Bhootopakaara
ಕಥೆಯ ಹೆಸರು ಭೂತೋಪಕಾರ. ಹೌದು ಭೂತೋಪಕಾರ - ಭೂತ ಪ್ಲಸ್ ಉಪಕಾರ = ಭೂತೋಪಾಕಾರ
- ಗುಣ ಸಂಧಿ, ಭೂತ ಅಂದ ಕೂಡ್ಲೆ ಅವಗುಣಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಅಪಕಾರ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಮನಸ್ಸಿಗೆ
ಬರುವುದರಲ್ಲಿ ಅಚ್ಚರಿಯಿಲ್ಲ. ಭೂತಗಳು ಉಪಕಾರ ಮಾಡುವುದುಂಟೆ ಎಂದು ಕೇಳಬಹುದು
ನೀವು. ಕೆಲವು ಅದ್ರಷ್ಟವಂತರಿಗೆ ಆ ಭಾಗ್ಯ ಒದಗಿಬರುವುದು ಉಂಟು. ಅದರಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನೂ ಒಬ್ಬ.
ನೀವು ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ಘಟ್ಟ ದಾಟಿ ಕೆಳಗಿಳಿದರೆ - ಅಂದರೆ ಭದ್ರಾನದಿ ದಾಟಿ
ಕೆಳಗಿಳಿದರೆ - ಸೀತಾನದಿ ಸಿಗುತ್ತದೆ (ನೋಡಿ ರಾಮಭದ್ರನ ನದಿ ದಾಟಿದರೆ ಸೀತಾನದಿ ಸಿಗುವುದು
ಸಮಂಜಸವೇ ಅಲ್ಲವೇ? ). ಸೀತನದಿ ದಾಟಿ್ದರೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿನ ದಟ್ಟವಾದ ಕಾಡು ಮುಗಿಯುವ ಹೊತ್ತಿಗೆ
ಸಮುದ್ರವೇ ಸಿಗುತ್ತದೆ.
ಆ ಕಾಡಿನ ಅಂಚಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಒಂದೂರಿದೆ ಅದರ ಹೆಸರು ಕಾಡೂರು. ಅದೇ ನನ್ನ
ಅಜ್ಜಿಯ ಊರು ಅಥವಾ ಹಳ್ಳಿ. ಅಲ್ಲಿ ನಮ್ಮೂರಿನ ಜನ ಹೊಲಗದ್ದೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರಮವಹಿಸಿ ಬೇಸಾಯ
ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡು ಕಾಡುಪ್ರಾಣಿಗಳಿಂದ ಬೆಳೆ ಉಳಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಹೋರಾಡುತ್ತ ಬದುಕುತ್ತಾರೆ.
ಎಲ್ಲರ ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ನಾಯಿ,ಕೋಳಿ, ಬೆಕ್ಕು, ದನಕರುಗಳು, ಎಮ್ಮೆ ಕೋಣಗಳು ಎತ್ತಿನಬಂಡಿ
ಇರುತ್ತಿದ್ದವು , ನನ್ನ ಹೈಸ್ಕೂಲ್ ವಿದ್ಯಾಭ್ಯಾಸ ನನ್ನ ಅಜ್ಜಿ ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿದ್ದು
ಮಾಡಿದ್ದೆ. ಅಜ್ಜಿ ಒಬ್ಬಳೇ ಅಲ್ಲಿರುವುದರಿಂದ ಅವಳಿಗೆ ಸಹಾಯವಾಗಲೆಂದು ನನ್ನ ಅಮ್ಮ ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ
ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಅಟ್ಟಿದ್ದಳು. ಕಾಡೂರಿನ ವಾತಾವರಣ ಚಿಕ್ಕ ಮಕ್ಕಳಿಗೆ ಅಪಾರ ಭಯವನ್ನು ಹುಟ್ಟಿಸುವ
ಹಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಸುತ್ತಲಿನ ಕಾಡಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಹುಲಿ, ಕಾಡುಕೋಣ, ಕಾಡುಹಂದಿ, ಹಾವುಚೇಳುಗಳು,
ಗೂಬೆಹದ್ದುಗಳು - ಅವುಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಅಜ್ಜಿಯಂದಿರು ಹೇಳುವ ಕಥೆಗಳು ನಮ್ಮಲ್ಲಿ ಅತೀವ
ಹೆದರಿಕೆಯನ್ನು ಉಂಟು ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದವು. ಅದರ ಎಡೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅವರುಗಳು ಬಣ್ಣಿಸಿ ಹೇಳುವ ಭೂತದ
