Panorama 2 | Prose
Mahadevi Verma
Gillu Written by Mahadevi Verma Born in 1907, Mahadevi Verma was undoubtedly a leading poetess of the Chhayavadi School of poetry in Hindi. She had earned high reputation as a poet an story writer and editor of the famous Hindi. Weekly ‘Chand’. Among some of her important works are Deep Shikha, Yania, Nlhar (all poetry books), ‘Shrinkhla Ki Kadiyan, Mera Parlwar’. She had the honour of receiving “Mangla Prasad Prize”, ’’Bharat Bharti Award” and the “Gyan Peeth Award”. She was also recipient of ‘Padma Bhushan’ National Award. She was elected fellow of the Sahitya Academy. She died in the year 1987. We lost a great poetess of Chhayavadi age with her death.
Gillu Written by Mahadevi Verma Introduction. “Gillu” is the description of a tiny baby squirrel that had accidentally fallen down from a nest near the flower pots of the poetess’s Verandah (courtyard). She was so moved to see the injured baby squirrel that she immediately lifted him up and provided all possible care to save him. It shows her generosity and compassion for the distressed person as is evident in this form of incident.
Gillu
MAHADEVI VERMA (1907-1987) was a leading poetess of the Chayavadi School of
poetry in Hindi. She was also a well-known story writer and editor of
the famous Hindi weekly “Chand”. Some of her important works
include Deep Shikha; Yama, Nihar (Poetry) Shrinkhla kiKadiyan, MeraPariwar. She was the
recipient of the ManglaPradadPrise, Bharat Bharti award, and the
Jnanpith Award along with Padma Bhushan. She was elected fellow of
the Sahitya Akademy.
Unexpectedly, one morning, when I entered the verandah from the room,
I saw two crows playfully poking their beaks at the flowerpots, as if
engaged in the game of hiding and seek.
Suddenly, my assiduous critique of this mythical tale of the crow was
intercepted by my gaze that fell on this tiny being, lying hidden in
the gap that the junction of the pot with the wall. Moving closer, I
saw that it was a tiny baby squirrel that must have accidentally
fallen down from a nest and was now being considered by the crows to
be easy prey. Having sustained two wounds due to the assault by the
pair of crows was enough for this time being and he was now
motionless, clinging to the pot.
Everyone remarked that as he would not survive after having been so
assaulted by the crows, he be left alone. But my mind refused to
accede to their views, and therefore, I gently lifted him up and
brought him to my room, and after wiping the blood from his wounds
with cotton wool, applied penicillin ointment.
I tried to feed him by somehow putting a thin cotton wool wick,
dipped in milk to his mouth, but he was unable to open his mouth and
the drops of milk only slid down from both sides. Only after several
house of tending could I manage to pour one drop of water in his
mouth. But, on the third day, he became so much better and assured
that he would use his two tiny claws to hold my finger and gaze all
around with his blue, glass-beads-like eyes. And in three-four months,
he astonished everyone with his smooth fur, bushy tail, and naughty,
refulgent eyes.
A transformation from common to proper nouns followed and we started
calling him, Gillu! I hung a lightweight flower basket lined with
cotton wool on the window with the help of a wire. For two years, this
was Gillu's abode. All were pleasantly astonished at his antics and
intellect.
When I would sit down to write, he would be seized by such an acute
desire to attract my attention that he devised a novel way of doing
it. He would venture close to my feet, go swiftly up the curtains, and
descend with the same breakneck speed. This sequence would continue
till the time I got up to catch him. On some occasions, I used to hold
Gillu and put his tiny body in a long envelope. Sometimes, he would
continue to stand on the table leaning against the wall in such an
amazing condition for hours and watch my activities with his radiant
eyes.
When hungry, he would inform me by twittering ‘chak-chak, and after
having received some biscuits or Kaju. I wondered with the twittering
of chak-chak, what transpired between him and the other squirrels that
were often spotted near the wire-meshed window! Seeing Gilly sitting
near the window and affectionately peering at the world outside, made
me realize that it was necessary to set him free.
