MOTHER -IN-LAW

WAS blazing in the sky. It seemed to she.

shower all
THE SUN
crone's hut. She chan al
its heat
and light on the anged the
cot to escape the sun,
but in vain. Then she
position of the of cam
loud bangs and peals laughter
tried to doze off,
from the roof.
The mother-in-law cursed her bahu
May God ruin her!'
was playing kabaddi and havina
the daughter-in-law-who
fun with the urchins of
the mohalla. Why would anyone
a bahu, wondered the mother
wish to live if one had such
on the roof. Hordes of boys
in-law. Come noon and she is up
and girls arrive. One can't geta wink of sleep.
Bahu... u...u...u.. Screamed thecronethrough
the thick layer of phlegm accumulated in her windpipe.
u . . . ul'
Hey... bahu . . .

Just coming,' replied the bahu after many yells but kept
in her
on prancing. It seemed as though ghosts were dancing
brain.
"Arré, come fast or else..' The bahu came down the
stairs banging her feet while her anklets tinkled. She was
followed by a troupe of urchins-naked, half-naked,
behind
freckled-their noses running. They hid their shy faces
the column and kept on
grinning
Oh God, 1let this litter of bastards die, or send aed
to
ath
me.
me. I don't torture
know why these bratscome here
Offspring of worthless chaps who procreate
to
ke hell and
on. and
But

Send them here to make my life miserable!' Ana

 MOTHER-IN-LAW
193

hildren kept on ning, aiming their fists at one

the

a n o t h e r .

1 say,
have your houses caught fire that
Sashariya, you died The bahu nudged the girl
close to her.
standing
Assuming that the jibe was directed at her, the crone
eched, 1 hurl brooms at your tace. Death to all your near
Your...
and dear ones!.
Rah. we're not talking about you, the bahu said
ndearingly. But the crone kept on fuming. She reprimanded
ende
he children so severely that they had to run away. The bahu
on the cot.
sat down
Does anyone's daughter-in-law prance about with lads
ikeyou do? Come day, its the lads, come night .. The
mother-in-law seemed to be fed up with life.
Ghun... ghun.. . 8hun,' the bahu mumbled as she
puled the straws from the hand fan and thrust them into the
parrot's cage. Ti.. . ti..,croaked the parrot.
Why the hell are you torturing the parrot now?" the
mother-in-law growled.
Why doesn't he talk?'
Sowhat? It's his wish... Does your father feed him?
the mother-in-law turned around and yelled.
TU make him talk,' the bahu thrust a straw into the
parrot's claw.
or
Al, ai...I say, have you gone crazy? Will you move,
shall I
give you one or two..
the bahu continued to provoke her, she pickedforce up
h e r crooked shoes and flung it at her with such it
nit the dog lying under the gharaunchi making
Sha
sneak away,
whinin The bahu broke into heart-warming
laughte
laught shoe, and the bahu
The up the other
hid herself crone picked
behind the column.
Let that fellow Asghar come
of her
Fellow!"' Insteadof feeling shy at the
mention

husband,
* the bahu could barely suppress her laughter
 ISMAT CHUGHTAI

194

life! Why, if you could oi birth

give
something. irth
t
Curse on your
would have
orth someti
been worth You to a

child, your
life
house the day you
entered it spelt
the
for bahu smiled and gave a push to the parrots cage.
ruinThe
after the parrot's life?
the hell are you
Why make him.
he talk.. .? I l
Why doesn't
The crone
boiled with rage. t you go on like ike hi
this, by
wife for my son.'
I'll get a second
GodThe sun had now reached the gharaunchi and beyond.
The mother-in-law kept on muttering to herself-"Wha did
their daughter as dowry?.. Ai, whas
the fellows give
and chrome-plated tons
wonderful gifts! Imitation bangles p.
And..
Well, what can I do about that? The bahu was put off
and stretched herself on the cot.
by this show of boorishness
And those aluminium ..' intoned the crone as she
basket and stretched
yawned. Then she rested her head on the
her legs. However, before she finally dozed off, she continued
with her nterminable litany about the samdhan's gulbadan
Pyjamas that were frayed at the bottom, the tasteless zarda
served during the wedding feast and the wooden bed with
moth-eaten legs that was given as dowry. But the shameless
bahu, her body lying half on the cot half on the ground, was
fast asleep. Soon the crone's mutterings also gave way t

