August Musings-The Romance of Indian Renance

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August Musings The Romance of Indian Renascene

A Novel By

Jagbir Singh

M.A. {Allahabad}, MBA {Jaipur}, Rajasthan Administrative Service { Retd.}

2008

{ This is a copyright document; copy in any form shall infringe the law-Author}

Published Books by the Author:

‗Out Of The Harem‘ ISBN 81-7910-015-4 ‗The Jat Rulers of Upper Doab‘ ISBN 81-7910-016-2

Contents: Page

1. Part one 1 - 196

2. Part Two 197 – 300

3. Part Three 301 - 371

4. Part Four 372 - 430

5. Part Five 431 - 462

6. Part Six 463 - 465

Glossary 466 - 476

239356 Words 18946 Lines 3525 Paragraphs 476 Pages

[Updated August 19, 2009]

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Part One

1954 1.1

In Nandgaon there was buoyant fervor at the Mohini estate.

Reverberating through the brief but austere Mohini estate ceremonies were the echo of a glorious heritage of ascendant values of brevity, romance and honor spread over six bygone centuries; the record of unusual excellence attained by young scion of the dynasty was spectacular indeed.

‗He is „Junt Saab‟! Now, we will get our kerosene and ration on time,‘ whispered Mooli Dhoban to Bhopti Cobbleri.

Four other middle-aged women in bleary lenhga-faria, skirt-scarf, baked wrinkled faces, loose hanging breasts, dark blistered swarthy bodies, telling the sturdy womanhood they must have enjoyed when young, stood aside overawed by the prominent village elite.

Smart turbaned tall thakurs, other men of consequence and a proud Guruji Ganeshilal of Nandgaon have assembled to wish and bid farewell to Jagan, who has been selected and topped the IAS 1953 examination conducted by the Federal Public Service Commission, now UPSC. He is scheduled to join at the Metcalf House. Through boisterous weeklong celebrations though, at their alma mater, the St. Stephen‘s College, Delhi, Jagannath Pratap Singh, has been felicitated already; few of his college friends, Richa, Isa, Pauline, Reddy and Aftab, dressed in low cut tops, tea shirts and smart jeans, have come to partake and see his village. Shano was elegantly dressed in a beige cotton sari, her head gracefully covered, looked cute. Neki and other buddies of Jagan‘s childhood school days were present, overflowing with jubilation.

The St. Stephanie‘s looked class apart from the rest of the village crowd. While the later carried the aroma of past glory and pride besmirched by ignorance, decay, much of dead wood; the former radiated with inquisitiveness of modern science and technology, free from religious and caste fetters, eager to launch combatant to the glory of reaching the top, to own the sky itself.

Accompanied by Guruji Ganeshilal and his dadima thakurani Mohini Kaur, Jagan emerged out of the Estate haveli after the family ceremonies were over. Looking towards the six women, who worked in his household, in a corner he moved towards them followed by a confident Shanti; they blessed him from the core of their hearts as he bowed to touch the feet of Mooli dhoban, Bhopti cobbleri, Pyari koria, Anisa fakiran, Dulari bhangin and Begum telin. Their beaming faces portrayed bestowing prayers and a sense of deep affection for the youngman not many others could probably harbor in the large crowd. Majority with impressive and awe-inspiring moustache-beards and smart clean shaven countenance depicted vanity, deceit, jealousy. Lot eyebrows were arched with twisted chins 5 over it; however, for Jagan it was beginning of the rendezvous with karma to serve his people, particularly the women.

He sounded the first bugle prophesying the beginning of change of times many on that auspicious morning perhaps could not fully comprehend.

A beaming Shanti then led him towards the old estate Pontiac, which was to carry him to the run up Chevrolet lorry that would carry the young persons to Delhi. The journey to Delhi on the fair weather road was rather bumpy. From the humble village primary school to the distinguished elite college, from the tranquil layered rustic life of the village to the urbane regularity of a crowded historical metropolis the years spent in the tumble and toil of youth flashed across Jagan‘s mind.

1929 1.2

„Satyam Shivam Sundaram;‟ God is immortal Satya, Satya is Shiva, Shiva is Glorious. Humanity was created by the Glorious for love, peace and progress; human created his own gods of hatred, violence and negation.

The Glory oversees multitude of humanity in its infinite hues; the micro legend of a tiny mass of humans unfold an exciting saga of passion, love, progress; greed, jealousy and hatred. It is India. India is immortal perpetuity; the unseen seer, the unheard hearer, and the unthought-of thinker. It is known only to those that do not know it. That Thou Art- tat tvam asi and I Am Brahman-aham brahm asmi. The explicit identification of atma and brahma is specifically the doctrine of monism. The spiritual and the unitary character of this absolute reality is very well expressed by the classical phrase, „satchidananda‟ – sat – being; chit – sentience, its spiritual; ananda – peace. Maya, is power that conceals from us true character of reality. The goal of life is to overcome this congenial ignorance by attaining full enlightenment or gyana – knowledge, which state is called moksha. This comprehension does not mean only intellectual view of monism, but to live the right kind of life. It is in this sense of devotion to worthier living and not in the sense of dogma or superstition, that spirituality is blended with philosophy in India.

„Mukti kahai Gopal son, meri mukti bataya ! Braj raj udi mastak lagai, mukti mukta haijaya !!‟

Mukti asks Krishna path to emancipation; If Braj-dust taps forehead, even Mukti gets Mukti 6

The purifying sacred waters of the Ganga, Jamuna, Narbada the Krishna, Kaveri and Godavari bestow life force to the silent but unbroken chain of humanity‘s great civilization. India is both a myth and the splendor of its magical super consciousness. Harbingers of life splendidly survive at both ends of man made world of acute want, squalor and poverty and astute magnificent affluence, slapping a critical challenge to those who are chosen to rule, this land of the gods. India is eternal. History is not as important as the philosophy of history. It is for these reasons that Indians did not write history of individuals; whatever was written, and the writings known as classical literature of Puranas is as widespread and voluminous as any people of that age could possibly perceive, was about the importance of being the subject worth being written as history epitomize the ultimate destination of all ancient Indian literature is man.

Indians live in present, today is construed by the glory of its past; the two merge to make life vibrant and purposeful. This is the fundamental truth.

The thought provoking intellectual forays into mysteries of both the universe as well as life on earth were not limited to Vashistha, Maitreyi, Kapila, Bhrigu, Agastya or Yagyavalka of Brahmin alone; Sri Krishna, Mahatma Budha, Swami Mahavir, Raja Janak, Ashoka, Pravahan Jaivali, Ajatshatru were kshatriya rajvanshi erudite. Braj has thus disproved distorted lineage concepts from the very beginning. Budhist literature mentions the rival contemporary Mahavir as a ‗Nigantha Natputra‘ {Nirgrantha Gyatraputra} pointing his being born a Jatputra. Sri Krishna played through his childhood in Braj. Traditional belief based on scriptural details and astrological calculations gives Krishna's birth date as July 19th 3228 B.C.E. Lord Krishna is addressed as Thakurji, meaning the Supreme God. It‘s one of the many aphorisms for the Lord. It is popular in Braj, where important village headman and landholders are called Thakur. Historically this adage is of recent origin; around 1790-1800 the appellation came into common use. From the axiom to god the sobriquet title passed on to chief of a village or estate in Braj; from Braj it traveled further westward to Bharatpur, an extended part of the Braj, where it‘s rulers assumed the title and further in Rajputana where petty estate holders were nicknamed „thakur‟ holding a village or cluster of villages under their revenue collection rights called the „thikana.‟

Gokul in Mahavan near Mathura on the other shore of Jamuna was the place Krishna was reared in the care of Yashoda and Nand. Mathura, besides Kashi, Vaishali and Ujjain has been one of the great cities since times immemorial. In ancient times, Mathura bustled with activity, being located on important trade routes that went westwards to West Asia and the Roman Empire; northwards via Taxila, Pushkalavati and Purushapur to Central Asia via the Silk Route and eastwards to China. It thus became a meeting point for various cultures. In the 5th century BC, it was counted among the 16 Mahajanapadas-metropolises of the time.

The affluent Nagarvadhu of Mathura, Vasavadatta was the product of these times of a flourishing trade point of north India. It remained a centre of power during the Mauryan and Gupta periods. Emperor Ashok built many Buddhist monuments in and around Mathura in 3rd century BC. The Chinese traveler Fa Hien, who visited Mathura around 400 7

AD, refers to Buddhist monasteries flourishing here. Huan Swang, another Chinese traveler, in search of truth, came to Mathura too. Located on the trade route and being a prosperous urban center, Mathura fell to the sword of invading barbarian armies. Mahmud of Ghazni, Sikandar Lodi and Aurangzeb plundered and looted the city.

To recount the loot would be to immerse oneself in puss pool of hell. In contents passage of the epic Mahabharat, when Gandhari and other Kaurava ladies visited the horrible scene of the battlefield after the war was over, it says, ‗To read it is to be moved, if the heart has feeling; to read it is to weep, if the eye has tears.‘ The prolonged destruction of Mathura by the barbarian portrayed similar saga.

The destruction of temples, the molestation of vanquished women, men and children would hurl the head in utter shame. Fragments of the destroyed and broken pieces of the superlative sculpture crafted by the renowned artists who by their consistent diligent craftsmanship of extraordinary finesse and detail put the Mathura school of art on top of the contemporary world impel the creators of the wonders to repeat their efforts. Women, men and the brave children of Braj would again rise. What the barbarian was not able to defeat and destroy was the spirit of Braj, the soul of India. Jamuna could not be stopped from its reverent flow watering the 84 great Vans‟ as ever. Krishna would always remain the hero of every Brajvasi. Radha Madhava Ras Lila would continue to enrich and elevate life and soul of people uninterrupted. Sahacharies would continue to watch ras lila through the green thickets of Vrindavan, watered and enriched by the sacred waters of Jamuna, the Kalindi. The sway of indestructible Braj would by strides take the soul of the barbarian too for deliverance. It was the magic of forgiveness that created the Vaishnavism and Dharmacharyas of such stature as Chaitanya, Radhaballabh and Swami Dayanand, of such immensity which crafted a better Mathura, an enhanced Braj and an unconquerable people seeking salvation at the Ghats of Jamuna. Braj like India is indestructible. No external power, however cruel and unscrupulous, could break the soul of India. What was destroyed was the waste superfluous layer of dust made dingy and abhorrent by the barbarian footsteps. The deep perennial current was inaccessible to any invader. Such is the organic entity of the soul of India. The barbarian would be lost and forgotten in the quixotic illusory abeyance his acts of sacrilege notwithstanding he himself would be swept off his pedestal to merge in the gigantic incessant mighty flow of the Indian spirit. Only this is the truth.

Budha visited Mathura twice in his lifetime. Yakshas and their ceremonies had troubled the people of Braj like that of Kansa in the time of Krishna. Budha came to ameliorate people‘s hardships heaped by the Yakhas for the first time. He succeeded to a degree. Four Pandava brothers of Yudhistara, who died after drinking the enchanted waters of the lake, regained life when Yaksha, the lord of the lake, put questions that Yudhistara was able to answer. It beacon to the importance the Yakshas wielded in society of the time, which is also corroborated by the huge quantity of sculptures of both the Yakshas and Yakshinis, found in Mathura. When he visited Mathura the second time, he made a forecast; a great reformer in the form of Bhikshu Upgupta would have been born in Mathura. Katyayan of Magadha, the first great disciple of Budha, had a prolonged stay in Mathura; Mathura became a reformed Budhist center as a result of these efforts. Upgupta was a 8 forceful character. His father had a shop of aromatic perfumes in Mathura. Upgupta as a child sat on the shop to help his father. Mathura‘s greatest Budha Bhikshu Shanakwasi regularly visited the place for daily alms. He recognized caliber in the young man and requested Upgupta‘s father to send the boy for clerical education and make him his Shamner-student, to which request he readily agreed. Upgupta became one of the country‘s most sought out Budha Bhikshu and later headed the Sarvastivad sect after Shanakwasi.

When Upgupta was young, he was not only intelligent but handsome and attractive too. He was a serious and distinct learner of Budhist canon. He was very regular and organized in his studies. It led his teacher‘s whole hearted concentration showered over the young student. It made him renowned as well. Vasavadatta was his contemporary scarlet woman of the town attracting both wealth and fame as the benefactor of entire Braj. She was exceptionally intelligent, beautiful and seductively charming. Scores of wealthy youngman of the town were ready to propose to her with all their wealth and riches. She spurned them all. She was exclusive and wanted to maintain her image of a rare beauty with brains. However, ever since she learnt about the young Bhikshu she became eager to meet him. She first saw him stealthily while going to the Math. Immediately she was enslaved in his love. Thinking no man could ever overlook her attention, she sent him message to meet him. One, two, three messages were followed by urgent personal calls through her selective female couriers. He gave no response. She was infatuated and enamored with him and eagerly longed to unite with him. His silence made her even more excited. She sent fervent requests to meet just once. Still no response came except silence. Silence is at times miserable. Silence imbued with impatience makes it even more critical. To wait for an eagerly desired object to obtain makes the silence more damaging. His only response was time is not yet ripe for him to meet her. He was conscious of his denial with reference to Vasavadatta with all her influence, wealth and power she wielded. She was considered equally, if not more, influential as Amrapali, the famous Nagar Vadhu of Vaishali, who was able to get her final discourse on morality from no other person than Budha himself. Meanwhile Vasavadatta, in her infatuated longing for Upgupta, unintentionally sought the wrath of the local ruler who ordained her to be thrown to the funeral ground on the outskirts of the city with strict orders not to leave the area without permission. She writhed with anger and rage but was helpless. Having been disfigured and disgraced she lied at the forlorn funeral area under great sorrow.

Upgupta learning all about it himself went to meet her and said, ‗Look, Vasavadatta, I promised to see you at the opportune time. That propitious day has now consummated and I have come to meet you.‘

Confronted by the gifted brilliance and irradiating glory of the young sage she exclaimed, ‗My honored lord, I have accomplished my desire of your darshan, I am blessed.‘

Upgupta administered her essence of knowledge of the unavoidable ephemeral bodily charm which is a fleeting phase that was bound to wither. It was certain as death. He preached her pardon and enhancement of her soul to the sphere of knowledge. She was ultimately blessed. By his personal touch her body too regained her youth, charm and poise. 9

Vasavadatta was finally able to achieve what she so ardently desired. However, the tenor of her love which was selfish immersed in passionate voluptuousness changed to a pure, dispassionate devotional elevation. It was land of Krishna. Here deliverance was possible through the portal of pure love. Love not for personal enjoyment, but for deliverance from mortal life. Love not to love, but to love the loveness of it.

Upgupta was mainly instrumental in the acceptance of devotional path by the famous, affluent, great Nagarvadhu of Mathura, Vasavdutta, took from her erstwhile life of pleasure. Upgupta reformed the great lady who reached intellectual heights in her life. It was reportedly considered to be an extraordinary achievement on the part of the brilliant young Bhikshu Upgupta by the contemporary Budhist canon. Upgupta, as is well known, was the chief Guru of Ashoka Priyadarshi, the Emperor of Magadha, who ruled over vast Indian Empire, after Chandragupta Maurya.

Besides Budhism, Jainism also replaced the acute, burdensome and ritualistic Vedic religion in the area. Twenty Second Tirthankar of the Jain tradition, Bhagwan Neminath was born in Mathura and was the cousin brother of Sri Krishna. Jat Horse regulars from Mursan and Hathras under the valiant stewardship of Raja Puhup Singh and Raja Bhagwant Singh fought fiercely the descending Mughal power in league with Maharaja Jawahar Singh over the banks of Hindon, to keep the honor of Braj intact, in the same spirit that Raja Kulchand of Mahavan fought the forces of the barbarian Mahmud Gaznavi on the banks of Jamuna. Be it Kansa, Mahmud Gaznvi or Aurangzeb that religion survives which is based on the lofty ideals of truth, love and non-violence; Krishna worship flourishes for it shows piety for man. That there was resistance would be proved by other battles fought either with the feudal barbarian or the new trader imperialist.

The local Braj lore commemorates with glorious fervor ancestors of Thakur Vikram Singh of Nandgaon who fought with the agents of the barbarian to save the honor of Braj at Nandgaon and Jawar, in which battles, fought with unequal forces engrossed against each other, were at times won but ultimately lost to superior forces. Pitched battles were also fought with the armies of the trader imperialists on the ramparts of their fortresses of Sasni and Hathras, the siege of which had to be continued for six months, where the commander of the British forces Lord Lake narrowly escaped death, and incurred heavy losses. These and other battles were lost; however it showed there was stiff resistance which alone was not enough. Was it valor or arms or both the lack of which resulted in slavery is an equivocal issue. Indians were never burglarizes. They are not even now. Gods of the wicked won over the gods of the pure. It was pure capitulation.

Gallant chivalry and the prowess of an array of arms notwithstanding, the Indian Kshatriyas who were so indomitable to honor their word and weapons, failed to protect their land from the barbarian.

But India continues. It goes on for there were in the Braj Kumaril Bhatt, Lilashuk Bilwamangal and Shankaracharya. Whatever Chintamani, the beautiful devadasi, had spoken to her lover, she must have felt the pangs of separation of her ardent lover, while he 10 blinded himself, after her rebuking, to pray for god rather than crave for her. Sant Jadrup had such a fascination for the Mughal Emperor Jehangir that the later was obliged to repeatedly meet the Sant in privacy of his cave and enjoyed the moments of bliss of his sacred company. Amidst the barbarianism of the invaders there was their daughter, Taj, a Muslim princess, who, while on her way to Kabba, became infatuated to her lord Krishna and would not pass out of Mathura without having had Darshan of her Idol, in the temple of love. Her grave, Taj Chhatri, still stands at Raskhan Tila in Mathura as a token of her regard for her god Krishna. Mathura appears to be immortal, Mahmud Gaznavi, Aurangzeb, Ahmad Shah Abdali notwithstanding. There were the Yakshas domineering with violence their religious practices, with Bat-Vriksha as their tattoo flag insignia, voluptuously exploiting the Yakshanis of their tribe, some famous among them being Kunti, Tamsuri, Rewati, Loka, Mekha and Alika, who were able to exert a fearful devotion towards them by people under religious coercion. Mokali Ghosala of the Ajivika sect preached total dependence on destiny and decried any activity or Purushasthra to improve the lot to be desperate and evil. It was met by a host of Vaishnav Dharmacharyas to revert back to Krishna Dharma, establishing 84 Kos Parikrama of the entire Braj interspaced by the docile and shy Jamuna creating an intensive flora-fauna perpetuated Vans-forests, where wild and domesticated animals abounded, and on the periphery of which Krishna with his Gwala-Sakhas roamed catering to cow feeding, demon killing and playing immortal games with infatuated Gopis, head of whom was of course Radha herself, a part and parcel of the lord Krishna.

Vaishnav way of worship of their immortals Radha-Krishna was sumptuous which included Sakhi-Bhava and Nitya-Vihar. The later is Radha-Madhav‘s unique, blissful, transcendental, joyous, eternal, immortal passionate Ras-Lila-loveplay performed everyday over the devotional, golden land of Vrindavan, covered by tender green trees, watered by snow-capped hills-derivate, flower-fruit progenitor, bangle-shaped Jamuna, engaged in watering regularly, arithmetically, Kula-clan promotional, fragrance emitting deep green shrubbery of Vrindavan. There is no internal or external interference in this eloquent activity divinely ordained. It is the essence of all Veda; therefore, it is the path of enjoyment and fulfillment of the Sahachari Varg or Sakhi Bhava-love flushed Gopis. Sakhi souls witness the love play-Rasa-Lila through the micro spaces of the green rich bushes tenderly filtering through its leaves and branches. The passionate love play is meant for their deliverance. Nitya Vihar is the outcome of the extraordinary love which is far distant from voluptuousness. By intent Radha-Madhav is a separated couple of the external, omnipotent, True Param Brahma. They form into a couple only for Nitya Vihar, otherwise they are One. Sahachari Gopis are also part of the same One Param Brahma; they appear separate due to the extraordinary combinations of a couple. The wholesome splendid enjoyments are meant for the glorious happiness of the Sahacharis and therefore, it is not meant for personal indulgence by Jiva-individual but only for the attainment of the Param Brahma-Ultimate Reality. In human love play the hero wishes to achieve his happiness and the heroine her‘s. But Nitya Vihar is entirely different. Radha Madhava play love games but sahacharis enjoy it to get mukti-deliverance.

Nandamayi was also part of Braj. Nanda settled Nandamayi; however what became important was not Nanda but Nandamayi. Nanda passed out of age and death. Nandamayi 11 lives on. It was a man‘s superlative creation. It was cultural. It was vibrant. It was Bhagwan Balram‘s domain. Balram or Baldau came to be revered as the god of the peasant. He has hala- wooden cultivator drawn by oxen over his shoulders, as an insignia like Krishna has the chakra as a logo on his finger. For peasants and their women Lord Balram was the progenitor of better times by giving rains on time and good crops which yielded bits of riches to them. They loved Balram. A temple made especially for Balram became the symbol of Braj peasants at Dauji. The place is named Dauji only because of Balram. Dau in Braj means elder; Balram was elder to Krishna, hence Dauji. Balram continues to be the darling god of the hard working peasants and their beautiful gallant women folk. Vasavadatta has left a tradition in Braj.

Nandgaon was an obtrusive borough of Nandamayi. In Nandgaon there was Chameli; Chameli was the coquette courtesan incredibly marvelous. Her magic would tread the time in Nandgaon, where even Murli Baba, like the great Bhikshu Upgupta, won‘t succeed in turning her tide, though his devotee she would become. Her charms would touch the shores of the British Empire. She was able to create an unenviable craving in man for her company. No man who encountered her could resist taking a second look at the zero cool concubines that she was.

Thakurani Mohini Kaur was the dowager empress of her estate situated in Nandgaon. Thakur Vikram Singh, who was the main zamindar and landlord of the village, headed the household of Jagannath, their grand child of love. They had a sprawling old house, popularly called Haveli with two chowks and a separate courtyard for the cattle, agricultural equipment, and storage spaces. Dadima, his grandmother, Thakurani Mohini Kaur, was the virtual mistress of the Vikram Singh estate. She had her daughter-in-law, and three maids working in the house, besides a couple of servants. Jagannath‘s mother, Nirmal Kaur, was a pious soul, very affectionate to everybody around her. Since her husband, Colonel Surat Singh was in the British Armed Forces, it was rare that she went to stay with him during the Second World War operational period. A few times she lived at the peace stations with her husband, Jagannath was detained back by his grand parents and his primary education began in the village primary school. Colonel Surat Singh got frequent transfers at odd military field postings and due to such fixings, coupled with the affection and care his parents had for Jagannath, it was decided to leave him in the village to grow in the benign family atmosphere of the village and start schooling in the care of the trustworthy Guruji Ganeshilal, who has also taught Surat Singh, when he was in the village school.

1.3

Seers who perceived Veda in its mythopoeia cosmos creating a civilization based on piety and compassion so enormous that it could withstand the decay and degeneration of a thousand years of servility bouncing back to freedom regaining its glory on the twin pier of truth and non-violence that were its signposts in the earliest gigantic resurgence, is an infinite perpetual tradition from Yagyavalka and Gautam Budha to Vivekanand and Gandhi.

Free India‘s meet, indeed, was as colossal as it‘s past. It began on the midnight convergence with writing on the wall. Krishna too was born on the midnight with a message only nishkam-karma could open access to deliverance; for the former escape from tyranny, hunger and darkness. Deliverance could be achieved only after a long-drawn fierce struggle- Mahabharat; similar, if not more dimensional relentless, honest effort could only bring real freedom. There is no Kalpa-taru – Wish Fulfilling Tree or short cut to attain it and reach soul of India.

„Jasoda jayo lallana, Main Vedan mein suni ayee, Puranan mein suni ayee.‟

A son is born to Jasoda, I have heard from the Veda, I have heard it from the Puran!

The village, Nandgaon, which reared Jagan for the effort, was a large one, perhaps the largest in the area. It was away some distance from sub-highway leading to Mathura and its Kalindi, the Jamuna. It consisted of a plural population of almost all the communities. Entrenched deeply into the age old caste groups and having historically accepted their destiny of being born in a particular order with its economic, social and religious fallout, they lived without any proclaimed class distinction, which led to an undisturbed existence.

Thakur Vikram Singh was the most influential Jat Zamindar running an estate spread over almost six hundred years of glorious existence. Gulab Singh was the nephew of Thakur Vikram Singh, whose father died when he was young, he grew in his care, whose wife Surti Kaur was of an unquiet temperament and has one son Chandra Pratap Singh and a daughter Bandanta. Chandra was couple of years younger to Jagannath Pratap Singh and has great regards for his brother. Gulab was never interested in studies and after Surat joined army, he was left with an amount of freedom that he used to become a happy-go- around mobile energetic young scion of the Thakur estate, which habits were not quite cherished by his guardian and therefore not much responsibility was entrusted to him, though in course of time he came to be a very successful manager of man, becoming Sarpanch of the village. He was nicknamed Munshiji Sarpanch for his professional attitude towards life of secular character, having walloping lasciviousness of the opposite sex that was his only fervor and which in turn attuned him to be worldly wise and quite successful in contemporary new India‘s resurgent social set of acclimating conformance in political and financial parleys. His son Chandra was more like his brilliant brother, though he 13 couldn‘t achieve the extraordinary academics Jagan displayed from the very beginning. They were both students of the village primary school, after which Chandra went to his maternal grand parents who lived in Gwaliar. Chandra after doing his matriculation in the first division offered commerce, and after graduating in commerce he joined MBA in Gwaliar from where he passed in good merit and became a consultant in mining earning huge profits out of his professional expertise. During the course of three years that he graduated a woman doing medical collegian got interested in him and ensnared him in her dubious love muddle ultimately resulting in secret eloped temple marriage. The woman, Chaitali, was a specimen of the worst kind of perverted oviparous ilkvixenish by nature, an oscillating but calculatingly greedy person bordering depraved delictum.

Thakur Vikram Singh was a man of substance. One of his forefathers led the contingent against the Mughals on the outskirts of Delhi. He died fighting with glory. His musket and sword are still kept as family weapons of honor. Another was a veteran freedom fighter. Every generation produced some man of destiny. Pandit Sukhram and Thakur Sardar Singh, besides Chetram are regular visitors to the Haveli. Vikram uses a horse, ‗Bahadur,‘ for his daily sojourns to visit his farm and meet people around Nandgaon. Chairs are laid in the sit on of outer Chowk of the haveli for people to lounge in audience when Vikram returns from his visits or stays at home. Pandit and Sardar both were sitting in the chowk when Vikram returned.

‗Dadaji has arrived, I will take Bahadur and you prepare the hookah,‘ Lallo said to Badri the boy servant in a hurry.

‗Pandit, why pray Indra Dev has become such a miser now,‘ Vikram said to one of the fellow sitting, alighting from his horse and handing the reigns and the horse cane to Lallo.

‗Thakur Saab, its all due to Kaliyug,‘ replied Pandit, adding ‗We should get going to Dauji Maharaj to pray for more rains.‘

‗That‘s a good idea,‘ said Sardar, looking towards the Thakur.

‗Let‘s go,‘ Thakur replied, adding, ‗But why canal people are sleeping over the dry spell. It‘s September end and there are neither rains nor canal water to irrigate the thirsty crops. Sugarcane is almost half dried, and well irrigation can‘t cope with large crop.‘

‗I had been to the ziledar as directed by you,‘ said Sardar, ‗he replied, orders will come from above for the canal to be opened and when will it come he doesn‘t know.‘

‗But I know,‘ said Thakur, adding, ‗They are more interested in Daresi, than releasing water. I will have to speak to the Collector the next time I go to meet him.‘

There was some delay in bringing the Hookah. Lallo with menacing eyes called Badri in the Tabela-stable, ‗Why, you haramkhor, so much delay to bring the Hookah.‘

‗Lallo, Bhaiya you water the Hookah, I am preparing bead-fire for the chilam,‘ requested Badri.

‗You, mother-fucker, don‘t order me, bring your mother tonight, I will water her in the manner she will always crave for me,‘ cried Lallo.

‗Oh, Saale Lallo Chachu, I have grown up to fuck your ripe sister now, if you allow I may wet her this night,‘ adding, Hookah is ready now, take it to the sit on,‘ yelled Badri.

Mooli Dhoban signaled Badri to take the glasses of milk to be given to the guests. He obeyed briskly. Mooli worked in the Haveli kitchen. She was a Dhobin-washerwoman but worked as cook, only because of her expertise in cooking.

Hookah-Farsi was an elaborate equipment of tobacco smoking with Chilam, filtered through water at the bottom. Every time a Chilam was prepared, water of the Hookah was also changed. The Chilam, an earthen longish bowl with a hole in its neck that was fixed into the Hookah, was an object that kept the children, servants and the ladies of the household always alert, besides being a pet item for various local vernacular epithets. An earthen round ball was put first at the inner bottom of the Chilam to stop any solid pass into the Hookah pipe neck. Tobacco, finely prepared through a tedious recipe, was put over the earthen ball. It was then covered with an earthen round tava, a small ball saucer-shaped thin cover of 2/3 inch diameter. Over this fresh fire balls made of the dried cow dung cakes was added filling the Chilam full to the brim. It was then put over the Farsi neck. And the guests enjoyed smoking. It was the traditional welcome gesture to honor any guest by offering him the Hookah. It was an ensign of great respect to offer it to the guest. If one was socially boycotted the first gesture was refusal to share Hookah with the forbidden outcast. It carried a great social sanctity. Countless Chilams went in preparation during a single day. The fire was always kept alive through the twenty four hours in all households. It was considered a bad omen if the fire got extinguished. It was lit on the occasion of Holi, and through out the year round the clock it was never put out. It perhaps was a tradition from the ancient fire worship commandments of the pre-Vedic period.

India is a legend of attitude. Sacred Veda was orally remembered and passed on from one generation to other, thus keeping the knowledge intact. Even modern China tries to emulate the ancient Indian tradition, with the sole distinction while the former was purely voluntary and sprang from a passion to learn, the later is imposed. Chen teaches legal- theory classes at the China Institute of Industrial Relations in Beijing. Chen demands of his students to memorize and recite The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which he admits to be forced enlightenment, in the hope that someday China will be more humane and intellectually tolerant country. Indians worship the same gods their ancient ancestors worshipped in the hoary past. The perennial continuity of Indian civilization is as unique as it is exclusive. The respect for tradition enriches character. Character builds man. Man accepts future with confidence and courage. India is destiny. There is no threat from external force for deterrence and preparedness by the new resurgent India to meet any attempt now will repulse it. Damage to destiny if ever it happens would occur from black sheep‘s within. 15

Badri came and took the chilam for refilling and carried the empty glasses. It is normal practice of the Mohini estate to offer milk to guests and honor those who smoke by Hookah, though all and sundry couldn‘t be offered with the honorable Hookah. In an old society every thing or gesture, carry deep meaning. Culture of any people is constituted this way. Observance of these deep rooted rules of social interaction becomes, in course of time, the subject of folklore. The degree of richness of folklore would indicate the richness of that culture. The accumulated cultures of people make a civilization.

Thakur Vikram Singh had gone to meet the Collector, Mr. De Willie, a Scot from England, with the traditional Dallied-presents of fruits, dry fruits and silver coins, the number of which indicated the worth and standing of the person offering presents. He has mentioned the non-availability of canal water for sugarcane crops. The Collector has listened. Previous Thakurs have been meeting the Collectors in the same manner. Collectors had been listening to them and accepting Dallies. Not much has, however, happened to lessen the people‘s woes. There had always been an undercurrent of hidden animosity in between the trader imperialists and the local people represented by the Zamindar or the Taluqdar, who refused to acquiesce to the perception of a class of vanquished representative of the local Raiyat-natives, as they were called. There were clash of interests also. Zamindar was an intermediary. The Raj depended almost entirely on the land revenue. The loser in most cases was the poor peasant, the beast of the burden.

The Haveli was built over an acre land and was huge in dimension, with two chowks, stables, grain storage and agro-machines, guest rooms, servant quarters, stables. The green cover of the Haveli, as well as of entire Nandgaon was immense and the lush green coverage with trees of Neem, Pipal, Bargad, Bel, Kadam, fruit trees of Jamun, mango, guava and pomegranate. With so much green cover the bird population too was prolific. The musical echoes of the morning and evening get to-gathers of the birds, thousands in number, before launching their day in search of food or pairing in the morning, returning to their nesting places after day‘s fill was over in the evenings, the pageant was cherubic. Both Vikram and Mohini would sit in the inner Chowk, where no outsider could enter without permission, and listen to the sweet flurry of birds fly in circles, up and down and enjoy the eco-friendly biosphere of the colorful fowl fauna. The bird population included big birds of peacocks, medium sized pigeons, crows, sparrows of different body frames, parrots, quails, cuckoos, partridges and small birds ranging from little sparrows to tiny humming birds in the hinterland of Braj, predominantly famous for vans-forests.

The variety of wing color witnessed and the off take of their fallen dried wings was both interesting and useful. The daily collection of the bird bead while sweeping the entire habitat added nicely to the manure yard giving impetus to flourishing crops in the estate farm.

‗Mooli, bring Nimboo-pani first,‘ asked Mohini, adding, ‗bring tea, almonds, and salted mix biscuits here.‘

‗Mohini, how is Jagan?‘ Vikram asked softly.

‗He is well, he hardly remains indoors for any minutes,‘ replied Mohini.

‗Absence of his parents Nirmal and Surat – is it not disturbing him?‘ he asked.

‗Sometimes he recollects Nirmal, wants to know when she will come home,‘ Mohini told her husband, adding, ‗He does not care for Surat, though. He is happy with his grand parents.‘

A peacock spread its colorful wings vertically and danced in slow grand movements to woo the three she-cocks who encircled the big bird in the distant corner of the huge Chowk. The lady peacocks appeared to overlook the gesture, but one stayed on. The dance continued. The Sahacharies watched the peacock Ras Lila in the heavens and be blessed.

Mooli brought tea tray with morning snacks. Mohini asked her, ‗Bring two glasses cool water.‘

With two silver glasses of cool water Mooli returned quickly. Mohini asked her, ‗Call Bhopti at 11 o‘clock.‘

‗O.K. Dadiji,‘ Mooli replied and returned.

There was a flurry of pigeon pairing over tree and roof tops. Out of scores of the species two birds paired and sat over roof parapet sill eagerly. The sturdy male made various noises and queer pitched sounds to show his attention to his beloved grey she bird. She appeared to acknowledge his advances. The he-bird with his strong beak advanced towards her and entangled with her beaks closely and tightly, which posture stopped their queer sounds. The pair remained in this eternal kissing sweet talk mien for a blissful elongated period. Such passionate extended kiss of a pigeon pair was not normally witnessed earlier. After the kiss both disengaged themselves and caressed their bodies tenderly while the male carried on flirting eloquently to woo his partner. The flirtation was mutual and with consent. Foreplay over, the sturdy male bird flocking his wings jumped over the low postured back of the she bird, who was ready to receive her lover, and made love, reaching to a blissful climax seen by the queer intense flocking of their wings. Angels watched the pair that later flew on to their days routine itinerary.

The Thakurs were rather familiar with pigeons and partridges. One of their recent ancestors, in the heyday of the later Mughals, was a prominent patron of pigeons and partridges, and held championships of the bird tournaments in the upper doab, for which he was known in north India. Such pigeon games were normally held in summer months. There were two kinds of championships. One highlighted the bird‘s ability to fly high and for durations which extended from hours to whole day. The winner birds were those that achieved the highest flying height in the sky; and those that could fly for the maximum period of time in one go without break. The second tournament was focused in grounding the maximum number of the opponent‘s pigeons by the champion bird, wherein the champion bird attacked, aired, whistled the pigeons of the opponent and forced them, one by one, to come down on the ground. One that grounded the maximum number of pigeons was the winner. The former game was called girahbazz kabutari, and the later golewali kabutari. Huge crowds assembled to witness the games. The birds were trained and rich diet was given. It was a passion with the patrons of these birds. For prize distribution functions only experienced veteran patron of the bird games were invited. In Avadha there 18 are still people who are fond of these games and pigeons of various breeds are tamed, trained and sold in the special market. These were aristocratic hobbies indulged in by the enterprising carefree young inheritors of the lands they lived and exploited to while away time and show off dignity in the absence of fruitful management of the estates having been over taken by the firangee rulers. Only part of the revenue would accrue to them; major share went to the ruler‘s treasury. Originally owners and administrators the wily zamindars were reduced to a position of agents of the Raj.

On the arrival of much awaited first showers, Braj jhoola-swing festivals occur after the rains have soaked the heat of the summer and drizzled to cool both the body and mind. In the inner Chowk of the Haveli over the huge Neem trees, jhoolas are laid for the swing festivals and at the invitation of Nirmal Kaur of the Mohini estate, the young elite of Nandgaon‘s prettiest damsels, both virgin and married, newly wed brides in their colorful attires and spirited dancing ballerinas of the village come for the ballet, fete and swing. The swings are prolonged and huge. There is no time limit these colorful sorties continued, till the damsels were tired out or sun appeared with all its glory after cocks croaking has ceased forewarning of the vee hours approaching to usher in a fresh day. On most occasions there are crowds of the young world. Young girls with no make up, fresh apple colored cheeks, rose hued lips, long lustrous dark angel mists wavering with the winds of the swings, young newly married brides with lipsticks and Kumkum circles over their foreheads, grand ear rings, large golden nose rings, necklaces of various designs, beautiful hands profusely decorated in various designs with dark red Mehendi-Hina, fingers embedded with plural rings, bangles and bracelets, their lean waists loosely encircled by golden ringing Kaudhani-waste-bands, musical Payals and Ghunghuros in their slender shining feet orated by musical toe-rings, they danced their nights out, spreading the reverberating scintillating sweet songs in the call of their beloveds and lovers, brothers and sisters, mothers and mother-in-laws, not to forget the rival sister-in-law. The dance enchantress and that female extraordinary, Chameli, led the dancing bouts. Chameli, in the glorious tradition of Vasavadatta and Amrapali was the Nagar Vadhu of Nandgaon. She gave value to the swing festivals of Nandgaon.

The slender fairy young balletic curvaceous maidens made it a heavenly adventurous episode, the bouts often taking pairing of the newly weds and virgins both groups seeking the legendary Chameli to enhance their groups chances of triumphant epilogue. The virgin maidens were full of hope, spirits and ecstasy. They were fresh, lively and aspiring. They were untouched, youthful and eager to take a plunge. Newly weds have crossed the channel and carried the buoyancy from virginity to womanhood. They have tasted the fruits of their expectations and were full of promises however short lived these might be. They were eager to taste their destiny. The youthful brides having consummated their yearnings of love and bestowed as god‘s source of creation, set their feet with a blossoming confidence and laid the occasion‘s agenda, celebration at its very best. Since there were no male onlookers except the gatecrashers or sneaking niche gallery consisting of the young blood of the opposite gender, maidens turned up in their natural upbeat mood of free exuberance exhibiting their best performance and physical charm. The chorus of sweet songs accompanied by the rhythm so spectacular it almost took the grand performance of sportive gymnastics, the participants being blissfully ignorant of any sort of eventual consummation. 19

Dancers were agog with the dynamics of their gender and depth of the ceremonial occasion. The cumulative tinkling of various foot ornaments in absence of the dancing bracelets worn by only professional dancers mingled out perfectly in the melodious voice of the main singer led by Chameli in complete harmony of the simple almost sole musical instrument of the dominant dholak-indigenous drum. The crisp cool air of the night reverberated with the melodious music in the open sky being filtered through the dense foliage of the trees vegetative growth under which the swings-jhoola were slung. The pearls of perspiration mingled with the pink hue of their cheeks, the lustrous ear rings rollicking over the cheekbones touching the perspiration pears in the manner little humming birds touch blooming flowers to feel and digest its cool fragrance. The romance of the celebration shuffled the array of girls and damsels in droves of enchanting performers enacting a luxurious finale to the legendary event watched out by the elite of elderly ladies, neighboring kids including Jagan and Shano, where Hina too was present prominently.

Braj Sawan-Bhadon songs carry rich culture of the land.

„Saman ayo sugarha suhamano ji, eji koi ayi hai ajab bahar !! Dhan kun re rangai dai meri sinkiya ji, pachrango chhabidar ! Jhula to jhulain sakhiya bagh mei ji, eji koi gabat geet-malhar !!‟

‗Delightful month of Savan has come with elegant blossom ! Get my blouse deep dyed in bright five rainbow colors!! As Sakhis are swinging in the garden singing sweet enchanting melodies !‘

“Hariyal Sawan ayo meri Sohano ji, eji koi barase gola dhar !! Gayi saheli amma meri sang ki ji, eji koi jhoola daru bar ki dar !”

‗Green delightful Savan has come, as it rains in torrents ! My friends has gone, Amma get my swing fixed in the garden !!

“Ari bhaina, saton saheli chalo sang, jhula pe chaliken jhulano ! Kaise khadi hau ri bhaina anamani, ari bibi kaiso tumhara satsang !! Itani suni kai sato chali dayi, ari bhaina man mein bhari hai umang ! Champa-chaman ke andar jaiken, ari behna sato saheli baithi sang !! Kare-kare badar bahna chhai rahe, ari bhaina meha ko hai rahiyo dhang ! Nheni-nheni bunden ri pari rahi, ari bhena chundari ko chhutyo rang !!”

‗Oh, all seven of us sisters together we go to enjoy the swing ! Oh, sister, how do you look disenchanted, how is your company!! Listening it all seven sisters set out, with great gusto in their hearts ! After entering the lush orchard, all sisters sat together and have joy ! Deep black clouds are overcast, sisters it might rain right now! Drip bits of rain drops are falling, sister my scarf will get discolored !!‘

The management of the farm by Thakur Vikram Singh depended on the six regular servants and an equal number of recruits to beggar-unpaid labor on demand of the seasonal 20 farm operations. Vikram Singh had six pairs of the oxen for cultivation and cart-load transportation functions of the farm commodities. The tractors had not yet normally appeared on the scene, at least not in this part of India. The bullocks were also used for irrigation purposes by the traditional water drawing from the wells and later the Persian wheels, besides the canal irrigation. Lands under the canal command area, gave better yield of foodgrains, particularly sugarcane, wheat and mustard. All pulses were grown, but Dal Urad was the favorite. Groundnut was not grown here. The staple crops were wheat, barley and sugarcane. Gur-Shakkar, the traditional jaggery was the main cash crop, though of late rice production has picked up exciting the farmers because of its better yield and return. Vikram Singh rarely took to tilling of land personally, but whenever he went for cultivation he did a better job than his expert servants. He usually went to see the farming operations on horse back, nicknamed Bahadur, which was his mode of transportation for his normal travels in vicinity. His farm yielded a total of about a thousand maunds of food grains every year. Farming required lot of hard work and the returns were not commensurate with the inputs. The plight of daily wagers and workers on beggar was rather indurate. The young mind of Jagannath was, at times, immersed in thought, on such matters. He could not foresee that far as yet, but he was surely thinking about the discrimination, which apparently was being exercised between him and Kirpa or, for example, Nekiram, his friends from the lower castes. His infant mind could not discern its reasons though.

1.4

Jagan was the darling child of his Dadiji. Ranbir his elder brother lived with her maternal grandfather; he was not interested in any serious work or studies. Jagan normally slept with his playmate tiny girl Shanti in his room, but when in playful mood he came to his Dadi‘s room and played with her. Dadiji was a storehouse of tales and often stories were told that made him sleep:

‗Once upon a time a king was badly defeated by his adversary in battle. Dejected of his life he proceeded to an unknown destination. He went on and on. It was thus getting difficult to get recognition as a king; four old women met him on his way.

The king asked the first woman, ‗Maiya, who are you and what is your name.‘

‗I am Thirst Maiya,‘ she replied.

The king was confused. He had never heard such a name. Out of curiosity he asked her, ‗What is this Thirst, Maiya? I couldn‘t understand it.‘

The woman then replied, ‗ Look Bhaiya, when I make my presence felt, people are forced to drink even dirty water; when I am absent people don‘t touch most cherishable sweet drinks in sparkling silver glasses. I am indispensable for the living world, for no one can survive without water.‘

The king was satisfied with the reply. He then asked of the second woman.

‗I am Hunger Maiya, my son,‘ she replied.

‗What does it mean?‘

‗When I make my presence felt, wooden doors taste like thin crisp pulse cakes. Stale left over cake is eaten in appetite; when I am absent most delicious food is tasteless and instead of eating no one would like to touch the delicacies.‘

The third woman was also standing beside them. Introducing herself she said, ‗I am Sleep Maiya. When I come people sleep like an unconscious one. Sleeping over uneven stones does not bother; when I do not come, people take turns even over milk-white luxurious beds and remain restless awake the whole night.‘

The fourth woman was standing at some distance. The king went to her and paid homage. Her attire was rich and affluent. He asked her who she was. She replied, ‗Look son, I am Hope Maiya.‘

The king looked towards her with a split vision.

Said she, ‗I am different than the three-some you have met. Without me there is nothing. I am catered till the last breath. With me all are alive. Without me death is certain. You too are roaming aimless. Man must never be hopeless; get to achieve the object with double spirit. What if you were defeated once? If you fight again with renewed vigor your success is assured.‘

Hearing her, the king became aspired and hopeful; after return to his state, he reorganized his army and obtained his lost rule by defeating the enemy.‘

By the time the story was nearing end in whispering tone Jagan was fast asleep.

Dadiji recounted such tales on countless occasions; the tales enriched Jagan‘s psyche and made his roots firm in the Braj culture.

Most often Jagan was either with his playmate Shanti in their tender innocence or lost in his Dadi‘s fables. A robust common sense was in the making.

1.5

In her days of glory Thakurani Mohini Kaur used her affluence to help and win over people‘s confidence. Dulari Bhangin, Bhopti Cobbleri, Midiya Kasai, Begum Telin, Pyari Koria, Haripyari Kachhi, Anisa Fakirin, and Mooli Dhobin all made rounds to gather attentions of the Thakurani, with the aim of getting some badly needed financial help to pass over their abject poverty. Their life and the lives of their family entourages were difficult. They had a child born every second year, whose survival rate was below sixty percent. Their husbands were mostly recruited for beggar in the zamindari estates. At times they will be given food for work. At times, when the mood of the estate managers was in bad temper, they were kicked off without any food either. With scanty food in their homes these wretched people at times slept without it. Mohini‘s house-hold had enormous duties to be performed by the servants and people on beggar. Interestingly the Mohini estate was a forerunner in area of woman liberation; whole staff of the estate that mattered in the village was drawn from sc females of the village of outstanding ability. The secular character of the estate was as modern as was its gender acceptability in daily life; women who cooked and served meals in the household were all members of the future scheduled castes and tribes as enumerated by the colonial rulers. In fact this particular estate‘s integrity as a secular and benevolent unit was firmly entrenched in its historical existence; perhaps it was because of these benign traits that its inheritors met unusual success in their own enterprises and in lifting the lives of many above their possible goals.

Mooli and Pyari were kitchen regulars of the Haveli. They worked with Lallo and Badri who attended the estate pets including the horse, Bahadur, a pure Arab breed, and outer Chowk duties. Both Lallo and Badri could not overlook any order coming from either Mooli or Pyari. Dulari and Bhopti were assigned duties of clean-sweep the entire Haveli area and summon people required by the Thakurani, respectively. Bhopti was Thakurani‘s ambassador pleny potentiary. Beside, her being an expert shop lifter no body connected with the estate in the village could take her lightly.

‗Mooli, go and see if Dadiji has got up. Put hot water for her and see her Chappals- slippers are beside her bed. Clean her puja idols and the puja room,‘ asked Nirmal, who got up earliest in the family.

‗Maji, Lallu is doing the horse, I have asked Badri to milk the cows first,‘ said Pyari.

‗OK, you prepare for curd-sputtering and churning of butter-milk then buffaloes should be milked,‘ ordered Nirmal.

‗Maji Dadaji‘s tea is ready; I have asked Lallo to take it after the horse is ready. He will go for his morning horse-walk to the farm,‘ informed Mooli.

‗Also ask Badri to prepare the sit-on of the outer chowk,‘ asked Nirmal.

‗Pyari, see If Jagan is still asleep; is he alone or that shy girl Shanti is also with him sleeping?‘ asked Nirmal. 23

‗Maji, Bhaiya is sleeping. Shanti didn‘t come yesterday. Mooli rebuked and returned her last night. Bhaiya was already asleep when she came,‘ replied Pyari.

‗Hina was at his room; I have returned her as Bhaiya is still sleeping,‘ Pyari informed.

‗It‘s well. Get me a cup of tea, and prepare for the breakfast,‘ asked Nirmal.

‗Maji, Dadaji has left for his walk, Badri has milked the buffalos too; what is to be prepared for breakfast,‘ asked Mooli.

‗Ma,‘ called Jagan.

‗Nirmal, Bhaiya is awake, look what he wants,‘ said Dadiji in the midst of her puja.

‗Coming,‘ replied Nirmal to her son.

She went to Jagan‘s room, caressed him, and took him to the bath. ‗Brush teeth properly,‘ she asked her child and returned, adding, ‗Call me when ready, I will wash your face myself.‘ She mentally repeated the old Braj Lori, sung by mothers washing child faces in morning:

„Kichi-Kichi kaua khaya, dudh batase lallo khai‟

‗Washed mud, mire, and ooze will eat the crow! Our darling child will eat sugar cake with milk!!‘

‗Yes,‘ replied the child Jagan.

‗Mooli, I am going to take bath; for breakfast, cow milk, almonds and cereal for Jagan, very light parathas for Dadaji and Dadiji with yogurt, some apple sliced, juice citrus for Dadiji. I will take a glass of butter-milk with a dry small paratha,‘ ordered Nirmal and went to bathroom to take care of her son, and take bath herself.

Pyari had done curd-spurting-churning and put makhan-cream separate in cow and buffalo cream-jars. The daily output of both creams was about three seers-more than six pounds; consumption was not even half of it. This cream was heated every week on Mondays to make Ghee. The surplus Ghee was stocked to be used on festive occasions, and for special food items such as Laddos and other sweet delicacies. Water room was cleaned and fresh potable water drawn from the Haveli well was stored for the day. Lallo helped Pyari draw water from the well and store in earthen pitchers; he was somewhat attracted and drawn towards her, though he knew she was married. The fact of marriage was of no consequence, however, in such quick or frivolous amorous laisons which were common.

‗Anisa, has she come, Mooli,‘ asked Nirmal.

‗She hasn‘t yet, Maji, yesterday‘s clothes are also lying to be washed,‘ replied Mooli.

‗Well, ask her to come early from tomorrow,‘ ordered Nirmal.

After bath and her Puja, Nirmal took breakfast. Dadaji and Dadiji have already taken it. Jagan has been fed and he has run away.

Cow-dung cakes were prepared by Bhopti, and the milking animals were taken to be sent to the village shepherd for grazing.

People started pouring in to meet the Thakur. The sit-on in the outer chowk was cleaned, local cane chairs were put and the hookah prepared. Cots have to be put under the Pipal tree shade, where Thakur Vikram Singh would sit in audience with his friends and visitors and the unending chain of Chilam preparations would commence. The day will proceed to prepare lunch for the inmates of the household. After the afternoon siesta, the evenings would again call for the care of the animals, their milking in time, afternoon tea and snacks, often milk was offered to most of the guests who came to meet either the Thakur or the Thakurani. It was the standard practice of the Mohini household to feed all the servants morning and late evening meals. It applied to all regular beggary-worker without pay also, which meant they were employed solely on food for work.

1.6

Jagan recounted with nostalgia his early memories, ‗With Hina and at times Shanti, and other boys and girls we will enter the evening and after a satisfying meal go to sleep. Many a days I will share meals with Hina in her house. Being Mohammedan butchers they were usually cooking meat almost daily. But I was offered vegetarian Lal Mirch Chatni, for which her mother Midniya was renowned, and the Chatni was brand named as Midniya-Ki- Chatni, and Dal-pulse at times. Equal number of days she will eat with me at my house. She was fond of rice and Senwai-noodles, dishes they prepared on festivals like Id and Tazia. Culturally set quite apart were our family, the local zamindars traditionally the ruling elite of the village with large land holdings, and affecting the lives of most villagers in many ways. On festivals we would have a rich variety of food, mainly consisting of Kheer, Puaa, Puri and Kachauri. Hina liked Kheer.

‗My early schooling in the village was both a pleasure and an opportunity to learn the basics of not only subjects like arithmetic and geography, but about the ground rules of 25 rural life, under the beneficent tutelage of Guruji Ganeshilal, the veteran. It was not as if all village school going boys and girls liked it. Some were not only hesitant but obstinate too in going to school or leaving at their whims. Strangely I enjoyed going there. Having learnt the vernaculars of Hindi, the emphasis was on learning the tables. The standard practice was that I would be asked by Guruji to stand up in front of the blackboard to chant one numerical loudly. The whole class would repeat it. I will proceed further up the table, the entire class repeating it in a chorus, and in the process memorizing the whole table. The process will be repeated quite a number of times. It was my privilege to be asked by Guruji to come forward and recite the tables to the class. The reason was simple. I had learnt the tables thoroughly beforehand, and could recite to the whole class fluently without any hiccups. Whenever there were encounters of elders with us, they would ask how many tables we have learnt, and then would give a particular table to recite on the spot. The most difficult tables were opted to be given to us to be recited. These were tables 7, 9 and 13 or any odd numbers. If we could recite it correctly, fluently and adeptly, there were lots of praises, hugs and encouragements. This and other family practices were part of the motivating factors that impelled young minds to learn tables or any subject more attentively. These were routine. Then the fear of Guruji‘s punishments was writ large on our minds. We tried to save ourselves from the award of these punishments. The most common punishment was the cock posture. One has to remain in the Murga-cock posture for long periods of time. Two portents went in undergoing the ordeal. One has to touch one‘s ears by hand and at times a broken chalk stick was placed over the spine, and the moment that piece of chalk fell it was foul. At times the beatings were also given. The fear of punishments propelled us to obey the rules of the game. An interesting refreshing short break from the strict routine was to stand up, inform Guruji of giving permission to ease ourselves, or make water, as they call it, and run out of the class. It was a few minutes siesta, but was welcome. Many boys used it as a pretext to get out of the class.‘

‗Most of the evenings we will play either Gilli-Danda, the fore runner of the present Golf or Dhai-Kot, the old hide and seek game, in the village open areas. Boys from neighborhood would gather in the open Painth-open space and play till lengthening shadows and when games became unexciting a select group of boys would venture towards the open meadows. The dogs will follow, many of which were pets. The great expanse of lush green crops gave the area an aura of a huge canvass of green cover. The only time when the fields were empty was after the Rabi season crops have been harvested, wheat, barley, oats, gram and mustard. Some irrigated areas were green with fodder crops for the cattle, and such nutritious crops like carrot, onions, ginger. These green patches were around the wells, which were called Chahi, or besides the canal irrigation channels. During the summer vacations it was a favorite pastime for us boys to go in the open and enjoy chase of rabbits along with dogs, though it was rare when any smart little animal was caught. We were also not so much interested in the killing of the creature, but the sport part of it. Marathon races following the swift paced rabbits, galloping in the open fields, then entering the fresh sugarcane crop fields, where the plants has gained height enough to give cover to the animals being chased, will exhaust all our energies. The best time to sow sugarcane crop was in February-March and by the time we had summer vacations, plants have sprouted and grown a height of a feet or so. The dog squad, with their long tongues hanging from their mouths almost dripping, body bathed in perspiration, was a spectacle to 26 discern. The despondency of not getting their prey was writ large on their faces. They looked to us as if crying to devise some way to get the prey. Each family was by tradition host to at least one dog, since the poor animals did not get any shikar, each will be feeded after the family has eaten. Out of all the domesticated animals, dogs have a special understanding with humans. Dogs serve humans in various ways. They are best and dependable friends. They are the best security for the villagers. The sheer numbers of the canine and their sharp sense of sound and smell during night that immediately recoiled with huge barking orgies by the entire group was a major deterrent to the thieves and bad characters. The dogs had areas of influence clearly demarcated. Any dog committing a breach of the rule of sovereignty put itself in danger and jeopardy. It was destined to be beaten back to its area after a good thrashing, the interloper sustaining serious bodily injuries, which will remind it for not repeating the mistake. At times there were pitched battles, if the number of trespassers was bigger consisting of healthy males. And when at the mating season, which began with the onset of monsoon in July, the eligible males and female species vied for each other‘s favors, the dogfights were most ferocious. The dog pups were the fascination for youngsters to lap and play with. The taming and training of young pups was full of fun and interest for the children of the village. The cult of ownership began with a chosen pup being chained by a child to be fed and taken care of according to the needs of the animal. Besides other domesticated cattle the oxen, cow, buffalo canine were the most trusted companions of the villagers, besides the equine.‘

It would appear the dog which had so many attributes with regard to the people in Braj they had come to bestow some sort of divinity to the species. At Kukargama, in Sadabad Paragana of Mathura district there is an ancient shrine of Kukar Devi where a mela-fair is held on the festival of Phul Dol, Chaitbadi 7. There is a grave of a dog, perhaps a female, besides a pond, said to have been built by a banjara-trader, where people bitten by dogs are brought to be treated and cured. On the west of the Gulf of Cambay, 20 miles south of Bhavnagar, is another place named after the dogs, Kukur or Kukuta.

Indians love of ecology and the dog entered their mythology too, when Parikshit, the only surviving grandson of Arjun was made ruler, the five Pandava brothers having decided to be ascetics retiring to Meru Parvat accompanied by Draupadi, where they all die, except Yudhistara, who refuses to enter heaven, if besides his brothers, his dog is not there with him. Indra promises Yudhistara that will be done.

‗Chase formed most important feature of pleasure excursions for most kings in ancient times, perhaps a necessary activity indulged and picked up from days when humans hunted to feed themselves. Some ancient writers exhorted kings to avoid it for various safety reasons, however, Kautilya, the Indian statesman strongly recommended it for reasons of exercise, reduction of fat and bile, skill in aiming at stationary and moving objects, knowledge of the minds of animals and their sudden movements, which made a king agile and perfect fit to rule. It had been repeated by Kalidas when Dushyanta in Act II of Sakuntala is made to praise hunt. Magasthenes, a contemporary of Asoka, tells of royal hunt: ‗The king departs for the chase, in bacchanalian fashion. Crowds of women surround him and outside of this circle spearmen are ranged. The road is marked off with ropes, and it is death, for man and woman alike, to pass within the ropes. Men with drums and gongs 27 lead the procession. The king hunts in the enclosure and shoots arrows from a platform. At his side stand two or three armed women. If he hunts in the open ground he shoots from the elephant back. Of the women some are on the chariots, some on horses, and some even on elephants, and they are equipped with weapons of every kind, as if they were going on a campaign. Kalidas in his Sakuntala also describes Dushyanta similarly as if going on an expedition attended by Yavana women with bows in hand. Chase seems to have formed a major activity of the vihar yatras, pleasure trips, indulged in by the kings, including Asoka, who after the Kalinga war changed the tenor to propagate Dhamma. Mahabharat too contains a reference to vihar yatras which Yudhishthira organized for enabling Dhritarashtra to forget the grief caused by the death of his hundred sons; however, this included music, dainties and conjurers‘ tricks, indicating to the existence of two types of vihar yatras.‟

‗From the days my surroundings become relevant to my senses I was used to be awakened before dawn by the vociferous chirping of hundreds of tiny bird sparrows whose chorus of musical little bits of their language in which they were in a mode of either chirp, call, chip, chirrup, lilt, purl, quaver, roll, sing, trill, tweet, twitter, warble or just talking and planning about how to start the day that has just spread the first blush over them. The medium was the Banyan tree older than both me and my almost ancient haveli, spreading its heavily laden branches with thick large dark green leaves and purple ripe fruits feeded upon by a large variety of species including besides the tiny brown sparrow crowd whose scurrilous and sonorous twiddle awakened me daily from my morning siesta, squirrels, pigeons, parrots, crows and other medium sized birds of the interesting estate fauna. The number of years of my childhood I was used to be arisen in morning by the quaint sweet alarm trill of the birds has become part of my psyche which still reverberates in the memory lane; many decades later when I slept in the same bedroom this peculiar natural morning alarm system was astonishingly conspicuous by its absence and it led me to the unpleasant discovery of the total disappearance of the familiar bird species. Perhaps the tiny little sweet birds were lost the way many other animal species are being lost. Inclusion in the endangered species was the royal pair of the Saris crane - Grubs Antigun, which was the most attractive sight for me and my playmate Shanti, when we visited our Nandgaon meadows in the adventurous wilderness of youth. The sight of the Saris pair and their elegant gait and loud call was so enchanting to Shano she would venture to its sight in the early cool morning hours when the big birds moved around the large Nandgaon pond. In the half cool morning hours she would alert me by whispering in my ears her ardent wish to come with her in the open fields to behold the elegant pair of the royal Nandgaon cranes; at times I would shut her mouth by kissing her over her lips and at other occasions I would get interested myself to watch the big birds and we would both run out of our haveli to watch the grand pair propelled by their love of each other. Other species, humans included, has to learn the wonderful art of fidelity and living together under the most sacred life sharing peculiarity from the pair of cranes; nothing except premature death does separate the innate pair from its mate, the fidelity bond being equally voluntary and binding to both partners-male and female, an attribute by which the big birds are known.‘

‗We as children didn‘t have either the knowledge or where-with-all how some species of the wild were fast disappearing; during our childhood black bucks and large herds of 28 deer that roamed in great numbers in and around Nandgaon in wilderness unperturbed have mysteriously vanished and I with Kirpa and others would only run after rabbits, though we never thought of hunting such large animals yet something very attractive natural exuberance was missing.

For children it was more of a physical exercise than the chase for hunting. During our ignorance similarly other species were too fast disappearing though in different locales than Nandgaon. Tiger population is fast depleting despite tiger reserves in the country that attracts a good percentage of tourists interested in the wild. Tiger is typically Indian and like the endangered borders with its great neighbor China the tiger experiences apprehensions of its extinction by way of illicit wild life trade which according to the Interpol is worth approximately $ 12 billion in a year. India as home to some of the charismatic animals on the planet is now a major source market for this illegal trade. Although some poaching incidents are one-off events, many are part of large organized networks of poachers, traders and smugglers - all controlled by city-based businessmen who are seldom linked directly to the illicit goods. The percolation of human greed is both dangerous and demeaning.‘

‗We youngsters felt the vacations went off rather too soon. The village rusticity was tranquil and serene; ecology prospered keeping a healthy environment.‘

A wandering sage sang in the far off village suburb, as the morning twilight brightens the east sky: 29

„Jagiye Giriraja Kumar, bhora bhayo angana ! Bat ke batohi chaley, panchhi chaley chugna !!‟

‗Rise Oh Giriraja Kumar Krishna, morning appears in courtyard ! Travelers have begun journey, birds fly to feed on routine !!‘

1.7

Nandgaon‘s Sarpanch Munshiji, Pratap Singh and Ram Singh were, however, far from being tranquil. They had heard about Gandhi, Nehru and Patel, and were uneasy about the peace, which only provided guided poverty, illiteracy, backwardness, and squalor. Long years of alien autocratic ruler‘s oppressive methods of arbitrary governance have completely alienated the common people from the institution called the government. People‘s main concerns were to protect themselves from the treacherous methods of exploitation by the functionaries of the government who came into their contact. They included the lower revenue and police officials. Caroga was a symbol of the foreign rule and was widely feared. So also was the local Pataki, who was, though, not oppressive violently, like the Caroga or his Sinai, but was equally unscrupulous in an unbridled exploitation, both in matters of men and material. These petty officials represented the Raj to the people at large. The zamindari system, established by the Moguls, had percolated to the Raj, both in its content and extant. The superior castes and their bosses behaved like masters to the lower castes in the village social hierarchy. Lowest was the Bhangi-sweepers, who were definitely untouchables. They lived on the fringes of the village. Their job was to keep the village clean. This job was done mainly by their women folk. Men either reared some pigs or were working in Beggar at most of the zamindar family‘s asking. Nothing was paid to them for their work. It could be an hour‘s job or week‘s engagement. They neither were expected to claim any compensation, nor they ever claimed, they only begged. The pigs helped them keep the village clean, by way of clearing all human defecations, both in the morning and evening, when they were taken around the village environs, when the villagers went to ease themselves. Children who defecated in front of their dwellings, was cleared by the Bhangin-sweepers manually, and it was dumped at the Ghoore, the garbage dump, owned by each farmer, to be used as a farm manure as animal dung was also added to it, besides all the garbage that a family left. As one entered a village, one was welcomed by a row of Ghooras-garbage-dumps, on both sides of the already shrunken pathway, spreading a foul odor. Villagers had a surprisingly dissipated view of sanitation around their dwellings. Only women folk kept the inside of their dwellings clean, and 30 threw the garbage out of their homes, to be collected by the sweepers to be dumped at the individual Ghooras every day. Men soiled all the odd corners of spaces around their homes by pissing around as often as they had a call of nature, without observing any modesty of whether their children or the women folk might be passing the lanes and by lanes. It was surprising how such a degraded sense of sanitation developed in a people whose ancestors are regarded by the world‘s eminent archeologists and historians to be the forerunners in the development of the intricate art of city town planning and sanitation concepts during the dawn of civilization on earth, such as was prevalent in the Indus Valley cities, the exciting Harrapan Metropolices.

Poverty was acute. The village economy was agriculture based. Agriculture was based upon rains, which could be faulty during a season or might disappear for years together resulting in famine, disease and death. Whatever remained with the peasants was partook by the Raj as the land revenue and shared by its bulging functionaries as ‗peshkash‟, ‗dali‘, ‗nazar‘, and the like that has as many names as the way it was practiced. In the village the Mukhia, the Nambardar, the Thakur were privileged. The Bania-trader was dogmatic to earn even during famine, and was the only person in the village upon whose whims the entire populace fell back for money. The money laundering was of immense interest. The rates of interest went up to staggering per centage. The result was that the actual loan amount was never repaid, and the entire land or houses mortgaged in favor of the moneylender were gone in the payment of the interest alone. When landed property was exhausted, human bondage came, and younger children were mortgaged to work for their whole lives for the repayment of the interest and the loan amount. Slavery was replaced by the human bondage; a slave could be sold, while one in human bondage became the property of the owner for life.

Besides the land and the persons owning it, who were all, by tradition, members of the upper castes, there were in the village local artisans – dyers and darners, iron smith, the old potter, the weavers, the tailors, the carpenters, the telias, people who extracted oils of mainly the mustard, rai, and til, the cobblers and their clansmen who took care of all the hides and skin of the dead animals, a trade that gave them status and good livelihood. Of these except the dyers who were placed just below the upper castes, and the telias, who were converted Muslims, all others were low caste Hindus. The carpenters claimed to be Jangid Brahmins, aspiring to the same status as the Brahmins, though they were ridiculed at in their back by the patriarchal Brahmins. Jagannath recalled Ganeshi carpenter, who donned a yagyopavit, sacred thread, binding it around his right ear while going to make water, and washing his hands before he resumed work. The act of displaying the sacred thread was perhaps more ostensible to him than his having donned it under the scriptures. He would insist to eat only fried food-pakwaan, from his jijmans-clients while working for them that being a status practice open to the dwij-twice born only. Daily skilled workers traditionally came to work while they were offered food, besides their wages. Wages also were paid in two kinds. One set of skilled workers were paid twice a year, when the peasants harvested their crops. A definite quantity of grains was given to them as a result of the annual contract. They were summoned whenever there was the need, and were offered food for the day they worked, if it involved the whole day. Otherwise, if the job involved an hour or a couple of hours, they were offered a glass of milk or skimmed milk with gur- 31 jaggery. The second type of jobs that involved only a day‘s work, and with whom there was no annual contract, were paid for the day, by way of grains; wages by way of cash money were rarely paid, because the cash liquidity of the farmer was and had never been very good. The entire village economy thus revolved around the farmers. Barbers were also paid annual grains for their services round the year. There were fixed number of families who were served by these skilled workers, others will not be either called to perform, or they will refuse to oblige. In case of the cobblers, only such persons were called by the farmer who had the right to the hides and skins of the dead animals of that farmer, for which they paid nothing. They got the hides for free, and in return catered to the needs for the footwear requirements of the family members. But Jagannath had a problem about the footwear. He had a friend in Nekiram, the son of a cobbler, who was different from the hide contractor of the family, from whom he would not have his footwear made. He would get his shoes made by Nekiram only, whenever he was of age to wear shoes. Since Jagannath belonged to the ruling elite family of the village, he was not refused for goods by any one even out of family contract, and thus Nekiram supplied shoes to Jagannath, a grade better than the other ones.