By removing some nails, I made a small opening in a corner of the
wire-mesh and, on being able to go out from this opening Gillu was
thrilled to be liberated.
Due to my important papers and letters, my room used to remain locked
in my absence. The moment the room was opened on my return from
college and I stepped in, Gillu would rush on to me and climb up and
down from my head to toe. Since then, this had become a regular
practice. On my leaving the room, Gilly would also make an exit though
the wire-mesh opening of the window. Spend the whole day with his lot,
jumping and pricing up and down the branches
I have several pet animals and bides and all them are quite fond of
me, but I don’t remember any of them daring to eat from my plate.
Gillu was an exception. The moment I would reach the Dini groom, he
would emerge from the window, cross over the courtyard wall and the
verandah, reach the table, and would want to sit on my plate. With
great difficulty, up taught him to sit close to my plate. His favorite
food was Kaju and when not available for several
days, he would refuse other food items and threw them down from the
swing.
Around the time, being injured in a motor car accident, I had to
spend some days in the hospital. Those days, wherever my room was
opened, Gilly would rush down from his swing, but on seeing somebody
else, he would, with the same alacrity, scuttle back to sit in his
nest. Everyone would offer him Kaju, but when I cleaned up his swing
on my return from the hospital, discovered it was full of Kaju, which
only showed how little he was eating his favorite food those days!
During the course of my indisposition, he would sit near me near my
head on my pillow and gently stroke my forehead and hair, and his
moving away was like the going away of a nurse or attendant!
When I used to work during summer afternoons, Gillu would abstain
from going outside or sitting in his swing. To keep himself close to
me and also to tackle the summer heat, he had discovered a totally new
method. He would lie prostrate on the surahi kept near me and this
remains cool and also close to me!
Squirrels have a life span of barely two years; as such, Gill’s lease
of life finally came to an end. For the whole day, he neither ate nor
ventured ours. In the night even with the pain of going away, he came
to my bed from the swing and clutched the same finger with his icy
claws, which he had clung to, in his near-death-like state during his
natal days.
The claws were getting so cold that I switched on the heater and
tried to give him some warmth. But, as the first ray of the morning
touched him, he departed.
His swing was taken off the hook and the opening made in the
wire-sech window was closed.
Gillu was put to eternal rest under the Sonjuhi creeper-both, because he loved his creeper most and also because of the satisfaction. I derive from my belief that some spring day I will find him flowering and blossoming in the guise of a tiny yellow Juhi flower!
Glossary & Notes:
- Unexpectedly:
- Poking:
- Assiduous:
- Critique:
- Mythical:
- Intercepted:
- Prey:
- Assault:
- Survive:
- Accede:
- Antics:
- Astonished:
- Intellect:
- Abode:
- Eternal:
- Derive:
- Prostrate:
- Alacrity:
- Ventured out:
- Abstain:
- Refulgent:
Summary in English
The title “Gillu” is the real story of a baby squirrel. One morning, when the poetess came out from the room, she saw two crows playfully pushing sharply their beaks at the flower pots in the verandah. Immediately she saw a tiny baby squirrel, sustaining two wounds, holding tightly lying in the flower pot. She could easily know that the tiny baby might have fallen from a nest and been wounded by these crows. Lifting him up in her arms and wiping the blood, she applied Penicillin ointment over it. She could manage to pour one drop of water in his mouth by her tiresome efforts. He became alright within three-four months with fur and a bushy tail over his body. The poetess started calling him, GILLU. She hung a lightweight flower basket on the window as her residence. He became very familiar with her. When she would sit down to write the used to attract her attention by his naughty acts sitting closer to her feet. Sometimes the poetess, out of joke used to hold Gillu and put his tiny body in a long envelope.
He had an interesting way of asking for his meal, by making continuous short and soft sounds of “Chik-Chik”. Then she would provide him biscuits or Kaju. Gillu, sometimes anxiously used to look closely at the outside scenes from the window. It made her think that it was necessary to set him free. She arranged a small opening in a comer of the inter-woven structure of wire.
