The Law of Jungle

"Why are you so happy this morning?" Deboshree asked.

Debika embraced her friend tightly and kissed on her cheek, "It's a beautiful morning. Isn't that reason enough for me to be happy?"

Deboshree gave her a seductive look. Debika didn't care what Deboshree might think—she felt good, damn it. And Deboshree had a feeling it had everything to do with her beautiful friend with whom she'd slept last night.

"Let's go for breakfast," Deboshree said and pulled her friend towards her.

The girls, Bipasha and Arpita entered the large kitchen. The smell of onion along with boiled eggs, Aloo paratha, Masala Dosa, Upma, Idli, and vada (All Indian breakfast recipes) greeted them with open arms. It was the second day in the jungle, the house had been filled with the savory smells of food. Both Bipin and Mihir were busy preparing breakfast items. Mihir approached the gas stove, heated the Tawa (disc-shaped frying pan or griddle) on a medium flame for preparation of Dosa. Two stainless steel pots bubbled on the burners containing boiled eggs. The exhaust fan worked on a low setting above. Bipin turned down the heat to the Stainless Steel Idli Cooker, too much steam rising off the top of it.

"Bipin Bhaiya, please prepare some toast along with Dosa," requested Bipasha.

Arpita said, "Mihir Bhaiya, I would prefer two boiled eggs along with other items."

"OK, Baby, you both go and wait in the dining hall, very soon we are serving everything to you both," replied Mihir.

When Debasish, Dipankar, Ashmita, and Madhu went down to have their breakfast everybody pretended as if nothing had happened, but they kept a distance from each other.

They found all members in the dining hall waiting for breakfast. The girls were sitting together. The elders, Bhaskar, Arnab, Kaberi, and Archana, were sitting together. Everybody greeted each other. A wave of relief washed over both Ashmita and Madhu, and they were thankful to Debasish and Dipankar for their silence about the incident night before. Both Debasish and Dipankar were sure that the women had enjoyed all that they had done to them last night. But there was some nervousness and confusion in the body language of both Ashmita and Madhu. Both the male counterparts knew what was troubling them. Even the women were not looking at them and keeping a distance. The four could feel the air seemed to be heavy and humid; a strange feeling of anticipation filled around them. Everyone was guilty conscious. After finishing their breakfast, then without saying anything everybody went to their rooms, everybody was in a trance.

Marriage was a holly institution of faith, belief and, all about walking in commitment and honesty. Infidelity was something that required darkness and secrecy. It was a sin, and that's why someone would always hide the affair and always would want it to stay hidden. Both Ashmita and Madhu were thinking deeply of their infidelity and their affairs first with Ramu and now with the husband of a best friend. Even if they had not confessed the affairs, but these cheating wives were feeling guilty and expressed that guilt in their behaviors. The two women's hearts were crying in anguish as they had already observed people whose marriages had been destroyed in the storms of life while they had sought solace in the arms of another person. Adultery must not be found among those who would seek God and His will. The two women wanted repentance. Accountability and responsibility came to their minds as they had a family comprising of their husbands, Fathers-in-law, Mothers-in-law, and lastly, they had young grown-up daughters.

Both the women, Ashmita and Madhu were thinking in the same line. They had difficulty with being intimate with their husbands. They felt there was no spark there. Long story short, they weren't satisfied sexually. They loved their husbands, they are their best friends, they were so ashamed that they did such a disgusting sin. They repented and cried so much for what they did, and decided to change their ways. They decided they would confess their sin to the Lord and seek forgiveness. Infidelity would happen when someone would cheat on a romantic and sexy partner. What constituted infidelity could vary greatly depending upon what was agreed to by all partners in a romantic and sexy relationship, and might include both sexual and emotional infidelity. Ashmita and Madhu were thinking deeply the whole afternoon about this having their sexual behaviors, sexual activities, seeking and having sexual fulfilment or emotional fulfilment with someone of interest outside of the relationship like Ramu, Debasish, and Dipankar.