ಕಥೆಗಳು , ಅಲ್ಲಲ್ಲಿ ಅವುಗಳಿಗಾಗಿ ಕಟ್ಟಿರುವ ಗುಡಿಗಳು ಇನ್ನೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಹೆದರಿಕೆಯಯನ್ನು
ಹುಟ್ಟಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದವು. ಘೋರ ಮಳೆ, ಜೀರುಂಡೆಗಳ ಸದ್ದು, ಕಪ್ಪೆಗಳ ವಟವಟ ಮತ್ತು ಗಾಢ
ಕತ್ತಲೆ ಇವು ನಮ್ಮ ಭೂತದ ಕಲ್ಪನೆಗೆ ಬ್ರಹತ್ ವೇದಿಕೆಯಾಗಿ ನಿದ್ದೆ ಕೆಡಿಸಿ ನಮ್ಮ
ಕೆಟ್ಟ ಕನವರಿಕೆಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಕನವರಿಸಿ ಚೀರಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಕಾರಣವಾಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದವು. ಈ
ಭೂತಗಳೋ ಒಂದು ದೊಡ್ಡ ಹಿಂಡು - ಬೊಬ್ಬರ್ಯ, ಪಂಜುರ್ಲಿ, ಉಮ್ಮಲ್ತಿ, ನಂದಿ, ಜಕಣಿ
ಇತ್ಯಾದಿ ಏನೆಲ್ಲ ಹೆಸರುಗಳು ಅವಕ್ಕೆ. ಒಂದೊಂದಕ್ಕೆ ಒಂದೊಂದು ಗುಡಿ ಅಲ್ಲೆಲ್ಲ
ಹರಡಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದವು. ಒಂದೊಂದರ ಪ್ರತಾಪಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಒಂದೊಂದು ಕತೆಗಳು. ಅವು ಏನೆಲ್ಲಾ
ಕಾಟಕೊಡಬಲ್ಲವು, ಎಷ್ಟೊಂದು ಜನ ಏನೆಲ್ಲಾ ಕಷ್ಟ ಅನುಭವಿಸುವಂತಾಯಿತು ಎಷ್ಟು ಜನ ರಕ್ತಕಾರಿ
ಸತ್ತರು ಎಂದೆಲ್ಲ ಕತೆ ಕೇಳುತ್ತಲೇ ನಾವು ಬೆಳೆಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದೆವು. ಊರಿನ ಜನರ
ಕಷ್ಟಕೋಟಲೆ ಸಾವು ನೋವುಗಳಿಗೆಲ್ಲ ಭೂತಗಳೇ ಕಾರಣ ಎನ್ನುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು.
ಬೆಳದಿಂಗಳ ರಾತ್ರಿಯಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಎಲ್ಲೆಲ್ಲೂ ದೂರದಲ್ಲಿ ಏನೇನೂ ಆಕಾರಗಳನ್ನು
ಕಲ್ಪಿಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಉಮ್ಮಲ್ತಿ ಭೂತ ಓಲೆ ಹೂಡಿ ಅಡಿಗೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿರುವಳೆಂದೋ ,
ಪಂಜುರ್ಲಿ ಭೂತ ದೊಂದಿ ಹಿಡಿದು ಹೋಗುತ್ತಿರುವನೆಂದೋ ಏನೇನೋ ಕಥೆ ಕಟ್ಟಿ ಹೇಳಿ ಮಕ್ಕಳು ಉಚ್ಛೆ
ಹೊಯ್ದುಕೊಳ್ಳುವಂತಾಗುತ್ತಿತ್ತು. ಹಳ್ಳಿಯವರು ಈ ಭೂತಗಳಿಗೆ ಕಪ್ಪ ಕಾಣಿಕೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟು, ಅಥವಾ
ಹರಕೆ ಹೊತ್ತು ಬಚಾವಾಗಲು ಪ್ರಯತ್ನಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಹೆಚ್ಚಾಗಿ ಕುರಿಕೋಳಿ ಬಲಿಕೊಡುವುದೆಂದೋ, ದನದ
ಕರುವನ್ನು ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಮೀಸಲಿಡುವುದೆಂದೋ ಇಲ್ಲ ಕೋಲಪೂಜೆ ಕೊಡುವುದೆಂದೂ ಹರಕೆ
ಹೊರುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಕಾಡುದಾರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಶಾಲೆಗೆ ಹೋಗಿ ಬರುವಾಗ ಯಾವುದೋ ಶಬ್ದಕ್ಕೋ, ಆಕಾರಕ್ಕೋ ಹೆದರಿ
ಭೂತದರ್ಶನವಾಯಿತು ಎಂದುಕೊಂಡು ಜ್ವರಬಂದು ಮಲಗಿ ಶಾಲೆ ಬಿಟ್ಟುಬಿಟ್ಟ ಮಕ್ಕಳೂ
ಇದ್ದವು.
