Bali Jatra, a popular fair, is held every year on a full-moon day in the month of Kartik in Cuttack on the banks of River Mahanadi. During this festival, everyone goes to the river to take a bath. People also float little boats down the river with lamps lit on them. Hundreds of bright, little boards make for a great spectacle in the river. The festival is celebrated every year to commemorate the merchants from Odisha, who sailed to distant lands to sell their merchandise and brought enormous wealth home.
Back then, one of the marine merchants, Sadhava, decided to set sail with the well-known goods of the day. He loaded the ship with fine linen, brass, silver wares, ivory, and other expensive items. The merchants sailed all the way from Odisha to Bali, Sumatra, and Java. While the journey began smoothly, a violent storm hit the ship and tossed it out into the ocean. To escape, the merchant and his men jumped off the deck before the ship sank.
Floating on the high sea, the merchant and his servants drifted in different directions. Using a broken plank, he swam toward the sandy shore. A while later, his servant Bajia joined him.
‘We’ve lost everything, sir. It’s all over,’ Bajia was crying hysterically.
‘No, Bajia. Nothing is lost. Look at the bright side. With God’s grace, we’re still alive,’ replied the merchant.
And alive they indeed were. Both of them floated around in the ocean all night. A fish attacked the merchant at night, making him blind. After the sun came up in the morning, Bajia was shocked to find blood running down his master’s wounded eyes. He began crying again. Despite being in unbearable pain and unable to see anything, the merchant answered that they should be thankful to the Almighty, for they were still alive.
After a massive struggle, both of them made it to the shore. The merchant gave the servant his diamond ring and asked him to sell it in the nearby town.
‘You can also use the money to buy some food, and a small boat for us to get back home.’
However, Bajia didn’t return. He made off with the diamond ring, leaving the merchant to his fate. Blinded and penniless, the merchant waited for his servant in vain. The locals took pity on the blind merchant and took him to the King.
Learning about his shipwreck and the even misfortune that befell him, the King allowed the merchant to stay in the palace.
‘I will stay only on one condition. You must take my advice before doing anything important.’
While amused at his reply, the King agreed and ordered his servants to ensure that the merchant had a comfortable stay.
Days went by. The King bought a ring with two brilliant diamonds from a merchant who visited the palace. The King forgot to consult his blind guest before closing the deal with the diamond merchant. The blind merchant felt upset when he learned about this.
‘You failed to keep your promise. I can’t stay here anymore.’
The King asked his servant to get the diamond ring. The blind merchant felt the ring with his fingers. He told the King that the diamonds weren’t lucky; they were rather evil. He asked the servant to cut the diamond into two and get rid of the two insects that would emerge from the diamonds.
‘You need to dump the insects in the woods,’ the merchant instructed the servant.
As soon as the servants threw the insects in the woods, the whole forest caught fire.
‘That would have been the fate of your palace had you kept those diamonds here,’ said the merchant.
The grateful King gifted the merchant a house to live in and aided him financially. The merchant led a peaceful life there.
One day, a beggar came to the merchant’s house, seeking alms. The merchant recognized his voice. It was his servant, Bajia! The terrified beggar fell at the merchant’s feet. The kind-hearted merchant pardoned his deceitful servant.
‘It’s okay. God saved me,’ the merchant smiled.
Kalai is passionate about reading and reinterpreting folk tales from all over the country. Write to her at kalai.muse@gmail.com to know more about her.
Folk tale adopted and abridged from Internet Archive.