The Author : Smt. Mahadevi Verma is a well known name in the Hindi poetry of ‘ Chhayavadi’. She was born in 1907 and died in 1987 at the age of eighty. She made Allahabad as her home and lived there till the time of her death.
She made her name in the field of short story writing too. Some of her short stories became very famous. She had the credit of editing a famous Hindi weekly ” Chand”. Some of her renowned works are ‘ Deep Shikha’ . ‘ Yama’, Nihar’ ‘ Shrinkhala ki Kadiyan ‘ and ‘ Mera Pariwar’.
She was honoured by many Awards like ‘ Bharat Bharati Award’ , Gyanpeeth Puraskar and ‘ Mangla Prasad , Prize’ apart from Padma Award of ‘ Padma Bhushan ‘ by Government of India.
Summary In English : The writer one day found a baby squirrel lying motionless in a flower pot in the garden of her house just adjoining the well. Two crows were polcing their beaks at the flower pot typing to make the baby squirrel their prey. The baby squirrel was almost motionless. The baby squirrel must have fallen down from the nest above and was unable to make a movement.
Everyone in the house felt that the he would not survive and so he left alone. Mahadevijee died not agree to their views and gentle lifted the tiny baby and brought him in her room. She started nursing the baby immediately. His wounds were gently wiped with cotton wool removing the blood and some ointment was applied on it. The writer tried to feed the baby squirrel by putting a thin cotton wool wick in his mouth to drip in milk but the baby was unable to open his mouth and so could not take the drips. After several hours of efforts and care one drop of water could be passed through his mouth. On the third day he showed enough improvement and started holding he finger. His blue glass beads like eyes.
Now was the time to transform him from common noun to proper noun. He was named ‘ Gillu’ and everyone started calling him by this name out love. A flower basket was hung on the window with the help of wire. The basket was liked with cotton wool to make his living comfortable and this became Gillu’s home. Now Giilu became a perfect companion of the writer. He would watch her writing but would a try to attract . Mahadevijee attention towards himself by coming close to her feet and then swiftly climbing up the curtain with speed. The writer says that this calling attention method of Gillu would continue till the time she would get up and catch him and have some play with him.
When hungry Gillu would start twittering and keep on his demand till the time he gets some biscuits or kaju. His twittering sound used to attract other squirrels who were seen near his wire meshed window. Mahadevi Verma got some intaintion that Gillu now should have some freedom of movement and so a small opening was made in the corner of the wire mesh. Gillu was thrilled to be liberated. He was free to spend his time outside his abode and meet his friends. The moment she returned and opened the room, Gillu would rush to her and start climbing up the down from her head to toe. That was the expression of the love and affection of that small Creature towards the poetess.
She says further that she had several pet animals and birds in her house but none ever dared to eat from her plate. But Gillu was an exception. She says that with great difficulty he taught him to sit near the plate. The favourite food of Gillu was rice and he would eat each grain with skill. But his favourite food was Kaju and if he would not find Kaju for serveral days he would refuse to eat other food items.
During summer days Gillu abstained from going outside. To keep himself close to the poetess. During the days he would lie prostrate on the Surahi [ clay water pot ] kept near her work place. Gillu had discovered this novel method to keep himself cool as well as nearer to his mistress.
Squirrel have a life span of barely two years. As such the time came for him to finally go away. He did not came down to her bed, clutched the finger of the poetess as he used to do earlier . The claws of Gillu were getting colder so the heater was switched on to provide some heat and warmth to him. But he could not be saved and as the rays of the morning sun were seen, Gillu made a depart.
Gillu was put to eternal rest under the ‘ Sonjuhi Creeper’ in the garden. Gillu loved this Creeper too much poetess had an internal feeling that some day in spring juhi flower will blossom on the freedom giving her a sense of affinity with Gillu who was no more in this world.