Gur, shakkar – products of the sugarcane crop were placed in a very special edible in village life. It was the village sweet, trade marked. Many jobs were done by its offer as pay off. In the life of the common villager, it was the wholesome raw sweet. There were other sweets offered on the sweet shops mostly made out of the dairy products, the common people could not always afford. Jaggery or the Gur, Shakkar, were made out of an interesting process from the sugarcane juice. The crop ripened in December. Large sugarcane cultivators hired crushers, locally called the „kolhus‟, at a nominal rent. It was installed at a strategic point near the crop. A pair of oxen was used to move in eternal circles to grind and crush sugarcane. While one person moved the oxen, the other sat at the machine to feed it with a handful of canes regularly, the crushing becoming a non-stop operation, the juice being tunneled to a pit specially made to receive it. The pit was either cemented, or a nand-earthen bowl or a bucket was placed to receive the crushed juice-rasa. When full, it was emptied in the larger sugar pan-karhai, placed over a huge oven made near by. The oven was fired by dry crushed cane leftover, which was spread around the area to be dried in the sun, as soon as it was extracted from the back of the machine where it got piled up in heaps. The juice was heated to a certain degree in the pan when it had reached the required temperature and liquidity, measured by the wires it made when put under two fingers, by the skilled person who made gur, it was taken out of the heated pan, and put in a big tray-chaak, a cemented pan of about four feet diameter, to be cooled. While it was cooling, the person will feel it and texture by placing the back of his fingers over its cooled layer and judge when it would be ready to be swiftly kneaded by a wooden bladed shuffler-chardua. There was a smaller instrument that collected the remnants of the cooled material which was called „charduli‟. The technique of making gur or shakkar depended on the texture of the hot paste, called „chasni‟, and in its shuffling as swiftly as was required. No other sweet ever could taste better than the pure, fresh, warm gur eaten at the Kolhu, offered by the skilled person making it. Jagannath enjoyed lots of it. He was often seen taking Hina to taste the fresh gur at the kolhu in his farming lands. No words can explain the thrill of happiness Jagannath felt by offering the freshly made gur to Hina. Gur was made to be cooled in either two and half or five seer weight „bhelis‟, which were piled 32 in the back of the shed and were transported to the farmer‘s house before the fall of night. It was the best commodity to fetch cash for farmers from the nearby market. The dried crushed cane fire material was visible from long distances and gave onlookers the idea that there was a „kolhu‟ in operation. People including children were attracted towards the kolhus for various reasons- to eat gur, to taste the rasa, or just to ask the owner to enjoy sugarcane raw as was harvested fresh from the field. The place was welcome during cool winters for providing warm environment all around the Kolhu also by the large fire chamber that heated the juice. Jagannath was very fond of raw sugarcane, and could consume half a dozen pieces in the cool mornings of winter months, December- January. He never forgot to bring one for Hina. Raw sugarcane juice was a wonderful natural gift and tonic for the stomach and other digestive organs, besides giving a mighty dose of natural energy. Some authors on the Rigveda has alluded to the „soma-ras‟ mentioned in the oldest scriptures as nectar and has identified it with the rasa of the sugarcane. „Rasa-kheer‟, was a popular recipe prepared in the village households during winter months. The only difference in kheer and ras-kheer was that in the later sugarcane juice was used instead of milk.

Summer months were also the time to take to midday bath and first swimming lessons in local tributaries of the Gang Canal system, one of which was locally called bamba, the smaller one, providing irrigation to fields and therefore having a close affinity with existence. The bamba originated from the canal that also was in the east of the village, and was called nahar. For the children nahar was forbidden; only those big boys ventured to go there who could swim well. At the bamba Jagannath and party had pleasures galore. Deep through summer months of May-June, when temperatures soared up to 45 degrees Celsius, the bamba waters were icy cool, directly flowing from the Ganga, via canal network in western Uttar Pradesh. The bunch of boys would jump from the bridge into canal waters and stay getting cooler under the midday scorching sun for hours together. In between they will roll out of the stream when cool waters began to chill somewhat and lay upside down on the blazing sands of the tributary, collected on the shores by de-silting operations, and enjoy the change over from the cool to warmth of hot sands. As the body felt the heat become unbearable, again jump into the stream, where waters were cool as well as clean most of the year except during summers when windstorms polluted it. The process continued as long as they liked the rustic sauna bathing. They never got cold, cough, fever, out of the jumboorie. The only thing these guys got on return from their sojourn were the scolding from Dadiji, Maji and others. It would be declared they will not be allowed to move out of the house during summer. These restrictions notwithstanding the roosting hang outs continued unabated for which Jagannath had to devise ways to dodge elders and get out. Children do not sleep during midday; he either has to do something in his environs or get out joining friends. If restrictions obstructed exit he would either be indulging in craft creation including earthen terracotta carts, bullocks, cups, saucers, or making the traditional bows and arrows of varying sizes and designs, raw material for which was available in plenty in the village surroundings. Clay earth was available from the taal, a village pond of great magnitude, which never dried and served the purpose of drinking water for the village cattle. Rain water filled it. The village dhobis to wash the clothes round the year also used it. The dhobi ghats were earmarked. Rajna the Dhobi and Hira‘s father was in his neighborhood, like the butchers and their daughter, Hina. Rajna use to collect the top 33 alchemic soil to apply to dirty clothes while washing that extracted the dirt but gave the garments a sand color replacing whiteness. Hira, the son of the dhobi and friend of Jagannath helped him get the finest clay from the taal the village pond. It was a passion to make bows and arrows. The creative and defensive mental faculties developed side by side. It was creative first. To create and expand is human. Defense followed. If you do not protect your creation it will be defaced, spoiled or carried away. To create you need peace, friends. To defend you need the paraphernalia to fend your interests, your creation. The third force is sustenance. That is the law of nature, identified with the Trimurti Gods in Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, creation, sustenance, and destruction. Hina was a master craft girl and helped Jagannath in the formulation of various terracotta designs. Some of the finished models served their purpose in the school fine art class as well to be shown to the teacher and get kudos.

1.8

Another cutie coed who attracted Jagannath was his westerly neighbor Shanti the dumb, the daughter of the family pandit, who conducted all the religious ceremonies at the Haveli. Shanti was extremely beautiful, fair complexion, large black eyes, smooth transparent skin, thin lips and sharp features, and a very soft voice, who, always was, shy to be called to his side in a mute mode. Jagannath always wanted to be in her company; she was shy and dumb though happy to be near him. She liked him but never, in any manner, indicated it. She was unlike Hina, who proclaimed to be the sole friend and partner of Jagannath and openly took his sides in all matters personal, and always defended him. Shanti was silent, who was wooed by Jagannath from the core of his heart. She didn‘t chase him like Hina. Hina and Shanti both were innocent, young, deeply sensitive girls. One was an extrovert; the other was an introvert, silent, deep. It was difficult for Jagannath to decide who was dearer to him. Nor was there any occasion to do that. All three were children, immature buds growing to develop into full grown blooming flowers in times to come. All three had different destinies their tender minds never could fathom. Presently they were deeply enamored with each other in the innocence of childhood watched by the fairies; when children play Gods come and watch.

Nekiram, the cobbler‘s son was impressed by the deep affection Jagannath showed towards him. It was a natural bond, beyond their comprehension. Nekiram was a cobbler by caste, and also an untouchable in society. Jagannath had no notion of caste, and just did not care what others in the family or outside had to tell him. Nekiram was hesitating in coming to his house. Nekiram lived with his parents, who lived in a separate Mohalla, locality, and had their separate well for drinking water. All persons of that caste lived together in that 34 locality, and had their business activities limited in that area. These persons dealt in the hides and skins of the dead animals. Besides they also brought hides from outer markets for their trade and main occupation-shoe making. But most other items that they made were of use by the farming community. They made irrigation leather buckets-pur, which could contain about hundred liters of water. They made various items of leather for use by the bullocks in the carts, tilling operations, and belts and whips. They also made various kinds of pouches used by the shepherds, water carriers- mushak for sprinkling during summer and other auspicious occasions. The water sprinklers were called, the sakkas. That there were a distinctly separate class of people, known as sakkas, sprinklers of water, would go to indicate that the village elite was of considerable importance, which could afford to have survived upon their resources, a class of people to do just the job they were doing. On special occasions of celebration scents and flavored rose and other aromatic oils were added to water, made of the whole body hide of calves, body parts were sewn except its mouth as outlet for sprinkling to cool the heat, make it dust free and pleasant for the mahfil- celebration. Nautch girls dancing late in the nights on special occasions, nautanki folk art stage plays, the musical sessions of dhola and Nal-Damayanti, sung by professional musicians of the area, who could keep large audiences spell bound for hours together, were some of the village ceremonies often held, besides, of course, the marriage, birth, and death-feast functions.

Nandgaon, Jagannath‘s village was the largest in the district and was self sufficient. Besides catering to the needs of its residents, many of whom were the local zamindars, it also catered to the needs of the periphery villages surrounding Nandgaon for their daily needs. It was a central market for about more than a dozen villages. There were two weekly haats in Nandgaon, on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The Saturday haat was in the control and area of Jagannath‘s family, though Munshiji Sarpanch controlled both. These Haats were bazaars with almost everything useful available, food grains, edible oils, kerosene oil, vegetables, pulses, cloth, shoes, sweets, toiletries, potters earthenware, and other articles of daily use. It was also an occasion to meet people lovers could see each other and an ideal occasion for gossip.

Kirpa was another friend of Jagannath. He was son of the village shepherd. Kirpa was an agile boy, and could run along with the dogs when the group went hunting with the dog squads. Jagannath always took him whenever he went to his fields. Kirpa, being the son of the village shepherd who mostly went on the village cattle voyages for grazing almost daily, knew more than anybody else the geography of the area, the nooks and corners of the various fields, where was there the possibility of finding the much sought for rabbits and foxes, and had few other strategic information to be used on these trips. He also could tell which farmer or zamindar would let them go through their fields, and which would not allow them to even enter their holdings. The shepherding of cattle was a very conspicuous part of life in village community. The number of the domesticated cattle was more than the human population of the village. They assembled in the morning in the painth, an open area large enough to contain about more than a thousand head of the village cattle. It included buffaloes, cows, their calves, mostly milk cattle. It was the duty of every household to leave their cattle in the yard. In course of time the cattle got used to it so that soon after these were de-chained and let loose, they will head towards the painth. The congregation 35 was under the care of Chunni, the head shepherd and father of Kirpa. He has quite a few young boys under him to see, control, and move the herd to proper destinations for grazing. Kirpa‘s father Chunni was the village head shepherd; part time he was village baker of edible grams, wheat, other foodgrains and nuts, in an open crude and huge earthen bhaar- oven. Kirpa will go with the herd many times. Every herd was to have one or two bulls to impregnate the cows in heat. The he buffalo bulls were not available in the herd. The government released the cow bulls, while the buffalo bulls were the property of the private owners, and they would charge a certain amount of money for the services of mating. There also was a government veterinary hospital where the mating services for the cattle were available for buffaloes. Later when India became independent, artificial insemination center was also opened in Nandgaon. Some of the more stubborn cattle were sent in chains and other loads tied to their necks, leaving no scope to run amuck and disturb the tranquility of the herd. The cumulative babble, rumble and squawk of different cattle blare raised and heard from afar accompanied by cloud of dust were signs that herd was returning after the days‘ grazing. It was mandatory for every village Panchayat to keep in reserve a certain amount of land for the cattle grazing, which was called, the charagah- pasture land. It was a serious breach of revenue law to encroach over it. The kit of the shepherd included a rope and a vessel to draw water to quench his thirst during the day‘s wandering, and the Tiffin of food for the day, along with a stick, club, or bamboo lathi. A couple of trained dogs accompanied the shepherd to control the stray cattle not enter cultivated fields with standing crops, which was always taken care of to save from the wrath of the owner farmers. The system was in vogue for numberless centuries past. Modern age appears to have swallowed it too. Not only there have not been left any charagah lands in the village, which had been misappropriated by the land mafias prevalent both in urban as well as rural India, there are left no cattle to be taken care of by the shepherd like Chunni and his son Kirpa. Milk is procured to be sold now after urea and other adulterated material is mixed up to add to its quantity to rob it of its purity. The open area reserved for the cattle to gather, painth, measuring about six acres has now been encroached upon to build unplanned enclosures housing numberless human creatures.

‗Neki, Damodar has threatened me not to go to the school,‘ Kirpa said to Nekiram.

‗What was the occasion? ‘ Neki asked.

‗He insists his cattle must be picked up from his house,‘ replied Kirpa.

‗But all others leave theirs in the painth,‘ told Nekiram, adding, ‗don‘t bother, I will speak to Bhaiyaji. Attend school regularly.‘

In the evening there was a brawl in the village.

‗Damodar, you have lost, give me the game money,‘ said Bhima in the village gambling den where hardened criminals in the making regularly came to play. Damodar punched Bhima so severely he started bleeding.

Kirpal appeared from behind and stabbed Damodar over the head. For some moments Damodar was unconscious. Meanwhile the game recommenced.

‗I will teach all of you a lesson,‘ yelled Damodar and flashing a knife stabbed the three of the game, Bhima, Kirpal and Altaf, snatched all money and ran out side with the booty.

‗Give three pouches, you motherfucker Jhandu,‘ cried Damodar hoarsely at the liquor vendor. One pouch he pilfered, tear open it by mouth and consumed it at one go. It was country liquor. The second one in hand, he snatched a glass and poured it adding a little water, sat down to drink.

‗Bhaiya, sixteen rupees?‘ said Jhandu.

‗Oh, saale, I will give that money to your sister, send her to me this evening,‘ threatening he vanished keeping the third pouch in his pocket.

‗Come all of you, meri jaan, I will fuck you three by turn in the cavern,‘ Damodar said to the three girls he met on way who were going to winnowing in the fields. As he gestured towards them he lifted his dhoti and showed his nakedness to the terrifying girls, who almost shrieked running for a cover.

Kissing on the cheeks and tearing her blouse, Damodar tried to drag one girl Munni he has pounced upon out of the three, but failed and fell down in the nearby ditch out of intoxication.

The girls, belonging to kumhars, had not the courage to narrate the incident to anyone. They knew that fellow. He has a track record so nasty that he has been jailed thrice and cares a damn for the police chowkidar or village elders. He was hardly 29 years. Son of a Kalar of Nandgaon, Damodar was a typical village bastard and vagabond. He smoked Ganja, drank liquor, gambled with the highest stakes, was a thief of the serious nature, has committed two murders and was a pick-pocket of a very sophisticated kind. He often traveled by train to Indore, Ujjain and Surat where he has his own company. His mother had eloped with a person who worked in a Surat mill; Damodar blackmailed the woman, his mother, to extort money, or threatened to kill her paramour. He was blacklisted by Indore police and has been involved in two high-way-robberies. He procured illicit arms from these cities and sold them to bad characters in and around Nandgaon. He was a regular visitor of the Tantric Puriji. He was involved in many dealings with the Tantric for procuring illicit arms. He was afraid of Munshiji Sarpanch though, for reasons of verifications that poured in from a host of police stations. Munshiji had made it clear that he may do any crime but not in Nandgaon; if that was not honored he won‘t be allowed entry here. The local influence Sarpanchji wielded in official circles was a deterrent for Damodar not to openly indulge in bigger mischief in the village; eve-teasing, gambling or drug use in the village continued and before he was reformed or become a gang-leader of the under world, the Indore police killed him in an encounter.

Jitendra, son of local zamindar, was attracted towards Jagannath. He was good at the tables, but in interaction with boys of his age from the lower castes, his attitude was rather obtrusive. He could not assimilate Jagannath‘s open minded approach to treat all friends normally with natural gusto, without caring from which family they come from. In fact Jagannath never cared about caste. There was no open discussion over the issue. Mental attitude of the child was solely built on the family exposure to these issues. It percolated through the interactive behavior in between the youngsters. The bias was perhaps a legacy of the family feedback. Jagannath‘s family was particularly open to a wider social interaction without any bias of caste gender or religion. Munshiji Sarpanch particularly was very secular over the issues. Jagannath went a step further in his relations with other children of his village. To him it was only natural to accept anybody who spontaneously showed similar feelings. He didn‘t care if one was poorly dressed, or came from the segregated areas of untouchables. To his tender mind it was simply non-existent. If he liked someone, he liked and it was as simple as that. This attracted lot boys to him. Despite these differences Jitendra was his friend. Both shared a level of smartness in tables, and were never the target of Guruji‘s punishment. So also was Nekiram ever punished for lapses in the tables? The sole criteria of being together for these children, it would appear, were a natural camaraderie and like-mindedness on matters of the table‘s first and being playmates off the school hours.

1.9

The mental chemistry of village children was creation of the historical village background. It had witnessed about nine centuries of existence. Nandgaon perhaps, came into being in the hoary past when Mathura was a notable center of political and cultural activity of ancient India. Its present get up and nomenclature dates back to the medieval period, when some adventurer set up his camp here and improved upon a small fortress or Garhi, ousting and capturing the then village chief and his clansmen, whose forefathers have built it here. Even then it was a sizable village. It was populated of moneyed people, Maheshwaries and Paliwals, who, in course of time acquired zamindari rights in extensive and fertile lands of the village. They already had flourishing trade and established seats of businesses in major Indian commercial metros of Calcutta, Bombay and Surat. When post Moghul aristocracy invested heavily in the zamindari and acquisition of estates, Nandgaon‘s elite also acquired lands in estates that gave them not only good money but a place of honor in the hierarchical Mansabdari and zamindari system of nobility. Besides these prominent businessmen some enterprising Kshatriya clansmen captured the Nandgaon garhi, became the real rulers of the place and also acquired zamindari estates 38 that were under their personal cultivation called the seer. Jagannath belonged to one of those original occupants of the village. To cater to the needs of an affluent aristocracy, other people were brought in to serve them. Thus Nandgaon became the seat of so diverse a population consisting of almost all the trades and skills, to make it self-sufficient. The collective crafts made it a central market for more than a dozen surrounding villages, where trading was done through the weekly haat days of Tuesday and Saturday. It was famous for its printed quilts and bedspreads, yogurt-the famous dahi-curd, being the chief constituent of communal feasts, sweets, footwear, potter‘s crafted earthenware, vegetables, and host of other necessities of daily life. There were barbers, ironsmiths, goldsmiths and silver jewelers, carpenters, watermen-Sakkas, oilman-Tellis, butchers-Kasai, animal traders, horse trainers and caretakers-Saais, unscrupulous traders, shopkeepers, famous vaidyas, masters of the Ayurvedic system of medicine, religious pundits and vedantins, traditional fakirs surviving on alms mostly Muslims, Guru Gorakhnath followers, called the „naths‟, singing and visiting the annual celebrations at Gogamedi in the Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan, Jahar Pir, followers of Goddess Kali and Durga at Nagar-Kot, excellent farmers and brave dare devil Kshatriya ruling elite-the Jats. There were at least half a dozen temples through the village dedicated to various gods-goddesses. To serve this profuse cross section of high society, there were three separate areas of untouchable lower castes- sweepers. Different class of people resided in separate localities-Mohallas. There were two schools, one for the boys and other for girls, though girls were going to the boy‘s school as well that indicated the existence of co-education in the village. Munshiji Sarpanch, in his times later, donated five bighas of land to start an English school initially up to middle, which in course of time became not only a High School, but a college. There are two government dispensaries-unvisited for want of medicines and carelessness, more than a dozen quacks who complicate sufferings of more patients than they treat, a veterinary and artificial insemination center outpost, ansimulated ITI as part of the college, a telephone exchange with STD facility, a number of private telephone booths, plumbers, electricians, radio-TV technicians, photographers, doing business in a village which is on the threshold of becoming a town, resounding with loud music of sorts blaring from mega speakers, from the shops, temples and mosque, so that people who want to sleep, should forego it and join the forced prayers. Culturally Nandgaon was very lively. Having got the advantage of liberal moneyed class of people, the benefits of their encouragement and financial patronage created a vibrant cultural scene. There were poets and composers like Kunji Nai, patrons of nautanki stage shows like Bohra Ram Prasad, titarbaz and kabutarbaz like Thakur Jugram Singh, wrestlers like Mamman and Tota, Sanskrit scholars like Pandit Harishankar Sharma, famous dhola and nal-damayanti and alha-udal ballad singers like Pooran and party, who could keep large crowds spell bound for hours and finally teachers like Ganeshilalji. The only saving grace was a police post has not yet been put up, perhaps because Nandgaon shunned crime; it had numerous Adam-Eve liaisons and cultural activities instead.

Nirmal, Surat Singh‘s wife had gone to live with her husband only once before he was commissioned, when he was posted in the NWFP, in Dera Ismal Khan, when Surat was a Dafedar Major. Dera Ismail Khan was beyond Kohat towards the hilly tract inhabited by the sturdy frontiersmen. The place was always referred to as Dera, when she remembered those days. Both Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan now form part of Pakistan. They had a three- 39 room quarter to live in. It was neat and tidy. The cantonment was typically surrounded by hillocks of the terrain and was provided by all necessary facilities. There was an army canteen that provided all requirements of the soldiers and their families living there. Jagannath and his elder brother Ranbir had been held back by their grandmother Thakurani Mohini Kaur for education in Nandgaon. Both Surat and Nirmal felt homesick on account of their children both of whom stayed back in the village. Surat would share his thoughts with Nirmal on bringing both of his sons as well placed gazetted officers, after giving them good education and opportunity; he thought life of a zamindar was not appropriate in the changing surroundings. The feudal set up of the zamindari estates and the poor farming establishment did not meet the requirements of the changing times. The economics of agriculture were rather depressing in the face of ever rising oppressive Malguzari. The poverty and lack of education in the village environment were handicaps in aspiring for a comfortable life. The lack of roads, electricity, sanitation, and other civic amenities were reasons that made them plan to live in a better city, after their retirement. Surat had seen the world out side. He visualized, in the wake of the wide-ranging discontentment in the country, and the changing political climate it would be not far that India will attain independence. Therefore, he dissuaded his father Thakur Vikram Singh to drop the ideas of acquiring more zamindari estates to augment both their prestige and resources. Vikram Singh was toying with the idea of purchasing more landed property for a long time past. That was the way he was brought up. Whenever Surat came for holidays he will not forget to moot the idea, since the acquisition of any estate was not possible without the active consent of his elder son. But Surat never thought seriously about it. Finally the idea had to be dropped. Years later when Surat was promoted three ranks in quick succession he never regretted the decisions taken when he was young.

This micro history of Nandgaon constricted in a paragraph would not portray the doppelganger it developed over the rural canvas during centuries. The village communities are small citizenries, with nearly everything they require for themselves. They seem to last where nothing else lasts. Dynasties keel and disarrange, metamorphosis succeeds circumvolution, Hindu, Turk, Moghul, Maratha, Jat, Sikh, British, and now the Neta, are masters in turn, but the hamlet kinship remain unchanged. The symbiosis of rural communities, each one forming almost an organic entity, has contributed more than any other cause to the preservation of the people of India through all revolutions and changes which they have suffered, and it is conducive to their happiness, and to the enjoyment of a great portion of freedom and independence, minus the full reward of it, though little bits of it has started pouring in of late. It‘s because of this feature that India is today the largest democracy of the world. It has survived all the religious, political, and physical convulsions from which India has suffered from time immemorial. Invader after invader has ravaged the country with fire and sword; internal wars have carried devastation into every corner of the land; tyrannical oppressors have desolated its homesteads; famine has decimated its peasantry; pestilence has depopulated entire districts; floods and earthquakes have changed the face of nature; folly, superstition, and delusion have made havoc of all religion and morality, the village has withstood it all and remains intact as it was, eager to join the road to literacy, modern clothing, ready to put questions and seek answers, marching ahead to steer clear the political patronage by discretionary power of vote, entertaining competition 40 and foreboding trust. The village continues despite SEZ and SAZ; its harmony, peace, character being theme of the books and their authors, trying to earn by misrepresentation?

1.10

The tranquility of village life apparently appeared so only to onlookers; it wasn‘t bookish in intrinsic perseity. A very strong current of jealousy and animosity pervaded in inter community, mohalla, family to family, man to man ballyhooing over matters of prestige, money, women, caste and personal detestation, personal animus lead to hostility and prejudice, hatred swing most as a basic element of antagonism. This unspoken hatred leading to jealousy and conspiracies to leg pulling was a way of life in the village. Squalor and wanton poverty added fuel to fire. Quite often woman was the cause of duets and intense heart burn. It was under the carpet. It was never talked about. Village walking trails and by lanes that were encroached upon formed the next largest cause of misconstrue leading to legal fights. Land disputes, crop pilferage, theft of fodder and food grains, lifting of motor pumps from irrigation tube wells; tractor related mishaps were some of the common apparent causes for hostility. Villagers would gladly spent the scarce money they may have borrowed in contesting opponents to show off superiority and power of offspring rather than send them to schooling and literacy openings. Other bad elements, gamblers, thieves, pick pockets would create lot nuisance after consuming liquor, most often in the late nights. Theft of everyday household goods was common. After an incident of theft it was wild guess work that made the rounds of rumors vitiating the tranquility and prompting the subjected fellow to follow up the matter, these guys promising to stand witness. To play witness in the village was a great art. There were regular witnesses, casual ones, and once in a while gentle guys who would speak the truth and nothing but the truth. However every kind of witness carried a price tag. Criminal conspiracy was common. Criminal cases were implicated upon the basis of witnesses who volunteered to stand up with the complainant, often lavishly spending the hard earned and limited money or the borrowed mullah. Money lenders encouraged criminal conspiracies; they have ready clients to borrow on extraordinary high rate of interest to meet legal expenses which were once undertaken had to be met. Such legal bills were exorbitant, the option to inflate the bill lied not with the person who was the party to the case, but on witnesses, go-betweens, touts, bribe paid at every stage, and then the huge amount paid for final judgment of the case. No payment was made direct to the judge or police inspector or the tehsildar; bribe always was paid through touts and agents who mostly were those who were pleading the cases as their advocates. The practice of most average lawyers depended on being touts and fixing bribe managing 41 its movement to the destination, pocking a major portion of it themselves. There were honest judges too and they were many; litigants had to pay to the touts at the behest of the touts who their advocates were representing them in the court in almost all cases. Money lenders enjoyed the respect of all sections of society; almost everybody hated them for the way they earned their mullah. Double standard and false show off was common; one never believed the other. Most of these disputes were the result of acute poverty and large scale unemployment. Agriculture was their main stay of livelihood; it offered only seasonal employment that too on very meager emoluments; though of late the situation is in the process of change. All sensitive skilled laborers left the village to towns and cities to do odd jobs; the result was there were not many left for agriculture sector. It encouraged tractors to do cultivation, sowing and harvesting. Mechanized farming resulted in dwindling cattle population that left villagers still more unemployed. There was increase in crime and burglaries. Inter family violence ran parallel to the social delinquency of the village. Mother-in- laws would take on wives of their sons, wives would take on mother-in-laws, brothers would thrash brothers and take on sisters to force them do most of the house chores, protecting their wives. Mothers would at times try to shield their daughters but would in most cases fail. Uncles, nephews, nieces, half brothers, cousins all would at some point of time enter into heated arguments raising their voice that will lead to physical violence resulting in injuries, bruises, fractures, and would be sent for treatment. Raised voices and cries emanating from houses at odd intervals and different days of the month were a normal feature of village life that indicated inter-family bouts; whenever it happened, people men women and lot children collected to witness the drama and were entertained. After the incident was over there would be an assembly gathered at the outside of the house of the brawl, consisting of members of the family, neighbors, others interested in the affair, the matter would be discussed, evidence would be adduced and examined and judgment delivered instantly, the family member against whom gone the verdict would challenge the assembled jury and call names and insinuate them all for taking sides, citing all types of human failings including lascivious relationships.

The practice of assembly was typical of village life. Electronic media caught up with the spirit of the village assembly in its popular TV serial Nukkad. Whenever there was a dispute, brawl, fight, save only murder and war, there would necessarily be a gathering around the place of occurrence including people of both sides involved in the dispute, neighbors, prominent locality people who matter, including the money lender, to discuss the incident threadbare, examine the pros and cons, the reasons of the brawl, talk of the evidence, deeply take a view of the matter and give a verdict that out of the two parties one, who was named, was responsible for the incident. At times the verdict too included the opinion about the damages and their reimbursement, and it was met occasionally. In case of a murder or war, that is fight between two armed gangs of the village resulting in grievous hurt and serious injuries, as a result of which hospitalization and police call was a must, there were no immediate assembly; it was too serious a matter and invariably police was called in. There would be assemblies for these incidents too; however they would gather without the affected parties and would indulge in their guess work, free opinions emerging from anybody and everybody. However Nandgaon was bereft of murder killings, war in between two armed sides did take place at long gaps of years together. A peculiarity of 42

Nandgaon was complete avoidance by community protection mechanism of dacoity in the village; the village could boast there would never be any dacoity going successful as the entire village stood at the call of such a danger. Dacoit gangs did try once or perhaps twice in the long past; the entire village including those who wielded licensed guns, about a dozen of rifles, revolvers, pistols and 12 bore guns both double and single barrel, would immediately reach the house of target, encircle the dacoit gang and put them to death. Such was the threat and scare reputation being sent from the villagers no dacoit gang would think twice to attempt at Nandgaon. This particular crime is one great negative element of rural life; it was conspicuously absent from Nandgaon. It was possible because the entire village united to oppose and meet the challenge and once they were successful, it gave way to create a reputation sending terror waves in the bellies of dacoits operating in the area. To attempt dacoity in Nandgaon would end in death of the dacoits was the message securely ingrained among all, the dacoit gangs, periphery of villages, the police and was reinforced by the united voice of people of Nandgaon through their elected Sarpanch Munshiji.

Absence of major crime in Nandgaon made it slide towards a near promiscuous society. Lasciviousness played a part in engaging villagers avoid being criminal, though promiscuity gave birth to a different area of activity which made the village the hub of a prominent cultural center in Braj. Swang, Nautanki, Dhola, Alha-Udal, Rasiyas, and dancing troupes along with instrumental bands, both English and Desi which was called Tansawale, Bhajan-Kirtan reciting groups, Ramlila, which become a hall mark of Nandgaon, were activities which got an unusual spurt during the last couple of generations. The promiscuity was nothing abnormal though. There were man- woman affairs that exist almost everywhere. There were gay people on look out of young boys to trap them; more than the child abuse was the problem of malnutrition and illiteracy, towards which no specific personal or public attention was seen in focus. Sexual relations were result of natural urge; once the urge was fulfilled both sides forgot about it. It was not as if the people were engaged in it whole time of their life. It was casual and didn‘t attract much attention. Then the percentage of persons involved in these activities that might be termed as promiscuous, gay, abnormal or criminal content in nature was very thin, hardly 5-10 per cent; majority of Nandgaon crowd was busy in their respective trades, professions, dealings, activities which made it a normal average village. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari all villages are almost the same and consisted of all kinds of people; both high profile as Pandit Harishankar Sharma, a littérateur of eminence, and Babu, both of his hands cut off from shoulder joints, a low profile convict for having operated extraordinary burglaries in distant areas of Gujrat. Whenever there was rumor of an attempt for committing dacoity, Babu, handless, was the first to come forward and participate in foiling the attempt. After the spate of anguish, hatred, jealousy and revenge harboring in his heart which made him a notorious burglar and criminally having committed murders, rape, and many dirty games, Babu, the great burglar, is a moderate and sober person who attends to prayer assembly daily without fail. He has ultimately realized in abounding impregnated incandescence of the futility of hatred and anger, though he is a completely illiterate being. His soul has reached a stage of communion with the larger soul of Braj, its great God Balrama and India, the harbinger of cultural values.

The village inhabited by the wealthy Bohras, rich traders, and Jat zamindars was typical of rural life percolated down the innumerable centuries. Bohras like Raghbar Dayal would depict their affluence by holding religious ceremonies propitiating goddess Lakshmi and renovate their elegent havelis. Bania traders, Agrawals and Guptas, would expand their shop establishments both in the village and out in cities of Hathras and Mathura. Jat zamindars that were getting lean by laws of inheritance were portraying their past glory when they had huge farms yielding good returns as land revenue from cultivators under them by indulging in show of their power of rule by drinking orgies. Young Rajendra Singh, left with a tiny holding of less than an acre, and zamindari having been abolished long back at the dawn of independence, would carry a few quintals of rice paddy for sale in the local mandi and out of its sale proceeds the first article he would acquire from the city was a bottle or two of country liquer and begin his triumphant journey back to his old holding in the village as if he was the lord zamindar of the place and start by chanting choicest abuses in the manner his forefathers might have done when they wielded power. Money was scarce and when it came in whatever fewer denominations booze was the first priority for Rajendra; he drank to get out of senses, senses that dawned upon him and his purchased wife, a woman from Gaya district of Bihar, the stark poverty of his existence, when two square meals were hard to manage, and his historical sense pushed him in his past, or he willingly traversed its bygone glories, like most Indians indulge in glorifying their past to cover up and conceal their failings of the present. As he enter the village he will start chanting mother-fuckers, sister-fuckers, attracting attention of all who witnessed the orgy, children, some scantily dressed and others naked, collecting around staggering and trembling Rajendra to witness a tamasha-scene, often repeated by persons of his class, his Bihari wife, with a wretched half clad child in her arms, whose nose and eyes were oozing with discharge trickling down to his chin, pleading and threatening to leave him if he does not stop collecting the crowd and behave. This would further enrage the hero in him and with inflated ego he will not only abuse his wife but thrash her so that she yells for help and no one dares to meddle into the affairs of Rajendra, the Zamindar of Nandgaon.

Booze and drinking in public was common; it was now more convenient there was a liquer shop in the village. Another was going to be added very soon. There may not be any increase in community development projects, schools, dispensaries, agro based outlets and however, booze shops would suddenly appear without effort or canvassing. Economy of the villagers being what it was they couldn‘t manage children‘s education, farm inputs, raw materials for their products or even reasonable clothing for their families, they would almost daily manage to indulge in booze, was a matter anybody could guess. It was one area which persistently refused to recognize caste; rather it went in liquidating it and it was its only fallout that mingled in society without any recognition, for saki lovers went to the maikhana without any caste reservations. With booze went eve-teasing and hunt for seeking woman was launched as night commenced including love couples going their way with consent. Jitendra‘s chaupal was a prominent sit on for village Romeos who collected there playing various card games, with bidis in their smoking stride three daughters of the nearby Kishan driver of the UP Roadways, were the target of the rowdies and whenever the girls came out for various odd chores they had to perform they were commented upon in most obcene language that bordered on molestation. Eldest was around 24 years and the others were one-two years younger in age; all of them were of marriageable age, in fact 44 they had all crossed that age by village standards. Financial constraints were the main hurdles in the girls not being married; their working capacity and earning for the family also made parents sluggish in marrying the family bread earners. Such village entertainment went on many places without any thought of hurting the sentiments of girls who were targeted and abused. Besides eve-teasing the other curious phenomenon of the booze was personal enmity often resulting in hardcore abusing sessions and quite often in fist fighting between two groups of youngmen who carried the hangover of past ego or property disputes or crop pilferage by either of the two rowdies. As in case of zamindar rising in Rajendra or eve-teasing no one ever tried to intervene in such fights that at times turned into serious brawls resulting in injuries that required hospitalization. Such fights could be amidst the family members too. It was partly unemployment which was responsible for the rural disquiet. No one bothered about it. Netas come bargaining for votes and once they are out of the onerous task of the poll process the village is totally forgotten. The Nandgaon elite inspired by the extraordinary son of the soil would focus on overall Indian rural village and woman, not only Nandgaon alone. It was, however, in future‘s womb.

Fair number of saki lovers and eve-teasers stumbled into night with imitable brawls with their women who took courage to spotlight her plight opportuned by the faulty irresponsible attitude of her booze loving man afflicted by both poverty and squalor. Nights in the village were quiet normally; however, the chill of winter and ruffled hot polluted darkness of summers were at times broken by stray and sudden rumblings, hissing of snakes, interrupted howls of the jackals resounding from the vicinity of populated areas skirted by ponds, creaks of cat calls ending in willowing a demarcated bad omen in village psyche, barking of dogs pitch of their chorus intensifying with each new entrant into the fray, followed by stampede caused by burgularies and night housebreaks. Frail women and poverty stricken men twitched within their sleep by awareness of fear, fear of the unknown, of superstition and naked reality of the daylight experiences, bodies trembling to clasp each other with unquiet prophecies echo their brains. Roofless during hot summer when Fatima, wife of Abdullah, the village quack, slept in the open with her three daughters, she was visited and attacked by a hungry wolf holding the youngest girl aged nine months by her neck and fleeting back into darkness with its prey, the poor kid having run out of life as soon as it was grappled by the beast. Someone from the haveli would rush out with a Birmingham 405 calibre rifle in an effort to chase the beast, but in vain; her clothes and remnant of bones would be found in nearby field next morning. The commotion and yells would follow and night would again impose dark quiet. Owls howling and cats willowing would commence simultaneously creating superstitious fear. Widower‘s made determind efforts to sneak into the feminine privacy of someone forced or willing to unite, a barrage of dog bark spree would warn the neighborhood something was wrong. Poor would continue to snore; rich bohras would stir changing sides over their cozy beddings, feeling the placed key bunches from under their pillows and finding it intact doze into sleep again. Buffallows in heat would send loud calls whole night the owner getting up early morning and taking the animal for paid mating. During rains when village ponds overfilled with rainwater toads would start croacking in a chorus so systematic it would steal whatever efforts were made to drowse. People went to sleep early in the rural as frequent power failures spread an ominous darkness; farmers wake up early with the whirring of tractors 45 and rattling of jugarhs making their beginning of the day, disturbed good sleep for any stray outsider. One has to be an adept to survive in the rural.

During winter Ramlila or after the makar sankranti, when winter start fading and nights gets shorter, there would occasionally be saptahs, reciting Ramayan and Gita by repetition whole night and day for a week without break using loud speakers forcing the inhabitants to forcibly join the hullaboo. The saga of the immortal Indian classical devotional literature of Mahabharat of Vyas and particularly Ramayan of Valmiki and its later vernacular avatar written by Tulsidas are the result of such a soaring idealized imagination affecting whole gamut of human character, it refuses to let go Indians in their day to day earthly existence and consequently these are recited through continuous array of congregations as well as private individual premiers; it remains to be a perennial panorama of a character everyone aspires to reach in their mortal surviving lifespan. Its not only the human character that is portrayed so brilliantly, whole set of life styles, feelings, memorallia, the affluence of the wealthy cities, the grandeur of their horse driven chariots, the sparkling magnificence of their gleaming gold and precious jewels, all pervading romance of their women, the love struck heroes and heroines without any trace of obscenity, the richness of their architecture and the paraphernalia it incorporates in its celebration, especially when Ram returns to Ayodhya after his victory over the evil demon and forlorn forest foray of fourteen years remain simply breathtaking and bewitchingly phenomenal. Placed in contradictory environment and miserable perspective every Indian tries to revert back to the ideal of Ram, Sita, Lakshman, Hanuman and Bharat. It remains to be a dream unfulfilled and therefore, never-to-end yearning to recite it to improve their lot would continue for ever. It‘s the brilliant imagery of the great poets at work; it‘s the magic of their artistry and original perceptibility and visualization that pervades through indigenous primordial centuries. It would carry on for ever by oral or digital recitals either with or without the high pitch bass of the mega mikes.

Ram the immortal, like Mahatma the mortal of recent past, would critically continue to prompt extreme political emotions and be the cause of political efficacious pulsating sentiment yielding power or abdicate and storm out by way of either a temple building or crossing the bridge Ramsetu that Hanuman and his monkey brigade constructed to vanquish the demon of evil after mother Sita was kidnapped. Ram would get into as strong a political expediency as caste; both kamandal and mandal would influence public fortunes of political outfits and heavyweights.

About rural security Jagan later recollected, ‗The village tranquility was suddenly shattered on odd occasions when evenings at the threshold of entering nights witnessed late comers returning from neighboring city engagements to get back to their homes, confronted by the local thieves and rowdies, their faces covered to conceal identity, at the cross junction of the road which runs to Nandgaon who looted the pedestrians of everything they possessed, including little cash they carried, wrist watch, belongings and even their clothing making them run in their under garments if they had any or else return naked. The commotion it created reverberated from cries of help from the villagers and it made people quite scared. Or in the thick of night some new entrants to the trade, a gang would commit theft, once in a while, thrashing the occupants of the dwelling violated creating lot more 46 commotion and cries of help being met with helping hands out reaching soon. Such incidents were the doings of local bad characters, gamblers, speculators who went out of money chose to resort to burglary. Licensed arm owners would venture out to reach the spot but by the time help reached the burglars had made their escape and eloped with whatever they could lay their hands on. I vividly remember Dadaji and Munshiji Sarpanch taking out their rifles and 12 bore guns with Lallu carrying the cartridge belts loaded fully with lethal ammunition often rushing to reach the spot and the villagers sighed in relief that the thakur estate was there to protect. Few rounds were fired to scare away the culprits. Other occasions the dacoits were caught and thrashed to death by the villagers.‘

‗I was concerned the law and order situation was so loose and the police was nowhere visible. The only time police was seen was trying to concoct investigations into false cases registered by some out of revenge and personal enmity which was rampant and widely prevail ant through out the rural, and trying to extract bribe. Senior district officers were never seen touring the villages; they had no time for majority of populace from their VIP duties or else busy in the urban dingy complexities and petty crimes. I often wondered at the callousness of the administration about everything village and villagers implied. This was one reason people who succeed in life never ever think of returning back to their motherland; the security scenario was desperate and wanting legitimacy resulting in the village being an utterly neglected place in India. As with all other development so also with the security and reaching out to help the rural people was no body‘s concern, it was amply apparent. It made a very deep impact on my tender mind,‘ Jagan reminced later.

The chemistry of rowdism in rural Nandgaon was similar to how it shaped in most urban and rural populace of India. The most prominent feature of it was the ineffectiveness of the thoroughly corrupt police force in the country. Rich Bohras of Nandgaon had to take decisions about their landed estates, their orchards, hiring people on contract to do these jobs. Persons who were drafted to do these small contracts went off earning a few shades better than the ordinary villager besides getting few other distinguished facilities that could be termed as perks by being associated with the estates of the rich. In the selection process of hiring people for these jobs there was keen competition amongst the villagers and that‘s where the services of rowdies and musclemen were obtained by interested group of people. Groups who would be acceptable to the estate owners were pressurized, threatened and forced not to participate in the bids and that way rowdies ensured only such people would be doing the contracts who would allow their continued interference in the administration of these estates resulting in extraction of a fair share of the proceeds. They enjoyed drinks and lot partying from those who were either defaulters or carried bad reputation with the estate holders. The rowdies operated exactly city mafias operate in bigger deals in the urban metros where huge contracts are bartered on solicited commissions by those dealing with the government or private outlets of major works. Such mafias when take to jungle become and operate as Marxists, extremists and the like posing critical law and order problem to the governments. The reasons invariably behind every such phenomenon are economic which the governments of the day fail to visualize and rush police and Para- military forces to quell it resulting in heavy casualties including civil population too. Such extra-constitutional activity, in course of time, is associated, supported and in few cases 47 entirely owned by the political class which makes it distinguished, the already corrupt police force is even more resolutely debarred to be effective to control it.

2.1

The most monotonous, intriguing and socially damaging was the practice of child marriage. It threw hundreds of innocent children particularly the girl child into the cauldron of societal appetite. Greed, burdened matrimony of unwanted daughters plenty in numbers, feasting and short-lived merry making made it more appalling. It began with negotiations and deals and ended by the poor infants in their mother‘s laps being bartered for a life long drudgery the magnitude of which the kids would realize only when they reach their short- lived youth. Child marriages were in vogue in the nineteenth century in rural India. It continued to be practiced in the early twentieth century, sporadically, and in the later years locally and periodically. In backward areas and tribal belts of states like Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh these are still performed in clear violation of the law and despite the lukewarm activism of the administrative red tape. If wedding is supposed to fulfill a girl's earliest dreams and prayers, for many young bride‘s it seemed more like a nightmare. Indian law sets 18 as the minimum age for a woman to marry and 21 for a man. Child marriages contribute to virtually every social problem that keeps India behind in women's rights. The problems include soaring birth rates, grinding poverty and malnutrition, high illiteracy and infant mortality and low life expectancy, especially among rural women. Large families and poor health for children and mothers were among the results. Many husbands tire of their marriages after the third, fourth or fifth child, who happens to be girls when their wives are still teen-agers. Alcoholism contributes to domestic violence with, sometimes, fatal beatings. In some cases, husbands sell their wives and even their unmarried daughters, as sexual partners to other men. In scores of cases every year, village women strike back by killing their husbands, only to face long terms in prison. It is a tragedy for these little flowers and for our country, that they are snatched away into marriage before they even have a chance to bloom. People trace the origin of child marriages to Muslim invasions that began more than 1,000 years ago. The invaders raped unmarried Hindu girls or carried them off as booty, prompting Hindu communities to marry off their daughters almost from birth to protect them. Today, the stories have an echo in the local view that any girl reaching puberty without getting married will fall prey to sexual depredations, some from men imbued with the common belief that having sex with a "fresh" girl can cure syphilis, gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted diseases, including 48

AIDS. Tradition has been reinforced by necessity when a family can be fortunate to have an annual income of Rs. 25,000 in years when there is drought or flood. Securing early marriages for daughters can mean the difference between subsistence and hunger. Traditionally, this has meant seeking grooms in neighboring villages, since the fear of inbreeding has generated a taboo against marriage between boys and girls from the same village. With the addition of a girl to the household, the in-laws get a laborer, someone who will feed the cattle and clean the house, a servant who comes free of cost.

There are many reasons to believe that this custom originated in the medieval ages. The predatory Arsenic feudal lords and prince-lings of Sarsenic origins who stalked all over India in the middle ages were a source of constant threat. Hence parents would seek to get over with the responsibilities of their daughters by getting them married off before they reached the marriage age. The custom of child marriages with the 'bride' and 'groom' still in their cradles was a culmination of this tendency. Child-marriage is another 'blessing' of the mediaeval age and it was born from the same compulsions that perpetuated the obnoxious custom of sati, and also the insensible practice of the purdah-veil. Besides whatever were the reasons for such uncivilized practices it depicted in some degree male malfeasance. Women, as it is, are at the receiving end during any war, arson, plunder, etc. During the reign of the Delhi Sultans these were the order of the day and the worst sufferers were Hindu women during these dark days were spawned customs like child-marriage, wearing of the ghungat (veil) and sati, looking upon the birth of a female baby as an ill omen, even killing newly born baby girls by drowning them in a tub of milk. Amidst the feeling of insecurity, the presence of young unmarried girls was a potential invitation for disaster.

The issue of child marriage and girl child fetus skewing ought to be viewed in historical perspective to focus over gender bias that passed through the colonial phase resulting in considerable loss of women‘s economic power and social worth vis a vis men during the nineteenth century. It was more marked in north than south where parallel cross cousin marriages kept women near their natal homes; dowry in case of girls moving away to their husband‘s home was a safety net for women in the north historically more open to foreign invasion. Colonial interference in contemporary land tax that became the mainstay of financing government establishment increased the indebtedness and acute drunkenness of peasants with two basic factors of enhanced land revenue and inelastic timely payment; those who defaulted were within reach of losing their land by indebted auction. It made the land a commercial commodity. Its ownership became important and passed on to male heirs who were also needed to be wooed as recruits to fight wars which became an essential ingredient of colonial expansion. This arrangement was given legal shape by enacting law; male heirs became sole owners who could be dispossessed and recruited to fight war for the victors. Since male heir became key player of the system demand for dowry began pouring in to include besides money recently introduced attractive consumer goods imported from the west. Land prices too increased incredibly with the introduction of canal network, roads and railways; the moneylender as beneficiary of the auction and merchants profited while the peasants lost. Colonial policies thus pushed women to an inferior position; with the increase in demand both of land revenue and dowry worth people began shying away to be proud parents to daughters who were gradually relegated as liabilities to be avoided. It was further strengthened by the prospect of being victims of rape as a result of war. It was both 49 human greed and colonial imperialism that made women an exploitable commodity. When the girl was given away in marriage to a distant husband it was neither undesirable nor repugnant to give her dowry that provided her the safety net in her husband‘s family and did not cause a burden to her parents. Many Hindu, Sikh and Muslim communities did not practice dowry since bride price was paid. Colonial policies in the north particularly pushed women to what they were before the impunging of dowry by law in India. As in case of caste imperialism exploited almost every Hindu custom to their advantage by highlighting its inadaquasies and the need to ‗civilize‘ the natives and their cultural values, meanwhile documenting heresay and concocted versions as tradition, consolidating their hold over the colony of India.

In pockets of the country where women ratio has come as down as 700 for 1000 males, women were purchased and brought from Nepal and other places only for the sake of giving birth to a son. And after the desired number of son or sons was born out of her, she was further ‗sold off‘ to other prospective fathers who sought kuldeepaks. As and when she has achieved the desired results she was thrown out to be exploited by anyone who could feed the unfortunate hag coot.

Jat grooms are seeking brides from Kerala; Kerala keeps a sex ratio of 1058 females per 1000 males meets Haryana that has a sex ratio of 820 females to 1000 males, the grooms family pays for the cost of the marriage, train fare and cost of marriage coupled with another 20,000-40,000 paid to the go-between. A skewed fetus sex ratio has turned bride starved Haryana to go places like Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam and now turned to Kerala, since women are needed for both productive and reproductive purposes. With the concept of son syndrome still high the marriage squeeze will result in violence towards fewer women left, widows will be forced to remarry within family, and head for Draupadi oriented polyandrous society. With increasing number of unemployed young bachelors the crimes against women are bound to rise and does not portend well for society.

Traditionally some of the crowd would be left out of the magical wedlock despite their best efforts to attract the fair sex by being a healthy stud and dressing in fashion of the times. It would occur the denial of brides to some of the less fortunate young men in the village was not for reasons of dislike of them by the far off brides at personal plane, it was the prevailing social code of ethics that came in the way forcing the aspiring young men to pass out as bachelors-randuas; they were not heir to land or were one amongst many brothers all of whom could not bear the social and financial needs of being part of a married couple. They failed to acquire and cultivate qualifications to become eligible for marriage. The condition of such sex-starved aspiring young studs was both pitiable and dangerous for the village. It pushed the youngsters in acute despondency as left over stigma haunting them to become dangerously seclusive; they would at some point of time break social ethics and become liability to the society that refused them become natural human beings.

The country as a whole had only 927 girls to every 1000 boys in the 0-6 age group at the dawn of the 21st century. This is in contrast to the world average of 1045 females to 50

1000 males. The killing of girl child seems to have spread to the whole of Indian society; across all religions, in rural as well as urban areas, among rich and poor. The education level has made no difference. The worst areas where the sex ratio has dropped to less than 800 girls per 1000 boys include, Punjab, Haryana, Gujrat, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, parts of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. Till 1991 no locality of Delhi had a juvenile sex ratio of less than 900. By 2001, none of the localities had more than 868 females to 1000 males. The drop indeed is much deeper in relatively well off states of Punjab and Haryana, where this ratio has plummeted to below even 800 in many districts – suggesting the extraordinary and horrendous possibility that every fifth girl is being killed. To enlist reasons for this trend the technology to determine pre-birth sex determination, discrimination in food and medicine resulting in infant deaths in females, dowry system [bride burning], lower income earning capability of female, are some of the more prominent reasons, which situation may question India‘s claim to be a civilized nation.

The one singular factor leading to indiscriminate girl child killing is dowry; the same couple who turn womb into tomb gleefully demand and accept dowry for their kuldeepaks. Irony‘s obloquy is all status, knowledge and prestige is fouled up by high and low while Indian society enjoys the dope.

Whatever the purists say compatriots of Chameli, Gulabo and Dhamo sure were targets of unmindful, savage, uncivilized behavior from man. They were what they were solely because of man. Man was vain, selfish, mean, short tempered, lacked foresight and definitely believed in the continuance of slavery. He had established a consuetude cynosure that helped his gender. Ammas and nanis would frown on the birth of girls and distribute celebration and sweets when a Kuldeepak boy was born. These same ammas and nanis cried foul over bahus who could not mother kuldeepak boys, and were instrumental in arranging second or even third marriage of their eligible sons, making the earlier women to be destitute. The male child got all preference in upbringing by way of food he got, the clothes he wore, the affections and pampering he was allowed to receive, he was a natural as well as legal heir apparent of whatever there was in the house and around it and was allowed to boss over his sister, aunt, mother and even grandmother, in the guise of love and emotive affectations. As against this the poor girl child was, from the very beginning made to make room for her ‗dear darling‘ brother in matters that revolved round her slavish life. Not only she was to reckon her brother as her perspective protector and provider, but she was made to learn from her childhood to observe fast and get up at four o‘clock in the morning during the annual navaratri-puja, after the rains, to pray to God to grant her the good luck by providing a prince charming, who would come to marry her to initiate her not only to the shared bedroom, but the lifelong serfdom which awaited her ‗destiny‘, to be improved by offering her concentrated devotion to her husband‘s service and then to various gods and god-man to propitiate her freedom from her woes. After marriage, to reach which el-dorado, the girl had kept fortnight fast during nav-durga puja for many years rising early morning and taking bath to cleanse her, found her in the clutches of the mother-in-law, head of the serfdom where wives played slaves. In that den no wife was allowed to do anything without the explicit permission of the „saas‟, as the mother-in-law was known. She was as harsh as a tirade and the harshness further stiffened with memories banged back of the days when she was a wife, „bahu‟ of the family as these creatures were 51 known. The wife was not only beaten physically, abused and humiliated, for want of the birth of a male child, or less dowry, she was, if she gave birth to one, two or more daughters, thrown out of the house, to be used by the society as an old, secondhand, ill- fated feminine object fit for the exploitation of whoever wanted to do that, either in her in- laws house as a slave servant, or in her parents house, who were initially reluctant to accept her, and if she was allowed the shelter, she was to stand on her own not only to feed her and her daughters, but also to fend her from the widowers, „randuas‟, of the village and all others who took woman to be only an object of sexual satisfaction. Similar situations existed in case proper dowry was not exchanged. Dowry was, and still remains, a nightmare to the prospective brides as well as their fathers. Centuries of such mien had made her fatalistic, which was further accentuated by the male oriented social and religious upbringing; it was destined to be so! What could anyone do about it? Destiny was meant only for the weak, the downtrodden, Indian women and outcastes. Man wanted only woman, not their brains or buoyancy. She could be classed as a property like the cattle.

What attracts widows, particularly from Bengal and further east, to Vrindavan? Obviously the exodus is speeded up by a desire to escape humiliation, squalor and dependent exploitation. However, what is not visible is the likelihood of the poor creatures being caught in more exploitation and humiliation. Otherwise why the pandas of Vrindavan would so expectedly tour all over Bengal to ‗recruit‘ poor widows and allures them to the holy city. Widows could be divided in two distinct categories, forsaken by their families and poverty driven. Approximately 80 per cent widows come from Bengal. Governments have failed to stop the phenomenon. Besides widows there are an increasing number of women in wedlock who prefer to join widows in the exodus to the holy city to live an easy life on charity. There might be reasons for them to leave their families and husbands; carelessness, unsatisfactory sex and presence of a third person and uncongenial poverty driven family environment. For to opt for a life of begging must carry sound reasons for migration; they might be lured to live by begging which to them might look better and easier than their back breaking domestic work schedules back home. The ‗gurus‟, „pandas‘, a typical class of people who knows the deftly art of exploitation might be ‗recruiting‘ disgruntled women, both within and out of wedlock, young and semi-young to initiate them in the business of sex, an experience of which they are already fed up in their local village life. There was the case of Dipali Mukherji, the wife of a superintendent of police from Dhaka, who lived in Vrindavan on alms and recited bhajans and was happy. All women who reach the holy city have The Lord Krishna on their minds as divine deliverer of their earthly sins whatever the route to the final deliverance.

Sarju was one of five daughters and a son of Todiram, a peasant from village Rajpur. As life opened for Todi and his wife Katori they were happy tilling their meager bighas of land and doing odd job work on other farms in and around his village. An early marriage in village leads to division and he separated from his father and six brothers and three sisters, as Katori couldn‘t pull up with the workload of her in-laws household. In the hope that more often than not explodes, Katori and Todi had their first daughter born amid mixed feelings of more sorrow than joy. Peculiar to India, particularly Braj, is the longing of most couples to be blessed with a son as the first offspring who would get to be of age to serve and help his parents by the time more new born are added to the family. If it is a girl, 52 heavens seem to fall, the scepter of a daughter born to be married brings in the Herculean task of dowry without which no marriage takes place, and from day one the exuberant girl child becomes burdensome and therefore an object of utter neglect and malnutrition. In her occasional bouts of illness there lingers a hope in the father more than her mother that she might succumb to her illness that may become fatal. But as luck would have it she survives this and all future ailments; more daughters are born in quick succession in the hope of a kuldeepak being born by divine blessing. Todi had five daughters and a skeleton of a wife; they, however, have decided to overcome disaster and give another try for a son. As sixth child a boy, the kuldeepak, who would ensure his parent‘s place in swarga-heaven, is born by god‘s benediction. Time rolled on adding to their difficulties as a result of weather uncertainties, agriculture being mostly dependent on nature, meeting to run the minimum requirements of a family with five daughters and a son, the effort included repayment of debts taken regularly to meet various exigencies including unforeseen health problems and occasional performance of family ceremonies. The debts were taken as regularly unmistakably matched by the irregularity of repayment. Meanwhile there were a few miscarriages putting Katori in a precarious condition, the desire to have one more boy playing havoc with both their finances and health. As they struggled with life the elder three daughters become of marriageable age; this prospect of marriage without dowry put Sarju in a fix, the eldest daughter who now was around twenty years, an age by which girls in the villages are not only married but have two three children born to them. Sarju began to develop complexes with passage of time. Her younger sisters too reached age of marriage. Looking for grooms Todi was convulsed, as his daughters remained unmarried, the elder one, Sarju, crossing the age of marriage by village standards. In another development Todi‘s son caught up with cancer after he become addicted to chewing tobacco in early young age. With ceaseless efforts Todi found a groom who wanted to marry his third daughter, the elder two having become overage.

Sarju was more beautiful than any other of her sisters, her predicament by familial and societal repercussions reached a state when she decided she will never marry, come what may. She began to dress as man, talk as man and worked as man over fields and moved fearlessly in male company. Though near relatives were sympathetic, the male coterie exploited her situation. She was lured to drink for which in course of time she developed a taste. She was molested with consent which was not purely voluntary; she then learnt the art of making man aspire for her and began exploiting the male lechery and appetite. She became accustomed to outdoors and slept at the irrigation well away from her village home. She rode bicycle and later took to motorbike and moved freely. As such she was accepted by the society; she cared a damn for it. A human life, however, by going the negative way, was rubbed out.

India‘s past on the treatment meted to woman by her compatriot man was not so glitches. She was treated with honor and dignity. There were instances when woman was put on the throne to rule leaving the male coparceners in an age when elsewhere woman was treated as inferior human being only to serve the male. Interestingly out of the marriage customs, swayamvar where the daughter has complete freedom to choose her husband out of all the eligible man invited for the purpose by none other than the father of the girl, was a normal way of marriage; bal-vivah, or child marriage is conspicuous by its 53 absence from any source of the ancient Indian history, which indicate the pernicious system was a later adaptation under compelling circumstances when the country passed under slavery. Instances of swayamvara ceremony are found in our national epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Various types of marriages were prevalent in ancient India gandharva vivaha (love marriage), asura viviha (marriage by abduction) but among these bal-viviha is nowhere mentioned.

So much needed to be done to free woman; beware you fair sex, man is never going to do it for you!

Jagan, Hina, Neki, Kirpa and Shano shared the summer festivities with confused perceptions.

2.2

Towards northern hemisphere at a distance of about a mile was the Ashram of the famous village saint Murli Baba. It had a main hut surrounded by three smaller huts. In the center was the dhooni – agni-kund [fire place]. It was lit all the twenty four hours round the clock. The Ashram was spread over an approximate area of five acres. On it‘s periphery large grown up trees of Katchnar, Amla, Jamun, Neem and a few mango trees made it an auspicious and eco-friendly place, when under the shade of the sumptuous trees people could sit over the earthen platforms made and kept immaculately clean by the youngest Sadhuram, of the Ashram. The two other members of the Ashram were Ramratan and Shivratan. Ramratan was in charge of the langar-kitchen of the place, and Sivratan, the eldest was responsible for the meditation, worship, and all religious ceremonies held regularly at the ashram, particularly of the Saint Murli Baba. While Sivratan was in constant touch with the Sant, Ramratan rarely had his Guru‘s audience, as his activities were somewhat of the administrative mundane nature of running the kitchen and other upkeep arrangements of the place. There was an old temple, which had the idols of most of the main Hindu Gods, with the Lingam in the center. A pitcher of water hanging over it released water by drops that kept the idol cool. Perfumed incense always kept burning during Puja hours and sprayed fragrance all around. A few persons in saffron robes worked in the kitchen, temple and the main entrance. The ashram attracted many people during the course of the day. There were no formal rituals and ceremonies being observed at the place, but the ashram was exceedingly peaceful and quiet. The head Sant Murli Baba was a great saint. He did not talk much or appeared rarely outside his cottage. He was extremely simple. 54

He ate only once in twenty four hours and that too only a handful of food. He was a graduate from Bengal and was really a spiritual soul. He gave discourses on scriptures on occasions. His spiritual powers were amazingly apparent and extensively visible to others. It appeared that he had experienced the existence of God and was in communion with the Power of Mind. He never touched money. His blessings never failed, but he rarely opened his palm to bless. To a needy person he gave heavenly relief by himself. The ashram was relatively very popular and the sadhu Shivratan offered solace to most of the devotees by offering the ashes out of the agni-kund of the Saint Murli Baba. The ashram‟s needs were profusely met by devotees as well its own revenue, and poor hungry were given alms at the time of the prasad. People of the area had firm belief in the efficacy of the Saint Murli Baba and prayed that the Baba should continue to live forever so that peace and righteousness prevails in the area. Such vagrant sadhus who indulged in drugs or tantra were unwelcome at the ashram, though its gates never closed on anybody. The ashram spread devotion to god around its periphery and was a source of escape for the grief- stricken humanity from the miseries of daily existence. More and more people thronged it during the oppression of the rulers, either of the British Raj, or the earlier ones, the Taluqdars and their agents. It is said that the earlier Saint of the place was even more spiritual than the present Murli Baba. The place, however, carried a traditional spiritual serenity that blessed people peace and well being without any ritual or superstition.

On auspicious occasions like Shivaratri, Ramnaumi and Krishna Janmashthmi, he gave special discourses on Hindu religion and various aspects of its importance in daily life. Hinduism at its core maintains that there is one God and many see it in different ways (Ekam sad viprah bahuta vadanti). This God is Formless and is beyond the limitations of the comprehension. This is the basis on which many of the great sages meditate on this Supreme Being that is beyond any contours. So why are so many forms? The God in Its natural form being very difficult to comprehend, leave alone loving that God and worshiping with devotion, the simple minds would certainly need a way through which they could worship the Boundless God in a fairly simplified manner. But at the same time it should not contradict the basis that God is beyond forms in any way. Hinduism maintains that because of the abundant Grace of the God, It revealed Itself in the Holy symbols for humans and other creatures to worship. These symbols are easy to comprehend for the minds of the normal human beings, but at the same time they are just symbols than objects themselves, which means that they symbolically indicate the God, Which is beyond the exploration of knowledge. Such symbols are the pranava aum which is held in high esteem by all sects of Hindus and the glorious shiva lingam meaning symbol of Shiva, the God that is considered the most sacred symbol of worship for the Shaivites. The intention is that the Formless Supreme could be achieved by simpler means of these formless-forms - the symbols.

In a way these Hindu symbols are abstract representation of the God. These are quite closer to the ideal as they form a bridge between the Formless one and the mind that expects a form. The simpler minds benefit better if the God could be correlated with the day to day lives they interact with. The God certainly is Graceful to the upliftment of the creatures, It took various forms in various occasions blessing either in valorous or joyful or yogic postures. There are numerous of these forms that Hindus worship in their temples, 55 which are built in a gigantic manner with the patronage of various emperors that stand as the glorious homes of art and architecture.

In fact the Hindus wear various marks on their forehead that also have spiritual significance. For example the ash that the Shaivites wear represents the ash that the Supreme Flame - Lord Shiva has smeared on Him always; the same way the tilak have its‘ significance and indications. In essence Hindus achieve the Supreme Things, by simple ways following the symbols.

Eulogizing the various symbols Murli Baba explained in very simple terms their importance in daily life as means to achieve the end of praying to God and obtaining his blessings:

Swastika is a decorative Hindu equilateral cross form, derived from Sanskrit ‗svasti‘ meaning well being with its arms bent atright angles, in either right-facing (卐) or left- facing (卍) forms. It is a widely-used symbol in Dharmic religions Hiduism, Budhism and Jaininsm. It is also a symbol in the modern unicode. It is often imprinted on religious texts, marriage invitations, decorations etc. It is used to mark religious flags in Jainism and to mark Buddhist temples in Asia. Archaeological evidence of swastika shaped ornaments goes back to the Neolithic period. In 1920 the swastika was appropriated as a Nazi symbol, and has since then become a controversial motif as a consequence. In the western world, it is this usage as a symbol of Nazism that is most familiar, and this political association has largely eclipsed its historical status in the East.

‗Aum is revered by all religions of Hinduism. This is the primeval sound Om. This mystic sound is so important that there is no worship without this. The archanas-prayers done at the Hindu temples include this for each of the mantra chanted. The holy Vedas also start with this. This mantra is one of the renowned mantra for meditation. This sound represents the Supreme Divinity.‘

‗Lingam is the prime symbol of worship for Shaivites. In fact the name itself means symbol. This is broad in the middle and conical towards the top. This is the form of flame. In Shaivite philosophy the God is formless. Due to the Grace on the souls for the easy comprehension of the Divine and liberation the God appeared in the form of a Flame. This flame is what is worshiped as lingam in stone and other forms that make the worship easier. This is considered more sacred than any form of worship by Shaivites.‘

The Yagyopavit or Upnayan ceremony during which a Hindu male child from Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaishya castes, on reaching an age of ten years was required to wear the sacred thread, three strains combined in one, launched him to Brahmcharya-life of celibacy under his guru-teacher to gain knowledge. It exhorted him to be pure in his thought, word and deed and lead a regulated organised life. The three threads reminds him of the debt he owes to his guru, parents and society. There are three states of wearing a yagyopavit: One is Upavitam when the sacred thread is worn over the left shoulder and under the right arm. Second is Nivitam, when it worn around the neck and over the chest; it is to be observed during paying respects to the seers, sexual intercourse and answering the calls of nature. 56

The third is Prachinavitam when it is worn over the right shoulder and under the left arm; this is for spirits and is also called apsavya.

Bhasma-vibhuti the three bands one could see on the foreheads of the gods and goddesses; these three bands are worn by the Shaivites and the other religions in that family. This symbol is called tripundra - three bands. As the God appeared as a Supreme Flame (This need not be confused with agni. agni becomes one of the aspects of God but not the Supreme itself), in the Shaivite religion, (refer to lingam above) naturally Ash becomes the symbol that indicates the association with that param jyoti (Supreme flame).

Rudra + aksha translate to the eye of rudra. This is a bead from a tree. This is considered to have emanated from the eye of Lord Shiva when He burnt the tripura asuras. This is one of the holy symbols worn by Shaivites along with Holy Ash. This is worn as a single bead or as garlands of beads.

Tilak is the dot most of the Hindus have at the eye-brow junction. This could be of sandal or red kumkum or a mix of both. This junction is one of the very significant chakra, called in spiritual terms agya chakra. This is a very sensitive point. So the tilaka is kept at this point.

Nandi is the Holy Bull - the vehicle and the flag of Lord Shiva, the emblem of Shaivites. On the wall of the Shaivite temples, in the flags, in the message headers and many other articles this emblem could be found. The ambience of this emblem will be very evident from the fact that this emblem has been found in the excavations of harappa mahanjadaro (Indus valley civilization sites). According to Shaivite scriptures bull represents the dharma (justice).

Trishul, the tri-headed spear (trident) – is one of the renowned weapons of Lord Shiva. This is the second important emblem of Shaivites after nandi. As the Goddess shakti also holds this trident, this is the symbol that is held high by the devotees of shakti as well.

Shankha-Chakra the conch called pAnchajanya and the disc called sudarshana in the hands of Lord Vishnu are the important symbols of Vaishnavites. These two are printed as emblems in the artifacts associated with Vaishnava. In course of time what remained in human psyche was symbolic representation, the fundamentals and deeper meanings for which it was established were forgotten, making the religious practices hollow and ritualistic, to be exploited by people who professed or conducted them. The discourses at the Ashram were sensible and were different from the majority of such religious protagonists.

