Raj Comics’ special issue number 199, “Maramari”, is a highly emotional and action-packed story depicting the exciting wild life of Kobi and Bhediya. This comic follows on from the back story of Masaba, where the birth of a girl child is rare in the Marda caste and Masaba is the last girl child of her clan, who is loved by all. Kobi, who is also an animal, is deeply in love with little Masaba. However, it is difficult for the human father Chokar to accept that his innocent daughter should go to an animal, so he takes Masaba away from Kobi. The main conflict of the story begins with Khankhat, the chieftain of the Kola clan, who is after Masaba’s life, and the wolf has not lost it at all.
The intervention of the wolf and the preservation of the Marda race
At the beginning of the comic we see that the wolf, Kola comes to the field to stop the tantric antics and barbarity of Sardar Khankhat. The wolf poses as a powerful and just protector. He warns Khankhat that the Marda caste is now under his protection and if he commits any ill-will, he will have to face serious consequences. The wolf’s safety sign, which has been accepted by the Marda race, indicates that they are now under the wolf’s protection. Khankhat, however, ignores the wolf’s warning, laying the foundation for the coming conflict. This scene establishes the character of the wolf – a hero who can go to any extent to protect the weak.
Kobi’s distraction and Masaba’s disappearance
The next turning point of the story is Masaba’s disappearance. Kobi, who feels incomplete without Masaba, waits for her. He expects Masaba to come to meet him and play, as they often did. But when Masaba does not arrive for several days, Kobi’s wait turns into sadness. He fears that perhaps something bad has happened to Masaba. Meanwhile, news of Masaba’s disappearance also spreads in the Marda clan, which worries everyone. Masaba’s father Chokar and other clansmen go out into the forest in search of him. The scene evokes Coby’s human emotions – his love, his anxiety, and his distraction. While an animal, he has a deep attachment to Masaba that makes him restless.
Masaba’s meeting and allegations against Kobi
During the search, the Clans find spots of fresh blood in the bushes, further increasing their anxiety. Eventually, they find Masaba injured. Fujo, who appears to be a Vaidya or Tantrik-like figure of the clan, sees Masaba’s condition and reveals that he has been attacked by some wild animal. He has deep claw and tooth wounds on his body, and his entrails have also been torn. Fujo blames Kobi directly for this attack, as he saw Masaba with Kobi. This accusation arouses anger and hatred towards Kobi in the clan. The bran, Masaba’s father, is unwilling to believe that Kobi, whom Masaba loved so much, can do so. But Fujo argues that even a pet dog sometimes bites its owner, and Kobi is a wild animal. This entire incident takes a big turn in the story, where Kobi suddenly starts being seen as Masaba’s enemy from his protector.
Kobi’s entry into the clan and conflict
Unaware of Masaba’s bad condition and the accusations against him, Kobi becomes desperate to see Masaba. He feels that his aba (father) might have seen him with him and stopped him from coming, or perhaps she might have fallen ill. His innocent words come to his mind again and again, and he cannot help himself. He secretly decides to go to Masaba’s clan. However, as he enters the clan, the bran sees him and shouts, “The devil Kobi has arrived! Devil Kobi I Caught!” Hearing this, the entire clan pounces on Kobi, trying to kill him. Kobi, who does not want to fight anyone, especially Masaba’s clansmen, as he does not want to offend Masaba, decides to flee. He feels that Masaba will be angry with him if he fights here, and no one will listen to him. In this hustle and bustle, he accidentally knocks even the bran unconscious. The scene depicts Kobi’s dilemma – his love for Masaba on one side, and the clan’s anger on the other.
Conspiracy to arrest and murder Kobi
The fleeing Kobi is surrounded by men from the Marda clan. He thinks that he will have to do it now like a mad bull does – enter the crowd and trample them. He does so and runs through the crowd. But his victory is momentary. The next moment, he learns that he has been trapped. These nooses are thrown by the Kola clan attackers, who are trapping Kobi using smoke balls. These people try to weaken Kobi by chanting the name of the wolf, so that he cannot break his ropes. Kobi quickly realizes that the attackers are taking advantage of his situation. He goes all out to break his ropes, and eventually succeeds as well.
Kobi’s escape and future worries
After breaking the ropes Kobi tries to find his enemies, but no one is seen due to the smoke. He realizes that the enemies have fled in fear upon hearing the ropes breaking. He tries to call his wolf army, but no one comes. He doesn’t understand why his friends, who come on his call, are not coming today. What worries him further is that Masaba will probably never come to meet him after hearing that the bran is unconscious at his hands. He thinks that maybe he has lost Masaba. He feels like going to the clan and breaking everyone’s skulls and picking up Masaba, but then he feels that when Masaba finds out that he went to the clan, she will come to him herself, even if angry. He gives himself hope that the world exists only on hope.
The new announcement of Khankhat and the wrath of the wolf
On the other hand, Choker declares as soon as he regains consciousness that Kobi is responsible for Masaba’s condition, and appeals to the entire clan to support him. The whole clan stands up to him, talking about punishing Kobi. Kola chieftain Khankhat is also declaring among his tribe that Kobi has interfered in their work and will be punished. Khankhat admits that killing Kobi will not be easy. The story ends here, leaving the reader waiting for the next part whether Kobi will be able to prove his innocence and win Masaba back, or Khankhat will succeed in his conspiracy.
Art and portraiture
Dheeraj Verma’s penciling and Rajendra Dhoni’s inking bring this comic to life. Sunil Pandey’s colors add depth and mood to the story. The depiction of wild environments, characters’ gestures, and action scenes is extremely effective. The scenes of Coby’s anger, his sadness and struggle in particular leave a profound impression on the reader. The tantric form of Khankhat and the powerful personality of the wolf are also well depicted.
Conclusion
“Maramari” is an excellent rendition of Raj Comics, touching on the concepts of love, betrayal, conflict and justice. Tarun kumar Wahi’s writings and Vivek Mohan’s vision create a story that captivates the reader. This comic is definitely a great wild adventure that will immerse you in its world and make you eagerly wait for its next part.
