A TREGDY OF STAMERING.

A young man, sad of world and home a picture of self pity was seen roaming in the streets of amritsar a few years ago .It seemed he was disguised of the little world in which he was born and raised .He could not pronounce certain COSONANTS correctly and stammered a little and then he uttered his DOGGEREL given below. IT made people laugh though a few who listened to him with sympathy shed tears for he was thrown adrift into the swift current of human neglect for no other fault but that he could not pronounce a few consonants. To the English speaking audience his doggerel is as given below:

I CUT THE DANDI TREE,

I WOULD THE YELLOW LOBES OF BLIDEGLOOM,

I DONNED ON MY TULBAN THE FLOWER-VEIL OF BLIDEGLOOM,

I DIED MY HANDS WITH MEHNDI,

I HAD A LISLET OF BLACK WOOL LOUND MY LIST,

MY SISTERS SANG THE WEDDING SONGS,

AND I LODE TO THE BLIDES HOME,

ON THE KHALSA I SAT,

MY BLIDE SAT TO THE LEFT OF ME,

THE TECLED FILE (FIRE) WAS LIT,

THE STEALS SHONE ON HIGH,

BUT NINE LOUNDS ALOUND THE TECLED FIAL (FIRE),

AND THE BLIDE WAS MINE O, GOD!

BUT THE CULSED BLOTUEL OF MINE DUMPED IN AND TOOK MY BLIDE AWAY.

The defects of the bridegroom came to be known to the brides, after they have been united in wedlock union with them. But in Punjab in the elementary kind of Punjabi life the defects of the husband become known to the Punjabi wife�s after the whole ages almost gone under the same roof. To live a married life is almost a sacred institution, no Indian girl of however a humble birth can fail to find a husband in Punjab.

This boy khema was engaged to a beautiful girl of a respectable family khema was quite handsome in appearance and fairly intelligent. Khema was kept engaged for many years as engagements take place in the will of parents, even when the boy and the girls are mare kiddies. Atlast time came and khema was to be married, khema was dressed in yellow robes of Punjabi bridegroom, sisters sang auspicious songs and put a wristlet of black wool round his wrist .his hands were dyed with mehndi and on the wedding day a horse was bought on which he rode out of the house, to win his bride for the family, from the opposite camp. With his dagger which was swung in his help, he cut the branch of a jhandi tree (omen) and then they all rode to the opposite camp, late at midnight, the bridegroom was called for the nine rounds around the sacred fire. Opposite the blazing fire, two flower baskets upon one of which bridegroom is made to sit, and upon other the bride. (This is called KHARAS the knot is tied and they take nine rounds of the sacred fire then repeat the mantras following the Brahmins) To such a ceremony khema was lead by singing girls of the brides side, and he was made to sit on the kharas. The Brahmin called upon khema to report the Sanskrit shalokas, following their khema did his best but he could not pronounce properly. He had difficulty with the pronunciation of consonants. He began abusing the Brahmins to revolve such a heavy stones in his mouth. Father of the bride got furious, marry my daughter to this idiot he explained in a voice which ended in a shrill cry. Khemas father tried to defend his son but all in vein.

The engagement was being broken, but khemas father was too state he took the brides father aside and said my friend! You belong to respectable family and it behaves you not to strain my great family for disgracing me like this in public let�s settle it up quietly.

What is that you purpose! You deceived me! My friend be calm! Here is my younger son saying this he called khemas younger brother. He too is not married. Save me from the disgrace and accept my younger son as your son-in-law. The bride�s father agreed because to leave like that would mean disgrace to his family too.

Khema was thus made busy in some chat for about an hour, by which time the sacred nine rounds were given to the bride with khemas younger brother, who led his, bride home, riding on khemas horse.khema saw this and went off his head .in a semi-insane condition, he roamed in the streets of amritsar saying to every group of men who came round him, some with sympathy and some just out of fun, and insisted on him to sing his doggreal! They would say ah!khema !what happened and khema would repeat his DOGGREAL endlessly .