Copyright C 2013 by E. Harikumar C Copyright of the sketches, monograms, logo and other materials used in this story to create pages as they appeared in the periodicals, belongs to the respective publishers of periodicals and/or artists.
hn\nx Ah-fpsS sim p kq v-tikv HXp- p-i-bm-wv. Imcy-ambn DSp- p-i-fm-wv, ]ns Ipd p kuµcyw h - n- n- p hkv-xp- -fpw. s\bn t]mfn-jv, ]uu Sn, Ihn-fp-I-fn Acp-Wna ]I-cp dqjv, Hcp sndnb Ip n s{^ v s] -^yqw. CsXm- pw-xs Ign sim w sim p-t]m-bn-cp- n-. AhnsS cp-\n-t - n-bpss Aeam-dn-bn ]uu-dp- v. as m- p-an-. tn n v AXns Xs Bh-iy-an-. A{X `wknbp Ip n-bm-w-hƒ. XpSpØ \ndw, \o Xe-ap-Sn, `wkn-bp henb IÆp-Iƒ. hn\nx Gsd-t\cw Ahsf t\m n-bn-cn- m-dp- v. Xs - mƒ aq p hb- p -Iq-Spw, ]Xn-\m-ev. txm -sø-sp- m AΩ-bmWv Hm -Ωn- n- -Xv. FhnsS t]mip-i-bm-sw- nepw kz w txm -sø-sp- -W-sa v AΩ ]d-bpw. F m-h pw \ΩpsS amxncn hrønbp- m-sb p hcn-. ]t cp-\n-t - n-bpss Imcy-Øn hrøn Hcp {]iv-\-ta-b-. ssi Igp-In-thWw cp-\n-t - nsb sxmsm. C. lcn-ip-am Ahƒ kq v-tikv FSpØp t\m n. Dw, henb `mc-an-. apø- \v s] n-sbm pw G m ] n-. apø- s Hcp tpmsn j pw ap pw-iqsn thw-sa- n CXn -Øs sh mw. ]mhw apø-. BsI-bp- Xv c p tpmun j pw ap pw am{xw. c p tpmun-iqsn hmßs F v tnmzn- m AΩtbmSp Ib - pw. apø- AΩ-tbmSp Ib - p kµ -`-ß-fp- v. H v AΩ Xs Idºn F p hnfn- p-tºm-gm-wv. apø- ti p-h- m ]ns s]msn-]q-c-am-bn. XpSßpw ]d-bm. "\o Ahsf Id-ºn-sb p hnfn- -cp-sx v Rm Iptd {]mhiyw ]d- n- p- v. Ahƒ Id-ºn-sbm pw A. \ndw Ipd v Ipd-hm-sW p am{xw. \n\-s v s\dm- -Xv? Ah-fvsS At{Xw s\d- y. cma-n-{µ-s\-hnss s\dw? \n߃ v c mƒ- pw- ymø s\dw Fß\ym Ahƒ v In -W-Xv-?' AΩ Nncn- pw. Ahƒ Bcpw ImWmsX IÆm-Sn-bpsS apºn t]mbn t\m pw. icn-bmwv Ahƒ Id-ºn- X-s -bm-wv. `wknbpw Ipd-hm-Wv. IÆp-Iƒ cp-\n-t - n-bpss IÆp-Iƒ-t]mse hep-x-. aq n\pw `wkn Ipdhm-Wv. hmb-.-.-.. Ahƒ IÆm-Sn-bpsS apºn -\n v amdpw. "-h-ep-xm-h-s, Fs sim p-tamfv Hcp A]v-k-c- m-hpw. Ahsf si m cmp-ip-am-c- m-sc-t m-esø sndp- - mcv Iyq \n - pw. \o It m-.