Foot print of an elephant
-Anil
Gharai
Characters
àOld Bhima(main
character)
àToti-wife of Bhima
àMangal-son of Toti & Bhima(10 years old boy)
àCheif/Babu-Jata
àJhagru(servant of chief)
àBishahari(cowherd boy of chief)
à Parents of Bishahari
Summary
The story begins with the description of small village which
bordered by a row of mountains. This place is well-known for its dense jungle
like mahua,ghoraneeem, kusum & karan. The old Bhima want to reach chief
Jata’s godown but he not able to walk
further because of his age and hot climate. Bhima remember how hard he tries to
refuse this meeting to Jhagru. But Jhagru instinct him to meet Chief. In absent
mind Bhima remember his wife Toti who is against his work. She tells him “for
you and your sinful work Mangal died.” Her words clearly refered his job is
illegal. Now Bhima remembered how he lost his son Mangal. One fine evening
Mangal return from school, he was attack by mad elephant and died at the spot.
Though it happen twenty or twenty five years back Bhima still had that pain.
The irony of the fate is his work, livehood depended on the elephant which
destroy his happiness and hope.
Bhima again remembered his wife.on the previous night of his
travel, Toti begged him not to go to the Jata’s godown but he ignore her by
saying “It is chief’s order”. This made Toti to yell him. In certain point she
utters the word “paddy”. This remembers him, how people enjoyed the spring
festival sharool. Bhima went out and
look at the paddy. This remember him how Chief is money minded. He lives in
rich house without worry about people. Once chief called him to teach how to
draw the art of elephant foot print. But Bhima not for it so he said “Evil art
cannot help man.” But chief pacify him by saying “Art help to get a meal” so no
evil in it. Jhagru also meet him to instinct this. This is the reason Bhima had
his hard travel.
Bhima knew every year the elephant destroy the field but
farmers did not get proper money. So to get that money they ask him to draw the
foot print of elephant. The more food prints help them to get more money. So
Bhima is consider as angel among the farmers But Bhima hate the money minded people
who ask him to draw a foot print without any cause. The Bhima is the one who
learn this art from his father.
Jhagru find Bhima who sit under the tree and think about his
past. Jhagru takes Bhima to Chief. Chief ask him to draw the foot print in west
and also teach this art to his cowherd boy Bishahari. Though Bhima against it
Bishahari’s face calm him. After chief left the place he talks to Bishahari,
that time he gets to know how Bishahari’s father was killed by mixing poison in
his drinks. Later his mother was joint the work but she was often disturbed by
Chief at night. So she decided to end her life by hanging herself. After seeing
his mother’s died body Chief said wicked “women die in this manner”. When his
mother dies, she is pregnant but Chief never breathed a word about it.
Bishahari stay here after knowing all this because he has no
place to go. Bhima also knew, Chief is the one who takes all the crops in the
name of elephant and make money from it. When Bhima begins his work Bishahari
ask to teach him the art but he ignores it by saying “This is evil art “. This
made Bishahari sad so Bhima decided to teach him. He tries his best to teach
him. In evening Bhima ask him to draw the art but Bishahari draw a foot print
of Chief instead of elephant foot.
Taste of Literature with Geethu
Thank You
For explaination
https://youtu.be/1vK2lpmROpIFor explaination