On the well established element of three in Hindu religion Murli Baba elucidated as there are three Deities Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, three vyahrtis bhuh, bhuvah and svah, three meters in the Vedic hymns, three sacred fires, three times, three states of being, three atmas and three letters (a, u, and m) in the sacred syllable Oum, so vaisnava tilaka has three parts, which correspond to the letters in the sacred Oum. The three elements elsewhere in the philosophical thought of the Hindus are: ‗Creation-Brahma, Preservation-Vishnu, 57

Destruction-Shiva into Brahma; Waking–Dreaming-Dreamless Sleep into Turiya (transcendental fourth state of consciousness); Rajas (activity, heat, fire) – Tamas (dullness, ignorance, darkness) – Sattva (purity, light, serenity - shanti) into Brahma; Body, Speech and Mind into Oneness. The three threads of yagyopavit-sacred thread represent purity in thought, word and deed, reminding the holder of three eternal dedts to his guru, parents and society.

He is unimportant than Heness. Man cannot be happy without Happiness; so what is vital is Happiness, not the Man. It is for these reasons that Indians did not write history; whatever was written was about the importance of being the subject worth being written as history. Amidst the plethora of thought Adwait shines brilliantly containing its distracters as well including the Mahayana Budhism. It influenced Greek and other thought too. Indians seek pleasures of the soul rather than the ones of the body that is subject to decay and death. Amidst the thick accumulated clouds of incense spreading its fragrance, the musical ringing cacophony of innumerable temple bells, sober azan calls from mosque-minarets and huge, loud church-tower bells, spreading in all four corners of the mother earth people pray for their other world.

“Kathin preeti rasa riti hai, samujhi gaho man mahi Eka chakor pavak chugai, sabahin kau bhakh nahi”

It has to be clearly understood the path of love is arduously vexatious! Chakor single out only pavak to feast upon all others can‘t strive for it!!

2.3

However, good is the other side of evil? Good and evil persist simultaneously and the struggle is perennial. Both elements attract followers their uneven numbers notwithstanding. There is no separate god of evil or Satan in Indian thought; Indians never are negative in their attitude. They have however, devised a method of joint force that creates, sustains and destroys the creation. A pious soul worships Shiva as much as a wicked thief or killer. God bestows rewards according to actions of a being which can never be retraced. Therefore, there was a paraxial life of sensuousness being run by a section of the ashram, behind the curtains and the Sant was obviously ignorant of what went almost as a parallel organization, the nucleus of which was a small marhi [hut] in a far off corner opposite the ashram, a mile away, where, a sadhu believed to be a perverted tantric lived, and with whom the middle 58

Sevak Ramratan was closely linked. Ramratan was a man of the world. He yearned to be part of the pleasures this world offered. The group was ever on the look out for such ill-fated woman who visited the ashram for her misfortunes to be evaporated with the blessings of the Sadhu. Such woman was enticed to be cured of her misfortunes by the grace of the tantric and advised to report under strict secrecy lest her ordeal might not be cured. Normally Hindu families permit their woman in distress to visit such persons who under the spiritual cover claim to remove ill omens hovering over distressed females. Initially the target was given lotions or advice to repeat her visit in a course of time. In later visits she was physically contacted to drive evil spirits. In her later visits she was made to perform some puja and smell incense and drink some liquids which contained anesthesia. Upon her having reached such state of mind she was sexually exploited and raped, and when she returned to her senses she was given more lotions and threats to keep coming regularly or the evil spirits will never leave her. The act of molestation and sexual abuse was explained to her as the evil Satan‘s wish to sexually cohabit with the woman so as to leave her in peace in the future and after which the spirit would leave her forever. Ramratan and the tantric would both enjoy the woman for long periods of time. Some who cooperated with the rogues were rewarded with money, rich food to eat, clothes and the like. Such victims who once fell into their trap and cooperated in their network also brought more such victims to the hut. Ramratan provided all monetary and other help to the tantric of the hut from his vast resources of the ashram. Quite often drug peddlers, minor criminals, bad elements, visited the hut and exchanged their trade secrets in camera. Ramratan was also involved in quite a few murders of persons who disappeared mysteriously on the knowledge they got of the activities of the hut tantric. The tantric was a criminal, who had committed quite a few murders, in his original place near Patna in Bihar, and has now taken to the robes to give solace to the distressed human beings particularly the souls of woman. The tantric also was the center of the sale and purchase of the local country made arms, and charged heavy amounts of money both from the local mistries who made the arms and the purchasers of the weapons. The local police, who were regularly paid good amounts of money as a buffer protection from the hand of the law, knew this activity. The tantric hut and people who visited the place were under a cloud and normal good people never went there. It was widely believed that the tantric was an aghori sadhu and people were somewhat scared of him and therefore kept a distance from him. It suited the tantric and his accomplice Ramratan too. He was notorious for speculation. Once in a while numbers predicted by him drew money; the lure of money is the greatest pulling force for poor ignorant unemployed vagrants as well as family men. The use of drugs gave people a false escape from miseries of daily existence. Those who failed to face the realities of life enrolled at the murhi for doing things prohibited otherwise in society and his business flourished.

Manti, Dina, Rewati, Kalia, Shaukat and Khillan Bhai were along with Ramratan and the tantric Puriji maharaj, were riding high on sulfa. It was the third chilam.

Manti said, ‗the number you gave me maharaj didn‘t give riches, yet it gave access to Angoori, the pink pussy with sweet tits.‘

Said Puriji with a hoarse tone, ‗bacha, if you will serve the guru you will get access to still ripe mangoes {young woman} in times to come.‘ 59

Replied Manti, ‗maharaj Ramratan is witness I have caused seven young mangoes to pay homage with their rich assets at the murhi.‘

Said Puriji, ‗that is the reason you got access to Angoori after she was freed from the yoke of her tormentor demon, bhoot, personally by me.‘

Asked Shaukat, ‗you taste mango juice and forget the box I gave you for the AK 47 I need badly.‘

Replied Puriji, ‗bacha you pay homage with real will power and obtain baba‟s blessings; the asalah-weapon is ready to be given to you right now, but the box had ten sticks short of the total needed.‘

‗It was by mistake maharaj, take twelve sticks instead and give the asalah to me,‘ replied Shaukat taking out a bundle of thousand currency notes in his right hand.

Taking the money Puri saw towards a black stout buddy standing guard and signaled by hand. He went inside and returned with a sealed packet containing the AK 47. Shaukat opened the packet, inspected the weapon, touched Puriji‘s feet, had a last long smoke and left, his junior Khillan Bhai following him closely. Khillan Bhai has done away with sixteen persons who failed to pay ransom demanded by Shaukat, whose shooter he was.

Dina said, ‗I burgled the house of your choicest mango but got an old hag of a woman and no returns in terms of the booty. Only one gold necklace was there and the remainder rubbish was silver I threw in the garbage. I didn‘t go for silver.‘ „Bacha, you faulted in your last puja at the murhi and got what you deserved.‘

‗Maharaj three unsuccessful dacoities in regular succession have angered the gang. Ramratan gave misleading information. You enjoy the mangoes and we strive through dark nights to get bogus assets.‘

‗Pay proper homage now and Ramratan has better information right now to pass on to you.‘

Dina brought out about half a kilogram glittering gold ornaments and put at the feet of Puriji. The black buddy carried the offering away.

Puriji saw towards Ramratan who took Dina aside and conferred for a couple of minutes and left.

Rewati touching Puriji‘s feet said, ‗at your instance the identified person was lifted from his hide out, killed, and body disposed off in the canal. I have yet to get the inam.‘

Summoning the black buddy Puriji pointed with both hands. The guy brought a box; it contained one lakh rupees. Rewati took the box, touched Puriji‘s feet and withered in the thick of night.

Kalia touching Puriji‘s feet and taking a long smoke of the chilam said, ‗His hands were broken as he cried in pain, his wife and your desired sweet mango came running crying, ‗bhoot‘, ‗bhoot‘; I disguised as a real ‗bhoot‘, summoned her to immediately see Puriji maharaj, else she would be destroyed completely. She might have come to obtain your blessings, maharaj.‘

‗Yes bacha, she took your advice and is here after her man was plastered for the fractures.‘

Puriji saw towards the black guy. He brought a packet and handed it to Rewati. Rewati bowed down to touch his feet and looked for orders.‘

‗Bacha see Ramratan and follow the Almighty‘s orders.‘ Ramratan took him aside and briefed him for ten minutes.

It was well passed midnight. Except jungle creature‘s blubbers and growls in subdued melodies there was hushed silence. Infrequent howls of the jackals and milder yelps of foxes were audible at intermittent intervals. Stray dogs barked at the sound of people leaving the murhi. The star lit night sparkled with its hues at times ominous enough to scare even bolder persons of age. Dhooni fire sparkled bright in steep darkness.

Another chilam was done. As Puriji drew the first smoke out of it for a protracted seconds cries of agony and heightened pain were heard from the depths of the hut backyards. It was a woman. She was in pain. She was hysterical. She wriggled out to come over the dhooni. Before the chilam session began Puri was with her. She was the young and beautiful wife of the merchant young seth of the far off village Kankarpur. Kalia has struck her husband in the thick of night done up as a ghost. She was in distress. She was administered time tested tranquilizers. Puri has unrobed her. She was young. She has slender body and tight boobs and shapely legs. Puri carried her to his done up bed. He licked her body from toe to her rosy lips. He felt her tits and messaged them. She sighed in stupor. He took his erect penis and inserted into her vulvas. He raped her repeatedly. She sighed in agony and stupor. When tired and molested she went into deep sleep. An hour later when she regained consciousness she tried to get out. As he heard her agonizing calls Puri stood up and went towards the direction crying sounds were coming. He reached her and took her in his arms to carry her inside his cottage which was lavishly done with rich furniture, beds with rich silken linens and comfortable feather pillows. She was almost naked. Her young body radiated with youth the scent and lavenders Puri has applied all over her beautiful body. She was in senses. He pulled out his erect penis and brought her hand to handle it. He muttered some unintelligible sounds. He indicated for the ghost who has done harm to her husband. The ghost won‘t leave unless she satisfies its lust. His organ is the ghost. She perforce took his penis, kissed it as directed by the spirits and worked it for erection. She then took it in her mouth and licked it. He then put her over the bed and inserted his penis in her warm vagina. 61

He continued to pronounce some mantras and molested her. He did it repeatedly. The poor woman was repeatedly raped through out the better part of the remaining night. Before dawn she was dressed up and dispatched to her house in Kankarpur under the strict vigil of Puriji‘s planned maneuvering. She was asked to keep silent and repeat her visits at the appointed time under Puri‘s arrangements for a week after which the spirits of the ghost would vanish for ever. She repeated her sojourns, was intoxicated as usual, sexually abused and after a week the ghosts never bothered her and her husband; so she believed. Last day of the week, Puriji allowed Ramratan to anoint the spirits of the ghost by sleeping with her after he has himself satisfied his lewd lechery.

Despite claims of being an extraordinary ancient civilization and a successful modern democracy almost largest in size in the world and professing to be a dominantly peaceful country India remains unenlightened in its approach to remove dogmatic pockets of poverty, illiteracy and superstition. Violent crime in India may not reach levels of crime say for example in Flint, Michigen, St. Louis or Detroit in the United States of America at a high level of 26 per 1000 persons; India does not appear to be as peaceful a country as is generally professed to be. Most of the turbulence is within its own rank and file; historical inheritance seems to be the culprit when inter state struggles for land, love, loot and lucre were the reigning signs of the age. If peace is given numbers Norway should top the chart with India performing at as low a position as 109 of the total of 121 countries of the world. The economic schism between people triggers much of animosity fuelled by disappointment. The disparities of the two Indias couldn‘t be better displayed by the estimated cost of billionaire Mukesh Ambani‘s planned 27 floor residence in Mumbai, if the powers that be allow it to happen, where the 173 meter high-rise building will have a health club, helipad and space for 600 full time staff to look after him and the rest of the Indians breathing with an annual per capita income of $727 only. There appears to be a queer pitched confrontation between tradition and modernity; it tends to create a new remix, where we introduce it not to revive the glory of its past but simply to saturate it without the moral it was invented to provide. Inexactitude and procrastination is allowed to pass as freedom. The moot question is to attempt to Indianite this kind of freedom. Jagan and Shano shall have to grapple with it when they are grown up in their youth.

2.4

Love knows no bounds. It was evident from the uneventful life of inhabitants of Nandgaon. Amorous relationships flourished between not only different age groups but in between various caste congregations. This was the main stay of the village life, besides the 62 drudgery of work and sort of bull work against people falling into crime. It also encouraged the cultural activities of the region against the cult of violence and intolerance spreading all around. Champa was married to Harphool, who was a bore-well operator. She was ripe in her youth and had crossed the teen age. Her complexion glowed with the whitish spark. She was of medium height and had an elegant gait. The carelessness with which she went to collect water at well indicated her dissatisfaction in her surroundings; with the water pitcher over her head held by both hands, her elegant gait would affirm the emergence of her pronounced round buttocks and the contours of her breasts. Deepa was attracted towards her for the last about a year. He would steal her favors into the night to bring her the choicest sweets, and gifts of his deep love in the form of innumerable kisses and body embraces. She had tight full breasts and deep black eyes. He would explore her body with his face and continue kissing her lips, her tightening nipples, her neck, her belly button, her soft insides of the legs and thighs. Through the moans emanating from the bottom of her heart he would accept her surrendered body and make love. Before it was dawn he would disappear to come again the next Sunday. Mehirunnisa was enamored towards Salim, who was a young teli and robust. Mehirunnisa‘s „shohar-husband‟ did not care for her and he was entangled with other women from the neighboring village, from where he will return late in the night or will be away for days together. Salim brought her solace and gave her the passion of love. She was pale, slim and very tender in her thoughts for Salim. Forgetting all social restrictions she will barge into Salims embrace during alternate midnights and fulfill her desires.

And then there was the legendary Chameli, the uncommon wife of a commoner, who served as village chowkidar. She had an uncanny desire to indulge in voluptuous, irresistible, prepossessing, and lascivious encounters with males of the village. Having acquired success in obtaining the ardent favors of most of the village zamindars to present herself as their mistress, she was still able to reach the virile males of any genre, with a captivating smile and an open enchanting mind-frame. Chameli was sought by man of taste, tradition and upbringing. Chameli was of medium height, fair complexion, and slim, light frame of a body that was distinguished for her contours of the vital statistics. She had a round face over a slender high neck, black beautiful eyes which looked wider with the black kajal she applied, and a medium size nose, which was neither round nor pointed, and soft naturally reddish cheeks. The pair of ears dangling with diamond ear buds flanked her cheekbones. Her forehead was tiny shining plateau covered by luxuriant black lustrous hair that seemed to spread the bhadon deep-black clouds of a rainy day. Her teeth, which showed when she laughed, were like white pearls set over pink bases. The golden nose buds added to her bridal attraction. The gold necklaces, very light in weight, touched the contours and cleavage of her full and firm breasts, which made her look like a fairy come down on earth. Her legs and her gait made most men look twice back to watch her. Her glances made most of the toughest persons melt like sugar in a milk pot. So astonishingly agile and accommodating was her nature and person that whenever there was a need for help on any occasion, she would reach them all, be it a child birth, or a marriage function, or an accidental emergency, she would unfailingly attend to the call. The uncanny lady armed with her charms and coquettish flirtations boldly made love in the male chambers of her master lovers, in the dark alley apartments of the casual lovers, in the fields camouflaged by the standing crops, or wherever she was proposed by her suitor lover. Her golden voice was magical. She was a famous singer, and an accomplished dancer. At functions she was invited she would dance for hours 63 together and keep the audience spell bound. The perspiration appearing as twinkling buds over her face during a dance session enhanced her charms manifold. Chameli in fact was irresistible!

To Raj Singh a fiery young lover and intimate Chameli confided, ‗I want to understand love. The more I seek to feel it wider and farther it goes; I seem to capture a moment of joy but behold it is a mirage. Those who reach portals of my heart fail to excite or impassion my body; and those who arouse and incite my body fail to reach my heart. When you are gone I venture into my dreamland and think of you. As soon your image appears in my dream you are lost to me; I feel you too are like others who play with my body. Again I dream of someone who will ever come to me, perceive me as a woman seeking true companion, ardent lover and real friend. I feel I am unreachable, unreal fantasy; I venture again in my dream of someone who will ask me to join in the sacred sex. My soul yearns for it; I come out of it again and play Chameli, tantalize lovers by my body and stirrings of music, turn into ultimate seductress, apical consummate sex muse, incapable of being possessed for too long creating obsession in men to seek me again and again.‘

Chameli was mythical; she was live in her seducing body frame, but her soul was out of it. It wandered winged with imaginative twigs of fantasy obsessed by a yearning so real and fantastic it never would meet her twilight of a companion perhaps. She was awakened in the last phase of nights that seem never to end, the nights that appeared to be ageless, timeless, and limitless. She was always surrounded by persons filled with desires of the lustful body, people of different backgrounds, varying temperaments and uneven resources of both the body and wealth. Those who had their wallets full could not satisfy physical aspirations their spirits having been consummated already in the process of acquiring their wealth; others waiting with pulsating bodies filled with eagerness to acquire desires of the flesh would be restrained by factors related to wallet. Surrounded, however, she always was by men seeking her, for her body, her dance, her music. She was like a lamp burning to spread light around her; however, she was lodged in stark darkness constantly aspiring to seek a ray of light herself. The closed enclosure of her yearning soul sought a ray of hope in the form of light that might brighten her; the lamp she burned was unable to enlighten her inner self. Her irony was she was immersed in darkness in the bright lamp light that burned around, her body providing pleasures to men surrounding her. The myth of Chameli would continue till she find her illumination fate only know if that will ever happen. Quenching thirst of others around her she remained perpetually thirsty herself. In Indian tradition there is a Braj saying „diya tale andhera‟; Chameli illuminates innumerable lives but remains in dark shade of her own brightness. Her loss is their gain. Her yearnings to find a soul mate opened the floodgates of passionate lovers seeking her lustful body; her inner self remained deluded and forlorn in meeting her own prince charming. With the onset of rains, on the outskirts of green cover spread over the vistas, when cool breeze softly caressed her cheeks reshuffling her pallu she felt unbearable agony within her; it became difficult to live beyond it now. Thick dark clouds of bhadon engulfing whatever little ray of hope-light managed to survive during the drizzling long duration of an unending night Chameli felt her heart pierced with thousand pricks of looking for her soul mate that might be on way to meet her but never turn up sending her into extreme remorse. Cursing her body she threw herself in disdain making it more irresistible for her clients to 64 restrain them; they pounced on her sensibilities in the manner baz-hawks prey over innocent unaware birds. Few could understand the irony of her self; even Raj Singh failed her completely. That is the way wheel of fate moves on.

Chameli‘s charms had crossed the village frontiers. English bureaucrats of nearby district towns, through the agency of her zamindar clients called on her. Amorous relationships between Indians and Europeans began centuries ago, way before English residents who took native wives, dressed themselves in the comfortable Indian kurta- pajama, or even dhoti. When Pondicherry was a trading port in the third century women from that continent were imported and kept as mistresses and concubines by the ruling elite and traders, and Indian women likewise were the fancy of many European merchants and ruling aristocrats of the various duchies and monarchies of that continent. White skinned lovers have always fancied the tinge of brown flesh - ripe, smooth, and soft. Tanned skin soaked in sunshine and basking in the sultry hot sunshade of the Indian autumn and summer, full naturally red lips, large black eyes, sparkling white teeth, glimpses of tight tits peeking through transparent Choli or a tout midriff winking over a low slung ghaghra or lehenga, loosely wrapped up in Dhaka mal-mal odhani. The irresistible image of charm and beauty of an Indian beloved enchanted not only the males, but their females too, who along with their male counterparts, vied to get tanned in the sun with an unenviable craze, whenever that spectacle is available over the beaches and elsewhere.

After the company years of the Raj the number of British officers in India was rising while the number of British ladies was few in numbers. Young English officers faced the danger of remaining unmarried while in their job in India. That prompted many British officers to get attracted towards Indian woman and they started courting the company of famous Indian dancing girls and kept them in their harems. Captain Thomas Williamson‘s guide manual revealed that for a British officer to bring with him an English woman would cost rupees five thousand, while keeping and maintaining an Indian woman in his harem would cost rupees forty per month only! The British obviously couldn‘t resist counting life in pounds! Some either married Indian woman or were forced to remain unmarried; others used both time and money, both of which they had enough, on enchanting dancing girls like Chameli. Some took completely to the Indian life styles of the local nawabs and thakurs and kept a large number of women in their harems. One of Delhi‘s Resident David Octerlony was known more by his Indian name of Luny Akhtar, who took all thirteen Indian wives in an entourage in the evenings on his daily walk, with the pomp and show even Indian Nawabs were not showing. Another successor of Luny Akhtar William Frazer went a step farther and completely adopted Indian ways of life, spending hours and hours smoking the traditional hookah enjoying the enchanting dances by most famous Nautch Girls of Delhi. He had seven Indian wives, one of whom and his most favorite queen was Sarvan, a Jat woman of considerable beauty and brains. Endangered by the attraction of British officers towards Indian woman, English girls in thousands, who had failed to find their cherishable partners in England, were shipped to India, as if it was part of their trade, though traders they were, where around the Churches, on the Sundays, there were organized huge marriage markets and shows, as a result of which such rejected English girls who failed to find life partners in England, were taken pleasurably by the forced bachelor British officers in India. Meanwhile, outstanding and brilliant players of pleasure 65 providers, both physical and psychological, like Chameli, continued to attract large but select followers.

There is the misguided fantasy created after wild miscalculation of Indian ethos of being a traditional bride bonded by sacred marriage vows that Indian or Asian women are docile, subservient, and will massage their lover‘s feet and wilting egos in almond oil and entreaties. Quite otherwise, was it? Indian women seek love outside their own stalk in order to express themselves more fully and flaunt their independence and freewill. But the chauvinistic parochial male attitude persist even in the chain store, supermarket version of fast love, in the form of all the toned, trim city chartered accountants, city center guys, managers, young executives, and lawyers who persist in trying to solicit and pursue her, the fast beloved enchanted, on the prescribed five minute virtues of Indian women, who wear veil, who walk steps behind their better halves, eat in purdah-veil in different apartments, preferably after the males of the household are finished eating, perhaps their half eaten unclean leftovers. But they forget to learn that these women no longer suffer from the frailties their mothers bothered about, career versus family or children versus private inner life. Chameli, almost a century ago displayed that indomitable spirit in Nandgaon, even to her white lovers.

The village had innumerable couples and triangles struggling to steal their desires and pouring their hearts out to their lovers and beloveds. Women from the lower strata of the village society were easy fodder for the lustful men, who persuaded them to oblige at all places and at odd hours, though some had very strong likes and dislikes and nobody could force the woman to oblige into sexual act. It was with their consent or voluntary. Behind such affairs were two urges working – value consideration and unfulfilled desire. These relationships were known and accepted but were in the backstage under the carpet; no one will talk about it. It was part of the cumulative village life, a fraction of the manifold and many-faced animated human activity, and could not be classed as a promiscuous social set up. It simply manifested the unnatural alliances forced upon the village society on notions of social, pecuniary, caste, community or religious considerations. It gave the impression that all categorization by the society was unnatural, that all human beings - men and women, were basically impelled by the same urges; the barriers of caste, creed, religion, and community were not only fragile, but hopelessly unnatural.

2.5

In such atmosphere social schisms based on mutual hatred and class and caste distinctions did not flourish, though their apparent anomalies did exist. Jagannath and his 66 friends, in their innocent childhood interaction seemed to dismantle those anomalies without damaging the inherent cultural synthesis of the village. It was not sponsored by any outside forces. It was just spontaneous and natural. But this phenomenon could contain enormous probabilities of change during a single life span. Over this issue the tender mind of Jagannath seemed to be definitely firmed up already. He enjoyed the chutney-roti with his Mohammadan friend Hina in an atmosphere of a radically different scenario as passionately as the gur-roti shared with her partner Shanti, daughter of the family Pundit, and a staunch Brahman. He was not concerned that Hina‘s mother wore Churidar-Kameez which she changed after about a week for washing, and the Panditain Tai Shanti‘s mother wore a spotless Sari, washed every day. It did not bother him that Hina‘s father was a butcher, cutting the throat of a goat almost daily to earn his daily bread, and Shanti‘s father was always busy chanting Ramayan and Gita Slokas, whenever he went there, with his forehead smeared with chandan paste, and his yagyopavita spotlessly cream color, dangled around his neck and waist. Similarly he was not bothered that Nekiram, his buddy, smelt of the odor that leather trade leaves with the various salts the hides are made to be usable, which his friend Jitendra abhorred to even sit beside the fellow, or that Kirpa did not have any shoes to wear, and therefore, unlike some members of Mohini‘s estate, would not like him to enter the inner rooms of the Haveli. He would meet these friends as joyfully as ever, and did not care to distinguish on these sundry disparities, that were created by man. He was persuaded to be friendly on the basis of the similarity of the gray matter of his buddies, and their common interests. No one taught him to act as he did. It came to him naturally.

Summer vacations were drawing to a close.

Hina: ‗Maaji, where is Jagannath?‘

Maaji: ‗He was with Kirpa. But why?‘

Hina: ‗Nekiram has come. I will go and find from Shanti.‘

Hina did not find Shanti at her house either. Nekiram and Hina both went towards the farm house hoping Jagannath to have gone there. They found them at the well talking under a tree, all the three of them Kirpa, Shanti and Jagannath. They planned how to persuade Kirpa‘s father Chunni, to allow Kirpa go to the school when it reopens. Kirpa was interested in going to school. He had secured good grades in the tables also. But Kirpa was also required by his father Chunni to help him in shepherding of village cattle. There was nothing the group could do about it. Jagannath suggested he could continue learning tables and reading after his return from his work. Hina was eager for her patti shine and needed guarpatha gel. All of them then went to fetch guar gel for their patties, and parted to get ready to go to the school when it reopened in a day or two. Shanti went to the girl‘s school. Hina appeared to be interested more in the shining of her Patti than continuing her studies. Both she and her brother Neksa were not interested in studies either. Their parents being butchers, they also did not think much about it. But Hina was more interested to be with Jagannath, and schooling was an opportunity that gave her to be with him. Therefore, she was keen to go to school. But this time she would have to go to the girl‘s school, and not to 67 the boy‘s school to be in the company of Jagannath. This bothered her. And through these little worries of the children the vacations were over and school reopened on July 7.

The school consisted of two big rooms flanked by two smaller rooms. There was a verandah in front of all the four rooms, and a large chowk, or an open enclosure. The main higher classes were held in the bigger rooms and then the lower ones in the smaller rooms. Beginners and toddlers sat either in the verandah or in the open chowk according to the weather. There were two teachers besides the headmaster Ganeshilal Guruji. He took classes from second standard onwards, but was present for his period of arithmetic and tables. Such students, who passed the primary under Guruji Ganeshilal, never stammered in mathematics, algebra, geometry, and geography, whenever they reached matriculation or graduate level. His dedication to his students was complete and overwhelming. Day in and day out he thought about the students. He knew not only the students by name individually but their parents also. It was not unusual for him to summon a ward or reach the parent with whom he discussed about the students‘ lack of concentration in studies. It was a delight to see his interest in the overall performance of the students and the amount of respect he commanded from the village community. His efforts on character building were based on the wider assumption that if a student earned proficiency in studies, it will build his character. It was a great burden upon Guruji when his students went for the final tests at the block level. He would devote many extra hours to prepare needy students for a better performance in the final examination. For many years it was a convention that the best student at the tehsil level was from Nandgaon, and the inspector of schools recognized this as a tribute to Guruji Ganeshilal. Panditain Supriya Devi, Guruji‘s wife, had a hectic time at the commencement and duration of the tests. It was her concern to look after her husband. The pre-examination preparations and the marathon late night shifts of tuitions kept Guruji so busy he would hardly get time to care for his family. Supriya took care to attend to all these and took care to prepare her two sons who were also students of the school. Supriya kept a cow also and milk was the basic breakfast for the boys. She had a daughter Anju also who went to the girl‘s school in the village. Anju was Shanti‘s class mate. Jagannath was a favorite of Guruji and he has access to panditain Supriya, as often as Guruji asked him to go to her to get water, towels, chalk sticks and dusters. Guruji also liked Nekiram, Kirpa, and Jitendra, mainly on account of their merit and proficiency in studies. Guruji had, surprisingly, no caste considerations so far his students were concerned. He considered the entire students as members of a unique fraternity bordering on the concept of a family. That perhaps was the reason of his reputation and regard by the villagers.

But he was also harsh on those who did not fall in line despite his best efforts. Besides the baser punishments to the erring students, his pet physical punishment was to catch hold of the muscles over the cheeks, legs, or back in between two fingers and the thumb and twist these to either half or a full circles, which gave the recipient sharp pain and left a blue scar to remind him to improve. Students‘ including Jagannath and Jitendra shivered at it‘s very thought. If the home work was not complete students would rather not go to school to avoid the harsh punishment, though, absence from the school on any superficial reason was another ordeal for the absconders. Other punishments included the cock posture, standing in the back of the class, being beaten by a cloth twirled gomti and of course his oral spurns. He had a sharp shrill voice that penetrated into the small minds of 68 students leaving a permanent scare. He did not spare his sons Harswarup and Chhotu from the punishments if they defaulted. Punishment and spurns made student‘s careers.

Ganeshilal was following the inherent guru-shishya parampara-teacher-taught tradition of Indian milieu. The important element and epicenter of this tradition was the guru himself. His reputation drew the students to learn at the feet of the guru. The great teachers lived in simple hermitages, sponsored and facilitated by the people who were under the spell of the Guru. He was the symbol of great austerity, simplicity and the center of knowledge, and since knowledge was power, they were held in high esteem. The raja- king of the area came to pay his respects and homage to the famous guru. The guru represented the best in human mind and spent most of his time in meditation and teaching the intricacies of life and the purpose of human existence. It was contained in the sacred literature of the country, which again was carried from generation to generation by strict oral tradition. The guru-shishya parampara is the very soul of the oral tradition of India, and embodies the sacred relationship between teacher and pupil. ‗Gu‟ means dark and ‗Ru‟ means light thus „Guru‟ translated is ‗darkness to light,‘ or one who leads from darkness to light. Guru is a teacher of life or a spiritual mentor who leads the shishya from ignorance to bliss, wisdom, and enlightenment. Vishwamitra was the guru of Sri Rama who taught him valor, knowledge and sympathy which made him great. For this, the self-controlled brothers, Krishna and Balaram formally approached Guru Sandipani with due humility and respect and set a model of faultless behavior with the teacher. Guru Sandipani taught them, within a period of 64 days, sixty-four arts, statecraft and military science. Noticing their miraculous capacity and greatness, Guru Sandipani, after consulting his wife, sought the restoration to life of his son who had been drowned in the ocean on the bank of Prabhasa as guru-dakshina. Guruji Ganeshilal carried the same traditions in his own humble manner.

Anju, Guruji‘s daughter, informed her father, Jagannath, Nekiram, and Kirpa has come and want to see him.

‗Guruji pranam,‘ said Jagannath, arching to touch his feet.

‗How are you Jagannath? And what brings you all today?‘ asked Guruji with a small grin.

‗Guruji, Kirpa has a problem. His father want him to accompany him to the grazing of the village cattle, as he is getting older, but Kirpa want to study. We have thought out a plan where he can do both the jobs, if you kindly allow him to attend the evening tuition classes with other boys, he could go with his father during day time,‘ explained Jagannath. Nekiram also nodded as if to plead for Kirpa.

Guruji threw a sustained glance at Kirpa. Kirpa‘s gaze was at Guruji‘s feet.

‗Will you be able to study after the hectic grazing whole day?‘ asked Guruji to Kirpa. Kirpa was obliged. He said he would do that easily. Guruji consented to Kirpa coming in the evening to study at Guruji‘s house. All three were happy and took Guruji‘s leave.

Jagannath felt a burden on his mind has been laid back. His only loss was that Kirpa will not be able to go to the chase in the evenings.

2.6

That evening Shanti sought Jagannath to help her do some arithmetic questions of subtraction. She put the questions to him he solved them, either of the two without speaking a word. After the sums were done both went over to the roof to see the dark clouds which were laden heavily in the sky. Sitting on the edge of the roof parapet, Jagannath watched Shanti with adoring eyes.

‗Why are you so dumb, always,‘ Jagan asked.

She was quiet.

‗You don‘t like me?‘

Lifting her large eyes she saw him, beamed and reverted back to silence.

‗If you don‘t want to talk I also will not speak‘, Jagan said.

She softly took his hand, her eyes pleading not to do that.

‗During sleep time also you slip in beside me without a word,‘ Jagan asked.

She moved her head in affirmative throwing a glance.

‗What is that keeps you mum,‘ he asked.

She continued gazing at her slender feet without any movement.

‗If I have offended you I am sorry,‘ he said.

She took his hand again and slightly pressed it within her soft palm. He noticed the tiny hands were rough with dark lines resulting from house chores.

‗Would you like to play Dhaikot,‘ he asked.

She glanced at his handsome face without any gesture.

‗Yesterday when Hina asked you to join doing craft work, why did you run away?‘ he asked.

She threw a drawn face and lowered her eyes.

‗I have seen you being very jovial and voluble with Anju,‘ he asked.

She threw affirmative glance muscles of her face seemingly getting relaxed in a quick reflex and softly grinned.

‗You play ball with Kirpa too and won‘t talk to me,‘ he said making a face she was forced to laugh.

She gazed in his eyes.

Still no reply; throwing a glance at him she ran away to her house responding to the calls of her mother.

There was news that Jagannath‘s father was due to be on leave after the rains. It was always an occasion to celebrate when Surat came on leave, both in his family as well as village. Thakur Vikram Singh was getting old and after Mohini Kaur agreed he settled the marriage of Ranbir, Jagannath‘s elder brother by two years, and who was not interested in studies at all. Colonel Surat Singh was coming to meet this situation. He did not want this marriage to take place as yet. But he could not oppose his father in whatever decisions he has taken. Vikram Singh was as difficult to yield as was his son Surat Singh weak in his efforts to put off the marriage proposal. Marriage in those days was the family affair, and head of the family‘s decision was final. The bride groom hardly ten years of age was a non- entity, so far as the decision was concerned. With Surat Singh‘s failure to carry conviction with his father the marriage was finalized and solemnized during the leave Surat Singh has taken. The only consolation for Surat Singh was that the girl personally, and her family background were of outstanding merit.

Jagan too got new clothes stitched for the occasion. The marriage party was large in numbers and included almost the elite of the district and relatives from all over. Girls ordinarily do not accompany the groom in marriage parties; Jagan, however, was allowed to carry her friends Hina and Shanti to the destination Tilmai, where they stayed for three days filled with fun and feasting. The dowry part was also substantial and made an impressive list: five Haryana milk young cows, five milk she-buffalos each yielding fifteen seers of milk daily, one hundred set of utensils, a cart load of house furniture, two dozen sets of best linen, sheets, and other bedcovers, fifteen containers of Ghee Laddos-about three maunds in weight, woolen and summer shawls and Saries for all the ladies of the household, clothes for the team of servants of the Thakur‘s household, hundred and twenty five Tolas of gold ornaments, two kilograms of silver ornaments, hundred gold sovereigns, and one thousand silver Queen Victoria Indian Rupee coins, with maunds of dry and fresh 71 fruits. The bride was just six years of age, bewitchingly beautiful, had only started going to school learning vernaculars, and was dispatched back the second day to her parents, as was the prevailing custom. It will take about ten years to consummate the marriage, locally called, the ‗gauna,‟ {the second marriage}. For Jagannath, it was a hectic week‘s celebration that left him somewhat confused. He hardly could see or meet the bride, Charu, who appeared to be a tiny bundle of soft clothes and a charming face. As most of the ceremonies went through late nights, children mostly went to bed, and Jagannath could not make sense of things he witnessed during the day. Before he could understand anything the bride was gone back to her parents, with one of her aunts who had come to accompany the child bride as a caretaker, and with whom she slept for the night. The marriage ceremonies were the talk of the village for years together, especially the feasts thrown by the Mohini estate. Surat Singh left after the expiry of his leave. His despair on account of his elder son was to an extent compensated by the promising qualities of Jagannath.

Jagannath resumed his school and worked extra hours to make good the loss in studies.

2.7

Neksa, Hina‘s brother, wore a wrapped cloth and staggered to walk, on a Friday. Among the friends there was curiosity to know what has happened. Hira, the neighbor dhobi‟s son, declared rather secretly, “Musalmani” has been done to him. What is that was nobody‘s guess. A crude understanding was that some local caste Muslim surgeon has operated upon his sexual organs. No body understood sex or talked of genitals which were taboo; the matter was left at that. Neksa, though, was in acute pain, and he was secluded for a fortnight before he could get normal.

“Musalmani” was circumcision in which foreskin of the penis is removed in childhood. The practice is prevalent among the Jews and Muslims. Routine infant circumcision began in the United States around 1820, during the Victorian Era. It was started by Puritans as a method to prevent masturbation, which was wrongly viewed as an immoral act. Soon it became a medical cure-all, claiming to alleviate such diseases as epilepsy, tuberculosis and insanity, just to name a few. With the turn of the century, all of these claims have been proven to be untrue, and a bit ridiculous. In more recent decades, circumcision has been sited to protect against HIV, STDs, urinary tract infections, penile cancer and it is thought to be "cleaner" than the natural penis. However, it is now known that these claims are also inaccurate and highly flawed. Circumcising 100,000 newborns so that one of them may not get penile cancer, a cancer that is only seen in men over 80, is certainly not sensible. The same is true with UTIs. One percent of intact boys may develop 72 a urinary tract infection, as opposed to 3% of girls. No one would ever suggest that we circumcise our infant girls, and there are even laws in the United States to ensure they are protected from circumcision! The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend routine infant circumcision. This has been their policy for over 30 years. The American Medical Association, the American Cancer Society and all other medical association in the world do not recommend infant circumcision. The medical reasons for circumcision are truly on their way to becoming a thing of the past.

The practice might have some religious or cultural background. In many Jewish and Muslim families, circumcision is a deep-felt belief. This continues to be a part of childhood for many Muslim boys, and often girls, although the Islamic religion does not call for it, and the Koran has no mention of circumcision. Ideas in the Jewish faith are changing rapidly regarding bris milah, or circumcision. Many parents are opting for a similar ritual called a bris shalom. This is the same naming ceremony, performed on the eighth day by a rabbi. Instead of the baby having his foreskin removed, the blanket he is wrapped in is cut instead, to symbolize the covenant between Abraham and God. It is a beautiful event, and everyone feels good when it is over, including the infant. Another reason given for circumcision is the desire for the baby to look like his father, brothers or peers. There is no evidence that a boy suffers any type of trauma because his penis is whole and the males in his family or social groups are not. No one would insist that a boy's hair be colored to look like his father, or face be altered in any way to resemble his dad, and these are parts of the body that are seen much more often than the penis. The rate of circumcision is dropping so dramatically that it will soon be the circumcised boys who look ‗different.‘ The list of complications is very long, and includes things such as; permanent curvature of the penis, blood clots, minor and major infections, hemorrhage, cysts, loss of the entire penis and death. It was perhaps with a religious bent of mind the custom initially began, its present inclinations whether to be a cut or an uncut male depends more upon attitudes of males towards the amount of pleasure they are able to provide to their sexual partners, or to themselves in the act of coital union. For girls it was more traumatic. When Waris was five, her mother held her down on a rock while another woman cut off parts of her genitals with a razor blade. What remained was sewn up with a coarse thread, with a tiny hole left through which to urinate. No anaesthetic was used, and Waris‘s wound subsequently became infected. The agony she suffered was in part what spurred her to leave the Somali desert community she had grown up in, and escape to London. But despite an affluent life as a supermodel who travelled the world and the best surgery money can buy to undo the mutilation, Waris says what she went through will never leave her. Physically, Waris says she is fine - although she will never be able to experience any sexual pleasure there. But emotionally, spiritually, there is no escaping from what happened to her. There would have been many more such helpless victims of the outdated superstitions, hopefully some of which are disappearing; at least Hina was spared of the horrible crude mutilation.

So when Neksa was circumcised he was branded a true Musalman, particularly different from a Hindu. The other brothers of Neksa were also seen earlier or later wrapped in loose lungis, struggling to walk with an effort. In extreme situations of madness, the like of which prevailed at the time of India‘s partition, this device was used by people to spare 73 others from death by proving that the victim was Hindu, or a Musalman. Jagannath‘s tender mind was still not able to grasp the relevance of the act. But he has already begun to feel repulsive to religion being dogmatic.

There was commotion on the sugarcane kolhu of Jasmanta Thakur. A few policemen with the village chowkidar were looking for Ram Singh. The police and the administrative hounds often sought Ram Singh, who lived in the middle mohalla of the village. He was under surveillance by the Raj security fellows for being a member of the gang of revolutionaries working against peace in the area. He and Pertap were going places attending meetings of the nationalist groups who were working over the idea of throwing away the yoke of slavery and free the motherland. Ram Singh got the wind of the police raid by the fairy indomitable Chameli. She had sympathy for the nationalist‘s cause. A few hours before the police arrived at the scene, Chameli was seen at the Kolhu, attracting glances of the onlookers, and moving towards the grazing areas of the village in the east of the canal, along with Ram Singh. Ram Singh‘s fields were situated in that direction, and beyond the canal, was the neighborly village of Kumarpur, inhabited by Gujjars. Pushing Ram Singh into Kumarpur, Chameli took a circuitous route to her lover‘s orchard nearby. From the garden she plucked choicest guavas and talked to the gardener Roopa, who was more than obliging in paying attention to her, knowing her equation with the Thakur, who owned the garden. By the time police arrived on the other side of Kolhu, she was in her den, on the northern fringes of the village. Her husband being village Chowkidar, the police often reached her house to get her husband accompany on every occasion they visited Nandgaon. Her charm was an added attraction for the Thanedar, who was a Brahmin. When the Thanedar reached her house, the Chowkidar was not in the house, meanwhile he took the opportunity to be with her, see her and her eloquence. In her coquettish panache she convinced him that Ram Singh was not seen in the village for a couple of days. Before the Thanedar could collect courage to talk amorously her husband arrived and the party left to look for Ram Singh, towards the Kolhu, from where they returned back, having received no information about Ram Singh. Nandgaon was on the hit list. It also indicated people were getting restive of the Raj in rural Braj.

The tough posture taken by the local zamindars over exploitation of farmer‘s interests by British contractors of indigo was indicative of the awareness of exploitation. There was an indigo plant and well in Nandgaon. Over the years, spurred by a rapidly rising European demand, indigo cultivation spread from Bengal across the middle Doab, into Oudh, and as far upriver as Agra and Aligarh; by 1795‘s decade some four million pounds annually, the bulk of it from the Doab tracts, of indigo was being shipped from Calcutta to London. The Collector of Aligarh, in 1833, in an almost biblical style, lamented, ‗the indifferent and small produce of last year‘s crops, the destruction of the locusts, two successive bad seasons, the want of capital, the contraction of currency, the failure of bohras, the ruin of indigo manufacturers, and the want of effective demand for the produce of their estates‘ which had reduced the village proprietors to despair, and to default. Above all the collapse of the indigo trade hit Aligarh, the district of Nandgaon, putting indigo farmers to ruin. During the speculative boom of the 1820‘s the large Agency Houses of Calcutta, operating out of Farukhabad, had recklessly pushed advances upon the village malguzars to induce them to grow indigo as a cash crop for export. Many villagers, caught up in the excitement, 74 accepted the money, only to find themselves destitute, with no means of repayment and no market for their produce, when the bubble burst. In Mursan and Hathras alone by 1839 the recorded agricultural debt was twelve lakh rupees, of which nine were owed to the four bankrupt indigo factories at Nandgaon, Jawar, Hathras and Mendu. The load of land revenue debt, which had accumulated more slowly over the years, was the product of consistently heavy assessments.

Exemplary satirical was portion of Neel Darpan-mirror of indigo, a Bengali play translated into English depicting the oppression of the Bengali peasants by white indigo planters: ‗the great Queen Victoria, compassionate mother of the projas-people, considers it improper that her children should be suckled by her wet-nurses. So she has taken them up in her arms and is feeding them at her own breast. The even-tempered, wise, courageous and liberal Mr. Canning has become the Governor-General. The high-minded and just Mr. Grant who punishes the wicked, protects the innocent, and shares with the ryots their weal and woe, has been appointed Lieutenant-Governor. And truthful, astute, non-partisan officials like Eden, Herschel and others are gradually coming to blossom as lotuses in the lake of the civil service. It must, therefore, be clearly evident from all this that we have an indication now of the great souls mentioned above taking up soon the Sudarsan disc of justice in order to end the unbearable misery of the ryots-peasants who have fallen into the clutches of the wicked indigo planters.‘

Nevertheless they were responsible for the decay of the old handicrafts, driving an increasingly large proportion of the people to the brink of ruin and destruction by means of importing cheap goods from England and production of Indian goods in their own land, the native handicraft had to suffer a lot immensely. They also contributed to the distress to which the people were reduced by imposing an oppressive land-tax. The British didn‘t spend much money in the land, but transferred their revenues to their motherland, and were exercising in India an economical policy of ‗laissez-faire‟. The Congress, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi in 1919, came to the conclusion to fight. His main reproach was: The British rulers are responsible for the bad conditions in India. He demanded self- government-freedom and independence, under the catchword ‗Swaraj‘, but at the same time renounced violence, and adopted a policy of Satyagraha- civil disobedience. And in 1920 the National Congress embarked on a movement of ‗non-co-operation‘ (1920-1947), which was designed as a method of revolutionary mass action such as a boycott of English goods, schools and universities. The success of the Indian freedom movement lay in an extraordinary aspect of the turmoil; the Indian masses identified themselves and their interests with the Mahatma. The success of Gandhi was inherent in his complete unity with the cause of the masses of the country, poor as they were, he dressed like them, he thought like them, and he suffered like them. These ideas were percolating to the people at large and they were realizing the futility of continuing the Raj to their utter disadvantage. Gandhi created this feeling, and it was crucial for the success of the movement.

Ram Singh and Pertap, both were arrested after some time and it was inevitable. They were released and again arrested, and the game continued till freedom appeared, a few years later. After independence both of them were recognized as freedom fighters, and were the recipients of many perks including a pension. That was also the beginning of 75 corrupting free India‘s new generation. Freedom fighters remained only fighters with the ideas of perks ingrained permanently into their minds; the fights now on hinged mostly over perks, freedom having been won and blissfully forgotten.

2.8

Jagannath was growing. And so were both Hina and Shanti. Other friends – boys and girls were growing too. And while growing they were witness to the growth of animated surroundings around them. They were growing and watching segregated poorer sections of people, persons like Nekiram‘s and Kirpa‘s parents, further segregating in the option of living their life sandwiched between the permanent postulates of poverty, degradation, oppression, untochability and unsociability under the vile of hegemonistic caste pyramid. It would have been wonderful to showcase these 20 percent to introduce readers to the most ancient civilization of India of which we are so proud and never tire of commemorating its greatness. So contaminated were these creatures that if Shanti or Jagannath ever, even accidentally, happened to touch Nekiram, or Budhram, a Bhangi-sweeper of the village, the children shall be forced to take bath to purify themselves. If their shadow fell over the food Shanti was to eat, it must be thrown to the dogs for that became defiled, impure. These children, even in their age, were immune from these social blemishes, though. They were growing to watch the girls being married in their tender age, without any concern to their feelings, likes and dislikes. They saw women in their surroundings carry the load of household chores, earn and then cook food for themselves, their offspring and the head of the family, ‗the man‘. They saw ‗the man‘ loitering around playing „Changa Po‟, and „Fallas-‟Braj gambling with money earned by woman or obtained after selling bits of family assets: gold, silver, brass-copper utensils, land, trees, animals, or whatever came their way. They were witness to the evening delights when ‗the man‘ would procure ‗somaras‘ packed in plastic pouches in various denominations, and after consuming as many pouches as they could loan against their wife‘s assets, return home from the gambler‘s den, and repeat the hackneyed preposterous wife thrashing on reasons as flimsy as there possibly could be. They saw their grandmothers treat the boys with milk, cream, love and care, while the girls forced to eat the leftovers, clean the utensils, dust and sweep the house and thrown away in child marriages like calves being traded in cattle fairs, carrying with them items of fortune like cattle, coins, silver, clothes, being acquired under duress after either negotiating a hefty interest loan, or mortgaging some property in the case of the upper castes; and getting in return, for use of their parents, such quantity of articles of household goods or few liquid currency coins as could be negotiated as their sale price, in case of the lower castes. Their young age and honeymoon was lost between the child marriage and serfdom that followed. The flowers never were allowed to bloom. These 76 wonderful creative beautiful human creations, in between their having been born and having reached the end of the journey, were humiliated, molested, raped, exploited, violated, and goaded into false promises of hope resulting invariably in despair, to finally surrender to their luck, as it was ordained. In between they observed fasts, prayed to innumerable Gods, took journeys to bath in the sacred rivers Ganga and Jamuna, gave alms to innumerable hypocrite saints and god man, served their destined husbands who were a synonym for rebukes, ill-treatment, lethargy, exploitation and an ashamed posture of being called ‗man‘. Their sub conscious minds craved to look for the new babies their mothers were expected to give birth, but who were ‗bathed in milk‘ by their dowager aunts never to be seen around and were denied even the formality of minor human rites of a funeral. Their little minds have mocked over the zealous, religious, pious, hypocritical parents who threw the god‘s creations over to the garbage dumps to be unearthed by the hungry wolves and dogs to satisfy their palate. Memories of these and many such sordid affairs of their early country life would be ingrained in their minds to revolutionize their attitudes towards life and people around them when they be adults of reckoning.

Hypocrisies galore prevailed in man‘s world. Thakurs who claimed to rule, were in fact extorters of the first grade. Beggar, work without pay, was their invention. Collusion with Raj bureaucrats and local functionaries to pamper them for the sole intention of grabbing properties, particularly land, which belonged to the poor downtrodden, was their main desire; for that was how the large estates came into being. Mohini Kaur‘s soft attitude to wayward beneficiaries was only symbolic; real game was played by the thakur estate‘s, munims, the clerks, who engulfed not only land but the people themselves by bondage for life in return of the loan advanced to them whose interest they could never pay during their own lifetime and, therefore, mortgaged their second, third and more generations in human bondage. These estates vied with the bohras, money brokers, of the village in the race for fleecing the poor, helpless oppressed people, who were under duress to seek loans to marry their daughters, to treat their dying parents, wives and children. The Maheshwaries and Paliwals of Nandgaon were the richest bohras of the district. They had seats of business, „gaddi‟, in Calcutta, Bombay and Surat. The edifice of their riches had been sowed, watered and harvested in Nandgaon. Their munims worked twelve hours over account books. There were queues of persons seeking loans, pattas of lease of lands to cultivate, and just to gain their favors. Their beneficiaries included not only village poor artisans, craftsman and outcastes, but senior government functionaries, lesser and bigger zamindars, traders, businessmen from the nearby trading centers, and even the local Rajas of Munda and Belgaon waited on them for financial assistance. At times even Britishers approached them for loans. It was through fraud and deceit that such huge empires of money had been created. It was not limited to these bohras and thakurs. The religious thekedars, the pandits and pujaries, were also interestingly quite agile players. There were about a dozen important temples in the village, headed by a pujari and other staff. People from far off places came to pay their respects at the feet of gods installed there in. There were other renowned pandits, astrologers and soothsayers. Their influence and affluence were the result of their collusion with other elite people who mattered in the village hierarchy. They would preach peace and honesty; practice fraud and double speak. Recite ramayan and mahabharat, practice harboring agents to extort money for showering god‘s favors. Preach Ahimsa, non-violence, plan cold blooded murders of those who knew and wanted to expose 77 them. The Pujaries were not only lustfully lascivious towards women who sought god‘s favors to eliminate their woes and lured them under superstitious pretexts to commit rape on them, but were also perverted homosexuals vitiating the village atmosphere. All these formed a powerful lobby and encouraged bad characters, thieves, dacoits, burglars, and nuisance creating muscleman, which cadres often were recruited from the lower castes, untouchables and others of their strata. Obviously untouchability disappeared when in dark hours they met to exchange information, money or women. Few people knew about the goings on under the carpet; no one talked about it. The common man and woman continued to be exploited as ever. The village and their ‗elite‘ added to their riches, joys and estates. These associations and groups will get enhanced coverage and limelight and almost a political legitimacy, when the country would get free and self rule will come under democracy sooner than later.

From Neza Kalams Jagannath had come to use lead pencils along with the holder-nib and ink, over papers and copies. In between his school and home there was the shop of Ganeshi. One could feel his expertise come down from the proficient merchants of Mathura, when that city catered to the multinational traders from Rome, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Assyria, Babylonia and China engaged in import of lapiz lasuli, turquoise, gold, silver, lead, copper, tin, and exported horses, sheep, cosmetics such as colliery, antimony pencils, objects of ivory and horn, cloth, fine pottery, combs, incense and sandalwood. Possibly some forefather of Ganeshi traded there and feeling the prosperity of the land of Dauji Balram, migrated to the environs of Nandgaon. The success and efficiency of his business vouched for the analogy. He kept all articles that attracted the children to perforce stop at his complex for willful purchases. He sold on cash, grains, and credit too, to such students whose parents he knew would not disown their child for the purchases made. He kept sweets, lollipops, candies, sweet bubbles, salted biscuits, assorted peanuts, balloons, kites, slates, chalk-sticks, and the all-important ghota for the kindergarten children to shine their patties. The KG was then called alam. Ganeshilal was a Jain trader and he had a brother in Sunderlal, who as craftsman was doing odd repairs of anything and everything. Many thakuranis were Ganeshi‘s permanent customers their merchandise included mainly the khowa pedas made with the famous Hathras bura-sugar. The village ranjhas-Romeos would purchase lots of these pedas to sweeten their life by offerings to their beloveds, their heers-Juliets. Along with Chameli, who was the dowager empress of the night life of Nandgaon, there were Gulabo bhangin, and Dhamo cobbleri, who in their blossoming young adulthood, were courted by many young lovers of all castes. Ganeshi had a very prosperous business. It was very brisk at the time of crops, rabi and kharif, twice a year, when all sorts‘ of persons got jobs of corn picking, cutting, thrashing, winnowing, separating and storing the good-grains. Valid and semi-invalids, gamblers, hawkers, children, older persons, beggars, fakirs, all got some remunerative employment in the form of grains and Ganeshi had special pedas made twice a day, to cater to the needs of such customers. Like the ancient Aryan traders who bartered sheep‘s and goats for horses Ganeshi traded sweet pedas for foodgrains. There were other competitors also. Bansi was the other guy whose pedas were famous. He made more on order. While Bansi was catering to the elite of the village, Ganeshi supplied to all and sundry and made pretty good earning during the season. A good portion of the sweet was sold on bets, won or lost, either party purchasing it. After dusk when meal time was over personal 78 messengers began pouring in to these sweet vendors and brought the stuff to the private chambers of thakurs, thakuranis, bohras, bohries, pandits, panditains, the lovers, the beloveds to serve different purposes to different seekers. Some messengers did not hesitate to taste the stuff before it was delivered to the patron. While Bansi was selective and closed shop around nine, Ganeshi kept over till late hours and people knew it. Besides these two there were other about half a dozen of them making pedas, but they just did not sell; it had either too much sugar, or less of cream or khoa. The proper recipe made Bansi and Ganeshi click in the area.

There were habitual gamblers, and Manti Dhimar was an astute one. He was an expert in extricating funds in cash on loan from various sources, Thakurani Mohini Kaur being one of them. He would approach the Thakurani, with folded hands, touch her feet, pay part of the earlier money he had borrowed, and with most sincere dramatic emotional theme tell her children are hungry and he has to show his face to them only if she was kind enough to advance more money, he will return within a week, with interest. She will melt seeing him in tears, and just give him double the money already advanced to him. With money in his pocket he will straight away rush to reach gambling den and play continuously without break for two, three days and at times weeks together, and after he has lost all money disappear to some other town, with a message to the thakurani, that he is going to earn and will return after a period of three months to return all loan. Loan will never be returned, he will appear again sooner than predicted, create more drama, melt her more and obtain more money. So the korcha-money saved without knowledge of the master of the house or his clerks of the thakurani went down the drain to Manti and likes of him.

2.9

Jagannath would pass his final year examination of the fourth class from the village school and say good-bye to his Guruji Ganeshlal. He was on top of the list of students who will go to the Tehsil headquarter to appear at the examination, invigilated by senior deputy inspector of schools of the area. Strict routine and extra classes at Guruji‘s house were the landmark of the preparations. He has mastered all tables up to 96. He also mastered all multiple tables in denomination of one is to one-fourth, one is to half, one is to one-third and two and half times of a single digit. He could orally solve most of the interest, multiplication and division questions. In bhugol-geography he has mastered the world map, climatic zones, rainfall tables, countries and their capitals. In history he was familiar with Indian as well as the basics of the world history. He had learnt all Hindi poems in his course, and could write essays of any subject. Jagannath competitively inspired Nekiram, who always stood second to Jagannath. The son of a trader Lachhi bania always occupied 79 the third place. There was keen contest this time for the top position. The District Board gave a scholarship of three rupees to the student who topped the list in one tehsil, consisting of about thirty-nine schools, like the one of Nandgaon. Under the kerosene lamp, Jagannath studied till late hours. He has stopped all other activity during these days. Both Hina and Shanti were also not welcome to him, though Hina would not stop calling on him, come what may. He would laughingly dismiss her, she will run away to return again. Shanti was absent during this period. Jagannath waited to see her glimpse for a while; but he did not indicate any such desire. He was learning self discipline, and to be sober with persons he liked. He had, even otherwise, no time for frivolities. The girls were not so serious about studies. Not all girls went to the school. Only such families sent their girls to school who had understood the meaning of education along with the rising demand for literate brides for the matrimonial alliances. It was basically a question of releasing the girl of her domestic servitude and opening an avenue for her to develop, which concept was as yet not widely recognized. Jagannath might have been instrumental indirectly for both Hina and Shanti going to school, first because both lived in his immediate neighborhood, and he might have persuaded their mothers to release both girls from the house chores for the period they attended school, and secondly Jagannath was all out for literacy for all, in the same manner he had persuaded lot boys from the lower castes, including Nekiram, Hira and Kirpa. His Guru had asked for it. He would do anything to fulfill his wishes. Teachers then also were education extension workers.

The final examinations were held in the first week of May. It took three days. The results were prepared and announced on the fourth day, when the students were allowed to go for summer vacations. Jagannath topped the tehsil board examination with 86 % and distinction in all subjects. The remaining two positions went to boys of other villages. Nekiram was 14th in order of merit. In the local Nandgaon School merit obviously Jagannath topped, Ramzan, the son of a teli, was second, and Nekiram was third. He had slipped a position lower. They dispersed with mixed feelings. For some the road end had reached. Others will stagger to reach middle and matriculation levels. Jagannath went to Seth Vidyadhar Higher Secondary School for his matriculation. After a hectic month summer vacations were welcome.

For elders of the Mohini estate, Thakur Vikram Singh, Surat Singh, Gulab Singh, a sudden tragedy was the untimely death of Ranbir, the elder son of Surat Singh, out of pneumonia from which he was suffering for the last about a weak. The boy was married only last year. All efforts to treat the child failed, though doctors from the SN Medical College, Agra were summoned, the destined could not be averted. Surat Singh and Nirmal were plunged in deep grief. The greatest dilemma was about the child wife Charu, who became a widow overnight. Thakur Vikram Singh called an emergency meeting of his kinsman, and Charu‘s parents, and it was decided, under the colossal calamity that Charu must be immediately re-married to Jagannath. A simple ceremony immediately took place, when Jagannath was summoned, he was confronted by Charu‘s father, a Tilak was put on his forehead, and a golden sovereign coin was presented to him, that he gave to his mother Nirmal, whose feet he was asked to touch for the purpose of obtaining blessings. Jagannath was married. Charu was his legally wedded wife by custom. Jagannath had no knowledge of what is being done, though he was sad to loose his brother, it bothered him to see so 80 many people suddenly converging on the estate drawing room, and presenting him a gold coin. The only thing he could make out was the arrangements to send Charu to the English medium Convent School at Sanawar, near Shimla, would be immediately put in place about which he was rather upbeat and happy. Charu‘s father, a reputed zamindar, would arrange to send with her a lady personal caretaker to look after Charu, who had not been out of her estate so far. This incident will have far reaching consequences for Jagannath.

2.10

For one complete year no festival was celebrated at Vikram Singh estate. Time is the greatest healer. Life have however, reverted back to normalcy. The second year, on the jyeshtha gangasnan parva, in the month of June, it was traditional for Vikram Singh to accompany Mohini Kaur to have a holi dip in the Ganga at Ramghat as was the practice in vogue every year. The whole family accompanied them. They traveled by the traditional chariot drawn by a young pair of oxen. Other paliwal zamindar families also traveled and they formed a group of carts with whole families traveling together. The journey was about forty five miles one way, the carts traveling about twenty miles a day, and at the end of the day selecting a clean fresh water place where there was either a Dharmshala or some mango orchard grove, to camp for the night. Mohini Kaur had allowed on the personal request made by the mother of Shanti to accompany Jagannath for the holy dip that was grand vacation tour for the children. They carried their personal kitchen and ladies prepared choicest tour dishes, that were so palatable, and camping out overnight became memorable outings for the youngsters and a reasonably welcome break from the routine for the elders. It was genuine religious devoutness mingled with pious dispensation that marked these journeys. It was also a deserved break from the farm chores; farmer had no holidays, only gaps filled with allied jobs. It was rural India‘s way of celebration to unwind and to recharge for the future. Although law and order for rural religious travelers in such groups was free from security risks, their expert reliable armed sharp shooters for any emergency carrying licensed guns scouted the wily zamindars. These guys were also the cart and rath- carriage drivers. They would also get an opportunity to take a holy dip and drown all sins committed during their lifetime.

But children enjoyed it most. Jagannath, Shanti, Bhaggo, Dulari and Bhaskar were in one carriage, besides some adults. They will stop at odd places to drink, to ease and just to loiter around ponds, trees and groves on the way. As it came Jagannath and Shanti eagerly wanted to be together in search of their own identity or to find out what was bringing them together? 81

A child's love is like a whisper, given in little ways we do not hear but if you listen closely it will be very clear. They often do not say it loud but in how they come to you.

Children are natural company and obvious friends. Their mingling together fosters good towards their journey to adolescence. These friendships can serve as a learning tool in understanding gender differences and also to bridge the gap between men and women. Although society typically views men and women relationships with a sexual undertone, boy-girl friendships are not primarily based on a romantic attraction but seem to be more related to friendship attractiveness. During adolescence, teenagers form a sexual identity and learn about it through curious ways. This identity is the individual's evaluation of his or her sexual feelings and attractions. Sexual orientation is an adolescent‘s identity of attraction toward the same, opposite or both sexes. For Jagannath and Shanti their relationship sprang from strong currents of natural intimacy that just occurred to them without any deliberation; it appear to drop from heavens as if it was so destined without any trace of knowledge striking their tender hearts.

Such friendships are multidimensional in that every individual‘s experience, within their cross-sex friendships, varies and are very complex. During the pre-school and elementary years, children seem to prefer same-sex friendships to cross-sex friendships. This is partially due to the gender differences associated with male and female same-sex friendships. Shanti was, therefore shy of confronting Jagannath initially. Jagannath as an adolescent boy tended to regard his friendship with Shanti as a support for self-esteem and he felt as if it would make him feel good about himself more than his friendships with Nekiram or Jitendra. It seems as though girls in cross-sex friendships fill the intimacy void that is not fulfilled in boys‘ same-sex friendships. This could be due to the traditional gender role assumption that girls are supposed to be more nurturing and attentive to life‘s needs within their same-sex friendships. In boys‘ same-sex friendships, they are supposed to be the breadwinners and the protectors, the old mindset. Adolescents who have both same-sex and cross-sex friendships are well adjusted in comparison to adolescents who only have same-sex friendships. Jagannath was more a normal boy having equal number of friends both in boys of his age as well as girls. For girls he was more attractive. This attraction had nothing to be inspired by sexual or romantic feelings, which though persisted but at a subdued level. As the duration of their relationship extended, friendship feelings grew, and physical and sexual attraction too took curious merging of identities for the simple reason that over time friends become more comfortable with one another and get to know one another on a more personal level. These children were getting to be close friends mentally. He liked her cultural heritage, low voice, less talk as if she was dumb, eyes that spoke more than her word, her modesty and deep affection for him. She liked him for his open mental approach that created a smooth air of acquaintance, a favorite mate, and a sincere, reliable and resourceful friend.

At the Ramghat, as in all sacred rivers, Krishna, Godavari, Shipra or Narbada, the system allowed all castes to take bath in sacred river, although there were separate ghats for 82 different genders, and priorities about who will take the first holy dip. First were the saints on all auspicious occasions like the kumbha and mahakumbhas at the Sangam in Prayag, Nasik or Ujjain. It was a great tumultuous congregation of humanity with a separate entity, the occasions mostly and surprisingly passing off peacefully with divine ease, without any noticeable police bandobast. The sea of humanity included men, women, high, low, saints and sadhus, traders and mobile shops selling a huge variety of articles and edibles, pick pockets, thieves, pious devout people, cruel unscrupulous criminals trying to locate single women to exploit, gangs of priests exploiting people in various garbs, barbers doing brisk business, cloth merchants, sweet vendors, affluent philanthropists, people running free kitchens, devout giving alms to all, and a host of others, making it a grand jamboree, the successful culmination of which appeared to be miraculously observed and guided. Thus kumbha mela literally means festival of the pot or in this case a festival celebrating the appearance of the pot of nectar. Kumbha mela is the most important Hindu spiritual gathering, which takes place once every 12 years. The mela is the largest single gathering of humanity on the planet. It is visited by a number of foreign visitors as well. The kumbh mela is an ancient festival finding mention even in the epic Mahabharat. The ancient origin of the kumbha mela is described in the time-honored Vedic literature of India having evolved from the bygone days of the universe when the demigods and the demons conjointly produced the nectar of immortality. It is said that the demigods and the demons assembled on the shore of the milk ocean that lies in the celestial region of the cosmos. The demigods and the demons made a plan to churn the milk ocean to produce the nectar of immortality. They then agreed to share the nectar equally, once it was produced. For the task of churning the milk ocean, the mandara parvat was used as the churning rod, and Vasuki, the king of serpents, became the rope for churning. As the churning began, the mandara parvat began to sink deep into the ocean, at which time Vishnu incarnated as a great tortoise and supported the mountain on His back. With the demigods at Vasuki‘s tail and the demons at his head, they churned the milk ocean for one thousand years. The churning of the milk ocean first produced a deadly poison which Shiva drank without being affected. As Shiva drank the poison, a few drops fell from his hands and were licked up by scorpions, snakes, and similar other deadly creatures. After Shiva drank the poison, numerous opulent items were produced. First a Surabhi cow appeared who could yield unlimited quantities of milk. A white horse named Uccaihsrava was then produced, as well as a white elephant named Airavata. Then a valuable gem called the Kaustubha-mani appeared. Next come the Apsaras, beautiful dancing girls and a host of other wonderful things appeared from the milk ocean. At last a male person named Dhanvantari appeared carrying the pot of immortal nectar in His hands. Seeing Dhanvantari with the pot of nectar, both the demigods and demons became anxious. The demigods, being fearful of what would happen if the demons drank their share of the nectar of immortality, forcibly seized the pot. Wherever the demigods went with the pot of nectar, fierce fighting ensued. In an endeavor to keep the nectar from falling into the hands of the demons, the demigods hid it in four places on the earth, Prayag (Allahabad), Hardwar, Ujjain, and Nasik. At each of the hiding places, a drop of immortal nectar spilled from the pot and landed on the earth. These four places are since believed to have acquired mystical power. To help the demigods, Lord Vishnu, expanded Himself into Mohini-murti, the most enchanting of all beautiful goddesses. The demons were completely love-struck, allowed the Goddess to have the nectar. When the demons saw the charming beauty of Mohini-murti, they lost all 83 composure. Seeing her slender hips, raised breasts, and pleasing smile, the demons completely forgot about drinking the nectar of immortality. While the demons were thus bewildered by her beauty, Mohini-murti seized the nectar and returned it to the demigods, who drank it immediately.

Mohini Kaur‘s entourage stayed in Ramghat for two days and returned to Nandgaon with sacred pitchers full of gangajal, and a cleansed spirit. Her daughter-in-law Nirmal as also Gulab‘s wife Kiran purchased some articles for the home temple, a couple of beads and malas. Since Jagannath had left Nandgaon for his schooling and Shanti had stopped going to school, having passed the village primary school certificate, their being together for a couple of days during the Ramghat trip has moved them even more closer. But they would continue to meet each other during the weekends when Jagannath will be home. Both Neksa and her sister Hina had left schooling years back. Neksa was to fall in line of his family mainstream. Maula Bux, his father, besides doing agriculture and selling meat, was involved in cattle trading as well. They purchased buffalos, male and female, and sold them with profit. Neksa will join the trade. Not all brothers would sell meat. Only one or two would do the butcher‘s job. Perhaps Sikandar, the eldest one will do that. Neksa will soon get married. The marriage will go unnoticed in the village. Marriages in the poor families were not much of an event for the village elite though for the concerned family the event was celebrated with new clothes, sweets and traces of ornaments ranging from bits of gold to silver and nickel, made out of loans taken for the purpose. Village elite were not going to be feasted and therefore, have not much to talk about it. Jagannath might not be in the village on his marriage. But Neksa will continue to be his friend, whenever he would visit the village, the two will meet. And not much later he will have about half a dozen children, one every year. He will get mature and sooner than seasons change he will be lost to his children and village. Neksa dead, his children will take his place. Nandgaon had numerous generations added up into abeyance.