पाठ का सारांश
गिलहरी का एक छोटा-सा बच्चा एक दिन महादेवी जी को अपने घर के बगीचे में एक गमले और दीवाल के बीच पड़ा दिखाती दिया। दो कौआ अपनी चोंच से बार – बार उसे ठोकर मार रहे थे। गिलहरी का बच्चा, कौओं की चोंच से चोट खाकर लहू – लुहान हो रहा था। लोगों की राय में वह बच्चा अब शायद जीवित न बचे अतः उसे उसी स्थान पर उसी अवस्था में छोड़ देना ही उचित होगा ।
महादेवी जी को लोगों की सलाह पसंद नहीं आयी और उन्होंने उस शिशु गिलहरी को धीरे से उठा लिया और अपने कमरे में ले आयी उन्होंने तुरंत उस शिशु गिलहरी का उपचार आरंभ कर दिया। अब महादेवी जी को उस शिशु के भोजन की चिंता हुई । रूई की बत्ती बनाकर उसके मुँह में दूध टपकाने का प्रयास किया उसने मुँह नहीं खोला। कई घंटों के प्रयास के बाद पानी का एक बूँद उसके गले में गया। शीशे की चमक लिये उसकी नीली दो आँखें अब खुलने लगी थी और वह अपने चारों ओर देखने लगा था और फिर तीन महीने में उसके शरीर पर मुलायम रोयें निकल आए, उसकी आए, उसकी पूँछ पर उग आये बालों में अब घनानंद आ गया था और उसकी आँखों में चमक आ गई थी।
भूख लगने पर गिल्लू ‘ चिक – चिक ‘ कर शोर मचाने लगता और तबतक शांत नहीं होता जबतक उसका प्रिय भोजन ‘ काजू ‘ उसे नहीं मिल जाता। उसके ‘ चिक – चिक ‘ का शोर सुनकर अगल – बगल से अन्य गिलहरीगण वहाँ उपस्थित हो जाते। वे सभी शायद गिल्लू के आस – पास ही रहते थे। उन्होंने खिड़की कि जाली के एक कोने में एक मार्ग बना दिया ताकि वह आसानी से बाहर – भीतर आ जा सके। ऐसा लगा कि गिल्लू को इस आजादी से आन्तरिक प्रसन्नता मिली। वह बाहर जाकर अपने दोस्तों से स्वतंत्रतापूर्वक मिल सकता था। महादेवी जी अब अपने कमरे से बाहर जातीं तो अपने कमरे को बाहर से बंद कर देती ताकि उनके कागज – पत्र आदि अपने स्थान पर सुरक्षित मिलें। यह उसके प्यार के भाव की अभिव्यक्ति होती ।
महादेवी जी आगे कहती हैं कि उनके घर में और भी पालतू पशु – पक्षी थे पर किसी ने नहीं किया था पर गिल्लू की बात ही कुछ अलग थी। वह खाने की मेज पर चढ़ जाता और उनके खाने के प्लेट में ही आसन जमाने की चेष्टा करता। बार – बार सिखाये जाने पर वह प्लेट के पास बैठना आरंभ किया। उसको चावल खाना अत्यंत प्रिय था और वह चावल के एक-एक दाने को अत्यंत चतुराई से खाता। पर उसका सबसे प्रिय भोजन ‘ काजू ‘ था और अगर कई दिनों तक उसे काजू नहीं मिलता जो वह खाना ही छोड़ देता।
महादेवी जी शीघ्र स्वास्थ्य लाभ हेतु जब भी आराम करती गिल्लू सिरहाने आकर बैठ जाता और उनके माथे और बालों को धीरे – धीरे सहलाने का क्षम करता। प्रतिदिन थोड़ी देर सेवा करने के बाद जब वह अपने रहने के स्थान पर लौटता तो ऐसा लगता था कि कोई नर्स या सेवक अपनी सेवा के बाद लौट रहा है। गर्मी के दिनों में गिल्लू प्राय: बाहर नहीं जाता था और लेखिका से सामीप्य बनाये रखने के लिये पानी की सुराही पर आकर लेट जाता। उससे उसे गर्मी से भी राहत मिलती ।
गिलहरी की जिंदगी दो वर्षों की होती है। गिल्लू से दो वर्षों का अपना जीवन जी लिया था। अब उसके जाने का समय आ गया था — उस दिन वह अपने घोंसले से निकलकर नीचे आया और महादेवी जी को ऊँगली को अपने मुँह में पकड़कर किल्लोल करने की चेष्टा करने लगा पर उसके मुँह में शक्ति नहीं थी। उसे गर्मी पहुँचाने के लिये ‘ रूम हीटर ‘ जला दिया गया पर उसे नहीं बचाया जा सका । प्रात: काल सूरज की किरणें जब धरती पर पड़ने लगी थी, गिल्लू ने अंतिम साँस ली । वह जा चुका था।
महादेवी जी ने ‘ सनजूही लता ‘ के पास उसके अंतिम विश्राम की व्यवस्था करवाई । सनजूही की लता और फूलों से गिल्लू को बहुत प्यार था। फिर महादेवी जी के मन में एक भाव पनप रहा था कि इस बार बसंत में जब जूही के फूल खिलेंगे तो गिल्लू की स्मृति ताजा हो उठेगी जो अब इस दुनिया में नहीं है ।
GLOSSARY AND NOTES
Unexpected by (adj): अचानक। Poking ( Gerund) : भोंकना। Assiduous (Adj): कठिन परिश्रम। Mythical (Adj) : पौराणिक। Intercepted (verb): रोकना, पकड़ना।
Prey(noun): शिकार। Assault (noun): आक्रमण। Survive (verb): जीवित रहना। Accede(verb): सहमत होना। Antic( adj): विचित्र व्यवहार प्राचीन। Astonished (verb): आश्चर्य चकित होना। Intellect (noun): बुद्धियुक्त । Eternal (Adj): अनंत । Prostrate ( Adj): भूमि रायन। Alacrity (noun): प्रसन्नता, फूर्ति। Abstrain (verb): रोकना, बहिष्कार करना।
Refulgent (Adj): चमकीला ।
EXERCISES
A. Work in small groups and discuss the following :
Q.1. Do youo like stories ?