Now, Gillu was highly pleased, as if he is being liberated. When she returned from the college and opened the room, Gillu would rush swiftly onto her, climbing up and down on her body. He would spend the whole day with his fellow squirrels as long as she would remain outside the house.
The poetess had several pet animals and birds, and she was loving them all, but Gillu only dared to eat from her plate. He was an exception. His favorite food was Kaju and when not available for several days, he would refuse other food items throwing them from the pot, in his nest.
Once the poetess being injured in a car accident was admitted to the hospital. Whenever the room was opened by somebody else, during the period she spending her days in the hospital, Gillu would come swiftly from his nest but on seeing somebody else, he would immediately move hurriedly with short, quick steps back to his nest. When the poetess returned back from the hospital, she found his nest full of Kaju, which showed his deep attachment and affection for her. At times when she was indisposed, he used to sit near her head and gently rub her forehead and hair. His affectionate service was highly soothing to her. His moving away from her bed was like the going away of a nurse or attendant.
During summer afternoon, when she used to work, Gillu remained there sticking with a surah near her to save himself from the summer heat and to remain with her as well.
For about two years Gillu lived with her in the flower basket specially made for him to live in, at her house. Squirrels have a life span of hardly two years. As such the lease of his life finally came to an end. He neither ate nor went outside on that day. In the night he came near her bed and seized her finger with his cold claws. The poetess tried to give him some warmth through the electric heater but failed to save his life. He departed from this world with the first ray of the morning sun. His flower basket nest was taken off and he was buried under the sonjuhi creeper because he loved the creeper most and also because of her (poetess) satisfaction.
The poetess had formed a belief that during some spring day she would find Gillu, when he would appear flowering and blossoming in the outward form of tiny yellow juja flower.
The story is a living example of the high moral value of human sentiments. The poetess had preserved compassionate feelings for all living beings. She had excessive love and affection even for a tiny baby squirrel, which is highly admirable.
Summary in Hindi
गिल्लू एक शिशु गिलहरी की सत्य-कथा है। एक दिन प्रात:काल में कवयित्री जब अपने – कमरे से बाहर आईं तो उन्होंने देखा कि दो कौए परस्पर मनोरंजनपूर्ण क्रीड़ा द्वारा अपनी चोंच से बरामदे में रखे फूल के गमलों पर तीक्ष्ण प्रहार कर रहे थे। शीघ्र ही उन्होंने एक छोटे शिशु गिलहरी को वहाँ पर दो जख्मों से पीड़ित तथा फूल के गमले से कसकर चिपके हुए देखा । उन्होंने आसानी से यह जान लिया कि वह छोटा शिशु गिलहरी अपने घोंसले से गिर पड़ा होगा तथा इन कौओं ने उसे आहत किया होगा । उसे अपने हाथों में उठाकर उन्होंने उसके खून को धोया तथा पेंसिलिन मलहम उस स्थान पर लगा दिया। थोड़े प्रयास के बाद उसके मुँह में एक बूंद पानी पहुंचाने में वे सफल हुईं। तीन-चार महीनों में वह पूर्ण स्वस्थ हो गया । उसका शरीर रोएँदार तथा पूँछ बालों के गुच्छे से युक्त हो गई।
कवयित्री ने उसे “गिल्लू” कहकर पुकारना प्रारंभ किया। उन्होंने एक हल्के वजन वाली फूलों की टोकरी को उसके रहने के लिए अपनी खिड़की पर टाँग दिया।