3.1

Hina was churlish with Jagannath. Her repeated rounds of Haveli were meant to let it be known to him. He was watching the angry girl, her friend. Instead of talking to him she spoke to Nirmal, his mother. Within a span of two hours she had come to the Haveli four times, cheating glances to search for him, so that he communicates. But he was deliberately silent.

‗Why have you come back so soon‘? Chiding she asked. 84

‗The tour was planned by the elders and when would we return was decided by Dadaji‘, said Jagannath, breaking the impasse.

She was relieved. Both of them went outside.

With tears in her eyes she said, ‗the six days he was out were like six years to her. Why should he worry for her, when he was with Shanti?‘

So Hina too had Shanti over her mind, bothering her.

He asked her ‗why did she not go with him, when he had talked to her mother‘?

‗Abba won‘t allow her to go‘, she replied.

Then it was not his fault. He has tried to take both Shanti and Hina on the outing, but she was not traceable at the nick of time, while Shanti was ready to go with her bag, an hour before the party left.

Both went towards the farm house. Jagannath embraced her trying to cool her. He told about the trip and gave her the prasad „chanauri‟ he had brought for her. She told him she was restless without him, how her sisters would tease her where to go since he was not in the village, how Nekiram came and comforted her. It made Jagannath think of her. What was this relationship? He was Hindu, she was Muslim, he was zamindar, she was poor, he was destined to tread a long journey yet to begin, she had almost reached her age to launch in the run of life; both had intense feelings? She was beautiful, restless, extrovert, simple, humane, demanding too much of her partner. How life will deal with this wonderful being, yet an adolescent, placed as she was in very odd circumstances. As he grew in age Jagannath perceived the reality of Hina‘s situation. It made him sad. He liked her. She was so tender and felt so near to him. His friendship was not going to help her in the innings of her life she was destined to play. He asked her to eat with him this evening. After meals both went upstairs and talked for hours together. Next day Jagannath was to leave for his hostel and school. She told him how her middle sister cheated her the other day in „kancha‟ game. How her finger was twitched by her younger brother for having taken plateful of „gosht-meat. How chhoti bhabhi had rebuked her when she told her that she will complain to Jagannath on his return, about her back biting to abba. Then she talked about his absence and how will she do without him, since he will leave tomorrow. He assured her to come back soon. But he knew now that he has left Nandgaon, his visits to the place he liked so much would be shrinking as life progresses for him. Even otherwise, he or his friend Hina was perhaps not conscious of the fact that he was already married. The re-marriage was no secret; but it was open only to village elders. Children were quite innocently ignorant about it.

The hostel where Jagannath was admitted was not very large. The High School had only one hostel, and the teacher in charge of the hostel lived in the premises. The school ran the mess. Five rupees were the charges for a month, three rupees was his monthly school fees, two rupees extra, Jagannath got ten rupees total for a month. The money was 85 deposited with the teacher incharge of hostel by Thakur Vikram Singh. The headmaster of the school, Shri D.C. Pandey knew the Thakur family, and Jagannath had no problems of identity in school. Thakur Vikram Singh, his grandfather would be visiting his school often to see everything was precise. His father Colonel Surat Singh also came to school, when he was on leave, and met the headmaster, other teachers and took proper stock of his son‘s education. When he came he brought small gifts for him, a pen to write or a volley-ball to play with. The school had a large play ground. Games popular were hockey, football and baseball. Jagannath was interested in football, and was selected in the school team in the first session. He was also interested in sports, particularly athletics his favorite events were 800 meters and mile races. He was adept in running, coming from the village where they use to run three miles daily from and to the bamba, in one stretch, with speed in an effort to reach it earliest to take the first jump. They had been running for years together in the village during shikar-hunt trips with dog squads that involved lot racing cross-country. He would beat everybody in the mile race; he would champion track events. Besides mile and 800 meters he participated in the relay race also and in the inter-school meet of the district and then the division he brought laurels for himself and the school. However, his main interest was in studies. The sports were over by mid-winter after which academic activity began. Though he felt happy with maths he felt inclined towards arts subjects too. Providence has gifted Jagannath with extraordinary traits of being methodical. It was natural with him. His thoughts were shared by the intensity of Hina‘s feelings and the quiet affection shown by the eyes of Shanti. Both were miles apart by caste, religion and career. He would dismantle the barriers; to his young mind it hasn‘t occurred yet.

At the school few girls came to study though co-education was allowed. Girl‘s education had yet to receive the attention it deserved. The country was going through turmoil. It was significant as it would lead to self-rule. Gandhi, Patel, Nehru, Netaji Bose, Sarojini Naidu, Rajendra Prasad were names familiar to students everywhere. Young minds were realizing the importance of the movement gradually as facts of history were laid open to them by teachers, persons interested in the freedom movement like Ram Singh and Pertap of his village, and casual personalities who visited their school. One such person was Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh of Hathras, who sailed out of India and lived there thirty two years, with the aim of throwing the yoke of slavery and push the firangees out of India, he was outlawed by the British, he returned back to his motherland after efforts to bring him back were sponsored by Mahatma Gandhi himself after independence. The Raja, the scion of a local ruling family, who styled himself as ‗Peter-Peer-Pratap,‘ was an instant hit with the young minds of students, who welcomed him in the school. Jagannath liked his secular credentials as signaled by his name – the embodiment of three major religions of the land – Christian, Muslim and Hindu. To his young mind this factor or anything that brought about unity of religions or castes, was going to be of paramount interest. He was beginning to realize the hollowness of a country divided on caste and religion. There were hundreds of castes, and thousands of sub-castes. There were innumerable religions and even more sects and cults that tended to divide people more than unite them. He hated this fragmentation of India in castes and religions. He felt abnormally unnatural about the caste. He thought the twin identity of poor and rich was in itself enough reason not to further divide and push people down the tunnel. His thought process was in the making. 86

Meanwhile he has made some friends at the school. One was Suresh, who was from a rich family of Jains, and related to the beneficiaries of the school. Another was Tilak, the son of a village agricultural laborer, who walked up and down daily to the school from his nearby village. Others included Rehman, a Muslim, and Ramu, the son of a local kachhi- gardener. Nekiram often came to his mind. He joined another school. Nekiram‘s father Chetram was reluctant to send him for further studies. Jagannath argued with him, first through his Guruji. He also got the message conveyed through his grandfather. He should send his son he could be a matriculate, so that he gets some job. Later idea clicked, and with a promise of a loan if needed he agreed to the thakur‟s suggestion. But he did not send him to SVH School where Jagannath wanted him to be with him. It was rare that the son of a cobbler went for matriculation. Jagannath‘s efforts were destined to change his future. Despite all odds his liking for Nekiram continued as a cherished friend.

In the ninth class they had to learn dissection over the body of a frog in biology period. The frogs were caught and brought to the laboratory practical room by the students. Tilak will start from his house a little early, look for frogs in the wayside ponds covered with green scum, catch one on the shore, wrap it up in a paper, pack it up in the school bag and hand over to the Bio teacher. In the process he would spoil his clothes, hands, feet, wash them before reaching school. It was routine for him and quite a few others who came from villages near the school. During rains when the village ponds were full with water, boys with surprise intent watched procreation of the frogs. Male hefty frog would catch hold of the she frog, frailer and smaller in size, do the job and be in the union for quite some time. It was almost an act of rape, and the boys wondered why the feminine sex has to be coaxed and forcibly persuaded to sex. Does that gender feel no longing for it, as in the male sex? Peacocks, when want sex with hen peacocks, had to make great effort to flirt, dance, and endear the she hen peacock, before she agrees to copulate. Or is it the premium she demands for sharing her body from the eligible male? Psychology of sex was still to be understood by the young students. Some time after countless toddlers will be born and seen under water. This was one subject that did not interest Jagannath who hardly could handle a dead frog and cut it through. Tilak did this. Anatomy of the creature done, he could understand the complicated organs of a frog‘s body that were quite similar to the human. The digestive system of the frog, small and large intestines, pancreas, liver, all compared similar to the human system. There was an anesthetic girl, Suruchi, who was an expert in the dissection and anatomy of the creature. Later she graduated as MBBS from the SN Medical College, and became a famous surgeon. Suruchi often consulted Jagannath for mathematics and geometry theorems.

Suresh, Tilak, Rehman and Jagannath had formed a group to go for early morning walks in the open rural atmosphere. In the evenings they played games. Jagannath was interested in football, but it was not on all days of the week that football was played; it needed a team to play the game, and unless the games teacher asked the team boys to stay back, many will run away to homes. In that case Jagannath and his friends took to volley ball; it could be played by less numbers too. Jagannath played center forward in football, and he preferred to be on the net in volley-ball. Suresh was the service-baller. But most exciting were the early morning walks. They discussed their school, subjects, books, their shortage, their class mates, and girls. Almost all went to the Rama Shankar shop, for books, 87 stationary items, pencils, cutters, scales, one footer, six inchers, rubber erasers, copies, and wrapping papers to cover the books with so that they serve them in year that they will be used. He was such a good shop keeper and friendly with all students. He even supplied stationary goods on credit to the needy ones. Jagannath initiated heated discussions over the disparities, prevalent among students, should be no yardstick to judge ones intelligence. If Tilak was intelligent his coming from a poor family may not debar him to participate in the school debates. If Rehman was proficient in English he should not be stopped from writing for the school magazine on the Hindu-Muslim card. If Ramu could portray the character of a rich man in the school drama, he should be allowed to do it, rather than be denied for being a poor family boy. These small issues engaged the minds of the youngsters. While Jagannath looked to Tilak and Richa for his Bio practical all others looked to him for help in science and arts subjects. Jagannath had established his distinct superiority in the entire school by his intelligence, and all round performance in the school. Teachers in maths, science, geography, English, Hindi, history recognized his thorough knowledge and his all round behavior, particularly his attitude towards poorer sections of students, and the ease with which he maintained mental contact with them. With Muslim and outcastes he seemed to have some sort of natural bon-homie. In the very first year he was selected as monitor in his class, and he remained the steward prefect {best all round student} of the school till he passed out his matriculation, not only in the first division; he topped the Board Examination of the state, with distinction in all the six subjects. Khatri Sir, their teacher in mathematics, termed him a genius, and in the school he was popularly known as ‗Jagannath mind.‘ But there was no change in his humility. He only thought positive. He remained perennially attached to the ground realities of their existence. Day in and day out he thought about the disparities that divided people. If Ramu and Rehman were intelligent why there should be any distinction between them and those who got favored? Why the discretion was always used against the minority, weak, and poor? And why these segments were exploited for issues they were not directly going to be benefited? He was beginning to understand these questions and when in isolation continued to think over these with unusual intensity. He was not exposed to metro cities and the culture that pushed the governance of the country. He belonged to the village, and towns like his school, and he thought about these. He failed to understand why all boys and girls did not go to school. That was the instinct created by his Guruji in the village school. He could not understand why child girls were married, when they did not understand anything about that all important ceremony. He did not understand why they were rich and others poor which state of theirs exposed them to utter exploitation, bondage and life long misery. He argued within himself if all human beings are same, by physiological and biological fact sheet, why there should be so many distinct classes, castes, religions, communities, dogmas, scriptures, just to divide people to endless disparities? He surmised there is something wrong with the system. His young mind could not find the answers yet.

Matriculation years at the VHS were the formative years. For Jagannath these years were pretty memorable.

Colonel Surat Singh was serving under SEAC when he died in a brilliantly defended ambush during the Second World War. 88

It sent the family in turmoil. With the untimely death of his son Thakur Vikram Singh was left a completely broken man. He developed throat cancer that took the toll.

Jagannath, after the death of his father, was under great emotional stress. He was worried about his mother. He will sit quiet and think, and weep alone, and try to come to grips of the situation. Hina would soon follow She will also cry, touch his hands, try to feel him, and both will again cry. Nekiram was impatient to meet him. He would rush to the fields and both will realize the loss. He would try to talk of weather, crops, his new school, and his own problems to alleviate his friend‘s woes. Gradually time sobered him. Shanti would be impatient to see him. They all sat together without talking for an endless time over the sill of the well at the farm house. Kirpa also came. He informed the group Guruji was looking for Jagannath. He was silent. Neksa and Hira also came. The group talked why people die. Hina said those dear and needed here are also needed above in the heavens, and therefore he died. Shanti narrated a tale told by her father about the spirit of a Yogi, who after his death continued to come to the Ashram he had established and nourished, and took care of the inmates, the plants, the cows and every thing, till his chief pupil was not mature and of an age when he could take care to run the place as did his Guru, his benefactor. She tried to interpret the death as a test for Jagannath, not to leave the path shown by his father. She talked today, and talked sense. Jagannath saw her intently. It lessened his grief. All of them sat for hours together. It was soothing to him. Mr. Pandey, the headmaster was upset by the news, and he reached Jagannath in his room in the hostel to ease his sorrow Jagannath was an important inmate of the school, and almost every one was grieved to hear the sad news.

At the death of his son Thakur Vikram Singh was so shocked that within a couple of months he too passed away. Thakurani Mohini Kaur only remained to bear the huge loss and manage her estate. During the period of grief her only solace was Nirmal and her son Jagan. Mohini met the situation with fortitude and courage. Nirmal took charge of the Haveli and gave much needed relief to her mother-in-law. After pilgrimages to Haridwar and Prayag there was peace and normalcy returning gradually to the Mohini estate. The year was observed as one of condolence to the memory of two of the great sons of the chequered dynasty of Nandgaon Thakurs. The Firangee Lt. Governor of the United Provinces called on the Thakurani with all his retinue including the district Collector and the Superintendent of Police.

Pandit Sukhram and Thakur Sardar Singh were regular visitors to the haveli to carry any orders from the Thakurani. Tilmai people also stayed and regularly came to look for any thing they could do. The outer Chowk was always full of people of Nandgaon to condole the great loss for months together. Mooli, Haripyari and Pyari stayed whole time in the Haveli. To ameliorate sorrow Pandit Sukhram use to repeat the Jataka tale he memorized from the Vedikastambha of Mathura:

Four Bhikshus were engrossed in discussion to ascertain chief cause of sorrow.

On failure to reach any conclusion they approached Budha. Recalling a past life Budha told them: 89

Once lived a dear, crow, snake and a pigeon; pigeon ascribed cause of sorrow to love, crow to hunger, snake to hatred, and deer to fear. On enquiry a neighborly sage told none of you could fathom to bottom of the truth. Love, hunger, hatred and fear afflict only man; therefore, the main cause of sorrow is to be reborn as man.

Time is the great healer. It perpetuate acceptance of the Truth.

3.2

There were rumors of Hina‘s Nikah in the village when Jagannath visited last. He could not meet her on the occasion. He again came to his village in the next weekend to see her mother who was unwell. He spent most of the time with her.

When he met Hina she was surcharged with emotions. Emotions misled thought Jagannath.

He asked, ‗When is your Nikah taking place‘?

She was almost in tears. Emotions of separation from the dearest person in her life so far, and the new intervening emotions of meeting another prince charming who is destined to be her master, mate, fortune, showed up in her tears, that looked pearls dropping from the dark skies. Sneezing she looked even more beautiful. She held his hand to her bosom, then to her forehead, over the thick black curls of her hair.

She could hardly speak, ‗You wanted me to go away from you, so I will be going.‘

Her man was eighteen years her senior in age. She was to be married in the next month to the person who had had two previous wives both of whom have died, leaving three children, which also will be her responsibility now, besides looking after his four sisters and seven brothers. He takes orchards of guava and mango on lease, and earns good amount of money, save on such years when the mango crop fails, as happens quite often on alternate years of fruiting. He was her distant cousin on the father‘s sister side. They lived in Dibai, a small congested town.

‗Have you seen him,‘ he asked. 90

‗Not exactly, from the purdah I had a glimpse only‘, she replied slowly, but she knew him as a distant relative for many years. ‗He owns a small orchard himself also. His Abba is no more. He is the eldest‘, she further told him.

‗But I am afraid to leave you,‘ she spoke with tears again rolling out.

‗Well, then don‘t go‘? Jagannath said taking her into his arms.

Lightly touching the tip of her beautiful nose, above the silver bud she wore, he said, ‗you are a fool, all of us would be often coming to taste mangoes, you should be happy to get such a husband‘. Jagannath respected her feelings, which he knew were temporary. Soon she will get into the whirlwind of her married family life. She should have been married five years back it was Jagannath who had appealed to Maula Mian to let her go to school so that she is better equipped to face her life. Couple of years spent in the school with Jagannath and others was going to be the best period of her life, she was contemplating, when Jagannath asked her to eat with him that evening. They went to the farm house and talked for hours, their joys and sorrows, realizing they will not be able to meet so often. Despite all his encouragements Hina was sad. He kissed her on the cheek. She blushed pink with a sweet smile. She repeated the kiss, this time over his lips. Then they dispersed.

Hina, a convert for four centuries under orders of Aurangzeb, was more Hindu than Musalman; though new converts appeared to be more fundamental, more devout, and more partisan to the faith newly adopted. That effort on the part of her ancestors may have slowed down over the years, particularly when there was a change of rule from the Mughal to the Maratha, and later the trader from the west. Sandwiched between their former Hindu ancestors and the loss of prestige with the change in rule surrounded by a monolith Hindu environment, the converted neo-religionists had a hard time aligning themselves to life, often resulting in segregated existence, an easy prey to wild rumors, acute poverty and compartmentalization. The glory of feeling related to Mumtaz Mahal, who was the cause of the making of Taj Mahal by Shahjehan, withered sooner after the change in rule than when it entertained their hearts after they were admitted to conversion. Conversions are not affected for people to realize god and his glory to enrich their present life – including both the body and soul. They are political acts of defensive strategy to strengthen the regime. There is a constant war on conversions between the Christians and the Musalmans; the Hindu is not in its race. That perhaps is the reason the Hindu is not worried. With Siva at Kailas and a god underneath of Patal Loka, Hindu goes with peace without any idea of aggrandizement or violent occupation over other‘s territory. The emphasis, even otherwise, is over the inner self than the exterior body. The self is incomplete without the super-self, the Brahma; all concentration is, therefore, centered on achieving that union. This is the Braj spirit that pervades all around. In that spirit Hina was in fact not worried for Jagannath; she was worried for herself. In him as well in the prince charming who is slated to come to her shortly, she is looking for her identity, her destination. She wants to ensure that her self is safe and accessible. The Hindu, on the other hand want to annihilate the self; it‘s a hindrance, it must go, vanish and merge in the super self, the Brahma. 91

In spite of the culture around her Hina was love. Love too has its problems. Braj is the land of love. Some get more of it, others get less; Radha the queen of love got more, Gopis less. But one day Gopi got more and she was enchanted. Radha and Krishna use to meet to express their love at a particular place. Radha was in the coming and there was Gopi when Krishna arrived at the kunj. Krishna, as was his attribute, played his flute and love pangs started to play and both Krishna and Gopi immersed in the ras-lila; Gopi was blessed. Meanwhile Radha arrived at the appointed place. When Krishna saw her darling approach the place he was in ras-lila with the Gopi he was bewildered to the resentment Radha will entertain on seeing Gopi in ras-lila with him. He became un-Krishna, invisible. Out of excited where-to-hide scare, Gopi took the form of „Virja‟ and expanded its flow in the Go- loka. Virja became Jamuna; Braj was so named only because of Virja. The minor slip gave two significant attributes. It gave the glory of love to Gopi who was blessed. It named the place of its flow as Braj. So was Hina disturbed about her love being shared and now would be wholly engrossed to Shanti. For Shanti she was not herself. For her there was only Jagan, in whom she would like to be merged. Hina was mundane because she claimed complete ownership of her love; Shanti was glorious for she wanted to annihilate her self and wished to be merged in her love. This basic distinction percolates to present in the world of ethics.

In the VHS Jagannath watched some strange relationships that surprised him. Sharma Sir, in charge of the dramatic society encouraged Narhari to play the lead role in Natak Harishchandra, while Pooran, the great student artist, who has been playing this role in Delhi also, was being sidelined. The matter went up to Pandey Sir, the headmaster. Pandey Sir, as was his practice summoned Jagannath, the head student prefect, to know the facts. They were convinced that Sharma Sir was discriminating against Pooran solely because Narhari was a Brahmin and Pooran a jangid- carpenter. In a similar incident the hostel in charge Solanki Sir, were hell bent on removing the mess food contractor, a local Muslim of good reputation, against whom there were no complaints and give the contract for the hostel mess to Chauhan, a vegetable seller, who had no experience of running hostel mess. Pandey Sir, again called Jagannath to go into this and put facts. It was found that Chauhan was Solanki‘s own caste and had offered him some benefits, the details of which could not be ascertained, and therefore, the contractor was being changed. Pandey took the decisions in both cases as was reported by prefect, without naming him. The sports in charge, Singh Sir, a Jat zamindar thakur by caste, was seen discriminating against some of the better football players to replace them by some Jat boys, Jagannath‘s own caste. But here he discussed it openly with the Games teacher, Singh Sir, who was taken unawares by such a bold open discussion and the matter was dropped. Jagannath instead called those boys to play extra hours and become better players. He convinced them that jumping the queue would not help them and was definitely aimed to bring a bad name to the school. Would they like their school to be put in the dock, by such indiscrimination? They agreed and followed his word.

One and half years after the death of his father and six months after the sad demise of his loving grandfather, Jagannath bade adieu to major sports activity on the onset of winter and took a pledge to devote nine hours every day to cover up all course for the final matriculation examination. On alternate weekends he went to meet his grandmother and 92 mother and returned the same day. He has not met Shanti for a long time. He was trying to suppress his desire to see her, till his examinations were over. Hina was not yet married. His mother informed him Hina was anxious to meet him, but since he returned the same day, she was hopeless and sad. Nekiram had a chance meeting with him, while he was on his way back to school, and Jagannath, both enquired and encouraged, him to do his best in the final examination. There was an undercurrent of competition in the mind of Nekiram to do better than Jagannath, to prove his school was as good, if not better, than VHS. He knew his study for X came only because of his friend, to whom he was both sincere and obliged. Jagannath had no such feeling. It indicated the level of his confidence. He was deep and calm. A passing reference to Kirpa saddened Jagannath that he could not continue his studies.

After the morning walk all friends had an assembly, Suresh, Tilak, Johar, Sharma, all three of his room mates, when some one informed about special diet day. On alternate Sundays or as decided by the mess in charge, special food was served to students. It had kheer, gulab jamun or halwa according to the season, puri, and kachauri and yogurt raita. The mess remained closed in the evening of special diet day. Jagannath was not a food addict. He was used to a meager and simple food. He was more on a look out for fruits, or juices. But he requested all friends to have lunch with them in the mess. They discussed general matters of the town. A new cinema house has recently opened in the town. It was showing a picture with Devika Rani, a fact learnt by her large posters on the town walls. Seth Salig Ram had a large Murphy radio recently purchased. Students passing by his haveli could hear the evening news, or classical music. This year the guavas were in plenty. The town had many guava gardens. At the tour itinerary of visiting British Collector or Superintendent of Police, there was lot of commotion in the town around the police station, with lots of police personnel on duty. There were some prominent political workers in the rural areas who, were in the eye of the local police. There was no major incident of law and order in the town. When examinations drew near, students went to various mango orchards to study under peaceful cool mango tree shade and returned only in the evening. Jagannath worked in his room mostly, his room mates opted outdoors, where there was more fun than study. Students of the hostel, as well the college, knew Jagannath, by his reputation of being an all round meritorious one. He was so humble and helping there were no adversaries. He both trusted and respected his teachers their shortcomings notwithstanding. This was his Guruji Ganeshilal‘s teaching to him. He helped the needy. His family status added to his reputation. He had no arrogance. He was friendly with girls without being fussy about it. In India jealousy was a national pastime; many boys were jealous of him. However his attitude disarmed most of them. He personally never thought about all this. Whenever he was free he thought of his family. The disparities of caste and class that divided people bothered him.

3.3

In Nandgaon it was boom time for the Arora-Gulab duo that has put up a sugar factory there; they were in spirits. Arora was living with his wife. He also had brought some of his relations to help him in the project. They were deisplaced refuges from Punjab. Sardarilal was put on the weighment job. Munshi was put on the crusher. He kept details of how many tractor trolley or cart-load of cane arrived at the factory. How much juice was extracted and sent to the ovens. Piramal was put on the sugar machines. He kept all record of the ‗raab‘ feeded into the machines during the day, and sugar produced. He also kept record of the ‗sheera‘ canisters filled and sent to the godown for sale. Arora would get up early in the morning, tie his Lungi in between his legs and ride the cycle to reach every farmer from whose field‘s sugarcane was being harvested to be brought to the factory. He had nothing to do with the actual cutting operation which was the headache of the farmer. Back from the round he will take bath and have breakfast cum lunch. After lunch he will visit the factory for a while, though it was Gulab‘s job to look after all the operations and co-ordinate these, take attendance, watch the work was in proper progress. After that it was the duty of the engineer mistri to see that the shift went on well. From the factory visit, Arora would retire to his quarter to take a nap, wrap up his wife Jugnu, have her lie down on his left in the cozy beds they had made for themselves, do little foreplay, some oral sex, rub her tits, kiss her navel, and finally make love to satisfy his tiredness. They would both then doze off for a while. Upon getting up in the afternoon he would confide with his closer ones that he had fucked Jugnu. Fucking her during the day gives more pleasure than it gives during the night!

Gulab was a romantic thriller. He would look to such women employees who were willing to share jokes or some body contact with him and invite the most willing Devi to his quarter, which was also his office and retiring room. He would offer Banshi pedas that he always kept in his room for his appetite as well as for his frolic encounters, to the woman he played with. Devi knew what he wanted. She will repeatedly go out on pretexts to make him desire for her more. He will lift her skirt, but she will turn around. He will plead. She will tease more. He will offer more pedas she will keep them aside. He would take her in his embrace to put a kiss. She would indicate towards her feet. He will reach for her feet, touch them, and caress both feet, foot finger rings attached with a string of tiny bells creating soft music, looking above to her face pleading for her approval. That amount of erotic foreplay would arouse her feelings and she agreed to sleep with him for the fast mid-day encounter. Gulab would change his partners as was possible during the shift schedule and keep secret of his encounters unlike Arora, who enjoyed sharing it with friends. Pitamber, the engineer knew if Devi was absent from the crusher, she should be with her lover. Unlike Arora they preferred nights if they could weight. During day the woman was flirted around and coaxed to meet after dark; she would meanwhile bath and make her little pretty applying available rustic cosmetics.

Having earned good money and the estate put on profit, Gulab Singh contested election to the village Panchayat and was elected Sarpanch; it was turning to be tradition in the newly independent India‘s democratic set up for any person to entertain political ambitions after he has acquired a bit of the mullah and has earned the qualification of 94 having slept with more women out of his wedlock who surely were lured either by their economic necessity or getting some kind of favors. The political party in power seems to help establish the tradition their top leaders setting examples of the kind others below in the hierarchy followed. Politics of patronage was at work. Morals were beginning to loose; soon the trend would become socially passé hitting the institution of marriage. Besides bribe woman was an easy medium of granting and seeking favors. It became part of the political culture both in party in power as well as those who sat on the left. His son Chandra Pratap was studying in Gwaliar and was in the care of his in-laws. He was doing well. He was in constant touch with his brother Jagannath, who was his idol. He opted to join commerce and aimed to do a degree in business management.

Jagannath passed out of the VHS in excellent grade. He topped the U.P. Board High School Examination, with record 93 % marks in the aggregate, securing distinction in as many as six subjects. He had shifted to Agra for his Intermediate Examination from the St. John‘s College, where also he was a hosteller. His visits to his village were much far less now. Nekiram secured a first division in High School, and in consultation with Jagannath he took admission in the nearby Polytechnic Institute to do a diploma course in civil engineering. That will get him a better job they had planned. Jagannath had opted to adopt Science and Mathematics as his strain in the Intermediate course. But he continued to be attracted to lot of reading newspapers and historical books besides his course material. He also wrote in the college magazines, and other periodicals. He was in the Holland Hall of the St. Johns College, Agra.

3.4

Agra was interesting. It was a change from a semi-rural small town of VHS to a large city, with quite a history of the place. Sitting on the western bank of the River Yamuna, Agra is just 100 miles from Delhi. The Hindu epic Mahabharata refers to it as ‗Agraban‘, part of Braj, the home of Lord Krishna. At the time of Iltutmish who captured Bayana, which was a centre of power, Agra was a village. It grew into an important power centre under the Delhi Sultan Sikandar Lodi, who shifted his capital from Delhi in 1504. Agra attained full glory in the Mughal period, when Babur captured it in 1526. Babur‘s son, Emperor Akbar, who was a great empire builder, commissioned the Agra Fort in 1565 and the city grew around the nucleus of the fort. However, Agra is best known for the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the modern World. Emperor Shah Jahan built this exquisite white marble mausoleum for his favourite queen Mumtaz Mahal. Declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO, the Taj Mahal has always evoked varying emotions 95 from wonder to ecstasy and often times, inspired poetic verse. Over the centuries, it has become the symbol of undying love and flawless beauty.

The monument was commissioned in 1631 and took 20,000 artisans, 22 years to complete. An entire township now known as Taj Ganj sprung up around the site. Here, craftsmen live and sell their wares of marble and stone inlay and replicas of the Taj. After the reign of the last great Mughal, Aurangzeb, Agra fell into the hands of the Jats and then the Marathas. In 1803, the British under General Lake captured the city. Once again, it secured its position of eminence as the capital of the north-western provinces. From the rule of the Jats to the early British period, Agra‘s monuments were plundered and exquisitely crafted pieces transported away. The city fell into decline and disarray till modern times when people rediscovered its historical importance and tremendous tourist potential. Agra became the centre of great educational institutions, the three famous colleges, seat of the university, and a medical college of repute. When people talked or behaved crazy it was also customary to recall the city for it had a mental asylum as well.

Agravan was part of Braj, the land of Krishna and Baldau. The Jamuna of Mathura, Virja of the legends also touched Agra, where Krishna must have ventured to graze his cows domineered by his gop-sakhas, the shepherds. The love of Braj is universal; the Mughal Emperor, who thought of erecting an edifice so distinguished as the Taj, might perhaps have assimilated the Braj milieu of love, having already put in almost two centuries of their rule in the land where the monument stands. The later Mughals and some of their descendents may presume the Taj as their creation. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It was love that encouraged it to be built. There was Mumtaj Mahal because there was love. The land where it stands belongs to Braj. Those who built it belonged to Braj. The capital that went in its building was obtained by the toil of Braj peasants, artisans, craftsmen. The Emperor himself should have felt proud to belong to Braj. Shahjehan was Emperor of India, of which he must have been rightly proud, one out of many great emperors in line of succession who ruled this land of the gods. India without Braj is incomplete, as it would be without Kashmir or Kerala. Taj is, therefore, a monument of love, created essentially by the Braj instinct of love.

Jagannath saw cinema with passion. Movies with actresses Nargis, Madhubala, Surraiya, Meena Kumari, Nalini Jayawant, actors like Raj Kapoor, Devanand, Dilip Kumar, Ashok Kumar and comedians Yakub, Gope, Om Prakash were favourites. Bicycles were the usual transport. Abrupt emotional plan to see a movie, two persons on one bicycle, the bastard cycle-boy who took three minutes to pump air in rear wheel, rushing to reach the cinema hall, three kilometres from hostel, breaking the queue to get the tickets, indifferent to objections by others, throwing the bicycles at the mercy of the stand keeper, rushing inside to find the movie had already begun, resolving to come again to see the portion missed, cursing the partner for getting late or cursing the hostel cook to provide food so late as to delay plans of going to the movie, were some of the frequently repeated ingredients of movie going in Agra. Pictures like barsat, mahal and awara were seen repeatedly half a dozen times on different pretexts. Madhubala in Mahal was hypnotically romantic. Pocket money was short for the movies, and then pockets of the partners would be depended upon. But all partners also sailed in the same boat. They carved a novel idea to 96 fulfil the passion. One who will provide bicycle ride will be shown the movie either on half rate or free if money was sufficiently available. The bicycle rider put a condition that the other passenger partner being ferried will sit on front handle-bar instead of the rear carrier. The rider got the sensations of hitting the partner‘s back with the actress, whom the pair was going to see, in mind. A body touch implicated adolescent sexual sensations that tickled the senses without any perverted intentions. Though there were gay boys who were madly in love with the same sex partners, Jagannath was out of it. Another annual ritual in Agra was the visit to Taj Mahal on the sharad poornima, full moon of October month that is. There was a special diet in the mess and no food available for the evening, extra platefuls of kheer, halwa or rasgullas were kept for the night, with a litre of milk, heated in the room over an electric stove. Rule prohibited use of electric heaters in the hostel; all students, however, used an electric stove, for tea, milk, or food. After a sumptuous meal, all friends moved towards the Taj Mahal when full moon bloomed. When a beautiful girl unknown, friend, class-mate or anyone enchanting was sighted, emotive cries „wo chamki‟ were rung in the air. Such adjective meant a reflection of moonlight in any gemstone of the dome coinciding with a girl charming passing nearby, which act was never taken to be obscene. It flattered the girl‘s ego and they perhaps enjoyed it too. The group remained at the Taj till v-hours in the morning, going to college the day after being put off, which was condoned by the college.

He reverted back to his work, at the end of the day.

3.5

His athletics activity had declined for a number of reasons, unable to be regular at the tracks and studies which required more time being some of them. Though he was out of practice he took up the 800 metres flat race, in the annual sports of the St. John‘s College, in which he won the first prize and a gold medal. From the St. Johns College annual athletic meet he bade good bye to the wonderful and enchanting world of sports and athletics, mainly to allow him the opportunity to fulfil his commitments to studies for as he grew in age courses of study demanded more time. In place of track events h e took to soft games of squash and tennis, which will keep him physically fit. On the sports ground during practice sessions and at the campus, he was encountered by Isabella, a girl student of first year arts of his college who was winner of the gold medal in 800 metres flat race, women‘s event and who lived in the college hostel for girls, the Davies House. She congratulated him over his excellent performance. He thanked her for the compliments. He also congratulated her for her performance in winning the 800 meters. 97

They met on the Saturday evening at the sadar café. Isabella was the only daughter of a naval commodore, haling from Daman, a former Portuguese colony. She stood five feet six inches tall, in a slim athletic frame, narrow waist, small tight bosom, whitish complexion, black hair neatly done to decorate the clear forehead dotted by a pair of lean eyebrows and large grey eyes. Jagannath, who now stood six feet, liked tall girls. Both his friends in the village, Hina and Shanti, are tall girls. Isabella arrived first at the café. She has invited Jagannath for a cup of tea. He arrived to greet her with a shake hand. He felt her hands were rather soft and warm in his large palm. She greeted him informally, and the meeting began with an air of mutual trust. She was keenly interested in athletics, and wanted to continue further through the university sports meet, then hopefully into the inter-university meet, selections for which would start soon. Jagannath advised her two basic truths she should stick to reach for higher competitions, national or international: one, she must run every day five kilometres plus to attain practice, agility and timing, and second, she should concentrate only on one or two events to be able to achieve her goal. She was interested in mile race or 800 metres. Besides these two basic tenets to be a successful lady runner she should have an expert, dedicated personal coach, a mental frame that allows you to enjoy your work and a good diet. She was impressed by his expert advice.

‗You know good lot about track events, from where did you learn all this‘? She asked.

He, ‗My games teacher at the VHS was a retired national runner from the services.‘

She, ‗You ran in your High School too?‘

He, ‗I was a gold medallist in one mile and 800 metres at the inter-school state level meet. Our School also won 4 X 400 relay, where I was last sprinter.‘

She, ‗Your school must have had good ground facilities.‘

He said, ‗Oh, no! I ran in my village 3 miles a day three months and odd days regularly for years, before I joined the school.‘

She, ‗Rumours are that you are a state board topper of U.P. in X.‘

He, ‗That‘s true. I like studies. Athletics gave me strength. That is my Guru‘s teaching.‘

She, ‗After your 800 metre run at the stadium lot girls talk about you. You were at least 15 metres ahead of the second guy.‘

He, ‗I was out of practice; my timing should have been much better. I am not at all impressed by my performance. I feel flattered though. Convey thanks.‘

She, ‗some will be seeing you around, convey yourself.‘ 98

He, ‗I have no inhibitions, all are welcome, but my priorities differ. I couldn‘t find a better person than you to convey thanks.‘

She, ‗What are your hobbies?‘

He, ‗Cinema. I indulge in lot of thinking. I lost my father, grandfather a little too early.‘

She, ‗Oh! I am sorry. But what do you think about?‘

He, ‗I feel more mature than my years, I think about India, its disparities, poverty, caste and women.‘

She, ‗You want to be a political leader.‘

He, ‗If I would be able to lead, others will judge, but I definitely hate politics, game of scoundrels, as it is. Come on, Miss Isabella, You haven‘t told about you, but first what would you have to eat. Would you like some juice?‘

He handed her the table menu. Before going through it, she said, ‗Mr. Jagannath Pratap Singh, let us be friends, you can call me Isa.‘

‗And you Isa‘, answered Jagannath, ‗may call me only Jagan. Thanks being friendly.‘

‗I was curious about you the first day I saw you at the tracks though you were irregular; your tall personality makes you look different,‘ said Isa.

‗I had no intention to take any run in this year‘s annual sports; grounds I visited just to exercise. I get dull without physical work out; I walked many kilometers or cycle long distances when it was not possible to reach grounds,‘ replied Jagan.

‗Someone inspired,‘ asked Isa.

‗Who would care for rustics like me,‘ he said.

‗You surely are a poor judge of yourself,‘ replied Isa.

‗I am ordinary. I entertain no misunderstandings. You are so nice to be civil,‘ replied Jagan.

‗Old habits die hard? Carrying the distinction of a State topper you have been such a smart sportsman, you carry your school color and at that young age have participated in national school meet; perhaps you couldn‘t be away from the arena your no practice notwithstanding,‘ said Isa. 99

‗You may be right. Athletics are tempting and I carry combative competitiveness inherently. I just ran for its sake,‘ he replied.

‗You have made friends here,‘ she asked.

‗Yes, like you few others have become friendly,‘ he said.

‗You have friends back home or the school where you were the head boy,‘ she asked.

‗I have at both my village and the school; it was such a lively company. You feel sorry to leave friends,‘ he replied.

‗Besides the knowledge you gain friends are the only legacy you indulge to reflect when away in time or place,‘ said Isa.

‗Yeah!‘ he said.

‗Any girl friends, I hope your school had coeducation?‘ Isa asked.

‗Not particularly, but some girls knew me,‘ he replied.

‗Girls are selective and get interested in those who do not train glances,‘ said Isa.

‗I am a natural ally of the girls, whole tribe of them,‘ replied Jagan, adding, ‗turning glances and flirting sort are baser momentary behavior related with instincts; I think besides these,‘ Jagan said.

Both Isa and Jagan were romantic without being aware of it. Teenage relentlessly indulge in romance. Romance is passion about one‘s own self. When one starts liking herself she has romance. Similarly for perhaps both of the youngsters, athletics was a passion and therefore they indulged in romance. Without being aware of themselves they loved their own selves and in trickle of the conversation they carried this love of the self oozed out openly. They were reluctant to call off their meeting. They just carried on, talking sense, nonsense and tiny bits of romance.

The youngsters ate little, talked more, she told about her, about Daman and its life, her priorities, her likes and dislikes. Their first meeting was a good start in a relationship that would endure many shared concerns.

100

3.6

At the St. Johns Jagan was popular in the very first year. The initial six month college going proved to most of his lecturers his intelligence and the capacity to move in company without any frisks. He was ostensibly clearly distanced, from the sort of macho genre of youngsters, who tended to form groups, carrying a vein of violence, for either intimidating others to extract extra services, physical or pecuniary, from fellow students, majority of whom had come to study, or imposing their will and mannerisms over women students particularly, thinking as they did, that such rowdy behavior of theirs will endear or attract girl‘s to them. He was clear of all groups too in his class, or the campus. In course of time he was able to carve out a niche for himself as a student intellectual, forming a core circle of like-minded serious students as well as athletes, many of whom were girl students, from various regions and classes. It made Jagan feel at ease. Rafiq from Moradabad, Bhargava from Bhopal, Govil from Patiala, Jain from Bikaner and Pannalal, whose father was posted in Agra in Railways, was from Rewari, were members of the club Jagan had formed informally by naming it ‗St. John‘s Study Circle‘. There was Isa, from Daman, Savitri, from Trivandrum, Snehlata, from Gwaliar and Meenakshi from Burdwan. Fathers of both Meenakshi and Savitri worked in Air Force in Agra. They met informally on every Saturday, in the afternoon, and discussed matters of common interest, mostly related to their courses of study, and such other matters that they thought were conducive in removing disparities within the group. The club included almost all major religions, and classes or castes. Their aim was to deliberate to forge unity in achieving their target of higher academic standards. Once in a while they also had a contributory working lunch or dinner. Some members of the club, including Jagan, were fond of cinema and went to see movies together. All had the same status, and there was no division by work or position. It was Jagan‘s idea to see if different class of people could forge unity in working to achieve a common objective. It appeared to be working. In removing difficulties each other exchanged books, notes, and together went to library to find answers. The most important result of the experiment appeared in the area of tutorials, where the teachers in charge were flooded with micro level queries about the subjects taken up. It was common knowledge the questions will crop only when the subjects were studied thoroughly, and books could not provide direct answers to the discrepancies found. Rafiq and Meenakshi had problems in chemistry, Pannalal and Snehlata had problems in Physics, and these were put up either in the laboraties or before the tutorial teachers who were forced to do their home work proper, to be able to satisfy the students. In Agra, it was generally believed, out of all the three major colleges, St. Johns was considered to be a grade higher in academic standards. Students, by and large, were serious about their studies, and likewise teachers had to be prepared well. It was this combination of students and teachers interest in studies that went to make up the college reputation. Things were different in the other institutions, The Agra College, and The B. R. College; one was known for its rich culture and unionism, the other for agriculture.

The ‗St. John‘s Study Circle‘ club progressed to be a think tank of the aspiring young men and women who formed it. There were lively and intelligent discussions. 101

There is persistent row in ideal and execution; a tug of war between good and evil. Why does it so happen? The Veda was sacred and true. It was supreme knowledge. It was Divine. The first schism separated followers of Veda; some left for Mesopotamia, Assyria, Sumeria and Persia to form different faith, different gods. The remainder established hierarchical ritualistic Brahmanism, carrying a remarkable oral tradition and formulating the Upanishads, Aryanakas and Puranas. In course of time rituals, dogmas, corruption camouflaged the truth. Therefore, there was born a Budha and a Mahavir. Mohammed fought against dogma. Christ was pure truth. Time corrupted his gospels; there came Protestants and Presbyterianism with John Calvin as their reformation leader. Entire age was dedicated to Renaissance and Reformation. A system is launched with the best of intentions. Soon after it is begun, it begins to corrupt. Reasons may be many. However, there is one single element that houses the entire lot of decay. An idea launched is for the humans. Each human is an organic independent entity. The launch of an idea, shall, in its journey of being preached or implemented, proceed to be passed on from one human to the next, depending upon its size and composition. The process may involve five human beings or five hundred of them. Since each human is unique in himself, and a separate entity, the implementation process is bound to be similarly affected, altered or added as it passes through five or five hundred stages of its execution in practice. It comes down to simple logic that it is almost impossible, for any new idea, plan, program, process to retain its original shape of launch, simply because its implementation or its onward journey of passage in the realm of time, shall pass through different individuals, five or five hundred, who by their very nature, are distinct organic entities, and therefore, the original idea so launched shall either change, increase or decrease in size, concept, entity or ideal, in the form of additions and amendments made, to add or reduce the size, content or body, commensurate to the number of individuals, the idea has passed through. The principle applied to the rulers and their bureaucracy. It applied to the church and its fathers. It applied to the kings and their agents. It applies to the principal and his teachers. It applies to the syllabus prescribed and the innumerable number of students going to study it. It applies to the dean and the number of faculties under him. It applies to the teacher and the number of students he teaches. Ideas either percolating downward or being pushed upwards are likely to be altered, changed, added, camouflaged, corrupted, or reduced by as many times as they are to meet the number of individuals in their journey up or down, as the case may be. The definition of corruption shall include any change, however minute, which is sought to be made to the original, irrespective of the fact whether the change is for good or bad results. Then again what is good to one might be bad to the other. It would imply then to think in terms of reaching the ideal is almost impossible. One may surpass it, or may be far too behind; but the exact ideal cannot be reached. The result is to learn to deal with the nature of things at the base level, grassroots level. From there it will be convenient to conclude that since human beings live in different geographical regions, they are bound to be different in their language, skin color, or even physical or facial features. Divisions beyond these analogies are purely artificial and unnatural. Homo sapiens may differ from Homo erectus; in between them biologically there won‘t be any difference. One cannot claim an upper caste Brahmin to carry a blood, or kidneys, or heart different to the sc outcaste of a slum; or in between a Negro and a Celt. That is the same. It cannot be disputed. The micro level system establishes no two creatures are similar. It is because Purusha and Prakriti are different. Purusha is inactive. Prakriti vibrates with three elements, 102 rajas, tamas and sattva. Originally these three elements of Prakriti existed in composite equilibrium. Each one has these elements. Through progress and as result of one‘s karma- action the quantum or degree of the elements either decreased or increased; the elements become unequal. Persons subsequently differed. Some would be king, with the elevated rajas, some would be dullard criminal with an elevated tamas, and other would be sage, pure and vibrant, with elevated sattva.

It is a universal truth. Indians of the Vedic age had developed an extraordinary efficient system of learning the scriptures through regimented oral tradition; under no circumstance the word, phrase, para by coma, colon, semi-colon or full stop was to be altered, even the sound pitch of each word uttered was necessarily maintained. It passed on from Guru-teacher to shishya-pupil, from one generation to the other and from one yuga- age to the other. So accurate and strictly adhered tradition too found faults; the Vedas, Arnyanakas, Upanishads, Puranas and other sacred literature was so corrupted that seers thought it necessary to bring it down in writing at one stage of the historical process. What we have today is an assortment of the pure original, edited or entirely changed version of the sacred literature. The area of intrusion included personal ego of the knowledgeable, the editor or the reviewer to add what he thought should have been the meaning of the original content.

It is, therefore, the individuals who change the tenor of the ideal, process, project, way of life, by whatever one might to call it. The university set examination papers; these are leaked for considerations, examiners are open for allurements, and marks are altered, added to upgrade some, even answer sheets are changed, exchanged, removed to be replaced by fresh ones, examinations are also duped, candidates are provided papers and answer sheets at their houses, or the houses of the examiner, and students, candidates, examinees are passed, put in the merit, selected for much sought after public services, and the game goes on. Since Macauleys rediscovery of education in India, it provided avenues for gainful employment, which in return made the occupants of such posts, most eligible bachelors, in the ever growing Indian matrimonial market, with the dual purpose of, being blessed with a beautiful human reproduction machine, and a handsome dowry, to augment the resources of the recipient family. Constraints put on the employment scenario, by the rise in the so- called educated unemployed youths, accompanied by the shortage of employment opportunities, on account of the prevalence of a harem culture, where sycophancy and recommendations with pecuniary considerations depleted the selections on merit, the numbers of the unemployed educated youth has been growing by leaps and bounds, leaving the use of the degrees obtained, to promote the degree-holder‘s chances of negotiating their marriage prospects, with the degrees, being showcased prominently over the shelf, the left over educated unemployed adding to the city crowds. People are divided in castes, caste sentiments are aroused, politics to rule is played through ballot, caste candidates may be criminals are put to contest against the deserving honest ones to be defeated by caste stalwarts, votes are vertically or horizontally divided, first on caste considerations, then by distributing the loaves and fishes by money power, and lastly by the mafia power of booth capturing jamboree, resultantly the winning party appointing its leader, whose clearance from the high command had been obtained, at the cost to be kept a party secret, whose capacity to supply further tons of money is recognized, besides the expertise to attract 103 defections, purchase legislators, and capable to disrupt legislature proceedings, jump en- masse into the well of the house, shouting slogans, similar to the slogan-shouting done by the hired street urchins, in a metro city, break furniture, dismantle mikes, receive and inflict injuries, so as to undermine the rule of law, ultimately being sworn in as the chief minister, to further augment not only the game of sycophancy, but fill his coffers by allocating neat compulsory contributions, per month, at the rate of rupees five lakh from each honorable member of the legislature of the party in power, rupees three lakhs per collector of each district, the same amount for superintendent of police of each district, besides other junior officers of a host of departments, who were to pay separately, the entire sum accounting to be handled by the principal secretary to the chief minister, who might be collecting an additional surcharge at the rate of 3 per cent over the contributions brought in his office, for his personal pocket, as a service charge, the ultimate onus for the contributing beneficiaries being thrust upon the poor citizens of the popular democratic country. Or else, as had been done by a state chief minister, reputed to be the original seat of ayarams and gayarams, the defecting Olympians, the honorable legislator might be enrolled in the office of his chief minister, as the recipient of an honorary monthly allowance of two lakh rupees, and undertake, in return, not to make any query, demand, or desire, for transfer of any government functionary, or anything to be done in his constituency, that part of the legislator‘s function having been mortgaged to his chief minister, and for which he was being paid the honorarium, the end result of which was that the contributions, forced as well as voluntary, if any, would be directly paid to the chief minister, many times of the amount that was being made available to the honorable legislator. The market economy and consumer boom in the backdrop of the enlightened liberalization of the Indian economy, is brought out to help the selected millionaire company groups to affect large scale takeovers, both from the public sector through the one window disinvestments policy, and the private sector poor-merge-with-rich policy, making more powerful and immune to the rules and finance ministry regulations, those who are already in the wrestling ring, clinching their fists to endanger what ever was left of the Gandhi‘s economic small-scale cottage industry concept, a process resulting in making more steel strong, those who were already the established muscleman of the arena, their only loss being political doling out of ordinary amounts of money to the coffers of the political parties in power and their mafia gangs, which to them was pea-nuts. It also, therefore, has a public distribution system, with a budgetary provision of a staggering 23,000 crore [food subsidy-1200cr+LPG-Kerosene subsidy-6300cr+others], with the sole intention, to provide the poor, downtrodden, and helpless citizens of this democratic republic of India, provisions in the form of the essential LPG, kerosene oil, sugar, food grains, including the subsidized rice, so as to ensure that the poor do not suffer the deficiency of these items, particularly in times of drought, famine or flood, natural calamities, the system being spread over and implemented by few thousand greedy, middleman, traders, who lift these commodities, only on paper, accepting the black price of these, from the wholesaler, leaving actually the entire stock to be sold by him in the open market with margins that go to inflate their coffers, resulting in the obnoxious deaths of poor citizens by starvation, the local bureaucratic set up getting busy to disprove any such deaths, for reasons, every body understands, the money earned by the trader middleman, and the wholesaler was also shared by the local bureaucratic establishment, who continue to get obese whatever drought, famine, or flood, might come to their area, because the more such calamities, more their chances of carving out their percentages out 104 of the relief measures. There are circles within circles. It would do much better if there were no government, some members of the St. Johns club thought. In most democracies, it would appear the government has outgrown its usefulness. It does not do what is good for the people; what is good to get re-elected is cleverly vouchsafed. The government is overstaffed and under-worked. Jagannath and their club members were aghast at the grass root level preposterous situation they would have to confront, when the college days are over. Jagan told his friends this is life!

Jagan and his friends were apologetic about the amount of share Indian citizens thrust responsibility over the state for redresser of all problems, be it sanitation, industry, housing, market economy, tele-communications, transport, information technology, public health and medicine, and the like. Is it not outdated to expect a government to clean the roads you tread on, manufacture soap, tongue cleaner, and hair oil you use in your bathroom? If we expect that much, we may begin expecting the state to run our kitchens and clean our bedrooms and do our laundry too. The list could be endless. Why should there be a state regulator for telephones, postal services, motor cars, petrol, diesel, LPG, kerosene, sanitation, computers, railways, roadways, and a host of other services sector articles of use in personal daily life? Why should not market be the sole regulator of all these and other facilities needed by citizens, the state overseeing it as a watch dog the market regulators don‘t fall from set standards? This very relevant issue needs a detailed analysis. As it is, the state is finding it difficult to manage the core sector responsibilities, say for example, defense, internal peace and terror; how far is it reasonable or expedient to expect it to do business as well as defend the country, fight the terror and manage country‘s extended industrial and commercial activity? What forces and vested interest groups are hell bent to carry on with the dilapidated, out of date, brazenly and thoroughly corrupt bureaucratic frame work we were forced to inherit from the imperial colonizers, who became rulers, par excellence, and admittedly skillfully introduced India with some of the latest innovations of the industrialized world to drag Indian economy to cater to their markets?

Are we in a position to run a country of India‘s proportions and problems by continuing a system of rule, Emperor Akbar introduced in 1605, under the Darogh-e-Dak, Mir-Atish, Mir-Bakshi, Darogh-e-Topkhana, and Wazir, an administrative system of Mansabdari, with denominations ranging from five hundred to ten thousand sawars because that was Akbar‘s bureaucracy? If Mughal bureaucratic set up could not function under Wellesley and Cornwallis, in the eighteenth century, the system Cornwallis introduced in 1786, which came to be recognized as the highest paid bureaucracy in the world, and was named as the ‗steel frame‘ of British Administration, the composite meaning of which was, and still remains to a large extant, stiff opposition to any change, that system also cannot function in the twenty first century India. Let us be very clear about it. John Shore, who succeeded Cornwallis, thought that, ‗The fundamental principle of the English had been to make the whole Indian nation subservient, in every possible way, to the interests and benefits of ourselves. The Indians have been excluded from every honor, dignity, or office, which the lowest Englishmen could be prevailed to accept.‟ The three tools through which the English brought out to thrust this policy over Indians were the, ‗civil service, the army, and the police‘. The basic function of the administration was to maintain law and order, to impose and implement the policies enumerated above. The steel 105 frame worked wonderfully well and also became the tool of discipline, efficiency, honesty, and permanence. Now what remains is the last of the tool, i.e., permanence, the other three priority tools have altogether completely withered out. Put this query to any member of the present bureaucratic colossal, he is bound to fumble for an answer.

Under globalization industrial development has not reached the scale required. The reason is state initiative. It ought to be people‘s initiative. State may give directions, formulate policies, and provide budget. At most it could provide infrastructure, though that part also should be left to entrepreneurs. The forlorn, dry, unpopulated unplanned industrial areas developed by the state industrial and investment corporations would be found on the outskirts of almost all cities and towns. They are bereft of activity associated with industry or manufacturing. The sheds and buildings built are finding cracks in face of no use and maintenance. Hardly 10 percent units appear to be working in these high priced industrial areas where lot public money has been pumped. A close analysis will indicate the projects were taken up by reluctant entrepreneurs absolutely to utilize the facility of loan, given by the state on easy terms, coupled with tax free regime for a particular period of time, and take the benefit of the government subsidy grant. Most units have been transferred or sold after the loans have been utilized and subsidy utilized for purposes other than the one for which it was given. Besides loan most of subsidies has also been eaten away or shared between the so-called entrepreneurs and the state officials. There is zero percent employment since the units have nothing to produce or manufacture. The follow up hangover figures in the daily newspapers with long cumbersome details of units being put up on auction for default of loan repayment. The cream has been consumed. The state may auction the tin shed getting only value for land allotted; the so-called entrepreneur goes away scot free. There may be exceptions but by and large this is what has come of the industrial boom in free India‘s initial efforts.

Young persons wondered over the huge bungling and misuse of the very scarce funds. Their transparency spread over the niche of college lawn was remarkable. These guys are destined to play serious reform game when they come to grips, it was apparent.

Young persons in the club meetings were passionate about their discussions; at times lot heat was created. All ideas that came up might not have been as if national policy was under formation by mature people; the views expressed were passionate expressions emanating from within the sharp minds of the brilliant young generation of India that was about to surge in a new era of excitement and turmoil. Isa and Jagan played it down to cool tempers.

106

3.7

During the Christmas holidays, Jagan went to his village. Hina was married and gone. His other friend Shanti was in waiting to be betrothed, perhaps dowry constraints were delaying it. Her father was a poor Brahmin, solely surviving on his occupation of performing religious rites, „jijmani‟. The practice have dwindled as kaliyug is advancing, people are getting irreligious by the day; internet has brought it ‗on line every thing under the sun.‘ She had three elder sisters, and three brothers. Perhaps one of the girls was married. Her eldest brother was also married. Shanti will only get her man, after her two elder sisters are married. Pandit was planning to marry these two together. It will save expenses. Jagan was annoyed with the system. Budding young girls like Shanti were pushed into a begging serfdom for life. Though both the girls and the boys brought equal amount of pecuniary strain over Pandit, why was it that the girls alone were made to feel its crunch? Even in the house they were contributing more than the boys by way of shouldering most of the house chore responsibilities. What was there that the boys would inherit, so that inheritance gave them the ease of not bothering for the future? He felt more intensely for her, for Shanti. It made him reflective. These and other thoughts were, however, drowned in the affections of his mother and grandmother. He sat with them, talked over their affairs of the village, the loving old ladies making detailed queries about his routine and food particularly, insisting to know if he takes milk daily or not. In the village it is even now considered necessary to give dairy products, including ghee or condensed butter, to the growing children, for their proper nutrition.

In the evening he went to his farm house, and wanted to get Shanti go with him, but she was not home. When he reached the farm, he found Shanti picking fodder for her cow. He called her. She dispatched her elder sister Manjhali with the fodder bundle, and demurringly approached Jagannath.

‗How are you?‘ he asked. On close examination he found that she was no more a child anymore. Youth has descended over her from top to bottom; her face, figure and feet all have changed to blooming attractive countenance.

Her fair complexion turned pink over her cheeks, as she blushingly replied, ‗You are seen after a long time. If not for us, you could have come for maaji [Jagan‘s mother], to look after her.‘

‗You are like a princess enjoying life here. What do you think I am doing there? Relax, like you do here?‘ he replied.

‗You enjoy cinema there, what is here in the village that you would want to come now?‘ she asked.

He said, ―Yes, there is cinema, and I go sometimes. Take out three hours and how do I manage to live the remaining twenty one hours? Could you imagine the updated standard of the college and the amount of time I need to put in for getting the grades I want? But I really miss you and the village. You are growing. Will you touch Shalu‘s height?‘ 107

She blushed, kept mum, looking into her feet, glancing at him from the corner of her eyes.

He took her beside him and both sat under the Neem tree left of the well. He took her hand like a palmist does, ‗Let me see whom are you going to marry? Is he one eyed, club footed, or a minuscule?‘

‗I may go to hell, how are you concerned about that, and who am I for you,‘ she said, trying to pretext and disengage her hand, gently.

To calm her, he drew her still nearer, turned gently her face towards his, and kissed her repeatedly over the cheeks, then her rose like lips, a long kiss, with closed eyes. They did not know when it ended. Her breathing become faster, warmer, irregular, and smelt rustic lavender. The fresh odor of vegetative growth entered her thin dress by the fodder she was harvesting for the cow. Her youth radiated glory though it couldn‘t convey whole of her resplendence. A mythical fragrant odor emanated from her being; its effluvium was the envy of all aromas of roses, magnolias, mogras put together. She was in peace. For a while they did not speak a word, he continued to hold her soft hands in his large palm. He felt attracted towards her. She was really beautiful. Her charm was camouflaged by rusticity of an uncared and unanchored existence. She realized that he was her only solace in the village and the whole world. But she kept mum. It was her attribute since childhood. Her silence and eye lashes spoke more than she could speak by words about the use of which she was a miser. Jagan and Shanti like each other since they were, perhaps, teething years of age as kids. They have played together, laughed and cried together, eaten together, embraced each other, kissed each other, out of curiosity fondled their genitals together, kissed them the way oral sex is made, spontaneously, without any prompting, excepting their natural urges in pure innocence, taken postures he over her, playing mummy-daddy, they might have inadvertently watched their parents make love stealthily in dark peaceful nights, without any obscenity or sexual overtones, have slept together, he rolling over her, she pushing over his body, both her and his lions in the pelvic regions, rubbing against each other, at times thrashing each other, other times two bodies held in tight embrace, playing with each other. Always he talked and talked. She will not speak. Her eyes rolled sideways; eyes do the talking. This made her more attractive for the boy. Those who understand the innermost language know eyes can talk more effectively than the tongue. Eyes can demolish myths. Eyes can create new horizons. Eyes can dissolve the ego. A love torn beloved requests the crow to eat the mass of her body-flesh, save the eyes; she entertains a forlorn wish to behold her lover when he comes! Eye when meet eye, an atom bomb can blast. Shiva has a third eye, vertical eye - the eye of fire. It looks mainly inward; whenever directed outward it destroys- engulf everything. It was this eye that destroyed Kamadev, the lord of love. Periodical destruction of all – Pralaya occurs when this eye of the Tri-Netra Shiva opens. When two eyes meet river shores meet in ecstatic enchantment. Eyes are deep; deeper than the deepest oceans. Pacific or Mediterranean oceans look shallow ponds before the depth and dimension of the eyes of a beloved. Eyes can never lie; a person‘s heart can. A poet talks about the charm of eye reflection percolating deep within:

‗The soul would have no rainbow had the eyes no tears.‘ 108

Jagan and Shanti were closely held children. She was no more a child. She could feel his adolescence. She also was amiable and flushed. Her deliberate silence, her persistent presence before her friend, her stolen glances, her nervousness, her bewilderness at meeting his eyes were indicative of some strange person than the innocent child she was.

Her problem, however, was immense. He was really worried for her. Their passion of romance, which feeling they didn‘t quite understand, may perhaps find solutions to the scary situation she was placed in.

‗Bhaiya, babuji, amma, all put me to chores the whole day‘, she sobbingly told him.

Tears in her eyes, droplets into the engulfing ocean, he could never bear out. His inner self was activated. Her bawl‘s teardrops he would turn into masterpiece paragons, was his chaste resolve.

‗Who cooks?, he was inquisitive.

‗Didi sits over the chulha-fireplace, I have to attend to her, running around, bringing anything she wants. Then after everybody has eaten, I have to clean the utensils. Bringing water from the well is also my job. Sometimes, manjhali didi comes to help. I am youngest. That is the problem‘, she explained.

‗Why, your mother isn‘t sympathetic?‘ he asked.

‗Except manjhali didi nobody cares for me; I do not exist for any of them. I must carry out orders and it ends there,‘ she said in grief.

‗Sisters don‘t share chores?‘ he asked.

‗Sweep clean the house, washing the clothes and attend to everyone‘s calls is my job: Put it there, bring it here, stitch torn clothes of which there is no dearth, lay the cot, dust the bed – fresh command is in the offing before one is met – and in the process I have walked miles, find completely exhausted at the end of the day,‘ she added.

‗Why sisters are idle?‘ he asked.

‗They are under acute depression. They do not venture out lest bad boys throw lewd glances, dirty comments making them conscious they are young, beautiful but without anchor,‘ she added.

‗Why panditji or your brother not catch and thrash the bad guys, or inform sarpanchji,‘ he asked in anguish.

‗They all are so scared, and they have no money; if jijmani is affected whatever is earned will be lost too,‘ she told. 109

‗Jijmani is sufficient enough to cater for the eight–nine of you,‘ he asked.

‗At times we go to work in the fields also with other women particularly at crop cutting season,‘ she said.

‗You get wages or in kind and how much,‘ he asked.

‗Mostly kind, when rabi crop comes we sisters collect enough wheat to feed us during the better part of the year,‘ she replied.

‗And how many hours you work,‘ he asked.

‗It gets very hot during day, we therefore start early in the morning. Our contractor decides the hours we work or the quantity of grains we can lift,‘ she replied.

‗Your dark tanned faces indicate working hours during summer noon sun,‘ he said.

‗Who bothers for it; we have to feed ourselves,‘ she said.

‗Any problems you and your sisters encounter working in fields,‘ he asked.

‗No, we work and move in groups that might be a deterrent,‘ she replied, adding ‗some girls from other mohallas have their friends who also work and they freely enjoy their company.‘

‗So there is romance too while you work,‘ he quipped.

‗There are some who are lucky and have love in their stride,‘ she said.

‗You don‘t have friends,‘ he asked looking into her eyes.

She charged him with her gaze as if asking if he really need an answer. Surcharged silence in her eyes.

‗Manjhali didi told me bad boys don‘t comment over me for they know I quite often visit haveli, and that you are my playmate,‘ she added looking into him.

‗Then why don‘t you tell the guys so?‘ he asked.

‗I don‘t even know who they are; didi and all of them are so big, how can I interfere?‘ she replied.

‗Are you also frightened of anybody,‘ he asked.

‗I haven‘t so far; when there is deterrence I recall you in my mind and things become easy,‘ she told. 110

‗And, why don‘t you talk when I want to?‘ he asked.

Silence. Eye glance; she has answered.

‗Do you feel happy you don‘t have to go to school,‘ he asked.

‗It was because of you that I could complete my schooling in the village primary school. babuji, even then, wanted me to learn household work‘, she said adding, ‗amma helped a little, you know, when you spoke to Babuji, Amma came supporting you then.‘

She was fortunate to have known him and on that count passed IV primary; beyond that she has neither thought nor was it possible anyway. She was thankful to him that she could at least be literate, being born to a Brahmin of repute in knowledge of the sacred texts.

It was an unsympathetic world for women, especially for girls. Woman‘s wrongs are everywhere man‘s rights in India; the right to kill in infancy; the right to ruin; the right to coerce; the right to ill-treat. She has grown in age that could fathom the realities of life and her fate in the village after she escaped daughter slaughter in her infancy. She couldn‘t fathom heaven or hell her existence tallied what people around her called hell. She felt as if she was caged in her own house. At times aspirational rounds of a will to survive sent her into dreaming the impossible; she wished to escape from her cage. Her mind reverted to him at such moments. He was the only source and ray of hope she could rely upon. She then strayed into conjecture the array of her neighbouring thakurs who came, ruled, exploited and vanished. Who knows he would be different? Could her heart throb be relied upon? Could her heart too ditch her? Shall she believe her eyes or confide and lean on her heart? Which one are more dependable eyes or heart? Why these worries transpire to her? Is it response of her imprisionment in her home cage? Was life more precious than scarifying it for yearning? Can passion forsake its owner? What use of a life spoiled by her devotion? All else would be better than her present state; so jump in. Angels seemed to pacify her. Such intense faith gets much loftier rewards. Mental messages were received by her bosom buddy, prince of peace.

His concern for her was serious. He reached her in mind. Don‘t worry, I am here. She appeared to wake up from her fantasy.

‗I will talk to your babuji, before I go‘, he said. ‗But what should be done? How to take you out of this rot? Nobody will agree to send you to Agra, and then you have not done tenth.‘ He loudly thought.

‗Who does grinding flour for food?‘ he asked.

‗Didi helps Amma grind floor each early morning. We are nine persons to eat. Two seers wheat flour is needed everyday. When wheat is not available, we grind „bejhar‟ it does not taste good. Bari didi does nothing, except crying. No groom has yet been found for her, what will happen to her she does not know. Everybody wants lots of gold, dowry, I 111 hear babuji telling amma we need at least ten thousand rupees for the twin marriages. Babuji has been searching. Bade bhaiya does nothing. He is not interested in learning „panditai‟ either. Then there is his wife. She helps cooking food. But even with her I have to be in attendance,‘ she explained.

Adding further she said, ‗I have been asking amma to ask bhabhi to help grind floor, but she is doubtful, if she or bade bhaiya, refuse it will be improper and embarrassing. Babuji has to provide for all of us, and bade bhiya-bhabhi too. Then the marriage of us three sisters is playing heavily on him.‘

‗Who does laundry, I mean washing clothes, sheets?

‗I do. Occasional help comes from whose clothes are being washed,‘ she replied.

‗Most disturbing is being the errand girl; everybody yells and orders me to do chores, attend visitors, go to banias shop to fetch salt, chilies, other things needed,‘ she sobbed.

Jagan draw her near to cheer up. However, momentary cheer won‘t help. He gone, she has nobody even to relate to unburden her little worries.

He got serious.

It did not take much for Jagan to understand the problem. Pandit has produced too many of children, he cannot afford the burden. Probability of the chicks flying the nest is remote. Dowry is the problem. In his mind he has already thought of a way out.

‗When are you returning back? Please stay some days‘ she pleaded.

He had seven days of winter break, plus two Sundays. He has spent four days already. But to please her he said, ‗I was to go back tomorrow, but since you say, I will stay couple of days.‘

‗It would help me cope with the problems; when you are gone my apprehensions increase manifold and there is no one to listen,‘ she said.

