SAPPḤO REDISCOVERED

I am female and my name is Ruhi. I am about 26 and am descended from a family of Sanscrit scholars. In fact one of my forebears was a court poet and had even advised the king. I have a large number of books and even ancient palm leaf manuscripts which I store in a fire proof cabinet. I have no specific calling but spend my time reading or writing about Sanscrit classics. One of my books has been converted into a screenplay and had been quite popular with filmgoers. I have been fortunately endowed with agricultural land which an uncle tends to and funds me to live a very comfortable life. I live in an ancestral house with female cook cum caretaker Neha who lives in. She is a widow of about my age.

One day an aged woman came to see me. She said “Madam, I’m from a poor family and have none to look after me. I’ve no money also. I’ve been getting rid of my household effects to live. Recently I found this palm leaf manuscript in my house. I was told you would be interested in such finds and have come to you. I don’t know its value. Give me whatever you think it is worth.”

I scanned the closely written manuscript titled Madanika’s Chronicle. It consisted of only 10 sheets. Without even reading the contents I gave the woman five hundred rupees as charity. The woman was thankful and left.

After that I opened the palm leaves but power failed. There was rain and my roof developed a leak just above where I was seated. I called cook Neha and said “Help me to save the documents before they are swept away.”

Neha cleaned up the mess. A couple of days later while I was searching for Madanika’s Chronicle, I found only 3 leaves. Neha had thrown away the remaining 7 leaves. I put away the 3 leaves in storage realizing I may not get the remaining 7 pages ever. I was a bit unhappy with Neha that she had discarded 7 leaves of Madanika’s Chronicle.

I now come to 6 years later. Dr.Bhanu who was about 35 years old came to my town to settle. She had been a professor of Sanscrit and had moved to a higher post in our university. Not having found suitable living quarters I extended my hospitality to her. She moved in to live with us.

One night I was chatting with Bhanu about lost manuscripts. She said “One day somebody brought me a few palm leaf pages. They were incomplete. In fact these were the last 7 pages of a complete volume I presume. I still have it with me.”

I immediately took out the first 3 pages of Madanika’s chronicle and told her about how I had got it. She brought out the other 7 pages and we had Madanika’s Chronicle in full.

I said “Bhanu your bringing the final 7 leaves is a miracle. I never knew I would see the closing 7 pages again.”

She said “Give me your reader. I’ll try to decipher what Madanika has chronicled.”

It took Bhanu almost a month to read through Madanika. Finally she said “Ruhi, I was surprised to read what Madanika had written about. She is almost contemporary in outlooks and descriptions. She talks openly about female sexuality.”

Bhanu said “So could I. Ruhi, when I was only 18, I was a very good looker. My parents had then been on the lookout for a groom for me. But a man of God came in the way. He enticed me and used me to satisfy his needs in various ways. I know all about how a man makes love to a woman. What are his needs and how he goes about satisfying them. Don’t feel sorry for me. I suppose you’re a virgin?”

“Yes.”

“No wayside experiences to feel a tumescent male?”

“No. Not, at all.”

“What about Neha your cook?”

“It seems she was married for a few months. She is a bit abashed to talk frankly. Her husband had an affair with a woman of low morals due to which he grew diseased and died.”

“I suppose she is pining for a man to hold.”

I laughed and said “She didn’t say it in so many words. But she has tried getting a fellow to marry her. None suited her. But how does Madanika’s Chronicle fit in anywhere?”

Bhanu said “Madanika was very bold. Suppose you remove your clothes and examine yourself in a mirror….”

I said “I would hate doing it. At least men have something we can look at.”

“Exactly. Madanika has studied what all women are endowed with and described them here. She has been very accurate. I studied myself and one of her descriptions fitted me accurately. She says there is nothing to be ashamed of.” Bhanu whispered “Suppose I saw you unclothed…..”

She took the initiative and without asking for my permission was looking at me bare. She said “You fit her description of your part as unsullied. I can recognize it even when you are in company with other women in the raw.”

Bhanu continued fingering me she said “This part is sensitive.”

I was feeling a bit embarrassed but she said “Madanika says you should be proud of what has been fitted in you. She recommends……..”

Bhanu continued “Nothing like a practical demonstration. Man of God would touch me there and not only touch me…”

I was feeling a bit squeamish when Bhanu said “Madanika says drop all reticence. Touch everywhere. She says you must be able to see the part and say it belongs to….”

Bhanu paused and said “We’ve started well today. We will continue another day.”

I covered myself though I did feel happy at Bhanu’s explorations and touches.

Bhanu got the opportunity to get Neha into our bed. She had caught Neha bathing in the nude and had talked her into getting into our bed. Neha wasn’t bashful to be seen bare by both me and Bhanu.

After getting Neha to join, Bhanu said “Now I’ll explain what Madanika expects us to do. She is very clear. First get acquainted with concealed parts. You should be able to say on sight that is Neha’s. That is Ruhi’s. And then that is surely Bhanu’s.”

Neha was very quick to learn. Bhanu said “Now comes the rubbing and response. I’ll start with Neha. Madanika's work details ways in which women can get satisfaction without men."

Very soon Neha was hors d combat! But now Bhanu wanted to be fondled by me. And we were both sound asleep. Madanika had given many other explorations and we three decided to try out and exhaust the writings of Madanika. I should say we were fully satisfied. So satisfied that Neha stopped looking for a man to marry!

END