051: S1E15: 26 MISSED CALLS: AWAKENING

They reach the village in the evening and head to the home of a distant relative. They are offered tea and local snacks on arrival. They generally do not visit each other’s home and they meet only at someone’s weddings. Family is very happy to see them after a long time.

In the morning, grandma helps the host family in milking the cow. There are only a few members in the family but they have a large herd of goats, cows and bulls. Grandpa goes along with kids to take cattles to neary forest for grazing. Sun has risen and grazing fields are lush green. They generally leave cattles in forests for grazing in the day and bring them back in the evening. Grandpa feels like sitting there all day with cattles. White paint, tapered slate roof and blue doors of a house are strikingly visible on the other side of the hill, which reminds him of their purpose of visit.

He walks fast toward their host’s house and then along with grandma, goes to tantrik’s house. Front yard is floored with nearly square stones. There are two big external stairs for the first floor. They are decorated with “aipan” , a local design made of white colour made from rice and red from mud. An old man is sitting cross legged on a buckskin carpet. He is wearing a white cap and white shawl made of rabbit’s wool and sheep’s wool respectively. Red tika goes from his nose tip to forehead. Burning of incense sticks enhances the fragrance coming naturally from flowers flourishing in plant pots made of canisters. Three big rugs are kept in front of him for visitors to sit. Grandma and grandpa are only guests today. Both of them touch his feet and give him offerings of bananas. Grandma then gives him rice she has brought from her home. He takes rice in his right hand, closes his fingers and then his eyes. After a while, his fist starts shaking like a frail man. Slowly his hand, his head and then entire body. His tremble is becoming energetic. In no time, he is spirited and vibrating like an electric machine. An unrecognisable babble starts coming from his mouth. He gets up and runs inside his house through stairs and closes the doors. Sound of him beating himself with a cane is coming out from the windows. After exhausting all his energy, he comes out like a normal person, his walk is infirm. He sits in his place, closes eyes and goes into silence. Petrified grandma and grandpa are watching him without making any moves. Their wait for him telling something seems ceaseless. They are now worried.

At last, he opens his eyes and says, “There is someone from home, I could not see who.”

“What is it?” asks grandpa.

“I do not know,” he replies curtly.

“How do we find out?” asks grandma.

“Awaken gods in her home through jagar” he suggests. Without caring for them, he gets up and goes to his fields for work.