A few weeks ago I posted the translation of a story by Munshi Prem Chand, the greatest writer of twentieth century Hindi literature. Here is another one, you will get an insight into the village life in early twentieth century India. Unfamiliar Hindi words have been marked by $ and other symbols and explained at the bottom of the story.

Eid Fair

Eid is here after thirty days of fasting for Ramadan$. How beautiful is the dawn. Trees have a curious greenish hue, fields a curious gleam, and the sky a curious red tinge. The sun is lovely and cool today as if greeting the world on this day of rejoicing. The village is all agog. The preparations are under way for the visit to the fair. A shirt needs the button, so some one is running to the neighbour for needle and thread. The shoes have dried so some one is running to the oilwallah# to get some oil. The bulls are hurriedly being given fodder and water. Every one is worried that it will be noon before the return from the fair. Three miles walk on foot, then meeting hundreds of people. It is just not possible to return by noon. Some villagers are fasting till the noon, others not even that, but every one shares in the joy of visiting the fair. Boys are the happiest of the lot. Fast is for older people. For young ones it is Eid. They were counting the days to Eid. Now it is here and they are impatient to set off for the fair. They have nothing to do with worries of the household. Whether there is milk and sugar for sawaiia*, they don’t care. Only that they will eat sawaiia . They don’t know that daddy is running helter skelter to the home of Chowdhury Kayamali. It would be news to them that if Chowdhury looks the other way, Eid will turn into Muharram. Their own pockets are full of rich treasures. They take the treasures out again and again, count them and joyfully put them back. Mahmood counts, one, two, ten, twelve. He has twelve paisas**. Mohsin has one, two, three, eight, nine, fifteen. They will get countless things with these countless paisas – toys, sweets, rattle, ball, and who knows what else. And Hamid is the happiest of them all. This four or five year old, poverty-stricken, skinny boy, whose father was taken away last year by cholera and mother, no one knows why, shriveled to death one day. No one knew what the ailment was. Even if she told, who would have listened? What her heart had to bear, she kept in her heart and when she couldn’t bear it she took leave of this world. Now Hamid sleeps in the arms of his poor grandmother Amina and he is just as happy. His daddy has gone to make money and he will return will lots of bags. Mommy has gone to the house of Allah to bring him really wonderful things. Therefore Hamid is happy. Hope is a big thing, particularly a child’s hope! His imagination can make a mountain out of a grain of rye. Hamid doesn’t have shoes on his feet. The ornaments on his tattered old cap have blackened with age. Nonetheless he is happy. When his daddy returns with bags full of money and mommy with gifts, his heartfelt wishes will be fulfilled. Then he will see how Mahmood, Mohsin, Noor and Sammi will have as much money as him. He is totally unaware that unfortunate Amina is crying her heart out: it is Eid and there is not a grain in the house! If Abid were there today, could Eid come and go like this. She is drowning in this dark despair. Who asked for this evil Eid? It has no business in this house. But Hamid! What does he have to do with anyone living or dying? He has light within and hope outside. Misery can strike with all its forces; Hamid’s joyful appearance will vanquish it.

Hamid goes inside and tells grandma – don’t be afraid Amma, I will be the first to return. Have no fear.

Amina’s heart is aching. Village children are going with their fathers. Hamid has no father other than Amina. How can she let him go to fair alone? What will happen if the child gets lost in that crowd? No, Amina will not let him go. Tiny soul, how will he walk three miles? His feet will get blisters. He doesn’t even have shoes. If she goes with him she can pick him up after every few steps, but who will cook sawaiia here? If she had money she could buy all ingradients on return and quickly prepare it. Now it will take hours collecting the ingredients. Who can be sure when begging? That day she sewed Fahiman’s clothes and got fifty paisas. She was saving them like her honour for this day. But milkmaid was mad yesterday and what could she do! Hamid may need nothing else but he must have two-paisa worth of milk. Now there are only eight paisas left, three paisas in Hamid’s pocket and five in Amina’s purse. This is the situation on this day of Eid. Only Allah can help cross this bridge. Washerwoman, barber, toilet cleaner and bangle woman will all come. They all want Sawaiias and a little doesn’t satisfy anybody. Who all can she hide from? And why should she hide? There are festivals all year. May his life have their blessings. God save the child from calamities, these days will pass.