Ans. Yes, I do like stories. I read stories , I listen stories and enjoy reading, listening and sometimes narrating stories to my friends.
Q.2. Why do you like stories ?
Ans. Stories are essence of life. It gives pleasure and creates excitement. One can leam some lessons also by listening or reading short stories.
Q.3. Tell you story on love between man and animal.
Ans. There are so many stories of love between man and animal:
The story of a pet dog saving the life of his master.
The story of Chetak, the horse of Maharana Pratap.
The story of monkey a d his master.
The story of Gillu ,the squirrel and squirrel and the writer Smt. Mahadevi Verma.
B.1. Answer the following questions briefly :
Q.1. How did Gillu sustain wounds ?
Ans. Gillu, he baby squirrel had fallen down from his nest and the two crows were trying to make the beaks at the flower plots where the squirrel was lying . This has caused wounds in the body of the squirrel and he was almost motionless. He clinged to the pot to save himself from further attack.
Q.2. What did the writer do with the wounded squirrel ?
Ans. The winter lifted the baby squirrel softly and gently from inside the gap of the flower pot where the squirrel was lying in an unconscious state and brought him to her room. She wiped the blood from his wounds with cotton wool and applied some ointment.
Q.3. Who started calling the tiny baby squirrel as ‘ Gillu’.
Ans. The name was given to the squirrel by the writer herself but if was picked up by others too Simultaneously.
Q.4. Which ointment was applied on the wounds of the tiny baby squirrel ?
Ans. It was Penicillin ointment which was very effective and the baby squirrel became alright within three days.
Q.5. What does the transformation from the common to the proper noun imply ?
What different does a name make ?
Ans. Till the time no name was given to Gillu he was just a common noun, a common Creature like other squirrels in the courtyard, the garden or anywhere for that matter. As soon as a proper name was assigned to the baby squirrel, he picked up an identity of his own and became a proper noun. His personality was established and videntified with a proper name of ‘ Gillu ‘. He was known as called as Gillu from that day.
B.2. Answer the following questions briefly :
Q.1. Where did the writer see two crows ?
Ans. When the writer one morning came on the Verandah from her room. She saw two crows poking their beaks at the flower pots, as if they were engaged in the play of hide and seek.
Q.2. What were the crows doing ? Why was the baby squirrel.
Ans. The crows were poking their beaks of the flower pots. They were trying to make the baby squirrel. Rying over there as their an easy prey. Due to two wounds on the body of the squirrel he has become motionless.
Q.3. How did the writer manage to power water in the mouth of the motionless tiny baby squirrel ?
Ans. First the writer tried to feed the baby squirrel by dripping milk in his mouth through a Wick made out of cotton wood. After several hours of repeated efforts, the writer managed to power one drop of water one drop of water his mouth.
Q.4. What was the favourite food of Gillu ?
Ans. The favourite food of Gillu was ‘ Kaju ‘.
Q.5. When was his swing taken off ?
Ans. The swing of Gillu was taken off on the day he departed from this world. The opening made in the wire – mesh of the window was then closed.
C.1. Long Answer Questions :
Q.1. How did the story – Writer make the tiny baby squirrel hale and hearty ?
Ans. The story writer started administering milk to the baby squirrel through a wick made out of cotton wool. From the third day he started showing progress and after three months he looks quite hale and hearty with smooth fur on his body, bushy tail and with naughty looking bright two eyes.
Q.2. Gillu took little food during the indisposition of the story writer. What does this suggest ?
Ans. It suggests that animals and creatures are also Sensitive to the environment. Gillu could feel the suffering of his mistress. He had developed an empathetic attitude for his saver.
Q.3. Do you have any pet bird ? How does it show concern for you ?
Ans. Yes we do have a pet parrot who is very loving and Sensitive in nature. As soon as he sees an outsider in the house, he stars crying and alerts everybody in the house. He would not eat if he is not served food from the hands of my mother.
Q.4. What did he story Writer feel at the deeath of Gillu ? Describe her fellings in your own words.
Ans. The writer had developed aliking for Gillu. She used to love Gillu from the core of her heart and his loss made the writer sad. She felt that when the Sonjuhi Creeper would start flowing in spring season. Gillu will be seen on the Creeper in the from yellow juhi flower.
Q.5. In what condition did the writer find Gillu ? What did she do with it ?
Ans. Gillu was picked up by the writer from her garden lying between a flower a flower pot and the wall. The baby squirrel had fallen from the nest and was motionless. Two crows had already tried to pick him out from an easy and in the process had put injury on his body. The body had wounds and was bleeding. She brought the squirrel in the room, washed his wounds with cotton wool and applied pencillin ointment.
C.2. Group Discussion : Discuss the following in groups or pair.
(a) Animals / birds can be good companion of men.