GOWRI

“Indu? Hey Indu! You donkey! How many times I am yelling here. What are you plucking at? The harsh steel blades like words peireced Indu’s ears. She limped and came fastly. “Sorry madam, I was not able to come faster my leg is paining" replied Indu. “How dare you bitch! Did you forget the thrashings I gave? you should be present at next second" told Gowri. the Landlor’s daughter. Saying so she stamped at her badaged feet." “Oh God! yelled Indu and fell fainted behind." Don’t act too smart you swine. Now get back to work and I want all these vessels to be clean as like as mirror or else I will make you starve to death." Gowri roared at Indu and went away.

Indu was working from the day she remember. She was an orphan. As an unwritten universal rule she was made as house maid for the biggest landlord of the village. The one reason for her living in this dreadful world  is Kanna, the cow boy of the house. Both were orphans and they were bonded with each other since they were kids with kindness and love. Kanna is the only world Indu knows about. He was the only support in the house and the dear for her. He will give his life for her at any cost. He loved her to the most and pour joy and fun when ever she was sorrow. He will take care whenver she gets ill, soothi her wth kind words when ever she gets hurt by her owner Gowri. Indu is complemented with her beauty. Her body is well structured but she was thin out of her malnutrition. Despite of any features her face and complexion is not matched for any one in the village. She was very beautiful which made Gowri very jealous. Whenever she thinks about Indu, she became wild with jealous and insulted and tortured her at all opportunities.

One day Indu went to the nearby temple with Gowri. There were lot of women at the line and as usual Gowri was paved special entrance despite the crowd. Both Gowri and Indu were standing at the front. Gowri could hear murmurs about her from behind. She listened carefully. Gowri could hear there were comments passed about her hair. Gowri as her conscience had very bad hair. It was like a trash can. Gowri had a long tress but she never maintains it. It was long but thin and looked like ugly. Girls giggled at her hair and complemented Indu’s long jet black neatly maintained tresses which touched her butt.They admired her hair and told that Indu looked like an angel and Gowri is like demon. This made Gowri vehement and jealous to the core. If the master has hair like that how come her slave got this length.Thinking about it she returned to her home. One day or the other I will kill her beauty. She waited like a fierce snake and waited for the time.

For some days she watched Indu whenever she combs her hair and plaits it. This became very irritative for her. One day Gowri was about to see Kanna and Indu were intimate at the barn yard. Gowri was highly irritated by this love scene and thought to get revenge . The next day morning Gowri beckoned Kanna and asked him to take all the cows for grazing and ordered him not to return until next week. Kanna was suspicious but no way than to obey her so he went away. Now Gowri called her another servent and gave a thing and asked to hide in Indu’s place. After she got reply the work accomplished, She complained to her parents that some of her diamond jewels were stolen. They searched every where . Indu also searched but it was in vain. After a long time, Gowri told that she is strongly suspicious about Indu because, she was the only female who enters her room to clean it. Indu begged her a lot but Gowri refused any plea of innocence. She asked the guy who hid the jewels to search for it. He took the jewels from the right place where it was hidden. Every one startled but could not believe it. Gowri told that She is the thief and her long time suspicion was now confirmed. Indu pleaded that she is innocent. Gowri told she must be punished severely that it must be a lesson for others. Every one knows Indu was innocent but could not help her at any way. The Land lord told that he did not found any guilty at past but could not believe her deed now and asked Gowri to tell how to decide upon. Gowri wickedly said that for the act of theft Indu’s head should be clean shaved and should be dressed like a widow for the whole month.

Indu was shocked. She felt like lightning struck her head. She could not speak a word. Every body were shocked on hearing this punishment. Kanna was not there to defend her. She cried at God of her misfortune.

Gowri called the barber to shave Indu. Indu cried and pleaded to leave her. But Gowri never listend. she whispered to obey other wise Kanna would be also included in this plot and he would be beaten to death. Indu got scared and accepted the punishment.

At that evening everything were assembled at the village pond bank. Gowri inspected everything were ready. She asked Indu to take bath at the pond. She obeyed. The barber was ready with his instruments. Indu sat on the wooden stool. She wept to her eyes red. Gowri ordered Indu to wear the flower on her hair. She cried but wore it. She called the barber and asked him to shave her head She told her head should be smooth like an egg. The barber stared with annoyance.