वह उनसे (कवयित्री) काफी हिल-मिल गया। जब वह कुछ लिखने के लिए बैठती थीं तो वह अपने नटखट कार्यों द्वारा उनका ध्यान अपनी ओर आकर्षित करता था। कभी-कभी कवयित्री मजाक से उसके छोटे शरीर को बड़े लिफाफे में बन्द कर देती थीं।
उसका खाना माँगने का एक मनोरंजक ढंग था । चिक-चिक की मीठी रट लगातार लगाकर वह इसका संकेत देता था। तब वे उसे बिस्कुट तथा काजू खाने को देती थीं। गिल्लू कभी-कभी खिड़की के बाहर के दृश्यों को आतुरतापूर्ण निहारता था। यह देखकर उन्होंने उसे स्वच्छन्द विचरने देने का विचार किया। उन्होंने उसके फूल की टोकरी वाले घोंसले के एक कोने में निकलने का स्थान (small opening) बनवा दिया। अब गिल्लू अत्यन्त प्रसन्नचित्त था तथा अपने को स्वतंत्र अनुभव करता था। जब वे कॉलेज से लौटती थीं, गिल्लू तेजी से उनके पास दौड़कर आता था तथा उनके शरीर के ऊपर नीचे दौड़ने लगता था। वह पूरा दिन घर से बाहर अन्य गिलहरी-मित्रों के साथ बिताता था।
कवयित्री के यहाँ अन्य पालतू पशु एवं पक्षी भी थे तथा वे उन सभी के साथ स्नेहपूर्ण व्यवहार करती थीं। किन्तु गिल्लू ही केवल उनकी प्लेट में खाने का साहस करता था । वह अन्य पालतू पशुओं तथा पक्षियों से भिन्न, एक अपवाद था। उसका प्रिय भोजन काजू था। जब कुछ दिनों तक काजू नहीं रहने के कारण उसे खाने को नहीं दिया जा सका तो भोजन के अन्य सामान दिए जाने पर उसने लेने से इनकार किया तथा अपने घोंसले से उन्हें फेंककर अपनी नाराजगी व्यक्त कर दी।
एक बार कवयित्री एक कार दुर्घटना में घायल होकर अस्पताल में भर्ती हो गईं। इस बीच जब कभी अन्य व्यक्ति आकर उनका कमरा खोलते थे तो गिल्लू फूर्ती के साथ अपने घोसले से निकलकर वहाँ पहुँच जाता था, किन्तु उनके बदले दूसरे व्यक्ति को देखकर उसी तेज गति में वापस लौट जाता था। जब कवयित्री अस्पताल से घर वापस आई तो उन्होंने उसके घोसले को काजू से भरा हुआ पाया, जो उनके प्रति उसके अगाध प्रेम को प्रदर्शित करता है। उनकी अनुपस्थिति में उसकी भूख तथा अन्य इच्छाएँ गायब थीं। अनेक बार जब कवयित्री बीमार पड़ी, वह उनके सिर के निकट आकार उनके माथा तथा बालों पर अपने नन्हें शरीर से मालिश करने लगता था। उसकी यह निष्ठा एवं श्रद्धापूर्ण सेवा उन्हें (कवयित्री) की शीतलता एवं शांति प्रदान करती थी। उस समय उसका उनके पास से हटना उन्हें ऐसा प्रतीत होता था जैसे कोई नर्स या सेवक वहाँ से चला गया हो।
गर्मी की दोपहर अथवा शाम में जब वे अपने कार्य (लेखनकार्य) में व्यस्त रहती थीं, गिल्लू इनके निकट एक सुराही से चिपककर बैठ जाता था, इस प्रकार वह उनके निकट भी रहता था तथा सुराही की ठंडक भी प्राप्त करता था।लगभग दो वर्षों तक गिल्लू उनके साथ फूल की टोकरी में बने अपने घोसले में रहा। गिलहरियों के जीवन की अवधि लगभग दो वर्षों की होती है। अतः उसके जीवन के अन्तिम क्षण भी आ गए । उस दिन उसने कुछ भी नहीं खाया तथा अपने घोंसले से बाहर भी नहीं आया । रात्रि में वह कवयित्री के बिस्तर के निकट आया। उसने अपने ठंडे पंजों से उनकी अंगुलियों को स्पर्श किया । कवयित्री ने अपने बिजली के हीटर द्वारा उसके बर्फ के समान ठंडे होते शरीर को गर्म करना चाहा। किन्तु वे उसके जीवन-रक्षा के प्रयास में असफल रहीं। प्रात:काल की पहली किरण के साथ वह इस संसार से चल बसा । उसका फूलों की टोकरी वाला घोंसला वीरान हो गया तथा वहाँ से उसे हटा दिया गया। गिल्लू को संजूही लता की झाड़ियों के नीचे दफना (buried) दिया गया। इसके दो कारण थे-एक, गिल्लू उसे (संजूही) बहुत पसंद करता था, दूसरा कवयित्री को इससे हार्दिक संतोष हुआ।
कवयित्री को इस बात का विश्वास है, कि बसंत ऋतु के किसी दिन उसकी मुलाकात गिल्लु से हो जाएगी, जिस समय वह एक छोटे पीले जुही के फूल के रूप में खिलेगा तथा सौरभ बिखेरेगा। ऐसी उनकी धारणा है।
यह कहानी मानवीय संवेदनाओं के उच्च आदर्शों की सजीव अभिव्यक्ति तथा अनुपमः उदाहरण है। कवयित्री के विशाल हृदय में सभी जीवों के प्रति अपार प्रेम था। छोटे शिशु गिलहरी (गिल्लू) के प्रति. भी उनका अत्यधिक अनुराग तथा स्नेह नि:संदेह अत्यंत प्रशंसनीय है।
Questions & Answer:
B.1. Answer the following questions briefly:
1.
