Memories of a Thousand Years
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Nirmala in Sanskrit means clean, free from impurity. Kake Sapta used to give his grandson that name so that he always avoids negative things. And hope his grandson always has a clean heart.
Nirmala, lost when flash floods in her village occurred, her house used to be on the river bank. That was five years ago, when a plague struck his village. All of his family died from the plague. Now he lives alone. All the misfortune that befell him did not make him a vindictive or a hater. Nor did he lament his unfortunate fate. Never complain about the situation. Nor does he blame God. All of this is his destiny. That's what he believes. One hope came when he found the girl the look on her face turned bright. That's how neighbors tell. Kake Sapta is convinced that the girl is Nirmala, his grandson who was lost in a flash flood. Nirmala herself remembers nothing.
For the time being he decided to temporarily live there, with Kake Sapta, help him work, and accompany him wherever he went, at least that was all he could do to repay his kindness that had saved his life.
Nirmala went to the field and helped her a little, her fine hands proving that she was not used to the rough work stuff, yet she did not complain and continued to do it, yes, she did, he thought of learning a little from this experience. Nirmala could not bear to see the old Kake Sapta still continue to work. Whatever Nirmala can do then she will do to help Kake Sapta.
Kake Sapta was a farm worker, going daily to the fields to care for other people's plantations, occasionally bringing tubers or vegetables for daily meals, or going to the river and catching fish, or to the forest catching birds or cocks. Because he lives alone, eating anything is not a problem for him.
Now Kake Sapta lives alone with his grandson Nirmala, the neighbors say, he looks much more fresh and happy, like never before, always cold and empty. Like a poor old man who was very lonely even though Kake Sapta didn't show it. The neighbors know how well he is. The neighbors were happy with the situation.
Kake Sapta has excellent neighbors. They are like a family. Sometimes they give snacks and food to kake sapta. When they are sick they take care of them with all their heart. Now Kake Sapta looks happy, they are also happy to see him. Although they are not sure who Nirmala really is.
Sometimes kake sapta took him down to go to the market, buy something that could not be obtained from the fields, such as herbs and spices for cooking. Or when you need additional clothes when the clothes you wear are no longer worthy.
Nirmala still doesn't remember anything. But he enjoyed living with Kake Sapta.
In the market Nirmala passed through the bookseller's stall, thought the book looks very ancient, mostly made of paper made from palm leaves, bamboo sharpener, tree bark, and so on, there is one book that he thinks is very familiar. The book was stacked with wooden volumes of brown color, the title of which he could not understand, but he knew it was mandarin letters, the contents too, all mandarin letters, there was another book similar, there was another book, with the title of the Arabic letter bald, he tried to spell it, 'i-q-ro'. It contained all the Arabic letters, and there was another similar book, but the volume was made of wood fibers, letters of the alphabet, finally there was something I could understand he thought. From the title he spelled them one by one, and he connected, "pagelan gamelan sunda wiwitan", then one of the most interesting books, the same English-language letter "history of egypt" he smiled bitterly, saying, of the many readings only this one book is very smoothly he read.
A middle-aged man observed in astonishment, asking where the nirmala came from. 90% of the readings he was reading were ancient Sundanese colloquial and colloquial, with kawi letters, not many people are interested in foreign books, because they do not shout the letters. Even Nirmala is the opposite. That makes book sellers wonder. Some passers-by momentarily paused, either amazed, or astonished. Because women today do not go to school. School is for men only. It is also for the noble families.
Nirmala asked the owner of the stall, though,
"So, is there another book like this? Similar language and letters." A book of stories of egypt.
"No neng, that's the only one"
For a moment Nirmala remembered a dream last night. He was in a well-lit room, at a table was a calendar sitting around him circling one of the dates on that calendar. But it's still not very clear. Just a blurry dream.
"Sir, what date is it?"
"The fourteenth day of Kartika Neng"
"In the calendar of masehi?"
"Well if you rarely know masehi neng, in the land of Sunda has not used it."
Sundanese land? Where is java island? It's very traditional here. Her clothes, her house, her language.
Nirmala did not bother about it maybe he was lost in one area inland.
While Kake Sapta went around shopping, Nirmala went around to other areas. Nirmala saw Bayu was out in and out carrying a tray containing herbs, dried on top of the wooden order on the roof, kept going up and down to exchange the tray, Nirmala called her, "Wood!!"
Nirmala saw a wooden board bearing the letter kawi. Nirmala could not read the name of the shop.
"Nirmala!! Are you feeling better?"
"of course. All because of your medicine. This your shop?"
Bayu smiled "i work here"
"What's the name of the shop? I can't read that"
"Sae Herbal Shop"
"Sae's? Meaning good??"