ಇವಲ್ಲದೆ ನಮ್ಮೂರ ಗಯ್ಯಾಳಿಗಳ ಭಯ ಇನ್ನೊಂದೆಡೆ ನಮಗೆ. ನೀವು ತೇಜಸ್ವಿಯವರ
'ಕಿರಗೂರಿನ ಗಯ್ಯಾಳಿಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಕೇಳಿರಬಹುದಲ್ಲವೇ. ಇವರೂಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಅಂಥವರೇ. ಬಾಯಿ
ಬೊಂಬಾಯಿ. ಎಷ್ಟೋಜನ ಈ ಗಯ್ಯಾಳಿಗಳ ದೆಸೆಯಿಂದ ಊರು ಬಿಟ್ಟವರುಂಟು. ವಿದ್ಯಾಭ್ಯಾಸ
ಅರ್ಧಕ್ಕೆ ನಿಲ್ಲಿಸಿ ಊರು ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಓಡಿಹೋಗಿ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಬೊಂಬಾಯಿಯ ಹೋಟೆಲ್ ಸೇರಿಗೊಂಡ
ಹುಡುಗರು ಹಲವರು. ಒಬ್ಬ ದನಕಾಯಲು ಹೋದಾಗ, ಆಟದಲ್ಲಿ ತಲ್ಲೀನನಾದಾಗ ದನವೊಂದು ಕಣ್ತಪ್ಪಿಸಿ
ಗಯ್ಯಾಳಿಯೊಬ್ಬಳ ಹೊಲನುಗ್ಗಿತ್ತು. ಆ ಗಯ್ಯಾಳಿ ವಾಚಾಮಗೋಚರ ಬಯ್ಯುತ್ತ ಊರುತುಂಬೆಲ್ಲ ಗದ್ದಲ
ಮಾಡಿದ್ದಕ್ಕೆ ಅಂಜಿದ ಹುಡುಗ ಊರು ಬಿಟ್ಟಿದ್ದ. ಇನ್ನೊಬ್ಬ ನನ್ನ ಗೆಳೆಯ ಅಣ್ಣಯ್ಯ ನನಗಿಂತ ಕೆಲವು
ವರ್ಷ ದೊಡ್ಡವನು. ಅವನನ್ನು ಅಣ್ಣಯ್ಯಣ್ಣ ಅಂತ ಕರೆಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದೆ, ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಮರ್ಯಾದೆಕೊಡಲು.
ಅವನು ಮತ್ತೊಬ್ಬ ಗಯ್ಯಾಳಿಯೊಬ್ಬಳ ತೋಟದ ಮಾವಿನಮರಕ್ಕೆ ಕಲ್ಲು ಹೊಡೆದು ಹಣ್ಣು
ಕಿತ್ತಿದ್ದಕ್ಕೆ ಆಕೆ ಶಾಲೆಯ ವರೆಗೂ ದೂರು ಕೊಂಡೊಯ್ದು ನಮ್ಮ ಪರಶುರಾಮ ಮೇಷ್ಟ್ರು
ನಾಗರಬೆತ್ತದಿಂದ ಬಾರಿಸಿದ್ದಕ್ಕೆ ಊರು ಬಿಟ್ಟಿದ್ದ. ಸುಮಾರು ವರ್ಷದ ಬಳಿಕ ಬೆಲ್ ಬಾಟಮ್ ಪ್ಯಾಂಟು
ಧರಿಸಿ, ಕೂಲಿಂಗ್ ಗ್ಲಾಸ್ ಹಾಕಿಕೊಂಡು ಊರಿಗೆ ಬಂದವ ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಕಂಡು ಹುಬ್ಬು ಹಾರಿಸಿ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿಗೆ
ಬರ್ತೀಯೇನೋ ಅಂತ ಕೇಳಿ ಹೋಗಿದ್ದ. ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಚಾಲುಕ್ಯ ಹೋಟೆಲ್ ಸೇರಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದನಂತೆ. ಮಂತ್ರಿ
ಮಹಾಶಯರನ್ನೆಲ್ಲ ನೋಡುತ್ತಾನಂತೆ ಎಂತೆಲ್ಲ ಸುದ್ದಿ. ಹೀಗೆ ನಮ್ಮೂರಿನಲ್ಲಿ
ವಿದ್ಯಾಭ್ಯಾಸ ಮುಗಿಸುವುದೆಂದರೆ ಪಾಂಡವರ ಸ್ವರ್ಗಾರೋಹಣದ ಕತೆಯ ಹಾಗಾಗಿತ್ತು. ದಾರಿಯುದ್ದಕ್ಕೂ
ಉದುರಿಹೋಗುವವರೇ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನವರು. ನನಗೆ ಹಲವು ಸಲ ಕತ್ತಲಾಗುವ ಹೊತ್ತಿಗೆ ಕಾಡುದಾರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹೋಗುವ
ಸಂದರ್ಭಗಳು ಬಂದಾಗ ಎದೆಬಡಿದುಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿತ್ತು. ಏನಾದರೂ ಸರ್ರಕ್ ಶಬ್ದ ಕೇಳಿಸಿತೋ ಕುಂಡೆಗೆ
ಕಾಲುಕೊಟ್ಟು ಆಚೆ ಈಚೆ ನೋಡದೇ ಒಂದೇ ಉಸಿರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಮನೆಗೆ ಓಡಿಬರುತ್ತಿದ್ದೆ. ಇದೆಲ್ಲ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ
ಕಡಿಮೆಯಾದದ್ದು ನಮ್ಮ ಹೈಸ್ಕೂಲಿನ ಭಗವಾನ್ ಮೇಷ್ಟ್ರ ಪಾಠ ಕೇಳಿದಾಗಿನಿಂದ. ಅವರು ಸೈನ್ಸ್
ಮೇಷ್ಟ್ರು . ಹೊಸಹೊಸ ವಿಷಯಗಳನ್ನು ತಿಳಿಸಿಕೊಡುತ್ತ - ಭೂಮಿ ಚಪ್ಪಟೆಯಲ್ಲ ಎನ್ನುವುದರಿಂದ
ಹಿಡಿದು ಋತುಗಳು ಗ್ರಹಣ ಗ್ರಹಗತಿಗಳ ಬಗೆಗೆಲ್ಲ ತಿಳಿಸಿಹೇಳುತ್ತ ಪ್ರಶ್ನಿಸುವ ಬಗ್ಗೆ, ಹಲವು
ಮೂಢನಂಬಿಕೆಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಅರಿವು ಕೊಟ್ಟರು. ಕೆಲವು ವಿಷಯಗಳನ್ನು ನನ್ನ ಅಜ್ಜಿಗೂ ಅರ್ಥ
ಮಾಡಿಕೊಡುವ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದೆ. ನಾವೆಲ್ಲ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನಿಗಳಾಗಬೇಕೆಂದು
ಹುರಿದುಂಬಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಕ್ರಮೇಣ ಭೂತದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನನಗಿರುವ ಭಯ ಕಡಿಮೆಯಾಗತೊಡಗಿತ್ತು. ಇನ್ನೇನು
ಭೂತದ ಹಂಗು ನನಗಿಲ್ಲ ಎಂಬ ವರೆಗೂ ಬಂದಿದ್ದೆ.
ನನ್ನ ನೆರೆಮನೆಯ ಕಾಯೇರಕ್ಕ ನಮ್ಮೂರಿನ ಗಯ್ಯಾಳಿಗಳಲ್ಲೊಬ್ಬಳು.ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಆಕೆಗೆ
ಆಕೆಯ ಬಾಯಿಗೆ, ಆಕೆಯ ಶಾಪಕ್ಕೆ ಹೆದರುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಆಕೆ ಮುದುಕಿಯಾದರೂ ನಾವೂ
ಕಾಯೇರಕ್ಕ ಎನ್ನುತ್ತಿದ್ದೆವು - ಯಾಕೆಂದರೆ ನಮ್ಮಜ್ಜಿಯೂ ಕಾಯೆರಕ್ಕ ಅನ್ನುತ್ತಿದ್ದಳು. ಆಕೆಯ
ಕೆಂಗಣ್ಣಿಗೆ ನಾನೂ ಗುರಿಯಾಗಿದ್ದೆ ಹಲವು ಬಾರಿ. ನಮ್ಮನೆಯ ದನಕರುಗಳು ಅವರ ಜಾಗಕ್ಕೆ ಕಾಲಿಟ್ಟರೇ
ಬಯ್ಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದಳು. ಒಳಗೊಳಗೇ ಅವಳ ಮೇಲೆ ನನಗೆ ತುಂಬಾ ಸಿಟ್ಟಿತ್ತು
ಅದೊಂದು ರಜಾದಿನ.
"ಬೆಳಗಾತ ನಾನೆದ್ದು ಯಾರ್ಯಾರ ನೆನೆಯಲಿ- ಎಂದು ಹಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಾ ಹೊಲದ ಕೆಲಸದೊಂದಿಗೆ ದಿನದ ಆರಂಭವಾಗಿತ್ತು.
