hesongofkahunsha

在1993年的孟买，十岁的祥弟，自幼在孤儿

院长大。他在脑海中构筑出一个祥和美好的乐土“卡

洪莎”，意即“没有悲伤的城市”。面临孤儿院的拆

迁，祥弟从院长口中得知父亲下落，随即带着自己

沾染血迹的婴儿衣，展开了寻父之旅。他面对的不

是梦想中的乐园，而是充满暴力与黑暗的孟买大街。

祥弟与一对流浪街头的姐弟结伴同行，却又落入了

黑道老大阿能拜的魔掌，更在当地一座印度教神庙

的爆炸事件后，参与一场谋害无辜穆斯林家庭的血

腥复仇行动。童年终要结束，美梦也总会清醒，哪

个城市没有悲伤？身处残酷修罗场的祥弟被迫快快

长大，他能否找到亲生父亲？

[加]阿诺什·艾拉尼（anoshirani）

guddihrowshewigawayandwipesherhandsonher

browndress

andbeginsosing

whafollowsissomehingchamdihasneverimagined

guddi’svoicesuggesshaherhroaconainsmagical

hings，impossiblehingsiisashoughcoloursaresinging，

andeachcolourisanoechamdi’sskinbreaksinoripples，and

ifhecouldflyhewouldgosraighinohegsswindowsofhe

nearbycssroomandcomeouunharmedsuchishebeauyof

guddi’svoice

heleavesinhereesmovegenly，ashoughherees

havefelhersong，anddusrisesinheair，andswirlsabouina

pyfuldance

byheimeguddifinishes，chamdiknowshahissong

ishebegi

ingofsomehingunearhlysohewilluseunearhly

wordsoellherhowlovelyhesongisheleansowardsher

andwhispersinherear，“khilesomakafusal”

“wha?”shesays，slowlycachingherbreah

“khilesomakafusal，”herepeassofly

“whadoeshamean?”

“iisspokeninhenguageofgardenssomedayiwillell

youwhaimeans”

“whereishanguagespoken?”

“inkahunsha”

“kahunsha?”

“heciyofnosadnessoneday，allsadnesswilldie，and

kahunshawillbeborn”

aschamdiwhispershissecreoguddi，heforges，fora

second，haiisnigheveryhingaroundhimisluminous—he

leaves，heredhairribbon，hegraveliswaiingoburs

guddiflickshehairoffherfaceandherbrowneyeswiden

hereyeshesseemolenghen—heysrechouasiforeach

ghamdi

“don’beanidio，”shesays“howcansuchapce

exis?”

“becauseofyoursongyoursongissobeauifulhaihas

hepowerocreaeawholenewciy

“haveyoulosyourmind?”

“yesandiwillloseiagain，andagain，andagain，unil

wearehappyyou，me，sumdi，amma，hebaby，evendabba

someday，wewillallliveogeherinkahunsha”

nine

agroupofboyssionahandcarandsmokesumdiis

amongshem，seaednexohesmallesboy，whoseheadis

shavedchamdiwachesheboyspassacigareefromhand

ohand，andwaiforiocomebackohemoneofheboys

hasaincanandhedrumsonihebaldonewhosisnexo

sumdisarsdrummingoo，buhedoessoonsumdi’spolio

leg，andhenpushisearoi，ashoughheexpecsioemi

asoundheboyshaveagoodughhensumdisarso

speakandchamdirealizeshasumdiisellinghemasory

iisabouhowhisribswillonedayurninouskschamdi

chucklesbecausesumdiisdoingisaerriblejobofellinghe

sory

chamdiwishesmrssadiqwerenexohimrighnow，so

shecouldofferhimgoodadviceheknowswhashewouldsay，

haiiswrongosealjesuswouldhavebeenofnouserigh

nowjesusalwayssayedsilen

“goosleep，”sayssumdi

“no，i’llsayawakeforawhile”

“anddowha?”

“hink”

“abouwha?”

“anyhingi’lldream”

“howcanyoudreamwhileyou’reawake?”

“ha’shebeskindofdream”

“youhaveobedrunkforhaohappenoronganjabu

youmusnoevenknowwhaganjais

“no”

“ganjaiswhapoorpeopleuseodisrachemselvesfrom

heirmiserablelivesbuevenhacossmoney”

“ha’swhyidreamdreamsarefree”

“whyareyousosrange?whycan’youbenormalandspi

onheroadorshiinyourpans?”

“ellme，wha’sheohingyoureallywaninyour

life?”askschamdi

“iwanoleavebombay”

“ha’snoadream”

“whyno?”

“ru

ingawayisnoadreamanywayhaisbulbul’s

dream”

“whohehellisbulbul?”

chamdilooksaguddishesmilesandhencloseshereyes

quicklyashoughamassivebouofsleephassuddenlycome

overher

“sheisbulbul?”askssumdi“haerror，youcalledhera

nighingale?youreallyareadreamernowgoosleep”

“nobeforeyouanswermyquesion”

“whycan’youlemebe?goandalkoheraifyou

arelonelyhere，i’lllifheboxandyoucanenerhaholeand

dreaminhedark”

“wha’sheohingyoureallywan?”

“youwon’lemesleepilliansweryourquesion，will

you?”

“no”

“okay，i’llellyou”

“ruhfully”

“yes，ruhfully”sumdigncesoverahissiserher

eyessayclosedammasirsandhenselesapolicejeep

rushespashebussopghamdiquicklyimagineshreeblueand

yellowsripedigersroaringbehindhejeep，servingas

issirenhepoliceigersgoopceshejeepca

ohey

pickouhescenofhievesmuchbeerhananypoliceman

andheywilllookaferhechildrenofbombay，reahemas