Golla Ramayva PY Narasimha Rao (Translated by M Bharath Bhushan) Boom ... Boom ... Boom! Explosions shattered the quiet of the ni ‘The deafening sound pierced through the all enveloj rs. The village, which had been in deep slumber, was shake ter of moments. Minds ded wil fathom what had happened, but were overcome fear and restlessness and anguish. ‘The air was shrill with the screeching of birds as they flew everywhet flapping their wings wildly. From the fringes of the then had been calmly chewit the sound of their hooves renting the air. So much commotion and the streets remained empty of humans. Perhaps the hands that rushed. the door latches held back in sheer dread of whatever awaited outsi ‘The collective scream of the village d wisdom had dawned on the human jdde dwellings contained whispers and mute sign: Jooks and silent prayers. Mothers chanted the Sree Rama Raksha! bottu, anklets rubbed against each other on their motionless feet. Golla Ramavva 153 1 was a catastrophe with an aura of mystery. It was a mom stretched to an eternity of anxiety. Death lurked but remained in ‘An hour passed. A dense sheet of darkness enveloped the rroundings ing seemed to be returning to normal except that sleep had fled the village boundary. in the darkness of her hut, the tremor of her aged y fear. An adolescent had her head in the old woman's that is happening in the world?” ‘The girl dared not speak again but the old woman c upon us. How wi brought with their guns. Both women were lost in their own thous! seventy plus Ramamma and in her lap to have forgotten all about sleep. in the ensuing silence. The pubescent Mallamma seemed Suddenly there was a knock at the window ... it was rather an apology ‘The wood planks that covered it were half-eaten by ates of the hut were atthe sound they heard, breath straining to sense side of the window. They hoped ned when the sound was repeated meone was knocking on the window. ly not the cat. What were they to do now? They had no idea. ‘The knock was repeated a third time, louder and more insistent,