The tribal Chief was waiting with young boys and girls standing in two lines, holding garlands of leaves and baskets of flower petals to welcome the Baba.
It was a very special day for them. The Chief’s daughter was getting married. The whole tribal village was celebrating…. There was dance and music all around.
Marriage was a very special event in the life of a young woman of this tribe..… She will ‘own’ a man and a home totally for herself!
No other woman can touch him thereafter, not even approach him… No other ‘boss’ in the house. She will be the reigning queen.!
Their tribal customs were very strict on marital fidelity… Before marriage one was free. One could live with members of opposite sex, could even have children...
These children would be brought up by the Chief and his wife.
But after the marriage the husband and wife were expected to be absolutely loyal to one another.
They will have children and will have to bring up those children themselves according to their customs.
It was also a matriarchal system that this tribe followed. The woman ruled the home and owned the property.
* * * * * * * * *
The girls spread petals of flowers over the path for the Baba to walk on… The boys garlanded him one after the other. The Baba indicated to some boys to garland Atma Prakash also…..
The ‘Bamboo dance’ of young tribal women and the ‘Tiger dance’ of the young men were full of life and rhythm…
At some stages the Chief and the Baba also joined them briefly.
Atma Prakash was really enjoying the whole event.
* * * * * * * * *
Then they heard the drum beats approaching from a distance.
The bridegroom’s party was coming.
They arrived singing and dancing.
Few men kept down a large rectangular covered Bamboo basket they were carrying on their shoulders.
The bridegroom got out.
He looked so colourful!
He wore a tall cap decorated with variety of feathers. He also wore a garland of tiger teeth and nails.
He was dressed in tiger skin.
His face was decorated with many coloured lines.
Both the bride and the bridegroom were brought to the Baba for his blessings.
Soon after blessing them, the Baba departed.
Atma Prakash followed him.
They walked back silently to the Ashram.
It was quite dark. It was also late in the night.
But the Baba walked as if he was walking in broad day light.
Atma Prakash kept close to his guruji.
‘How did you enjoy the tribal marriage?’ asked Mohini Rao.
They were sitting on stones facing each other on the riverbank.
‘It was very interesting’ said Atma Prakash.
‘Does a revolutionary ever get married?’ she asked, as if asking herself.
‘We had few couples. But no children. Revolutionaries cannot afford to have children.’ Atma Prakash said.
‘Have you ever thought of marriage?’ She asked
‘Not marriage. But once I had little affair with a ‘beauty’…. and almost lost my life.’ He said.
‘I know of that. It was part of the exciting story of the ‘young lion’ of the naxalite revolution in Andhra Pradesh that had appeared in the newspapers…’ said Mohini.
‘How about you, have you thought of marriage?’ Atma Prakash asked Mohini.
‘When you eat, eat. When you study, study. This was what our guruji told me. That means, now that I am still a student, my focus must be on doing the best I can in my studies, not thinking about marriage.’ Mohini replied.
‘That is very good.’ Atma Prakash said.
He reached out and took her right hand in his hands.
He looked into her eyes as if searching for something in the depths of her heart….. and remained looking into her for some time. Then he let go of her hands and closed his eyes as if meditating….
Excerpts from Integral Revolution
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