Ashmita thought," It was a one-time thing, and it would never happen again. I think I can rebuild my marriage without telling my spouse. "

Madhu thought, "I repent for what I did but I'm better off going forward as if the affair never happened. My spouse will never find out."

On the other hand, both Debasish and Dipankar were also focusing deeply on this aspect of why they cheated on their wives. First of all, it was an accident due to misunderstanding in darkness and due to their drunkenness. But knowing the other woman was his friend's wife, still, they continued their infidelities. It might be the frustration in the marriage which triggered it. Debasish thought he was seeking more sex and attention from his wife which she failed. Dipankar thought he was not sexually satisfied with his wife as she would often decline sex. But both the men decided to repent and not to proceed with this matter further.

Debasish thought," Why should I tell my spouse about this affair which I promise before God not to do again? I don't want to devastate my spouse simply to relieve my guilty conscience."

Dipankar thought, "I will not tell this affair to my spouse otherwise my spouse will leave me and our family will be destroyed. if my spouse suspects nothing and never asks about any affair, it is really foolish to tell her. What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

It was afternoon, everybody had finished their lunch including Mihir and Bipin. Mihir placed all the utensils and plates on the sink for washing away the dirt, he rinsed everything under cool water before setting those aside on the counter beside the sunk. Then he soaped up his hands. He heard the footsteps coming towards the kitchen and saw Bipin coming towards him.

Mihir lifted his eyes, but not his head, as he stared from across the room, "Did you bring my things?"

Bipin shook his head, a smile curving his lips, "Yes, they're in here. I have kept two books and two for you. Once you finish, we will exchange."

"I am hiding these in the kitchen. No one would be able to find these here. But I warn you, don't keep yours in grandma's room," said Mihir.

"Do you think I am such a fool? I have hidden mine inside the car safely. Just imagine how I have brought these with much difficulties concealing along with my clothes in my baggage far away from Kolkata?" replied Bipin with a mysterious smile.

Mihir was a strong masculine youth of 20 years from the Bhaskar household. Being an orphan child begging for food, he was picked by both Bhaskar and Archana near Railway station and since then he was solely brought up by the Bhaskar household and became a house help of course as a family member. He would regard Dipankar and Madhu as his parents, Bhaskar and Archana like his own grandparents, and Bipasha like his younger sister. Similarly, Bipin was also a youth of 22 years brought up in Arnab household since he was 10 years old belonging to a poor family and now he was the driver and helping hand of the family. He would also regard Debasish and Ashmita as his parents, Arnab and Kaberi as his grandparents, and Arpita as his younger sister. Both Mihir and Bipin were bosom friends. Due to household needs of various items, these two youths would most often go to market. Both of them were young and would glance towards beautiful girls outside, particularly towards their breasts which were natural for them because of their age. They would feel the hardness and throbbing of their cocks. One day Bipin came across some illustrated porn books in a shady bookstall and purchased them. He showed it to Mihir. Then it became a habit of these two friends to purchase the latest issues and to masturbate themselves after seeing the porn pictures.

"Now, you leave from here. This is the best time for masturbation as everybody is taking naps. My cock is eagerly waiting to see the pictures of cunt of those foreigners," said Mihir after stroking his cock above the lungi.

"Ok, ok, friend. Do it now. I am also going inside the car which is the best place for me to masturbate, "Bipin said and left the kitchen.

The next day after dinner, all the family members were waiting eagerly for the important announcement made by two heads of the family.

Arnab started his speech, "Dear All, listen carefully. The tribal festival starts tomorrow morning. We all are special invitees to participate in the festival.

Tomorrow, all family members will be introduced before all tribes. During the festival, the priest of the tribe and village chief would recite prayers and summons the supernatural deity Masombango to bless all tribes with good health, prosperity, and the power to trounce their enemies. It will continue for 5 days and during this festival, all the tribes of two villages would gather near the cave of the goddess and celebrate it. On the first day, the tribes will bow before the goddess and offer the sacrifices in form of birds and animals. During the festival, on the second day, the men would go out to the jungle for hunting particularly for deers and wild boars for the communal feast and the women would indulge in folk dance and songs throughout the day. The third day is marriage day followed by a mouthful feast and one can even witness various forms of folk dance and music. The fourth day is considered the Medicine ceremony where the Shamon would cure and heal various diseases of the Tribes. The fifth day is the final day of the festival, in fact, it was the day of meditation before the deity, a blessed day to all unmarried girls of tribes by the deity, a day of purification with feasting and singing. So, the entire 5 days of the festival is a day of merriment."

