BAJAR by VYANKATESH MADGULKAR

AS THE RAINS STARTED, THE CAMEL WAS SOAKED WET. NILU SUGGESTED THAT THEY MUST CARRY THE CAMEL SOMEWHERE TO PROVIDE IT SHELTER. BUT ALL THE HOUSES IN THEIR AREA WERE VERY UNDERSIZED. THE CAMEL COULD NOT FIT IN MY HOUSE OR NILU’S HOUSE OR THE TEMPLE. THERE WAS NO SHELTER FOR THE CAMEL. INDEED, THE GOATS, SHEEP, HENS, DOGS HAD SHELTER. EVEN WE HUMAN HAD SHELTER. BUT THE CAMEL…. OH, IT HAD NO SHELTER. BECAUSE IT WAS AN OUTSIDER, BECAUSE IT WAS THE TALLEST OF ALL. THE RAIN STOPPED AFTER A WHILE. IT WAS EVENING NOW. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAMEL FOLDED ITS FRONT LEGS. SLOWLY, IT LOWERED ITS HUGE BODY ON THE GROUND. IT SPREAD ITS LONG NECK ON THE GROUND. AFTER CASTING A GLANCE AT ALL OF US, IT JUST CLOSED ITS EYES.