The English translation of a novel ‘Maharaja Dahir’ authored by Kolkata-based renowned novelist Debasree Chakraborti in Bengali language. The novel has been translated by Rajesh Giri
There is no air, no light, and no hope inside; only darkness covered with darkness. No sign of life, I can feel that my sisters’ vision was slowly getting blurred and after some time there is only darkness, intense darkness taking out life slowly and thus an epoch of Maharaj Dahir Sen terminated into a dark pit of suffocated life fighting to escape.
I learnt after arriving in Syria that before the advent of Islam in Syria, the pre Islamic people were idolaters who couldn’t accept the concept of this new religion. Therefore they were always engaged in a regular conflict with new religion. And those who didn’t convert, were looted, plundered and their women and girls were desecrated. At that time it had become a norm to the non-believers to bury their daughter alive just to escape the brutal desecration of them.
I couldn’t accept such cruel untimely death of my sisters. I couldn’t sleep for several days that haunted me day and night. Alas! Every day I thought that if I were able to bring them out of the pit, they were probably still alive. May be they are crying desperately day and night. It seems like the agony of my country Sindh was emerging out from the wells fracking the land. It’s a terrible pain which can’t be written down exactly. I have to bear it in my heart for the rest of my life.
In the meantime, one day I realized that I am pregnant; a new family member is coming; this brings some psychological changes which put effects in my health. Day by day my health starts to deteriorate. My limbs start to swallow along with increasing pain. But among all the bad, there is some good also, which cannot be denied. When I came to Syria, I met Nadia. Nadia, the wife of Abu Adil’s younger brother. I have rarely seen such a kind hearted person in my life. In this condition, she continuously came to console me day and night. Sometimes she comes and sits at my feet and cries. How many days I told her not to cry like that, but she says she is atoning for his sins.
One evening there was a heavy sandstorm outside, and I felt very ill. The legs were also very swollen. Nadia brought warm oil and was massaging on my feet. Then seeing her crying, I asked, Nadia, “Why do you sometimes cry like that? Today you have to express everything to me. I swear to you by your Allah.”
In fact, while staying among them, I was able to pick up their language to some extent. That’s why I had no problem talking to Nadia.
Surya Devi had become the inseparable existence with Sindhu Devi as if Surya Devi was living in Syria in the body of Sindhu. Surya Devi never dies. They live forever and take rebirth like the Phoenix.
Nadia told me that she was one of the prisoners on the ship that the Debal army rescued and took the passengers back to their homeland but unfortunately she was made captive again in her own country by the crusaders and sent her back to Baghdad again. Here she was bought by Omar who was the younger brother of Adil and got married to her. When she came to know that the royal girls of Sindh are brought to Syria as her sister in-law, that time she realized that this was the time to repay her gratitude to Sindh who once saved their lives from being concubines. From then she always try to be with them, serving them and later when she came to know about Surya Devi and Parimal who were the daughters of Sindhupati Dahir sen and their pathetic condition, she is dying from soul every day.
I asked her to come and sit near me. Then I said, “Everything that happens in this world, happens by God’s will. Whatever happened to the country of Sindh, was the destiny of Sindh. It was not possible for ordinary people like us to break the destiny. So remove all negative thoughts from your mind.”
Dr Iqbal noticed that at the beginning of the diary, where the date is mentioned, the writing is exactly similar to the handwriting of Sindhu Devi. So what does it signify? Maybe the date was changed by Sindhu Devi herself. Possibly she wanted to convey some message symbolically that one of the lineage of Dahir reached Syria and they were alive at that timeline after the death of Surya Devi. Surya Devi had become the inseparable existence with Sindhu Devi as if Surya Devi was living in Syria in the body of Sindhu. Surya Devi never dies. They live forever and take rebirth like the Phoenix.
Dr. Iqbal closed the diary and closed his eyes and let out a big sigh. (Continues)
Click here for Part-I , Part-II, Part-III , Part-IV , Part-V , Part-VI , Part-VII, Part-VIII , Part-IX , Part-X, Part-XI, Part-XII, Part-XIII , Part-XIV , Part-XV , Part-XVI, Part-XVII, Part-XVIII , Part-XIX, Part-XX, Part-XXI , Part-XXII, Part-XXIII , Part-XXIV , Part-XXV , Part-XXVI, Part-XXVII, Part-XXVIII, Part-XXIX, Part-XXX , Part-XXXI, Part-XXXII, Part-XXXIII , Part-XXXIV , Part-XXXV , Part-XXXVI , Part-XXXVII , Part-XXXVIII, Part-XXXIX, Part-XL , #Part-XLI , Part-XLII , Part-XLIII , Part-XLIV
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Debasree Chakraborti is a renowned novel writer of Bengali language. Based in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, she has done Master’s in Modern History from the Kolkata University, and authored some thirty books, mostly the novels, with historical perspective and themes. Her most recent novel is ‘Maharaja Dahir’ that covers the history of Sindh from 662, the year of first attack on Sindh by the Arab armies till date.
Rajesh Giri, born in Kolkata, had his early schooling from Kolkata and then from Medinipur—a village in Bengal. He graduated from Calcutta University with Physics and Maths and Master’s from Burdwan University in 2016. Now he is associated with Adhdhyaan educational institution teaching Physics. History enthusiastic Rajesh Giri is particularly interested in the ancient civilization of India and other regions like Egypt, Mesopotamia, and North America. He loves traveling.