Then Bhaskar stood up and addressed to the gatherings of family members, "Another major part of the festival is seeding in the new field and performing pujas (a worship ritual performed by tribes to offer devotional homage and prayer to the deity), performed by the village chief, the priest and other two senior persons of the tribe by offering animal blood and flesh with other foodstuffs to their deity. It would be performed at midnight of the last day. During this festival, devotees offer prayers to Masombango, a form of tribal deity, who in exchange blesses a fruitful harvesting season. To make the occasion much more vibrant and enthusiastic... the tribes engage themselves in folk dance and songs as well as lavish meals. Further, the celebration is carried with marriage ceremonials. The first three days are also followed by the purchase and sale of domestic animals, collection of vegetables in the barter system. But the main purpose is the worship of the deity. During these days, the tribal members gather for infrastructural development, folk music, and dance; the two villagers visit their family and friends, exchange food, gifts, folklore narration, and a sumptuous community feast."

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The next day morning, all of them went down from Bungalow through a narrow slope of the path and reached a plateau below. From there, as they hiked the last two kilometers past tropical vegetation and hilly grounds, they reached the place of the festival, near the gate of entry. Under the morning sun, and unparalleled scenery unfolded beyond the festival gates: a vast land along with a sun-kissed stream bank and fringed by a lush jungle of teak trees. The family members immediately found themselves amidst a bunch of gentle, scantily dressed black people all over that seemed to genuinely value the essentials of life. Tenderly, the tribes greeted them with a smile and anxious faces. It was the best time to catch a glimpse of the tribes in their colorful traditional attire and mood. The females were dressed up in multi-colored clothes of one piece which covered them from their breasts to knees only. The females had big thin round nose rings and earrings made from iron. All the females had multicolored flowers on their heads. The males had only loins covered with deerskins and bared to their upper body parts. Their faces and upper body parts were painted with long stripes in yellow, red, and white colors. Their heads were adorned with feathers of various birds. The males were equipped with their traditional armaments of spears, axes (types of Viking and bearded axe), bows, and arrows.

The gathering happened all along a beautiful warm bank of the stream with tiny light grains of sand and shells to be found all over the place. Along the bank were layers of dense teak and sal trees of jungle near the entry of the cave of deity. This area was right at the entrance to the two Tribal Villages where all the tribes stayed in thatched huts. This stream was a freshwater creek, a big and wide stream that reached the main river Kangsabati. The crowd here was very mature and understood the idea of a functioning community. There were children, families, and even people in their 80's. The people were probably mostly in their 20's-40's in general. The family members could see the tribes were in the queue before the cave of deity for rituals like sacrificing of animals like goats, sheep, and pigs, birds like jungle fowls and geese, and also offering deity with tribal liquor made from rice and Mahua (Madhuca longifolia). The family members could see a huge gathering of tribal people from two villages who devoted themselves to the worship of the goddess and offer her the sacrifices. Before that, every tribe would take a sacred bath in the holy stream near the cave of the deity, which was dedicated to the deity to seek blessings.

Okato, the village chief came forward to them. He looked totally different from all others due to his heavy personality, he was taller than other tribes around 6 feet in height, well built with a heavy muscular body, and being the chief, he only wore wolve skin on his loin with a dagger attached to his waist. He bowed his head before the elders and said (in tribal language), "Now, you all belong to our tribes so before taking blessings of Deity, you all have to take bath naked in holly stream, of course, the male and female would take dip separately."

Bhaskar explained the matter to all family members. The family members seemed to be hesitant and shy.

Arnab said, "Since we are here, we have to be abided by the law of jungle. Our female members could get merge themselves with the female members of tribes. We male members are going to that side of male tribes."