Villagers leave for the fair. And Hamid is going with the kids. Sometimes all of them run up to the front. Then they stand under some tree to wait for the group. Why are these people walking so slowly? It is as if Hamid grew wings on his feet. Can he ever tire? Now the town is in sight. There are gardens of the rich on both sides of the road. Houses are fenced solid. Trees are loaded with mangoes and litchis. Once in a while some boy picks up a rock and aims at a mango. The scolding gardener rushes out from inside. By then the boys are a long way away, laughing uproariously. Poor gardener is made to look silly.

Now they are approaching big buildings, the courthouse, the college and the clubhouse. Such a big college, how many boys study here! All are not boys. Some are grown up men, believe me. They are old enough to have long mustaches. Still they go to study. Who knows how long they will study and what they will do after so much study. There are two or three big boys in Hamid’s school, none worth three paisas. They are punished daily for not doing their homework. Must be that type of people in this place too, what else! They have magic displays in clubhouse with heads of corpses running around. They have big shows, but do not let any one in. And sahibs play here in the evening and important people and mem*** sahibs play as well, believe me. You give that to my Amma, what do they call it – bat, she will not even be able to hold it. She will roll over just moving her arm with it.
Mahmood said – my mom’s hand will start shaking, by God.
Mohsin spoke – come on, she grinds tons of flour, how will hands shake just holding the bat? She draws hundreds of pitchers of water every day, five for our buffalo alone. If any mem had to draw one pitcher, her eyes will see stars in the daylight.
Mahmood – But she doesn’t run, can’t hop and skip.
Mohsin – Yes, she can’t hop and skip, but the other day our cow escaped and ran into Chowdhury’s field. Mom ran so fast that I couldn’t catch her, believe me!

They walk on. Now sweetmeat shops begin. These are especially decorated today. Who eats so many sweets? Just look, each shop must have tons. I have heard that djinns come in the night to buy them. Dad used to say that at midnight a man goes to the shop and asks everything that is left to be weighed and pays in real rupees**, real rupees like these.
Hamid did not believe it – Where do djinns find real rupees?
Mohsin said – Why is a djinn short of rupees? Whatever treasure house he wishes to go in, he can. Iron gates can not stop him, dear sir, what world are you in. They even own diamonds and other precious stones. Whoever pleases them, they shower baskets of jewels on him. They may be sitting here now, in five minutes they can reach Calcutta.
Hamid asked - djinns must be really big.
Mohsin – Dear sir, each of them is as big as the sky. If he stands up on the ground, his head bumps against the sky. But if he wishes he can hide in a jug.
Hamid – How can humans please them? Tell me some prayer that will help me please a djinn.
Mohsin – That I don’t know, but Chowdhury sahib has many djinns under his control. Any thing that is stolen, Chowdhury sahib will find it for you and will even tell you the name of the thief. Jumrati lost his calf the other day. He was rushing around for three days, couldn’t find it anywhere. Then in desperation he went to Chowdhury sahib. Chowdhury told him at once that it is in animal pond and that is where he found it. Djinns come and tell him the news of the whole country.
Now he can understand why Chowdhury has so much wealth and why he gets so much respect.

They move on and reach the Police Lines. Here all constables do their training. Attention! Halt! Poor fellows wander all night, so there are no thefts. Mohsin challenged – These constables do the watching? Then you know a lot. Dear Sir, they arrange the thefts. They are in league with all the thieves and dacoits. Every night they tell the thieves to go and steal in one neighbourhood and go to another themselves and shout, “Stay awake, stay awake.” That is how these people have so much money. My uncle is a constable at a police station, his salary is twenty rupees but he sends fifty rupees home every month. By God. Once I asked him, “Uncle, where do you find so much money?” He laughed and said, “Son, God gives.” Then he added, “I can get millions, if I wish. But I take just enough to keep my clean and not lose the job.”
Hamid asked – If these people arrange thefts then why doesn’t somebody catch them?
Mohsin pitied his innocence and said – Are you mad? Who will catch them? They themselves are the catchers. But God does punish them in plenty. Ill gotten gains cause indigestion. A few days ago, there was a fire in uncle’s house. All property and money was burnt down. They couldn’t save even a utensil. They slept under a tree for many nights, by God, under a tree. Then who knows from where he borrowed a hundred and bought utensils etc.
Hamid – One hundred is more than fifty. Fifty is here and hundred there. Fifty will fill one bag. Even two bags will not be enough for a hundred.