-' apø- ]d- p. B hm p-iƒ Ahsf Ign HmW-Øn-te-bv p \bn- pw. cp-\n-t - n-bpss ho n sne-h-gn Hgn-hp- Im-ew. Ahsf kpµ-cn-sb p hnfn tn cp-\n-t - n-bpss Ab ho n-te-xm-bn-cp- p. cmpp-t -. HmW-Øn\v ]qh-dp- m ]d-ºn-te-bv- n-d-ßn-b- Xm-bn-cp p Ah. Hcp ]qºm- - bpss `wkn-bn BIr- -bmbn \n - p-i-bm-bn-cp p hn\n-x. "-C-ßns\ A\-ßmsX \n m \osbmcp kqcy-im- n- qhm-sw p IcpXn Rm Adp- Øp-sh p hcpw-.-' sndp-iy 165
cmpp ASpØp h v ]d- p. Ahƒ v e -bm-bn. Ahƒ Xncn- p-t\m- n. C cp-\n-t n ti n- n-. Ahƒ then-bpss adp-h-iøv ImSp-]n-Sn p \n - p Nph Acn q snsn-i-fn -\n v Isø-Øn v ]q ƒ h n-bn-em- p-i-bm-wv. \nd- p-i-gn- m ]qh n i n-tbmss Npg- pw. At mƒ ]q -sf mw Aa v h n-bpss ]Ip-Xn-tbm-fsa ImWq. ]nt bpw \nd- pw, ]nt bpw Npg- pw. Hs - -gn v ho nseøn ]q ƒ ]pd-sø-sp- p-tºmƒ Hcp henb Iqºm-c-ap- m-ipw. hn\nx Hcn- ]qh n Npg- n-b-t mƒ ]q ƒ ]Ip-Xnbpw ]pd-tøbv p t]mip-i-bm-wp- m-b-xv. AXp I p-\n cmpp-t - Nncn- psim v ]d- p. "-A-dn-bn-s - n hnh-c-ap- -h-tcmsp ]Tn- p-i. Cß p Xcq, Rm ImWn- p-x-cmw-.-' hn\nx ]qh n hnh-c-ap Bƒ p simsp-øp. cmpp-t - AsX- SpØv Hcp Npg-, ]ns c m-a-sxm- v. AXn _m n-bp ]q ƒ- IqSn ]pd-tø-bv p sxdn- p-t]m-bn. Xe-bnepw apjøpw ]qjv-]m`n-tjiw \SØn \n - p hnz-kv-zs\ t\m n-s m v Ahƒ IpSp-IpsS Nncn- m XpS-ßn. "-Hm-,-' Hgn ]qh n ]cn-tim-[n- p-sim v cmpp-t - ]d- p. "-Nncn-t Imcy-a CXv. kmt -Xn-I-X-bpsS {]iv-\-am-wv, Imcy-am-t -. ]qh n \nd p \n - p-tºmsg Npg- m ]msq. CXpw Ip n- p ]mtß-fn H m-bn-sb-sp-øm axn-.-' ]ns aq n\p api-fn Xßn-\n Hcp ]qsh-spøv ]cn-xm-]-i-c-amb apj-`m-h-tømss AXns\ t\m n ]qh- n-bn \nt -]n v h n Xncn- p-x- p. ]mhw cmpp-t -, Hcn- -t mepw kz w ]qh n Npg-t n h n- n-. Hcp ]qh-dp-øm ]ns Hcp awn- q kwkm-c-am-wv. sship-t -cw-hsc ]d-ºn \S- mepw ap m ]qh n ]qth In q. AXp sim pt]mbn ] -S-Øns h -Øn Hcp ]q -f-ap- m- pw. ]q fw ImWm hn\nx t]mbm Ft m al-ømb Imcyw t\sn-bn-cn- p-i-bm-sw a n AXp ImWn- p -XcnIbpw snøpw. "-F m \o kz]v\w ImWzm-tWm-?-' AΩ CS-s]- p. "-\ns km[-\-ß-sfms FSp-Øp-sh-t zm-?-' AΩ Ft mgpw Aßn-s\-bm-Wv. Xs kz]v-\-ß-fn hfsc I - -i-ambn CS-s]-Spw. ]t AX-hsf IqSp- X Hm -Ω-I-fn-te-bv p sim p-t]m-bn. Ign HmW-Zn-h-k-amWv cmpp-t - tnmzn- -Xv? "-hn-\nx Ft m-sg- nepw kz]v\w I n- p-t m-?