The female members moved to a distant part of the stream where naked female tribes assembled for a dip in the stream. They could see the black bodies of female tribes with huge breasts, wide buttocks, and patches of hairs between their legs. All the female tribes looked anxiously at them, most probably they wished to see their naked white bodies.

Arpita exchanged a meaningful glance towards Bipasha and said, "Mom, we both Bipasha and me are going towards that side."

Her mom understood the hesitation of girls getting naked before them. The girls moved towards the distant corner where some young tribe girls were taking their dips completely naked. After taking a sacred bath, all of them went inside the cave and bowed before the deity seeking blessings.

The tribes had constructed a Lotus Stage, a platform resembling lotus. This stage was in the middle of a grassy field surrounded by the teak tree near the stream, with an amazing breeze consistently flowing from all sides. There were two food and drink areas at Tribal Gathering. One was inside the venue - the kitchen and bar near the stage. The main kitchen would serve three meals a day and had a certain menu each day for tribes. After seeking blessings from the deity, all the tribes gathered around the stage. All the family members sat on rattan chairs on the stage along with Village chief Okato and priest Madgu. The atmosphere there was very artistic and earthy. Everything was made from wood, palm fronds, and colorful accents. A group of young tribe girls came to the stage and put garlands on each member of the family. Then the priest Madgu performed certain ritual rites by reciting some mantras (a sound, word, or phrase that is repeated by someone who is praying or meditating), then he put vermilion on the forehead of each member.

Okato, the tribal chief stood up and addressed to the gatherings in the tribal language, "All these persons are Inheritors of our two messiahs of this tribe, who had founded and built our two villages, set up all our cultures and traditions. So, let us all welcome them first and accept them as our tribe members and henceforth, they will be abided by the law of jungle. You all will accept them as your brethren."

The crowd cheered with loud voices by raising their spears and axes. Then the festival started with merry-making (folk dance and song). Both the male and female tribes started dancing in groups with the tune of flutes and beating of drums in front of the stage. Then the family members noticed a big earthen jug was brought to the stage. Again, the young tribal girls came in a group and poured the contents of the jug into medium-sized earthen cups. The liquid contents were light white. The family members couldn't understand the process going on and looked at each other in anxious faces. The young tribal girls handed those cups to each member of the family. Later on, they realized these were drinks offered to them. All the members looked at the elders.

Bhaskar said, "You cannot deny the drinks as the drinks are offered to us as a gesture of love, affection, and honor to us."

Arnab said, "Beware, these are alcoholic drinks made from rice and mahua. So, drink a little to honor the sentiments of tribes. It will not harm your body but If you drink much you will be intoxicated."

With reluctance, they drank and it tasted sour mixed with a slight sweetness. Bipasha and Arpita were enjoying this and they were smiling at each other. After some time, both Bipasha and Arpita feeling their heads reeling, it was harder than gin.

Debasish said, "Dipankar, this is one kind of tribal beer."

The second day was the day of the grand feast of meat. The family members could see the tribes reached the place loaded with dead barking deers, sambars, chitals, and wild boars freshly hunted from the jungle. This was the gigantic feast consisting of ethnic cuisine, meat along with drinking sessions with the local 'intoxicating' rice/mahua wine. It was the day of the community feast with drinks, dance, and songs till midnight. On the third day of the festival, the family members could see a large gathering of young unmarried couples. It was the day of marriage before the deity.

Bhaskar went on to explain, "This is a particular form of tribal marriage where young boys and girls have to choose their partners. The boy would put red powder(vermillion) on the face of the girl whom he wanted to marry and if the girl would be willing to marry that boy, then she would put the same red powder on the boy's face... in case the girl would refuse, the boy would be given another chance to persuade her and win her heart. "

"Secondly, the girls who are pregnant will marry the persons responsible for their pregnancies before the deity. Remember, the tribes are very honest in this respect. Then there is another kind of marriage. As you know, the tribes have free sex with each other. But those couples who were caught red-handed or witnessed by somebody and brought to the knowledge of village chief then those couples have to marry each other before the deity during this festival," explained Arnab.