Now the buildings become denser. Other groups going to the fair come in sight. They have on more and more fantastic clothes. Some are riding horse carts, some cars, some are drenched in scent, and all in spirit of the day. That small group of villagers, unconscious of its poverty, is traveling fully contented and patient. For children, everything in the city is attractive. Whatever they look at, they can’t take eyes off it. And they don’t pay attention to traffic even after repeated toots of horns from behind. Hamid narrowly escapes being run over.

Suddenly they can see the fair ground. Over it is the shade of dense tamarind trees. Under it is the hard floor covered with carpet. And the queues of visitors one behind the other go on for who knows how long, beyond the hard floor where there is no carpet. Newcomers stand at the back of the last queue. There is no room in the front. No one looks at title or the wealth here. Every one is equal in the eyes of Islam. The villagers joined the others in prayer in the back row. How beautiful is the organization, how beautiful the order. Millions of heads bend with devotion in unison, than every one stands up together. They bend together and kneel together. This exercise is repeated many times, as if millions of electric bulbs go on and off simultaneously and this process keeps on going. The wonderful sight fills the heart with devotion, pride and bliss, as if a thread of fraternity goes through all souls like a garland.

Prayer ends and people hug each other. This is followed by the invasion of toy and sweet shops. Our group of villagers is no less enthusiastic in this respect than the children. Look here, this is Ferris wheel. Climb on it for a penny. Sometimes it will look as if you are going to the sky, sometimes falling to the ground. This is merry go round, wooden elephants, horses, camels are suspended on sticks. Enjoy the ride for twenty five rounds for a paisa. Mahmood, Mohsin, Noor and Sammi sit on camels and horses. Hamid stands at a distance. He has only three paisas. He can not part with one third of his treasure just to go round and round.

Everyone is off the merry go round. Now they rush to the toys. Here is a row of shops. They have toys of all kinds- soldier and servant, king and the advocate, waterman and launderess and mendicant. Wonder of wonders! How beautiful are the toys. They appear ready to talk. Ahmed takes a soldier in khaki uniform and red turban, with a gun on his shoulder. He looks as if he is going on a platoon march. Mohsin likes the waterman. His back is bent with a leather water bag on it. He is holding the mouth of the bag shut with one hand. How happy he is. Perhaps he is singing a song. All he wants is to give water from the bag. Noor is in love with the advocate with so much cleverness is on his face, black gown over white long coat, a watch in the front pocket of long coat, gold chain, and a legal tome in one hand. He looks as if he is coming from some court after arguing a case. All these toys are for two paisas each. How can Hamid buy such an expensive toy? If the toy slips out of his hand, it will shatter into small pieces. If some water drops on it, its colour will wash off. What will he do with toys like these? What use are they?

Mohsin says – My waterman will bring water everyday, dawn and dusk.
Mahmood – And my soldier will guard the house. If some thief comes, he will shoot at once.
Noor – And my advocate will fight many cases.
Sammi – My laundress will wash clothes every day.
Hamid deprecates the toys - they are made of clay, if they are dropped they will become dust. But he looks at the toys with greedy eyes. And he wants to hold them in his hands, if only for a moment. His hands dart out, but children do not share, particularly not a new toy. Hamid is left with his greedy looks.