ಎಳ್ಳು ಜೀರಿಗೆ ಬೆಳೆವಂತ ಭೂಮ್ತಾಯ
ಎದ್ದೊಂದು ಘಳಿಗೆ ನೆನದೇನ "
ನಮ್ಮ ಅಂಗಳದಲ್ಲಿ ಎಳ್ಳು ಹರವಿ ಹಾಕಿ ಇಟ್ಟಿದ್ದೆವು. ಶ್ರಮವಹಿಸಿ
ಬೆಳೆದದ್ದು. ನಾನೇ ಹಲವು ಬಾರಿ ನಸುಕಿನಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ಎದ್ದು ಬೂದಿ ಗೊಬ್ಬರ ಹೊತ್ತುಕೊಂಡು ಹೋಗಿ
ಹಾಕಿ ಆರೈಕೆ ಮಾಡಿ ಬೆಳೆದದ್ದು. ಮಠಮಠ ಮಧ್ಯಾಹ್ನದ ಹೊತ್ತು. ನೋಡುತ್ತೇನೆ ಕಾಯೆರಕ್ಕನ
ಜಂಭದ ಕೋಳಿಹುಂಜ ನಮ್ಮ ಅಂಗಳದ ಮಧ್ಯೆ ನಿಂತು ಗಭಗಭ ಎಳ್ಳು ತಿನ್ನುತ್ತಿದೆ.
ನನ್ನ ಸಿಟ್ಟು ನೆತ್ತಿಗೇರಿತು. ಹೊರಳಿ ನೋಡಿ ಸಿಕ್ಕ ಕಲ್ಲು ಎತ್ತಿ ಕೈಬೀಸಿ ಎಸೆದೆ.
ಸಿಟ್ಟು ಇಷ್ಟು ಗುರಿ ನಿಖರತೆ ಒದಗಿಸಿಕೊಡುತ್ತದೆ ಎಂದು ಗೊತ್ತಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ . ಹುಂಜದ
ಕುತ್ತಿಗೆಗೆ ಹೋಗಿ ಫಟ್ ಎಂದು ತಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಹುಂಜ ಉರುಳಿಬಿದ್ದು ಎರಡು ಸುತ್ತು ಗಿರಕಿ ಹೊಡೆದು
ನಿಶ್ಯಬ್ದವಾಯಿತು. ಹತ್ತಿರ ಹೋಗಿ ನೋಡಿದರೆ ಹುಂಜದಲ್ಲಿ ಜೀವ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಮೆಲ್ಲನೆ ಜಾರಿಕೊಂಡು
ಯಾರಿಗೂ ಕಾಣದಂತೆ ಆಟದ ಮೈದಾನದ ಕಡೆಗೆ ಹೋದವನು ಸಂಜೆವರೆಗೂ ಮನೆಯ ಕಡೆ ಬರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಎದೆ
ಢವಢವ. ಎಲ್ಲಾದರೂ ಕಾಯೇರಕ್ಕನಿಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಾದರೆ ಆಕೆ ನನ್ನ ಊರು ಬಿಡುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡದಿರುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.
ನನಗೂ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಬೊಂಬಾಯಿಯ ದಾರಿ ಹಿಡಿಯುವ ಗತಿಯಾಗುತ್ತದೆ ಎಂದುಕೊಂಡೆ. ಅಣ್ಣಯ್ಯಣ್ಣನನ್ನೂ
ನೆನಪು ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡೆ.
ಸಂಜೆ ಮನೆಗೆ ಬಂದು ಮಿಣ್ಣಗೆ ಊಟಕ್ಕೆ ಕುಳಿತರೆ ಅಜ್ಜಿ ಸಂಭ್ರಮದಿಂದ ಊಟ ಬಡಿಸಿ "ಇಗೋ ಮಗಾ ಕಾಯೆರಕ್ಕ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿದ್ದು ಕೋಳಿ ಪಲ್ಯ . ಇಂದು ಕಾಯೆರಕ್ಕನ ಹುಂಜ ಜಕ್ಕಿಣಿ ಹಿಡಿದು ಸತ್ತು ಬಿದ್ದಿತ್ತಂತೆ ನಮ್ಮ
ಅಂಗಳದಲ್ಲಿ. ಕಾಯೆರಕ್ಕ ಅದನ್ನು ಪಲ್ಯ ಮಾಡಿ ನಮಗೂ ಚೂರು ಪ್ರಸಾದ್ವೆಂದು ಕೊಟ್ಟಿದ್ದಾಳೆ "-
ಎಂದಳು.
ಕಾಯೆರಕ್ಕನ ಜಕ್ಕಿಣಿಯ ಮೇಲಿನ ನಂಬಿಕೆ ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಪಾರುಮಾಡಿತ್ತು. ಆ ಜಕ್ಕಿಣಿ
ಮಡಿದ ಉಪಕಾರ ಮರೆಯುವುದುಂಟೆ.
