupal of the village, Bhagavan Gudi has been built by the Goutia family.  Bhagavan Gudi — an earthen tile thatched mud house.  But of whose...? The creator of *Sakal Tribhuvan*, all universe and above all, the same for his brother and sister., Shri mann Jagannath Swami of black colour, Balabhadra Bhaiya with white colour and Yellow idol is of Subhadra Maiya, their beloved sister. This Gudi is the home of Shri Vigrahas with their unique inscription carved in the wood of Maha Neem. Even