THE VISCIOUS DARKNESS
“Jungles have this strange trait – Darkness engulfs it suddenly ,” said Gour slowly nearing the boat at the small island formed at the mouth of the river . He pulled his oars with a jerk in the water and the boat turned right . The island they were heading towards , was not actually a proper island but one formed due to silt accumulation. During rainy season when the sea water lashed on it ,it remains hidden accept for few grasses who seem to struggle to rise their heads amidst the turbulent water . Some years ago , only the grasses were visible , but since the last two years the silt accumulation has taken the shape of an island inhabiting a leafless bony barren tree .
Aditya felt goose bumps in his body out of excitement . He could never imagine that his dreams would come true . He had come to this place like any other tourist but with a different mindset . While the aim of a common tourist was to explore the popular spot , Aditya wanted to capture the unusual . He was hunting for something different . If he could get shots of some unexplored turn of the river or the jungle – it would make his day . May be some unknown , uninhabited island in the mouth of the river .
The challenge lay in finding a boat man who would agree to take him to explore the unknown territories of the river .Aditya spent almost some hours negotiating with boat man who would agree to take him beyond the common places into the unknown . But almost everyone refused as the rules of exploring the river were stiff and no one dare to break them . At last when he was almost on the verge of giving up he found Gour . Gour seemed brave enough to agree to break the routine trip and take him into the unknown world of the sea .
“Is that the place?”enquired Aditya .
Gour tilted his head in assertion . That Gour was a seasoned boat man and knew every nook and corner of the river and the area became very clear to Aditya in the short time . Had he met Gour earlier he would have finished his trip and might have returned to the main land by now. But the mellowed sun falling into the river giving it a glow of red made the present moment magical for Aditya . He was bubbling with excitement .
As the boat moved away from the shore the jungle got far and grew smaller and smaller to the eyes . Keeping a constant gaze at the jungle Gour remarked “how magnanimous is the jungle ! it gives shelter to so many creatures and in the fight between light and darkness it always conspires to take the side of darkness.
“Conspires to take the side of darkness? I didn’t quite understand that”, said Aditya .
“You didn’t? let me explain – the sun light tries to peers through all the vegetation of the jungle to light up every thing but only fails to do so .It seems that each and every tree teams up with all its foliage and fights successfully to stop the sun light from reaching the grounds . Isn’t it?”
Aditya was puzzled at Gour’s words . At times he felt that he should not have come with an unknown in an unknown area .But the urge to capture something different and the excitement of capturing the unknown drove him into this adventure . Removing all his negative thoughts he focussed his mind into what he had come to do . Darkness by now have descended and covered the whole area and the crescent moon shone brightly. Uncovering the lens of his camera Aditya asked Gour “ have you ever seen the strange thing which you have talked about ?”
“Yes” whispered Gour in a hissing voice .He continued telling that “the sea has so much wealth that it does not take anything from anyone .It returns everything – if not in this century then the next, may be in the next era , may be in transformation , but it does not keep everything to it self .”
“How transformed ?” asked Aditya
Gour continued “you must be knowing about the sixteenth century conquistadors who threw their horses from the ship when they were stranded along the equator . It was a cruel practice of the humans . Don’t you thing the sea has returned to us transforming them into something else ?”
“As sea horse ?” exclaimed Aditya
“Exactly !” replied Gour “the sea has horse headed demons who are mentioned in myths a various countries . Such demons do exist and regularly visit this island.”
Aditya could not remember any such myth though he tried hard .But suddenly a thought came to his mind which left him dumbstruck . He remembered reading in the science journal “Nature” about sea horse genome been the fastest mutated genome of fish . Was that what Gour was talking about? The thought struck Aditya like thunder . Doubts came to his mind about Gour . Was Gour just a simple boat man ?
Doubtfully he asked Gour “tell me truthfully who you are ?” you don’t seem to be an ordinary boatman . You also do not speak the dialect of the area .
The answer Aditya got was a strange sound of something falling into the water from the darkness .
“W-wh-what was it ? The black thing that jumped into the water ?” Aditya was scared now .
“That is darkness “ replied Gour in a strange voice .
“I want to go back .Take me to the main land . Turn the boat “ shouted Aditya .
Gour laughed in a shrieking merciless voice – “how can you return so soon ? As you have to wait for a full night to see day break similarly you would have to wait .
Suddenly Aditya saw that Gour had stopped rowing . The boat slowed , Gour rose up like a beast on four legs . From the darkness of the water came a darkness engulfing the boat like an octopus in its tentacles.
In an unsettled voice Aditya asked “W-wh-what are those ? “W-wh-who are you ?
“ALL DARKNESS .” replied Gour
Aditya felt seeing Gour walking with hands and legs in four and darkness taking the shape of human and gradually engulfing him with a whisper at his ears –“I am DARKNESS , you are ADITYA , THE SUN, THE LIGHT . I am your stark enemy……..
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That unknown area of Sunderban , gets no visitors. It stands alone – lonely by itself with its shrubs and bushes. No one ever went there. Still Gour keeps waiting for some visitor who has a yearning for something different, who would listen to his story of sea horses and be filled with a penchant for adventure.
The silt accumulated island still exists. It still remains invisible during rains. Far away the tourist boats twist and turn, only to see the tip of the neglected island with its wild grasses trying to raise their head above the water and the barren tree entangled with a black ribbon like thing. If anyone would dare to come near one would be able to see the ribbon like thing to be the strap of camera which keeps swinging like a pendulum in the gentle breeze.
By: Himabanta Dutta
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