Gadadhar
Gadadhar
Fungawari Singbul by B. Jayantakumar Sharma

Translation by Nganthoi Lourembam *

An illustration of Folk tale 'Gadadhar' by Nganthoi Lourembam

Once there lived a strong man who was incomparably tough. One day, his pregnant wife asked the strong man, "Do you wish the baby whom I am going to give birth to be a boy or a girl?" The strong man replied, "I am fine with both; I'll die very soon if the baby turned out to be a boy. And if the baby is born after my death I'll burry my big Gada (a kind of club with a round head, made of metal) inside the house in front of my bed for you to recognise if the baby is my real son or not.

When he grows up and sets out to travel you must say 'your father has hidden a Gada' and dig out and show the Gada's handle. If he is able to hold the Gada through its handle and put it on his shoulder then he is my real son. He is free to set out for travelling." Few days later, the strong man died.

As time passed by, the woman gave birth to a baby boy. The woman realised that she forgot to fetch water to bath the new born. Leaving her newborn baby at the home she came to fetch water from a pond.

In the meantime, people came running in hustle as the King's elephant went mad. The mad elephant destroyed houses, trees and plants perilously. But it's an amazing surprise - listening to the news of mad elephant, the baby which was just born, got up and wore his dad's big Khudei (Lungi) and he hurriedly followed the footpath of the mad elephant. Looking at the new born baby - marching towards the elephant people who were following the mad elephant shouted in shock, "dead! Whose child is it?"

Ignoring to what they said the baby went quickly and stood in front of the elephant. The elephant was not successful in hooking the baby through its nose as the baby was slippery as it had not taken a bath since birth. The elephant failed to kill the baby. The baby took out one of the teeth of the elephant and beat up the elephant with the teeth.

Consequently the elephant died. The news of killing the elephant reached the King's ear. The king with his servants came in search of the baby and reached the house of the widowed. The King was shocked to see the newborn holding the elephant's teeth on his shoulder. The King gave rewards to the widowed mother. The baby was named 'the strong Gadadhar' and then the King returned to his palace.

When Gadadhar grew up, once, he said to his mother that he would travel. His mother remembered what Gadadhar's father had earlier said. She told Gadadhar, "Dear, when your dad was alive he had left a Gada for you." She dug out till the handle of the Gada was visible and showed it to her son. As instructed by his mother Gadadhar removed the Gada from the earth, put it on his shoulder and stood in front of his mother. Looking at her son's nature she informed him, "You are your father's real son. You are now free to travel." Taking his mother's blessing the strong Gadadhar started travelling.

As Gadadhar continuously walked on, he came across a man of good personality. The person was blocking the sea by his one hand and the other hand was fishing. A strong person loves another strong one. Gadadhar called out, "Dear strong fellow, I am very much pleased to see your work today. Let's set out to travel. What say?" The man replied, "Friend, I can't do that. There might be full of people who are stronger than me. But if the strong man called Gadadhar invites then I'll go." At this Gadadhar replied, "I am Gadadhar."

The man agreed to set out for travelling, "If you are there then I am not afraid of anyone." After catching some fish the two set out for travelling. After walking for a while the duo met 'Ching Khullokpi.' Ching Khullokpi was found throwing big-big hills and playing Khullokpi (traditional game of Manipur). Gadadhar thought there was another strong person and asked, "Friend, please join us in our trip."

'Ching Khullokpi' replied, "Friend, there are many persons who are stronger than me. I am scared so I won't go. But if the physically powerful Gadadhar comes then I'll join." Gadadhar replied, "I am Gadadhar." Then 'Ching Khullokpi' agreed happily and the three continued the journey.

They met 'Shan Figao' on the way. What Shan Figao did was he brought lots of cows in his pocket and took them out at a hill to feed them. Looking at his powerful action Gadadhar was very surprised. He thought, "There might not be anyone who is equally strong as him" and said, "Friend, your action is miraculous. You are strong, so let's go together in the trip."

At first he didn't agree but when he heard that the strong Gadadhar was there he came for the journey. All of them came to have food at Shan Figao's place. Shan Figao's mother was short heighted. They had fish curry. Looking at them mother of Shan Figao said, "if you can make me move a single step just by giving a push then you can go for the journey otherwise you cannot." One by one gave a try to push the woman but failed to make her even move for a single step.

Finally it was Gadadhar's turn. Gadadhar tightly closed his eyes and with strong force pushed the woman. The woman could not control and moved for three steps. The woman repeatedly praised Gadadhar. She handed over her son to Gadadhar and stayed back. Thus the powerful four started their journey.

They reached at a village. Not a single person was seen at the village. Little ahead from there a hut was seen. They decided to cook food and sent Shamudra Ishitpa (the man who blocked the sea with one hand) to get light from the hut. Once he reached in front of the house Ishitpa called out, "Is anyone home? Can I get fire?"

An old lady replied from inside the hut, "Take few thatches from the rooftop and light it from the Funga (Chula)." Ishitpa took some thatches and went inside the house. It was pitch dark inside the house and the Funga was not visible. The unseen woman informed him the location of the Funga. When Ishitpa bent down his knee to blow some air inside the Funga to get fire, a huge hand grasped Ishitpa's neck from the backside and pushed him inside a big hole which was just next to the Funga. Ishitpa was not able to come out of the hole.

On the other side, Gadadhar said, "Ishitpa had not returned after being sent to get fire" and hence sent Ching Khullokpi to get Ishitpa. Ching Khullokpi also didn't return – one after another, no one returned. All of them were stuck inside the hole.

As no one returned Gadadhar knew something bad had happened hence he came. Like others Gadadhar also took a bunch of thatches from top of the house and to light them he went inside the house. When Gadadhar took few thatches from top, front part of the house broke down. The witch thought, "This man is different from others, must be a very strong person" and also had a fear in her mind.

As soon as Gadadhar went inside the house he asked, "Did my man come here to get fire?" From the dark, the witch replied, "No one came here." Gadadhar became doubtful and thought something had happened. As instructed by the woman, he was searching for the Funga by slowly dragging his feet. Not only the Funga but he also found a big hole next to it.

"Eh! What is this?" he got up from there and removed a pillar of the house. When the pillar was removed the house became shaky. After that he was searching for his other friends and suddenly a witch grabbed his back. Gadadhar turned around and grabbed the witch and started wrestling against each other. After wrestling for a while, the intelligent Gadadhar was on top of the wrestling and broke the head of the witch by the pillar he had earlier removed.

The witch died immediately. When they came to know that the witch died, the three men who were inside the hole shouted for help to Gadadhar. Gadadhar pushed the pillar inside the hole; the three held the edge of the pillar and pulled them out of the hole.

All of them were very happy to come out of danger and they chatted for a while; they got fire from the house and after cooking their food they had it together. And then they returned at their places happily.

** From Manipur folk tale Book called "Fungawari Singbul" by B. Jayantakumar Sharma