-' Fs mcp tnmzy-sa a n Ahƒ Abmsf t\m n. \ `wkn-bp apj-am-wv. aoi IpcpØp hcp-t bp- p. Abm-fpsS IÆp-Iƒ Ah-fpsS IÆp-I-fn D p-t\m- p-i-bm-wv. Ah ]d-ºn Hcp aqe-bn-em-bn-cp- p. Ah pw hosn-\p-an-s-bn k - - mhv CS-Xq p \n p. cp-\n-t n HmW-k-Zy-bp v ab-ßm InS- p. hn\n-x v Dd w hcm- -Xp-sIm v Ahƒ ]d-ºn-te-bv- n-dßn \S- p. At m-gmwv cmpp-tn- Cßn-s\- sbmcp tnmzy-hp-ambn h -Xv. then s]mfn p hgn-bmb ÿe-øp-iqss hcmsx Abmƒ s]s v FØm- \mbn AXn-cn-ep amhns ta Ibdn C p-d-tø-bv v NmSp-I-bmWv snbv-x-xv. F n-\mwv Aßns\ snbv- X-sX p tnmzn- -t mƒ Abmƒ ]d- p. "-kvt\-l-øn\p th n bp w-xs snbv-x-h-cp- v. AXp t\m p-tºmƒ CsX{X \n m-cw-?-' ]ns -bmwv Abmƒ apj-øp- p-t\m- n-s m v B AZv-`p-X-tNmZyw sxmspøp hn -Xv. "hn-\nx Ft m-sg- nepw kz]v\w I n- p-t m-?' "-Rms\ pw kz]v\w ImWm-dp- -t m.' "-D-d- -Øn -?-' "-A-sX-.-.-.-' "-A-Xns\ kz]v-\-sa p hnfn- m ] n-. AX Rm\p-t±-in- -Xv-.-' ]ns H p \n Øn ho pw Ah-fpsS IÆp-I-fn D p-t\m- n-s m v Abmƒ XpS - p. "-Ip- n v F{X hb- m-bn-?' "-]-Xn-s\m- v-.-' "-A-XmWv {]iv-\w-.-' cmpp-t - Hcp Zm -i-\n-i-s\-t mse ]d- p. "-Ip- n v Cu ]Xn-s\m- n\p ]Icw ]Xns\- m-sw p Icp-Xp. Imcy-ß-sf mw hfsc hyxy-ÿ-am-bn-cn- pw. C\n Ggp h -j-߃ Ign v Cu kµ `w Hm -Øm Ip n v Fs tnmzy-øns {]k- nbpw hym]v-xnbpw a\- n-em-hpw-.-' Ahƒ v ]Xn-s\m p hb p am{x-am-b-xp-sim v Abmƒ ]d-bp- Xv a\- n-em-bn-. Ahƒ \nc- cw kz]v\w ImWm-dp- v. Nne-t mƒ \ kz]v-\-߃, an -hmdpw NoØ kz]v-\-߃. Hcn- h msx NoØ kz]v\w I p-w v _l-f-ap- m- n. ]nt v apø- Hcp NcSv DuXn- p-sim- p-h v Ah-fpsS Iøn si n. m nse Ip n-iƒ h msx Ifn-bm- m XpS-ßn-b-t mƒ Ahƒ AXq-cn-sb-dn-bp-I-bm-Wp- m-b-xv. "-Rm ]d-bp- Xv Pohn-X-sØ- - n-bm-wv-.-' cmpp-t - ho pw ]d- p. "H-cm -Ip- nbpw Hcp s] -Ip- nbpw. kpµ-cn-bmb s] -Ip- n-.-.-.-.. Ah H n v kz]v\w ImWp- p-.-.-.-.-.-.-' Abmƒ s]s v \n»- -\m-bn. Abmƒ Btem-N-\-bn-em-bn-cp- p. C\n F mwv ]d-bm t]mip- -sx- - 166