"really. Come inside we're talking inside"
"I won't be long, Kake Sapta is shopping for spices."
A middle-aged person came out with a tray filled with herbs. For the sunburn. "This wood is also in the sun...." He paused for a moment and looked at Nirmala "This is your friend??"
"Yes, the one I told you about yesterday"
"Neng is better?"
"Thank you sir is better"
They were silent at Nirmala's reply. "Nirmala you...??"
"What's wrong?"
Bayu and Uncle Arif look at each other in wonder.
"Come on. I accompany around this area" said the baby divert the conversation.
"Are you a religious person?"
"Did I say the wrong thing?"
"At this time like his Dwipantara is in an uproar with the entry of a religious teaching. For now you should probably not say anything about any teaching. I think it has something to do with the people who disappeared"
"What's wrong?"
"There is much news that some teachings are misleading. But I don't know which teaching it is. In other areas there were riots due to the influx of foreign teachings. So to keep watch you should not show any teachings."
"I understand" but Nirmala felt a little strange. He seems to be used to such things. Nirmala is not from that area.
"Wood, is there a complete bookstore? I'm looking for something"
"There, not far from here. Shall I take you? "
Nirmala nodded happily.
"Not many women are interested in books. After all, only noble women can go to school."
"Oh. Women not going to school? Why?"
"They are more equipped with household skills."
"Hm..It's boring...."
"Why talk like that. You women should also prioritize household skills."
"......" Nirmala did not answer Bayu's words. Things like this are so hated. It's like women's rights are limited to just that. Nirmala's narrow space is not a place to develop talent.
Arriving at the bookstore Nirmala was amazed, various types of books were a lot there, with media materials, letters and different languages. Nirmala went down the bookstore, and stopped at a foreign bookstore. There's a calendar. Gregorian Calendar. The letters and years that are printed look very ancient like relics hundreds of years ago.
"Wood, what date do you think this is on this calendar?"
"Madith? We don't use that date here the calculation is a little different from here. No one has learned this in detail. Scholars must learn directly from the source. Besides, it looks like this date has already passed a few years."
"Hmmm" Nirmala was disappointed by that answer.
"If the date and month may not be understood but if the year, maybe now is around 900-1000 AD."
A shadow of his memory sprung up. The dream was blurry last night, now he began to remember it like not a dream, but from a piece of memory that Nirmala had experienced. The year he should have been at that number was too far. He recalled marking a calendar, writing an important day, 'Holiday', the 4th, April, 2032.
One of the pieces of the Puzle was found. If his conjecture is correct then it proves that he is not from this year. But a thousand years to come.
"Thousand years?"
Nirmala was silent hearing that. It seems that there is no way something like this happens. It's like a dream. Or it was a dream. But this really feels real.
"Nurma....Nirmala's"
Nirmala regained consciousness from her daydream. As if not believing his conjecture. But it does make a lot of sense with the state of this very traditional village. If his conjecture is wrong, all that makes sense is, this world he lives in is a supernatural city or something. Nirmala put aside all her assumptions. Looking for other information might help her more.
"Woody, why yell at me..." The answer is upset
"I called many times and daydreamed. What's up??"
Nirmala let out a long sigh "I was like dreaming of going to the future"
"Huh??"
"Wood but here, where else can I find a bookstore or a larger and more complete library?"
"If it's around here I don't think there's any more. Maybe my friend Dhika knows more. He was more familiar with books. His family has their own library. He said he wanted to be a scholar or a teacher"
"Can I ask him? Where is he now"?
"I feel at his house. It's pretty far from here. In the next town."
"Oh. You're not interested in books? Didn't you say you wanted to be a great healer."
"There are not many books on medicine. So it's free. I prefer to learn directly at the source. You alone, what's your dream?"
"Hm... I don't know, maybe I'd like to go home to the time I came from"
"Huh?...."
"Let's go home"
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Kake Sapta can be seen talking with his neighbors, there are not many neighbors there are only 5 houses one of which belongs to Kake Sapta. If calculated, the number of heads is not more than twenty people, but they look happy without burden. They are doing royong making rice flour, drying corn seedlings, sorting vegetables, and so on. Sometimes they had dinner together in the middle of the bonfire in their yard, Nirmala felt warm and at home with this family, as if she had never felt it.
With a short time nirmala felt they were her family. They love each other.
Sometimes nirmala played with 8-year-old boys there. Named Zaki. Whether playing hide and seek, or any game the boy had, sometimes taught him to count. Only a few people can count. It is also a simple calculation such as adding less times for those who are used when trading transactions. Not even everyone there could read and write. But it's not too bad. They are happy that is enough.