snoring.
Asghar came home, placed his umbrella against the
coumn, took off his blue waistcoat and wiped ott tnt
profusely flowing sweat with his shirt as he enteredt
first
house. Like a mischievous boy he cast a furtive glance
at his mother and then at his wife. He laid the sacshis
with
mangoes and melons on the floor and scrak the
head shook the
for a few moments. Then he bent over' e r and
and
arm of his
wife.
Unh..His
Then she turned wife frowned and snatched awayi again.
over on her side and was asleep
Asghar lifted the sack, fiddled with the bangle in his
his
 MOTHER-IN-LAW
195
into
wen the inner room. Like a
he bahu craned her neck to havecunning
p o c k e ta n d

a look
cat on
the
t h ep r o w l ,

the room at the

cronea n d
nd rushed into holding dupatta.
her
loo had stopped. Furrows of sweat
The
The flies had had flowed
u n c e a s i n g l y

enough of the
mango
eelings and the garbage heap. hey were now crawling on
the crone'sbody. Some of them favoured the paan
while some entered the juice
stuck her
on lips deep-set sockets of
From the inner room came the sound of
reyes...
panied by moans. One could also hear the sound ofgroaning
mangoes
and melons being peeled.
The flies made it impossible for the crone to sleep, and
she got up. These flies were after one's life. They would sit
on the baby's face after its birth, scenting the gripe water and
then remain stuck to the body throughout life-whether one
was awake or asleep-as though they were a part of one's
body like one's eyes, nose or lips. One particular fly had
been her mortal enemy for years. It had stung her when she

was in Lucknow . Then she moved to Unnao. It stung her

..

moved
again during the rainy season. From Unnao she had
to Sandila. It pursued her there as well. Had it been attached
to any particular part of her body, she would have chopped
all over her
otf that part and given it to the fly. But it crawled same
Doay. Sometimes she would closely watch that fly-the
and bulbous head. She used to take
oted wings, curly legs
hop away
im and hit it fiercely... but the fly would just
how she wished that some day she
lantly. Dear God,
able to kill it. Or at least be able to maim it or twIist
De
its legs and it writhe in pain.
But
enjoy the pleasure of seeing admitted defeat
that was not to be. Maybe God himself had left free to
to this
this fly and it was
as He had done to the Devil
fly would be
Plaguehumanity. Well, she was sure
that this
against
signed to the Almighty
hell. She would appeal to and make
it
it,and
and angels would feed it on blood
and pus
and
lie on also go to heaven

pollute theorns.
atm But... will the flies
nosphere there? The crone
of her
made a swipe
 ISMAT CHUGHTAI
196

fan and struck her

own face, hands and dried-1e

Where on earth are

dried-up legs.
Bahu. bahu . . .

you?' The crone

called out. The bahu rushed out of the inner ron
dupatta on her and the front of her kurta wide On No
held a mango seed in her hand as though she h
wrestling with someone. Then she rushed back ins een
room, put the dupatta over her shoulder and cam
0ut
wiping her hand on the pallu.
'Arrébahu... I was saying...I was thirsty.
Asghar also came out shaking the grime off his salwar
and rubbing his neck with his shirt.
"Here you are, Amma. Look, what juicy
mangoes!' he
said as he put the sack in her lap. Then he sat cross-legged
on the cot.
As the crone smelt the mangoes and melons, she
forgot
the injustice done to her by the flies. From her
lips they had
now descended on the mangoes.
Ai bahu, bring a knife'
The bahu licked the mango
juice on her lips as she held
the tumbler. Asghar stretched his
legs and dug his toe into
her ankle. The water
splashed and the crone yelled, 'Have
you turned blind that you're
feet?' And she struck her so
emptying the tumbler on my
fiercely
that the thick-bottomed
tumbler fell the bahu's feet. The bahu clenched her teeth,
on
glared at Asghar and left in a huff.
Amma, here's water, said Asghar like an obedient son.
The bahu has become
wild!'
Judge for
yourself,' complained the crone.
Kick out the bitch.
Ammi, let's
This one..' said Asghar as he bring another woma
looked at nis wife
affectionately.
"Hold your tongue, you scoundrel!' the screecn
as she slit a
crone
mango.
Why Ammi? Just see how
ASghar said and she's getting
getting tat like a buf
fat
dug his finger into the hahu'sikEwais when
when
 MOTHER-IN-LAW
197

