I came across a review of the book called "The tenth rasa: Anthology of Indian Nonsense" today while browsing the internet. The book describes folklore and poems children memorise while playing or typical colloquial stories that have no sense, but are passed down from generation to generation unchanged.
Instantly i recalled all such stories that were an inseparable part of my childhood; stories which i had heard again and again everyday for a good part of my young life; stories that put me to sleep. After decades, I could still remember every word, every small poem associated with the story vividly. And believe me or not, i felt glad.
My favorite story was that of a crow, an old lady and a ripe bitter gourd. A crow eyes the old lady's ripe bitter gourd and expresses its desire to eat it. The old lady tell him that he can have it after washing his dirty beak. The crow goes to a well, and then to a framer, a cow, a potter, a deer and a blacksmith to wash its beak so as to eat the fruit but is killed by the blacksmith's hot scythe. Each section of the story was small poem,depicting the entire journey the crow makes.
Memories came flooding by. A hot afternoon, after lunch. The windows closed shut to keep the sun out. Laying on cool sheets in a cool dark room with my eyes closed, arms and legs around my grandmother who was fondling me and telling me the 'kaluribenta gapa'. And checking on me intermittently whether i am asleep or not. And I falling asleep before the story ends.
I realize now that I have never slept like that after those days. In this busy life I often end up sleeping over problems of issues at work or home and sleep fretfully. Perhaps stories like Kaluribenta, being so nonsensical that they were have the power to free the mind of thoughts and soothe a overworked brain.
I am going to recollect those stories henceforth when I have trouble sleeping. And this is going to be the way I am going to put my children to sleep. With the 'kaluribenta gapa'.
