अदलाबदल Adalabadal (The Exchange)

अमृत व इसाब हे दोघे शेजारी राहणारे शाळकरी दोस्त होते, एकाच वर्गात बसणारे. सणासुदीच्या निमित्ताने घरच्यांनी दोघांना जवळपास एकसारखे दिसणारे कपडे शिवून दिले होते, आणि हा योगायोगच त्यांच्या जोडगोळीचे वेगळेपण अधोरेखित करतो.

The narrator sets up the background of two childhood pals, Amrut and Isab, who lived opposite each other and shared the same classroom bench at school. For the festival, their new outfits happened to match so closely in colour and cut that onlookers might mistake them for twins - a small detail that hints at how deeply bonded the two boys were.

एका खोडसाळ सवंगड्याने, केशवने, अमृतला बळजबरीने जमिनीवर लोळवून त्याची फजिती केली. आपल्या दोस्ताला असे हिणवलेले पाहून इसाबचे रक्त उसळले आणि त्याने लगोलग केशवला आव्हान देऊन त्याचा पराभव केला.

On the playground, a rowdy boy named Keshav pressed Amrut into a wrestling bout. While Amrut kept trying to sidestep it, Keshav forcefully knocked him flat. Seeing his friend humiliated this way made Isab's blood boil, and he instantly took Keshav on himself, bringing him down.

मारामारीच्या धुमश्चक्रीत इसाबच्या नव्या सदऱ्याचा खिसा उसवला जातो. हा सदरा उसने पैसे घेऊन शिवून घेतलेला असल्याने, तो खराब झाल्याचे कळल्यावर आपल्याला जबर चोप बसेल, याची जाणीव होताच दोघांचाही धीर सुटतो.

In the tussle, the seam of Isab's brand-new shirt gives way and its pocket tears. Isab knew all too well that his family had gone to a moneylender to afford this very shirt. With his father's short temper in mind, the thought that there would be no escaping punishment now sends a jolt of dread through both boys.

अमृत क्षणात एक युक्ती शोधून काढतो - तो स्वतःचा सदरा इसाबच्या अंगावर चढवतो आणि फाटका सदरा स्वतः घालतो. आपल्याला चोप बसण्याची भीती नाही का असे इसाबने विचारल्यावर अमृत बिनधास्तपणे सांगतो की त्याची स्वतःची आई त्याला संकटातून सोडवेल. हे सगळे टिपून पाहणारे इसाबचे वडील या नात्याने इतके गहिवरतात की ते अमृतला स्वतःचा पुत्रच मानू लागतात.

In this tight spot, an idea flashes through Amrut's mind - he hands over his own good shirt to Isab and puts on the torn one himself. When Isab asks what will become of him, Amrut fearlessly answers that his own mother will stand firmly behind him. Isab's father watches this whole scene from a distance, and the boys' selfless bond softens his heart so completely that he goes to Amrut's mother and declares he will now regard Amrut as his own adopted son.