Primal Woman by Sunil Gangopadhyay

Author:Sunil Gangopadhyay
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperPerennial
Published: 2015-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

The Mango Grove

Much to her dismay, Haseena suddenly found herself face to face with Goni Khan Chowdhury. It was early in the morning and the latter was walking in his orchard, inspecting his trees. Quickly hiding the bunch of raw mangoes she had picked under her sari, Haseena stooped and touched the old man’s feet. Goni Khan’s eyes were as sharp as needles and the movement of her hand hadn’t escaped him. Lifting her chin, he murmured a blessing. ‘May Allah take care of you and your children. May you prosper and be happy. How many mangoes have you taken, daughter?’

Haseena’s heart thudded violently. ‘O chacha!’ she pleaded in a piteous voice. ‘I didn’t pluck even one from the tree. I just took a few windfalls. Believe me, chacha!’

‘Tch tch tch!’ Goni Khan clicked his tongue kindly. ‘Even if you did, so what? No harm done. You needed mangoes, you took some. The matter ends there.’ While caressing Haseena’s chin Goni Khan had seen her eyes—deep and dark like ancient lakes that held worlds of mysteries in their depths. His heart softened towards her. ‘Let me see what you have taken,’ he said. ‘Don’t be afraid.’

Haseena brought the bunch out slowly. Through the tear in her blouse, Goni Khan caught a glimpse of her breasts. Rich, swelling hills, lustrous as moonlight. His heart softened a little more. ‘Only five!’ he exclaimed. ‘That’s nothing, you should have taken more.’

‘The children were clamouring for mango chutney so I thought I’d make some. “You mustn’t steal,” I told them sternly, “I’ll take what I need from chacha’s garden.”’

‘You’re absolutely right. Take as many as you like. In fact, come to me whenever you need anything. There’s no need to feel shy. Do you want some more?’

These mangoes were of the Golapkhas variety. Dwarf trees especially grafted for a combination of rich taste and scent. Crisp and sweet even when raw, they weren’t cooking mangoes. Goni Khan knew Haseena was lying but he stretched out his hand and plucked another ten or twelve big fat ones from the low branches and said, ‘Here. Spread out your anchal and take these.’

Haseena’s sari was in tatters. Obeying Goni Khan would mean exposing her bosom. She blushed and looked down at her feet.

Goni Khan smiled sweetly at her. ‘There’s no need to feel embarrassed. Am I not your chacha?’

Haseena slowly unwrapped the end of her sari from her shoulders and held it out. Goni Khan dropped the mangoes into it. His rheumy eyes glistened. ‘Happy?’ he asked, taking her hand. Haseena swayed her head. Goni Khan’s hands grazed her shoulders and cupped her breasts. ‘Come,’ he whispered. After that it was a matter of seconds before he pushed her down gently and lay on top of her. The mangoes fell out of Haseena’s torn anchal and rolled across the grass. Haseena moaned in protest but no one heard her. It was barely dawn and no one was awake, not even the birds.

It was over in a few minutes.

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