After toys, it is sweets. Some one buys candy, some one rhum ball, some one Halwah. They eat with great enjoyment. Hamid is separated from the group. Poor boy has three paisas. Why doesn’t he buy something and eat? He is looking greedily at everybody.
Mohsin says – Hamid, take this candy, how flavourful it is!
Hamid suspects that this is only a tease, Mohsin is not so generous. Knowing this he still goes towards him. Mohsin takes a candy out of the bag and holds his hand out towards Hamid. Hamid holds his hand out. Mohsin puts the candy in his own mouth. Mahmood, Noor and Sammi clap and laugh. Hamid feels humiliated.
Mohsin – Well, this time I will certainly give it, Hamid, by God, take it.
Hamid – Keep it, don’t I have any money.
Sammi – Yes you have three paisas. What all will you get for three paisas?
Ahmed – Take the rhum ball from me Hamid. Mofsin is bad.
Hamid – What is so great about sweets? There are so many bad things in the book about them.
Mohsin – But you are saying in your heart - If I could get some I will eat it. Why don’t you get your paisas out?
Mahmood – I know his trick. When we have spent all our money, he will eat and tease us.

Next, there are some shops of things made of iron, some of bronze and some costume jewelry. The boys had nothing to attract them there. They all proceeded further. Hamid stops at an iron shop. It has several Chimtas**** on display. He remembers that grandma doesn’t have a chimta. When she takes off chapatis from hot plate, she burns her hand. If he took a chimta and gave it to grandma, how happy will she be! Then her fingers won’t burn. There will be a useful thing at home. What use are the toys? Money is wasted for nothing. There is pleasure for a few moments. Then no body lifts his eyes to look at the toy. It may break and be worthless by the time we get home. Chimta is a thing of many uses. Take chapatis off the hot plate, toast them in open fire, if someone comes to ask for burning coal to start their fire, take the piece out of fireplace and give it to them, no problem. Poor Grandma, when does she have time to go to market and where will she find so much money? She burns her hand everyday. Hamid’s mates have gone ahead. They are drinking sugar water at a stall. Look, how greedy they all are! They bought so many sweets, did not share even one with me. Then they all say play with me. Do this chore for me. Now if any one asks me to do something, I’ll tell them off. They eat sweets, their mouth will have ulcers, skin will have rashes and boils, tongue will become addicted. Then they will steal money at home and will get thrashed. The books don’t lie. Why will my tongue go bad? As soon as Grandma sees the chimta, she will run and take it from my hands and say – My child has brought chimta for his grandma! She will bestow a thousand blessings. Then she will show it to women in the neighbourhood. It will be the talk of the village, Hamid has brought chimta. What a good boy! Who will give blessing to these boys for their toys? The blessings of elders reach the court of Allah and are heard straightaway. I don’t have money. That is why Mohsin and Mahmood put me down. I will show them, even though they can play with toys and eat sweets. I don’t play with toys, why should I tolerate any putdowns? I may be poor, but I do not beg from any one. After all, Daddy will return some day, Mommy will too. Then I will ask these people, how many toys will you like? I will give each one a basket full of toys and show them how to behave with friends. Not in the way that you buy a candy for a paisa and tease while eating it. Every one will laugh that Hamid has bought a chimta. Laugh, I don’t care. He asked the shopkeeper – how much is the chimta?
Shopkeeper looked at him and seeing no adult with him said – this is no use to you dear.
‘Is it for sale or not?’
‘Why is it not for sale? Why else have I brought it here?
‘Then why don’t you tell its price?’
‘It will cost six paisas.’
Hamid’s heart sank.
‘Tell the right price.’
‘Right price! O.K. five paisas. Take it if you want, otherwise move on.’
Hamid firmed up his resolve and said – Will you take three paisas?
and moved on so he wouldn’t hear shopkeeper’s curses. But shopkeeper did not curse. He called him back and gave the chimta. Hamid put it on his shoulder like a gun and proudly walked over to his mates, ready for all their sarcasms.
Mohsin laughingly said – Why did you get this chimta, you mad boy. What will you do with it?
Hamid hit the ground with the chimta and said – Just drop your waterman on the ground. Every bone will be crushed.
Mahmood spoke – How is this chimta a toy?
Hamid – Why isn’t it a toy. Put it on your shoulder, it becomes a gun. Take it in a hand, it is fakir’s chimta. If I wish it can work like a staff. One strike with chimta, all your toys will become lifeless. With all their strength your toys can’t move a hair on my chimta. It is brave like a lion – this chimta.
Sammi had bought a bride. Impressed he said – Swap it with my bride? Cost ten paisas.
Hamid looked contemptuously at the bride – If my chimta wishes it can tear apart the stomach of your bride. Just a touch of leather, it will start whimpering. A little water on it, it will be the end. My brave chimta will stand the test of fire, water, winds, storm equally.