‗But Shanti, I want a promise from you too. You gave up studies against my advice. You will again take up study. Will you?‘ he asked with an affectionate hug and emphasis.

‗How can I study now? I left study after passing IV five years back. Who will send me out for study? Then amma need me, I work like a maid,‘ she said.

‗No! Nobody will send you for study. No body does anything for girls, except use them as maids and mistresses, parents or husband and in-laws. This you must understand. You will have to do everything for yourself. Only I will help. If you promise, I will speak, otherwise face it, it may escalate in future, I see no chance of abating your problems in future if you do not assert to help you, can you understand, my dear Shanu,‘ he asked. 112

There was a long pause.

She spoke with a resolve, ‗I will do anything you tell me. I can die down if you say, right now, in front of you.‘

‗Cowards think of dying. Never again utter such non-sense. I want you to live, and live happy, and don‘t get dumb, look into my eyes. Only your eyes can convince me that you will do what I want you to do for yourself,‘ he said.

There was another breather. She closed her eyes for a while.

‗I am ready, now speak‘, she said looking straight into his eyes, opening conscientiously her already large, black, tender rainbow eyes, moiety moistened, out of sentiments and unexpected zealously yearning expectations; the ray of hope at the end of the tunnel!

The amount of resolve her eyes expressed, he never saw it earlier.

She was known to him as a person of few words. Her eyes spoke volumes today. He was at peace with her; and also tinkering of something like fancy, he couldn‘t really grasp.

‗You are going to take your matriculation examination this year itself. You will be a private candidate. You need no schooling, no fees, nothing. Only you will have to put in 4- 5 hours serious study by yourself in your house every day, after you have finished the chores you are expected to do. And do not annoy any body. It does not help to be critical of others. Only look within you. I will arrange all required books, reading material and pay for your application form too. Your parents cannot have any objection to it. I will speak to panditji, but only when you show me your resolve and fortitude.‘

She was overjoyed to hear it. She took him in her arms. You are so wonderfully precious, Jagan, she thought instantly. Her eyes confirmed it.

She said, ‗I am ready, one hundred per cent. I promise I will not betray your trust in me. But you will have to give me support, some help in studies, a little moral support, I am almost nervous with the great idea. You are my Shri Krishna to me, my savior!‘

They agreed to do it. It will help the poor girl, was his main concern. He insisted to see Choate plentitude in her future. After matriculation, she could study further the same way, privately, and who knows, she might even get a job! And then a reasonably proper husband, that too without dowry. His imagination soared; she might become a working woman if she shows grit and courage. It was the best way to ward of woman‘s fate to her. Her excitement met his insight; cool and sudden raindrops quenched the thirst of the June midday noon.

He took his grandmother into confidence, before he mentioned the matter to his uncle, Munshi Sarpanch. She had assured him that in case Gulab does not have it now she will 113 give it to him. But he took a promise from her grandma, that she will treat it not as a loan but a gift to a poor Brahmin. He requested his uncle to give ten thousand rupees to the neighborly pandit to enable him marry his two elder daughters.

‗This money will be difficult to be returned looking to the condition of the pandit‟, munshi sarpanch asked his cousin.

‗I also think so. I therefore want this money to be advanced just as a gift to the poor Brahmin. You can put this money in my account. If he is ever able to pay well and good, if it does not return, I will pay it when I earn,‘ he added, just to give his uncle the feeling that he is not thinking in terms of a separate account of the estate, though, Munshi Sarpanch knew it well that Jagan was owner of half of everything the estate was giving, and that he was not taking anything, except his expenses for education, that were peanuts against the annuity of the estate, including the factory. It was decided to advance the money. It will be given to Jagan who will give it to the pandit in the manner he thinks proper. He has to ensure that the money advanced is used only for the twin marriages of his elder daughters. He will be advised to arrange marriages as early as he can.

3.8

Jagannath was looking for his buddies, whom he had not met for long now. He first went to pay respects to Guruji Ganeshilal. Guruji was overjoyed to see one of the rare students he had had the fortune of teaching. He had congratulated Jagan last when he came to pay respects after he had topped the U.P. Board High School examination. Guruji often praised the achievements of his pupil. His forecast was that once in decades such intelligent and judicious student is born; he was destined to reach still very great heights.

Kirpa had become full fledged village shepherd and taken his fathers position. He was struggling to meet life. Jagan embraced him when the two met. Hira, Neksa were both married, one had donkeys that transported earth, grains, and worked on brick kilns, the other had goats and sheep that provided them their daily bread. He took the herd with a „Dangi‟ [a long turf cutter] in the morning, after eating some that was breakfast and taking part which would be lunch along with a rope and small can to draw water from the wayside wells, when thirsty, and returned by dusk. It was a herd. While grazing was in progress one or two strayed into the cultivated fields, eating standing crops. The farmer would call Neksa names, and threatened he would not permit the herd to move this way, if any sheep 114 re-entered the field. It was nothing unusual for Neksa. He hears these threats many times each day. What can he do? These are animals, and hungry. If you want to kill, then kill. I try my best to lead them straight. Why does he not put a fence? We are poor goat-man butchers. What can we do? That was the way he came out of the wriggle every time he confronted a farmer. As soon as he saw a green field, he induced his animals to go and eat green. The animals rushed to eat, a delicacy for their appetite. Meanwhile the farmer would appear, God knows from where. He was not visible. They perhaps hide themselves when Neksa‘s herd comes, and come out only when the animals are prompted to enter. Choice abuses were hurled on both the animals and Neksa. These butchers are scoundrels and thieves. The sheep would be killed if not restrained from damaging crops. It went on that way. Everyday the herd went to graze, farmers abused, Neksa rebutted, laughed inimically, progressed further and returned in the evening. So long as these butchers will have goats and sheep‘s, the herd will go for grazing, while grazing some will sneak into green crops, farmers will catch the animals, abuse the goat-man, curse him, thrash him, goat-man will bend, take hundred excuses, wriggle out of the scramble, almost everyday. It had been like that for ages. It will be like that forever.

Goat-sheep herds will eat into green crops. Village cattle herds will eat into the forests. Poachers will enter the protected animal habitats and will hunt rare of the rarest species. Industries will grow, release their poisonous pollutants into Ganga, Jamuna, Krishna, Godavari, change the sacred rivers from life sustainers to life destroyer dirty drainage channels. Developed countries will continue releasing thick poisonous gases endangering the ozone layer, changing the age-old cycle of seasons, warming the globe till it becomes unbearable to live upon the mother earth, causing pralaya, the age-old cycle of birth and death Hindus named the forces Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, for the layman, to understand its importance in reverence to the Gods personified as creators, sustainers, and destroyers of life, and thereby respect the laws of nature. But that is now distorted beyond recognition. To be a Hindu dismantle a mosque, burn a man and his teenager boys alive while they are asleep, throw the dead and garbage into your Ganges and Godavaris, to make them streams of rubbish and filth. To be a Muslim butcher a cow and desecrate an idol, cause havoc in the metros by serial blasts of such dimension that the country‘s sovereignty is endangered, rape women and kill children by thousands, become a Sikh and demand Khalistan, get converted into a Budhist SC, snatch power on the Sc card and indulge in unparallel loot, destroy heritage, and be boldly camera-media savvy, become a Neta and divide the society into intolerant castes, Brahmins, Rajputs, Jats, Vaishyas, Meghwals, Bavarias, Gujjars, Ahirs, Daroga, Rathors, Balmikis, Scs, Mali, Saini, Sunni, Shiya, and an innumerable array of them, select their candidates, win elections, divide people on reservations for government jobs, jobs that are non-existent, never to be made available, hanker after the government jobs which on the lines of the legendary civil service, allows one to be paid for doing nothing, and being paid for blocking and busting any or every change brought out in the governance, to help the poor people, who sends Netas to rule, and Netas in turn facilitate recruitment of the civil servants, who play stooges to their whims, and become partners in the loot. Netas have a limited tenure, the exigencies of its limitness forces them to concentrate their entire resources and energy in the creation of wealth, which only can either make safe their return to power, or if that fails, the wealth earned will support their retirement, even if caught into the labyrinth of CBI net, which might, as usual, result in not 115 found guilty in the absence of evidence or benefit of doubt. And the members of the permanent civil service, who pretending to be very busy, submitting long notes that lack in content and abound in creating confusion, bask in the joys of their permanence, unaccountability, and independence, to which the Netas elected for a limited period, neither had the intention nor the required expertise of opposing or removing them, which situation results only in placating the permanent, all important Sahib, and make them partners in the business of miss governance, the responsibility for which goes to the elected chief of government only. This is India too, and it will continue to be India whether a big country like China leaps ahead of it, or a tiny country like Korea or Japan become world leaders by way of their ability to produce better and sell to capture the market.

Jagan thought as well as his mates in college the new age would dawn and change the rotten environment. They knew nothing happens without planning to put in hard work in the first place to enable them to do worthwhile when the age heralds them into working world. He was hoping there would be another dumb girl to stand with the young crowd getting ready to throw out dead wood. The new entrant woman could be substantially pragmatic.

Hina was expecting her first baby she was hardly sixteen. He could not meet her she was not here. Days spent with her were regenerated. She made minimum twenty-five rounds of the Haveli when he was here on weekends in one day. If not found she will enquire from each member of the house. Where is Jagan? Where has he gone without telling me? Her ways were so innocent, spontaneous, ladies of the estate laughed, someone advising her to tie him with a rope, one end ties to her bosom, so that he may not move beyond her vision. Since she lived just next door to Jagan‘s haveli, he also would reach for her, and sit with Midniya, talking whole universe. Why do they kill goats every day? What do they do of their eyes, skin, and fur? When will be the next tazia? This time she should prepare good rice and put Ghee into it, then, he will eat. Where does Maula Mian go daily? What he does in the mandi. Who brings so many animals to the mandies? Why so many people want to sell their milk cattle. When Hina will reach she will lift him by arm and run outside. She was so smart, handsome, tall, and eager to do better. But they snatched her future from her. She was forced to be non-serious about her studies from the very beginning. Then she was stopped from going to the school. She did household chores, till she was of some age, and without even reaching puberty, she was forced to get married, with a person score of years her senior in age, belonging to the economic strata where it is often difficult to provide two square meals a day, to feed a platoon of children produced every year, without any thought of its consequences, on the physical and economic health of themselves. Jagan was aghast at the immensity of the problem. How many budding young girls of the country are sent to the gallows each year? It was disgusting.

A day before Jagan was to leave, after his X-mas holidays were over, he went to Shanti‘s house. Her amma expected him. Shanti had already disclosed the plan he had made. But none knew about why he has come. Pandit joined them. He asked pandit about the marriages of his elder sisters. Boys have been seen. One teaches tuitions, the other one is learning ‗panditai-rituals‟. They have some demands. The boys are brothers. He is trying to manage for some money so that mehendi could be put on both his daughter‘s hands. 116

Jagan asked him who is advancing him this money. He was silent. He has requested some bohras, they ask from where he will return the money.

‗If you promise that this money will be spent only for the purpose you are taking it, then I could help‘, asked Jagan.

Pandit replied, ‗I not only promise it will be spent only on the marriage of Shanti‘s sisters, but suggest that it may be given to me in installments, as the marriage ceremonies get going. You are like God to us. Not only shall we, our children, also be grateful to you forever,‘ he said with folded hands.

Glancing towards Shanti, Jagan took pandit‟s folded hands in his palm, asked him not to talk in the manner he did. He told him it was his duty that he is fulfilling. He also asked him and his family to spare Shanti, little time, so that she can pass matriculation this very year. He will be arranging for every thing. There was a convulsion in the pandit family. They could not believe it could have happened like it has. They were certain it was divine gift. Jagan later brought pandit to munshi sarpanch, requesting him to advance him money as he makes progress in marriage ceremonies. The very next day Pandit went to fix dates for the marriage of both of his daughters. Shanti‘s place in her family suddenly got quixotic. No one asked her to do anything. Even amma regarded her with a reverie. A five- minute visit of Jagan has transformed pandit family‘s fortunes and synoptic panorama. Such are the ethos of caliber.

3.9

Independence of the country was imminent. There were clouds of uncertain future hovering over the sub-continent. Hindu-Muslim divide, perpetuated by the imperial rule under a sustained policy of divide and rule, has further distanced the two major communities from each other. The personal egos of the leaders of both sides were heading towards a dangerous confrontation, the consequences of which could not be predicted. The country was heading towards a major historical catastrophe. Political freedom came at midnight of 15 August 1947 in the form of a divided India and Pakistan, through unparalleled communal orgy, accompanied by indescribable brutalities, consuming thousands of lives, leaving lakhs of refugees, forced to leave the lands of their forefathers, fear and hatred blinded people‘s minds, horror piled upon horror, and the country and its gods were sorry for the dead and the dying, and for those ‗whose suffering was greater than 117 that of death‘, as Nehru lamented. Rabindranath Tagore had remarked three months before his death in 1941, ‗The wheels of fate will some day compel the English to give up their Indian Empire. But what kind of India will they leave behind, what stark misery? When the stream of their centuries‘ administration runs dry at last, what a waste of mud and filth they will leave behind them.‘ Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest Indian who spearheaded the freedom movement, who was a flawless leader of the masses, had spoken to invoke the aid of the Almighty to take him away from the vale of tears rather than to witness the ‗butchery by man become savage, whether he dares to call himself a Muslim or Hindu or what not.‘ A senseless, hate-filled, fanatic Hindu assassin did not give occasion for invoking this aid, and extinguished the light on 30th January 1948. Gandhi died a martyr to the cause of unity to which he had always been devoted.

Centuries of backwardness, poverty, prejudice, inequality, disparities, communalism and ignorance still weighed on the country; the long haul had just begun.

In the evening Jagan was solicited by Shanti. They went for a stroll over to the farm. Shanti was enraptured and ecstatic. She had no words to express her gratitude to Jagan. He has changed her world. She almost sobbed with emotion. He comforted her. She has to fight many more battles of life. This is no time to cry over do-nothings. He likes her. This was the minimum he could have done. He wanted to lift her still high like his friend Isabella of Daman. He was sorry that he could do nothing to save Hina. He has little consolation that he is able to do some good to this girl. He wanted to do this to all girls of India, budding, beautiful, lively, girls who will produce future Indians, must be worthy of the country and its future, all boys too, boys like Kirpa, Nekiram, others.

She touched his broad shoulders to see his face. He was extremely handsome. Coming out of a noble heritage he bore an extraordinary personality bewitchingly fascinating. She loved him. Her liking has turned into love. Did she know what love is? Not really. But there is something wrong; she doesn‘t know what. Love is dangerous. It incapacitates a person. He is beyond love. She will understand when time comes. She kissed him. She embraced him. She hugged his strong body. He reciprocated. He responded to her kisses. They have been a friend that is the way they shall continue to be. He gave her the address at which she will write about her progress in studies. She will devote five hours daily to read, otherwise how shall she clear X. Next day she would get her books and reading material. Nekiram will bring all from Agra and hand over to her. Jagan might not be able to come soon. She bent down to touch his feet. He hates woman touching man‘s feet. He lifted her. They remained in each other‘s arms for a while kissed fervently and said good- bye. She should not wait for his replies. He may not get time. She should write every Sunday. An extraordinary relationship was in the offing. An affair like gopis had for their Krishna; gopis who were destined to play Virja when Radha herself appears. It was the land of Krishna.

The turmoil of independence and athletics has consumed more than half year. No more time could be wasted. Jagan put his retinue in order to gear up for his studies. Before that he arranged books and other necessary arrangements for Shanti. Nekiram will see to it. He was also asked to fill her admission form as private candidate, keep the center at the place 118

Nekiram was doing his polytechnic and make necessary arrangements. He was asked to collect the money needed from Jagan.

It was going to be the last meeting of the club. Isa had met Jagan a number of times to exchange views and matters to be discussed in the club meeting. Rafiq was asked to prepare an informal agenda and prepare notes with Pannalal, Meenakshi and Snehlata. Isa, Bhargava, Govil, Jain and Savitri felt, in the prevailing post independence mob-frenzy atmosphere, it wouldn‘t be conducive to talk on the variety of subjects they all wanted to talk. Isa agreed with their view and decided they will not raise any fresh issue for discussion, except Savitri who will talk on education, the future trends. Savitri spoke first. Players and regulators in the case of education may be the same in the sense that majority of the educational institutions would be run by top politicians, some would be controlled by organizations indirectly under their influence, and the rest might be run by the business houses in connivance with the politicians, resultantly reducing the number of government controlled educational institutions, which might give in under the twin pressure of inefficiency and financial crunch. What was to be done in such circumstances is a matter to be focused. It will affect the future of coming generations. All agreed that the matter deserves attention. The spurt of private education will be mostly in the medical and engineering streams; it was going to make a better business sense. Education all round might be affected if contract teachers are recruited. This is a strong possibility. In the face of large scale private tuitions to earn money, irresponsible behavior by absence from duty, opening their institutions, treating job as pension, teachers were responsible for turning education not only a business, student‘s future was threatened. Absence from duty was reaching serious proportions. It percolated, partly, by the concept of permanence in the civil services. They forgot duty altogether. Teachers like Ganeshilal were hard to find. Only Pannalal and Rafiq will speak on their assigned subjects. Savitri asked Isa to talk it over to Jagan too. Isa said she will take care of him. In her innocence Isa displayed a kind of authority for Jagan, giving a message that he will abide by whatever he is told. Partly it was true. Isa was close to him as a friend and a colleague at the athletics track. That Jagan and Isa were both medalists in sports gave them a different bonhomie. We as a nation are status conscious. Jagan wanted this to go. The only status he favored was of being a human being. They met on the lawns of the college in the afternoon when it was peaceful.

Pannalal said the independence of the country had opened new possibilities for the low-caste. Detailing his views over origins of caste serving as a group specialized activity, the system has fallen into extreme decay over centuries. We must work for eradication of the system as a whole. It has no justification left. Rafiq intervened to point out to the extremely explosive situation arising after partition of the country we must try to understand reasons for this kind of hatred being spread. It was the act of anti-social elements and fundamentalists. Meenakshi and Isabella both urged friends to forget everything else and meet the situation arising out of widespread rumor mongering to escalate communal disharmony and create trouble for innocents of both communities who were being murdered and property looted or destroyed, in various cities where communal riots were taking place. They resolved to do their bit in trying to dissuade the rumors from spreading and taking the toll. Jagan impressed upon all friends about the urgent need to put their ideas into practice, in whatever capacity they are placed in life. For the present, 119 however, their duty was to stay clear of all hurdles and work seriously for examinations. It was a war like situation and the best one could do was to do one‘s duty. He also requested all friends to evolve a mechanism of keeping in touch, wherever lady luck place them. He requested all to continue carry the same zeal on matters of social importance, besides their personal careers, avoid rumors, protect the unprotected Muslim brothers and sisters and fight the menace of hatred. He expressed the hope if this tiny group of teenagers at the threshold of adulthood took note of life in the manner they have, country‘s future is safe. The problems are immense. Caste, religion, discrimination to women, poverty, illiteracy, and above all country‘s unity, are some of the problems all of us shall have to face. It is better to be equipped to deal with them. The purpose of forming this tiny core group was to highlight problems we have to deal as adults. To that goal we, perhaps, have succeeded. Above all please avoid carrying double faces. This is important. They dispersed wishing each other good luck.

The zeal and tremendous weight it brought to the lives of the young persons participating in life‘s serious business at the entry point was significant. Youth was in the making. Each one contributed to enrich the experience. It was a continuing process. Soon they will be gone to start their careers; a firm beginning has been made. It will carry through out their lives. A reliable base has been provided. It will cut across individual disparities and variegated career options. It was the foundation over which edifice of life would be erected. The rainbow colors would spread in all directions basically from the source material obtained during the youth. The youngsters at the St. Johns collage were a tiny bit of the huge numbers that inhabit this beautiful planet. Yet there are similar stories all over.

Life hinges over the youth. What is formulated in the young year‘s blossoms in the later part of life? Majority gears to enter normal life. Fraction of the mass gets into the genius extraordinary mode, rajas and sattva elements being dominant. Small bits spill over to take to abnormal, negative path of crime, depending upon the upbringing they get in the youth, where tamas element dominate. Everyone may not be fortunate enough to get club entry like that of the St. John‘s College. Thus life moves on. Nothing is permanent. Past weave into the future; it‘s important to live in the present. If the moment that comes has been lived substantially the future is ensured. Youth is the present moment of every generation. If this phase is impregnated with ideas worthy of an age the delivery would be normal avoiding the need for caesarian, in life that commences. Braj is the birth place of Jagan. Similar to the three distinct elements of Prakrati, rajas, tamas and sattva, three hillocks of Braj are famous, those of Giriraj, Barasana and Nandgaon, which are attributed as the Trideva – Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh; significant fact about the Trideva hills is the fact that their stone colors represent the three colors attributed to the three Gods – giriraj is identical to Vishnu which is dark coloured, barasana is identical to Brahma which is fair coloured, and nandgaon is identical to Rudra which is pinkish-red coloured. This is the heart of entire Braj. People around Nandgaon and Barasana represent the natural form and splendor of Braj culture. Four miles to the east of Barasana is Karahala, the birth place of Lalita, identical with synthesis of ras-lila, the chief ashta-sakhi of Radha herself; people of the place are known to have carried the Braj splendor too far and near by their enchanting ras-lilas. Jagan embodied this splendor that radiated in his thought. 120

3.10

Five-minute incursion of her friend in her family landed Shano in an envious perspective few could precipitate fortitude to grapple.

The village was not yet electrified; kerosene lanterns or mud lamps burning mostly mustard oil were the only way to light the ordinary lackluster dark nights, where women besides gold, silver and cash traditionally were the target of wayward thieves, dacoits, burglars and widowers on rampage, the few to shield the honor of elements constituting goddess lakshmi, woman besides wealth have ever been regarded as lakshmi personified in Indian milieu, besides the village chowkidar, who mostly was either out on police duty or slept, the herd of agile street dogs who signaled if there was an imminent coveted bid. It was a three room dwelling where Pandit himself occupied the outer one which was his bed, office, puja, pantry, store, guest and drawing room combined, of the remaining two one was occupied by the married brother and his wife, the venerated kuldeepak inheritor of the pandit estate, the third bigger room providing shelter to the lady of the house, Panditain herself and her grown up daughters, Shano included. The two inner rooms had a dallan- verandah, since Shano was on to a study work schedule and with the object of not be a cause to disturb her mother and elder sisters, she occupied a makeshift north corner of it where she put her bed, a table taken from Haveli, a stool and all her personal necessities hung on to a rope that served as a partition, making the place look like a room. A new lantern was delivered to her along with books by Neki, Ganeshi was asked to provide kerosene to her whenever she needs it, in the account of the Mohini estate. All articles including stationary, copies or edibles she may require were to be supplied to her on request in the estate account. Neki instructed Ganeshi to treat her properly and attend to her needs without fail; Bhaiyaji would make payments himself when he comes, or if he needs money he could ask him too. To facilitate Ganeshi was paid rupees one hundred in cash as advance by Neki; the shopkeeper was too happy with the arrangements and he slicked up Shano, the hitherto ordinary errand girl, with both respect and astonished admiration.

Shano got up early in the mornings; she was given an alarm clock by Jagan she used for keeping time though alarm was scarcely needed, she of her own got up before the alarm rang on hearing the cock crows from Hina‘s house, next to haveli. To avoid going to open fields she was allowed to use one of the outer Haveli bathrooms, about half a dozen in number, which was earmarked exclusively for her, entry to which was used by Lallu and others as an emergency exit from Haveli backyard gate, a few feet apart from her dwelling. It was of great convenience since in the open she has to have company of her elder sisters.

She worked two hours on her books. At dawn just when rays of the sun sprinkled on to the day began her house chores. Sweeping the house first, she fetched water from the well a little distance, half a dozen buckets poured into pitchers and for the kitchen. Manjhali prepared tea, Shano brought cups, tea, sugar, few Tulsi leaves, and served to all. Tea was served to her father in his room. Fire was prepared and cow was fed. While all others enjoyed tea, Shano milked the cow, poured milk in earthen haandi-milkpot and put to boil in the barosee-fireplace to heat milk. Cow feed was to be brought from fields, and after milking the cow she took fodder cutter and accompanied by Manjhali went out to fetch 121 fodder. While Shano and Manjhali went to take fodder, their mother collected cow dung, cleared it, prepared dung cakes and spread over the wall of the cowshed. Occasionally when Shano didn‘t go for fodder she did the dung cakes.

Pandit ji began by taking bath and sat for his puja-daily prayer for more than half an hour. He began work on sacred literature that continued till some calls came for ritual performance and he sported out in his traditional dress-kurta-dhoti, forehead smeared with divine paints, the lock of overhead hair called choti-crown-hair-lock properly done and tied under his saafa-headdress, his ritual texts in his bundle of pure red cloth bound in his underarm, never forgetting his umbrella. One or two calls a day would fetch him some cash money, new cloth, pulses, dry fruits, and odd items the jijman-client might prefer to donate, plus of course he would be offered sumptuous feast. Most of the days he would be invited to feast and he kept good health; meals offered were always pure and offered with reverence. Pandit wore a dignified demeanor, as he got numerous salutations from all and sundry, Panditji pa-lagan-touch-feet, while he passed through village lanes and by lanes, accepting salutations and spreading his proverbial hands to bestow divine providence. Accidentally whenever he ran into Guru Ganeshilal, both embraced each other. The specter was indicative of the remnant of enlightened erudition of the seers which was revered; what has come down through ages is blank ritual corrupted by superstition, ignorance and half truth that is put on sale by the hypocritical religious contractors. Their age is already bygone illusory abeyance; the future may be in the making of new trend of grand revival of Indian spirituality in its new avatar, the meditative yoga and fresh enquiry of the Veda, the ultimate truth of Indian viewpoint over life and the universe.

Shano‘s brother and his sweet heart obviously awoke late; after getting out of the slumber they yawned, looked for tea and breakfast, the kuldeepak readying to go out on gossiping errands with similar aimless young friends, and his wife while away time to avoid taking up house chores. No one in the family has the courage to question their life style; they were the prospective male heir to the Pandit estate!

By the time Shano and Manjhali returned from fodder cutting almost all has taken bath and lot clothes were ready to be washed; laundry was their job and no sooner the laundry was over it was time to prepare lunch. They hurriedly took bath, while Shano did the laundry Manjhali attended kitchen to cook. In between there would be more errands; salt is consumed, red chilies and coriander are to be brought, there was no oil too to prepare vegetables, Shano had in the process made three calls to Ganeshi‘s shop. It was difficult as cash was not available and the odd mixture of grains collected from jijamani were bartered for items needed, Ganeshi making his own profit loss calculations while accepting grains. The cash credit deposit was untouched as he has instructions to supply only articles of study against it required personally by Shano. Both Shano and Ganeshi have also reached an understanding over the manner the money was to be utilized; she won‘t allow any misappropriation either. Shano regularly waited lunch to be over; post lunch was the only peace she got to work with her books, full three hours. The afternoon activities again made her busy, collecting water from the well, taking care of the cow, feed and water the animal, its little pretty calf, milk it giving enough to the little one to survive, against the strict lamentations of her mother not to waist more milk on the little one. Her mother did evening 122 cooking, before that pulses were cleaned of tiny stones, or vegetable mostly potatoes, were brought and peeled to be made curry with lot spices. On the poornima-full moon her mother prepared kheer-rice boiled in milk sugar added made a perfect sweet dish, once in a month, though at times this bit of a delicacy was not available to Shano, if the large family appetite consumed the lot out of its taste, since she was the last to eat both in the noon and evenings. Manjhali shared with whatever was available. Shano was least bothered of the shortages which were perennial and carried on with a strange will power.

Shano was now grown up. She has started to think. She has now the motivation to work. Life was opening to her. Her hour of trial was near and she was working 8-9 hours on her studies to achieve a reasonable score to prove worthy of her promise made to her idol. She realized nothing comes easy. She has become immune to whatever anybody in the family was saying, nagging, criticizing for things done in a hurry and improperly, she was immune to comments made by her bhabhi for insignificant things such as the new lantern or the alarm clock given to her; these comments carried a stifled narrow view of her resolve. Everybody except her mother and Manjhali wanted to make her life miserable. She has learnt to live through these. Around her she was witness to girls being married; tender age, mind and body affected by malnutrition and ill treatment, girls were being mortgaged to be thrown away as liabilities to the hungry and equally cruel in laws, whose grooms has no say being children of no consequence, the fate of the bride was sealed for long period of serfdom. She realized herself the obduracy of girl‘s fate; she was surrounded by great odds from all corners, the only courses open to her seems to be her education so that she could take an independent view of herself. It was not possible without the economic freedom to live her life; till the time she would be subjected to subjugation by man there was no space for her deliverance, except his sweet will to allow her status he feels is necessary for her. Any husband would at flimsy pretexts or complaints mainly by mother-in-laws subject the wife to physical molestation, such was the restrictions of the then social set up the poor wife could do just nothing except either surrender in complete desperation or pray to God and his numerous god men. The perversity with which Indian woman have been subjected to during thousand years of slavery could hardly compare with another paradigm in the annals of history of the status of woman, especially so in view of a glorious bygone status she enjoyed when the country was in its dynamic vibrant mode of its distinguished past. In fact marriages were treated as a family pastime; some loans in case of girls and little bit of dowry in case the boys, some fun providing escape from the vicissitude of life, new clothes to provide momentary semblance of affluence, ceremonies and feasting providing flash inputs of carbohydrates, sugar and fat contents to the starving appetitive, and it was a brief digression from the drudgery of daily life in the rural. Bride and grooms were pawns in the hands of their parents whose opinions were established by routine public discussions of persons gathering during free hours of the day even family decisions were affected by public opinion thus openly expressed. However, Shano, instead of looking to her past or the present concentrated her focus on the future where she saw a ray of hope. She therefore, lived in her present with a covetous conviction over the future. May be transformation awaits her as India waits for freedom.

Nekiram was her sole solace during these 8-9 months she has taken the class X examination. Under instruction from Jagan, who was himself busy in his studies, Neki 123 would drop in once or twice a month, bring reading material from Jagan and his assessment tips to be answered, himself remove her difficulties and doubts, update her work in English, History and Geography, infuse in her the desired confidence, unmask lot doubtful rumors making the rounds around her, bring articles of necessity, and give her company in full view of her family. She wrote regularly to Jagan; he never replied and it was predisposed, though it increased her excitement and surmise. He would be satisfied from her letters as well reports from Neki that she was doing well and that is what he was bothered about for the present. The initial obstacle about Nekiram was too crossed over due to Jagan; Nekiram being a member of lower caste would normally not be allowed entry into a Brahmin home, particularly the interior. To do some serious revision and removal of difficulties required both Shano and Neki sit together with the reading material; with internal squabbles triumphantly won Shano was able to convince her mother it was essential for him to sit with her, on the analogy that he enters the Haveli without any restrictions and that he keeps clean and is educated and then it was Jagan‘s arrangement. Her brother and his sweet heart continued raising eye brows, their status was almost loquacious and superficial no body really cared.

Winking at inconspicuous inconsistencies she waded through time preparing to take her X examination with fortitude and hoping to obtain a good first division embarrassing and demoralizing all those who quietly are skeptical of her adventure. Shano regained her cool and waited for her immortal mortal to meet her.

4.1

Jagan and Isa had decided, at Isa‘s request, to dine together and plan for future. Isa felt their effort was serious and successful. In the backdrop of the situation where young students of XI and XII were idling their time, in mundane pleasures, running after girls and unnatural sex, indulging in a boorish and uncouth manner, immersed in stagnant life to obtain degrees to enable them make eligible bachelors hoping to extract huge dowry, and in the prevailing post-partition scenario where people were unscrupulously engaged in pillage and plunder, a small group of young persons collected the courage and imagination to think over matters considered bore by most others. The manner he presented himself as ordinary youth, like all other colleagues, in the promotion of issues highlighted in the group, indicated he is not an ordinary one. It augurs well for him. Jagan continued to play humble. He was his natural self. Only his problems were immense. He camaflogued such serious thoughts in his adolescent buoyancy and merged in hostel life. 124

‗What bothers you, Jagan,‘ Isa wanted to know his problems.

After a pause he said, ‗Let us face the exams, dear.‘

They were in the Agra College canteen situated in between the Hewitt and BN hostels. The place was small, affordable for students, and was clean. Bisht, a Pahari from Garhwal ran it. Isa often ate here. Jagan was not keen on restaurants. He liked his mess meals. But with friends once in a while he went to these places. The only thing he liked out in such hotels was the tutty-fruity ice-cream that Bisht didn‘t have. He asked, ‗Bishtji, why don‘t you keep some ice creams?‘

‗Students mostly want either tea or coffee; and then for ice cream stuff you need refrigeration. Bhaiya, we are poor, it is difficult.‘ Bisht said. Jagan was known around the colleges, for his simplicity. ‗But your food is really good.‘ remarked Jagan. Isa asked what vegetables has he today on the menu?

‗It is aloo-matar, paneer-palak and dal fry. Will you take chapati or tandoori Miss madam?‘ Bisht asked the young lady. ‗We use wheat floor, Miss Madam ji. We do not adulterate like others.‘

‗And we use pure desi ghee, Miss Madam ji, you know?‘ said Bisht proudly.

He was all praise for Isa to have patronized his café for food. Otherwise boys come take a cup of tea, pay four annas, and occupy the place for three hours. Youngsters who make good company though!

‗I always give you a 5 % rebate on food, Miss Madam ji you know? The day you come I get good business. bhaiya, please come with Miss madam ji more often,‘ he said to Jagan. He asked again chapati or tandoori?

Isa asked Jagan, ‗what will you like.‘

He said, ‗he doesn‘t have many things anyway. You can ask him to bring half plate of all three he has today, if you so desire; chapati, of course.‘

Jagan always ate less; eat less but energetic food he always observed. Jagan was organized and disciplined by inheritance. Isa‘s sincerity to anything she does was remarkable. She was faithful and smart. Even now she was regular on track. In the early morning she could be seen in her track suit, her spikes thrown over her shoulders, bicycling to the ground. She was keen on going for gold in the upcoming inter-college national meet. She hopes it would be held somewhere in south, so that she could visit her home too. She has been to her home three times from Agra, a good distance.

Jagan liked this spirited straightforward girl. He was curious to learn more about her.

‗You haven‘t told anything about you,‘ he said beginning the conversation. 125

She said, ‗You haven‘t cared to know.‘

‗It is not a compliment to me, is it?‘ he asked.

‗You are so reflective and quiet always. I sometimes wonder if you are a senior citizen,‘ she said looking into his eyes.

‗If I say I think about you, will you believe me‘, he asked.

‗I have complete faith in you. And you know it,‘ she replied.

‗You are such a wonderful friend. You know I have learnt life the hard way. Come on tell me about Daman, its history, culture,‘ he asked her taking her hand.

‗I wanted to feel comfortable with you before talking more,‘ she said putting her second hand.

‗Any doubts,‘ he asked.

‗Absolutely no; your reserve sort of scared me a bit or I couldn‘t find courage to open up. You are different,‘ she said.

‗I hope you like the way I am?‘ he asked.

‗That is what drew me on the first day I saw you,‘ she replied, adding ‗it‘s rare at the campus.‘

‗I hope you relish my cool,‘ he said casually releasing their hand lock.

‗It‘s a rare gift of providence; I earnestly urge you to pass on bits of it to me too,‘ she replied.

‗You too are lot sober I note, and appreciate your demeanor,‘ he said adding, ‗poise is so necessary for excellence in athletics and you are such a successful athlete,‘

‗I have learnt it from my mother,‘ she replied.

‗Was she an athlete too?‘ he asked.

‗No, she played badminton in her young age; she taught me to conserve energy by managing composure,‘ she said.

‗A perfect inheritance; poise is perquisite of concentration without which you cannot achieve targeted excellence in sports,‘ he said. 126

‗Your words are pearls of advice I retain in my being. Daman, even otherwise is a quiet and serene place,‘ she said.

‗Tell me more,‘ he demanded.

‗Daman is situated on the west coast of India on the Arabian Sea. There are exotic locations that are blessed with sun, sand & sea. An important location advantage of Daman is its close proximity to Bombay and it is just 13 kms away from the nearest rail road, Vapi. Daman boasts of a rich historical heritage spanning over more than 2000 years. The district of Daman of the erstwhile Union Territory of Goa, Daman & Diu is situated in the Surat District of Gujarat. From 2nd Century A.D., it formed a part of the country known as Lata, which was one of the seven divisions of Konkan Vaishaya. The edict of the Emperor Ashoka (273 to 136 B.C) was found in Saurashtra and Sopara near Bombay. Satrya Kshatrapas under the Kushana emperor seemed to have ruled over Daman District during the first century, A.D. This is the earliest reference of these rivers and the names of the places, i.e. Dahanu, Daman and Pardi, remained unchanged for the last 2000 years. The District seems to have been subjected to the rule of Gautamaputra Satakarnin, about 125 A.D., who drove away the Kshaharatas. But Satavahana's rule was short lived. Rashtrakutas of Malkhed in the Deccan directly till 808 A.D ruled the Lata Country. The Portuguese acquired Daman in 1523 from Shah of Gujarat. A Portuguese enclave for 4 centuries and a half till the close of the colonial rule in 1961; Daman has been a coveted prize for which princes, monarchs and alien powers waged wars. Muted memories of history lie vaulted in the monuments of Daman. It had been a melting pot, where races and cultures met and mixed to bring forth a multi-colored identity.‘

‗Daman can boast of a rich and multi-faced cultural heritage. Dance and Music are very much part of the daily life of Damanite. Here is a true fusion of cultures - tribal, urban, European and Indian. This ornate amalgam is reflected in the traditional dances of Daman. Various Portuguese dances are well preserved and still widely presented. Tribal dances with caustic social comments are much in vogue.‘

‗I can dance both the Portuguese and folk. Will you like to dance with me on occasion? ‘ she asked.

‗Oh sure, but you know the place so well. Even I cannot narrate the history and culture of Braj so well.‘ He said complimenting her with gratitude.

‗We toured the place so many times with my parents, friends, that I have almost learnt it by heart‘, she said adding, ‗you know much more, I know‘.

‗Silwasa was also Potuguese possession, I have read about‘, he asked.

‗I say you know more than you pretend,‘ she said adding, ‗Yes, Diu is a small place but very lively. Silvasa is beautiful. You have to see it to appreciate its natural beauty.‘

‗I would certainly like to see these places with you,‘ he said. 127

‗I hope you will not back out. I shall ask ma we would be visiting home during the vacations, you and me together‘, she said with some confidence.

‗Yes, certainly, if something urgent does not come in the way, I would be pleased to see your mother,‘ he replied.

‗It would be wonderful,‘ she said.

‗What are your plans for future after Agra?‘ he asked.

‗I plan to do graduation either from Daman or Bombay and continue sports,‘ she said.

‗Why should you not think of Delhi? You will get better environment and coaches in Delhi. You should try to be either in the university campus or some of the constituent colleges, like the Lady Sriram or Miranda,‘ Jagan suggested.

‗It‘s not a bad idea. Ma thought I should be nearer her. Father is posted out in Jodhpur. But I will think about it. To me athletics is more important, and if Delhi is better I should join there, as you suggest,‘ she agreed.

‗What are your plans?‘ she asked.

‗I also think Delhi or Allahabad,‘ he replied, adding ‗I am not yet decided. Some in my family want I should go to England, though I am not keen for it.‘

‗If you come to Delhi, I might seriously plan to be in Delhi. You will be an added attraction for me there. I will get your guidance too,‘ she said pleading, ‗I will convince ma.‘

‗It may be. There is still time. We will keep in touch, will you?‘ he said trying to get up.

She said, ‗Oh yes, I will be after you during the vacations. Then you have to come with me to Daman. That is your promise.‘

‗I might come. But first I will have to go to village. So many things are waiting. I will join you. You also get huddled with your mother and relax. Then we will meet,‘ he suggested.

‗That‘s fine. We stick to it, O.K.,‘ she wanted to be reassured.

They had finished eating. He wanted to pay, but she insisted she would pay. They both walked back to their hostels.

On the way she told him, ‗you have been a companion. It has provided me sense of security in a far off place,‘ adding, ‗I am so much dependent on you.‘ 128

He replied, ‗you too have given me guidance and help others could not.‘

He will continue to look for her interest.

‗How are your studies, if needed we could go to the tutorial sir,‘ he asked.

She told it is O.K. He went to the gate of her hostel to leave her. She took him aside, kissed him softly, held his hand, pressed it, shook it gently and said bye. He bent a bit, returned her kiss, a long one, on her lips, and walked to his room. She waved till his tall figure remained in her view.

4.2

He found some dak in his room pushed from under the door. There was a letter from Shanti. She has received the books and articles sent by him. She has started her studies seriously. Every second hour she needs his presence to remove doubts, to see him. Her form has also been submitted duly filled in, and program for exams has also been received. Nekiram comes often to help her. God knows when she will see him. She ends her letter with charan sparsh, and a request, please come soon. He has not been able to reply. But he is satisfied she is on her job.

There is another letter, an envelope with some English regalia ingrained over it, the like of which he used to get at times from his father with his regimental marks embossed. On close perusal he found the letter was from Sanawar Public School. He opened it to find a brief letter from Charu. It read:

‗Dear… I have neither seen you nor do I know how to address the letter. But my Mom tells me that you are very closely related to me and I should write to you as often as I get time or as I feel like talking to you. I have been thinking to talk to you for so many days now. But I didn‘t know how to begin. I want to talk. It is very chilly here today. Most of the times we are closed inside our rooms, after the school is over, with empty mind which tends to become hellion. In a few months I will take my examinations. Next year I will pass out from here. Mom also wanted me to ask you, what is to be done for my further studies. I want to do BA Honors with English or Economics from some good college, Sophia, Ajmer or Lady Sriram, Delhi. How are your studies and your health? Please write to me. At times I feel lonely. Yours… Charu‘ 129

Jagannath put the letter in his papers. It made him introspective. There was certainly something very exciting about the letter. He realized they were adolescents and growing. When you grow you realize the importance of certain relationships. A tiny soft face wrapped in rich costumes appeared before his eyes. Was it the same person, now Charu? His mother had casually briefed him about his marriage a few months after his elders made it. He took it as casually as it was posted to him. But it is now a reality, he doesn‘t know, how is it going to take his life, good or bad, refreshingly buoyant or depressingly drab. The thought that he was married occurred several times as he grew to make sense of things around him; at times it appeared to be an irritant. He didn‘t think of it beyond that. He wrote a few lines in reply, as he might not get time till the exams. It ran:

‗Charu, I hope your mother while telling you I am intimately related to you, also disclosed to you, our relationship. If not, you will learn. You are free to talk anytime you feel like. We will discuss your future college after the exams are over. I will also pass out from Agra, and will shift this July to a better institution. There is time, we will see. If I am unable to reply please don‘t mind. I will be busy till my exams are over. Work hard and take care of your health. Enjoy outdoors. Be a brave girl. My love, Jagan‘

Next four months Jagan lost contact with the outside world. His room, college, library, and early morning walk were his routine. Intermediate finals were spread over twenty-three days. He was satisfied. Results would be known within half and one month. Most friends took his roll number. Nekiram informed him Shanti had taken her exams and hoped she will pass in better grade. Nekiram also will pass out this year. Before he left for Nandgaon, they decided to stay for three days. They would relax, go movies, meet friends, plan out future, and take down addresses, notes, then leave for vacations. The first to call was Isa. He went with her to meet Snehlata in the hostel as she was leaving the same evening to Gwalior. Jain and Rafiq called. They informed Savitri has invited all friends for tea at her house near the airport. Her father was a pilot in Indian Air Force. They belonged to Trivandrum. Isa had planned that all will go to Savitri‘s place first, and then the entire group will go to Agra Cant Railway Station to see off Snehlata, after which they will see a movie, Barsat. Jagan was happy he would see a movie after four months. Since this will be last movie in Agra they will spend the mullah and move in rickshaws.

The last two days were spent in leisure. The group tended to pair off for last encounters. Rafiq helped Snehlata leave for Gwaliar. Bhargava went with Meenakshi to see the Taj. Govil and Savitri did some window-shopping in the Sadar Bazar. Isa and Jagan went walking at the college grounds. Jagan told Isa tomorrow will be their last day in Agra, will she care to meet tomorrow at the sadar café, which she accepted with pleasure. He informed he might be going to a movie this evening, will have long sleep, get up late. Walk is also off. We meet at noon, and have lunch.

Next day Jagan was quite relaxed. Isa, instead of going alone to café, came to pick up Jagan at about one O‘clock. They went to sadar together. In the restaurant they occupied niche seats to be relaxed. ‗How was the movie, did you sleep till 11 AM?‘ Isa asked Jagan. 130

‗Yes, I had a long good sleep. It was a tragedy. Oppression of woman makes me sad. Madam Isabella how do you feel about this junk of a society we have inherited. How long we shall survive recollecting the glories of our past. Should we not start aspiring to live in the present and plan anew for the future?‘ said Jagan

‗You cannot build a future without good foundation. You cannot avoid reverting back to your glorious past, if a solid future is to be carved out‘, Isa replied.

‗Who will own the responsibility for the decay during the thousand years of slavery, that made Indian culture topsy-turvy. Can you escape facing the charge, first that you allowed yourself to be enslaved, with all the arms and resources you could not resist the intruders, second after being overpowered by invaders and living under their domination, why did you allow all your noble institutions to disintegrate and become destitute. Who is responsible for this desuetude?‘ asked Jagan.

‗Nations like individuals have destiny,‘ she said.

‗It‘s a poor alibi,‘ said he.

‗Why cry over the spilled milk. More relevant would be how to stop this process of decay then bring rejuvenation of the old values in league with the modern fundas of the present age,‘ suggested Isa.

‗But the vulnerability of our Neta and the centuries old firm grip of the steel frame bureaucracy over the country‘s administration would roadblock the rejuvenation process you want to bring in. As the ideals with which people fought for independence wither through time the unholy alliance of the corrupt neta and the babu, and this alliance is going to be formidable, may combine to thwart all your efforts to bring the desired change,‘ he warned.

‗People‘s power, direct action, may be the only remedy in that case,‘ Isa said.

‗It‘s a myth. Rubbish, who will give power to the people? Direct action means anarchy. It is bound to collapse. You will move from mobocracy to aristocracy of the proletariat, new wine in old bottle. Look, Isa, think coolly. You elect a sarpanch in a village. Give him a jerry cane of kerosene and a bag of sugar to distribute to the destitute, poorest of the poor, helpless downtrodden villagers. He simply pockets their price, fills a fake register of distribution, and leaves the articles at the dealer-wheeler. Land to the landless plan flounders as the district collector and his subordinates embroil the allotment committee, the land goes to those who have filled their pockets. War needs weapons. These are purchased sub-standard out of huge commissions pocketed by the powers that be. The parties and politicians make transfers of bureaucrats a lucrative trade, encouraging the already corrupt babus to go to the districts, engineering circles and forest ranges to resort to unimaginable extortion orgy. You talk of people‘s power? People are the richest green pastures that will always be open to grazing; in the manner Neksa‘s herd grazed the green crops. Non-resident-Indians and direct foreign investment is promised on one window. The 131 half a dozen babus drag the prospective investor to pass through eighteen needle holes with the sole purpose of blocking his investment or unblock it if proper price is paid to them. Two psychological factors work. Babus are afraid to part with the ‗power‘, of which they have been the sole repositories, the power to take decision. Second, they definitely want to fleece the investor, share or commission for allowing them to invest. Now can you imagine an investor flying from Los Angles to put a billion dollar business in India, and your babus asking him to pay commission, or else it will be delayed, loaded with conditions, frustrating his desire to invest. Such investors must be taken over our heads and shoulders, pampered in the best possible manner, and offer final agreements duly signed in their hotel rooms, the same day they reach India. Now Isa, tell me who will affect this change in the outdated, corrupt bureaucracy of India. It is an abyss. It makes me sick. However, a time shall come when it shall change, I am sure,‘ he asked raising his eyebrows. Isa was silent for a minute.

‗Politicians in power, the prime minister, the chief minister, can do it,‘ she thought, looking towards Jagan.

Jagan had a laugh. ‗My dear Isabella, you are so beautifully innocent. Politics is a trade in our country. The most lucrative trade so to say. Let us talk layman. Politics means you deal with people, their problems, governance, public service, the country, its defense, industries and a host of other subjects. The pay packet in politics is too small and irrelevant to attract lot of persons. Yet there is a flood of netas, small and big, black and white, fighting to do politics in the name of public service. This amount of zeal is proverbial. One has to be a rishi-seer who can renounce the world and devote time and energy to do public service. It means there is more than is apparent in politics. There is power. Power gets you discretion, which in turn provides you immense wealth, prestige, and almost everything under the sun. But since netas alias politicians have tenure through the universally acclaimed democratic system of votes, which makes them vulnerable, they draw much intent from the permanence of the steel frame bureaucrat. When the two unite in an unhealthy duality of purpose, they create an invincible force, which forgets people and their welfare as soon as it is formed. What will you expect from such servants of the people,‘ he asked.

Isa said, ‗The problem is not as simple as it looks.‘

Jagan looked into her large eyes and said, ‗You often find me preoccupied. This and a thousand other issues make me think about them. Politicians are exploiting caste to disunite people. Divide and rule. Extreme caste sentiments carry traces of hatred. Hatred is easily turned into violence. Violence breaks, blasts and destroys everything. That is my worry. I hold this class interest of the politician and the permanent bureaucrat the root cause of all ills. Market is the key answer to our ills. Market tells you what is good or bad, for the trends are set by people. Market system is inclusive of democracy. Politicians have learnt and invented ways to thwart the democratic process. You can‘t thwart the market. It‘s based on the idea of utility. You go to purchase a pen the brand has been proved to be successful by its use, by lot many people. If Nike shoes are better you will not buy a Bata. If Maruti car was not better, people would have continued to buy Fiat. Markets usher in 132 constant change. Market supremacy includes globalization, privatization and giving state the regulatory role. What is good today may be outdated tomorrow. Bureaucratic permanence is the main roadblock. They don‘t want change. It affects their existence. That is the real problem. Politicians who appear on tenure can‘t understand and undo the potential damage. The first thing they must do, if they want to move forward and make the country modern and strong, is to guillotine the permanence of the bureaucracy in one single stroke. Hire and fire must be the rule. They will be improved overnight. There is no dearth or lack of intelligence. These guys, the bureaucrats, are one of the best brains available in the world‘, said Jagan.

‗Can the entire lot be so self centered‘, asked Isa.

‗That is also a problem. The ICS, the steel frame, was so perfectly united it was impossible to extract a different verdict from the other if one had rejected it. The same tradition continues, though the discrepancies in their cadres due to various factors have brought in fissures in their unity in the recent past. Till recently a guy sitting in a state secretariat in Trivandrum, will ring up a colleague, a batch mate, say, for example, in Lucknow, Cuttok, Madras or Delhi to see any matter. It will be done promptly. Their unity is as damaging as permanence,‘ said Jagan.

‗May I know the impetus for such an excellent analysis of the problem‘, Isa asked with an element of surprise.

‗Oh! I thought to join it myself. It led me to learn all about it. When all of you enjoy, I read, study. That is what I do‘, he informed an inquisitive friend Isabella.

‗Do you still want to join the cadre? ‘, she asked.

‗I am not yet decided,‘ he informed Isa. She had never imagined it entails so much relevant factors that affect common man and the country as a whole.

Isa was upbeat about the depth of character and personality of her friend. She said, ‗My appetite of learning from you is ever increasing and I will pursue it. But let‘s take something to eat also‘. They ordered meals followed by tutti-fruity ice-cream, a strong favorite of Jagan. Isa took coffee. They ate at leisure.

‗Tomorrow I leave for home. You have not finalized vacation program as yet. I won‘t go unless you promise to come to us during the period‘, Isa told Jagan.

We will meet times before leaving. We will decide. Let me sort out other plans. I think it will be better if we keep in touch and move in as we like, he asked Isa, who okayed it.

133

4.3

One month between examination and results were consumed by variety of activities. Jagan was growing and his interest in his surroundings was also increasing. He minutely looked into the welfare of his grandma and mother.

He topped the U.P. Board Intermediate examination, with 97% marks in the aggregate. All St. Johns College colleagues have passed. Isa passed and was in constant touch with him. Jagannath first went to his Guruji to seek blessings. He had almost made up his mind to join Delhi University for graduation. Isa had also decided to come to Delhi.

Jagannath was being entreated during the vacations to attend a marriage invitation from Rana Udai Pratap Singh of Dholpur. He has no interest in attending marriage parties and that far away where no one knows him. It was a royal function and he would be the guest of the ruler of that state, being related to his Dadima. However, Dholpur was nearer Gwaliar and the thought of meeting Chandra tempted him to go. Old Ghasi at the wheel he traveled in vintage Rolls Royce, still running perfect. In Dholpur he was lodged in the forest palace at Van Vihar, along with another couple from some anachronistic royal background. The bride was a near relative of the Rana; Jagan gave the delegated gifts and gold ornaments meant for the bride sent by his mother. He was personally introduced to the bridal couple both of whom appeared to be attractive young persons. The bride was Damayanti, a graduate from Mayo College, Ajmer. The groom was from Rewa royal family and worked in Paris, France, with a famous automobile company. The couple, especially the bride appeared to be interested in Jagan, talking about his studies and future plans; however the bridal couple that evening was the center of attraction for the entire crowd that included many tall mustached aristocrats from royal families and Jagan went through the reception rather on his own to while away time which lingered on the partying went well into past midnight, the bridal couple having left for the rituals of marriage. He was filled with soft drinks and had nothing more to eat, even otherwise he being a miser and discretionary in eating, more so in parties where people gulped without any kind of appetite or nutrition sense. Most invitees came to eat only; the scramble at such high status wedding feasts was ironical most guests behaving atypical perhaps under the influence of the booze. Even the hosts didn‘t observe decorum the wedding party guests behaved in a manner they were sovereigns over the crowd they surveyed. There were frequent gunshots accompanied by fireworks; the hulla boo somewhat annoyed Jagan, who felt greatly relieved when the celebration come to an end and the guests were allowed to leave.

Early morning Jagan left without waiting to bid good bye or the breakfast and reached Gwaliar before lunch. Chandra was not home; he has gone with his fiancée. However, since there was information about his visit he was ushered into the guest room and was looked after well, a gesture he liked. Chandra returned before lunch; the tall and talkative Chaitali was formally introduced to him. She was huge built, unruly, fair but beefcake and to him she looked desultory and depthless, shoal and sand bar. Trying to be courteous she couldn‘t hide her inherent brazenness devoid of normal courtesies or gentle disposition. She in fact was both smart mouth and wisecrack. Feeling flustered and fidgety she left all of a sudden which also depicted her presumptuousness. 134

‗Bhaiya I am sorry; I thought you would reach after three days of marriage stay there,‘ said Chandra.

‗That marriage was a ruse; I wanted to see you,‘ said Jagan.

‗I am so happy,‘ he said.

‗How are you? I have pinned high hopes on you,‘ said Jagan.

‗You are my idol, Bhaiya. After graduation I want to do management. Maths is OK but I have not much interest in science, particularly chemistry,‘ he said.

‗Then think of the IIMs,‘ replied Jagan.

‗I will try; most students know you, you have topped UP Board with 97 per cent, it shall be a record hard to beat,‘ he replied.

‗Hard work pays; if you put in required rigmarole you would reach Ahemadabad for sure,‘ encouraged Jagan.

Chandra was as sharp in tables as was he himself when for a short period he was in Nandgaon Jagan thought. He feels it‘s a little too early to get hooked to girls; he had a hunch that this girl Chaitali was essentially evil, for normal young girls in this age don‘t go that far. She has assured Chandra marries her though she has still to go four years for her graduation as doctor. He seems to have been imprisoned in her crush hankering aura. In the process his career is doomed.kc

Jagan has come to stay with his cousin for a longer period of time; the environment here was not conducive and Jagan left within a couple of days. But he did wish and made known it to Chandra that at this stage what is important is his career not love of the kind he was embroiled in.

In the village Shanti has cleared High School. She came to break the news to him. She touched his feet, also took blessings from dadima and ma. Both her sisters were married and gone. Shanti has now more space and peace in her house. Jagan had not had the time to personally speak in detail to her but she told she was much better and wanted to know what she is to do now that she has cleared class X. Munshji informed Jagan pandit has managed the twin marriage functions and saved five hundred rupees he came to return which were given to dadima, and he guessed this indicates pandit will return the money. Shanti tried to whisper in low tones when will he meet, he didn‘t respond to, he simply grinned. Nekiram had come to see him to congratulate on his grand success, but Jagan took the occasion and said it is no big achievement since they have nothing else to do. Nekiram deserves congratulations for having cleared his diploma, along with sharing the responsibilities of running more than one household. He needs a job and Jagan promised him to look for one as soon he joined college in July. He also asked Nekiram to inform all old friends to wait to meet at the farm, as soon as he gets over urgent tasks at home. Most other things were 135 being looked after by his uncle munshiji sarpanch, who was now well entrenched into the business of being the village sarpanch, meeting officers, holding meetings, transacting the panchayat business, allotting lands, mediating and adjudicating over the disputes of all villages of his circle, supervising public distribution system and above all adding to his prestige and purse.

Arora and Jugnu continued to make love during the cozy peace of their bedroom during the day and share his pleasures with friends. The sugar factory continued to make more and more noise, though Nathuram the younger brother replaced Pitambar the engineer. Post partition upheaval melted Munshi Sarpanch to open the gates of his estate to settle more refugee families, in the outhouses of the haveli, in the empty stables and barouche [horse-drawn Victoria] rooms, since the old buggy had already been replaced by an old open Pontiac car, which was more of a status symbol than a running vehicle. The main refugee family which was housed in the outer chaupal, used by Thakur Vikram Singh for his guests, had two young daughters, the younger of whom was a real beauty, and supposedly sarpanch has already received, as a gift for the benevolence, the heart to the fairy from the hinterlands of old Punjab which now were part of Pakistan. Jagan was informed that daily presents of the famous bansi pedas, and choicest sweets from Hathras were brought in to please the handsome lady, part of which were also offered to him, when he came to village, which he passed on to his aunt. The love affair has progressed to the termination of couple of pregnancies of the lady already by the village lady quacks arranged through that dowager empress of the Nandgaon night life, Chameli, who herself was getting aged though, but was still very dynamic, and continued to attract the liaisons with young lovers who happen to visit the village. Jagan was amused to see this new development as a jugglery in human affairs and was concerned only so far as it affected his aunt who now was the mother of three children, two daughters and a son. This affair was also in the explicit knowledge of thakurani without whom the pregnancies would not have been terminated by abortion. She was trying to balance between the toned affection for her son‘s lewd extravagance and the position of her daughter-in-law in the estate, in case the fabulous beauty succeeds in marrying her lover. To Jagan the whole affair seemed to be heading towards a disastrous tragedy since there were bleak chances of any marriage of the lovers coming through. The poor women was being made a scapegoat for the illicit affair the guy was carrying on that was destined to be a failure because though the women frantically wanted to marry there was no intention on the part of her lover to want that union. It was even otherwise against the lover‘s philosophy of life. Munshiji sarpanch enjoyed fast encounters with all and sundry who were readily available at the moment, and ready to be partners in love making for bansi pedas and other small gifts and favors. He had a wife who had no attraction for him. An interesting side view of this affair was the lady in love, her name was Manjul, worked delicately to engage the attentions as well as sympathy of Jagan in the belief that the ultimate decision of her fate would in some way or the other depend on the view he holds on the matter. But Jagan, though called her aunty, kept clear of the whole sleaze affair and maintained a dignified distance.

Hina had a daughter and was loaded to deliver her second child, the future citizens of India. Though he wanted to meet her but she was not in the village. She has taken to betel eating, wore long silver earrings, salwar kameez, with two more rings in her slender 136 fingers, and a silver necklace, and with rubber slippers on chapped heals. The face that could have been the envy of selected models on the rink wore quite a few wrinkles and a sun tanned complexion. The fingers that could have swiftly moved over Intel-Microsoft laptops and the super computer‘s key boards to make sense of the physical sciences of the mysterious universe, wore three copper-silver rings, were cracked by shuffling the vegetables her husband sold to earn his daily bread and butter which was reality. Neksa, her brother had a beard growing, and looked old, with the shrinking number of his herd, there were not many fights with the farmers. A strange disease has taken a heavy toll on his goats. Hira, the Rajna Dhobi‘s son was already dead out of a typhoid fever. His wife will either be sold or made a mistress servant by a guy who may like to keep two women to feed. Jagan felt so helpless.

He planned for Delhi. Not much luggage, only books, clothes and bedding. Before that papers of his mark sheet, migration certificate and others were to be collected. Isa had asked Meenakshi who was coming to Agra to collect all papers of friends and send the same to their addresses. Meenakshi had written to Jagan she will collect his papers and will send to him. He was waiting. The selection of college was to be done. A campus college will be better. The two years of graduation shall be very important to him. His family thought if he went to England for his further studies it might be better. He has thought it over and felt that he will be better equipped to deal with his future in India rather than abroad. People who go abroad for studies often stay back in the affluent and easy life they do not want to leave. This idea is not palatable to him. He did not want to be another rootless immigrant under the brain drain stream. He didn‘t opt for England phobia a pre- independence mind set. He decided not to go.

Charu has also cleared her high school with 89 per cent aggregate marks. He was satisfied. She will continue her studies at Sanawar. Her parents send periodical gifts on occasions as per traditions. They wanted Jagan to meet Charu at least once. His dadima broached over the subject in a subdued manner. Jagan‘s silence made it apparent that he does not want any more interference in his affairs so far as this girl was concerned, after what they and the family seniors had already done to him in his infancy. His mother had very casually mentioned his marriage with Charu a few months after the thakur estate made it. He had also taken it in that manner and had not mentioned the matter since his childhood days. As he grew he understood the ramifications of the issue. Since Charu, at the instance of her mother, had written to him he will deal with her at his own. Perhaps both of them did not want any third party interference anymore. He has no plans to see her for the present. However, he was interested in making her the brightest girl, a mark above himself.

Jagan went to console the death of Hira. Rajna was in grief. He did not mention about his wife deliberately. He was not capable yet to take responsibility of another outcaste poor widow; he could not bear her misfortune either.

There were a million misfortunes happening each day. Who bothers? If disparities were not there such magnitude of misfortunes wouldn‘t happen in India; there would be persons around to bother too. He was sad. Save for physical features there were no incongruity even among the animals. Humans are supposed to be superior beings? 137

4.4

Jagan sent for Shanti. He reached farm house and sat over the lawn. Shanti was humble and confident. He was surprised and happy. He got up and took her to the well‘s sit on. He craved for soft feelings and a need to unwind himself.

He told Shanti, ‗I had gone to condole Hira‘s death; it is so disheartening to think about his wife.‘

Holding her hand he said, ‗Please Shano talk music, or a tale from Kathasaritsagar your father so often repeat, how the twin marriages were?‘

‗God sent you to save our honor, it all passed off very well,‘ she replied.

‗Congratulations for your success in clearing class X‘, he said, and drew her nearer him.

He kissed her on her rosy cheeks, then lips. Her breath became irregular, warm, and fast. She was so fresh and handsome. She sat beside the sill of well with her back supported by Neem trunk. He straightened himself putting his head in her lap diagonally, stretching his legs straight. He wanted to relax. While he spread in her lap he looked at her face and could see her transparent finely shaped nostrils and her spreading eyelashes under very lean and finely arched eyebrows. Color of both her lashes and brows was same black, which was a sparkling contrast to her fair, shining complexion. In between were her small breasts protruding pointedly? He played softly teasing her nipples. Her nipples tightened with his touch that sent micro-waves in her body. She bent down and put her lips over his, her hairs falling to cover both of them. They did not know how long they remained in that mien, when at the shuffle of noise she lifted her head. A peck of dogs was chasing a pair of rabbits, male female couple perhaps. He looked at her. He observed she wore a loose shirt under and a Sari over a petticoat. She wore no under garments brasseries or underwear. Most women did not wear these garments in the rural. Only high status women or ones like Chameli had the facility of woman wear apparels and had the choice to purchase and wear. He felt the tiny navel hole in her belly, which was so close to his left eye as he lay in her lap. He felt her belly button under her loose shirt by his left hand. She was holding his right hand in hers and shuffling sort of messaging slowly his thin brown hair. His left hand continued its upward journey. He softly touched her small tight boobs, first left, and then right, very delicately feeling, and messaging by his hand. It melted her completely. She was in a state of plash crush for this god given wonderful childhood friend. She had had this ecstatic feeling many times during their body frolics indulged in since they were adolescents. She wanted to entirely unite with him in perpetuity. She felt so natural to have him so close to her. Both young persons were completely immersed in their mutual affection.

‗Thanks my dear, but you deserve congratulations much more, both for your excellent performance in the U.P. Board, and also ushering me to a new world of dreams‘, said she holding his hand and shuffling his hairs by the other. 138

He lowered his hand to feel her entire upper body. She had such a narrow waist, which stretched as it went upwards to carry her bosom where it was broadest. A woman‘s bosom was an extraordinarily appealing symbol of her body. It was one of the major ministries between man and woman, besides the genitals. It was the deadliest of her weapons to crushingly lay down her opposite male. It was her symbol of honor. It nourished not only the temptations of her lover but also their offspring by giving nectar of life, mother‘s milk. Bosoms both protect women as well as expose their extreme vulnerability. Bosoms are the harbingers of excitement, expectations, pleasures galore, joys, fulfillment, nourishment both for the procreation of the species and its sustenance. Every woman understands the sheer power of maneuverability of her boobs, when to let her sari slip from over her bosom to disarm her staunchest critic, when to portray the power of her knocker‘s protuberance on all occasions of personal as well public celebration, or when to display and set standards of modesty in personal social behavior. It is the most expedient weapon of her body language; by displaying it she invites involvement, by a partial display she unfolds her exuberance, by shirking it she dismisses arrogance to lay at her feet, by half covering it she extends invitation to desire her more, by covering it she teaches modesty in life.

‗I am so very happy, Shanu. I had doubts your family may not let you work for your studies‘, he said.

‗No! They all were grateful to you and since it was your dispensation that I should study, the whole family facilitated my working hard‘, she told him.

‗Did Nekiram regularly come to help? I so much thought if you were with me in Agra you would have secured a position in merit, I might have put you under so much extra study that it was possible,‘ he said.

‗Are you not satisfied by my result, dear, it was only you and your fascinating inspiration that moved me to work hard? I was trying to prove worthy of your trust,‘ she asked.

‗No! Yes, I am very much satisfied. However, you know I like and constantly work for outstanding excellence. You are so much hard working and talented friend. You deserve to be placed higher,‘ he said trying to boost her ego.

He thought any other woman in her situation could not have done better than what she has done, covering a course which she left at IV class years ago unto class X in just a few months.

‗What are your priorities now, what do you want?‘ he asked getting up from the comfortable pleasure of her lap.

‗You are my destiny. I will do whatever you want me to do. My wish is to obey your instructions‘, she said. 139

‗Will that not amount to exploiting my feelings for you, you are no more a child, you have to chart your own future life,‘ he asked.

‗I am incapable of taking an independent view of life apart from you, I have told you time and again‘, she said.

‗There is not much time that you will be married like your sisters, then who will decide? ‘ He asked.

Girls in India are born to be married. There appear to be no other purpose of their having been born into this man‘s world. Shanti had been seeing girls being married around her, losing their identities, merging into persons they might not have chosen if given the option, becoming procreating machines, ill-fed, undernourished, and staggering to reach the end of their journey with tons of agonies, unfulfilled desires, and half baked dreams dashing to ground. She has seen brides being brought around her from far and near, to be put to drudgery and slavery of a variety of persons besides their husbands, being driven to run the course of life in which they had no say, or being burnt to die for want of dowry they couldn‘t extract from their poverty stricken parents. They are made to be deaf, dumb, and empty. He has mentioned about her marriage today, like many other occasions in the past. However, she had decided not to marry long before. In Indian milieu woman marries one man only; they, out of their own cultural upbringing, cannot change mates girls in other cultures might be doing. She is already married to him. At no cost she is going to remove this icon of a person from her mind, body, psyche, personality, and existence, whatever. In addition, at no cost will she ever disclose this under wrap to any body whatsoever happens. She knows he is married or might be socially married again; she is not bothered over that. Nevertheless, she has taken a firm decision that he will, forever, remain her prince charming, mate, friend, and husband. Sex is part of a marriage; and coitus is not the only sex. It is more a meeting of minds.

‗Marriage or no marriage, I want to be with you. I will work as a maid to you and kanwarani saheba,‘ she said.

‗That is not what I want you to be, my dear Shanu, I want you to be independent capable of giving me the advice and confidence we might want and seek. My wife would no more be a feudal kanwarani saheba. We shall dump all archaic life styles. She would be a perfect modern woman,‘ he said.

‗But please do keep a place for me with you even if I am married‘, she pleaded.