ನಮ್ಮಲ್ಲೊಂದು ನಾಣ್ಣುಡಿಯಿದೆ. - ಕೊಂದ ಪಾಪ ತಿಂದು ಪರಿಹಾರ. ನಾನು ಅದನ್ನೇ
ಮಾಡಿದಂತಾಯಿತು.
ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ.
_____________________________________________________________________
'Bhootopakaara'
(Author:
Dinesh K Shetty T.)
Name of this story is 'Bhootopakara' that
is - Help from Bhoota's (Spirits)
This word is formed by Joining two
words - Bhoota + Upakaara - called 'GuN
Sandhi'. 'GuNa' is normally associated with
Goodness. Typically Spirits are not associated with Goodness, assumed to be
doing harm to us. Only few lucky ones may be able to get benefit out of them.
I am one among them!
If you travel towards Western Ghats, cross
Bhadra river, get down from the Ghats, you will see Sita river. Look - if your cross Ram Bhadra's river, you will
see Sita’s River, it isn't strange
right? If you cross Sita River & cross the dense forest, there you may land
on the seashore (of Arabian Sea).
There is a village at the edge of dense
forest called Kaadooru (Kaadu + Ooru - 'Kaadu' means forest in Kannada, 'Ooru' means
village). That's my village. Our villagers work very hard in the fields &
grow things like Rice, cereals, vegetables etc. They often need to fight with
wild animals to rescue their crop. Each house in the village will have cats,
dogs, chicken, cows, bulls, buffalos,
bullock carts etc.
I did my high school education there
staying with my Grandmother. Since my Grandmother was alone, my mother had pushed
me to stay with her there to help her in her agriculture work along with my
studies.
Kaadoor’s environment was very frightening for the kids. The stories we used to hear, from our Grandmother, about dreaded inhabitants in the surrounding forest, like - tiger, bison, wild boar, jackal, langur, king cobra, scorpion, owl, vulture, etc. - used to cause an immense shudder, whenever we think of them. Over and above, they used to tell us stories about Bhoota’s - the spirits, which were even more frightening! The pouring rain, insistent sounds of beetles & frogs, the pitch darkness in the night, were aiding us in imagining the fierce nature of those Bhoota’s, engulfing our dreams, making us wet our bed & making us even scream during our sleep.
There were large varieties of Bhoota’s with different names like ‘Bobbarya, Panjurli, Ummalthi, Nandi, Jakkini, Kallu Kuttiga, etc. There were frightening stories about each one of them. There were separate shelters in our village for each of them, were they were worshipped too. There were many stories about how they have troubled the people around, how they caused death - by bleeding, by blood vomiting etc. Villagers used to believe that most of the troubles, sickness, death in the village were caused by those Bhoota’s only. The villagers often used to see some shapes or far off light rays during moonlit nights and imagine things in their mind. They used to concoct stories telling others that - they saw ‘Ummalthi Bhoota’ was cooking food near the forest by burning firewood in a stove and another time saw a ‘Panjurli Bhoota’ going with a big burning torch floating in the air. Those stories used to make us piss in the pants, scaring us when we step out of the house even during moonlit nights. Villagers used to show their respect to those Bhoota’s in the shelters made for those Bhoota’s by offering some sacrificial animals like chicken, sheep etc., to please them. Sometimes they offer to leave a calf dedicated to serving them. Sometimes they take a pledge to conduct Pooja festivals like ‘Bhoota-Kola’ for them.
Sometimes, when passing through forests, while going or returning from school, children get frightened, if they hear some sound or if they see some unclear shapes. They imagine some ‘Bhoota’s and develop severe fever , shivering & thus drop-out of school due to fear of encountering those Bhoota’s again on the way.
Apart from these, there were some notorious Rowdy women in the village. You might have heard about the book by KP Poornachandra Tejaswi named ‘Rowdy women of Kiragooru’ (Kiragoorina GayyaligaLu - in Kannada). Like those women, there were some women in our village. They were very vociferous ladies -big mouthed ones. There were quite a few boys who dropped out of school & left the village after getting troubled by these women and migrated to cities like Bangalore & Bombay and joined the hotels there to work. Once a boy was grazing cows, he got so immersed in ‘Lagori’ game with his friends on the fields, a cow slipped off, entered the crop field of a ‘Rowdy woman’. The agitated woman got wild, started scolding & cursing the boy aloud for days together shaming him. The frightened boy left the village.
