Anandamath

Chapter I

That night the whole region was ringing with cries of “Hari Hari!” The Santans roamed about in bands some singing “Hail Mother” and some “Jagadisha Hare.” One party would take away the weapons of the enemies, others would remove their clothes. Some would kick at the face of the dead and others would do some other mischief. A few ran towards the village, others towards the town; they got hold of men on the streets and householders and said, “Sing ‘Hail Mother’ or we kill you.” Some of them looted the sweetmeat shops, some entered milkmen’s houses, took down vessels of curd and drank them up. Some said, “We are Gopas from Braja, where are the Gopinis?” In that single night there was an uproar in all the surrounding villages and towns. All began to say, “The Mussulmans are defeated, the country again belongs to the Hindus, let us all cry heartily ‘Hari Hari’.” The villagers began chasing the Mussulmans wherever they met them. Some banded themselves together, went to the Muslim quarters, set fire to their cottages and looted their all. Many Mussulmans were killed, many shaved off their beards, smeared themselves with Ganges clay and began singing “Hari Hari.” If asked they said, “I am a Hindu.”

Panic stricken Mussulmans in crowds began running towards the town. The Government officers rushed about and the remaining Sepahis armed themselves and stood in serried ranks for the defence of the town. On the rampart of the town in all the exits sentries stood carefully guarding the doors. People kept awake all night in anxiety not knowing what might happen any moment. The Hindus kept saying, “Let the Sannyasis come. May Mother Durga so ordain. Let that great day for the Hindus dawn at last.” The Mussulmans kept saying, “Alla-ho-Akber! After such a long time the sayings of the Koran came to naught! We who pray to God five times a day could not defeat the Hindus who paste their brow with sandal wood paste! The world indeed an illusion!”

Thus some weeping, some rejoicing, the night was passed in eager expectations.

Kalyani heard all this talk. From a child to an old man all knew what was going on. Kalyani said to herself, “O God, your work is done at last. I shall start today to meet my husband. О Madhusudan! Come to my help today.”

At dead of night Kalyani leaving her bed opened the back door and looked about her. Finding no one any where she left Gouri Devi’s abode quietly and stepped into the road. She inwardly prayed to her God, “O Lord, ordain so that I may meet him at Padachinha today.”

Kalyani reached the main gate of the town. The sentry called out, “Who goes there?” In a timid voice Kalyani answered, “I am only a woman.” The sentry replied “There is no permission for anybody to go out.” The Dafadar heard this and said, “There is no bar against going out. The order is against anybody entering the town.” Hearing this the sentry said, “Go mother, there is no order against going out, But tonight it is not safe anywhere, I don’t know whether you will fall into the hands of dacoits or into a ditch. Mother, please don’t go out tonight”

Kalyani said, “My child! I am only a beggar woman. I have got not even a farthing with me. The dacoits will not touch me.”

The sentry said, “You are young, mother, there is youth in you, that is riches indeed. Even I may turn out to be a dacoit for the sake of that.”

Kalyani saw, there was danger here, without saying anything she quietly slipped past the town gate. The sentry finding her unappreciative of his humour took a long pull at his ganja and began singing a tappa song in Jhinjhit Khambaj tune. Kalyani went away.

That night, some wayfarers were shouting, “Kill them, kill them,” others were crying out, “Run away, run away.” Some were weeping, some laughing. Any body who met another chased him. Kalyani was in great difficulties. She did not remember the way, she could not ask anybody, all were in a militant mood. She had to proceed hiding herself in darkness. Even thus proceeding she fell in the hands of a lot of fierce rebels, They cried aloud and rushed to get hold of Her. Kalyani ran hard and entered a thick jungle. One or two dacoits followed her there even. One caught hold of her sari and said, “Now my moon!” Just then somebody appeared there suddenly and hit the tormentor with a stick. He fell back hurt. This rescuer was in a Sannyasi’s garb, he had his bosom covered with a dark deer-skin. He was quite young in age. He said to Kalyani. “Don’t fear, come with me. Where will you go?”

Kalyani: To Padachinha.

The stranger was startled and surprised; he said, “What? — to Padachinha?” So saying the stranger placed both hands on the shoulders of Kalyani and began scrutinising her face carefully.

At the touch of a strange man Kalyani was amazed, nonplussed, terrified and tearful. She could hardly run away as she was helpless with fear. Finishing his scrutiny the stranger said, “O Hari! О Murari! I recognise you, you are Kalyani, the burnt-face!”

Kalyani timorously said, “Who are you.”

The stranger replied, “I am the slave of your slave. О my beauty, come, be agreeable to me.”

Kalyani quickly moved away and cried out in anger, “Did you save me only to insult me thus? I find you in the garb of a Brahmachari, is this the way a Brahmachari is expected to behave? Today I am helpless or I would have kicked at your face.”

The Brahmachari said, “I have been long yearning for the touch of that beautiful body, О my smiling beauty!” Saying this the Brahmachari rushed at her, caught hold of her and embraced her ardently.

Then Kalyani laughed aloud and said, “O Lord! Why did you not tell me before that you were in the same plight as I?”

Santi said; “My sister! you are going to look for Mohendra?”

Kalyani asked, “Who are you? You seem to know everything!”

Santi said, “I am a Brahmachari. I am a leader of the Santans, a great hero! I know everything. Today the roads are beset and unsafe because of the Santans and the Sepahis. You cannot expect to go to Padachinha today.”

Kalyani began weeping.

Santi rolled her eyes and said, “Why do you fear? We kill thousand enemies with the arrows of our amorous glances. Come, let us go to Padachinha.

Kalyani thought it a godsend to have the help of such a clever woman. She said, “I shall go wherever you take me.”

Santi then took her and proceeded by a jungle path.