‗The only place you can hope to get from me is that of a colleague, certainly not a maid, it should be very clear to you. If you do not get my point then you do not fully understand me. You are an intelligent girl. You have had the unique opportunity to be with me for the largest number of years together in life. I want to make you capable of being a friend in need, not just a burden of a past hangover,‘ he told her. 140

‗O.K., Then promise you will never keep this would be colleague of yours away from you ever in life,‘ she demanded.

‗That may not be possible in all circumstances. Then it is a long way to go. First you prove that you would be able to be my compatriot and partner in life‘, he told.

‗And suppose I prove worthy of your trust, then you will remember your promise,‘ she asked.

‗I will try my best‘, he said.

‗Then tell me what have I to do,‘ she asked with a rare resolution.

‗You have to improve your grade. Pass the Intermediate privately as you have done now in X, then do graduation, post graduation, if needed, then a job, commensurate with the position I am able to secure for myself in the run of life, my dear Shano,‘ he told in one breath, warning her, ‗it is a very long journey to go, may be even El Dorado?‘

‗I will try my best. My efforts will succeed commensurate with the trust you would continue to bestow in me, do not ever forget it please,‘ she said.

She took him aside, under the neem, as if to camouflage him from the world, put her arms around his neck, her open fingers touching his back lightly pushing into his robust muscles, he held her waist in his arms, their bodies closely touching each other, pushing up on her toes to reach his face, he lowered his face a bit to make it easy for her mouth to touch his, she reached his lips, kissed him assiduously for long blissful moments. Her lips turned more delicate and pink; when she disengaged she had little pearls in her eyes and was tranquilly cool. Both of them returned.

He realized this girl is not ordinary. The evening shadows were lengthening and birds chirping lightly were returning to their nests as they reached village.

4.5

On return he found some letters. One was from Rafiq, Moradabad. There were communal disturbances. Some people have been murdered in Kanth and the city. He has 141 tried to form an all community group to alleviate the hatred. He has found the trouble is surreptitiously created by bad elements in league with the criminals then it spreads like wild fire, engulfing and largely damaging the life and property of innocent persons, who had nothing to do with the disturbances. He has also met the local police and civil officers, and suggested to organize meetings of senior citizens of the affected localities and appeal to stop the hate campaign. In Nandgaon also some outsiders from across the trans-Jamuna area had arrived to foment trouble spreading rumors and arousing sentiments. Jagan had organized a meeting of his old colleagues who informed him about the place these outsiders were putting up. He, Neksa and Kirpa went to Sriram‘s house, where they were supposed to be staying. They found that some persons did come yesterday, but they had been told to leave the place lest munshiji sarpanch would be informed. They had left next morning. The first thing Jagan did, after his return from Agra, was to ask his uncle to be very strict on keeping communal peace. In this connection, a few days after his arrival in the village, he had gone to meet uncle thakur, the chowkidar of the village, to immediately inform police of any stranger coming to village and keep an eye over his activity. Since thakur chowkidar was not home, he happened to meet his wife Chameli. She politely asked him to sit and offered him water. He asked the legendary woman, who looked gorgeous in her beach colored Sari, and was remarkably intelligent and sophisticated, having the advantage of so many connections she must utilize her resources to ensure that no communal trouble erupts at Nandgaon. She assured him that his effort to keep peace would be firmly met. In a joshing and loony inflection typical of her she was pleased he is versatile and she would be happy if he desires anything else she could do, besides this bit of policing?

‗No thanks, aunty,‘ he said, and left in a hurry.

He could assess the woman is remarkably gifted not only by her fabulous looks in her declining years of age, but also has an agile mind that motivated her from one success to the other.

There was a letter from Meenakshi about all his papers having been obtained and sent to him by post. He may intimate her when he gets it. She informed that she is also planning to take admission in Delhi. He was glad some friends would again meet.

The other letter was from Charu. In about six months this was her second note. It read:

‗Dear … I write to congratulate on your grand success in the Inter Board. What have you decided about your further studies? If you have any plans of going to England for further studies, please inform us. My aunt is there and will arrange everything with regard to your admission. My parents send you love and care. I had received your greetings for my result at Sanawar. I will try to improve in the finals next year. Please give me your new address wherever you go in July. It gives confidence that I can talk to you when I feel lonely. To walk will not be feasible, but I play table tennis and badminton regularly. Do I need to tell you are ever present in my heart, appears regularly in my dreams, when will I meet you in person? Thanks, Charu, Estate Tilmai.‘ 142

4.6

Jagan joined St. Stephens College in Delhi for his B.Sc. Hon. Mathematics with Chemistry & Physics as subsidiary subjects; and English & History of Science as qualifying subjects. He joined Rudra North hostel. It is one of the top ten colleges for arts as well as science in India. Admission to this college is rather difficult. The cut off percentage itself ranges between 76 to 93 plus per cent for almost all classes, the highest being the cut off for science and mathematics, besides some percentage for sportsman and other reserved quota. However, for Jagan it was no problem; his academic record and honors in athletics, gave him a choice, besides he was a topper of U.P. Board. He began by learning all about his new Alma meter, its history, famous alumni, records and landmarks.

Krishna Reddy was his roommate. His girl friend, Nisha, was in Poona, doing a course in fashion designing. The cut off percentages, ever skyrocketing, the old college architecture and its verandahs, their arches and slopes, the large done up lush green lawns and the dhaba were almost synonyms with St. Stephens.

St. Stephens College was founded on February 1, 1881. St Stephen was the first Martyr of the Christian Church [died c 35 A.D. in Jerusalem]. Stephen's name means crown, and he was the first disciple of Jesus to receive the martyr's crown. His distinct belief led to his martyrdom. He was stoned to death. The College colors are Martyr's Red and Cambridge Blue. The College Crest is a Martyr's Crown in gold on a field of Martyr‘s Red, with a five pointed star, edged with Cambridge Blue. Round the five-pointed star, which stands for India, is the Cambridge Blue border. On the ground, which is coloured red to represent St Stephen, stands the crown in gold, which awaits the person who will give his life for the Truth. In 1885, the College for the first time introduced candidates to the Bachelor of Arts degree, and Makkhan Lall was the first to graduate. The next year, Rang Lal was the first student from College to go abroad for higher studies. Stephen‘s is the oldest college in Delhi. It was first affiliated to Calcutta University, and later to Punjab University. Finally with the establishment of Delhi University in 1922, it became one of its three original constituent colleges. The College began with just five student and three teachers in a small house in Katra Khushal Rai, near Kinari Bazar in Chandni Chowk. From 1891 to 1941 it was housed in the building now hosted by Delhi College of Engineering, near St. James Church inside Kashmere Gate. In 1941 it shifted to its present site in the university Enclave. The distinguished architect Walter George designed the present buildings of the College, with the exception of a few later additions. The Revd Charles Freer Andrews joined the College staff in 1904. He became a close friend of Principal Rudra and also of Mahatma Gandhi and Tagore.

Mr Maxwell S. Leigh (lecturer in Philosophy, 1926-32) retired from the Indian Civil Service after 16 years' stay in India to teach in College. He was famous for his moonlight parties on the roof of the old Allnutt Hostel at Kashmeri Gate. Mr Frederick G. Winsor (lecturer in English and History, 1928-35) was a linguist who knew about 17 languages! One term, he was learning Norwegian over his breakfast, Tibetan in his bath and Portugese after dinner. During his stay in College he learnt Urdu in addition to the above! 143

Women were first admitted to the College for the M.A. course in 1928-29. They were first admitted to undergraduate courses in 1943. This was stopped in 1949, with the establishment of the Miranda House. Women were readmitted in 1975. In 1993-94, they were also admitted into B.Sc (G) and the B.A. Pass courses.

The Criterion was the name given to the newly organized Third Year Club in 1911. It sprung from the Second Year Club which in turn owed its existence to the First Year Club of 1909. The fundamental principle of the Criterion was very similar to that of the First Year and Second Year Clubs. It was started for the benefit of students and its objective was ‗the advancement of Literature and Social Intercourse‘ amongst the students. Principal S.K.Rudra addressed the first meeting of the Criterion. The Shakespeare Society had its antecedents in the weekly Shakespeare reading started by John Wright, the second Principal (1889-1902), which was later developed into a society for first year students by the Revd.B.K.Cunningham (lecturer in College 1893-6) in 1896. The Falstaff Club (first mentioned by that name in 1899) emerged out of these beginnings. The present-day Shakespeare Society was created in 1926. After 1950, with the departure of women students from College, the custom of inviting women from Miranda House started.

The dhaba has its origins in the early 1930's when Sukh Ram, popularly called Sukhia, set himself up as a pan wallah opposite the Maitland Hostel near Kashmere Gate. He initially sold pan at the rate of two banarasi pans for a paise. He later began selling pedas and burfis. In 1941, he too moved to the present campus along with his friend Manzoor Ahmed, affectionately called Bade Mian. They both set up shop near the present site of the Hindu College gate but soon shifted to a verandah where the Cafe Extension now exists. An old student who was the head of a big soft drink bottling company donated the present dhaba now operated by Sukhia‘s sons Rohtas and Banarasi. The kiosk is still maintained and repaired by the benefactor. Sukhia started the kitab or a log-book to enter credit purchases at Kashmeri Gate and this continues even today. During his last days in College, Sukhia attributed the decline of the country mainly to paneer ki mithai, hartals – cheese sweets and strikes and ostentatious and wasteful expenditures especially at weddings. Sukhia claimed to have smoked only once, that too after seeing a movie, sant tulsidas. Sukhia died on 4 May 1986.

The Nationalist Society started in 1930. Its membership was open to the College community, provided one took a pledge to help the Swadeshi movement, and was willing to do all within his power for the attainment of Puran Swaraj.

The college had the best of the faculty. The atmosphere was exclusive and advanced compared to other places. The student wore a sophisticated profile, which was accentuated by the young blood. The chief characteristic of the college, which made it look different from the others, was the existence of societies and their active role in the overall development of the student personality, particularly with the objective to make the student an intelligent, well informed, and fully equipped, citizen with a humanistic character, besides his courses of study. The college came alive in the afternoon when the societies stirred life. St Stephen‘s is credited with maximal active student societies in Delhi. Some, besides the above enumerated, included Students Union Society, Bazm-e-Adab, B.A. (Pass) 144

Society, popularly known as „Royal Society‟, Economics Society, Fine Arts Society, Gandhi Study Circle, Hiking Club, History Society, Informal Discussion Group, Music Society, Photographic Society, Physics Society with its annual Horizons, Planning Forum, Sanskrit Hindi Sahitya Sabha famous with it‘s Goshties, Social Service League, Red Cross Club, Cine Club, Wild Life Society with its annual feature Prakrati, and Debating Society. The societies were not only exclusive stimulating wide ranging creative extra-curricular activities, they conferred all inclusive global knowledge and perspective to students which tended to chisel renowned Stephenian sophisticated identity bordering on snobbery and chauvinism located in isolationism. Jagan thought it leads to the adoption of objectionable, unrealistic perceptions, unhealthy for brilliant youth‘s onset voyage of life: democracy has failed, India needs military rule, a foreign hand behind all terror, the bomb has saved our virility, feminism is penis-envy, and the like were some of the slogans heard around. It definitely is digression; such jingle need to be brought out of the auditoriums and debating societies to improve upon the Stephenian idiosyncrasies.

Isa told Jagan some anecdotes about the Revd.S.F. Davenport (lecturer in Philosophy 1932-38), who was known as the nanga padri {the Naked Father}, as he sported the tiniest of tiniest langoties (briefs) while swimming in the River Jamuna, and who considerably helped build up college sports and games activity. During World War II, he was sent to the front as Chaplain. When he was evacuated at Dunkirk, he sent a telegram to Sudhir Bose (Philosophy) saying ‗Have returned safely with my langoti on‘. He was a popular umpire in Inter-College tennis and cricket matches.

Sir Chhotu Ram was the first Stephanian to be knighted in 1937. He was a co-founder of the National Unionist Party and later leader of the Punjab Unionist Party. When Chhotu Ram was in College he went back to his village without permission due to ill health. Principal Wright sent S.K. Rudra [Vice-Principal] along with another staff member to the village, Garhi Sampla in Haryana, to bring back Chhotu Ram.

Baij Malhan, or Two-Ton-Tony as he was called, was the President of the Criterion Club in 1940. He would often take a few measured though forbidden sips in his room in Allnutt Block. Mr Walker, a lecturer, came to know of this and one evening discovered a familiar half-empty bottle. Mr Walker is reputed to have asked in mock ignorance what the brown liquid was. ‗Only kerosene, Sir‘ was Two-Ton's agile reply. ‗Well, don't tell me I've been drinking kerosene all my life,‘ was the reply, as Mr Walker emptied the contents of the bottle down the drain. When suspended for the fifth time without being given a chance to explain [his plea was that there being only four gates in College, he could not be thrown out for the fifth time], he presented the Principal, on the Founder's Day, a gramophone record with the observation, ‗To our Principal, who does not hear two sides of anything except a gramophone record‘.

Stephanians were classified by college lore into the following types when Jagan joined it: The Trekker [with sun tan and beard], the Pap [one whose trousers measured more than19inches], the Toughie [can't abide with intellectual talk, Gandhism and loose change], the Pseudo [Encounter or Quest under his arm], the Killer [tight black trousers, a yellow sweater and a smooth chin]. These were in addition to the famous Rez type, Day-schi type 145 and the Artsi and Scienci types [ie the Resident student, the day-scholar, the arts and science students respectively].

Introduction was a dreaded term for the ‗first year fools‘; it spelled ragging. Jagan had encountered it at his previous college as well. It was not much of a serious problem. The news that he was an Inter Board topper and a sports champion intensified the tenor of his introduction, underlying beneath it were youngsters who wanted to build up close proximity with the extraordinary student that he was. His innate nature‘s flexibility made him to understand that the best way to meet it was to comply with whatever you are told to do, and you were told to behave and do things irrelevant, ugly, foolish, nonsensical almost sexual. The more you were rigged earlier you were admitted to the exclusiveness of the institution. It worked over psychological factors. During their stay in the college a regular tempo was made to impress on the fresher that their admission to the college was a preliminary. The real test would follow by way of ragging, which meant that they should be fortunate for having been admitted to the premier institution, though did not deserve it. Since they did not deserve to be there they have to pay price in the form of obeying seniors and doing all pranks at their orders. It was similar to the typical saas-bahu relationship in Indian homes. New brides sooner than they arrive in their in-laws homes are subjected to bossism of a particular brand by their mother-in-laws. The bahu who was harassed by her saas, would harass her bahu, in turn, more than what her saas had done to her. Similarly such seniors, who were ragged excessively, repeat the exercise by taking revenge in the form of ragging their juniors more. However, Jagan would establish a tradition here by not taking part in ragging of his juniors as others did, when he would become senior next year onwards. Most of the ragging contained grotesque sexual perverted phrases and bisexual, heterosexual repeat of rubbish, rarely did it have the wit of a senior grade. Jagan introduced some intelligent and sophisticated witticisms that brought both embarrassments to the fresher because of their almost rustic mannerisms, as also on their inferior intellectual upbringing, a reflection on the background of the families they come from. In the process new friends were made.

4.7

Isa has stayed with some of her distant relation temporarily in Karol Bagh. She has only once met Jagan, that too on the campus and in a great hurry. She has requested him to look for some paying guest accommodation around her college. She did not want to stay in hostel though admission there was a bit difficult too. She had applied, but just in case there was no accommodation in the hostel, she has decided to live in private. Lots of students live as paying guests. She has been admitted for the B.A. Pass course in the Miranda 146

House, with sociology and political science as her main subjects. The private accommodation she wants should be near the Kashmiri Gate athletics sports grounds of the college and the university, she has requested her relatives also who are on a look out. Jagan also was looking for one with his room partner Reddy, and they had seen a few rooms with attached bathroom. Jagan has been requested by Charu‘s parents that he can put up in a very spacious estate house near the Lodi Gardens in New Delhi, belonging to very near relatives of theirs. But he has refused. Munshji sarpanch also informed him that one of their own zamindars had shifted to Delhi about fifty years back and are a well known business people in the official circles of Delhi, and if he wanted to stay there he has simply to inform them, all arrangements will be made. Even otherwise, he was told, courtesy demanded that as soon as he gets time he should go there and call on them, they being members of their own fraternity of Nandgaon. The name of the zamindar was Thakur Yuvraj Singh. One of his son or perhaps a grandson was also studying at the Delhi University, and munshi sarpanch has requested Thakur Yuvraj Singh to look after Jagan, Delhi being a new and large city. He has also their telephone numbers as given by his uncle. Thakur Yuvraj Singh‘s son will also call on Jagan, once he gets settled. However, Jagan was almost tired of the outdated zamindars, their life styles, so allergic to change, and any new concept. He might meet them, call on courtesy, request them to do a favor and be in their company for reasons of propriety, he was disgusted with the sort of culture they had created, the culture of exploitation, dependence and vanity; however, he didn‘t disown his past much of which was a matter to be proud of.

Jagan‘s partner Reddy was in Delhi for the last three years was the son of a Bank Manager who was posted in Delhi, in Indian Overseas Bank. Reddy had done his Intermediate also from Delhi. Reddy had selected one room, in a large house near Kashmiri Gate for Jagan‘s friend Isa. The owner of the house was the client of Reddy‘s father and the rent was reasonable. The room has attached bath, a balcony, and an open lawn on the north of the mansion. The room was on the ground floor and had separate independent access. It was almost an independent suite. The food would be both non-veg and veg as she might prefer. There was no young college going person in the house, it was, therefore, quite safe also. The college sports ground was five minutes walk. Jagan would call Isabella to see it for herself, and if she liked it will be done. Her food both times, tea once, and rent would cost Rs. 300 per month, which appeared to be reasonable, though it would be dearer from hostel. However, it would be convenient and safe for her to reach college grounds for practice in early hours before dawn. For many, however, staying in paying guest accommodation was a nightmare.

There was formidably dismaying vista, buzzing babble and innuendo grapevine about paying guest accommodation for those who failed to find seat in prestigious hostels. A young alumni, friend to Krishna Reddy, partner to Jagan, in presence of Isabella, to make sure she still want to opt for one, would have thought whichever way you look at it, life on the tightrope between ‗Rez‘ and shady ‗Dayski‘ existence is an experience, difficult to classify good or bad and for others to judge; one could be brutishly vague, say ‗interesting‘ or ‗exasperating‘. Stepping on from the mooch and mendicate various corners of North Delhi for a proper room, the gradual rescission on onus of demur of the outlandish house lady, or her boisterous brood, or her doddering yet puerile husband with an extending 147 libido, or fiery aroma piquant and odoriferous pungent meals or at times minus the effluvious food, only cornflakes with watered milk for the day, or the prying security man on prowl, or the deleterious butt ends, you will not return in time, you will not shoulder strangers, no flirtation and romance within or without, you will not be allowed to throw cotton heat pads in front of the architectural wonder‘s frontage, you will not blow your nose outside, you will not hear your favorites at 2000 PMPO or chirp in or blurt out or masquerade to frolic - till desperately you acquiesce in – ‗O.K. I would abide by!‘ and pick the last nearest one of the three day wandering you have undertaken, the only one that allowed liberty to live and let live, with the choicest conditions of the impervious elusive panorama, the mortal of the immortals.

Amidst high profile promotion of Indian tourism abroad what a sham it would appear to charge a guest who is considered to be god or angel like.

You crosspatch about your other probable guests, who also would be paying, you grunt for the space-for-the guest too clumsy, too short to straighten your legs with a casual spry and brisk mutual encounter-in-arms, too hot during summer and too biting chilled during the fall spell, too vexatious and annoyingly shaded, too cantankerous, less palatable, more of a cell, without any ventilation, no better than Tihar‘s solitary cells, or little better than the ones at the Yerveda. Water inured by climatic variations ranging between 0‘ to 50‘ degree Celsius dripping to flowing in zingy mode, or possibly be in a drop dry whining hiss mode, signaling that it will now return during its second avatar later in the day! Guests being amazed how the house lady should be sneaking into his or her personal life, life as a student, life as a disco dancer, life as a lover, or a beloved. Why should she even dream of believing that you hide drugs or grass to reach a state of ‗High‘ being normal pleasures of modern young new entrants, to fine tune their mental alertness, to grasp the mysteries of life? Unbelievably enough, life as a guest-in-paying is a regular whole time business creating need when you enrich it by stealing water from other guest‘s bathrooms, you build character patiently explaining to the landlady that the fresh nutritive vegetables are sold only in the early hours of the morning, or that the cheapest vegetables which she purchases in the evening are infact left overs and aren‘t necessarily the healthiest, you probably even build character arguing with the watchman that it isn't, in fact, post-mid-night, but dusky late evening, when you return after meeting your date. In fact, one would go as far as saying that not only does being a guest-in-paying strengthens character, but it also heightens your sense of perception to distinguish between the herbal and pesticidinal, French fish soup, tomato plus cockroach soup or bacteria ridden cauliflower soup. It would be difficult not to taste and distinguish between sucking louse, body louse, head louse, crab louse or pubic louse cooked in the oily biriyanis served by the lousy landlady on special occasions. Such protein-rich diet leads to a resultant improvement in your shattering vision. You actually taste or try pretext not to taste stale musty food cooked previous day being served sizzling hot as today's lunch, or left over of today‘s lunch would be heated to be served fresh for dinner, that the cook allergic to spices becomes nosy its substance being added to the spiciness of the dishes, adding acrid taste. You become so far-sighted that you see yourself putting in an application for admission to a seat in hostel again, where the meals are unintentionally non-vegetarian. There may, however, be exceptions, which couldn‘t be cited as a rule. Senior enthusiasts of Thumri-Dadra, pop-soundtracks-on-2000 148

PMPO neighbors, with prying gazes and eager calls of sympathy in help-thy-neighbor role model, hiding obtrusively from their cranked better halves, perform the duties of your reliable alarm clock to wake you up every morning, and putrid gastronomy that lasts an age. Essentially, if you are unfortunate enough to be a guest in the dungeons of the lady from hell, honey! Do you still pay less and be revered and redeemed? Pranks and vagaries notwithstanding Isa wished to put her in quarters chosen by her friend, philosopher and guide.

Sarcasm or wit apart, Isa wanted to be either a journalist, like her would be future one Burkha Dutt, or an athlete like Kamaljit Sandhu or Geeta Zutsi or like the future PT Usha, Sunita Rani, or Anju Bobby George and the restrictions imposed on residential students did not appeal her free lance life style. She therefore, upon the advice of her friend Jagan, took quarters suggested by Reddy to live in for such period she would be in Delhi, making her landlady agree to her returning late at times, getting up quite early for her running practice, and inviting friends as it might look normal activity of the grown ups, for which no questions might be asked. Two days in a week she will be served non-veg dishes the family might be having on their menu.

Miranda House, headed by the Principal Ved Thakurdas, is one of premier women's institutions in Delhi University, is also one of the oldest. Maurice Gwyer the Vice- Chancellor warned Veda Thakurdas, the first principal of Miranda House that many would question her about the name she had chosen for the new college. In answer she was to give any one of the following three reasons:

People thought Carmen Miranda was his favorite actress.

His daughter's name was Miranda.

Shakespeare's Miranda, isolated from the world on that fairy island, reared up and schooled by her father, meets a man for the first time, takes him for a ‗Thing Divine‘ and exclaims, ‗How beautiful Mankind is, O brave new world that hath such people in it.‘

Maurice Gwyer, who had formulated the 1935 constitution for political devolution within the imperial framework, conceived of a residential college for women in the campus in independent India. Located on the University campus, Miranda House is built in warm red brick with cool and spacious verandahs. Its original design was by the architect Walter George, and the college shares an architectural affinity with other colonial educational institutions of the country. In the past five decades as the college has grown, several other buildings have been added to its original design. The college also has a hostel, which happens to be among the oldest residential buildings of the university. In fact MH was a hostel before it became a college. The hostel section is laid out in a pleasing quadrangle, with gardens paced out by bottle-palms. The design allows a spacious privacy, within which residents can slop around in any old garments, and be as rowdy as they like. The dining hall is one of the assets of the college with monastic tables and benches set along a long hall. The stretch of ground curving around the hostel towards the canteen has been cleared away for a handsome lawn and a rockery extending the social attractions of the 149 canteen particularly on sunny winter days. It has also brought out the potential of the balcony outside the student's common room as an elevated stage for cultural events. The college can boast of bagging almost all the prizes at the annual University flower show year after year

Having gone through the admission processes, the nightmarish ragging ordeals, taken up residential rooms which were the active hubs of high degree academic debates, discussions, seminars, lectures, group discussions, internal and tutorial sessions, and an all pervading activity at the campus, Jagan settled down to his favorite activity of work on his studies. The two years spent at the college would be remembered for his memorable highly absorbing period of study, ranging from eight to ten hours each day without fail, excepting Sundays, when he frequented either a movie hall or made it convenient to unwind himself with friends. Movie going has been considerably reduced the appetite to see the performances having been replaced by off the course discourses with friends and long walks either in the early morning or evening. He had shunned all outside activity, except a quick forty five minutes game of squash, that kept him physically fit, besides the brisk walks for five to six kilometers spread over an hour. His concentration in his work stimulated him to work more during late hours in the night, despite the engaging activities of the various societies at the campus, which began after the college classes of study were over, of which he was a member. It sharpened his wits and expectations. He could not leave his old habit of going through the daily newspapers that he contributed personally, The Hindu, The Statesman, The Times of India, and Hindi daily Hindustan. His daily routine to be in the library for three hours soon after he was free from the campus society activities paid him rich dividends. It was his attitude towards studies that endeared him to most of his teachers at the college. In the classroom, in the tutorials, in-group discussions he established a lead that was unusual and extraordinary. Apart from his intellectual ability he carried a robust sense of his priorities by putting up grit, determination, hard work and perseverance, which were his tools for excellence. In addition, lurking beneath his earnestness was a quiet confidence in him. This last was the root of his success. It was an offshoot of Braj culture which left people in perpetual love of them for they could love their surroundings only when they put their own selves in esteem. One has to learn the legacy left by Krishna to put one‘s own self in esteem and then love his surroundings in their totality. Love would include discrimination and shedding of unwanted stuff; purity would follow only when perfect equilibrium has been established in between the essential elements of prakrati on the one hand and between purush and prakrati on the other. Melodious tunes emanating from the magical flute of Bhagwan Krishna made it possible, not only in Braj, the whole universe.

He had few colleagues with more or less the same levels of confidence who belonged to middle class families grown up in big cities as well as smaller towns that do not boast of public schools or blue-chip colleges. Jagan himself began with a sarkari village primary school. Their confidence was rooted in sharp variance with the Stephaninan snobbery, many of whom regarded their initial Gurus and parents as role models, their filial loyalty extending to personalities like Swami Vivekananda, Aurobindo Ghosh and CV Raman, and who also got sustenance from the country‘s pluralistic cultural traditions, particularly music, literature and history. They thought beyond their dress, breakfast and peculiar 150 foreign mannerisms. They are firm in their belief that to favor one over the other, or jump the queue, as it is known, is to invite mediocrity and they value achievement more than success, reputation more than celebrity, and, above all, independence to work out their passions.

4.8

Isa was doing fine and had bagged her gold in the inter-varsity meet in her favorite event 800 meters flat race. She was now preparing to go for the national games; she also indulged in dreaming of the Asian Games and the Olympics, God willing. She knew the spirit behind her success was Jagan. As Jagan entered his third year, he was to take critical option about his career. He thought of joining Roorki, Dhanbad or Massachusetts Institute of Technology – MIT, USA for doing engineering or career in research. He also thought of the civil service.

Isa has called up. They were to meet for lunch. She appeared to be quite agitated.

‗Hi, Jagan dear, I am sorry, have I disturbed you?‘ She said.

‗No drama, please,‘ said Jagan, ‗come on, what is it now?‘

‗It‘s marriage. They want me get married. Arranged one? What do I do?‘ she asked.

‗Tell them you don‘t believe in arranged marriage anymore. Plain truth. And don‘t delay telling your mind,‘ he said.

‗But I want no marriage as yet,‘ she said.

‗Tell them. As parents they will be consulted when she decides to marry,‘ he said adding, ‗because I feel we should respect parent‘s concerns for their children. However, you alone would take final decision, this should be made clear.‘

‗It bothers me. I have some goals to achieve. I am yet not financially independent. How can they think about marriage,‘ she asked.

‗Old mindset pervades. It‘s sheer nonsense. I won‘t like you to waste your time on it anymore. As parents they are sincere according to their priorities, marrying a daughter being dominant, they keep themselves in exploratory mode and whenever someone clicks 151 to their fancy they jump to it. Their best intensions notwithstanding it may not be ideal for you in the fast changing world.‘ he advised her. Jagan was short of time; they had a hurried lunch and parted.

While leaving he asked her to be polite and courteous but firm to her parents. She was able to politely persuade her parents to drop the current idea.

After months Isa asked Jagan to dine. He led her to join Miranda. He was considerate to take care as she landed here. He pushed her admission, got her guest accommodation, introduced her to the college athletics coach and briefed him about her keen interest in track events for inter-varsity meet being held at Hyderabad. She was grateful.

‗I have no words to express my gratitude, dear Jagan. You are wonderful,‘ said Isa shaking his hand very warmly.

‗Isa, please beware, that is how man start with woman‘, he said raising his eyes.

‗Have you ever thought how man acquiesce nature, people, religion, comrade in arms- woman. His physical prowess named her weaker sex. Sourced religion to decide right or wrong, he ushered in a regime where woman play second fiddle to man. He abrogated the right to marry one, hundred or even a thousand women to him at pleasure, prohibiting woman the right to marry even a second man if her earlier husband was alive or dead, brand her unfortunate, wretched witch, never to partake in cultured world of man. His religion he created a sea of emotions to put woman to perpetual bondage to man. Branding himself a male, he ordained her to give birth to child, mother her till she was of age, feed her after fending for hunger, work maid to the man of the house and run it. To satisfy his lust he created prostitution; woman is put for sale despite her feelings, emotions, relations, and religion. Short of it he created mistresses. Such woman who refused to go the two-way options, he violated her honor by an act of rape. All such are branded fallen women of low character to be kept away from the civilized male during day. Character is women‘s lot, man is beyond it. A married man could go to a prostitute, rape a woman, violate her chastity, and move free, to join the company of man of character. A woman is to serve her lord husband till death frees her of the bondage which to her is a mirage; she is ordained to pray god to seek company of the same man as her husband not only in this life but all future lives as well. Can you see the immensity of this exploitation and bondage?‘ he asked.

‗I have complete faith in you; you are, however, talking partly past,‘ she replied.

‗I know change is in the air; that is no reason not to worry for what I mean to tell you,‘ he said.

‗Is that anyway a concern of freeing yourself of the burdens I may have been putting on you,‘ she asked. 152

‗And if I care for your small needs is a perfect pleasure for me, will you believe me?‘ he asked.

‗I would have no option, I already feel that you are my friend, a perfect one,‘ she said.

‗It is all right Isa, but the amount of injustices done to the gender put me often to shame when I peep inside; it is man‘s doing. He is selfish,‘ he said.

‗Do you believe woman is not selfish? It is because you are not selfish. You are noble. Things are changing now even for such guys. It is ridiculously unsullied being purely ‗Dutch‘, as they call it,‘ she said.

‗I do not date. I am not aware of it,‘ he said somewhat awkwardly.

‗It means each one to him or her, a girl may be dating four persons, they all are her friends, and she pays for her pasta ice tea or café latte, on all occasions. No one of the guys is her boyfriend, though,‘ she told him.

‗You mean boyfriend and friend are different?‘ He asked.

‗Yea, that‘s correct. It means a date may not be romantic. He pays for himself and she pays for herself. They are together to while away time. There is no romance involved, or feelings as you know, and for the overcautious overloaded with common sense Gen t2m2, tu tera main mera, ‗date‘ concept has vastly changed,‘ she explained.

‗You believe man is ready for role reversion, if need be,‘ he queried.

‗For mere survival some such arrangement would look the only way out,‘ she answered.

‗Is it not the result of too much exposure, Isa? Also it is a reaction to her over exploitation,‘ he asked.

‗May be, emotions lead to union the onus of which was born by woman. Go on seeing doctors or prove to the guilty that you were not guilty,‘ she said.

‗Even then casual sex is on and increasing. What do you think is responsible for it?‘ he asked.

‗Unfettered sense of exploring and pleasure, may be!, but girls are getting wiser, dating and dating with Mr. Right are two different things, unless you are seriously going out dating is mostly time pass. There may or may not be romance, it just means hanging out to gather, may be holding hands. If it is five stars or pubs or even Plaza complexes, you definitely need the mullahs to draw the girls, and for such recipients of dates casual sex is perfectly on. They create their own set of morals, the truth of the bite is if you are fine with what you are doing, it‘s OK,‘ she said. 153

‗I am delighted to gain knowledge. The best is they are getting wiser. But Isa, do you believe we are heading towards ‗live in couples‘ world replacing serious dating, not to mention marriage,‘ he asked.

‗Jagan, we, particularly the male, have to change our mind set; if a woman moves with a man definitely romance or sex is necessarily no part of it. There are many things they have to cope with together in life; to jump to the conjecture the two are amidst an affair is, to say the least, simply absurd, and the creation of a sick mental state. It must change. It is as mischievous as your suggestion that he has created a man‘s world.‘

‗I seem to agree; there remains however, a delicately thin line of distinction,‘ he said.

‗The western influence cannot be ruled out in such scenario, but for some the arrangement appears to be fine. No children, no responsibilities of maintaining and running a house through hundred chores, the freedom to live or go out of it as you feel like,‘ she added.

‗I feel it is again a reaction to the status woman was subjected to abject subjugation for centuries past, now that she is free she would naturally venture into exotic innovative relationships,‘ he thought.

‗May be? It certainly is a move to loose free. Freedom from any bondage, contract, obligation, responsibility vis a vis husband, house, children and the like,‘ she said.

‗Husband, joint family, home – doomed, well!‘ He questioned?

‗It entails no family, nuclear family included,‘ she replied.

‗Correct, family means all bygone monotony bore,‘ she said.

‗Ya, codes, restrictions are out; new generations craft their own funda,‘ he grinned.

‗Not really. I do not think so. If dating hand in hand is time pass then the new generation will get dry, stock-share like rigid leading them to nympholepsy and might loose the thrills of life for each other, the essence of life of Indian milieu. It may be an overreaction,‘ she asserted.

‗Might be? These are personal matters of opinion. A reasonable view is represented not by exceptions but by the general behavior,‘ he said.

‗I think it should be viewed from a different perspective too that is result of the new times; girls were taken to be paraya dhan-other‘s property by the natal family and therefore she was not part of the family in the sense boys were. Now since girls are not only coming out of their role of secluded, veiled organic entities who were born to be given away in marriage, they are competing with male heirs and are even surpassing them in matters of education, care of the parents, earning more than the boys, there is a perceptible change 154 both in the attitude of parents as well as the daughters too. Parents not only think, plan and claim hereditary obligations over their daughters more in comparision to sons, daughters too take more engrossing interest in their parents and their family even though they might be married and have their own family to look after. As in other areas girls are beating boys in this very sensitive family development also,‘ she said.

‗As numbers of divorce increase natal family again becomes critical and relevant for the divorced daughter,‘ he said.

‗You are correct. It is generally agreed that in the changing scenario daughters are more engrossed in taking care of their aged parents than the boys who limit their attention to inheritance more than the old age care,‘ she said.

‗Your view would find support by the enactment of law by government of the day to protect the interests of the senior citizens and their old age maintenance particularly by the male heirs; the kuldeepaks can now be even jailed and denied total inheritance if they fail to take proper care of their parents,‘ he said.

‗Yes, it is new perspective that indicates change of family relationship enhancing the prospects of woman in total social set up,‘ she said.

I think the age of gender equality has come to stay; man would be obliged to change, though lot still needs to be done, particularly in the rural dark pockets of the renanscene India. It is a good omen. How are you, is your practice begun?‘

‗Not yet. I am in the process. I have met the coach a few times. He knew that I have been admitted on sports quota. He referred to you as well. He knows you as U.P. topper with individual champion trophy in athletics, something very rare. In fact your name is already known around the college campus,‘ she said.

‗I am ordinary. Let me see if we can do something worthwhile. You must run five miles daily to build up stamina. Run fast. Your body will gradually get used to it. It will be easy then. You know the great Kenyan Olympian runner. He ran twelve miles daily for years in his hometown hilly tract. He won. He was unbeatable. I have gifted you my athletic mantra; if you win it will be my victory as well. Will you share it with me?‘ He asked.

‗I will share anything with you. If I win it will be your victory,‘ she said holding his hand firmly.

‗Tochwood,‘ he said. They had finished eating.

When do we meet next, she seemed to ask. She gave her telephone number, noted his hostel reception number. They took meals. He relished ice-cream she coffee. They walked to her apartment hand in hand. She took him inside her room. It was quite spacious. She asked him to sit. She embraced him delicately, kissed him repeatedly. They sat for some 155 time looking to each other. A parting kiss and he was gone. He occupied her mind that evening.

4.9

The aspiring young fresher at the campus, coming from different rearing and back up, were stumped and dazed upon their maiden brush with contempo extemporaneous blooming adolescent girls and the more amorous of the lot gave their hearts on the first encounter; it gave them heart aches as in shortage of the mullah no echo was on tap. Where Kamdeva failed, friends appeared as bum steer counsel, cupidity yearning is the first cause of sorrow, my dear! Dumping the advice they would look other girls and give their hearts on platter, only to end up in woeful desolation. These were one-way circuit safari heart breaks the damsels laughing their lungs out on the repeated heart breaks pretending innocent of what has the cupid done the poor fresher and inviting further fresh attempts that were doomed in absence of an empty wallet or a wish fulfilling personality. The show would go on till the examination fever caught up both the gourmandizing teenyboppers and the mature glamorous sweet sixteen‘s. The sweet ache would run abreast of the test series and recommence with enhanced ado in the repeat session while campus would buzz with another wave of fresh young teens of both breed. Jagan also witnessed colleagues who, shutting themselves away from all the interesting creative activities of the societies liked lazing in their rooms smoking ‗pot‘ or ‗grass-ganja‟ recollecting the guru mantra „pratham chumbanam danta bhagnam‟ slowly making a pass at the college girls, or else joined the buoyant bands of chaloo gurus-smart guys, seated in the dark alleys of the many bars drinking, rum, whisky, vodka, gin, or just cold beer and ultimately getting addicted to the drugs and remain on the ‗high‘ till they are out of the college, and also incidentally out of life, on to the roads. Such guru ghantals-smart patriarchs were not much in number, most of the fresher taking to the various activities at the campus and the prolific societies, participating in inter hostel contests, personality and debating contests, sports and games activities including football, hockey, cricket matches, general knowledge and quiz shows, lectures by eminent personalities both from the national as well as international arena, and enrich the personality by acquiring knowledge, ‗The Knowledge that is Power.‘

Yet life without guru ghantals, their bereft valets minus the mullah, their philosophical attitude towards life lived on the ‗high‘ of grass and the ‗kerosene‘ gulped in one go that ran parallel to what others conceived success, their matured contemplation of breaking hearts by successive delicate exteriors equipped with cruel insides called bewitching beauties roaming all over campus reverberating their fragrance around, their sane words of advice involuntarily given assuming it to be their ordained duty voluntarily accepted and 156 released simultaneously moments later, were facts of life as relevent and dimensional as its centuries old gothic architecture and lush green huge trees that made the campus a reality. Campus without guru ghantals would appear like ramayan without balmiki or tulsidas and mahabharat without vyas the author and ganesh the scribe. Jagan was, therefore, soft on all guru ghantals, the afflicted ones, and all guru ghantals too took refuge in his ardent company. He viewed them to be significant left overs of the times gone by who though failed themselves yet were responsible to make others deemed successful. Ray of light of the day is delightful only because of the darkness of a night; behind the glory of the St. Stephens were the outpourings of the great guru ghantals.

Jagan was tuned to do his daily laboratory work, his journals in time to escape from the stress during the examination days. On hindsight he kept aloof from the clement types, who believed in, „chalo yaar thoda engine oil lagake ate hain,‟ and persuading or forcing freshers to initiate them to their murky world, „beta abhi tumne duniya nahin dekhi hai, aaj ham tumhain ek nai duniya dikhayainge.‘ He had witnessed apocalypse saga through generations his zamindar ancestry enjoyed brilliant lives spent in dalliance with fabulous nautch girls cherished by august audiences, local elite as also firangee top brass, schnockering lasting weeks; the scabrous campus minority lot appeared naive. It was the lighter side of life at the campus though. Yet it all appeared natural that each generation will put in place its own value systems. There would always be drop outs in the race; in their insignificance lies their virtue.

4.10

Disquiet over rural canvas in the backstage, Jagan took to his study. Placed Nekiram in a job, future of Charu in his mind, he lived in Rudra reverting in the recesses to Shanti, who was now in Delhi.

Jagan had asked Thakur Yuvraj Singh‘s grandson Vivek to arrange a suitable paying guest accommodation for Shanti near the University. Vivek called back it has been done. It is near Kashmiri Gate. The place belongs to Vithal Bhai Patel, their manager. Annual payment has been made for her food and stay. Money as directed by him has also been given to Shanti through the local bank where her account has been opened, papers given to her. He will clear the accounts with Jagan‘s estate when it suits him. There was telephone also and Patel has been asked to look after her. Jagan has yet to see the place. 157

On the campus, after Jagan had cleared his quarterly terminals obtaining marks in mathematics beating all previous records of the college, a group of girls headed by Richy Saxena encountered him one afternoon in his room.

Responding to the knocks he asked who is there. The reply was ‗Madhubala.‘ And ‗Nargis‘ too. He opened it. The group burst into laughter.

‗So you are the topper from UP, St. Johns? They asked.

‗Yes sure, I am from St Johns,‘ he understood it was a ragging squad.

‗And you don‘t have the manners to understand it is not muffosil Agra, you have to qualify to be at St Stephens,‘ they asserted in giggles.

‗I sure wanted to learn to qualify, mademoiselle, please command me what to do,‘ he asked apologetically.

‗You rustic fool, first rub your nose on the shoe of our Madam,‘ he was told pointing towards Richy Saxena, he did not know.

He bent towards the lady, meanwhile another cried, ‗kick him over the ass, he want to molest our madam, this mother-fucker bastard,‘ and burst into laughter.

‗Go get ice creams for your esteemed guests you rustic buffoon, and quick,‘ a pretty coquettish plump girl ordered.

Before he could move the fifth one sarcastically asked, ‗how many hours you do house cleaning, bring vegetables, washing clothes in the laundry of your maths-vala‟s house, come on be honest, no harm will be done, you topper clown!‘

It was a group of six senior girls. Richa was most beautiful, in tight jeans over a lean top, flaying her healthy boobs.

‗Yes, madam, I tried to clean their floors as well, but they won‘t let me do it. If you permit me I can clean your boudoir too?‘ …he said meekly.

‗Now enough, come on for ice creams,‘ and they led him towards the dhaba. Richa said she will take coke.

He asked the dhaba man, ‗five ice creams, a coke.‘

Each one giggled as they consumed it, stealing glances on the athletic body of Jagan, an aristocrat by legacy of the finest breed, and uttering, flaunting jokes they did not know how to meet his eyes. 158

In fact such ragging sessions in the late afternoons were devised pretense for getting to know the guy, getting closer to him, for the object was itself largely attractive and required nagging to get intimate.

They were snobbish. They were affluent. They were modern. It was in the first year. Richa Saxena in course of time became almost his fan. She would find excuses to meet and talk to him, in the lab, in the library, on the lawns. As the year passed and he topped the class again beating all previous records, creating his own, he was a celebrity at campus already. By the time he cleared his graduation he was a legend. He bagged six prestigious awards, which no other student in the history of the college had. Richa was the first senior college girl to invite Jagan for dinner at her house in Civil Lines. The best of him was he continued to be humble, respectful to teachers, seniors, maintaining the college decorum.

He was proud of his college when he joined from his rustic aristocracy and a suburban Agra; now metropolitan college sophistry was proud of him.

Aftab Ansari was his class mate in chemistry. He picked up friendship with Jagan and relished homely intimacy. Jagan was as usual unassuming. He often visited the Ansari‘s where his Appa will treat him a family member. There were no secrets between Aftab and Jagan. They shared common hobbies for movies, intelligence, and beauty. They shared their childhood, his friend Hina, Tazia feasts with her and daily sojourns, about the bonhomie of celebrating Muharram. Aftab‘s father worked for the press owning a printing press. He has four brothers and three sisters, happy lot. Jagan helped Aftab occasionally on money matters. Aftab loved a girl at the campus, who was not returning his feelings. He was in a dilemma, what to do, how to win her. He cannot survive without her. Jagan advised him if it is money she is looking for he should try to distance from her because there is no place for money in ardor. Feelings germinate love. But he was mad. Only time will wake him up.

Aftab, however, was keenly interested in his father‘s business, press and the media. How games are played. Politicians have created vested interests. To safeguard their interests they must continue in power, popular enough to repeat performance. The popularity angle has thrown open a wide ranging activity that is media business. From the small time socially oriented reformist missionary editors, reporters, news analysts, photographers and a host of small participents have merged into big players, business tycoons, investing crores for both wealth and power. The Times group, The Hindu group, Indian Express group, the Tata group, the Birla group, just to name some of the main players in the field, besides small and marginal presswallahs. There are particular mechanisms to facilitate politicians extract gains out of their popularity with the media, and with the people through the media. The politicians repay by playing with the vast public resources at their disposal. Premium real estate is distributed free or at marginal rates to members of the media, who fall in line, lavishly entertained and presented gifts, flown to foreign countries along with the politicians free of cost. State chief ministers also make foreign sprees, accompanied by media men, to attract direct foreign investment in their state. The media has come to play an important role in the affairs of the state. The watch word is manipulation and right contacts. The incessant and unbridled growth of the 159 electronic media has brought in new Mughals in the field, Murdoch, Star, Zee, Aaj Tak, Sahara, and a host of others are some of electronic media‘s big players. Quite a few electronic media establishments are owned by politicians. The manner media plays its orgies of splashing news of murder, communal violence, rape, movie stars, politicians, facing criminal trial are thrust in larger than life images on people unwilling to watch is an issue that deserves wide open public debate. Display of criminals facing trials in courts of law does not make relevant news. A movie star killing people or prohibited animals make big news. What purpose is served to portray in detail news about politicians under arrest for crimes and rushing to interview them? CBI registers cases against netas for fraud, murder, criminal breach of trust or corruption, the offending politician invites media for press briefing to speak utter nonsense and the media is happy making a bee line to portray such illegal, offending portrayals. There ought to be a code of conduct. People‘s problems get back seat, and uncalled for visuals of criminals, violence, sex and nude ambience and fraud find more space. It is sensation being sold that needs public approval. Aftab is very keen to improve this public mess of the media and its mughals. He often had long discussions over the issue with Jagan. Jagan‘s advice to Aftab is to equip yourself with knowledge about what you want. Make workable strategy. Execute it with determination, reject any bullying. This is India. Aftab has faith in Jagan‘s power of discretion and analytical approach. Jagan often calms down Aftab by telling analysis of an issue is not the end it is simply a means. The end is how to achieve goal. Proper media behavior is important, but there are so many stakes involved, the job is an uphill task. Their debate is, however, on. Jagan liked Aftab for his sincerity. He mentioned about Shanti joining him if Jagan approved. That woman will prove she was worth his investment. Jagan listened without response.

Jagan had no misunderstanding about himself. He was short of time already. Quite a few girls sought him at the campus. Richa, Sumitra, Pauline, a Spanish girl, who was mad about him. He would meet them at odd places, going to lab, coming out of tutorial, after the society‘s function, he would always be in a hurry to catch up his next assignment, the girls appeared to be on the assignment of seeking him, asking for a break, a movie. Pauline and he has seen a movie together, Quo Vadis, months ago followed by a satisfying ice-cream outing.

Pauline was handsome, soft-spoken, friendly girl; he liked to be with her at times. She was affably responsive to him.

‗What do you think about this country,‘ he asked Pauline one afternoon.

‗People of India are wonderful, but the politicians are creating mess; extensively there is corruption,‘ she opined.

‗Corruption is a widespread disease; do you believe only politicians are to be blamed,‘ he asked.

‗Basically people are the area where corruption breeds, if people are not involved voluntarily or otherwise out of some compulsion it wouldn‘t prosper in any society,‘ she said 160

‗What you think the rulers could do in a democracy like India having six dozen political parties in the run up for power,‘ he suggested.

‗You are right, but whoever reaches power could try to be honest with people and their problems,‘ she said.

‗How democracies in Europe or your own country Spain are doing,‘ he asked.

‗As far as people‘s problems are concerned these are supreme and under focus so that attention over them continues to build up until they are solved. I would suggest people in power there are sincere to people‘s problems as such; India lacks this element. That wouldn‘t mean there are no frauds in western democracies or people in power do not frolic with public money; but when in focus they are out,‘ she said.

‗How the public opinion works so effectively there?‘ He asked.

‗There are two aspects to it. One, the media is very sensitive to highlight people‘s problems, and two, if the problem persists the prime minister or the government may have to resign and seek referendum, people‘s mandate,‘ she said

‗It means those in power here are insensitive to people‘s problems. Perhaps they worry more to return to power than reforming the system or give relief to people,‘ he asked.

‗Yea, those in power has to learn to be sincere and sensitive to people. Not just make believe sort of evasive behavior,‘ she said.

‗People need to be educated. Else we could evolve some method, say, for example, people‘s right to recall the legislator if he fails to perform?‘ He asked.

‗That again could be misused or manipulated. Those responsible has to be sincerely sensitive and accountable to people. Here you manipulate everything, even sensitivity to people. That being so, how will it succeed?‘ She asked.

‗It means people must carry weight. That will happen when they are educated and a tradition is created,‘ he asked.

‗You are correct, dear. You want to be a politician?‘ She asked.

‗What you think should I do in the circumstances,‘ he asked

‗Join the mainstream. Unless honest sincere people do not reach there things will not improve,‘ she said.

‗They have created money-oriented politics. It is not easy for honest sincere person to enter the battlefield and then to survive,‘ he added. 161

‗Then educate people. A better alternative to democracy has not yet been devised,‘ she said.

‗Politicians have hijacked democracy. It is hostage for selfish ends culminating in perpetual power or unaccounted wealth; the tools of hijack are caste, religion, sectarian or regional issues endangering the basic unity,‘ he said.

‗I think it happens everywhere,‘ she replied.

‗May be, politics is the art of make believe; I too at times feel criticism of politicians is little too partisan, after all they too come from the same societal stock we all belong to and once they are in it is their job to try to run the show till of course they are kicked out,‘ said Jagan in a contemplating mood.

‗There is too much double talk, double face among the ruling elite, though people at large are sincere,‘ she opined.

‗I agree,‘ he said.

‗You will succeed in your efforts, you are so absolutely sincere, dear, all the best,‘ she said by a voluntary hug and a big kiss to supplement her feelings.

‗Pauline you know we Indians have a historical bond with Iberia; quite a few names both in India and Spanish Iberian peninsula indicate a strong exchange of cultural ambience on a substantial scale,‘ said Jagan.

Oh, is that so, intrinsically I thought there should be some link between the two of us; would you please tell the story in detail,‘ she asked pleading with Jagan.

‗There were two different historical events which enabled the two people meet at some point of time. One was the great trading period that followed Alexander‘s Indian foray for about 400 years from 200 BC to 600 BC. The trading items included silk, lapis lazuli, wool rugs, fine pottery, linen, and ivory. Governments needed gold and silver, papyrus and parchment, horses, and timber. In response to these demands, land and sea trade routes expanded and links to Mediterranean countries was firmly established. This was also the period when Pluto, Socrates, Aristotle, Herodotus, Euclid, and Pericles preached new philosophies. The Parthenon was built in Athens in this period, and Siddhartha, Gautama Buddha taught the principles of Buddhism. Jews built their second temple in Jerusalem, and innumerable sects such as the cult of Mithras arose and spread. It was a time of unprecedented intellectual ferment.‘

‗Second possibility arose when waves of Indians were forced to leave their country on the eve of the first Arabian conquest of Sindh around 700 AD of whom the people known as Gypsies emerged and spread through out the length and breadth of the globe. Goods and ideas were circulating on an ever-expanding scale. Life in the region was more interconnected and complex in every way. The Anatolian and Iberian 162

Peninsula came into direct contact and lot ideas and beliefs got exchanged. Hindukush and Khyber Pass were places of intense exchange of traders and people.‘

‗Our cultural leanings meet and that perhaps is the reason, I like you even more with this knowledge of our historical connective,‘ she said holding his hand.

‗I thought you like for what I am,‘ said Jagan with a grin.

‗That stands OK, but if you have superlative ancient loop it adds to the feeling,‘ replied Pauline.

‗I quite understand,‘ replied Jagan.

‗You have been such tremendous help; in fact I have usurped space of your personal life without your accreditation,‘ she said apologetically.

‗You are too altruistic to recount do nothings,‘ he said.

‗That‘s the beauty of your disposition; whole college campus envisages it, you are simply wondrous and cool, my dear,‘ she said.

‗Come on, what it is now?‘ he asked.

‗Let‘s go to a movie,‘ she hesitatingly suggested.

‗Ah, is that all, it will be my pleasure, Paul,‘ he instantly replied, adding, ‗you will dine with me, we would move towards Canought Place,‘ he said.

‗Agreed,‘ she said.

Hand in hand they strolled through Kashmiri Gate bazaar, took an auto, reached Regal and saw movie based on Somerset Maugham‘s story, a classical romance dyed- in-the-wool in the rural canvas of Victorian England they thoroughly enjoyed. They then hideaway in the affluent crowd and entered an eatery in main circle on the western court. Jagan paid for the movie as well as dinner. They strolled through the crowd and took a circuitous route; they both wanted to walk. These young persons were in perfect tune and liked each other. They were both ambitious and willing to bet. Pauline was the daughter of a millionaire in Segre beyond the Pyrenees in Catalonia of the Iberian Peninsula, engaged in a bustling leather trade she herself would take in course of time. She viewed India in this perspective of a possible future trade off. She liked the man she was moving with; she had no qualms of any romantic view of him. She wanted to befriend him and that way was OK. They were good friends and would remain so. For Jagan there was no room to think of a romantic relationship with any woman at the campus; he hardly has time to think that far. He remained himself and that prompted more girls to get closure to him. It was his greatest asset keeping cool perfectly detached within himself. It saved him from much unnecessary heartbreak. He 163 was civil to all who came in contact and it ended up there. He left Pauline at the gate and she embraced him with an emotional hug and kissed him before saying good bye.

5.1

On Saturday afternoon when Jagan was in his second and final year of his honors course, Sumitra her classmate in physics practical, met him while returning to his room. She was intelligent and ranked always second to him. They have been friends for about two years now. She was rather tall, stood five feet six inches, had a plump figure, very fair complexion, well developed body, and came from a rich family of good business man of standing in the city. She often discussed their subjects of study, the problems they solved in the lab, the intricacies of the outer space into the further enquiry of which she was interested, and environment about which she was as anxious as was Shanti. The vast depth of Jagan‘s outlook not only in physics but other subjects as well impressed her. She was impressed by his simplicity and outlook to life. She was acquiesced of his memory and sharpness of mind. Her fondness for him developed into liking he might not have noted. She wished him and invited for a cup of coffee. He liked her fondness for him. He appreciated her intelligence too. She came in a chauffeur driven car and took him to Cannaught Place coffee house. They had coffee and then they went to the Lodi Gardens just for a stroll. She took his hand in hers, came closer, and walked in perfect slow communion.

‗What you do in the evenings,‘ she asked.

‗Just nothing particular,‘ he said.

‗If you like we can sit together to work in the evenings. The car will take as well as leave you back,‘ she said.

‗I may, but that is the time I visit library,‘ he replied.

‗May be you could adjust, just for my sake, please,‘ she said pleading.

‗We may discuss in free periods on the campus, Sumitra,‘ he said looking into her large, oval inviting eyes.

‗The campus is hulla-gulla. My room is quiet and cool,‘ she suggested. 164

‗I may not like to intrude into your privacy, you may be bothered,‘ he asked.

‗If I was bothered I won‘t request you,‘ she said.

Finding himself wrapped he agreed, ‗you may ring up and if I am free I may come, thanks though,‘ he said.

‗What are you opting for your post grad?‘ She asked.

‗MA history if they allow me,‘ he said.

‗With hundred percent in maths you want to shift to history, are you sure?‘ she asked in amazement.

‗Let us prove we can be good in humanities too, shouldn‘t we? I have not yet finalized. What is your father‘s business incidentally,‘ he asked.

‗He is in real estate and pharmaceuticals,‘ she said.

‗Is it interesting, you look at it sometimes,‘ he asked.

‗Not really, the way they work I have no interest to learn about it either,‘ she said.

‗Why, is it unethical,‘ he asked

‗It‘s all lies and adulteration. Medicines are duped, adulterated, sub standard. Then the doctors have to be bribed, lot other complicated manufacturing operations are done. It all percolates down to people, who suffer while the manufacturer, the distributor, the middleman, the doctor all earn huge profits in the protected safety of area drug inspector. Its huge business,‘ she informed.

‗Real estate should be both profitable and clean, is it not?‘ he asked.

‗If meddling and encroaching over government land and playing tricks with innocent millions seeking roof of a dream house is clean business than of course, daddy is doing it all clean,‘ she told her friend.

‗Why do you not try to do some cleaning, after all you are also part of it,‘ he asked.

I have nothing to do with it. I have no interest either. I feel friendlier with mom who has time to talk to me, worry for my concerns. When I told her about you she encouraged me to keep in touch and exchange notes. I find your company more conducive and satisfying than to be looking into their business my dear,‘ she told him plain.

She put her arm round his waist, turned around and kissed him warmly. It was getting dusk. He said, ‗should we move now.‘ 165

‗Well darling, don‘t forget your promise,‘ she looked askance.

He thought. Why woman is so endearing; it is cruel to misbehave with these wonderful persons. He was happy she did not live only for money. He liked her integrity. He worked till late hours and completed his assignment.

Life during the graduation years was academically satisfying, engrossing, and busy. He has many friends, boys of his age; girls of varying backgrounds, normally coming from highly placed families, with a distinct cultural initiation indicating growing western influence creeping under Macaulay‘s synergy. However, what surprised him was that not many thought about the problems he had on his mind. At times he thought there was something wrong either with him or with most of his colleagues. They were engrossed in their own world: campus, jeans, goggles, shirts, wrist watches, pens, dhaba, mobiles, iPods, boys sought by yearning girls, girls after whom boys were mad, their maneuverings to please them, shortage – acute, of gifts for girl friends, paucity of the mullah, problems with parents, uneasy moms about girl friends and wary dads about pocket money, always short of needs, Gold Flakes and Red and Whites, occasional dry gin, vodka, whisky, rum or the frequent chilled beer, infrequent high‘s of drugs priced mountain-high or crude chilams sulpha-ganja, their motor bikes or the cars they drove into campus, costly lavenders that made them fragrance oriented, the shit and sex, the assholes and used condoms, it‘s El Dorado, the unmarriageability of marriage, disaster of marriage or marriage of disaster, it‘s all pervasive ambience, broken hearts and blasting love lore, fast encounters, single day, week or month-long affairs and hundred piece hearts. He couldn‘t analyze why his mind exercised over lack-luster dry subjects of illiteracy, discrimination, caste disparities, child marriages, women, poverty and squalor – issues engulfing mass of India‘s teeming millions. Was it perhaps because he came from that strata of rural India; but then lot other rural boys also were there, they, however, were not different either. He left it at that. People differ their perceptions differ, so the kala-chakra-timecycle moves on. You go; your earthly possessions vanish; only nishkam karma remains, because only on such occasion one comes out of the kalptaru syndrome. It is constant. He consoled himself. He sure was not a seer; why this misfit, when seeking pleasure was a philosophy of life. Life was brutish, short and nasty; minimize pain and maximize pleasure? He was trying to equip himself to maximize pleasure, to maximum numbers. Apart from enjoying the uncontrolled frenzy of the multiplexes, malls, and arcades over the escalators, there is little substantial the gen-next friends may have if un-India western capitalistic panorama prevails, he thought. Is it young age frolic? Might be? He has a hunch these guys are far smarter than they pretend to be. They are looking into future. Youngman in Asia and Europe has undergone it. Through malls and escalators they are rehearsing the future work ethics to earn the mullahs. That only is important. Marriage is outdated. It was a pastime of the past indulged in by medieval chivalrous men meeting in duels over an ordinary entity like a woman; because woman needs man in equal proportion and since both are independent in life styles and maneuverings it is unimaginable to waste time over the possession of one over the other or vice versa. Thanks to AIDS the condom culture is in; sex being a biological necessity like eating one could have it as and when one feels like. Beyond that procreation is off their minds. If she wants a child welcome, otherwise enjoy being together; get off the company when bored or tired of its monotony. Thanks to the lure of 166 dowry marriage in India is doomed. History has a tendency to repeat. Men‘s world is being inherited by the women‘s world. If man is prepared to nurse babies and take over kitchen marriage might be welcome. There is already law in a European country for husband to participate in the kitchen to run a marriage; its non-observance would dissolve the contract of marriage. Ancient Indian scriptures too required equal participation in activities of life by both man and woman when they become husband and wife; man during course of centuries had usurped unauthorized unequal pattern of life making her almost a serf. The reverse of the situation is bound to happen. Already there are stories of woman oppression of man coming to light culminating in fist fights and divorce, much to the detriment of the child who in their innocence is dragged into a situation unnatural and critical for their development as future citizens of the country.

5.2

The years spent at the Rudra North and the campus by Jagan were full and enduring. He became a legend of his times. In graduation he secured 98 per cent in the aggregate and one hundred per cent in mathematics and physics. He topped the B.Sc. Honors examination of Delhi University and had the unique distinction of begging six prestigious awards of the St. Stephens College:

Prof. P.L.Bhatnagar Memorial Prize: For the best student in Mathematics Hons: Awrdedd to: Jagannath Pratap Singh, B.Sc. Hon.

Shrimati Kamla Bajaj Memorial Prize: For the best student in Physics Hons: Awarded to: Jagannath Pratap Singh

Mohan Katyal Memorial Prize: For academic performance, regularity, extra curricular activities, moral character and selfless service (a) For Physics Hons. (b) For Chemistry Hons. Awarded to: Jagannath Pratap Singh

Ramesh Goel Memorial Prizes: For the best student on the basis of marks in (a) II year B.Sc. General; (b) II year Mathematics Hons.; (c) II year Physics Hons.; (d) II year Chemistry Hons.; (e) II year Philosophy Hons. Awarded to: Jagannath Pratap Singh, II Year Chemistry Hon.

David Raja Ram Physics Prize: Awarded to: Jagannath Pratap Singh, III Year Physics, and Honors. 167

Tushar Nagia Stephanian Prize: For any student of the Physics Hons class who has shown the Stephanian signs of diligence, application, good behavior and contributed in some measure to the life in College. Awarded to: Jagannath Pratap Singh

Jagan was also awarded two scholarships for his outstanding performance one of which was Smt. Kesar Devi Scholarship of Rupees eight hundred per month. The second was the Smt. Aditi Shiveshwarkar Scholarship of Rupees four hundred per month.

Out of this amount of money received, he sent rupees one hundred each month to Shanti to fulfill her needs of studies she was doing as a private student. He sent rupees five hundred to his Guruji, to help the deserving students belonging to Bhopti‘s mohalla of Nandgaon backward but intelligent children. He had written to Nekiram and Kirpa to help Guruji select such poor deserving students from out of his neighborhood, and ensure that the money is not misused. This fact of money being paid for deserving sc boys would ignite the mind of sensitive Kirpa to take on the reservation system in future headlong. This money continued to flow for two years during which Shanti cleared her Intermediate examination in the first division, with an aggregate percentage of 63 % marks, which was a good effort by any standard for a girl living in a village doing house chores and help run a family consisting about a dozen persons. Jagan had decided to get her admitted to a course of journalism at the university and arrangements to lodge her in one of the ladies hostels were considered. He has decided to bear all her expenses which were not much and were managed within the residual money he got out of the scholarships. He did not want to ask for more money from his estate. He was not dating nor was he fond of drinks or eating out that saved lot of money, though money could never have posed any problem for him. He was very keen to put Shanti on an even keel with him and for that it was necessary to get her a vocation that suited her resoluteness and bold character. She would do much better as a journalist, was her decision. With that she could find for her a better responsive husband of her choice was the idea he nursed.

In this decision Charu and her career was involved too. She needs company as well as promotion. What was her fault? That she was married while she was a toddler? That she was widowed while she was still a child? That she was re-married while she still played Jack and Jill nursery rhymes? He thought he was wholly responsible for the orphan that she was whose parents were alive and rich and had all the resources at their disposal, yet who was so enslaved in outdated tradition that they had no regard or concern for the life and career of their only daughter. He has plans to get her to Delhi for her further studies. It was now necessary to be around her. Young age has many pitfalls. Charu and her parents know he wants her to do post graduation in subject of her choice. She wanted his views on her going abroad for studies he has left the matter for her to decide. In his view every Indian who went abroad for studies was often ‗overpowered by the sense of their solitary condition,‘ as Jawahar Lal Nehru had felt while he was at Harrow. Then most Indians who go abroad find pretexts to stay back there thus harming the interests of the country. Of late there has been no news about it. He thought to see her. But tradition taboos keep him away.

He has decided to attempt civil service. He also decided that Charu also might take it, if she prefers. 168

5.3

Jagan joined M.A. maths, to prepare for ICS. He also was attending history classes as his special interest. He longed to see Shanti, asked Aftab if she was home. She has made him her dharam-bhai, a typical Indian cognition, by tying Rakhi, the sacred thread for protection to his hand after Jagan introduced him; Jagan usually asked Aftab if anything was to be done for her. He has not met her since her arrival in Delhi. Her brother came to leave her. He met Jagan and conveyed gratitude of his parents for the kindness with which he was helping the impoverished Brahmin neighbors. He informed that he has taken up the job arranged by his relatives of estate Tilmai and would repay loan as soon as was possible.

‗Take it easy there is no hurry,‘ Jagan told him, realizing it was a formal nicety.

He was in a buoy vein. When he arrived Shano was waiting for him. It was a small house in a large lot. There was a small verandah outside the room flanked by a clean bath and a small kitchenette, it had an independent access. She was dressed in a light pink sari and was excited to meet him, another surprise for him. Her hair style has changed; it enveloped her sides in attractive loose curls rather spruced up fashion, what was called bobbed, skived. Her complexion seemed to have further changed to a glowing fair with soft pinkish hues, particularly her face. Beautiful as she was in her rural habitat, her charms appeared to have further enhanced with young age making her fascinatingly attractive. As he stepped up to enter she greeted him with folded hands and touched his feet. He embraced her. It was soft, sweet aromatic music to both of them. He lifted her hands extending to lap her from under her rather lean but round hips carrying her into the room like a booming bouquet of fragrant marigold and beefy roses.

The first words she spoke were immersed in emotion accompanied by a trickle of silver pearls in her eyes and in chaste English, ‗how are you my precious, I was engrossed in my expectation to meet you, see and touch you after so many days,‘ another surprise for him.

‗Oh Shano, since when you learnt to speak English, who taught you‘, he asked, continuing further he said, ‗you look so smart.‘

‗I do not know how many more changes you will affect in me, I am already so excited, but I cannot survive it dear. You have ushered me in all luxuries here and have come to see after three months, is it not cruel?‘ she said.

‗I was always thinking of you, Shano, believe me,‘ he said.

‗I had so many things to talk, I was getting mad almost. If you had not restrained me to move out except the institute, I would have reached Rudra North, Aftab has told me all‘, she said with a reproach.

‗You are still bound by Lakshman Rekha, you could have come‘, he said. 169

‗Until death I will be bound,‘ she replied.

‗God sent you to enrich life; no idle talk,‘ he said putting his hand over her tiny mouth.

She recounted happenings in Nandgaon from the twin marriages with an upbeat eagerness.

That act of kindness opened the floodgates of her future, how she passed high school, intermediate, graduation is all history crafted by him. She is now through the diploma course in journalism, a subject she likes by heart. She has learnt the art of speech, when to speak, how much to speak, speak to create an impression, and finally how not to speak on right occasions; for you do most effective talking by keeping silence is the golden rule she was learning. She already possessed the rare virtue of talking less; her friend dubbed her as dumb already and she was happy to own it. In the village dadima and ma are fine. Her parents are finding their old age blessed. Hina has two daughters when news last came in. Nekiram is regularly sending some money to his parents from the job he has put him at. Kirpa called on her before bhaiya brought her here, he has sent his pranams to him. Kirpa has passed matriculation privately as he proposed. Nekiram is another slave-soul he has created besides her. He was so helpful in his absence. It was he who arranged for the retired village headmaster to teach her English. She learnt the Wren and Martin grammar book by heart.

