“Ustad has not forgiven Tamami. Take him that message. “
“Why did he not come here himself? Now he need not bother.”
Kabira quietly rose to his feet. Ustad Ramzi had turned his face away to master his feelings. Without speaking another word, Kabira left.
“Get lost! Don’t show your face…I don’t wish to see his face again!” Ustad Ramzi shouted after him.
❖
Tamami was sitting up on his charpai carefully tying the folds of his turban. He had taken a bath and dressed, in expectation of his reconciliation with Ustad Ramzi. Hearing Kabira’s footsteps he looked up, but the expression on Kabira’s face immediately told him that his visit to Ustad Ramzi had been unsuccessful. Tamami’s spirits sank.
He felt helpless again. His fixation on the title had made him dependent on Ustad Ramzi’s acceptance of his life and actions. Even when he broke from him he did not break mentally from that relationship. Others, too, bound him to it. With Ustad Ramzi’s overpowering hold on the affairs of the clan and the akhara, Tamami was always advised that his hopes lay in seeking Ustad Ramzi’s forgiveness. The more Ustad Ramzi became distant, the more remote this possibility seemed to him. And when others saw how obsessed Tamami was with Ustad Ramzi’s acceptance, the more they felt Tamami needed to address his relationship with Ustad Ramzi.
❖
For the next few months, Tamami fought several pahalwans in exhibition matches. Most of these bouts ended in draws. Using Tamami, Gulab Deen began to advance his small group of pahalwans, of which Sher Ali was the most prominent. After his fight with Imama, which he had won on a technicality, Tamami was now considered a high-ranking pahalwan. When a pahalwan’s bout with Tamami ended in a tie, his rank advanced. Gradually, pahalwans who did not have the same experience or skill as Tamami were held to be his equals. The clan elders saw what was happening, but were unable to do anything about it.
Soon, the crowds that came to see the fights grew impatient with Tamami’s draws. They were the people who had watched Tamami train for his fight with Imama. They had rooted for him, applauding and jumping to their feet every time he performed a clever maneuver, but were disappointed at Tamami’s winning so few of those bouts. When they saw that he did not use his advantages and gave the bouts away, they began heckling him. When even that did not bring about a change, they cheered Tamami’s rivals.
Tamami’s visits to the akhara became irregular. It was rumored that he had had a falling out with Gulab Deen over the latter’s promoting Sher Ali at Tamami’s expense.
One day the news came that the police had arrested Tamami on charges of drug possession. The next day it was heard that he had been released after Gulab Deen posted bail for him. It was rumored that the promoter had himself tipped off the police, to place Tamami in his debt financially. Nobody knew the truth, but after that incident, Gulab Deen was seen exercising greater control over Tamami. He had also arranged a three-bout match between Tamami and Sher Ali.
❖
Gulab Deen came to see Tamami at a time when he knew Kabira would not be around. Tamami greeted him nonchalantly. His body was beginning to show the impact of his addiction more visibly. He had lost weight. His girth had decreased and dark rings had appeared around his eyes. Tamami hadn’t gone to the akhara again that day. He had been lying on the charpai since morning.
Gulab Deen said, “Hope everything is going well with your routines,” as he looked around.
“Yes,” Tamami answered listlessly. “Are the preparations for the bout done?”
“Preparations! Preparations! I don’t know. To your question I would say both yes and no.”
Tamami looked up but did not ask what he meant. Since his arrest — which Kabira had hinted was orchestrated by Gulab Deen— Tamami had developed a secret dread of the promoter.
“There are problems with the bout, Tamami,” Gulab Deen continued. “I worry for you.”
A troubled look appeared on Tamami’s face, but he remained silent. He was trying to concentrate his thoughts.
“This has to be a longer fight,” Gulab Deen said. “You cannot finish it too soon. And you must cede the first fight to Sher Ali.”
Tamami sat up. “Kabira said I should not give away the fight,” he said angrily. “I am not going to let Sher Ali defeat me! No!”
“Did I ask you to cede the series?”
“I am not going to lose the fight! Kabira told me you would ask me to lose a fight one of these days. I am not going to do it!” Tamami looked impatiently towards the door. He wished Kabira were there.
“Kabira is my friend too, and his advice is always good to have, especially since he is also your manager. But I have a very good reason for arranging the bout in this manner, Tamami. That reason I can only tell you, as it concerns you alone, not Kabira.”
“What reason?”
“It has to do with what happened between you and Ustad Ramzi.”
Tamami’s expression remained tense, but he felt an anxiety mixed with eagerness.
“Brothers should not fight,” Gulab Deen continued. “My heart has been heavy since Ustad Ramzi broke his ties with you. I could not do anything. But that does not mean you should be made to suffer. Enough is enough.”
Tamami now listened attentively.
“I went to see Ustad Ramzi the other day,” Gulab Deen said. “I asked him to come and inaugurate the fight. But…” here Gulab Deen hesitated.
“But what?”
“He would not come. I said to him, Ustad Ramzi, do not bear ill will against your own brother. He would be honored to have you at the akhara when he fights. He needs your blessings, I said.”
Tamami looked expectantly at the promoter.
“But Ustad Ramzi is a stern man — and proud. He suffers, but will not change his mind. Unless…”
“Unless what?”
“Unless he knows that the title would be lost by his clan if he did not come,” Gulab Deen said slowly. A few moments passed without comment from Tamami, but the promoter carried on confidently. “You must lose the first fight. Then Ustad Ramzi will ask himself if it was because he was not there. He will see that his brother needs him. He is the way he is, but he would not willingly torment anyone. You know it as well as I do. What must be said to his credit, must be said. He is hurting, too, and he will relent when he sees that you require him to be there with you. His pride will be satisfied and he will come for the second fight. The second fight could soon follow, perhaps in a month’s time.”
“In a month’s time…?”
“In a few weeks, then,” Gulab Deen said quickly. “Ustad Ramzi will come. And once he is there, he will find it hard not to reconcile with his brother. What happened between you is a shame, but blood is thicker than water. Now is our chance to correct the error. You decide. I have not told Kabira. He may not understand. If he speaks to someone in the clan, Ustad Ramzi might find out, and then he will never come. He is a proud man. You know your brother better than I do. You tell me if he would come if he were to find out.”
Tamami remained silent.
“Tell me if there is anything I can do,” Gulab Deen said.
“Are you sure Ustad Ramzi will come?” Tamami asked. “How can you be certain?”
“Think carefully about what I have told you, then ask yourself. You will have the answer. Trust me, he will come.”
Tamami was quiet.
“There’s another thing,” Tamami said as Gulab Deen prepared to leave.
“What?”
“I haven’t had my…” Tamami began haltingly, “I feel my head will break apart if I do not…”
❖
The news spread quickly that Tamami had lost a fight to Sher Ali. It was also announced that the re-match would be held a month later. Kabira had accosted Tamami immediately after the bout, but Tamami refused to say anything.