Another guy, my friend Annayya (means Elder Brother), who is quite elder to me, I used to call him Annayyanna to show respect for him. Once he throws some stones to a mango tree belonging to another ‘Rowdy woman’ - to fetch the fruit. That lady started cursing him aloud and even went and complained to the School teacher ‘Parashuram Mesthru’. Parashuram Meshtru caned him using ‘Naagara Betta’ (a strong cane which causes intense pain when hit with it). That caused him to drop out of school & leave the village. After several years of the incident, I had seen him once visiting the village wearing cooling glass & bell-bottomed pant. He did look at me, lowering the goggles little down and asked me whether I am interested in following him to Bangalore! Rumor in the village was that he had joined ‘Chalukya hotel’ in Bangalore and recently promoted as ‘Server’ & Often interacts with ministers and VIPs!
Thus, the educational journey in our village is like the story of ‘Swargarohana of Pandavas’ (Panadava’s expedition to heaven). Most of them fall off on the way.
I also used to feel scared when I had to pass through the forest during the evenings. My heartbeat used to go up. Whenever I hear some unfamiliar sound on the forest way, I used to sprint in a single breath till I reach home with such a speed which makes my foot touch my arse. This fear was waning only after listening to my science teacher ‘Bhagwan Mestru’ in high school. He taught us a lot of new things, including the fact that earth is not flat and about planets, planets motions, about seasons, eclipse, moon landing etc. He also threw light on blind beliefs in society. I did try explaining some of them to my grandmother too. The teacher used to encourage us to become scientists. Gradually my fear about these ‘Bhoota’s started coming down. I even reached the stage to declared myself being liberated from the influence of ‘Bhoota’s!
I had a neighbor named ‘Kayerakka’(meaning sister Kaveri) Another rowdy woman of our village. Everybody is afraid of her big-mouth and of her cursing. Though she is quite an aged woman, I was calling her ‘Kayerakka (Sister Kaveri). That’s because my Grandmother used to call her ‘Kayerakka’. I wasn’t in good terms with her. She used to curse me, whenever our cows trespass into her land. Hence, I had a grudge against her.
That was one fine morning. It was a school holiday. I had got up early and murmuring a song which says -
‘ whom all should I praise when I begin my morning chores. The mother earth which gives me sesame & jeera grains, I shall be saluting her first’ and started work in the field. We had spread the sesame seeds on the backyard of our house to dry up. I had to sweat a lot earlier for growing the sesame seeds, often carrying manure to the field & nurturing the plants. When it became very sunny hot noon, took a break from work. I was returning home.
I saw a rooster belonging to Kayerakka, hawking onto our backyard and gulping our sesame seeds. I became wild & furious! I immediately bent down & picked up a small stone, threw it with full force in a fit of rage. The stone went & hit the rooster’s neck making the sound ‘Phat’. The rooster fell & rotated two circles and turned still. Went near & saw. It wasn’t alive. I just looked around, quietly slipped to a playground and didn’t return till dark. My heartbeat was rising. If at all Kayerakka come to know about it, she will make me leave the village! I would have no other way other than migrating to a hotel as a servant in Bangalore or Bombay! Remembered Annayyanna’s offer! Following his footsteps may only be the option I will have, I thought!
After dark, I returned home quietly & sat on dinner mat. My grandmother served the meal with beaming face and said “ Look, here is the chicken curry given by Kayerakka. It seems her Rooster died in our backyard due to the attack by ‘Jakkini Bhoota’. She made Chicken curry offering a portion to the ‘Jakkini Bhoota’ and then distributed the rest as ‘Prasaada’(sacrament)”.
Kayerakka’s strong belief on ‘Jakkini Bhoota’ had saved me. How can I not be grateful to the ‘Jakkini Bhoota’? There is a saying in our village - ‘Thou shalt eat thy fruits of sin’. I did the same (It was tasty though!)
There were large varieties of Bhoota’s with different names like ‘Bobbarya, Panjurli, Ummalthi, Nandi, Jakkini, Kallu Kuttiga, etc. There were frightening stories about each one of them. There were separate shelters in our village for each of them, were they were worshipped too. There were many stories about how they have troubled the people around, how they caused death - by bleeding, by blood vomiting etc. Villagers used to believe that most of the troubles, sickness, death in the village were caused by those Bhoota’s only. The villagers often used to see some shapes or far off light rays during moonlit nights and imagine things in their mind. They used to concoct stories telling others that - they saw ‘Ummalthi Bhoota’ was cooking food near the forest by burning firewood in a stove and another time saw a ‘Panjurli Bhoota’ going with a big burning torch floating in the air. Those stories used to make us piss in the pants, scaring us when we step out of the house even during moonlit nights. Villagers used to show their respect to those Bhoota’s in the shelters made for those Bhoota’s by offering some sacrificial animals like chicken, sheep etc., to please them. Sometimes they offer to leave a calf dedicated to serving them. Sometimes they take a pledge to conduct Pooja festivals like ‘Bhoota-Kola’ for them.