They were happy that Nirmala could count better. Although he can not write and read, of course if he uses the alphabet maybe he can. They can count on Nirmala in some ways.
For example, if you sell or buy goods so as not to be easily fooled by others.
The financial condition here is not good, the drought has not changed, yesterday's storm is one of grace but only once the land is flooded with rain. The rest of the dry hit again.
They have to save money. This year they have not bought clothes for the upcoming rainy season, their clothes are only one or two pieces. If the rainy season comes, clothes will be difficult to dry, but buying new clothes is very expensive. Sometimes they buy only fabric. But several times they were cheated fabric sellers. Asked 3 meters for a pair of clothes, they only get 1-2 meters. How else. They don't know what a meter is.
Aunt Yuli "Zaki... Do not hold the ground. Your clothes are all over, son."
Kang Iwan "Isn't his clothes enough?"
Aunt Yuli "she only has three pairs and every day keeps playing mud."
Nirmala "oh right too, I also only have two pairs of clothes. Kake Sapta. If it rains all day. Can I not change haha 😅"
Aunt Yuli "ahh. A piece of clothing is very expensive. If the rainy season comes. Clothes don't dry quickly...."
Nirmala "weak it? How much is it?"
Aunt Yuli "almost worth a sack of rice. Better to buy rice"
Nirmala "then make it yourself. Just buy the cloth..."
Kang Iwan "we're tired of being tricked. Because we don't understand size. Sometimes it is even more expensive to buy raw materials"
Nirmala "shouldn't be able to cut half the price?"
Aunt Yuli "ah you definitely don't understand. Look at...." He began explaining in detail "we went to a fabric store and intended to buy for a pair of clothes. The price is half cheaper. But when it starts cutting patterns, the material is not enough. Maybe even enough for one piece. Just pants. Once calculated it turns out the price can be even more expensive than clothes."
Kang Iwan "cheating traders like that are indeed many where. If we are not good. We must always be lying"
Nirmala "let me help. I think I understand a little bit about the size of the fabric"
Nirmala went to the market with two neighbors, Kake Sapta this time did not come down. Only Nirmala, Kang Iwan and Uncle Rai.
Once into the fabric shop. A flash of memory shadow appeared again in Nirmala's mind. In that shadow, he was used to the fabric, sewing machine, and needle materials. Of course the shadow corroborated his earlier conjecture. He is not from this era, the sewing machine is very modern, in this era there is not even a sewing machine.
Uncle Rai ordered a few pieces of cloth for a pair of adult clothes.
"Uncle we asked for this cloth for a pair of clothes our size"
The seller "well sir, let me cut it"
Nirmala "about how many meters to get a pair of clothes?"
Seller "For adult size 4 meters if your size may be 3 meters enough"
Nirmala "in that case please cut 5 meters for this color cloth yes sir"
The seller "nice neng"
The seller cut the cloth they had chosen. There are 3 colors each cut 5 meters
Kang Iwan "wouldn't it be too much?"
Nirmala "should be enough for that price. We can get 5 pairs of clothes."
Kang Iwan "five pairs. I think it's probably only 3 pairs, it's too expensive just for a piece of cloth"
Nirmala "if the size is right should be enough"
After the seller is finished cutting the requested cloth. Nirmala meticulously recalculated the result of the piece. His forehead began to wrinkle after reviewing a piece of ash-colored cloth. He then reviewed the other pieces of cloth. His lip line is down. And the last one piece he reviewed, he let out a long sigh. Sure enough, he tried to deceive us poor people, Nirmala asked for a 5 meter cloth, he only cut 3 meters. He hurt the buyer. Things like this make Nirmala growled. Nirmala threw the piece of cloth on the table.
Nirmala "sir. I asked for 5 meters each. It's only 3 meters. Please re-cut it properly."
The seller "this is a 5 meter piece neng. 3meter is impossible this long."
Nirmala "5 meters can't be this short, don't fool us"
Both are stubborn, if not the stupid Nirmala then the cloth seller is the stupid one. They kept fighting with their mouths no one wanted to give up. The commotion was heard until the store left. If the store seller relents he will be far away that all this time he has been deceiving many people. Nirmala insisted the measure was wrong. Until arguing with the store owner who came because of the commotion. The shop owner said the same. Nirmala would not give up. He explained how many centi for five meters, and how many milli for one centi. The merchant was confused.
Nirmala could no longer hold back her emotions, everyone peeked in from the outside curious about what was going on there. Until someone comes in from behind the door. "What's this?" Ask her.