How did ‘Gillu’ sustain wounds?
Ans: Due to the assault by the pair of two crows. Gillu was motionless and
sustain wounds.
2.
Who started calling the tine baby squirrel Gillu?
Ans: Mahadevi Verma started calling the tiny baby squirrel as Gillu.
3.
Which the ointment was applied on the wounds of the tiny baby squirrel?
Ans: Penicillin ointment was applied on the wounds of the tine baby.
4.
What does the transformation from the common to the proper noun imply? What
difference does a name make?
Ans: When the writer lifts him that time, he has no name but after that, he
transforms from common to proper nouns and started calling Gillu.
B.2. Answer the following questions briefly:
1.
How would Gilly inform that he was hungry?
Ans: Gillu informs that he was hungry by Chik-Chik.
2.
What prompted the narrator to set Gilly free?
Ans: The narrator prompted that everyone wants to live set free like
Gillu.
3.
What is the life span of squirrels?
Ans: About two years is the life of span of squirrels.
4.
What was Gilly’s favourite food?
Ans: Kaju was Gillu’s favorite food.
5.
When was his swing taken off?
Ans: this swing was taken off the hook and the opening made in the wire
mesh window was closed.
C. 1 Long Answer Questions:
1.
What did the narrator do with the wounded squirrel?
Ans: When the Gillu wounded that time Mahadevi Verma gently lifted him up
and brought him to her room, and she wipes the blood from his wounds with
cotton wool and applied penicillin ointment.
2.
How did the narrator make the tiny baby squirrel hale and hearty?
Ans: The narrator makes the tiny baby squirrel hate and hearty because she
tried to feed him by somehow putting a thin cotton wool wick dipped in milk
to his month. After a long time, she manages to pour one drop of water in
his mouth and in three-four months, he astonished everyone with his naughty
action.
3.
Gilly took little food during the indisposition of the narrator. What does
this suggest?
Ans: I think, this sugget5s a great relationsh8p between Gillu and the
narrator don’t live that time when Gillu feels very sad. He thinks, perhaps,
I have lost something. So, Gillu took little food during the indisposing of
the narrator.
4.
Do you have any pet animals? How does it show concern for you?
Ans: Yes, I have a pet animal. His name is tony. He is a faithful dog. I
love it very much. He lives with me. He follows my melts. When I go to where
he gazes at me long-time.
5.
What did the narrator feel at the death of Gillu? Descried her feelings in
your own words.
Ans: At the death of Gillu the narrator became very sad. I think she felt
that my costly thinks have lost. The relation between the narrator and Gillu
coerce very close but unfortunately, Gillu died and Mahadevi Verma waited a
long time so that he may be returned, but it didn’t happen.
6.
In what condition did the narrator find Gillu? What did she do with it?
What would you do in a similar situation?
Ans: The narrator found Gillu in wounds condition and When the Gillu has
become motionless and clinging to pot. She gently lifted him up and brought
him to her room. After that, she wiped the blood from his wounds with cotton
wool and applied penicillin ointment. I do like the narrator.