WOMAN

This Dussehrah,we planned to go to Munger,where our nephew has recently been posted joining a new job.After the sweltering heat and noisy environment of Kolkata,the calmness,peace and greenery of the place welcomed me like a mother’s caressing hand.Truely speaking,we were in a protected place called ‘Peninsular Park’,the officers’quarters allotted by ITC.So the total surrounding comprising of nice,big bunglowes,well-maintained gardens,every now and then salutes by the patrolling security-guards simply compel one to think that it’s a place not to be found on earth but similar to Paradise. Initial few days we simply sat at home enjoying the tastiest food served by the expert combined-hand and chatting at heart’s content.Then,we decided to visit a few places nearby those are regarded as the worth-visiting ones. I would like to mention just one such place,which roused some mind-storming thoughts in me. It’s called ‘Sita-kund’,eleven km from proper Munger.It’s inside a garden of medium size with a few shrines and five Kund-s.The dieties inside were Ram,Sita,Hanumanjee.The first four Kunds were normal ones with cold water known as Ram-kund,Lakshman-kund,Bharat-kund and Shatrughna-kund respectively.But the attraction of the place was Sita-kund,after which the place is named. It was an underground hot-water spring showing up at that particular place.In a cemented approximately ten to twelve feet square area,the pool of boiling and steaming water surrounded by iron-railing lies to keep the visitors awe-stuck for hours.The water is hot enough to give someone quite a severe burn. While standing there staring at the water I wanted to know whether any myth was related to it.So I ignored all the warnings given in advance by my husband as well as my nephew of not to interact with any ‘pujari’there and approached one requesting him to narrate the story behind it.And…….. What I heard was really tragic.The story goes like this… Ram,Sita and others were on their way back to Ayodhya,after the conquest of Lanka.At this place they came to visit Mudgal-Rishi and showed him honour by offering fruits,garlands and other valueable things.Mudgal accepted everyone’s offering but rejected Sita’s scornfully as she had been to a demon’s place for so long.Sita decided to burn herself to prove her purity!But as she did so,she was returned intact by Mother-Earth and a hot-water-spring cropped up instantly! Staring at the steaming,boiling water it occured to me that it was not simply water….but the suppressed humiliation, shame, offence and wrath of Sita as well as helpless Mother-Earth, finding its way…..!I could visualise poor,helpless Sita throwing up her arms in helpless dismay among the steams. Sita…..the helpless woman,irrespective of time and place…..how long will you suffer…..?