Pradhika Wiriya the beautiful man attracted the attention of everyone. His flat face still looks dazzling. Nirmala looked at him fixedly, like seeing an actor from a Korean drama, accompanied by a slow motion motion-style romance or other romantic story.
Everyone who was in the storm suddenly stopped to see it coming. He's an educated man he must understand what's going on and Nirmala explains the problem. The shop owner panicked at his arrival. Apparently the owner of the store recognized who Pradhika Wiriya was. He's quite famous. Appealing, educated, honest, especially he is the son of the Wiriya family. Distinguished family. His father was influential in the government.
Dhika "uncle He's right. This piece of cloth is only 3 meters" he said after reviewing the piece of cloth
The "what you know, I've worked here for years. It's a 5-meter cut"
Nirmala "you're harming the buyer. It's a fraud of his name"
Dhika "uncle if it continues like this I have to tell the Mandalika security bureau."
The owner of the store "eeh uh... Mr. Wiriya doesn't have to do that. It's our fault. We'll make you a new piece."
The seller was apparently a worker there. The look on his face turned astonished when his master said so. Nirmala realized one thing. The seller may not know the actual size. He was also fooled by the shop owner to reap a huge profit.
Bayu came through the crowd.
"Nirmala?... It was you who made a fuss haha..."
If you look closer, Bayu also looks beautiful, just different from Dhika, Bayu always wears simple clothes, especially if he is in a herbal store.
Nirmala "why talk so, I almost cheated the seller. Fortunately I'm pretty good at haha"
Bayu "oh, Dhika you're here too...?"
Dhika nodded "hmm. It just so happens to be passing by here"
Nirmala "Dhika's? Oh. The friend you told me about?hehe. It just so happens" she smiled radiantly in series. It was nice to meet Dhika. While Bayu looks to pursed his lips irritated.
The problem with the cloth seller was quickly solved thanks to the presence of Dhika and Bayu. Nirmala only realized that it turned out that these two people were quite influential in this city. Especially from their family background.
Uncle Rai and Kang Iwan came home with the cloth. While Nirmala along with Bayu and Dhika were about to talk about something.
For the first time Nirmala, Dhika, Bayu gather to meet each other. Bayu had told me about Dhika before in a bookstore. According to him the Wiriya family has its own library more complete than the city's bookstore. That was Nirmala's reason for meeting Dhika.
They sat together inside the Sae Herbal Shop where the baby lived, not far from the cloth shop earlier. It is unexpected that Dhika's arrival this time is to find information.
Dhika asked her uncle to find information. Dhika deliberately wants to meet with Bayu about this.
Bayu "what is this time still looking for information on the matter of that time?" While keeping a glass cup on the table for Nirmala, Dhika and herself.
Dhika "different. But maybe it has something to do with it"
Nirmala "what's the problem?"
Dhika looked at the baby as if asking if it was okay if other people also knew this. Bayu seemed to understand Dhika's intentions
Bayu "it's okay, I think he can help. He's pretty smart in some ways. You should have known about seeing that condition at the cloth shop, too"
Nirmala "ah, if it's very secret there's no need to tell me"
Dhika "is not a secret only if too many people know khawaatir cause panic in the community"
Bayu "so, what's the problem this time?"
Dhika "previously many cases of missing people around the border, this time there is info someone found a symbol of seance ritual somewhere. This concern has to do with the previous case. I was asked to find as much information as possible"
Nirmala's "ritual? A spirit? I don't know if it's still thick with mystical things"
Dhika "where are you from?"
Nirmala "ahhhh....then what else?" Nirmala diverted her talk
Bayu "some rituals are intended for something, homage, thanksgiving, the summoning of the rain, or a cult intended for communion with supernatural beings or demons."
Nirmala "seems like I'm not used to mystical things. It scares me a little" Nirmala sipped her drink "uhukkk... so bitter, what is this water?"
Bayu "oh, I heard you had another nightmare last night. So I made it special for you so you can sleep well tonight, hehe"
Nirmala only laughed bitterly.
Dhika "other information also says there is a house by the river that has a symbol of calling on the floor. But I can't figure out what it is. Because his house was destroyed by the storm."
Bayu's face now looks restless hearing that.
Dhika "Woodu you are most interested in this kind of mystical thing. If you find anything suspicious, please let me know immediately."
Bayu "haha, yeah okay. You take it easy"
Dhika realized that there was someone in Bayu's watch with such an expression. They really understand each other without speaking. "Is there anything that makes you uncomfortable?"
Bayu "hmm... No.. why? Haha"
Nirmala only listened to what they were talking about
Dhika "what are you hiding?"
Bayu "nothing. Why ask that"
Nicky "....."
Nirmala felt a bit tense. But he doesn't understand what's going on.
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