Bewafa (बेवफ़ा)

l liVed in a tenement of Bombay

l worked all day & returned at night

But sometimes l neVer found any work

One such day while l was returning home empty handed

As l walked towards my room l was disheartened

As l got nearer my fear grew

Some looked at me sypathetically others ridiculed me

But obliVious of eVerything l continued walking

Veryone talked about us

Rupa'Did you bring money

l'll slap you

Rupa'why are you so sad -Nothing Aunty

ln this age when he doesn't get liquor'he becomes shameless

Rupa'giVe medicine'Kidnani has a bad cough

l didn't get work'uncle

No work'why didn't you get work

GiVe money -market was closed'uncle-

GoVt.liquor shop was open why are you quiet

Uncle'uncle'uncle...

l'm dying with booze & you can't find work

What sort of offspring you're not bothered about me

l'll prepare food

Ven donkey's eat

l am dying for booze'shall l drink your blood now

Well idiot'you're trapped

Don't call me idiot'l'll smash you

Big deal'just get on with the game you only gamble with cards

l'll mate you with a pawn -with a pawn!

Remember pawn can be king at opportune time

Pay flash'cards'1 '2'3

Come on play! still he's a kid how can he play

What happened to my tea

Veryday a new problem!

Hey! look! what's happening there'friend

Come'come Mr.Raj

What's all this noise here

Mr.Raj we work whole night we should sleep in the day'isn't it

You'Ve to do something about it

Drink this drunkard

lf he's drunk he is a nuisance without he's mad

Mr.Raj just say once'l'll set right this old bugger

You all keep quiet

Raj Babu l'm a Bengali

How can this daily nuisance be tolerated do something

All of you go

l'll fix him just now

Get out'don't enter here without money

Why did the old man got angry today

Just like that

Say that he wanted money money

Had you taken from me'you wouldn't haVe been beaten

Why are you surprised

Don't l haVe a heart

Seeing your condition who would not haVe pity on you

Shall l giVe you money

No'l haVen't repaid your old debt

You're mad'don't mention it

Today l help you'tomorrow you help me

lt is good neighbourliness

No'l treat it as debt

Then repay... atleast manage

What're you thinking

How'll l repay so much debt

Come & sweep my room sometimes

People say'Raj is eVil

Listen'if you need money ask me'don't feel shy-

l can't see you suffer like this

You're ruining your life here haVe you eVer thought about your life

What to think'this is all destiny

Oh destiny! you make your own destiny'Rupa

Look at me

l'm toiling day & night to make my destiny& the day l hit the jack pot

World will be shocked

Hutment dwellers shouldn't dream of palaces

What are you searching Rupa

Broom

Broom

You only told me to sweep your room

l haVe to repay your debt

l was joking

No'Raj

Try to probe into my heart

l swear by you'it's full of webs

What are you saying'l fail to comprehend

You're not be blamed

Sometimes l fail to comprehend myself come & sit

No'No'uncle'll get angry l haVen't cleaned the house yet

That your uncle has already done it

Such menial work these hands shouldn't do

Meaning

One day when l couldn't bring money for booze-uncle beat me mercilessly

Shameless'you eat twice a day & you are not bothered about uncle's drink

l'll bring tomorrow

Though l wasn't hurt much myself respect took a seVere beating

l was at my wits end

l didn't know where to go what to do

l realized'l couldn't go on like this

l left that place

On that day'Raj also wasn't at Home

l left that hamlet & came on to the open road

Where l was going l didn't know

My soul'commanded me to end the miseries of life

lf you want peace embrace the waVes of the sea

Who are waiting for you impatiently

l moVed forward

But the waVes stopped me

l felt they were refusing to oblige me

l felt that the waVes were asking do you want to die!

Do you think you are aliVe!

First try to liVe

The storm in me subsided

l returned & sat under a nearby lamp

l don't know when l slept

Just'stay like that

Who are you

What is it you are doing

l am painting you

My painting! why what for

You are misunderstanding me

l had no other motiVe except to paint you

lf you are offended'l'll throw it away

No'but why're you doing this painting

Because it may change my destiny

Painting and selling them is my Vocation

l'Ve made so many of them'but none was sold

lf you wish'this painting can be completed

lf you haVe no objection then come with me

But....

Don't be scared'l'll giVe you Rs 5 per day

5 Rupees! 2 bottles of liquor

Do you drink

l don't drink'l make others drink

But l'll neVer offer hereafter

To whom

My addicted uncle

Who threw me out like the empty bottle when l couldn't buy for him

l'll neVer go there

Don't worry'l don't drink

You won't swallow my wages

Come come

This is my studio

Here l make my paintings come this side

Sit here

ln the same pose

The way you were sitting against the lamp post

Bring the same expression on your face

Hopeless'despair

That....okay l'll try

You'll giVe me Rs 5'isn't it

Shall l giVe it to you now

After the work is oVer

Your painting is ready

You'Ve slept'Rupa'Rupa

l was saying'your painting is completed

That's all

How is it

How do l know

You only know Rs 5 take it

lt's nice'Very nice

But l was sitting against the lamp post

How this was made

This is Art flame'the two who are melting

You'll continue the work is'nt it there are no customers

There are lakhs of customers

This is my first painting where my Art has fully emerged

Before this my paintings were lifeless & colourless

But now you'll be succesful

lt'll be sold for atleast Rs 50

50! mad girl it'll fetch minimum Rs 1000

My God'nobody will giVe me eVen one penny

And my painting will be sold for Rs 100

This'll be my first great work

But l won't sell it

You won't sell it lf you won't sell it then.....

Work will continue

And my to-days's lesson

That also

Hunger

Our second great work is ready

Then shall l get ready for 3rd one

Very fine...stay just like that

l want to giVe a face to all the shades of poVerty

You'Ve really giVen life to this hunger

This hunger will create a reVolution oneday

l'll definitely win a prize in the exhibition

l feel like kissing the hands of its maker

Now success'll definitely knock at my door

Whom did you learn to paint from

Who made you a painter

Such people aren't made they are born

This'll definitely be sold for Rs 100

That is you only

100..500'1000'2000

Then 3000 & we'll become Very rich'we'll haVe lot of money

What is this childishness... go & sit there

you got Very late

Look at my style

You probably don't know him he is Dr.Bose

She is..Rupa DeVi

Throat specialist!