Sahithi's Adventures

A Tour of The Town

The next day, Sahithi was taken on a tour of the town. As she and Komali walked the streets, she noticed the hustle and bustle of the people going about their daily chores and whatever it was they did for a living.

The traders were already busy selling their wares to customers who were bargaining with the shopkeepers for a profitable price that the vendors were equally denying subtly. It was a battle of words and will that required absolute skill.

Sahithi marvelled at the ancient-looking yet vibrant streets that had appeared desolate only last night. As she passed through the streets she came to a large empty place in the middle of the village, or should she call it a town?

There was a stage-like thing on which was a man standing with some women. There was a crowd round him that seemed as serious as the man who was shouting something.

Sahithi went as close as she could without anyone noticing to watch the proceedings.

“This piece of art here is designed by Lord Brahma specially. Look at her curves!” Sahithi blushed at the man's words. Why is he saying that? She thought.

“Where are the curves? Cut the nonsense and show us the real wares!” Someone shouted from the crowd and the others started voicing their opinions as well.

“Here!” the man said and pulled off the saree worn by the woman, who instinctively tried to cover herself with her hands. Two strong men who looked like body guards pulled her hands apart, exposing the sharp pyramids that were straining to be free of the bonds of the blouse she was wearing. “Have you seen such sharp br***ts?” the man asked, getting a nod from the crowd.

Sahithi gasped in shock as she stood bewildered at what she was watching.

“Take off the blouse! We need to see the ni***es!” the man obliged, opening the hooks of the blouse one by one, increasing the anticipation of the men – Sahithi noticed that there were no women in the crowd – a few seemed to keep their hands before them.

“Super!”

“What sharp b***s!” exclamations of surprise and wonder from the crowd brought a proud smile on the face of the man while the woman’s face had become a bright shade of red from the humiliation. Tears fell from her eyes as she stood helplessly.

Sahithi was about to go forward to stop what seemed to be the slave trade when she felt a hand stop her. She turned back to see Komali stopping her.

“Don’t.” She whispered. “Don’t do anything or you will be in that woman’s place.”

“But how can they do that?” she whispered back to her companion. “It is so demeaning.”

“Buying and selling beautiful women is common here.” Komali replied, as if it was normal to buy and sell women. “Sometimes they buy girls too.”

Sahithi turned to see another shocking scene. The woman on the stage was now totally naked and some men who looked very rich and influential were checking her out like cattle. Their hands roamed over the woman’s body as they seemed to assess each part. The woman looked extremely uncomfortable at the invasion of her body.

Sahithi turned her head away as one man thrust his finger between the woman’s legs, moving it in and out in a rhythmic pattern. She couldn’t watch anymore and left the place with her friend. She was very disturbed and silent as she walked to the temple.

The temple was beautiful and exquisite. She felt a kind of peace as soon as she entered the temple. She washed her feet near the well and went round the temple three times in a pradakshina. She rang the bell before entering the temple. The priest greeted Komali and took the basket of flowers, fruit, coconuts, incense sticks, kumkum that they had brought from home.

After receiving the blessings of the priest and the prasadam, they sat down enjoying the taste of the sweet chakra pongali and the slightly sour taste of the pulihora. Sahithi closed her eyes more to calm her nerves than in prayer. What she had seen that day had disturbed her very much.

What had surprised her more was that the town looked not only like a scene in a historical movie but the people also acted like those ancient people who lived hundreds of years ago. It seemed incredible that she was in a place where women were humiliated, groped and sold like cattle.

Where exactly was she? What had happened to her dearest friend who had brought it to her family temple? Was this real or was she dreaming? How could she dream something so vividly without actually having read about it all? Her mind refused to accept that there was a society that would treat women so shabbily.

The way the people dressed, the way they spoke, all pointed to one thing – that if this was real, she must have somehow travelled back in time. She needed to find out more if she was to survive in this strange world or even hope to return to her home.

She opened her eyes and looked around as if admiring the architecture in the temple. She glanced at Komali who was happily chatting with the priest, who seemed to be enjoying her conversation too.

Komali, noticing that Sahithi had finished her meditation, thanked the priest and went out with her. As soon as they were out of the temple, Sahithi hesitantly asked the question, troubling her mind.

“Umm.... Komali, can I ask you something?”

“Yes. Sure, no problem. Ask.”

“You won’t laugh at me?”

“Why would I laugh at you?”

“First promise me you won’t laugh.”

“Alright, I promise. Now ask.”

“What year is this?”

Komali looked at her as if she had grown horns. Sahithi felt her heart beat fast as she prepared for the barrage of questions that might follow. She braced herself for words of suspicion from her friend who had been acquainted with her for a night.

After what seemed to be hours, Komali answered the question.

“It is the year 1802, the Salivahana era.”