Bhimanshu Pandel

Whispers of the Village Punlota

While everyone in Punlota village sleeps, the trees start whispering of the old man named Khoji who just passed through with his hands made of wet clay, travelling from village to village making charpai(s) (wooden beds) for kids. A small boy who had travelled long and far arrived at a guard (village centre) in search of his cattle. He was accompanied by his mother’s shadow that protected him from evils on his way. By the wayside he was stopped by the sight of a group saddened bui(s) (a type of plant from Rajasthan). They told him about an evil guy who walked tall and upright and was as huge as an elephant. He had killed an innocent bui by stepping on it. She had just been married and was naïve and innocent. She was the most beautiful creature anyone had ever seen. So beautiful, she shined brighter than gold. She had a beautiful house where all the walls whispered to each other out of jealousy slowly making them weak and fragile.