Chimta charmes everybody but who has the money left now? Moreover, they are some distance from the fair, it was nine o’clock long ago, sun is getting hotter, there are in a hurry to get home. Even on insistent begging from their fathers they can’t get the chimta. They all think - Hamid is very clever. That is why the rogue was saving money.

Now the boys split into two groups. Mohsin, Mahmood, Sammi and Noor on one side, Hamid alone on the other. Heated debate was on, Then Sammi turned traitor. But Mohsin, Mahmood and Noor too, even though they were one or two years older, started fearing Hamid’s verbal attacks. He has force of justice on his side and the strength of fairness. Clay is on one side, on the other strength of steel - undefeatable, dangerous. If any lion showed up, waterman will start sweating, Mr. Soldier will leave his clay gun behind and run away, Mr. Advocate will fear for his life, lie down and hide his face in the gown. But this chimta, this brave Hero of India will hop on lion’s neck and pull out its eyes.
Mohsin needs the strength from his toe to his hair to say – Well, it can’t bring water.
Hamid stands the chimta straight and says – He will scold the waterman, he will come running and sprinkle water on his door.
Mohsin is defeated but Mahmood squeaks – If the poor fellow gets caught, he will go from court to court in chains. Then he will have to kiss advocate’s feet.
Hamid can’t answer this strong argument. So he asks – who will come to catch us?
Noor straightens himself with great pride and says – This soldier with the gun.
Hamid pulls his face and says – This poor fellow will catch us, brave Heroes of India. O.K., bring him on, let us have a round of wrestling. He will run away once he looks at its face. Who will poor fellow catch?
Mohsin thinks of a new hurt – The face of your chimta will burn in fire daily.
He had thought that Hamid will become speechless. But this does not happen. Hamid replies instantly – Only the brave jump in the fire. Dear Sir, advocate, soldier and waterman will run to hide into their homes. Jumping in the fire is the work only Hero of India can do.
Mahmood makes one more try – Mr. Advocate will work on a chair and a table, your chimta will lie in the pantry.
This argument enlivenes Sammi and Noor. What meaningful argument has this hero advanced? What can the chimta do other than lie in the pantry?
Hamid can’t think of a clever reply so he tries bluffing – My chimta will not lie in the pantry. When Mr. Advocate is sitting in the chair, he will go and throw him on the ground and shove his law in his belly.
This doesn’t make sense. But it is a heated exchange, talk of shoving law in the belly
hits its mark. So much so that three heroes are left staring, as if a homemade kite has knocked a professional kite out of the sky. Law is something to be brought out of the mouth. Shoving it in the belly is illogical but does have some novelty. Hamid has conquered the field. His chimta is the Hero of India. Now Mohsin, Mahmood, Noor, Sammi can have no objection to that.

The natural respect due to a victor from vanquished is accorded to Hamid. Others had spent ten to twenty paisas each but couldn’t get anything useful. Hamid won the day with three paisas. It is true, who can be sure of the toys? They will break. Hamid’s chimta will last for years.

They start offering terms of compromise. Mohsin says – please give me your chimta for a moment. You can look at my waterman.
Mahmood and Noor also present their toys.
Hamid has no trouble in accepting these conditions. Chimta takes turns in moving to everyone’s hands and their toys, in turn, come into Hamid’s. How beautiful are the toys!
Hamid consoles the vanquished – I was teasing you, believe me. How can this iron chimta match these toys; I feel as if they are ready to talk.
But Mohsin’s party is not satisfied with this offering. Chimta has established its authority. Well-glued stamp does not come unstuck with water.
Mohsin – But no one will give us blessings because of these toys.
Mahmood – You are thinking of blessing. We may even get a beating. Mother will definitely ask why a clay toy is all I could get in the fair?
Hamid had to accept that no mother will be as happy to see the toys as his grandma will be to see the chimta. The paisas had to be used such that one wasn’t sorry later. Moreover, chimta is now the Hero of India and the king of all toys.