Continuing coherently she said, ‗I wrote fourteen pages of working English daily and showed it to guruji, repeated corrections three times again. I begged bhaiya to get me an Oxford dictionary out of which I made it a rule to learn twenty words each day and write them with their meanings in a notebook. I worked nine hours daily, besides helping amma run the house. It was your decision that I have to improve my grades I have abided by it. You can put me to a test in English; I will compete with any St. Stepheninan on that. It is the magic of your destined ordain for your soubrette. Bhabhi has taken to do house chores in her earnest that again was your reward to us. You have changed our world.‘

He took her in his arms again, lifted her by his right arm under the neck and left below her hip curves, took two full circles, like a peacock who launches enchanting moves to treat his flirting hens, kissed her on the face over her lips, teased rubbing her bosom by his broad face and told her he was so happy and proud of her. She smelt rose.

‗You have done a good job. However still more is in store for you. When will you pass out from here,‘ he asked.

She poured pineapple juice with ice in two Patiala glasses and offered to him.

‗Its eighteen months course, after which we go to Bombay for practical attachment with a large media outlet‘, she replied. 170

‗Keep one week for personal attachment with me after you have completed all your schedules, you will get unmatched tips to be an extraordinary scribe and that is what I want to see you,‘ he said.

‗All I have is your gift; I am attached in perpetuity with you, why one week only, dear,‘ she protested.

‗Your grit and determination have raised you, I am a pretext. You have learned to be formal also which means I should behave!‘ he said.

Putting her soft fingers over his mouth, she protested and kissed him warmly, ‗please, Jagan, I could never be formal with you. I mean it, I am what you have made me,‘ she replied.

‗Now give me something to eat.‘ He said. The dishes got cooled. He suggested they could go out to dine.

‗As you like, let‘s go,‘ she said, and got up to leave.

They settled to eat in a café nearby.

‗You have to think if you should do official public media first, or go with a national daily to gain both experience and expertise, after you clear your course, meanwhile I will plan to launch you in a manner you draw a direct new hit, though much will depend on how you conduct yourself with the present media establishments,‘ he told her.

‗I will seek your guidance. You will have to think of me to give me that edge,‘ she said.

‗One thing you should never forget; you have to be different than the crowd‘, he demanded.

‗I will have to learn it,‘ she said.

‗It is commonsense. You will clear yourself away from the greed or seeking prevalent pleasures of the loaves and fishes distributed liberally affecting your views over any issue – is rule one,‘ he said.

‗No force other than you can corrupt me, I can assure,‘ she asserted.

‗What is good for the poor, downtrodden, and the country should get precedence over anything else – is rule two,‘ he said.

‗It is already on priority of the principle mantra you have taught me,‘ she said. 171

‗Never ever encourage, glamorize or celebrate the outlaw, crime or dupe, howsoever mighty the outlaw might be, and it includes the golden axiom of the game, courage of your convictions – is rule three,‘ he said.

‗I will not falter even in face of death is my promise to you‘, she said with a rare confidence.

He was surprised to note how this dumb girl has developed into what the future might hold a ‗fiery‘ reporter, editor, may be the media mughal in the making herself, in the service of the nation. This is his vision of her. He – a visionary par excellence.

‗This is the golden triangle mantra of success for any media giant,‘ he said adding, ‗if you emulate the perfections you are destined to reach dizzy heights,‘ he told her.

‗I couldn‘t have a better feedback to success in any convocation. I take oath to repeat what I said at your farm under neem years ago, I will try my best and prove worthy of the trust you have put in me,‘ she said.

He paid for the food. They drove back to her room. She was so well grown up now. She uses undergarments as was visible. She has learnt to be civil, gentle and pretty. Leather sandals on her tiny fair feet gave an impressive and sophisticated look. She looked extremely cultured. He wondered how soon she picked up grace of feminine poise. Her eyes looked large, deep sea, her black hair-do braids appeared hovering dark clouds.

‗Do you pray God daily?‘ he asked.

‗Yes I do meditate for about half an hour regularly,‘ she replied.

‗You believe there is God,‘ he asked.

‗If God was not there how could you lift a wretched creature like me from Nandgaon drudgery? You represent Him to me; you are my God,‘ she said.

‗You might have learnt there are people in western world who doubt there is God who has created the universe; science they think denies existence of any miraculous super power beyond reason,‘ he said.

‗I have gone into the question very seriously and deep; scientists who doubt the existence of God are ignorant, to say the least,‘ she said.

‗Man being rational specie the fact if there is God is an ongoing debate in his mind ever since he reached thinking stage,‘ he said.

‗It includes other unexplainable phenomenon of transmigration, rebirth, moksha, nirvana, life after death and soul that seers have since been engaged in to understand from the beginning,‘ she said. 172

‗From Bhrigu to Vivekanand serious thinkers have been engaged in this enquiry and India seems to have the proper environment and right place to investigate the mystery,‘ he said.

‗Rigvedic seers explored the mysterious cosmos to find answers to these subtle questions; uninterrupted long mental exercises undertaken through deep meditation brought them near to an extraordinary sensitive mental research to find answers to the fundamental truth of self and its relation to the exterior physical environment,‘ she said.

‗Modern Indians including Shankar, Ramtirtha and Vivekanand continued this research in their own manner declaring the existence of an unknown super consciousness, force or power that is unseen, unknown, omnipotent and omnipresent which regulates universe the course of which is predetermined,‘ he replied.

‗Modern scientific tenor hesitates to acknowledge existence of any such power or god and has cogent reasons to offer in support of their arguments; it is an ongoing debate between science and religion. Basically it filters to belief that one comes to rely upon and since belief is more mental than apparent science requires adequate proof of the power that belief speculates in existence and claim nothing happens without it,‘ she said.

To abate God‘s prevalence some indicate to the multiplicity of universes numbering more than 3 hundred billion in cosmos, ours being a paltry chip of the lot, arguing emergence of life more to accident than with God‘s creation,‘ said Jagan.

‗As I have already suggested it is a matter of faith. Non-believers have included from Aristotle to Richard Dawkins [The God Delusion]. However a new way out is appearing in the form of finding and meeting at a common ground based on faith. They are trying to say that science and God are in harmony and that science has emanated from God; in the conciliation scientists to a degree admit the concept of god cannot be wiped out entirely, though to their scientific brain reading including MRI there exist no separate soul extraneously related to a divine God. It also depicts our limitations to understand the intricacies of Creator‘s existence, for if human mind could fathom what and how God created such a marvel as the universe it would almost make him divine. God is out of both nature and time-space. Once we understand that position we should not be vary at the intervention of God in human affairs when according to Him things go bad. In fact He proclaimed in Gita He would appear in appropriate form in the world when things really go wrong meaning the eclipse of dharma in human affairs,‘ she said.

‗Western thinkers argue moral sense of doing good to near family members may result out of a family tradition where we do good in response to need and to other close friends in the hope that good being done would result in good to them at some point of time later. An epigram wisdom is do to others as you want them do to thyself, based upon the recuperative tradition,‘ he said.

‗OK, we may understand good to near ones by family tradition however, why a person would do well to hundreds and thousands in both normal and abnormal times as 173 manifestation of altruism when they are not based on kin selection or reciprocity. Watch millions of Indians feeding birds and insects on their daily walks. Look to Jain Munis clearing their path of tiny insects so that they are not harmed. Since justice and morality are two ingredients we invariably identify with God doing selfless service to mankind, particularly people in need is proof there exists power over us unseen, figureless, out of reach save by way of strong belief and compassion. How would critics explain the phenomenon of Tom Hunter, the richest man of Scotland in England, who started to sell garments as street vendor, donating eighty billion to the poor people of the street? What kind of service was he expecting from the destitute devils in return of his huge investment? Reason fails where belief reigns; without God there wouldn‘t be such strong belief. Jagan dear, western thinkers need to understand the Kalptaru tradition in its totality to realize there is God and those who fail to realize it are immersed in ignorance,‘ she said.

‗I fail to understand why people think religion is irrational. Belief is not opposite of reason; therefore faith and science are in harmony of each other,‘ said Jagan.

‗While science has limitations of cause and effect, faith is boundless and has the propensity of reaching the supreme power; it‘s limitless and get energized proportionate to the amount of devotion put into it,‘ she said.

‗The Rigveda contains it, scientific, concrete, concise thought immersed in lyrical form; it manifests the power of mind or self which in communion with supreme reality merges with it and gets free for ever. The seers had the patience and capacity to exploit mental faculties to an extant we could hardly fathom in our age and therefore, the doubts, though many scientists are engaged to unravel power of mind and some has been able to run toy trains without moving a finger, simply by mental faculties, yet it is not even a drop in the ocean,‘ replied Shano.

‗You already appear to be an incarnation of your ancient ancestors out of time; I would like you get down to earth and provide something to eat,‘ he said.

‗Oh, I am extremely sorry; you deliberately tossed me aside to talk of the sublime. I want you to go out with me to dine; I am longing to walk with you for so many days passed out of my count over fingers,‘ she suggested.

‗I purposely provoked you talk serious; I wanted to relish the depth of your acquired knowledge for knowledge is power enough of which you are destined to wield. That‘s not a bad idea; let‘s get out and go for a long walk,‘ he agreed.

Both took a taxi to India Gate and left it there walking towards Prithviraj Road and then to the Lodi garden.

The evening was cool. A chance parrot busy eating a mulberry stammered like a child. Myna cuckooed enchantingly. Small sparrows in good numbers were chirping like teenagers at a variety show; perhaps they exchanged experiences of the day before retiring to their nests. Beginning of spring caused dry leaves dropping and being shuffled by 174 walkers creating soft crunching crackle under feet. There were few love birds under large palm trees. At a distance gardeners were watering grass lawn, spraying jets by manually operating its openings created splashing sounds so familiar to the garden fauna and astonishingly soothing to the walkers. Jagan was led by Shano to a peripheral pathway; they walked in perfect harmony the whole length of it.

‗All these days I was so eager to prepare myself to meet you; my enthusiasm increased with the element of surprise I wished to give you,‘ she said.

‗You are wonderful, I was really taken aback when you received me like a gori mem in chaste Indian English,‘ he said.

‗I am inspired; wonderful is not me, it‘s the inspiration that‘s amazing,‘ she said.

‗You have learnt the art of talking; your exterior splashing all credit at me for the amazing success you have personally achieved further makes you more enchanting to me,‘ he said.

‗The inspiration has entered my being as a fascination; otherwise it was impossible for me to do it,‘ she said taking his hand.

‗I am a cloak; you have really achieved marvelous success,‘ he said.

‗You have made me amorously zealous; your words do magic to me. It‘s almost divine, believe me I am not at all aware of what prompts me to follow your words which become ordains so precious to me,‘ she said.

With evening progressing towards the end of the day more love couples appeared occupying strategic points all over the garden. Routine walkers only tried to look at them; each pair were engrossed in their own world of looking into their inner self how to get on with each other, the woman worrying her mate might not leave her mid way, the man trying to coax her into intimacy of body earlier than meeting of their minds, inventing ways to meet the ‗world‘ who were the enemy of their love, others may have uncompoundable financial problems to meet if they decide to elope and thousand personal agendas besides of course the immediate need to satisfy their physical desires through body contact of different parts in various angles the thought of being watched by curious onlookers bothering them at times.

Shano was ecstatic.

‗There is no moment when you are not with me; three months is too long a period to remain dreaming of you without any physical contact,‘ she said.

‗Perhaps something prompted me to be away so that you become more fascinating, more charming both in mind as well as body,‘ he replied. 175

‗How about going to movie? You still like going to cinema,‘ she asked.

‗At times yes, if you want we can go today too,‘ he replied.

‗Let us take something to eat and then we go see a movie,‘ she said.

They got to a restaurant in cannought place. After finishing dinner they hurried to the movie, reminding Jagan of the passionate St.John‘s college days.

They returned relaxed. The movie added to her desire for him. It was a love trail triangle immersed in scintillating music. She thought Indian directors have not reached a state of maturity where they could depict the essence of true love by putting attributes of sacrifice in the bag of the beloved which would enhance the beauty of the relationship. Love is ephemeral, undemanding in true spirit of the apostle of nishkama-karma, enunciated by Krishna. Immersed in her thoughts of the man of her life she reached her room hand in hand with her idol.

She prepared two large glass of pineapple juice and served tutti fruity ice-cream in two large crystal glass bowls and offered to her friend. She knows he likes this particular ice- cream. She made him sit on the loveseat and instead of taking her place on it she took a stool to sit in front of him; she feeded him his favorite ice-cream slowly like baby feeding, a few spoon feeds by her, he took the bowl in his hand and relished the delicacy. Loveseat, a piece of furniture made for two to sit, is so named not because it provide only the two to sit, rather for the two who occupy it have deeper feelings they share, a wavelength which allows the two to delve in joys and sorrows of life together, may be as husband wife, lovers, even quickies of both the past and present era. Loveseat, also called courting chair, then becomes secondary to the love that both enjoy together in body contact that unites them mentally. Both enjoyed the snacks. He relished the delicacy of her love without she sharing the love seat, establishing the Braj abstraction of love being more relevant than the love seat.

Often she was baffled what made her long for him so much? Was it the financial help he provided to get her sisters married? Was it the length of time they have known each other as kids and playmates? Was it his keen interest in her career promotion that made her his slave? Was it the enviable position he held in society that attracted her? Was it his extraordinary intelligence that clicked her fancy for him? Was it his robust health and personality that made her his ardent fan? Were romance and her innermost desire to get perpetually united prurient with him the reason behind the unusual tempest she perennially faced? She paused in deep silence to ponder over it. Day in and day out she thought of him. She then becomes motionless, quiet in her isolation to listen to her soul. She knows him since they were toddlers. She was very much aware there were Hina and other girls in between who claimed him in totality. However, she also knew that Jagan was more attracted towards her from his earliest concomitance that ultimately made her long for him. He was her soul mate and that fact she recognized in his veiled, unspoken, body language that become obvious to her through his eyes when they met hers. His captivating allurement of her made her his soul mate. It was natural; almost divine beyond reason. 176

Yet three months was rather protracted patch. She was both excited and apprehensive though without any distrust or suspicion whatsoever. Excited for she wanted to please him by plenteous surprises in the making of which she has devoured her days and nights during long spell of uneventful, obscure and desolate days stretching into weeks, months and years. Unattended and secluded she has architected her hours by counting the minutes and construed months by recounting the monthly dictionary meanings and Wren and Martin grammar chapters to be able to depict her worthiness of the trust her man has profusely put in her. His trust was unquestionable as was her commitment to it. Apprehensions, for she was woman in wholly man‘s dispensation; though doings for her were not asked for by her and it was all being done of his own initiative, she felt the micro thin hole that could engulf her future if there was slight shift in his perception. Her apprehension was however, outmatched by the confidence she commanded with him and therefore, she was at peace both with her and about him during the extended period of three months when she remained sequestered from him. Her confidence in him and his self propelled commitment for her notwithstanding the three month cool hole has sent her a quiver the ambience of which could be off beaten by his presence when he came and expressed his care for her. She then regained her calm for his warmth not only equaled but exceeded her segregated loneliness.

Accumulated emotions and overflowing feelings sought an urgent outlet when he met her. His astonishments matched her affections; two souls entrapped within natural healthy embodiment found personal gratification in walking long busy thoroughfares of the metropolice and peacefully submerged during the three hours of movie they enjoyed after a hearty palatable light dinner in cannought place.

He lay on her cozy white linen bed, somewhat relaxed. She sat beside him. She softly shuffled his hairs. She kissed his eyes, his earlobes, and his neck below ears, his cheeks and all over while he laid the flattering unction to his soul to let his hair down. He took her beside him over the bed embracing to unite with her fragrant body to loosen his face into her bosom to relax. They lay for motionless breathing, quiet, loose, relaxed. She turned over him putting her breasts over his broad chest and passionately kissed him. He gestured her to be still. Both were serenely calm and quiet. The only resonance reverberated through irregular breathing and as the two relaxed it became regular and lazy. She loved him. He liked her. She again kissed him, her breath becoming warm pulsate fast producing an odor so refreshingly personal to her young body. Pleasure fulfilled during tranquilly infinite requiescence, he got up and left on call of duty.

Shano couldn‘t sleep the remaining exiguous hours of the night.

177

5.4

Eight-nine hours of work during the week played a bit heavy on him. Nothing was wrong with his body; he was not playing or jogging regularly. He decided to be regular to physical activity. He fixed an hour to forty-five minutes for squash, and an hour for early morning jog at the grounds. In a week he felt better his vigor returned to normal. Besides maths he was taking history for his civil services competition. It required substantial effort to cope with the history courses, which included both the Indian as well as World history. For three years he had been in touch with the subject. Jagan was fully satisfied with his preparations. He worked hard. When he was tired he felt stale; intuitively he went for refurbishing his energy and appetite.

On Sunday afternoon Jagan wanted to relax and invited Sumitra, Aftab, and Reddy his partner, to go for a long stroll to unwind. He offered cold drinks if they join. The temptation to join him in the walk made them reach Rudra North earlier than expected and the group soon moved on foot. Sumitra arrived first in her Baby Austin. Jagan was apologetic and begged her pardon about not reaching her as promised. He was so busy.

Aftab was upset about some incident involving his father in the press. It related to union disputes about which a criminal case has been registered. Twice Aftab has requested Jagan to allow Shanti share his worries of the press; he offered partnership in it. Jagan informed he will talk to her.

‗Reddy, how is your ‗love‘?‘ asked Aftab.

‗There are twin angles engrossed in my affair. She seeks instant pleasure today; I want to build a relationship,‘ Reddy replied.

‗Are you apprehensive of your future, is it a mindset against today,‘ asked Aftab adding, ‗one has to nourish his today as well; if today is not inclusive of tomorrow it becomes stale.‘

‗Normally girls tend to look into future; they fear present may cheat them and spoil the tomorrow,‘ said Richa.

‗In my case it is the other way; my previous girl friends looked too much in the future which became hurdle to enjoy the moment,‘ replied Reddy.

‗It is how a relationship is built; if it‘s based on mutual confidence it should work,‘ said Richa.

‗Richy, you know your generation, have fun and forget. Fun includes the mullah as well,‘ said Aftab.

‗It‘s because trust is lacking, they perforce fall back to the present and enjoy,‘ replied Richa. 178

‗If your today is wholesome, enchanting and pleasant it naturally takes care of tomorrow,‘ intervening said Jagan.

‗Because no one wants to quit pleasure with an enchanting tomorrow, Jagan the philosopher may be right,‘ said Richa.

‗You are away from campus affairs and don‘t know the chemistry of modern love tales,‘ intervened Aftab.

‗That is why you are not getting on with your girl, Aftab. I told you if mullah is what impels then human values take a backseat,‘ replied Jagan.

‗All of you are taking it out of proportions; modern girls as well boys tend to live in the present only, mullah is important to them, and they will entertain only such crush that give them both,‘ said Reddy.

They arrived at the dhaba. All took cold drinks, Richa ice-cream. Jagan paid.

‗Gone are your days of value only instant pleasure that suits and adds to the purse is passé all else is dustbin,‘ said Reddy.

‗And who cares for valuable future if the moment is not cheery, enjoyable,‘ asked Richa.

‗Permanence is outdated, moment is all pervasive the absolute truth,‘ said Aftab.

‗Wrap-up of our thought hinges on it; selfless, egoless, result less karma! It is the only relevance, all else is bondage,‘ said Jagan, adding ‗our girls are smarter than boys and they behave with the knowledge that is the ‗present.‘

‗I enjoyed the glory of Madhubala in mahal; she looks bewitching really,‘ said Aftab.

‗Are you so selfish, you go movie alone,‘ asked Reddy.

‗Bachu! I had my girlie with me, understand,‘ Aftab replied.

‗She is no less gorgeous in tarana, have you seen, Jagan,‘ Reddy asked.

‗Who cares for subtle drabs like me,‘ Jagan replied.

‗Oh, my heavens, I will die for you, I will take you today, right now, name the movie you want to see. Often you are short of time,‘ said Richa.

‗Oh, thanks, Richa, it was a joke on Reddy, my room partner,‘ replied Jagan. 179

‗Come on name it Yaar, we will also get to see a movie in Box, with coffee-snacks in attendance, under Richa‘s father‘s surveillance,‘ requested Reddy.

‗On a condition that you bring your kabutaries, both of you and Aftab,‘ replied Richa.

‗The main bet is silent, bol yaar, Jagan the genius, let‘s see a movie today,‘ said Reddy.

‗What about the condition, where are your kabutaries, shy, eh!‘ asked Jagan.

‗What time will suit, if Madonas are coming,‘ asked Richa.

‗Let Madona-wallas commit,‘ replied Jagan.

‗My girlfriend is out of town,‘ said Aftab.

‗And yours may be busy with her jijaji,‘ asked Richa from Reddy.

‗I am her only dostam, she has no jija, by the way, Richi,‘ replied Reddy.

‗So the plan is down before it was out,‘ said Jagan, adding, ‗who cares for the buocolic like us for a movie treat,‘ said Jagan looking towards Richa.

‗Your innocence will take our toll, don‘t be so cruel, dear Jagan,‘ said Richa pleading.

They burst into laughter. Another drink and they were prepared to see movie.

Said Richa, ‗now we will have to go to the movie, the absence of Madona‘s notwithstanding, I can‘t afford to give a slip to Jagan who is so fond of it; and who is not fond of cinema?‘

Reddy said, ‗most welcome respected Richiji it will unwind all of us.‘

Richie telephoned home to make arrangements at the Palace cinema hall for five persons. The driver returned after half an hour with box tickets and ferried the youngsters to the Palace, where a man waited for the group.

Film was Pyasa of Gurudutta a realistic love torn episode of human emotions depicting value systems of the prevalent times. Youngsters enjoyed it thoroughly. The car left all of them. First was Jagan, Richi came out of the car to leave him, took him to a niche behind the old kadamba tree in front of Rudra and kissed him. Jagan thanked his vivacious friend.

It took nine and twenty days for Jagan to complete his civil services exam. He had meaningful gaps. It went off well. He was satisfied; however, he placed plans for a repeat retake. Richa also took it with him. After the examinations Jagan left for his village. He had asked Nekiram also to join him for few days leave. Shanti would also leave for Nandgaon 180 after two days. She had to submit her journal assignment on ‗Media Law - Need for Update,‘ for assessment in the Institute. At Kirpa‘s request and of her own curiocity she has prepared a small thesis over the historicity of caste in India with the intention to form a clear ‗view‘ over the issue; she informed Jagan she would be coming to Nandgaon where it would be read in a brain storming session before Neki, Kirpa and Jagan. It was done at her own initiative with a view to form an opinion of the persons closely related with the issue so that it could be the subject of a wider national debate, to be initiated probably by Kirpa. Jagan was gratified the little girl friend was thinking really big.

5.5

Jagan was visiting his village after a long gap. There were many changes. Parsadi Thakur and the brilliant Kunji Nai were dead. He went to console their death. Kirpa‘s father was also dead. He sat there also. Kirpa was doing well. After his matriculation he was married and had two children, a boy and a girl. It was rather surprising these two friends of Jagan, Neki and Kirpa, both had adhered to a small family norm when their contemporaries produced at least half a dozen for a couple. It was perhaps the effect of their association that couldn‘t stop their early marriage but has prepared them to adopt a small family norm. Jagan encouraged him to complete matriculation. Jagan purposely spared him from an ordinary job, he advised him to look more into the local prpblems and people. Kirpa was also interested in his native place and was not keen for any job. He told Jagan, Bhaiyaji there is lot to be done in the village itself. Guruji was getting old he was thinking to retire. Factory was closed. Arora had left Nandgaon and shifted to Bombay. With the money he earned here in Nandgaon he has put up a finance company in Malad West, where he advances money to small employees on interest for short terms. He is also trying to open a hotel. He also plans to build a house and make a cozy bedroom where he will fuck his wife during day and share the joys with his new friends. Munshi Sarpanch‘s beloved Manjul was also gone in an arranged forced wedlock, which was destined to fail, the frail beautiful women having committed suicide, after her lover left her in the bumble and her parents forced her to marry. The tragedy was replayed exactly as Jagan had predicted based on apprehensions about the intentions of the lover whom he knew better than others. The guava orchard Jagan had planted was growing well and will bear fruit within a couple of years. Jagan had shaken off old style estate management. Manpower was promptly paid at enhanced rates which attracted them to work at the farm. It resulted in a situation his estate survived the vagaries of change of time most other farms dwindled under pressures of feudal management including economic reasons. Sardara Ram and Munshi punjabis have also left Nandgaon with the migration of Arora. With the closure of the factory there was peace in Nandgaon. 181

But the tranquility was surfaced by the continuing miseries of the outcaste Mohallas on the fringe of the village. Untouchability continues it may be carried till old guard of conservative society is alive, till Ammas and Nanis ordain their grand children to take bath after body contact the untouchables. The servile underfoot continued to breathe dirty polluted surroundings frequented by pigs, hungry dogs, their urchins with sewers and drains making ponds in front of their dwellings, breeding mosquitoes and millions of bacteria. These persons continue to live undernourished, unhygienic, miserable lives that start doing beggar-work without pay early morning and return late evening most of the day‘s empty stomach and hungry or at times having been feeded with the estate left overs. The most striking feature of this part of the village population was life without them for most villagers would not only be very arduous but meandering to pass by and yet these persons were maltreated. Most of Neksa‘s herd of goats have perished in the epidemic, a few remaining sheep does not provide for six members of his family‘s food and he has no resources to buy fresh goats, resultantly there are no farmer encounters and no more he plays the tricks to release his herd grazing green field-crops. Hira‘s widow has been sold off to a forty plus beggar in another village and God knows how many more seasons will she be able to witness. The village craft bazaar has been replaced by squalors and the craftsman has migrated to towns and cities. Instead kiosks have sprung up stealthily selling locally distilled illicit liquor in pouches covered under wraps, eggs boiled and half boiled with loaves of bread a week old, salted potato wafers used as thoom-snacks usually meat with drinks, with the local brew tharra. There are beetle shops, bidis and Navy Cut cigarettes selling like hot cakes. However, there are audio cassettes, songs „sarkai leu khatia jada lage‘ blaring on peak pitch over the gadgets, making the village unemployed dance to the tunes they have watched Cuckoo dancing on the television, when on every third day power supply returns to the village for a period of four hours. The number of garbage dumps-ghoora have since increased manifold with the increased numbers of households as a result of separation into nuclear families, depleting further the width of the road making it difficult to pass the thoroughfare, Munshiji sarpanch is jolly well sarpanch dispensing quick justice and enjoying in return fast sex with whosoever is available on bansi pedas-local sweet bait and other odd favors.

He met Hina but for a brief encounter only, because she was to leave that very day. She had two daughters and was pregnant. The pink of her face was replaced by dark tan, sun burnt skin. Her fresh red lips smelt foul with betel, tobacco, nuts and cracks of the pungent non-veg food she might be eating without any brushing of her teeth, or even regular daily bath. He tried to be as polite as was possible and she felt distanced from her former friend by the laws made by man. What a change! He gave her five hundred rupees as present for the Rakhi went past earlier to buy things her daughters may need; Jagan had always in the past too helping her financially out of his feeling for her. She reluctantly kept the gift. With a last forlorn glance and a sad feeling she bade good-bye. He wondered how quickly youth turns into hags with wrinkled drawn faces for village girls.

Dr. Madho Singh was dead and the flames, which sent Madho Singh‘s earthly remains to ashes, consumed his father‘s peak cap that donned his uniform when he was alive. Chameli was old yet she continued to entertain. She was a legend in her own right. 182

Though five year plans under a regulated socialistic pattern were launched the effect of change was extremely slow to reach rural India. The bureaucratic lethargy prevented the rural village leadership to reap the fruits of buoyancy the democratic electoral system brought within their ambit, instead of ushering in a pluralistic young village leadership it encouraged sort of touts, middlemen as the newly elected village sarpanchs interacted with the patwaris and gramsevaks. Instead of making them self reliant and enthuse them with self confidence to plan for a new India, the socialistic pattern and state protection made them dependent on officials to bring development to the village clusters resulting in the creation of an army of local netas, in active collusion with civil servants at the tehsil and district level, moving all around to find gaps in the process of development to divert major share of money to their pockets instead of creating infrastructure for development, roads, power, communications, and also slowed the much required change in agriculture, animal husbandry or horticulture. Despite this obstructionist approach by the official machinery whatever progress was achieved was the result of individual initiative rather than official encouragement. Nehru‘s socialistic pattern and public sector approach blocked the needed change rather than provide the required impetus and speed. It also ushered in corruption, though the menace was prevalent during the Raj as a permanent feature of a decadent society, it increased as more money was put in the pipeline for development.

Nekiram was married when he was kid; his wife Ramoli arrived with him only when she has become of age and Neki got a job arranged by Jagan in Delhi. He has a son and a daughter born in quick succession soon after their gauna-second marriage. His father continued to make leather shoes though things were getting nearer to close shop. This family was the recipient of patronage of Jagan and with him the Mohini estate. Munshi Sarpanch frequently entrusted him with local responsibilities. He carried weight in his caste and was a staunch supporter of Jagan, since the times of Thakur Vikram Singh, who too was very kind to him, and thus in the village chemistry he was a major supporter of Sarpanch Munshi during and after the elections. Formerly Cheta and now Chetram, as he was known, was intelligent, honest and a supporter of his caste in the village hierarchy. That position made him a spokesman for those downtrodden fellows who were his caste. Jagan‘s influence over both Chetram and Nekiram couldn‘t be explained except a personal equation they have come to build much because of Jagan‘s friendship with Neki and through it lot help in financial and family affairs. Jagan also helped build a pucca house for the family replacing their thatched hut. In the marriage of his three daughters, Chetram was greatly assisted both by the Thakurani and Munshi Sarpanch, besides Jagan which came naturally as of a close friend. Chetram or Neki, Jagan‘s word for both the father and son was as holy as cow; they never questioned his authority even in their personal matters, in which he took as much interest as if it were his own family matters. Jagan‘s liking for Neki was as old as were they themselves and could be explained by divine faith. Never did he allow any discrimination to be meted out to his friend because he was an outcaste or whatever. Equally abiding and honest was Neki‘s faithfulness for Jagan. His word was his law. They rarely differed; on any difference of opinion Jagan took his word if he thought Neki was right without any hesitations whatsoever. In outer perception in the village people were wonderstruck with their intimate friendship, something of which Chetram was proud of. 183

Caste weighed heavily on peoples mind, as the party in power that claimed they brought independence to the country, brought in affirmative action over the age-old much despised and manipulated caste structure in rural India. The arrangement was pregnant with explosive situations which could significantly mould or maul Indian democracy in times to come. Indian democracy flourished with politics of patronage. Bitter disillusion was gathering amongst majority of claimants who remained deprived of the state sponsored affirmation, a unique feature of Indian system where merit was replaced by mediocrity.

5.6

By the time Shanti reached Nandgaon Jagan had fulfilled major part of his itinerary, she was delayed in submission of her assignment. Immediately upon arrival she called on him. He was not home, she met dadima and ma, touched their feet. They were surprised to see a changed Shanti. She got up to leave as Jagan was not back. While leaving she met Nekiram, seeing him she was surprised, how and when did he come. He told he has come on orders of bhaiyaji on a few days leave. She asked him to call her as soon as Jagan returns. Meanwhile Jagan arrived Shanti dressed in beige salwar kameez suit said namaste, touched his feet and came along.

‗When did you reach here? I and Neki were waiting to listen you over your thesis,‘ he asked.

‗I just arrived. I was waiting for you. I have met ma and dadima, she told,‘ adding, ‗what is your program?‘

‗I was thinking to get back. I have met people and seen around,‘ he asked.

‗I came for your sake. I have put in quite a bit of research into the dissertation I have prepared its good you have asked Neki too to join in. I will call Kirpa also. Let‘s stay few days more. I will come with you,‘ she said.

‗Well, OK, I will talk to Neki, meanwhile you look into your house problems, and we meet at the farm house in the evening. We will leave only after we have heard you and when you are free,‘ said Jagan

Nekiram and Jagan were closeted for two and half hours. They discussed some urgent matters for Nandgaon‘s future. It is to be discussed with Shanti. Jagan asked Nekiram to keep quiet over it till it is discussed with her. 184

‗Bhaiyaji has evolved some plan for Nandgaon, he wished you to look and give your suggestions,‘ Nekiram began looking to Shanti.

‗Shano, without being parochial and regional I want our village to develop into a model example of unity by discarding caste and class disparities; will you suggest how to begin,‘ Jagan said.

‗It would be a wonderful. To begin we must put some organization in place, where responsibility should be given to poor, have-nots but locals,‘ she said.

‗Could it be ‗Nandgaon Unity Forum‘, suggested Jagan.

‗It will be a great idea,‘ said Nekiram.

‗It would require some money to run it, from where are we going to get it,‘ asked Shanti.

‗Once you decide to do it money should be no problem,‘ said Jagan.

‗Donations, membership fee, or what,‘ asked Nekiram.

‗That will make tiny bit, you will need more,‘ said Shanti.

‗You are right, I thought it should be some activity which could generate money by its own effort,‘ suggested Jagan, asking, ‗any ideas.‘

‗Could it not be a technology center sort of organization that produce new innovative village level items of daily use,‘ asked Shanti, adding, ‗we could make local women interested to work and earn with profit.‘

Nekiram said, ‗it could produce things we already make in the village with innovative methods, such as shoes, modern light for export, or cotton wool jackets made traditionally here that too for export, no one could beat Nandgaon tailors in this area, they could create exotic apparels.‘

‗You should identify items we could make, and then develop the idea. Second I want it to be not just a business enterprise to earn profit. It should take up issues like illiteracy, sanitation, family planning, caste hangover, misuse of religion, and high light the basic unity. Use modern methods to disseminate the ideas all around,‘ suggested Jagan.

‗It should take the form of an institution providing remedies to social maladies and uniting people other than government run programs,‘ said Shanti.

‗That is what we want; hammer the concept of market play-field,‘ said Jagan. 185

‗How to begin, I suggest you and Shanti put the idea on paper, improve it, a detailed note, then we proceed further, it will need some land, a hut to begin with, suggest suitable land from our estate, I will see,‘ said Jagan to Nekiram.

‗We should create something new at par with international standards,‘ said Shanti.

‗Nekiram will also have to suggest names of persons who could be given responsibility in the village,‘ said Shanti.

‗Yes,‘ said Jagan.

‗Jagan if you agree name it, ‗National Technology Unity Center-NTUC‘ to give it an all India image. You could later expand by opening branches in different places. It should be an exceptional non-governmental effort to disseminate technology and unite all Indians,‘ suggested Shanti.

‗Wonderful, I agree, Bhaiyaji it is a perfect name,‘ said Nekiram

‗Nekiram will handle the project; but it will be your baby Shanti,‘ said Jagan adding, ‗more local content should gradually be included. The idea must then spread.‘

They then turned towards Shano to hear her speak.

5.7

At Jagan‘s farm house the four had gathered on purpose. After preliminaries, Jagan requested Shano to put her study of caste for consumption of all present including Neki and Kirpa. Shano read her piece with the ease of an expert scholar:

‗Caste is an exclusive Indian phenomenon; no human formulation the world over has ever been the target of so indiscriminate, heterogeneous, malapropism, perversion and misrepresentation than caste in India. It came into existence for noblest of intendment. It might look expedient to criticize caste in its present context; we may however, look to the level of civilization Indians of that age had construed involving micro planning to augment life of man as well as society to levels of almost perfection in every walk of its existence. Presumably a functional division of society was known at the time of the Rigveda. The actual mention of caste system in Avestan literature as comprising of the priest, the charioteer [warriors], agriculturist and artisans and an identical division of society in 186 ancient India may point to a common origin of the caste system especially because the Indo-Aryans are the source of the same ethnic group which branched off and moved towards Persia. The ideal of varnashramdharma, no doubt has always been the driving force in functioning of Indian society. Chaturvarnya in its ideal form came to be looked upon as an organization of a society which laid emphasis on ethical values. Each of the four social orders or varnas was expected to follow its own particular dharma-duties in order that the purity, solidarity, and integrity of the society as a whole may be retained unperturbed. What varnadharma was in respect of life of the society as a whole ashramdharma was in respect of the life of an individual, which again likewise in an ideal form, was also organized into four distinct stages or ashrams, brahmcharya, grahsthya, vanprastha and sanyas, so that he should be in a position to make the best possible use of his whole mortal existence and thus contribute to consolidate the society the maximum that he was capable of. It is however, needless to state that no ideal works perfect ever and it gets corrupted in course of time.

Ancient Indian history indicates the first corruption appeared since the age of the Nandas when conflict developed between different social orders reflecting in political domain. Apparently caste had always been political. The Purana-tradition that the race of the kshatriyas would come to an end with the Nandas appears to give a political inkling to it. It can be assumed on the basis of that tradition, confirmed by other historical evidence, that with the rise of Chandragupta Maurya, the ruling power was transformed from the control of the kshatriyas to those of the sudras. From point of view of social history the Maurya epoch was revolutionary, for it was for the first time in historical period a vrsala had become an emperor. Chandragupta was bitter against the kshatriyas and it actuated him closer to his Brahmin Prime Minister Kautilya. In his Arthasastra, Kautilya has, therefore, pleaded against the selling or mortgaging of the life of a sudra; Kautilya also referred to sudras as arya. Ashoka, the grandson of the first vrsala Emperor in India sought to do away with all the inequalities of a sudra, obviously after being inspired by Budhism; in true Budhist spirit, Ashoka tried to build up a classless society and casteless bureaucracy. Later after the fall of the Mauryas it was the Sungas who recoiled to bring to the top scale the Brahmins once again; Manusmriti, the great gospel of the successful Brahmanic revival led by Pushyamitra Sunga, seems to suggest in unmistakable terms that only a Brahmin well versed in Veda could be a general and king. Though the supremacy of the Brahmins in the political arena soon came to an end, the varnashramadharma, as elaborated in the Manusmriti had come to stay and continued to be the ruling factor in Hindu society for all time to come.

The period between the fall of the Sungas and the rise of the Imperial Guptas was a dynamic period of trade and colonization in foreign countries giving birth to a greater India; India‘s religious, cultural and intellectual movements spread out beyond its frontiers, along with a brisk trade and resultantly liberalization of the rigid social order was necessitated, where castes has come to represent different professions. Caste has almost become like a trade-guild which helped maintain and develop expert knowledge in any particular trade, from father to son, generation to generation. The continuity of caste therefore, meant the continuity of the trade as an art. Like an economic guild, each caste had its own ethical code according to which it governed their social life and also regulated inter-caste relations. 187

The caste system thus helped Hindu society to hold together. Under the Guptas the liberalized code of social interaction appeared in Yajnavalkasmriti, against the counter reactionary Manusmriti, which generally raised the social and legal status of the sudra; a sudra could be a teacher, also he could own a property. Under the Guptas India achieved an unmatched development in almost all areas to make it the golden period of Indian history. Medieval India witnessed slavery imposed by foreign Arab and Turk invaders. The Islamic hordes though were aliens but after they occupied the country they settled here and didn‘t disturb the caste or class hierarchy too much, since they were mostly occupied in annexation and wealth for which they had ventured in to the land of the gold.

The second great misinterpretation and corruption of caste, and it was more damaging as it aggressively institutionalized it, appeared when British Imperialism established colonial rule in the country. Outside scholars and sociologists have studied caste in colonial India at great length.

The jijmani system, the complimentary relationship between the dominant peasant castes on the one hand and service and artisan castes on the other, very characterstic of India‘s rural economy for generations, was a basic feature of Braj centered on the organization of production and distribution around the hereditary occupational castes, the non-agricultural castes being recompensed by traditional fixed share of the village produce and, in some cases, by small plots of land. However, such castes appear to have always retained some measure of freedom to sell their goods and services. As a determinant of economic organization caste was marked by two mutually opposed traits; one there was a tendency of high degree of specialization, each particular occupation tending to develop into an exclusive group and thus the dagbar who made leather bags for ghee and sugarcane juice was socially and occupationally distinct from the chamar manufacturing shoes, leather ropes and drumheads. The yoghurt makers of Bihar were clearly distinguished into two mutually exclusive sub-castes, the guriyas who first extracted butter and the majrotis who first curldled the milk. At the other end of the spectrum there was a fair measure of flexibility and mobility. Mobility from low ritual to high occupational status was also prevalent. Some castes covered a range of occupations from which movements to and fro were permitted. The panchalas or Kammalans of Mysore, for instance included five trades of goldsmith, blacksmith, coppersmith, carpenters and masons. Nor did the unchanging rural organization prevent the movement of the entire caste groups from one region to another. In categories used in Mughal revenue literature the village was the substantial primary unit for land revenue every detail of arable land, inhabited area, pools, groves, watercourses, forest and wasteland had clearly demarcated boundaries raiyati and talluka villages being distinct for purposes of revenue collection. One striking feature in pre- colonial days is the very high yield per acre, despite the obvious shortcomings of agricultural practices. The ancient Indian conception of group or village being the basic social unit was juxtaposed against the excessively individualistic approach by the western missionaries and colonial administrators. In Indian view emphasis is on abnegation of the self-atma; it is vain and unimportant as it must lose identity and merge in or with the Brahma-Paramatma. Only in such a merger of atma with paramatma is destined its final deliverance-moksha. Portrayal of the substance that the self or the individual contained or portrayed was what was important. In the entire range of Indian classical literature 188 individual names are conspicuously absent; it‘s the content what is important, be it the Veda, Arnyakas, Upanishads or the Puranas. The former local tradition put emphasis on the village where people were engaged in various occupations, by which they were recognized, the later western compilers emphasized individual over the group. This basic difference of approach led to the whole lot of misconception about what they tried to showcase caste as a closed rigid entity.

A curious fact about the pre-colonial manufacturing organization is that the presence or growth of capitalistic features modified but little the customary caste basis of the entire system. The fantastic degree of specialization in textile production was linked to the fact that each variety of cloth was the speciality of a particular subcaste. The artisan‘s guild was in fact the local caste guild of manufacturers of particular commodities, the head of the caste ensuring the maintenance of traditional methods and standards. Even the control of the merchants over artisans was at times organized as the control of the former‘s caste guild over the later‘s, as for instance in the agate industry in Gujrat. One major exception to this pattern was the movement of other castes, including peasants, into the profession of weaving, but this seems to have made little difference to the primacy of birth as the determinant of one‘s occupation. A close look at India‘s pre-colonial commerce reveals layer after layer of market networks centering on the great emporia often acted as conduits for long distance trade. Hardly any of Rajasthan‘s produce entered into the trade from Agra to Surat, but the textiles which the great Gujarat port secured from Bengal came from many towns and villages in the later province through their interlocking local network of markets. Tavernier‘s description of caravans of 10 – 12,000 pack oxen carrying rice to where only corn grows, and corn to where only rice grows, and salt to the places where there is none refers to a feature of the market integration which predates colonial era by several generations. The era of post Mughal disintegration and political instability helped grow ties connecting distant credit markets; by mid eighteenth century the entire revenue of the eastern provinces was sent as a hundi drawn by Jagat Seth on his agents in Delhi. Merchants in India covered a wide spectrum of terms of their functions, wealth and scale of operation which displayed the vibrancy of internal, external trade and commerce. Buchanan mentions sixty-seven types of retailers in Bihar, some of whom were manufacturers selling their own wares.

Apparently the classification was aimed at occupations rather than caste as we understand it now. There were guilds of different trades consisting of skilled persons which played an important role in the body politic of the republics. People were broadly recognized by their occupations.

Thus there were Swarnkars [goldsmiths], Charmkars [ hides & skin], Luhars [iron smiths], Telis [oilsmen], Kumhars [potters], Baniyas [traders], Bohras, Dukandars [shopkeers], Theliwalas [moving kiosks], Adhatiyas [commission agents], Tulaiwalas [wieghman], Daliawalas [hawkers], Kuawalas [well-borers], Kolhuwalas [crushers], Ghorewalas [horse-traders], Saisas [horse-keepers], Maveshiwalas [cattle dealers], Gayawalas [cow keepers], Bailwallas [bullock keepers], Chinaiwallas [builders], Bhattewalas [Klin-owners], Mittiwlas [earth movers], Garhiwalas [cart owners], Tongawalas [horse-carriages], Rathwalas [chariot owners], Majholiwalas [half cart 189 owners], Mithaiwalas [sweet sellers], Dahiwalas [curd makers], Doodhwlas [milkman], Gur-Shakkarwalas [jaggery makers], Paniwalas [waterman], Bhainsawalas [buffalo dealers], Kasais [butchers], Maveshiwalas [cattle dealers], Murgiwalas [hen dealers/keepers], Bakriwalas [goat keepers/dealers], Silaiwalas [tailers], Streewalas [presswallas], Bajewalas [bandmasters], Tansewalas [drum masters], Sabziwalas [vegetable vendors], Eitwalas [brick suppliers], Cement-Bajariwalas [building material suppliers], Pheriwalas [vendors], Fakirs [beggers], Pandits-Panditai [priests-rituals], Nais [barbers], Pandit-Nai Sagaiwalas [marriage brokers], Jutaiwalas [cultivators], Buwaiwalas seed- planters], Titar-Kabutarbaaz [partridge-pegion trainers/keepers], Murgawalas [cock fights], Pahalwans [wrestlers], Padhanewalas [teachers-guru], Katha-Kirtanwalas [religious performers], Lathait [club-wielders], Chor [thieves], Uthaigir [lifters], Uchchaka [cheats], Chhinar [concubines], Radua [widowers], Nachanewali [prostitutes], Nachkaia [buffoon] , Nat [athletic entertainers], Rasia [rural drama], Vidyarthi [student], Guru [teacher], Baba- Swami [mendicant], Bhikari [beggar, alms collector], Bhangin [sweepress], Suarwalas [pig keepers], Dhobi-Striwala [drycleaners] Barhai[carpenter], Khojas [intutors-hunchmen], Chor [thieves-dacoits], Uthaigira [lifters/window-shoppers], Seth [money lenders], Thakur- Thakurais [local rulers], Dhullai [goods-carrier], Ras-Gavaeea [village singers] Koria [spun-weavers], Dhunaiwala or Dhunna [ginning-winnowing], Rangrez [dyers], Tambuwala [tent], Mochi [cobbler] and many more.

The list is neither exhaustive nor comprehensive, it is only indicative; it was, however, part of an extensive society. What is significant about it is that each is a profession; an occupation which was open to anybody opting to practice as against the caste. Though caste in its pristine form in the beginning was also interchangeable, it later became dogmatic and people stayed in one that they inherited. But occupations were different, as they were numerous and required some sort of skill to perform the craft. There were elaborate regulations of these occupational guilds including the training of young entrepreneurs, management of raw materials, the establishment of infrastructure for manufacturing the products, fine-tuning the process of production to meet competition at the market and finally sales of the finished products both in the domestic as well as foreign market. The different guilds manufacturing various artifacts were represented at the level of the king to obtain state level concessions; excise and transportation levies, other taxes and vigorous follow up of their interests were made and pursued to benefit the community. The concept of caste was negligible and occupational guild or community occupied the important place in the overall social set up. Inter-guild relations and interaction was very dynamic and both ideas and material were exchanged making the society very vibrant.

When the greed of the English turned to the internal trade of the country, their attempts to ‗engross‘ this lifeline of the economy were immediately resisted. It thereupon cleared the road to Plassey; and Plassey initiated India to colonization.

Mr. John Sullivan who pleaded for Indian native states in England while these were being annexed held ‗what the native looses, the Englishman gains and the little court disappears, trade languishes, the capital decays, the people are impoverished, the Englishman flourishes and acts like a sponge, drawing up riches from the banks of the Ganges and squeezing them down upon the banks of the Thames.‘ 190

The most crucial means of colonization was the abuse and misinterpretation of the caste, which till then revolved around specialized occupations. Even an Englishman, Sir Herbert Edwardes pleaded with the company government to abandon the very unethical idea of recognizing the caste. To make it happen Macaulay introduced English education whose effect on the Indians was prodigious; Christianization followed affecting the native thought both directly with conversions by missionary zeal and indirectly making them aloof and lukewarm about their religion, philosophy and life as a whole. The concept of caste as we understand it at present is the making of the British colonial rule when it deliberately depicted Indians to be dwarfed by rigid tradition and only deserved to be ruled. The demeaning of Indians as a hopeless degenerated traditional and caste bound rotten people unable to achieve anything was very elaborately carried out by disturbing the indigenous social set up, industry, change the traditional farming system and knowledge of agriculture by superimposing dual interference with the sole purpose of extracting many times more land revenue in different subtle ways, and engaging the indigenous local leadership by conferring hollow zamidari and taluqdari titles, creating an illogical appetitive in them to vie to hope and gain titles, honors, insignias in a race to beat one another, playing into the hands of the British agents in the form of bureaucrats who very intelligently blunted their efforts to manage their estates by development oriented governance. Those few taluqdars who indulged in people oriented governance to improve financial resources of their estates were earmarked as anti-imperial, were branded as rebels and made to confront the raj resulting in their defeat and seizure of estates. The present caste ridden legacy of the affirmative quotas and reservations is the direct offshoot of the British colonialism and modern political parties exercised by way of the potency of vote.

In fact, however, caste had always been political – it had been shaped in fundamental ways by political struggles and processes; even so, it was not a designation that exhausted the totality of Indian social forms, let alone described their essence. What we take now as caste is, in fact, the precipitate of a history that selected caste as the single and systematic category to name, and thereby contains the Indian social order. In pre-colonial India, the units of social identity had been multiple, and their respective relations and trajectories were part of a complex, conjectural, constantly changing, political world. The referents of social identity were not only heterogeneous; they were also determined by context. Temple communities, territorial groups, lineage segments, family units, royal retinues, warrior sub castes, ‗little‘ kingdoms, occupational reference groups, agricultural or trading associations, devotionally conceived networks and sectarian communities, even priestly outfit, were just some of the significant units of identification, all of them at various times far more significant than any uniform metonymy of endogamous ‗caste‘ groupings. Caste, or rather some of the things that seem most easily to come under the name of caste, was just one category among many others, one way of organizing and representing identity. Moreover, caste was not a single category or even a single logic of categorization, even for Brahmans, who were the primary beneficiaries of the caste idea. Regional, village, or residential communities, kinship groups, factional parties, chiefly contingents, political affiliations, and so on could both supersede caste as a rubric for identity and reconstitute the ways caste was organized. Within localities, or kingdoms, groups could rise or fall and in the process become more or less caste like, depending on the fortunes of particular kings, chiefs, warriors, or headmen, even as kings could routinely readjust the social order by royal 191 decree. More importantly the chaturvarna the fourfold classification of society was intended to make it vibrant and dynamic as was the fourfold classification of man‘s life into the four ashramdharma, namely brahmacharya, grahasthya, vanprastha and sanyas to wholly utilize his energies to a better social order. It was wholly and deliberately confused and misinterpreted by the colonial imperialists

First the Brahmins and much later the British branded these functional guilds or occupations into castes by elaborate caste glossaries spread over the length and breadth of the empire and turned it into a traditional apolitical system of an externally imposed traditional authenticity difficult to alter. Elaborate caste glossaries prepared by well known bureaucrats like Beams and Risley, followed by caste based traditional commentaries enumerating habits and occupations created a confusing state of Indian society which had long lasting political repercussions. The main thrust of these voluminous write ups was to place Indian society in tight compartment of non-transferable traditional caste with all its negative traits under focus to govern which prime responsibility was devolved upon the British imperialism with modern world class political system to improve lot of the colony. That promise of modern governance was a mirage; it never was intended to be ushered in.

There could have been no greater blasphemy of a concept than what the British made out of the caste. The effect of Mandalisation could never be considered more than the imposition of imperialism by the colonial power in its two hundred years of rule whereby it brought into existence the present caste concept by more ways than the military victory could ever achieve, by institutionalizing tradition, by recognizing the cultural synthesis of caste through lengthy dossiers and caste glossaries and by making all aware of the caste categorizations in society under strict rigid rules and regulations they purportedly made for the purpose. But it is critical to note that it was under two hundred years of British domination that ‗caste‘ became a single term capable of expressing, organizing, and above all ‗systematizing‘ India's diverse forms of social identity, community, and organization. In a nutshell present caste is the offspring of colonialism.Henceforth it would be illegal to change from caste catagorisation.

Colonialism was anchored and fastened more by enlightened desciplining of domination than by soldiery annexation, a fact that has so far not received focus it deserves. Colonial knowledge both enabled acquisition and was ferried by it; in certain important ways, knowledge was what colonialism was all about as it created various cultural structures – of rulers and the ruled, angrez and the native, Gore-white and Kale-black, Burra sahibs and the Ryots, modern and traditional. Through the delineation and reconstitution of systematic grammars for vernacular languages, the control of Indian territory through picturesque simulation of artificial intelligence, practice of domination, the representation of India through the mastery and display of archaeological mementos and the study and translated reconstruction of classical Sanskrit texts, the taxing of India through the reclassification and assessment of land use, land revenue and land proprietorship as property framework and agrarian structure, and the enumeration of India through the statistical technology of census glossaries, England set in motion transformations every bit as powerful as the better known outcome of military and economic imperialism. Whole set of beliefs, customs, practices, and convictions which 192 were ingrained as indigenous age-old establishments of Indian society termed as traditional are in fact the complicated byproducts of colonial history. An age old society based on occupations and guilds was through cultural technologies showcased as a rigid tradition bound caste formation. The colonizers simultaneously misrecognized and simplified things Indian, imprisoning the Indian subject into the typecast role it assigned under the name of tradition. In the conceptual scheme which the British created to understand and to act in India, they constantly followed the same logic; they reduced vastly complex codes and their associated meanings to a few abstractions; India was redefined by the British to be a place of rules and regulations; once the colonizers had defined to their own satisfaction what they construed as Indian rules and customs, then the Indians under their hegemony had to conform to these constructions.

Public life was divorced of all prevalent traditional hierarchies; Indian political establishment was condemned as feudal and old organizational associations were extroverted and transposed. The permanent Zamindari settlements of Bengal and Madras, and the intractable histories leading to indirect rule of one form or another in one-third of India leaving princely states intact, produced a false and unrealistic picture of India's past politics. The British maintained in style these hollow kingdoms, which had facilitated colonial conquest, as lavish museums of old India. These colonial narratives seemed justified by case after case in which landlords and princes would fail to exploit the economic opportunities afforded by permanent settlement and indirect rule; histrionic states grew up all over India in which issues of ceremonial relic and prestige, hierarchy and protocol, accumulation and expenditure seemed of far greater importance than either profound administration, economic resurgence or popular representation. And wherever such attempts to administer well were made by taluqdars to turn theatre states into real administrative units such attempts were ruthlessly suppressed and their lands and forts seized, as in the case of Hathras in Braj under its ruler Thakur Dayaram, a close cousin of Thakur Vikram Singh.

As India was anthropologied in the colonial interest, a narrative about its social formation, its political capacity, and its civilized inheritance began increasingly to tell the story of colonial inevitability and of the permanence of British imperial rule. Aryan invasion theory was recanted as an important first chapter on ancient Indian history. The intention was to identify the white British imperialists comparable to white skinned, tall and fair Aryan invaders as Englishmen were. The ryots deserved only to be ruled by superior white invaders like the Aryans of the yore; since the fair skinned Aryan invaders invaded and overpowered the aboriginal Indians to rule over them so would the English white imperialists would rule over the aboriginal and backward Indians. As agrarian revenue issues were provisionally resolved, they were at the same time increasingly taken over by other kinds of revenue concerns tied into the diversification of the colonial economy, ranging from changes in international trade, the success and transformation of industrial development in Britain, and the rise of major investments in railways and other infrastructures, to new kinds of world strategic concerns. Methodology of early company rule began to give way to more levers of control. This was so particularly in the wake of the first war of independence of 1857, after which the Company's ambitions of complete conquest were necessarily curtailed, and the British state assumed ‗direct‘ rule. At the very 193 time that Awadhi talukdars were being bought off and other princes and zamindars feted as the ceremonial center of old India, British interest in the institution of caste intensified in very new ways. District-level manuals and gazetteers began to devote whole chapters on the ethnography of caste and custom; imperial surveys made caste into a central object of investigation; and by the time of the first decennial census of 1872, caste had become the primary subject of social classification and knowledge. Although the village continued to be seen as the dominant site of Indian social life, it became understood as more a setting for caste relations than the primary building block of Indian society. By 1901, when the census commissioner H. H. Risley announced his ambition for an ethnographic survey of India, it was clear that caste had attained its colonial deification.

The third and perhaps final abuse of caste was generated by free India‘s political leadership. The predicament of caste in India is the result of this grave faltering in the initial years of independence to recognize caste as an important political constituent in our social life. Externally and officially we denied the existence of caste; in our ongoing life we continued to rely and get motivated on caste lines without break. There never was an open public debate about caste in free India. Ambedkar‘s desire ‗to annihilate caste‘ took the form of a public silence in Nehru era. This dependence over caste increased as the political awareness of independent India increased and interaction of castes in reconstruction of the country started to take off. As economic benefits depended upon caste considerations more and more people collided to gain access to both power and money through the caste formations and battle lines were drawn for more vigorous social churning of the issues. Some opportunist politicians seized the situation to gain importance and further complicated the communal matters by mandalising the whole issue.

That was the beginning of the present dilemma independent India faces in the confrontation of the caste based reservations and the consequent affirmative action by way of quotas, reservations and social perks. This artificial caste barrier in Indian society has been made worse by the encouragement it has received from the political parties by wooing the various caste clusters for the sole purpose of garnering votes in their favor. The British act of sacrilege and deliberate policy to undermine the dynamism of colonized Indian society was easily swallowed by Indian leaders and the result is that the country has a perennial caste problem which is refusing to be wiped out, much to the amusement of the politicians who want it to continue and offer them a platform to denounce it to get votes. The vote politics is making it death-proof. The fact that both the Brahmins and Rajputs are clamoring to be included in the OBC category is a clear indication that quota and reservations deal with real social benefits that are being doled out on purely political considerations by the parties in power simply to gain votes of the caste configurations targeted to be included in the quota category. Every caste wants their own collectors and superintendents of police; bureaucratic hangover would continue till it is annihilated specifically. New SC leader Kirpa already thinks the only way we could neutralize caste conflicts and assign it the old intent it was basically formulated was to do away with caste based quota reservations by an amendment of the constitution, that in any case was an enabling provision for a limited time frame which has already been exceeded more than was required by the framers of the constitution.‘ 194

When caste became political again if, necessarily, in a different sense, whether in response to census classifications at the beginning of the twentieth century when people vied for an upward inclusion or in reaction to the implementation of the Mandal Report at the end when caste groups vied for demotion to lower caste status, no one should have been surprised for caste had always been political, but under colonialism was anchored to the service of a colonial interest in maintaining social order, justifying colonial power, and sustaining a very particular form of indirect rule. It would appear we are gradually reverting back to a situation when the Indian society would relapse into the hotbed of more castes if the affirmative policy is allowed to give unequal share of benefits to limited class of people. The only way to put an end to it is to stop dividing people on caste based reservations by stopping the practice altogather by constitutional amendment and replace it by providing adequate financial back up to these sections of society.

Meanwhile we must also put an end to the continued hypocracy of refusing to practice caste while claimouring on paper to annihilate it. Caste was always political and it would remain so, despite our leader‘s hollow claims to create a casteless society. The best way to do away with the obnoxious form of caste in India is to hit at the very root from where the devlish form of it gets nourishment – endomanic sustenance by allowing free mixing of all Indians promoting inter caste unions. If we promote equal economic promotion of all citizens without any catagorisation caste in the form it is abhorred would die a natural death. The novel way to address people by their profession is another way to overlook its propensity; let us call Mr. Farmer or Mr. Engineer instead of Mr. Verma and Mr. Sharma. Lead must come from the political class; it is from that area that caste gets its sustenance. It is easily said than done; it may pose law and order situation to do away all quota. But we must do it; all three pillers of governance, legislature, executive and judiciary must unite to effect the change.

In the face of all the historical corruptions inherited by Indian society, Indians must quit and refrain feeling sorry for the existence of caste as such; it was and is being used as an effective tool in the business of governance both by the erstwhile colonial imperialists as well as the present ruling netas. Instead serious efforts must be made to nullify the damaging legacy that continue to divide people, the major factor for such drastic disunity being one‘s ability to access the exclusive benefits accruing to membership of a particular categorized caste. Much as we desire to annihilate distinctions in human society such barriers to equality does subsist and are practiced in most countries of the world. Such disruptive tendencies surface over the ideals of race, skin color, physical features, rich and poor and most critically over distinct disciplines to worship god. In the even domain of good and evil such disruptions in societies predominate in the domain of good. It would be interesting to note that such disruptions are either squarely wiped out in the domain of the evil or they are dissolved to cipher where committing to crime is concerned. An undercurrent of a peculiar camaraderie prevails in between black and white, short and tall and worshipping different gods while engaged in doing evil. Such uncivilized social outbursts are the result of hatred for the other view or person, but most prominent cause appears to be economic outcome of a set of conflicting circumstances. Whether it is an attack on Indian students in a far off country or it is part of a truth that race is very close to Americans, who despite having chosen a black president, still stagger in racial complexities 195 and conflicts, it would appear the situation persists in most other countries of the world as well. In India it continues to be practiced as an unethical combination of vested interest groups including the new ruling elite and the caste ridden interest groups clamoring for constitutional perquisites as a result of the reservations creating more castes within castes; the people at large appear to retrogress in an unavailing situation that necessitate the compulsion of reform.

She ended up her brilliant discourse by asserting India is changing every day with its dynamics of diverse activities in industrial, technological and social spheres as it asserts itself in the global elite club; the political class has to invent better ways of maintaining the political climate and its secular health that favours them and nothing short of pure development could do it better than any wayward, hackneyed and detrimental idea based on caste affirmation.

Jagan requested the group to come round and recuperate over it seriously. Her efforts may bear fruit in future.

5.8

Civil services results were declared. Jagan qualified. He would now be called for interview. There were many successful candidates from the college including Richa. Many friends exchanged greetings. Isa was one of them who called on him to congratulate personally.

‗My heartfelt congrats, dear,‘ exclaimed Isa.

He recalled the day he learnt of her victory of gold in her event in the national games sometime back, he had frantically tried to reach her on telephone. She couldn‘t be contacted. Isa telephoned him from Poona immediately the award ceremony was over, they had kissed on phone he felt as if he has won it and she felt ecstatic so thoroughly engrossed in his thoughts. On her return she had reached him straight and they spent whole evening celebrating her victory.

‗Thanks Isa, it‘s only half race won,‘ replied Jagan.

‗Oh! You are sure shot, I guess,‘ she said. 196

‗I am already on for the next try. I began soon after the exams were over. You never know. It is so difficult and uncertain,‘ he said.

‗You are perfect, Jagan, will you forget me,‘ she asked emotionally.

He kissed her, his eyes replied.

Jagan wanted to know what her plans were now that she has won the national event, ‗do you really want to look for Asiad or the Olympics. If you have the passion for it and all the will then go ahead, otherwise no. Join the Railways, or any corporation, they will be pleased to take you on good salary. Or you could be an athletic coach, say in Patiala. I feel you should take a job now that you are in demand. Active athlete‘s life is too short. It is not like cricket or hockey where you play for years.‘

‗That is what I have come to discuss,‘ she said.

I have the letter from Patiala. Should I go? He saw the letter and advised her to join immediately. Later Isabella joined the National School for Sports at Patiala as a coach on a five figure salary, and she was happy. She was in constant touch with him and felt lonely.

It is a month that Jagan‘s interview was held. It went off well. He forgot about it and was busy in the repeat preparation of civil services exam. He received a letter from Charu:

‗Dear me… I have learnt that you took the civil services examination and have cleared it. My heartfelt congratulations and prayer to Almighty God to bless you a brilliant success about which I am already convinced you will achieve. Touchwood. When is the interview, and why you kept it a secret from me. I also want to take this examination. Do you think I can do it? What subjects should I offer? I understand it requires many years preparation. If I take it will be to win. Please write early to inform me about your interview; I am very excited. I will go to the temple to pray you success. Regards, Charu.‘

He replied next day:‗Dear Charu, There is no point in giving you incomplete information. When it happens you will get to know. I am glad that you also think to take it. You should take it only when you are yourself convinced about it, not that somebody wants you to go in for it. It is a difficult test; but people are selected. If you are serious you must start right now. Subjects you have studied will be the natural choice. More when time for it comes. Keep good health and cheer, love, Jagan.‘

ICS results were out. Jagannath Pratap Singh from St. Stephens College, Delhi, topped I.A.S. 1953 examination. There was a stream of visitors and congratulations. After huge celebrations at the hostel and the campus Jagan left for his village to meet his ma, dadima, and guruji Ganeshilal, along with Shanti and Nekiram, where also a touching send off awaited him. Agenda for life was rooted; he would work to coalesce it now. Youth determines the route; life treads over it all along.

*** 197

Part Two.

1954 5.9

The Chevrolet lorry that carried Jagan to Delhi from Nandgaon reached its third stop at Kashmiri Gate, from where he changed to the Tilmai car waiting for him and reached Metcalf House, on the banks of Virija turned Jamuna in its onward journey into Braj that shoreline where once Krishna frolicked after Kaliya was vanquished.

He reported for his training. After formalities he was led to the residential quarters. To catch up the whether-with-all about the service he joined and to acquaint himself with the arduous journey that awaited him as a member of the governing elite of the country, he wanted to learn about the service, its history and the present set up. The first few things he did after joining was to look for the library, where he delved into all he wanted to know about the institution of the steel frame ICS and offspring IAS.

Metcalf House, where he was provided accommodation was originally the single room barracks put up for British officers during the Second World War on the banks of Jamuna. It did not have the luxury of decent WCs. Old style cement floor bathrooms were equipped with, what were known in colonial days as, Thunder-boxes. Unlike of the present Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration [LBSNAA] located in Mussorrie, Officers Training School was located in the Metcalf House in Delhi.

The officers under training lived in exciting times. Independent India was hardly five- year old they witnessed the birth of the People‘s Republic of India. They had the opportunity to meet, in flesh and blood, almost all the architects of independence, and also legendary civil servants who under Sardar Patel reshaped independent India‘s map. They also met those who had assisted Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel in forming the All India Services.

Addressing the probationers of the first batch of the IAS officers Sardar Patel said: ‗The days when the service could be masters are over. Perhaps, you are aware of the saying that it is neither Indian nor civil nor imbued with any spirit of service. Your predecessors had served as agents of an alien rule; and even against their better judgment had some times to execute the bidding of their foreign employers. A civil servant cannot afford to, and must not, take part in politics. Nor must he involve himself in communal wrangles. To depart from the path of rectitude in either of these respects is to debase public service and lower its dignity.‘ Elaborating his concepts of civil service, he observed: ‗It would be bad day if people did not look up to officials holding high positions. Ministers come and ministers go, but the permanent machinery, the civil service, must be good and firm, and have the respect of the people. The civil service is a source of stability‘. When Nehru deputed a civil servant to the chief commissioner‘s province of Ajmer to look into the recently held communal riots, Patel criticized the Prime Minister for bypassing the regular governmental machinery with the chief commissioner at the top. He did not hesitate to tell Nehru that if the latter was unable to visit Ajmer he could have deputed Patel or any other minister instead of sending a serving civil servant, which naturally created misgivings in 198 the minds of the chief commissioner who was ‗one of the ablest officers whose efficiency and honesty and impartibility are beyond reproach.‘ Indeed, Patel could not tolerate non- adherence to administrative discipline and procedure. Patel laid down the overall policy and left its application to civil servants. He selected the civil servants carefully but then trusted them completely.

By the time Jagan began his innings at the Metcalf House he was well geared up to further build his perceptions. They were twelve in this batch from the IAS proper. Out of twelve, three were women officers.

Jagan‘s training would last for about an year crowned by the bharat darshan tour of the country to educate them of the diversity of Indian life and underlying unity that weaves a distinct shape of a people known as Indians, visualizing the high rise dams and barrages, metro cities and rural vistas, the industrial progress in motion, the huge mega projects, and meeting people speaking multiple languages, wearing an array of colorful outfits. Indian diversity weaves through seven major religions and innumerable sects and faiths, 22 official languages and over 200 recorded mother tongues, around 4635 largely endogamous communities and 15 distinct agro-climatic zones. India‘s electoral system produces new diversities; it is precisely this approach that has kept the country together. Assimilation has certainly not been on the agenda, while integration has been pursued. Uniformity and homogeneity have been eschewed. Individual identities have been preserved and protected. The nature of affirmative action as an instrument to give representation to and reflect diversities has helped the growth of diversity; no other country enshrines quotas as part of public policy to manage diversities as India does; time has come to take a relook at the basic form of people‘s empowerment on a selective basis is the best way to prosper in modern perspective.

It gave him vision. His vision of an India that would lead the world in coming century by power of it‘s achievements in science, information technology, space, industrial and agricultural growth and white revolution, capped by its highly skilled manpower in the form of scientists, professors, mathematicians, scholars, engineers, architects, managers, accountants, industrial entrepreneurs, computer engineers, to name just a few.