dn-bm hn\nx ho - -S n \n p. Ahƒ- -bmfpss kwkmcw Cjv-Sp-am-hp- p- v. Ft m Hcm- I -j-ww. c p-t] H n p kz]v\w ImWpI Fßn-s\-bm-sW-s m pw apgp-h ]nsn-in- nbn-s - nepw Htc-I-tZi cq]w Ahƒ p In p- p- m-bn-cp- p. s]s v cmpp-t - [ym\- Øn -\n- p-w - p. "-hn-\nx Hcp kpµ-cn-bm-sw v Bsc- nepw ]d- n- p-t m-?-' hn\nx Hm Øp t\m n. Hm - m A[n-Isam- p-an-s - n-epw. Bcpw Ahƒ kpµ-cn-bmsw p ]d- n- n-. adn v ]d- n- pap- v. Ahƒ \ntj-[m - -Øn Xe-bm- n. "-F- n -.-.-.-.-' Abmƒ kmh-[m-\-øn, ]t Dd- n- p-sim v ]d- p. "-hn-\nx kpµ-cn-bmsw p I p-]n-sn- p-ibpw AXv BZy-ambn ]d-bp-ibpw snbv-xp-sh ]Zhn F\n- p-xs. CXv hn\n-x-bpss Pohn-X-Øns Xmfp-Ifn X -en-]n-i-fn Fgp-Xn-h-t m-fq-.-' Ahƒ Aen-bp-I-bm-bn-cp- p. Cßn-s\- sbm pw Bcpw Ah-tfmSv kwkm-cn- n- n-. "-C p sship-t cw AΩ Fs ]nsn v ho n -\n p ]pd-øm- pw. Fs k n-bpw, DSp- p-i-fpw, Fs {]nb-s jqkpw F mw- IqSn ap -tø-bv- v-.-.-.. Hcp kzimcyw ]d-b-t? hn\n-x-sb- -gn- m F\n- n w Fs c m-bncw Ddp- ni hne-bp jqkp-i-fm-wv. B jqkp-iƒ si n- n-sn- mwvv Rm Dd-ßm-dv. BtcmSpw ]d-b-cp-tx. At mƒ Rms\- m ]d- p-h- -Xv? Mm, AΩ Fs ]nsn v ]pd-øm- m t]m m-wv, ho n -\n- v-.-' "-Hu-.-.-.-' hn\n-x-bv v hnj-a-am-bn. "-F- m Imc- Ww-?-' "Du-ln- p-t\m- p-.-' "-A-Ω-bv- n- - ym-øv h qw ]d-t m?' "-C- -.-' "-]n-s -?-' "-Hcp Dulw-IqSn X n-cn- p- p. emãv Nm -kv-.-' "-cm-pp-t - Bsc-sb- nepw eu snbv-xp-thm-?-' "-Duw-Dw. txm p. Cu Imcy-Øn-s\m pw AΩ Fs ho n \n v ]pd-øm- n- -.-' "-]n-s -?-' "-\msf timtfpv Xpd- p- p-.-' "-Hmmm-.-.-.-' "-A-t mƒ C\n hn\n-xsb ImWpI ASpØ HmW-Øn\p am{xw, ImcWw hn\nx Hcp HmW- - n-b-t. HmW- q- ƒ hncn-bp-tºmƒ am{xw ]d- p-h-cp tzim-s-\- n-fn-?-' hn\n-x-bv p s]s p k -S-am-bn. Ahƒ v cmpp-t - s\ C -ambn hcn-i-bm-bn-cp- p. "-kp-µ-cn-bmb HmW- - n-.-' Abmƒ \n Øn Np pw t\m n, kzim-cy-ambn ]d- p. "-Rm-s\mcp kmlkw snøm t]mip- p-.-' Ahƒ tnmzy-tømss Abmsf t\m n. "-ssh-ip-t cw Rm t]mip- -Xn-\p-apºv \Ωƒ C\nbpw It - mw. ]t \sω kw_- n-t -S-tØmfw CXmWv hns-]-d-b. AXp-sIm- mwv Rm\o kmlkw snøm Hcp-sº-Sp- -Xv. Fs {]mb-øn temiøv A[nIw t]cpw Hcp-sº- n- n- mø kml-k-am-w-xv-.-' hn\n-x-bv v Aev]w t]sn-bm-bn. t\csø amhn -sim-ºøp Ibdn Xmtg-bv p NmSn-b-t mƒ Xs Ahƒ t]sn- n-cp- p. C\n-sb p kml-k-am-wmthm snøm t]mip- -Xv. Np p-ap-, NmSm km[y-x-bp-, Db ac-߃ t\m n Ahƒ `b-tømss tnmzn- p. "-F p kml-kw-?-' 167
