Destruction: Page 3

Udaybhan: "You will not build your oven here."

Bhoongi: "If I don't build an oven, what will I eat?"

Udaybhan: "That is not my lookout."

Bhoongi: "I toil for you; where, then, should I go for food?"

Udaybhan: "If you stay in this village, you will have to work for me."

Bhoongi: "I can work for you only when I have an oven. I can't work just because I live here."

Udaybhan: "Then go away."

Bhoongi: "Why should I go away? One who tills the land for twelve years becomes a tenant farmer. As for me, I have grown old in this very hut. My in-laws and their forefathers lived in this hut. Now, apart from the God of Death, no one can remove me from here."

Udaybhan: "Achcha, now you are teaching me the law! If you had fallen at my feet and begged me, I might have allowed you to continue to live here. But, now, I will rest only after removing you."

Udaybhan turned to his servants and ordered them to set fire to Bhoongi's pile of dry leaves. "Let's see how you build your oven," he said.

In a matter of seconds, there was a big fire. The flames leaped high and danced like a maniac. All the villagers gathered around the fire. Bhoongi stood by the side of her destroyed oven and watched the bonfire helplessly. Suddenly, she rushed towards the fire and jumped into it. The people rushed forward, but no one could pick up the courage to go very near the fire to pull Bhoongi out. Within minutes, the fire consumed Bhoongi's body.

Just then, the wind began to blow hard. The flames rode on the wind and raced eastwards. There were a few huts nearby; the maniacal flames swallowed them up. The hungry flames advanced and pounced upon Pandit Udaybhan's barn, which was near.

There was a great stir in the village. People started preparing to douse the fire. But water only fed the fire; the flames became more incensed and, this time, attacked Pandit Udaybhan's grand mansion. Very soon, the mansion began to sway like a boat caught amid battling waves and was gobbled up by the sea of fire. The cries of agony that emerged its ashes were much more pitiful than Bhoongi's mournful laments.

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Summary

"Vidhwans" is a short story written by Munshi Premchand, first published in Hindi around 1921 and a year later in Urdu.

The story ends with the lesson that if you do bad to others, bad will come to you. Interestingly, a little research on the Internet reveals that the Hindi and Urdu versions of the story end differently. The Hindi version ends in a tragedy, while the Urdu version ends on a positive note. This translation — a poor translation at that — is based on the Hindi version.

Bhoongi is an old and childless widow. She owns an oven and lives by roasting grains for the villagers. The villagers who get their grains roasted from her give Bhoongi a portion of the grains as payment.

Bhoongi lives on the land owned by Udaybhan Pandey, the zamindar of the village. The zamindar is entitled to have Bhoongi work him without paying her. The zamindar often makes unreasonable work demands. On the auspicious day of Sankranti, villagers flocked to Bhoongi's hut to get their grains roasted. According to traditions, the villagers did not light fires in their homes on this day; they ate sattu (barley) made from grains. It should have been a good day for Bhoongi; with so many villagers wanting to get their grains roasted, she could get a week's supply of grains for herself. But, no. The zamindar has sent two basket loads of grains for roasting; of course, Bhoongi has to roast them for free. It will take Bhoongi many hours to complete the zamindar's work, and she cannot roast the grains of the villagers.

Bhoongi is unable to complete the work. In her haste to complete the work, she spoils a portion of the grains. The zamindar is angry and destroys Bhoongi's oven. The old woman now has no means to support herself.

After a month, Bhoongi thinks the zamindar's anger must have subsided, and she starts rebuilding her oven. The zamindar notices Bhoongi rebuilding the oven, and he is outraged at her disobedience.

The zamindar orders his men to set fire to Bhoongi's pile of leaves. Bhoongi jumps into the fire and immolates herself. Strong winds stoke the fire, and it becomes uncontrollable. The fire spreads and guts a few nearby huts. The fire engulfs the zamindar's mansion and destroys it. The story conveys the message: As you sow, so shall you reap.

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