The story of Nakshi Kantar Math itself spread out in front of us like a beautiful quilt. One can almost see the fields, the young girls, villagers and the still night.
The day draws to an end, swimming in the red blood of sunset,
All the day's playfulness wrapped in the corner of the black sari of the Queen of Night, And the darkness of night falls on all the paths in the mind of Shaju. Night comes and rubs salt into all the wounds of her heart.
Laying a mat on the floor, and spreading out her embroidered quilt.
Shaju sat sewing, with her head bent over a little.
She hears the crackle of leaves on the path,
She pricks her ears to listen.
He whom she awaits comes not, it is mistake.
Yet the leaves make no sound for a little she is unhappy.
Taking the lamp in her hand, she opens the door and
looks out again and again.
Yet he does not come.
If only she had wings, today she would fly to her love.
The quilt is embroidered with many patterns,
She has drawn a picture of their wedding ; she has drawn the home of Rupa.
Again she looks out.
Someone is hurrying towards her.
Rupa indeed is coming. She opens the door wide.
'Ah, you have come after such a long time.
I have been pining for you, thinking of you all the time.
D0 not go away any more to fight.
Those whom you kill have also dear wives and some have children at home.
Rupa burst into tears and said, , Dear wife, everything is done for.
No longer will you hear the sund of Rupa's flute in the night.
When I was breaking heads in the fight today
I did not realize that I was destroying the wifely mark on your forehead
at the same time.
Ihave bathed in blood today,
The river has overflowed with blood.
If only I had known that the river would carry away my treasured
flowers as well!
If only I had known that it would carry away my treasured hoard of gold!
Alas, alas, sweet! I cannot say what I would have done then.
Weeping, his wife says,
"Tell me what has happened. Where have you been hurt?
Let me see! Where is your wound ! Is it very painful ?"
"Painful is my wound, my sweet, but not in my body.
I have tom your sari, broken your bangles,
Broken your anklets, broken the necklace round your throat.
Today you and I meet for the last time.
No more the flute will play. Today I killed many enemies.
See, even my cloth is stained with blood.
The police are after me .
If they can find me they will arrest me at once.
In all directions my companions have fled.
I have come to have my last words with you.
I do not mind about myself; but in the strong wind the tree falls,
and what will become
Of the tender creeper?
What of the forest f1ower when the branch is cut down?
When this branch falls then all your happiness too will be gone.
If only my mother had been here, she and you would have spent
the night weeping and thinking of me.
Had labrother he would have protected his brother's wife and shared
your pain.
I must go, I care not, this is my fate.
But I have to write my fate on your forehead as weil."
Shaju weeps and says,
"Beloved, you will leave me. My heart may break,
But how shall I hide my beauty unprotected?
If you leave me, the village folk will see it, and how shall I preserve
your garland of ftowers?"
Rupa replies, "He who forsakes not the poor and the suffering,
In His hand I place you today,
He who can bind the elephant with a spider's web, and makes the
stone float on the water,
At His feet I place you."
At that moment the cock crew in the yard,
Rupa cries, "Beloved, let me go, let me go !
The night is almost gone." Step by step he moved a short distance.
Shaju cries, "My husband, have you nothing more to say to me?
I shall be waiting long nights, long years in pain.
(From Field of the Embroidered Quilt by Jasim Uddin)