"-t]-sn-bm-hp- p-s - n IÆ-S- p-sim- q-.-' cmpp ]d- p. Ahƒ p icn pw t]sn-bm-bn-cp- p. Ahƒ IÆp-Iƒ Cdp-In-b-S- p. "s]-tæ, \osbm v FWo v Ipfn- m t\m v-.-' AΩ-bpsS i w km[m-c-w-t]mse Ah-fpsS kz]v-\m-s\w XI -Øp. AΩ t]mbn- -gn- p. AsX-t mgpw Aßn-s\-bm-Wv. Ip n-t -\n v Hcp ]md Dcp- n-d-ßp- -t]mse-bm-w-xv. F mw XI Ø ]md Xmgv-hm-c-Øn-te-bv p t]mip- p, AXp XI Ø hkv-xp- sf Xncn- p-t\m- p- n-. Ahƒ v kz]v\w ImWm C\nbpw ka-b-ap- v. D -bv v H -c- mwv h n. Hcp-a-Wn v ]pd-s - m axn. Ct mƒ 10 awn-bm-bn-t -bp- q. Ipd- p-t\cw IqSn kz]v\w I m Ipg- -sam- p-an-, {]txy-in v cmpp-t - s\- p-dn- v. Ahƒ kpµ-cn-bm-sw p ]d GI -hy- n-sb- p-dn- v. Abmƒ ]d- p. "I-Æ-S p \nt m-fq.' Ahƒ IÆ-S p \n p. Ihn-fn kv] iw A\p-`-h-s - -t m-gm-w-hƒ IÆp Xpd- -Xv. cmpp-t - hfsc ASp-Øm-bn-cp- p. Abmƒ Ah-fpsS Ihn-fn arzp-hmbn DΩ-sh-bv- p-i-bm-wv. Ahƒ v \mwtø- mƒ NncnbmWv h -Xv. CXmtWm C{X henb kml-kw? C -hƒ Ipd- p-iqsn hep-xm-bn. B -Ip- n-bn -\n v Hcp DΩ-In- pi F -Xns A w Ahƒ a\- n- em- n-øp-s-ßn-bn-cp- p. Ahƒ NmSn-sb-gp-t - p. h y-ω-bpss ho n t]mim Ahƒ p [rxn-bm-bn. Ipfn- -Ww. Ipfn-ap-dn-bn jh-dn-\p-xmsg Ipsd-tbsd t\cw Ahƒ \n p. Ipfn-I-gn p txm -Øp-tºmƒ Ahƒ IÆm-Sn-bn Ah-fpsS apjw {i n- p. sndnb IÆp-Iƒ, `wkn-bn- mø aq v, henb hmb, Ccp \ndw. Hcp \nanjw Ahƒ cp-\n-t - n-bp-ambn Ahsf Xmc-X-ay-s -Sp-Øn. I n-en Ft m Btem-Nn- n-cn- p aisf Iptd- -gnt AΩ I p- q. Ah tnmzn- p. "-F m \o ]pd-s -SmsX Btem-Nn- p-sim- n-cn- -W-Xv-?-' Ahƒ as mcp temi-øm-bn-cp- p. h y-ω-bpss ho nse ]d-ºns AXn-cn CS-Xq p hf p ]qøp- \n - p Acn- q-s -Sn-Iƒ, ag-bn Igp-In-hr-Øn-bm- nb ISpw-] Ce-I-fn h n-cp v shbnep Imbp HmW-Øp-ºn-Iƒ, k - - m-hnse CS-Xq ac-߃, ]ns AXn-cn ]S p ] -en p \n - p amhns simºn -\n v NmSn-h- -.-.-.-.. "-F-Wo v ]pd-s -Sv-' AΩ ho pw ]d- p. "-A-tΩ-,-' Ahƒ ]d- p. "-Rm t]mwn ym h y-ωss ho n-te-bv- v. apø- X\nsb s]mbv-t m-s -.-' IÆn \nd sh w AΩ ImWm-Xn-cn- m Ahƒ Xncn- n-cp- p.! 168