Citadel of Love by Pratibha Ray

Author:Pratibha Ray [Ray, Pratibha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rupa Publication
Published: 2015-10-09T22:00:00+00:00

Despite all his research, Lord Jagannath remained a mystery to Charles. Invisible and enigmatic just like Prachi, just like mystic Konark. Charles could not understand Lord Jagannath, could not fathom the mystery of Konark, nor comprehend Prachi either.

When he looked at the unfinished idols of Lord Jagannath and his siblings, Prachi said serenely, ‘Lord Jagannath can never be incomplete. He is manifest everywhere and He is the Lord of the Universe. He reaches out to our needs, with his invisible hands and legs. He embraces us when we need Him.’

Prachi was enchanted by the deity. She would cry out, ‘Oh God, how beautiful you are!’ and Charles’s eyes would dwell upon the large-barrel shape of this peculiar idol, the enormous wide-open eyes and smile that spread unbounded, the arms which seemed never-ending. Charles wondered if Jagannath could appear so attractive in the eyes of a good-looking girl like Prachi, then Charles’s good looks ought to surpass all. But Prachi never complimented him on his looks. She never mentioned his looks. Perhaps she did not see beauty through her eyes, he consoled himself. She had enshrined Lord Jagannath in her heart, and there was no space for any mortal man.

Not just Prachi, but Dinabandhu Babu and Charukala too, were enchanted with Lord Jagannath. At the entrance of every door in their house, a painting of Lord Jagannath hung on the wall. Before the visitor entered, he bowed to it as if entering a shrine and removed his or her footwear. Everyone entered a house barefoot here. Charles obeyed each rule set by Dinabandhu Babu’s. This pleased Dinabandhu Babu, and Charukala too became close to Charles.

Lots of rituals were observed at Dinabandhu Babu’s household. Though he often wondered about them, he was happy to be part of them nevertheless. During some rituals, Charukala did not touch even a drop of water and would fast rigorously. Odia women observed many fasts and rituals for the well-being of their children and husbands. Simple people like Charukala felt God existed in images of stone, in the winnowing fan, broom, grinding stone, betel, coconut, trees, ghosts, cobras, cows, bullocks, kites, jackal and almost everywhere. Charles was amazed. In a world that had become so complex, such simple people nevertheless existed!

Women like Charukala suffered unhesitatingly for the health and prosperity of their family. Observing the joy of sacrifice on her face, Charles would wonder why he never noticed such an expression on the face of his own mother. According to him, she remained an embodiment of dissatisfaction and displeasure, though living in the lap of luxury.

He was also offered many types of sweets and got to taste Odia cuisines. Though a small eater, he loved the food. Charukala would come to him with a plate full of sweets; he would eat only one or two pieces. Then Charukala would be reminded of her son and chide Charles, ‘You are just like my son. Do I toil so much, preparing these sweets just for myself? Your stomach is full with just one or two sweets? Tell me, which mother will like that? Dinu went away ages ago.

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