Sometimes, when passing through forests, while going or returning from school, children get frightened, if they hear some sound or if they see some unclear shapes. They imagine some ‘Bhoota’s and develop severe fever , shivering & thus drop-out of school due to fear of encountering those Bhoota’s again on the way.
Apart from these, there were some notorious Rowdy women in the village. You might have heard about the book by KP Poornachandra Tejaswi named ‘Rowdy women of Kiragooru’ (Kiragoorina GayyaligaLu - in Kannada). Like those women, there were some women in our village. They were very vociferous ladies -big mouthed ones. There were quite a few boys who dropped out of school & left the village after getting troubled by these women and migrated to cities like Bangalore & Bombay and joined the hotels there to work. Once a boy was grazing cows, he got so immersed in ‘Lagori’ game with his friends on the fields, a cow slipped off, entered the crop field of a ‘Rowdy woman’. The agitated woman got wild, started scolding & cursing the boy aloud for days together shaming him. The frightened boy left the village.
Another guy, my friend Annayya (means Elder Brother), who is quite elder to me, I used to call him Annayyanna to show respect for him. Once he throws some stones to a mango tree belonging to another ‘Rowdy woman’ - to fetch the fruit. That lady started cursing him aloud and even went and complained to the School teacher ‘Parashuram Mesthru’. Parashuram Meshtru caned him using ‘Naagara Betta’ (a strong cane which causes intense pain when hit with it). That caused him to drop out of school & leave the village. After several years of the incident, I had seen him once visiting the village wearing cooling glass & bell-bottomed pant. He did look at me, lowering the goggles little down and asked me whether I am interested in following him to Bangalore! Rumor in the village was that he had joined ‘Chalukya hotel’ in Bangalore and recently promoted as ‘Server’ & Often interacts with ministers and VIPs!
Thus, the educational journey in our village is like the story of ‘Swargarohana of Pandavas’ (Panadava’s expedition to heaven). Most of them fall off on the way.
I also used to feel scared when I had to pass through the forest during the evenings. My heartbeat used to go up. Whenever I hear some unfamiliar sound on the forest way, I used to sprint in a single breath till I reach home with such a speed which makes my foot touch my arse. This fear was waning only after listening to my science teacher ‘Bhagwan Mestru’ in high school. He taught us a lot of new things, including the fact that earth is not flat and about planets, planets motions, about seasons, eclipse, moon landing etc. He also threw light on blind beliefs in society. I did try explaining some of them to my grandmother too. The teacher used to encourage us to become scientists. Gradually my fear about these ‘Bhoota’s started coming down. I even reached the stage to declared myself being liberated from the influence of ‘Bhoota’s!
I had a neighbor named ‘Kayerakka’(meaning sister Kaveri) Another rowdy woman of our village. Everybody is afraid of her big-mouth and of her cursing. Though she is quite an aged woman, I was calling her ‘Kayerakka (Sister Kaveri). That’s because my Grandmother used to call her ‘Kayerakka’. I wasn’t in good terms with her. She used to curse me, whenever our cows trespass into her land. Hence, I had a grudge against her.
That was one fine morning. It was a school holiday. I had got up early and murmuring a song which says -
‘ whom all should I praise when I begin my morning chores. The mother earth which gives me sesame & jeera grains, I shall be saluting her first’ and started work in the field. We had spread the sesame seeds on the backyard of our house to dry up. I had to sweat a lot earlier for growing the sesame seeds, often carrying manure to the field & nurturing the plants. When it became very sunny hot noon, took a break from work. I was returning home.
I saw a rooster belonging to Kayerakka, hawking onto our backyard and gulping our sesame seeds. I became wild & furious! I immediately bent down & picked up a small stone, threw it with full force in a fit of rage. The stone went & hit the rooster’s neck making the sound ‘Phat’. The rooster fell & rotated two circles and turned still. Went near & saw. It wasn’t alive. I just looked around, quietly slipped to a playground and didn’t return till dark. My heartbeat was rising. If at all Kayerakka come to know about it, she will make me leave the village! I would have no other way other than migrating to a hotel as a servant in Bangalore or Bombay! Remembered Annayyanna’s offer! Following his footsteps may only be the option I will have, I thought!
After dark, I returned home quietly & sat on dinner mat. My grandmother served the meal with beaming face and said “ Look, here is the chicken curry given by Kayerakka. It seems her Rooster died in our backyard due to the attack by ‘Jakkini Bhoota’. She made Chicken curry offering a portion to the ‘Jakkini Bhoota’ and then distributed the rest as ‘Prasaada’(sacrament)”.
Kayerakka’s strong belief on ‘Jakkini Bhoota’ had saved me. How can I not be grateful to the ‘Jakkini Bhoota’? There is a saying in our village - ‘Thou shalt eat thy fruits of sin’. I did the same (It was tasty though!)
- -
The End --
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