Indu was wet and shivred out of cold. He went near to her and asked sorry to Indu. She asked to start. He hold her head and bowed it towards her chest. Now Gowri came in and told that she want the whole hair. so he should not waste it. The barber scolded inside his heart and told that he will do as Gowri wished. He took a straight edge razor and loaded with a blade. He hold her head and started to shave in her middle head portion. Slowly her wet hair got loosened up. Now he repeated the process again and again. The patch was developed and revealed the white scalp. Out of cold and cool air it tingled a lot for Indu and she cried silently. Now her forehead and bangs were compltely removed.Next the barber moved on with the right ears lobes. He twisted and bend the ear lobes and removed the stray hairs. and moved to her crown. Indu looked weird but still beautiful. Locks of hair fell on her lap and scattered on her wet body. The crown and the left ear and temples were now left with mere stubble. It rained with locks of hair and now he went behind her back portion and started to shave the plait. The razor recklessly severed her long time favourite vanity and nothing left now.The flower fell down with the plait on the ground. The nape was cleared completely. All remained is the stubble of stray hairs. The barber now took some hot water and massaged her head. Now he took a soap and started to rub on her head. He made a thick lather and wiped his hands. He then again took a straight razor and started to repeat the process. The lather was scraped her head and revealed her smooth skin out of it. He ear was visible with her head shaved like smooth as egg. Gowri came near and inspected her by rubbing her hand on her head. She laughed like a Hyena.She calld her another maid. She asked her to collect all the hairs and asked her to make a wig our of it. She silently accepted and collected her hair and went away.  Now She beckoned the barber and whispered something at his ears. The barber refused but reluctantly agreed. Suddenly an iron hand confined Indu’s hands. Gowri was given a bottle by the barber. Indu was confused. Gowri opened it and poured it on Indu’s bald head. She felt as if her head was set fire. She screamed with itch and burning sensation. She asked what was happened. Gowri told that it is called a herbal  hair removal oil, which will prevent hair growth for her entire life. She told that it was jealous to see that her house maid to have such a vanity. She planned a plot and now it worked well. She now has no match for her beauty in the entire village. Indu cried and asked why she has done such humiliation. Gowri told that till her end of her life she must be like this and will be done more humiliation until she gives up love with Kanna. Gowri asked her to change to the white saree which widow’s tradition. With a hard heart she changed it.

It was a sorrowful life for Indu. Her vanity was burnt, her goodwill has vanished. More over she was blamed by injustice and was stamped as a sinner. She thought Kanna would not live if he sees her in this condition. She could not tolerate the agony and pain.Finally she decided to end her life. At mid night without others knowledge she went out of the house.She ran like mad from the village and went to the hill side to find a right place to jump over. She went to the tip of the hill and prayed to God. When she was about to jump a hand pulled her back. She was suddenly awe-struck to find it was Kanna!

She cried with her face covered and weeped till she sould not cry more. Kanna resembled as if he was struck by thunder fell on his head. He asked what happened. She could not tell anymore but to weep. He consoled her a lot and inquired what has happened. After hearing the entire story his eyes blazed with fire. He swore to take revenge on her for her misdeed.

Later that morning the news spread that Indu got suicide and her body was took over by jungle beasts.No other than Gowri was happy hearing the news. Kanna returned and felt very sorrow. He left the place and told that he dont want to work any more since Indu died. The landlord paid for him with a couple of cows and bid him farewell.

A week later suddenly one night the Landlord’s farm was caught fire. The fire consumed all of the farm lands. Wheat,rice maize every thing were swallowed by fire. The landlord got scared. he could not do anything but to watch. Later that week his store house filled with cotton caught fire. It was a heavy loss for him since all of the villagers also stocked their cotton bags there. Every one got doomed. They now started fear it was some evil. Each and every men searched and investigation for the reason. But it went vain. Every week it continued as a cycle. It burned every where and any where. They thought it was some deeds of demon or ghost. They feared of it and though of a remedy. Suddenly they heard that a saint was penancing at the hill side so he could give some remedy.

Every one rushed to search the saint. At last they found him on the caves of the hill. The saint heard their stories and meditated by closing his eyes. Suddenly he opened his eyes. He shouted that it was a great misfortune. They have done a great misfortune and the cause is a girl named Indu. She is asking for justice. There was an injustice happened and the vengeance won by evil.

They ask about the remedy. The saint pointed his fingers at Gowri. She refused and asked what wrong she had done. The saint smiled and asked that if she has done nothing.He told what does it meant the injustice given to Indu. She glared and started to scold the saint. He then pointed the servent who hid the jewels for Gowri. The land lord got furious and slapped him. He asked what has happened on that day. He revealed everything and cried to spare him. The land lord glared with fire. He asked what was the remedy for this. The saint replied that the same thing must be done as to Gowri and that is the only thing which is the remedy.

