In the days gone by in Gujarat, travelling was done by road. There were camels, and chariots were pulled either by bullocks or horses. Journeys took a long time, and there was always the danger of robbers and bands of plunderers, who used to attack helpless women and take away their jewels

For this reason, every village used to have men who were by profession ‘escorts’. They used to escort marriage parties from one village to another and also women going or coming from their homes to stay with their parents or their in-laws. These men would also help out in shopping for weddings, and do any other work asked of them. Famous among these ‘escorts’ was one known as Gema. He had earned a name for himself as being very courageous and brave, and all the robber gangs had only needed to hear his name, and they would turn away. But as the days went along, he became very vain and too sure of himself. He would not undertake small jobs, but only those which were worthy of his name. He used to go around telling everyone—

“Don’t you know who I am? Have you not heard of Gema, the brave and the all-powerful!”

One day, he was sent out to a village about ten miles away to escort a young Rajput woman back to her father’s house in Pachegaon. Rupali Ba had recently got married, and she was expecting her first child. In her father-in-law’s house, the auspicious ceremonies had been carried out, and she was dressed in new garments, and precious ornaments adorned her arms, neck and body. She was now ready to leave for her father’s house

The country through which she had to travel was all desert. Except for a few bushes, nothing grew there. The land was deserted. Rupali Ba travelled in one chariot pulled by bullocks, and in the other were Gema and also two large sacks of water

As night approached, Gema fell off to sleep. The bullock cart driver nudged him several times and said—

“Wake up, wake up, might is here; it is not safe to sleep”

Half asleep, Gema mumbled, “Why are you afraid? I am Gema! Nothing can happen. You keep quiet and drive your cart’

Runali Ba sat quietly behind her purdah of muslin curtain and called out to Gema, saying—“Do not sleep, Gema; you must keep watch now, for the night is dark and very lonely ’ But Gema was not bothered, and he kept on sleeping and snoring very loudly. Suddenly the bullock cart driver pushed Gema and said— “Wake up, Gema, I can see lights shimmering in the distance. You better get prepared to look after the safety of the lady”

But Gema snored away, mumbling once in a while—“I am Gema, remember I am Gema…

The lights came nearer and nearer. The drivers of the carts were very afraid, but could do nothing. Then a dozen armed men appeared and surrounded the carts. They first caught Gema and tied his arms and legs and then tied him with a stick beneath his knees like a ball. This is known as Rangotilo.

They pushed him on the sand, and he went rolling away over the desert till he got stuck amidst some bushes. Then the head of the gang approached Rupali Ba and asked her to hand over her ornaments to him. She was carrying a box of jewels which she gave. It was the custom and a matter of honour even amongst thieves never to remove the ornaments from a woman’s body, but this robber chief did not care for those customs and said to Rupali Ba—

“Take off all your jewels from your body, and hand them over, even the silver anklets which you are wearing!” Rupali Ba took off whatever she had on and handed them over, but said—

“The anklets have been made at Naredi and the silver is strong and pure. I am with child and do not have the strength to remove them myself. But you may take them off yourself, if you so wish”

Saying this, she pushed her two feet out of the curtains surrounding her. Two of the robbers began pulling the anklets from her feet, but they would not come off. In the meantime, Rupali Ba looked around her inside the cart and found two heavy poles

Taking one in both her hands, she hit the heads of the two robbers who were busily trying to remove her anklets. Their skulls broke, and they died. Rupali Ba forgot she was a woman, climbed out of her cart, and attacked the other men with the huge pole, turning it around and around. She was only eighteen, but it seemed that the Goddess Chandika had come to her aid, and with fire in her eyes she fought like a brave woman. She was wounded, but she went on, till at last the robber chief, taking the few men who survived, fled into the desert

Gema, in the meantime, had managed to untie the ropes which bound him, and he too disappeared, feeling too ashamed to show himself. Rupali Ba made the bullock carts to go on, and she followed behind, carrying one of the swords which she had picked up from the dacoits. She came to a village which belonged to her uncle. He came to meet her and offered her some Kasumba—a drink made from opium, thinking it might help her to forget her pain, and she walked on to her father’s house. On arriving at her home, she was very tired. She had lost a lot of blood. She died soon after. The courage of Rupa Ba, the young Rajput girl, is still recalled in the villages. There are songs about her and her brave fight with the robber chief and his band

A folktale sourced from Folk Tales of Gujarat by Tara Bose

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