other
was not watching. The bahu threatened
to throw
nife at Asghar; but it landed on the sack in front of the
the
knife

Crone.

see mma?...SShall I give her a

Did you good
harleapt up, planted a hefty blow on his wife's back and bashing?
A s g t h a r .

then sat
cat cross-legged on the cot. He had the aspect of an
obedient s o n .

Beware!.. Listen, I'T break your hands if you raise

to hit
them to hit her again, the crone spoke in support of her
enemy. You had a decent marriage. Did she elope with you
enemy.
that you treating her ike this? ... Hey girl, get some
water quick' she commanded the bahu in a peremptory
tone.
The bahu sat against the column, sulking. She pressed
the tumbler on the bruised toe and blood oozed out while
the crone licked the mango seeds testily. Then as the bahu
held out the tin of sugar to her mother-in-law, the crone had
glimpse of her blood-stained toe.
Good God, it's blood! What's happened?' But the bahu
kepton behind the column and let the blood flow.
sulking
Al, come here... let me see it.. said the crone
solicitously.
The bahu did not budge from her position.
Just see how you're bleeding! Asghar, get up and pour
chameleons.
3Ome cold water on her leg.' Mothers-in-law are
1 can't said Asghar wrinkling his nose.
The dragging her feet. Come gir,
lie
Dastard!' crone got up
no less than
on the bed. I say, this tumbler weighs
a, kilo. I asked the scoundrel umpteen times to get a an

The
aluminiuma one. But he's a bastard! Come, try to getup.
she
bahu did continued to sulk
as
not budge an inch. She
Wiped her nose with the dupatta. commanded the crone,
from the pitcher,'
and Asehaater
nd Asghar ha The crone began to
reluctantly.
to
wash a nad get up withered, trembling
hands.
way the blood with her
But she
But she that instead of
when she
found
all self-control
S
 ISMAT CHUGHTAI

Asghar w
wound
was
ae.
peeping into
her
wife
water on
s
his
bosom She could also sense that the bahu was eagerly
pouring

as he c a m e
closer
bite his ear
waiting to the crone's paws
body' the crone's ne
eat up your
on Asghar's
May worms
landed
shoulder. He was piqued and poured lnde
all the
Then he went away to eat mana

smangoes
the bahu. e s The
water on
instant death on the
The
mother began to invoke on
Let your uncle come
Just wait, you scoundrel.
She threatened Asghar as she tied
vou skinned
the
bandage with a dirty rag.
Come on lie down for sometime. The crone said
hat
the wound was quite serious and asked Asghar to carry he

to the cot.
1 can't lift her. She's huge
as a buffalo.'
You have to.. . Now, will you listen to me or.. As he

kept sitting the crone herself tried to take the bahu in her
arms.
Amma, Ill get up on my own, said the bahu, scared as
she was of the tickle the crone gave her.
No, daughter.. I.She glared at Asghar as though
threatening him with dire consequences.
Asghar got up in a huff, lifted the bahu in his arms in a
jiffy and sprinted towards the cot. Taking advantage of the
situation, the bahu dug her teeth into his shoulder where a
few moments ago, the crone had struck with her paws.
Checkmated, Asghar threw her down on the cot and smackeu
her rosy lips.
The bahu
kept on smiling triumphantly while Asgnar
grumbled as he rubbed his shoulder that had gone h
mother-in-law pale to
was doing her wazu and
mucshe was
was
herself looking up at the sky. Who could say what
nutering? Maybe she was cursing her shameless aughter-
in-law.