Gowri ran away to the village and refused that she will never accept. The villagers threatened that if she refused her father will be killed instantly. Gowri could not escape. She accepted at last. She sat on the same place where Indu got shaved. She was decorated with bunch of flowers. A lady poured a pot of water on her head. She was bounded with heavy ropes to make sure she could not escape or refuse. The barber came with the smiling face. She looked like a wet sheep to be sheared. The barber massaged her head till the half curls were drenched . He took a hot water and poured and massaged it again and again. He now took the razor and loaded with the new blade. He started to shear her. Gowri thought of the wicked deeds and started to cry. He swiftly finished the frontal head and the bangs got removed. He now started to move to the ears and shaved the  part of the ear lobes.It looked like a japanese hairstyle with front head shaved and left with the tanned middle hair line was visible and the left over was the white scalp with stubble. She was felt like humiliated. He did not stopped. He then moved to the side part o the hair line and swiftly removed the right and the left portions. Now the nape was cleanly removed and it rained with the locks of wet hair.Her face and shoulders were covered with the hair. It flew all over the ground. He then severed the plait and repeated to shave until her head was like a que ball. She cried that her head was burning but he never listened. He did not lathered her head but scraped from the opposite. She cried of pain.The barber inspected by rubbing his hands and told it is finished at last.  Finally he lifted her chin and quickly started to sprinkle the water on her eye brows. with his professional quickness he swipped of the two brows. Today Gowri became most uglier than ever. She told that she made a mistake and pleaded the villagers to spare. The ladies came and untied the ropes. They started to hold her hands and undressed her. Gowri was shocked. She asked what is that for. The ladies replied that half of the process is completed. She should be dressed in the white saree and must resemble as widow. Gowri started to remmber. She refused but at last agreed. She wore a white saree and one lady gave her a mirror. She was awe struck at the mirror. She was shocked to see how ugly it looked. The barber came now and told that he was left with one thing. The ladies suddenly caught Gowri’s hands. They made her to kneel down and the barber swiftly poured a liquid. She yelled with pain and her head burnt. The barber told that it is a hair removal liquid. She became dumb. He told how Indu would be feeling when she poured it.  She screamed with burn and pain. The lady beside her told that they have heard from the barber that Gowri had made this humiliation to Indu. To complete the vow this was done. Gowri rmembered and cried for her misdeed and asked apologized for the poor girl’s death. She atlast told that she accepted the punishment and this is deserved for her wickedness.

Later that night two figures were travelling on a moon lit path.They reached a meadow from there it went like a  foot path which led to a deep bushy way. After a long walk. They reached a hut. A bald lady welcomed them. They were none other than the saint and the barber. The bald lady is non other that Indu.

The barber greeted her with a smiling face. Indu asked how come you know my place. The saint came behind and told that they were adviced by a lad called Kanna to come to his hut and bless her. Indu immediately bowed before the saint. Indu asked the barber how come he knew that she is there. The barber told the story which happened from the day she left. Indu cried for Gowri both of them were surprised. She told that she treated Gowri as her sister but some grave things happened in her life. The saint changed the topic. He told that the barber have done a sin by making Indu bald for ever. The barber immediately shocked. But he denied that he has not commited any sin but saved Indu. She went surprised and asked how her hair will grow back. “Indu, I know that no woman could loose her vanity. When Gowri asked for the permanent hair removal I thought she is going to use against you. So I quickly changed the bottle and gave her the scent oil.see for your self" he handed over the oil bottle to her.

Indu applied it on her head. She suddenly felt cool. She asked what is it. The barber told that this is not the hair removal liquid. This is a scented oil. The barber told this oil will stop the growth of hair for two weeks, but then it will enhance the hair to grow back thick and shiny. Indu was so happy hearing this and thanked the barber a lot. she offered him food and he had it heartily.The barber told that Gowri is also applied with the same oil. Once Gowri complained that her hair growth is not proper. The barber told that this oil is to be applied only if her head got shaved. At that time she did not accepted it. Now it came in a coincidence. Indu got relieved on hearing the explanation.

Indu asked the barber how come the saint knew everything and why he have told she was dead. “It was me" a voice said. When both of them turned to the door It was Kanna holding the dress of the saint. Indu was greatly puzzled. She asked why he dressed like a saint.

Kanna told everything. From the day he left the job he took indu to the deep forest side and made to dwell in a hut, and took some of her clothes and casted like she had suicides. He went to the nearby town and changed himself like a saint, went to the village and made himself as visible. He burned the villagers’ properties and made them believe its an act of Indu’s ghost. After that everything made as expected.

Indu was so moved by this and asked how she is going to repay him. He asked her to marry which is the correct repayment. They tied the knot and is there any more story you need?