Mahmood feels hungry on the way home. His father gives him bananas to eat. Mahmood shares them with Hamid alone. His other friends are left staring. This is the gift from his chimta.

There is bustle in the village at eleven o’clock. The fair people have returned. Mohsin’s little sister runs and plucks the waterman from his hands. And as she jumps high in joy Mia Waterman comes down and goes straight to heaven. This starts a fight between the pair. Both cry buckets of tears. Their mother is angry when she hears the cries and both get slapped twice too.

Mia Noor’s advocate meets his end more gloriously as befits his prestige. Advocate can’t sit on ground or on eye-level shelf. One has to think of his reputation. Two long nails are hammered in the wall. A wooden plank is set on them. Then the plank is carpeted with paper; Mr. Advocate sits on a throne like King Bhoj. Noor starts fanning him. In courthouse they have perfumed straw hangings and electric fans. Can’t he have even an ordinary fan here? Otherwise, the heat of legal arguments will go to his head. Noor brings a bamboo fan and started fanning. Whether by the draft from the fan or by being struck with it, Mr. Advocate proceeds to the world above and his clay figure joins the earth. There is a very loud farewell ceremony and the remains of Mr. Advocate are consigned to the dust.

Now to Mahmood’s soldier. He promply gets the responsibility of guarding the village. But the police men are not ordinary people who go anywhere on foot. He will go in a carriage. A basket is fetched, it is covered with a bright red cloth and the soldier lies in it comfortably. Mahmood lifts the basket and starts wandering about his front door. His two younger brothers become criers on behalf of the soldier – ‘Stay awake, stay on guard’. But it is dark in the night. Mahmood stumbles, basket drops from his hands and Mr. Soldier falls on the ground with his gun and breaks his leg. Mahmood now realizes that he is a good doctor. He has discovered an ointment that can fix a broken leg in no time flat. All he needs is the milk from a cactus plant. That is found. Leg is put back together: but as the soldier is stood on his feet, the leg gives way. Surgery was unsuccessful, so his other leg was broken. Then he will at least be able to sit comfortably in a place. With one leg he could neither stand nor sit. Now that soldier has become a mendicant. He guards from the place where he sits. Sometimes he becomes a god even. A turban has been scratched on his head. Now you can make of it whatever you wish. Once in a while, he is even used as a weight.

Now hear about Master Hamid. Amina runs to him as she hears his voice, picks him up in her arms and starts kissing and cuddling him. Suddenly she sees the chimta in his hand and it alarms her.
“Where did you get this Chimta?”
“I bought it.”
“How many paisas?”
“Three.”
Amina drops him in shock. What a stupid boy that it is noon and he doesn’t eat, nor drink. What does he bring, a chimta! Couldn’t you find anything else in the whole fair to bring back this iron chimta?
Hamid says guiltily – You burn your fingers on the hot plate. That is why I brought it.

The anger of old woman instantaneously changes into love and not the love that whittles itself away in words. This is silent love, completely solid and full of sweetness. Child has so much selflessness, so much generosity, and so much wisdom. How tempted he must have been on seeing others buying toys and eating sweets. How did he control that? Even there he remembered his old grandma. Amina was touched to the core of her heart.

And now a strange thing happens, stranger than this chimta of Hamid. Child Hamid had played the part of old Hamid. Now old Amina becomes a child. She starts crying. With her arms holding her apron wide she showers Hamid with blessings and sheds huge drops of tears. How is Hamid to understand the secret of this reaction?

$ Muslim holy days – Ramadan, four weeks of fasting during daylight hours
Eid, end of fast, a day of celebration.
Muharram, a day of mouring.
*sawaiia - dessert made from vermicelli, milk and sugar.
** Paisa - Indian currency, sixty-four paisas to a rupee, ten rupees to a dollar at the time this story was written.
*** Mem – White women, ususlly wives of senior officials.
**** Chimta – a type of tongs made of cast iron.