Life at the Metcalf House was still anglicized in matters of daily routine, dress, food, and work. The officers thought and spoke in English, though efforts were made to convert the substance to Indian conditions. English etiquette prevailed during the lecture halls, dining hall as well as the common room. An important activity was the occasional lectures and various talks by eminent bureaucrats of the ICS, prominent economists, and distinguished public figures.

Personal life of the officers was thrilling. Unlike Jagannath most officers were not married and were entertaining exhilarating plans to find suitable matches as life partners, both the gentlemen and the women officers. The area of approach remained almost exclusive to the higher echelons of society, high ranking bureaucrats, industrialists, politicians in power and the like. The IAS guy was a most eligible bachelor; his personal expectations of the bride and her environ, were dwarfed by parent‘s pecuniary packages 199 which were the envy of many matchmakers. The role model of both would be bride and groom was defined by the historical part played by the first lady of the district when her man was collector and district magistrate of the place, or when he presided over a handful of districts as divisional commissioner, living in official earmarked palatial bungalows sprawling over few acres of land in prime locations of the town recognized as the seat of power from whence emanated governance, manned and serviced by orderlies, gardeners, cooks, waiters, peons, farashas, personal staff, security personnel, drivers and a huge crowd of dedicated hangovers, drafted on the pattern of mughal traditions and carried forward with new style of servitude by the bara sahibs and mem sahebas of the Raj. The Indianisation of the bureaucratic life style was begun though, under the tutelage of the political upstarts, and would usher in a very slow change over a period of time that will be rather infrequent and dull. Bureaucracy did not prefer change, particularly in personal life styles or sharing power; either in the past or at present.

Woman officers thought of marrying out of their cadres, most probably batch mates, either from the IAS proper or some of the allied service officers, preferring guys from revenue and accounts services. The question of marriage being very personal in nature, attention of the incumbent‘s individual curiosity was, in most cases, engulfed by the interest and active participation of parents, both from the bride as well as groom‘s side, in pre and post marriage negotiations. IAS bachelor was a hot commodity for sale on exorbitant premium and before the pitch was reached lot many occasions, interviews, negotiations, discussions, and connections were invoked before the deal could be clinched. Barring exceptions of course the final word came from the groom or bride themselves. Jagan was amused. Bride, money, marriage – negotiations and deals; it was the same story everywhere. Amazing as it might appear marriage of the budding bureaucrats was, in majority of cases, arranged; one thought the genre of personal sophistication and intellectual standing would go in for one by choice, referred to as love marriage. Between love and arranged marriage however, came quite a few things to spell which was barred by protocol! It was like the caste forbidden to spell yet followed to the hilt by all and sundry. Dowry and caste are two critical social parameters we refuse to discuss in public. Third addition is corruption. Freshers to the bureaucracy shall have to cope with these during their span; some would be carried by the deep rooted currents while few might attempt to confront the odds, that is.

5.10

Isa was married and settled in Patiala. The event took place in the initial period of his training at the Metcalf House when leave to the trainee officers was allowed rather 200 miserly; yet he has flown to Daman for the occasion. Isa had requested him to stay put with her in her mother‘s house where the marriage function was held. The next day reception was held at the spacious lawns of the famous open café of Daman. Her husband was an engineer posted in Mohali near Chandigarh and was a nice person. Jagan was happy to see Isa married and satisfied with her husband; she was, however, particularly emotive about him and thanked him for the kind of friendship and care he had given, both in sports and her job. On the eve of her marriage she wanted him to be her friend and guide, had a long chat about her future plans, she would always look towards him as her benefactor and his advice would be regarded sacred. He was equally moved by her regard for him and thanked her and her parents to have accorded him such warmth. Isa also wished to continue connected to the Nandgaon [NTUC] project in which her husband would also contribute according to his capacity.

Shanti, after graduating with flying colors in her course of journalism, was picked up by The Times of India group as a staff reporter, a very good start for a beginner, in response to an advertisement she had answered. She was placed in Bombay and had been traveling to Delhi to meet her anchor Jagan on quite a few occasions. Jagan realized Shanti was too dedicated to think in terms of her marriage as yet, which he mentioned a few times. She had carelessly evaded the discussion; it became obvious that to her career was more important than anything else, either now or in the future. She was also taking care of her family, which needed her time and money both. Along with her job she was on with her thesis for Ph.D. Shanti was already appearing to be a journalist of substance and was quite familiar in the elite scribe circle of Bombay press. Jagan was pleasantly surprised to note the positive changes that she had brought about in her total outlook on matters relatively of more interest to her and through her to Jagan, child marriages and host of other matters related to the girl child, rural sanitation and the cause of woman in general. She was very fluent in her speech in English and explicitly clear and unambiguous in her thoughts. She was already very popular in the Bombay slums and the cause of women taken by her to be put under focus. Her colleagues were both attracted and overawed by her sincerity of purpose and forthright views boldly expressed.

Charu after completing first year of her post-graduation had cleared the IAS examination and would soon be facing the interview, or might have taken it already, the result of which would be out soon. If she gets into it she would be only one year junior to him and complete her probation by the time he settles down in his regular job. Their marriage was in his mind now that both of them had chosen their careers in life. There had been feelers for the ceremony from her parents. He had suggested that the ceremonies might be held in Delhi, since Charu also would be here, but her parents and his Dadima Mohini Kaur was also for celebrating the great occasion at their ancestral home. He has left the matter at that; he will decide when he comes to it. The family sentiments, however, were to be respected in the matter. In his last letter to Charu upon her success in the ICS examination he has written:

‗Dear Charu, 201

Very warm congratulations upon your grand success in the written test of the very tuff test. I have every hope that you will make it. I have no role in your success. It was your personal effort purely and I am proud to be associated to a person who knows the worth of relationships and value of time. That you had shaken off your feudal family hangover so completely goes to prove the kind of a modern intelligent person you are; it makes me proud too.

Now since you have reached that stage, it is time we talk our marriage, made when both of us were kids. I would like to break the rules and meet you. I have a few things to share with you and plan for future. I take marriage a strictly personal matter between you and me and have a desire to make it a tool to make us happy. I hope you will not misunderstand me if I venture to suggest that since your so-called re-marriage was made wholly by others and since you were not in a position at that point of time to take a view about it, you are at liberty to accept or reject it now, at your own pleasure, and I assure you I will accept your decision as naturally as you would be by taking it. It would be not only for the sake of freeing us of any unwanted commitments, others might have weaved up for us out of outdated superstitions, but also to ensure that no woman, and much less a person like you whose relationship I value, is made to suffer on any superfluous reason whatsoever and is allowed complete freedom to decide her future on her own. For both of us are now capable to take decisions about ourselves as we think proper.

I will join in a district in Uttar Pradesh in a couple of week‘s time. We can meet before that if it suits you. With love, Jagan.‘

Before Charu could write back the ICS results were out and she was placed sixth in order of merit for the Indian Revenue Service. There was a riot of celebrations in Tilmai and Nandgaon; however, she was not satisfied, as she wanted to reach the IAS proper merit. Her immediate response was to repeat the process again though she wanted to take Jagan‘s advice before taking any decision. She has received Jagan‘s letter. She was taking time waiting for her results. She was curious to address to propositions made by her mate. She wrote:

‗Dear Jagan,

Your letter both frightened and inspired me. You at least recollect me wrapped and bundled up in cozy wedding wear as a tiny baby girl, I do not have any idea of how you looked when I was taken to Nandgaon as a newly wed bride, though I have seen scores of your photographs in my curiosity to placate my senses ever since I had grown up to make sense of our relationship. To be frank it is now too late to think in terms of what you have suggested, unless of course you want me to agree to a situation where we might negate the sacred relationship our parents thought proper to make for us two in a particular situation resulting out of a natural calamity. I have accepted you as a friend, colleague and husband, all put together, and I find it rather difficult to imagine any change in that perception, unless you want me to repeat the experience of being an ominous widow twice re-married, if at all marriage in any case was such an unavoidable necessity of one‘s life. I have lived for more than a decade thinking of you alone and I cannot imagine evolving a situation 202 where you are not part of my being. It‘s simply impossible. I hope you will accept me as I am.

I am not satisfied with my performance. Would you please guide me what to do. Should I repeat the IAS or join it, IRS? Where do you want me to come to meet you? Or else you are welcome to visit Tilmai, just for my sake and a change. I will come alone with a security escort and the driver in case you want me to travel. I am continuing my studies just in case I have to repeat. Please write back soon, I will be waiting, love, Charu.‘

Jagan received his posting orders to join as Joint Magistrate, Allahabad. He will have to report first to the Government at Lucknow, the capital, and call on the Chief Secretary. He would be allowed a week‘s joining time. As part of the farewell leaving the Metcalf House, they called upon the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. Pandit Nehru congratulated and exhorted Jagannath Pratap Singh personally to serve the country to the best of his ability, the exhortation being part of counsel given to all batch mates as well. As topper of the batch and with a record of an outstanding performance at the OTS he was introduced personally to Nehru and Patel. Allahabad was Pandit Nehru‘s constituency and he perhaps gave a bit of notice to the topper of the batch, while for Jagan such meetings with the PM would be routine.

It was going to be a hectic week. Jagan would be leaving Delhi after almost six years. He would return to the capital later, to wade through the North and South Blocks of the Central Secretariat planned by Lytton, from the corridors of which India is governed.

Winding up from Delhi was both exciting and sad. The most exciting was the college experience. Friends have gone, that spirit has matured to turn raw dreams into reality, to quench the thirst of working for the country, the people the downtrodden and in the process shape the destiny of a nation peopled by more than one billion. Future was pregnant whether they would be appraised as the accelerators of progress or speed bumps restraining the velocity of change to pick up. However, it was certain their role was going to be invigorating and fortifying, the envy of one and all, from whatever standpoint you view it.

Before he got into the febrile week he thought of writing to Charu:

‗Dear Charu,

It is satisfying to note that we both agree to have life together as ordained by angels as well as our parents, congrats…

I have a feeling you should join instead of opting to repeat; it is all very uncertain. However, I do not want you do it under any pressure. Final decision must be yours in the matter.

Looking to the prospect of putting you to trouble, I have decided to call on you at Tilmai before I join at Allahabad. I may not be able to stay overnight and please ensure that no pretentious arrangements are made. It will be a brief encounter with you alone without 203 any attendants hovering over us. I will have to return the same day. Thanks, with love, Jagan.‘

Sumitra‘s carload dropped first late in the morning with Richa, Aftab, Reddy, Sharma and Pauline.

‗Oh great, welcome friends,‘ said Jagan welcoming them all and shaking hands and hugging one by one. He led them towards canteen and asked for coffee and cold drinks. Holding Pauline‘s hand he said, ‗You were supposed to have gone dear?‘

‗They wouldn‘t let me for another term and then I had to see you‘, she said.

‗Thanks dear, it is so sweet to see you,‘ he replied.

‗And how are my senior ladies‘, he asked facing towards Richa and Sumitra.

‗We are well, but now who will call us Madam Richy and Sumu, you are leaving Jagan genius,‘ replied Richy Saxena.

‗Its all mayajaal, nobody comes and nobody leaves,‘ Jagan replied with a splash of laughter philosophically adding further, ‗If you keep inside your hearts, I will always be with you.‘

Sumitra embraced Jagan and bringing him close to her bosom said, ‗Come, I have kept you within my heart, now stay put there.‘

‗But I will have to go to Madam ji also to clean her slippers, will you please permit?‘ Jagan said kneeling towards Richa with a grin.

There was a burst of laughter.

Aftab Ansari was elated. ‗What are your plans now? Wouldn‘t you join for a picture this evening or tomorrow?‘ he asked.

‗Oh sure I will steal time for it. But Sumu will have to pick me up. Today will not be possible, please keep it tomorrow,‘ he said pleading to Sharma and Aftab.

‗All of you are permanently ingrained in my memory disc, when in pressure I will always get back to these wonderful days lived with such heavenly friends,‘ said Jagan.

‗And promise you will never let protocol come between you and us‘ asked Sumu.

‗Amen‘, said Jagan.

They gossiped, laughed, hugged each other for more than an hour and had two rounds of coffee. With a heavy heart they dispersed. Jagan kissed the ladies over cheeks, shook 204 hands and hugged friends. Next day they went to see a movie followed by Jagan‘s favorite ice-cream. God only knows when he would meet them again.

Said Richi with emotions trickling her aisle, ‗what a splendid period we have had during the last couple of years, this world is incomplete and an illusion, otherwise why such excellent company should come to an end. My mom wanted to offer a cup of tea before you leave.‘

‗I will come, please don‘t be senti…we would be meeting off and on,‘ replied Jagan hugging and kissing her again.

The air got laden heavy while friends dispersed.

6.1

Shanti had telephoned Jagan she would be reaching by late evening flight. She had also informed Aftab and Nekiram to meet her. Shanti reached Metcalf House in the afternoon. She had asked Nekiram and Aftab to reach there an hour later. Jagan was with his batch mates who were allotted U.P. cadre, Pradeep Srivastava and Supriya Jain. Pradeep was to join at Varanasi and Supriya was posted to Bijnor. They would travel separately and meet in Lucknow at the Secretariat in the DOP, to call on the Chief Secretary and other senior officers. On Shanti‘s arrival Jagan introduced her to both of his batch mates. Supriya asked if she is the author of the last Sunday Times article on ‗India‘s Planning – A Bumpy Start‘, Shanti nodded yes. The women exchanged formalities and both of them left.

‗How was your journey, how long will you be here?‘ asked Jagan taking her hand and kissing it softly.

‗There was not much to do than to see you, when are you leaving?‘ she replied.

‗I have to make it to Tilmai before Nandgaon, next week I join at Allahabad. Now since you are here you could help me do some loud thinking about life, Shano, please‘, he said.

‗Besides the press briefing of the Finance Minister that I have to cover, I have no other engagement. You know that I have come only for you,‘ she said. ‗Tomorrow you go to 205 meet Charulata kanwarani saheba, will you come for dinner at my hotel, please,‘ she asked.

‗I was to eat with Srivastava and Supriya, but I will tell them. I will be ready within five minutes, OK?‘ he said going towards the bathroom.

Shanti was lodged in a hotel in south Delhi. She ordered dinner to be served in her room. He took the bed to relax. She poured some fresh juice.

‗Now since you are part of it, have you made up your mind how will you deal with elements working in opposite direction to your work philosophy both in cadre and political bosses? You have enough intelligence, courage and patriotism that will make you work for the country, but how are you going to conduct yourself within your framework is, I think, as important as your work, though it‘s a little too early to think of it.‘

‗Have you learnt so much about the service,‘ he asked.

‗You had put me in an inquisitive mode right from the beginning. I was reading the lives of stalwarts in the cadre. Their attitude was entirely different towards the people they governed over and their norms of inter-personal official conduct were almost pre-fixed, leaving not much scope for personal maneuvering so far as promotion, transfer and other matters were concerned, though there was even then an angle of personal equations or right connections,‘ she said.

‗Naturally I would be guided by my philosophy of work ethics, I mean friendly with colleagues,‘ he said.

‗It is all right, but others may not be as friendly to you,‘ she asked.

‗In that case I would prefer to let things happen,‘ he replied.

‗When let down by superiors on considerations other than rule and merit, how will you adjust,‘ she asked.

‗I will have to think over,‘ he replied.

‗That is what I want you to think now, though hypothetical it looks. There would be lot of heart burn when incompetent, tainted, double faced colleagues will make you see red in matters of placement, or convincing a political boss over an important national issue, and jump the queue in your face, you must develop a personal approach,‘ she said.

She added, ‗normally bureaucrats adjust.‘

‗You may be right, it seems to be a bit premature,‘ he said. 206

‗With my interaction in private sector and the cut-throat competition in my own cadres, I think it is neither premature nor unimportant,‘ she said, adding, ‗Indians being what they are, you cannot change the inherent nature, these things would affect your efficiency and job satisfaction. Nobody knows you better than me; others may differ about corruption being the core issue in personal behavior of your class. The late Home Minister Patel emphasized it even during his lifetime. The tenor of the ruling politicians will also change from honest, nationalistic, freedom-fighter generation to self-centered, greedy, corrupt tribe, I guess. There are signs of cracks in the body politic. The prime minister is already getting into a compromising mode. India is an illiterate democracy literally. It will take time to set norms of public behavior. If we accept corruption and become immune to it we may not progress; you champion it, and will, therefore, be opposed tooth and nail,‘ she said.

‗It is a serious issue; I have not given importance it deserves, best would be to educate people, which again is a very problematic,‘ he said.

‗In the country you are going to serve everything will be problematic, remember that, I have learnt it from you,‘ she said.

‗We will try to deal with it, dear; it is your attitude that makes it look more problematic. If you work problems would come. Consensus is to be observed by the politicians. We should not cross our limits and encroach over their role. We must limit ourselves with doing things efficiently and honestly. That I think is my reply to your query with which you began,‘ he said.

‗Things are improving at the Technology Center. I was thinking Nekiram might have to leave his job and shift to the Center whole time. That is in case you approve of it,‘ she said.

‗It will be good, however, his finance needs to be looked after, if the Center can pay him a little more then he could leave his job. Please ensure that. The place needs a whole time dedicated person I agree,‘ he said.

‗I will be posting you the details,‘ she said.

Jagan asked taking a sip, ‗so how do you spend your evenings there?‘

‗I hardly get to notice evenings. I only know day and night; by the time I return it is already night. Then it is my small flat, my computer, phone and me, your memory overlooking all over as a watchman,‘ she replied.

‗Shano I like you, you are on way to become a legend in your profession. You must plan to share your emotions with a suitable person of choice,‘ he suggested.

‗My dear, this life is dedicated to only one person who is hundred percent my choice, and nothing is going to change that,‘ she replied. 207

‗This Platonic view would not stand the stark realities of life, dear Shano,‘ he suggested.

‗However,‘ said Shanti, ‗that is my view of it by choice. I have seen enough girls being married and chances of being zesty wasted so ruthlessly that marriage has no relevance left for me. Marry, bear children, run a house, be a maid to the husband, the house chores, son, or a daughter; I might be left out of the business of procreation and cause the world to go on. Instead I plan to leave some real substantial mark after I am gone. I have brought you to disclose the act of substance I want to create and it would be as good as procreation of life. I plan you to create a trust in the name of your father, make me a part of it, I will put all I earn into it, and it will take care of the Technology Center, create many such centers through out the country and name them after you. These centers would revolutionize life of Indian rural people, who are the backbone of India‘s power, democracy, armed forces, and economy. Present rulers of India are too frail to overcome the politics of their tribe and the bureaucracy is comfortable in their position having been safely secured permanence that will not allow the sluggish illiterate democracy of poor India to take the needed speed of reforms. Socialism and the public sector would prove to be India‘s graveyard for progress and economic recovery without which no country can be powerful, bureaucracy becoming its agent royal for slow growth. I want to dedicate my life to rural India and woman; I want your support and encouragement, Jagan.‘

‗The ideas are great and music to the ears, however, a mate would still lend support to it, will he not?‘ Jagan asked.

‗You are my mate, aren‘t you? I have seen enough squallier, poverty, and humiliation as an infant girl child that to marry and bear children are abhorrent to my thinking. I am now covering life of slums of Bombay, including that great living human cluster of Dharavi, and I am convinced that if one sane Indian woman decides not to marry heavens will not only not fall, they will be blessed by making the statistics look leaner by at least a few numbers of ever increasing population graph. It is not that my decision not to marry is influenced by any extraneous consideration, it is the result of the natural situation I am placed in life,‘ said Shanti.

‗I can understand the depth of anguish on discrimination perpetrated against women and you can count on me on this score I will travel till the end of the road,‘ he said.

‗You not only have to come with me but do something substantial in the matter. As a revelation I relate what happened to Urvashi, my next-door neighbor in the village. She was mentally retarded. She was young and have good looks too that proved fatal to her. Her father tried to marry her off. Nobody was prepared to take her. She got more problems by looking more young and attractive. Some body in the neighborhood got hold of her anonymously, fucked, and raped her, though she might have enjoyed the act, being insane herself. She got pregnant. Frantic efforts were again made to dispose off her in marriage to the needy good-for-nothings, but failed. She was regularly physically thrashed, given to eat on alternate days, and locked to remain on the rooftop. She delivered a baby girl. Now that was a menace for the grief stricken father of unfortunate Urvashi. The society not only 208 made fun of his position but ignored him too. That woman herself was a problem for her family, now the baby has also to be taken care of. One day both Urvashi and the baby girl disappeared quite mysteriously. It was heard that both were ditched and killed by those who gave them life. And Jagan the atrocities on women are going to increase as their numbers decrease and man‘s desire to have sex with women increase as a result of exposure of pornographic films, magazines, television, and the internet open sex shows of a host of variants of singles, lesbians, gays, hot wet pussies, hardcore actions, fetish, gang bangs, pissing wet babes, bondage girls, mature hardcore, grannies in action, huge cocks, anal pleasures, guys stalking the streets in search of mothers they would like to fuck, and the like. Will you please tell me what message these folks want to give to humanity-in- infancy? It is going to be difficult for woman to survive. It is going to be a rape world. Already more than half of females raped go unreported; this number is going to be doubled, trebled? Why there is pleasure in stolen sex? Rape is more horrible a crime than murder if the so-called developed world looks to our judicial ambience where it has been held that while murderer physically destroys the victim‘s body, a rapist degrades the very soul of the helpless victim. Rape by strangers in Delhi is reported to be 6% compared to New York 23%, London 8%, and Cape Town, reported to be the rape capital of the world, 37%. I assume economic empowerment and education will lead more woman challenge established patriarchal norms; if a women is performing better than man sexual violence is often the only way to regain control over her. Hence rape her, and in our country the percentage of acquaintances and relatives committing rape on known or related woman is perhaps the highest in the world, 94%,‘ she said.

‗Abortion for the purpose of sex selection is widely practiced and ultrasonography is commonly used to determine sex of fetuses that are subsequently aborted. Social and cultural factors conspire to favor male offspring, thus placing female fetuses at risk for selective abortion. The root of the problem is medieval and economic. Male children are favored since they carry the family name and frequently get the family inheritance. Girls are viewed as liabilities, which will cost their parents a dowry when they marry and move into their husband‘s homes. A recent law banning the use of parental tests for sex determination has been only marginally effective in the face of traditional attitudes. The problem is not limited to India alone. Worldwide, 42 percent of female fetuses are aborted, compared with 25 percent of male fetuses. Further, although Hinduism is the majority religion of India, Hindu teaching does not support sex-selective abortion but condemns it. The cumulative weight of Hindu tradition rejects abortion for any reason other than jeopardy to the mother: Since earliest times, abortion viz., deliberately caused miscarriage as opposed to involuntary miscarriage at any stage of pregnancy has been morally condemned as violating the personal integrity of the unborn, save when it was a question of preserving the mother‘s life. No other consideration, social or otherwise, seems to have been allowed to override this viewpoint in ancient India. Yet it is a man‘s world, my dear, and not all man could possibly be Jagan‘s intellect. Already there are mothers-in-law taking their daughters-in-law to the mushroomed clinics for ultrasonographic tests followed by fetus killings of the unborn girl child. This world having been born out of a mother is trying to humiliate and molest her for the crime of procreation that she may have committed. Moreover, Jagan dear, you want me to get married; this word creates horror and hatred in me. You are unique to have understood the desirability to respect the feminine gender; the 209 one I might choose may be just ignorant of its necessity or even its desirability. I, therefore, value your friendship more than my own life; it is so precious and rarely visible these days,‘ she further added.

‗Why do you repeat it? I will continue to be your friend till death set us apart. It shall be your right to ask me anything ever for your sake. I stand guarantee, darling Shano,‘ said Jagan. He kissed her rosy cheeks.

Of all his women friends Shano was beautiful, ideal and scintillating. This woman had been blessed not only with looks she possessed an agile mind and steel will power. He felt proud of her. He wondered if all women were allowed to grow like Shanti, what a wonderful world would they create by their eloquence and personality!

‗I wish you take me seriously, dear,‘ said Shano.

‗What makes you think otherwise,‘ he asked.

‗Your repeated reminder to my person; though I belong only to you.‘ She replied.

‗My desire to see you happy prompts me,‘ he replied.

‗You may be senior in age and carry more experience of life; I carry much more trappings spread over countless centuries to make up a woman psyche that is part of my biological brain, its unconsciousness, tuned towards man over ages past,‘ she said.

‗It‘s difficult to reach the level of evaluated psyche without being part of the gender yet I subscribe to what you feel,‘ he replied.

‗Getting back to life in our vartman, I have a view of life, you perhaps may be interested,‘ she said.

‗And what is the revelation,‘ he asked.

‗It‘s no less either; all soft, tender and sentimental episodes in person‘s life happen before he or she marries. After marriage starts downfall of a person‘s emotional IQ. All anomalies, acrimony, differences, hate, greed, and perversions normally occur after the incident of marriage has happened. The time when one comes of age to make sense of life till he or she gets married, in a wider context is portrayed unimportant with the repeated dull statement that life begins after marriage, for some it might begin at 40; nothing, however, is farther from the truth. It‘s a myth. Foundation of whatever one achieves in life is laid before marriage, learning to grow, young age, adolescence, education, serious study, career, plan for what one has to achieve in life and fix targets to reach are all made before marriage. That is the period when one has the passion and vitality to do things, go places, plan, to reach the sky. The onset of marriage uproots the ideas of thrill, action, passion, adventure and romance or contributes largely to mutilate the elements of youth for which they stand. Basic infrastructure to do and make life one wants to live is created during this 210 period, without which life would be goal-less, anchor-less and dull. This period could be put in the age group of infancy to 25 or 30 years of age when most people get married. That is the peak. Downfall begins as marriage comes; children are born to the couple; children repeat journey their parents underwent, parents becoming only secondary, contributory factors in the process. So wheel of life continues. Human story is based upon this particular fact of life people overlook,‘ she said getting serious.

‗The idea is an exposition really; you score a point today,‘ he said.

‗You know it; you pretext ignorance to make me agree, for there is nothing you do not know,‘ she replied.

‗Shano, I know you are great debater, or else the huge success you have attained already was not possible,‘ he said.

‗It was impossible if I was married,‘ she said.

‗I seem to agree, however, we will have to examine it closely or else tradition may outcry, brand us idolaters, like communists,‘ he said, adding, ‗It‘s a serious charge against marriage; marriage augured well for humanity when man hunted like animals amid laws of the jungle. It served man-woman well for ages. Its incongruity is recent born and the result of economic reasons fueled by the desire of man to dominate his surroundings. A time may come when woman may behave like man does today,‘ he said.

‗In that case woman will be guilty; Beverly Downing takes a look at the evolution of marriage: Long ago, when a man felt the need for a wife, it was simply a matter of seek, find and drag her away. Chosen for her potential as a good worker and mother of additional workers, traits like beauty, or intelligence, were minor considerations. But, as civilization advanced, so did the rituals and rules governing courtship and marriage,‘ she said.

‗In India, on the Malabar coast among some of the lower castes, a man can have but one wife, while a woman may have three husbands. All three contribute to the support of the children,‘ he said.

‗These are exceptions; there are male prostitutes available, this may also be an exception,‘ she replied.

‗Yes, there is substance in what you say,‘ he replied.

‗The period before marriage is significant. From Homer to Toynbee, Kalidas to Ram Chandra Shukla, Bihari to Dinkar, none would have flourished without the age of human beings I say is the premium period of one‘s life. The total poetry, drama, fiction, music and love in its manifested hues comes out of the young hearts yearning to meet their beloveds, eyes are there only to see their lover, lips are eager to touch lover‘s lips, heart-beats and breakups are the subject of myriad exciting literature of the world. The aim of whole lot of literature of the world is man that includes woman. There wouldn‘t have been any Hayden, 211

Mozart, Beethoven or Richard Wagner, Tansen, Bhimsen Joshi or KL Sehgal and what legacy may have been inherited by modern musicians without the enchanting songs of love, afflictive heart burns of separation, the passionate union of lovers – the saga of young persons in ecstasy. No Iliad may have been written. What subjects were there to be chosen by Shelley, Keats, Wordsworth, Charles Olson, Robert Lowell, Yeats or Eliot if young hearts didn‘t resonated their imaginations? Without young age novelists Graham Greene, Earnest Hemingway, Mulkraj Anand, Raja Rao and William Faulkner may have been idle, or chosen to be ironsmiths and carpenters!,‘ she said.

‗Your arguments deserve attention; I will seek your indulgence to my request you might take at a later date, for I wish you well,‘ he said.

On the eve of his proposed visit to Tilmai to meet Charu he was broadly going to confirm the child-marriage made decades ago; Shano being his most trusted friend he wanted her to opt for an equally prospective man of her choice who could handle the immensity of a person of Shano‘s caliber, person and character, hence his repeated efforts to carry his bosom swain to come round his view. A tiny remote fleeting sense of deserting a worthy friend crossed his mind he couldn‘t swallow and made him a bit uneasy. For a man who kept his cool in most problematic matters this bit of uneasiness was strange; he was trying to revert to his usual cool.

‗If it is an order it will be complied; now will you not eat something,‘ she said taking his arm.

‗You know I am not authoritative, don‘t confuse request an order,‘ he said with a grin. He felt she was deliberately camouflaging the main issue he was trying to convince her.

‗I will not. If we talk chivalry, both Alexender and Napolean were young when they launched their empire building; Abhimanyu was young too when he sought the wrath of Jayadratha. You yourself judge the propensity of the role played by that Indian hero who became both a legend and God, Shri Krishna. The ethos, dynamism, eloquence and devotion that Krishna, reverberates as Bal-Mukund of Mathura, is opposite to what he does as a grown up from Dwarika; cause the Mahabharat and complete annihilation before they come to realize the dutifulness of their action-karma without any thought of its results, nishkama-karma,‘ she said.

‗Associated issues of what you want to postulate are generation gap and child abuse by seniors both in the family and society more so in the modern technological age,‘ he suggested.

‗This is another angle to what I suppose is a bigger problem that puts the two generations over two horizontal banks of a river creating a situation where meeting of minds gets difficult,‘ she said.

‗If you view it historically in a closed country like India or even China where every dynasty followed a similar route, the lessons of the older generation profoundly affected 212 the younger generations. They would come to accept these ideas as correct, though unwillingly at times. Under these conditions, new concepts were difficult to come by, causing the country to develop very slowly during feudal times,‘ he suggested.

‗That explains perhaps many of the decrepitude our country suffered during the middle ages passing into century‘s old slavery and humiliation coupled with economic ruin,‘ she said.

‗The ideas are thought provoking; have you been learning social psychology too along with your journalism practice,‘ he asked.

‗I don‘t know how much more you will prompt me to learn. There is an old fable that signifies the mistrust of the younger generation by the older ones that still persists in our society. An aged farmer had owned a large farm for several years. He had a large pond in the back, fixed up nice; picnic tables, horseshoe courts, basketball court, etc. The pond was properly shaped and fixed up for swimming when it was built. One evening the old farmer decided to go down to the pond, as he hadn‘t been there for a while, and looks it over. As he neared the pond, he heard voices shouting and laughing with glee. As he came closer he saw it was a bunch of young women skinny dipping in his pond. He made the women aware of his presence and they all went to the deep end of the pond. One of the women shouted to him, ‗We‘re not coming out until you leave!‘ The old man replied, ‗I didn‘t come down here to watch you ladies swim or make you get out of the pond naked. I only came to feed the alligator.‘ The moral of the fable is that old age and treachery will triumph over youth and skill,‘ she said adding, ‗without creating animosity of bad feelings in between the youth and the old generations I want people to realize the resurgence and creativity of the young, particularly in modern age.‘

‗I quite agree. It is particularly true in modern age of information technology,‘ said Jagan

‗Some of the younger people think they should jump over the cliff at age 40. I heard and picked up in Bombay lot of frustration from people who are under 25 who say, ‗Look, I can do this, I know what I‘m doing,‘ but they are seen as too young and immature. I also heard from women, good-looking women, who said, ‗I have to really work to overcome the image of the dumb goree chhoree-glamour girl. Every new person who comes in, I have to fight the battle all over again.‘ It comes down to being between 30 and 35. You're fine. No problem. Younger than that, you have to work hard to convince people you can do things. Older than that you are going to have to work hard to convince people that as an old dog you can still learn new tricks.‘

‗It‘s a recognized principle of youth psychology their grasp over intelligence and capability will add up to the confidence older generation or parents put in their capacity to do things. Young persons have sharper minds and fast reflexes to modern technology, I agree, my dear Shano, you do have a point which you prove by your example,‘ said Jagan drawing her closer to his bosom and putting a kiss over her fresh lips. 213

Said Shano, ‗there is still another significant and very modern element associated with this age group people. Before forty they are young and have the vitality to work overtime. As their career gets going according to their plan they wish to earn great mullah in sufficient quantity so that after they reach the dividing age of forty they have with them enough financial buffers to join corporations they like and enjoy life the way they want in a relaxed manner without the stress of any kind of pecuniary deficiency. It is possible only when they are young; imagine a life without required economic fillip and freedom how their options of better careers after forty would be coming their way. By the time they have reached the age and married with a planned family of intelligent children they need freedom to live life fully which is not possible without the mullah filled in their plastic cards as well as valets. Mullah comes as a result of smart planning, mutual funds, shares, and savings as targeted and fulfills their goals.‘

‗With financial independence they both spend and have fun after a dozen hour rigorous work schedule extending more often than not to fifteen hours a day; that too might be another angle over which the older generation might feel rather envious because they in their times didn‘t had similar opportunities of either huge packages or modern malls with exhorting and inviting dance floors,‘ she continued.

Jagan said, ‗not as a diversion yet the political elite refuse to retire even when they are physically incapacitated and fit for any sustainable work which situation offers to set example before the people at large; the greed of power is such they wouldn‘t allow youngsters to come forward and perform, perhaps much better than what they have ever been able to do.‘

‗You have a point, the sheer numbers of the youth between 15 and 24 constituting 18 per cent of the total global population stands at 1.2 billion, as they form a critical part of the overall developmental activities of modern societies. They form 25 per cent of the total working force of the world and todays youth are the best modern eagerly perceptive educated youth of all generations of past eras; their health and access to better educational and employment opportunities need to be properly looked into,‘ she replied.

‗You personify youth power, congrats,‘ he said raising her hand in victory ambience with pride.

She appeared a bundle of passionate intelligence and conviction.

She embraced him emotionally for a long while; both went to dine. Their composure and mental wavelength appeared to synchronize meticulously. She ardently loved him.

After meals Jagan got up to leave. She kissed him again. He requested her to keep him informed and take care of her health.

It was quite late but Aftab and Nekiram were waiting for him. He apologized for being late. They sat to discuss matters of mutual interest. Aftab was to meet Kesri to get a substantial presswork order that will give a boost and enhance the name of the press where 214 his father worked. Jagan had asked Kesari to ensure that he manages to give the contract the Pioneer Press while suggesting to Aftab for a final take over. Shanti had suggested the plan to Aftab, who in return reported it to Jagan and sought his opinion over the issue. He cleared any plans coming from Shanti on the presumption that these had received her proper scrutiny and was beneficial to the cause we were working for. Aftab also wanted clearance from Jagan for enabling Shanti to be an equal partner in the business. They had envisaged a very ambitious scheme to enlarge the press activities. Shanti was able to obtain for the Pioneer Press orders of perennial nature worth a few lakhs of rupees per annum from a big business house in Bombay for the next ten years. Jagan approved the proposal to allot fifty percent of the press shares to her if she had consented to have it. He also asked Aftab to inform Shanti to talk to him over the issue.

Nekiram was asked to react to the proposal to think in terms of leaving his job and work whole time for the NTUC and implement the plans to open its branches in select places with a view to make it an all India organization, an NGO of very high credibility and competence. Jagan made it clear that his emoluments would be sufficiently increased to enable him to look after his personal and family financial needs. Though Jagan allowed him time to think it over, Nekiram‘s reaction and decision was quick and he consented to act accordingly. The only addition to the scheme of things he wanted was to include Kirpa in the project by giving him real responsibility. Jagan was happy; he asked him to communicate with Shanti. Aftab and Nekiram left late.

6.2

Alighting from the Avadh Express at the Char Bagh Railway Station at Lucknow Jagan took a taxi to the Circuit House. Deftly gliding past the busy thoroughfares and bazaars oozing with carefree overcrowded people, giving an inkling of the taste of Lucknow city the taxi reached the Circuit House, run in a Colonial palatial building overlooking the main road. Jagan registered at the circuit house, where he had reserved accommodation under intimation to the Government of UP through the GAD, an employee took him to his room with his luggage. He asked for some water and a cup of tea, and booked his lunch. It took him an hour to get ready. Avoiding breakfast he enquired for his colleagues, both of whom had also arrived. He went to Supriya‘s room, where she was ready, and both went to look for Pradip Srivastava. All three reached the Secretariat lot earlier than noon. They first went to the Chief Secretary‘s office. The Senior PA had knowledge about them and as soon as the probationers arrived he received them with dignity and led them to the reception room. He informed his boss who was in his chamber. Meanwhile he telephoned the SS GAD to kindly depute a car for the officers under training 215 for two days they will be in the city, before they leave to report for their respective districts for field training. They were ushered into the chamber of the Chief Secretary, P.K. Mukherji, an ICS officer. He congratulated Jagan for being the topper of the batch and for being the best trainee officer at the OTS. It apparently was clear that he had their bio-data put up to him before they met him. He talked for half an hour, gave them an inkling of the first bureaucratic brush with seniority, asked the Secretary Personnel to introduce the officers to various other senior secretaries of the Government, and invited them for dinner with him at his residence at eight thirty in the evening. He asked his PA to put him to his wife at the residence whom he told about the probationer officers who would be coming home for dinner. He also asked the trainee officers to be informal at dinner ready for a free discourse and exchange of views. They were free by lunchtime, and though the Secretary Personnel requested them to share his lunch they excused themselves on pretexts to be able to go back to the circuit house for lunch in a free atmosphere. They had the government car to travel, the driver was apologetic that despite his efforts no one informed him about their train timings otherwise he was to have received them at the railway station. Supriya looked to Jagan whispering in his ears things are different than Metcalf House.

Lucknow was a beautiful city. ‗No city-except Bombay, the queen of all-was more beautiful in her garish style than Lucknow,‘ wrote Rudyard Kipling in Kim. Located on the banks of the Gomti River, Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh. From ancient times, the city is known for its silks, perfumes, jewels, mouth-watering cuisines, and nawabi etiquettes. In fact, Lucknow could be termed the cultural center of northern India where people are so polite that anyone would feel at home. The classic example of „pehle aap-after you shows how etiquette-tehjib runs in the blood of the people of Lucknow. However, the city is very much able in accommodating modernity, keeping the tradition and culture alive altogether. Although Lucknow traces its origin to the suryavanshi dynasty of Ayodhya in ancient times, and derives its name from Lakshman, brother of Lord Rama the hero of the Indian epic, Ramayana, the city came into prominence only during the 18th century. In 1732, Muhammad Shah, one of the later kings of the once powerful Mughal dynasty, appointed Mohammad Amir Saadat Khan, a Persian adventurer of noble lineage, to the viceroyalty of the area known as Avadh, of which Lucknow was a part. Saadat Khan was the founder of the famous dynasty known as the Nawab Wazirs-a dynasty that changed the face of this hitherto little-known place. Under his successors, Lucknow flowered as never before and all but became the cultural nerve center of northern India. The rapid growth of Lucknow dates from 1755 when the fourth Nawab, Asaf-ud-Daula transferred the capital of Avadh from Faizabad to Lucknow and set about gifting to the city some of its most splendid architectural marvels, a tradition that was sustained by his successors. During this period, Lucknow also established its pre-eminent place in the field of poetry, music, and dance. A colorful local culture, incorporating fairs and festivals also flourished alongside. By what Lucknow really became synonymous with was a certain elegance and grace of lifestyle. A romantic and courtly ambience became a part of the city. In fact, even today, the city breathes history, and the sound of laughter and music, the tinkling of ankle bells and the mellifluous rendering of Urdu poetry-shairi still echo and reverberate through the long corridors of time. Even today, when one wanders through the city, one encounters the kind of refined courtesy and polish that seems to belong to another age. 216

Jagan alarmed his colleagues to be discreet and punctual at the dinner tonight. He emphasized the need to do minimum talking despite provocations that are likely to be showered on them to be talking monkeys. He also requested them to be in formal wear and etiquette despite their boss‘s call to be informal. The first impression would go a long way along their careers, Jagan emphasized. All three were at the Chief Secretary residence at eight twenty five exact. When they were ushered in both the CS and his wife were waiting for them. He introduced them to his wife, whom they wished with due courtesy.

Pointing towards Jagan Mr. Mukherji said, ‗ Urmi, he is J.P.Singh, the topper of the batch having obtained the highest percentage in the ICS after its inception as IAS, and the best all round performer at the Metcalf House. He goes to Allahabad, the Prime Ministers‘ constituency. She is Supriya Jain sixth in order of merit of her batch. She goes to Bijnor. And he is Pradip Srivastava, who goes to Saharanpur.‘ Mrs. Mukherji took Supriya by hand and took her nearer her to make her feel easy. Preliminaries over CS talked about the service and country. He asked each one of them how will they interact with politicians of dubious nature, power hungry. He talked of law and order in some detail, a role for which the ICS was tailor-made. He also touched upon development and the problems they will have to look into in the various districts of the large state. During the three hours the host talked most of the time and Jagan spoke the barest minimum. They bowed in deference to the couple and thanked them for having given this honor, and left. Jagan made a winsome fascination at the end of the meeting. To talk less is to talk most relevant at most of the times. To hear others talk makes volumes of effective communication too.

Jagan however, could perceive the old mindset in discussions.

Next day they called on some of the senior secretaries and completed formalities. They were free in the evening. Pradip and Supriya were dating. Although he has not yet formally proposed but Pradip was in the process of making his mind to learn if Supriya was prepared to give serious thought to their marriage. The advantage was they were in the same state, besides being batch mates. He had superficially learnt Supriya was interested in Rakesh Jain, another of their batch mate, of Gujrat cadre, where she could be sent on reallocation to that cadre if she marries Rakesh, or else he could be transferred to U.P. Yet they both went together at times. This evening they had gone out together. Jagan had no engagement, though Collector Lucknow had asked him to come for dinner, Jagan politely excused himself. He came out walking to see and feel Lucknow city.

After a little walk he took a rickshaw to take him to Hazaratganj. It was the busiest elite market of Lucknow. Important buildings and offices all surrounded it. Darul-Shafa, the residential quarters for the four hundred twenty five MLAs of UP Vidhan Sabha, was nearby. The State Secretariat was not very far. He made friends with the rickshaw puller, Yasin. Yasin‘s grandfather Sikandar Bakht was a nawab of „Nuckhlau‟. His father was getting an amount of rupees nine per month as his privy purse. They lived in a haveli occupied by sixteen other nawabs. His father had five sons. Three were Yasin‘s senior. He has one brother younger to him. He was a tailoring assistant. None of his brothers received proper education, though all of them were civilized. One of them was a police orderly. There were innumerable nawabs in Lucknow. The Lucknow culture was typical of the past 217 glory the city dwellers had witnessed. Jagan asked Yasin to take him round places at an easy pace, and brought him in a talking mode.

‗Yasin, this rickshaw is yours or on hire,‘ Jagan asked.

‗Huzoor, we cannot afford to purchase one. It is on rent,‘ Yasin replied.

‗What rent you pay and how much you earn daily?‘ he asked.

‗There are too many rickshaws in Nuckhlau, passengers settle before hiring one and therefore we do not earn very much, huzoor passengers like you are rare. At times rozi-roti- bread and butter needs cannot be fulfilled, the rent is ten rupees a day, there are six mouths to be fed besides my begum, and above that we have to pay hafta to the police. Huzoor, besides the police, munispalty nispector has also to be paid monthly, or else he might cancel the license whereupon the owner refuses to rent out the vehicle to us,‘ he said.

‗Besides you none of your children work to earn as yet,‘ he asked.

„Huzoor, the eldest works with Mallu Motor mistri, I hope he learns to do the job one day to become a mistri himself. The younger goes to a grocery store, but that is a pittance,‘ Yasin replied.

‗Your children didn‘t go to school, Jagan asked.

They go, huzoor, but these boys learnt to read and write and then dropped. So the girls, they help her mother,‘ replied Yasin.

‗Why did you not persuade some of your children to go for senior school and then college, so that he gets a good job,‘ Jagan asked.

„Huzoor, we know how difficult it is these days to get a ‗sarkari naukari; my younger brother got the police job after he sold all his possessions and took rounds of darul-shafa for two years,‘ he said.

Yasin took the rounds of Imambaras, the Residency, while stopping where Jagan wanted to visit some shops. They went by Clock Tower, Sadat Ali‘s Tomb, Shaheed Smarak, Rumi Darwaza, Moti Mahal, and Zoological Gardens. Aminabad, with its twisted lanes, is the main shopping centre, though Hazratganj, with its theatres, coffee houses, restaurants, hotels and bars has attracted tourists since long. The Prince of Wales Zoological garden at Banarsi Bagh and the Botanical Garden at Sikander Bagh are ideal places for family outings. Besides, the Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary and the Kukrail picnic spot also offer exclusive recreational facilities.

Khwaja the tea stall vendor in Aminabad, where they took tea, was wonderfully conversant of the city‘s past and could well be a city guide. He narrated that Avadh is claimed to be among the most ancient of Hindu states. According to popular legend, Ram 218 of Ayodhya, the hero of the Ramayana, gifted the territory of Lucknow to his devoted brother Lakshman after he had conquered Sri Lanka and completed his term of exile. Therefore, people say that the original name of Lucknow was Lakshmanpur, popularly known as Lakhanpur or Lachmanpur. The city of Ayodhya itself, forty miles away from Lakshmanpur, was reported to be full of great riches: ‗Its streets, well arranged, were refreshed with ceaseless streams of water, its walls, variously ornamented, and resembled the checkered surface of a chess-board. It was filled with merchants, dramatists, elephants, horses, and chariots. The cloud of fragrant incense darkened the sun at noonday: but the glowing radiance of the resplendent diamonds and jewels that adorned the persons of the ladies relieved the gloom!‘ [Ramayana].

Of all the Muslim states and dependencies of the Moghul Empire, Avadh had the newest royal family. They were descended from a Persian adventurer called Sadat Khan, originally from Khurasan in Persia. There were many Khurasanis in the service of the Moghuls, mostly soldiers, and if successful, they could hope for rich rewards. Sadat Khan proved to be amongst the most successful of this group. In 1732, he was made governor of the province of Avadh. His original title was Nazim, which means Governor, but soon he was made Nawab. In 1740, the Nawab was called Wazir [Vizier], which means Chief Minister, and thereafter he was known as the Nawab Wazir. In practice, from Sadat Khan onwards, the titles had been hereditary, though in theory they were the gift of the Moghul Emperor, to whom allegiance was paid. A nazar, or token tribute, was sent each year to Delhi, and members of the imperial family were treated with great deference: two of them actually lived in Lucknow after 1819, and were treated with great courtesy. Achieving a certain degree of independence from the Moghuls in Delhi did not, unfortunately, mean that the Nawabs could rule entirely as they pleased. They had merely exchanged one master for another. The British, in the form of the East India Company based in Calcutta, had long looked with predatory eyes at the wealth of Avadh. Excuses for interference in the province were not hard to find. The most catastrophic from the Avadh point of view came when Shuja-ud-Daula invaded Bengal, and actually briefly held Calcutta. But British military victories at Plassey in 1757 and Buxar in 1764 utterly routed the Nawab. When peace was made, Avadh had lost much land. But the enemies became friends, on the surface anyway, and the Nawab Wazir was extolled in the British Parliament as the Chief native allay of the East India Company in all India.

Interactions with Khwaja and Yasin sort of convinced Jagan that people, mostly, were peace loving engaged in meeting both ends meet in running the wheel of life. Some, however, indulged in spreading caste and class hatred as a means to fulfill their objectives of arson and loot. Sarkari Log, including the politicians was increasingly turning into the self mode of making public life as means of amassing as much wealth as was possible, and the thought of improving the conditions of the poor were left to slogans and lip service only, which scenario was a real danger to the country. Jagan was somewhat taken aback and shocked to see the ground realities of the situation about people‘s perceptions about governance, particularly the increased clout of power being exercised the wrong way both by the politicians in power and the government employees. Gandhi and Patel were already in the process of being museumetized to be occasionally recalled more as a lip service to influence the audience rather than attitudes to base their actions over them. India was 219 neither feudal nor modern as yet. It was caught in the confused socialistic pattern of society and the Raj hangover of the inefficient, dishonest, and corrupt governance. Bureaucracy persistently refused to get out of the old law and order mode of rule in a roughshod manner and help people learn and assist them to develop and change their environment. It was perhaps because bureaucrats were not taken to task and punished for being unimaginative and unhelpful in the way of development or rewarded either for being imaginative or proactive in the process of development. Lethargy and patronage in political thinking and a consistent endeavor on the part of babus to obstruct change were the main roadblocks. He was one of the tribe now, how will he manage his work ethics with the prevailing philosophy of his brethren, was a question foremost in his mind. Mind your own business may be the golden principle, try to put in exemplary work modules to attract more people to honesty in service of the people.

Having roamed about freely places in Lucknow and having dug in peoples‘ life, Jagan returned late in the evening to the circuit house from where he was to leave to join at Allahabad the next day.

He called Shanti on telephone. She was in constant touch with him.

‗I will join tomorrow at Allahabad. There is so much to talk about. Is it possible you plan to come to Allahabad for a short stay,‘ he asked.

‗Would it not be proper to let you settle down first? Meanwhile I plan things here. When you are placed on regular life, I will come. I have quite a few things to talk to you also,‘ she suggested.

‗It may take some time. Please ring me up in a week‘s time. And how are you,‘ he asked.

‗I will. I am well. What is Kanwarani Ji‘s programme,‘ she asked.

‗I am waiting to hear from her as well, you can talk to her and enquire her program,‘ he suggested.

‗I will try. How is Lucknow,‘ she asked.

It is wonderful. I am tired out of the entire afternoon wandering in and around the city, feeling people‘s nerve. Tell you when you come here. It seems to be quite a secular and civilized place. Take care, bye,‘ he said.

Bye, All the best, dear,‘ she replied.

Jagan had a sound sleep.

At 2 PM he was at Allahabad Railway station the next day. The local Naib-Tahsildar was there to receive him. He straight away reached the circuit house and dispatched the 220

Naib Tehsildar after thanking him. He asked him to leave the car. At 11 AM he was in the chamber of the District Collector, Mr Santosh Kumar. The day passed in preliminary meetings, obtaining the training schedules from concerned persons. He formally joined as Joint Magistrate, Allahabad. A class four orderly Nanku Ram and a steno was allotted to him. He requested the OS of the collectorate to arrange for the installation of a telephone in his room at the circuit house, till such time he opts to shift to a bungalow. By the time he returned to his room the telephone was installed and the orderly was there, waiting for him. He was to dine with Collector that evening.

The Collector, Mr. Santosh Kumar discussed in some detail the things he would learn while under training in the district. He would work to become a magistrate, learn to handle law and order, look to the work other district officers are doing, go and learn the work of the treasury and various sub-treasurers in the muffosil, tour the district and look how the work of a sub-division and a tehsil is performed, meet the people‘s representatives and listen to their grievances, look to the developmental activities being performed by various departments, particularly those of the agriculture, animal husbandry and irrigation, learn to establish proper decorum and integrity into services of the personnel of various departments in the district, learn the protocol, and establish a healthy work culture in administration. He would also establish a close contact with the district police establishment and learn to carry them along in the smooth maintenance of the law and order in the district. He would also learn to deal with the political persons and dignitaries who visit the district, and would have to be very careful to attend to calls from the political persons of the prime minister‘s constituency. Underlying the basic functions he would be expected to perform as a district collector he was advised to attend to the calls of the entire cadre and keep direct close contact with the members of the service in and outside the district, state and the country as a whole. He should learn to be courteous towards other members of the cadre and keep communications open with them as frequently as was possible. The unity, efficiency, and integrity of the cadre to which he belonged were critical elements of the service conditions that contributed to make the bureaucracy relevant in post independence India.

They then discussed the informal points of his district training and the general social conditions of the area. This also was the essence of the training he was to receive and learn to make a successful career as a bureaucrat.

The office to which he was assigned related to the people and their problems, it was such a heavy schedule that if he performed his duties in the true spirit he would hardly get time for anything else. Jagan therefore, began to be involved in his work almost immediately to work almost fifteen hours a day. People came to him for their grievances and nothing could give him more satisfaction than to provide them relief. Allahabad district was a paddy growing area. Paddy required timely rains and made it mostly dependent over nature. Yet he was knocking at the doors of the irrigation and power departments to see if something could be done to improve the situation and reduce the dependence of the farmers on the vagaries of nature. Minor irrigation schemes and anicut bunds were the answer for which he had mobilized the development, irrigation and public works departments to come out of their shells and bring out a scheme that could utilize the huge rain water potential 221 through planned rain-water harvesting covering the entire district. He also submitted a scheme to educate the farmers on proper utilization of scarce water resources available to them. He emphasized to the concerned officials of various departments to not only motivate people to adopt fresh methods of proper utilization of the scarce water resources available to them, but also inform them about the new methods of irrigation practices including the drip and sprinkler irrigation systems that were installed at highly subsidized rates. The boom that followed in adoption of drip and sprinkler systems was the result of his efforts. Jagan toured the district enormously meeting people and making friends with them. He became more popular by efficiency he brought in. The news began trickling to him before it was reported either to the tehsildar, the station house officer, or the overseer and as soon as he got the news he either summoned the concerned officials of the departments or asked them to take remedial steps. The District Collector assigned the new ‗Junt Sahib,‘ facility to tour the district, interact with the people, concerned officers and to suggest changes or steps to be taken. All suggestions from him were taken seriously and implemented. It gave his open interaction a new dimension. It was both exciting to people and such employees of the monolith machine who were used to lethargy. Jagan was satisfied that he was busy. The secret of success and popularity was the tremendous amount of transparency he observed with people and fellow officers. The work culture was new to most staff of district administration. The workload found him busy. This element of fresh approach was recognized by staff of the collectorate. The Office Superintendent Saxena had put in 26 years of service in the Collectorate and had witnessed scores of Joint Magistrates both of the ICS and the IAS. Pandey, the senior Steno to the Collector and District Magistrate has put in 25 years of service with various Collectors in Allahabad, six of whom were British ICS officers. Mishra, Steno to the City Magistrate had also put in 27 years in the same office. On a Saturday afternoon the three were sharing a cup of tea late in evening. At 7 PM the only officer who remained working in the chamber of the Collector was the Joint Magistrate. Collector had left for his home.

‗Saxena ji, it has become almost a routine to stay till eight o‘clock every day now,‘ said Pandey.

‗You are staying back on your own, Pandey, the JM had clearly told all of us to leave after the office hours are over,‘ replied Saxena.

‗Well, it does not look proper leaving the JM working alone you see,‘ said Pandey.

‗I have not seen a person like new JM in my service in Allahabad, though I had looked after the training schedules of most of the ICS British officers,‘ said Saxena.

‗This officer will rise very high,‘ said Mishra joining in the discussion.

‗The best of him is that he is so well behaved. Even if we commit a mistake he politely corrects and without any recrimination,‘ said Pandey. 222

‗You do not watch his style of work. It is not only innovative but might be revolutionary. No officer had so many ideas and plans for the upliftment of the poor people,‘ said Saxena.

‗Unlike the predecessors he never asks any facility or comforts, and has little demands over the budget,‘ said Pandey.

‗He entertains not only people who throng to see him but the staff too by offering small little things when he is on tour, the old bureaucratic tight lipped attitude is certainly missing,‘ said Mishra.

‗I accompanied him to Phulpur last week in connection with the arrangements of the PM visit, though he was invited to dine with the SDM, he took personal care to see that all of us were nicely lodged and properly feeded,‘ said Pandey.

‗Nanku, his personal orderly is the happiest of class IV peons in the whole Collectorate. He gets not only food, but money too from his bosses‘ personal account for odd occasions and family needs,‘ said Saxena.

‗There are already legends in circulation about his personal integrity and honesty of purpose,‘ said Mishra.

‗He comes from an old aristocratic family for one, but his love of the poor and downtrodden lower caste people and their families are things that are talk of the official circle,‘ said Pandey.

‗You have not noted one special attribute of the young Magistrate he is neither jealous nor envious, believes in positive thinking and work ethics. No one has seen him criticizing or pulling down any officer or staff nor does he encourage talking loose,‘ said Saxena.

‗I may give you some news too. In future appointments local women of lower caste would be given preference over males. He is the author of this new arrangement. The Government‘s approval has already been received. It will apply not only to Allahabad, but all other districts of the State,‘ informed the OS, Saxena.

‗He was allotted Bungalow ‗Three‘, but he requested the Collector to allot him a small house. He might move to a quarter meant for the PCS officers. The previous ones virtually fought tooth and nail for allotment of Bungalow Three to them, though most of them also were either not married or were not staying with their wives,‘ Pandey said.

‗His simple anonymous attitude unarms any critic of the district administration and that is the reason he is being asked to handle all persons coming to see the Collector including netas; he appears to have mastered the art of public relations,‘ said Saxena.

‗He is emerging an unusually acceptable, unbiased and objective administrator of the district, feels my boss the City Magistrate,‘ said Mishra. 223

The three of the core group of the Collectorate were just about to finish their tea, when Jagan appeared and unassumingly said, ‗Mr. Saxena, I had earlier also requested you not to wait for me to leave. I am alone and have donkey‘s load pouring from all sides. You all have families please leave office at your convenience after office hours.‘

‗Sir, we were just about to leave. We had other jobs to finish. Thanks, sir, for your kind attitude,‘ replied Saxena. It was 9 PM.

‗Has the driver gone, I might walk my way to the circuit house, will you please see, Mr. Pandey,‘ he asked.

‗Sir, he is there at the car,‘ replied Mishra. They all dispersed after seeing JM off.

6.3

Jagan was to leave next morning to meet her fiancée {or wife?} and he retired with thoughts of the person he was to meet.

He has called for the old Rolls Royce from the estate stables with Ghasi driving the car from his village. Tilmai was about four hours drive from Delhi and Jagan began early so as to reach there by lunch time. Ghasi was a khatik-caste driver who had worked with Paliwal Nandlal of Nandgaon at his business headquarters in Calcutta. Nandlal Paliwal has now shifted permanently to Calcutta, and Ghasi had some family problems on account of which he had to leave service of Paliwals. Ghasi had two brothers beside himself. There was dispute over the land of residential abadi which his younger brother was encroaching upon, and over which Ghasi wanted to build his separate house. He has four sons and three daughters, one of whom he has married. Two daughters remained to be married. His elder son worked in a factory making aluminum door fittings and the other worked as coolie in the mandi yard. Two of his sons were still to get jobs then marriages. He has left his job only on account of the dispute over the land. He has paid sarpanch munshiji consideration money of two thousand rupees. The other brother has now established contact with sarpanch and is reported to have paid him three thousand rupees. This is unfair, bhaiyaji, as he is working for you and if you do not help him where will he go. There is lot of activity of plot allotment by the panchayat these days. Sarpanch does not want to displease anybody. If I go he will accept money and promise the work will be done. If the second party goes and offers him money he will accept and say work will be done. That way he would get more money to pocket and work will be lingering on with no result. Additional bribe will then be given after which lease papers would be sent to the Sub-Divisional 224

Officer, known as deputy saab the local ruler, who will confirm the lease papers. A huge amount had been collected to be given to the deputy saab part of which is reported to go to the collector saab as well. Munshi sarpanch gets a share in the collection and all higher officers dance to the whims of the sarpanch. He can allot land to me or not, bhaiyaji, it all depends how much more money I pay him.

‗Did you tell sarpanch ji you might speak about the land to me,‘ Jagan asked.

‗I told him. bhaiyaji we can only request. It is with difficulty that I have been sent to you otherwise sarpanch was to send Murli driver to you, so that I may not speak to you, bhaiyaji,‘ Ghasi said.

‗Bhaiyaji he is afraid of you only. He has high regards for you as well. Would you speak on my behalf, please,‘ he asked.

‗I will speak,‘ replied Jagan.

‗Bhaiyaji our family had been serving the estate for generations now. You are our only hope,‘ said Ghasi.

‗Didn‘t you speak to Nekiram. I had asked him to look to all matters of the village and if need be sort out with sarpanchji?‘ Jagan asked.

‗Oh, bhaiyaji, He does not like Nekiram. If I speak to him my work will never be done. Overtly he praises Nekiram and does whatever he asks him to do, but things are done in a way that more confusion is created and the work is involved in more litigation. When contacted he replies deputy or the patwari has accepted money from the other party and he can do nothing,‘ Ghasi said.

‗He pleases Nekiram‘s father Chetram, to placate him. Bhaiyaji it is because of you that the lower castes came in support of him to elect Sarpanch, Kindly tell him to do my work. The raj people from the local patwari to the collector saab is in league, and the money collected from us villagers reaches each level, through sarpanchji. He is an expert player. Here and there occasionally there comes some deputy or collectors who are honest then people have direct access. However, such officers do not stay much in the seats. They are transferred as early as they dispose business. Bhaiyaji here one who does work efficiently is punished. There is an army of touts in every department. You cannot expect any work being done without either recommendation or bribe. For recommendation also you have to pay heavily, so people find touts to pay directly to the officers. Bhaiyaji, you will be collector now, please eradicate this evil. We are sure you will stop this system. People of the village are very hopeful of you, bhaiyaji. I am praying to God you become collector here; please bhaiyaji put one of my son on any sarkari job. I am a poor person. I have not that much money to buy a job for my son. If one of my sons is employed in sarkar we will be blessed, because once one gets a government job two things make him a king; first he is permanent whether he does work or not, and secondly there is the extra income. Balu‘s son became a clerk in the PWD and within two years he has built a bungalow in the 225 city. Bhaiyaji, Balu has stopped working as a farm labor, he now lends money and has good house made for him in the village,‘ said Ghasi pleading.

‗I will see‘, replied Jagan taking stock of the conditions prevailing at the grass root level.

‗Why don‘t you unite to face these evils‘, asked Jagan.

‗Unite! Oh bhaiyaji, brother has become enemy of the brother in the village. People are divided on caste lines. Brahmins against vaishyas, vaishyas against jats, and lower castes against rajputs, there is no unity in between castes also. There are sub castes and people work and promote the cause of the sub caste they belong to. It is all the result of the votes, bhaiyaji. Before firangees fomented extreme castes and now netas are doing worse ever,‘ informed Ghasi.

‗Lower castes are also not united?‘ Jagan asked.

‗They are more staunchly divided. There are untouchables among themselves too. First the government classified them as scheduled caste and scheduled tribe, now there are other backward castes also. These classes have become a barrier to unity of the lower castes. Right or wrong if I am a patwari and a khatik, I will favor the khatik cause. That philosophy works all through the society. If there is merit in a non-khatik I will just ignore it. Chetram, Nekiram‘s father is keen for his caste promotion. He is powerful only because he takes their cause and then exploits them. He allies with sarpanch only when his interests are met first. He also makes money; in the village affairs he doesn‘t care for his son. He doesn‘t inform him about such matters, for the reason you might be informed by Neki. He is afraid of you though. Then bhaiyaji, there is Hindu-Muslim issue. The votes have diluted the division among the people. One is ready to kill the other. When there were no votes there was peace. Panchayat of the village elders use to take decisions, which were respected by one and all. Netas come and make long speeches further dividing people by giving sops on caste lines and then disappear. Recommendations are also done on caste lines. Only bribe does the trick. The division of people is a great incentive to bribery, bhaiyaji. You don‘t believe anybody, only money does the coup,‘ said Ghasi.

‗When I worked with Paliwal I was often sent to district courts here as well in Calcutta. I learned whole lot of this business of court-kutcheri, bhaiyaji. It starts with the petition writers in the collectorate. There are about 100 to 500 such munshis, each with a portable type-writer, scattered all over the strategic open places in the official complex of collector‘s office. The complex houses all important offices including the police, development, supply, excise, transport, revenue, etc. People from all over have to come here, as it houses all civil and judicial courts also. Anyone coming to the complex has to get a petition written for in the administration or court nothing happens without a petition. The munshi writes it and suggests the way the work prayed for will be done. He decides the amount of bribe, speed money, other expenses – by whatever name you call it, names the clerk, supervisor, the medium who will take the money to get the work done. The amount includes the money that will pass hands in stages. First he will keep his commission, next 226 will be the clerk who will initiate the note, the peshkar who will put it before the officer for orders, the officer himself who will sign the order. For different offices rates of speed money varies. For departments like the police, transport and judicial the rates are higher. The amount thus fixed has to be paid in advance. This is besides the official transaction fee charged by orders of the government. Time required for the work to be done also varies from the same day to years together. In transactions carried over more than a day the speed money has to be renewed, as fresh demands are created. Many times the villagers are asked to contribute in kind too, such as ghee, food grains, pulses, rice, cloth, manufactured goods etc. An applicant who has not paid speed money is apprehensive his work will not be done; it happens to be true, his turn of hearing never comes, adjournments are given, dates fixed, involving weeks, months or years. As soon as bribe is paid the work or prayer gets called up in the circulation and with renewed bribe money paid it will be done, sooner or later. No work, small or big, ordinary or extraordinary gets done in the country without this magical speed money, is a distinct truth, bhaiyaji. How will you abolish the system, bhaiyaji, it‘s so pervasive and potent. Bhaiyaji, I know for I acted as a carrier boy for some munshis. I was also paid my commission. And your anti-corruption and raiding parties everywhere are subject to the all-powerful speed money; they make out cases, bribe leads them to leave grave lacunas, the Indian law graciously acquits giving benefit of doubt to persons caught red handed accepting bribes or doing criminal acts of various hues and varied nature. Bhaiyaji, please ask sarpanch munshi to look to my work. This world will go on like it has been going. This is the story of day to day problems. Big cases are dealt by higher people, ministers and MLAs who brings the speed money‘s miraculous presence felt in higher echelons of power-centers. Bhaiyaji please, sir, be kind to me; kindly excuse me for any mistakes.‘

Jagan listened intently. ‗You are a good driver, Ghasi, stop it at the next open dhaba, how long would it still take to Tilmai? ‘ asked Jagan.

‗It will take us an hour‘s time now bhiayaji, I will stop at a clean place for tea,‘ replied the driver.

Jagan had a cup of tea at the next dhaba-tea stall. Ghasi was asked to eat something and take tea. Jagan had enough for his palate today. Substantial information. Why „sarkar‟ not listen to ordinary village folks; Jagan thought who cares? This sarkar will have to go, sooner or later; or else democracy would continue to be hijacked by the hypocrite netas till such time people are educated to return leaders who really takes care of the their woes.

227

6.4

Jagan was approaching his destination. The off road was a fair weather one, with Neem trees on both sides. The village appeared to be of medium size. A very wide pathway led to the estate haveli. Though Jagan had not told anybody about his visit, it was obvious that they had information about it and the place was done up right from the point one enters the village. At the fort gate there were attendants who promptly opened it with enormous salutes. After the gate entrance there was a huge chowk, open area, the respectable of the main haveli. Thakur Hukum Singh his son Kunwar Prahlad Singh, with attendants received Jagan at the main entrance. He wished them hand folded namaste. They led him to the interior. There was a big hall, the drawing room, with three sets of different seating arrangements. He was asked to sit and offered drinks, plain water and some sharbats.

‗How was your journey, kanwarji sir,‘ asked Thakur Hukum Singh.

‗It was all right, thanks,‘ he replied.

Kunwar Prahlad Singh had touched his feet at the outer entrance. Meanwhile thakurani saheba was introduced. As Jagan felt uneasy of the formalities, a cute feminine figure, dressed in an informal light pink salwar kameez and a long transparent dupatta appeared approaching him, with folded hands doing namaste, with a sweet smile on her bright beautiful face. The stark beauty of the person, who introduced herself by bending to touch his feet in the very traditional manner, uttered with soft golden voice, ‗Hello, I am Charu‘, made Jagan feel light of all the tiredness of the journey. Jagan also got up from his sofa as she entered as every body got up at her arrival. Reaching his side, touching his arm by her shapely fingers, she addressed her mother:

‗Mama, we are going to reception lounge upstairs, kindly ask Urmila to be there, and we will come for lunch as it is ready. I will send word to serve it, when he wants, please.‘

Her mother, putting her hand over Jagan‘s head, replied, ‗OK, Charu take care, he should be tired, go and relax.‘

Charu showed him the bath.

The lounge was a lavishly furnished room with relaxing dewans and imported sofa sets, and beautiful Italian curtains. A cute corner was selected where he will plunge into the luxury of the easy chair, its side table loaded with fresh fruits and choicest dry fruits, bottled water, napkins, and all other royal paraphernalia. Charu made the place look informal by putting many fresh flowers plucked from the garden nearby. She escorted Jagan to the cute corner. Charu looked a princess charming and petite. She stood good height, healthy slim figure, sparklingly fair complexion, long lustrous hair left loose, with absolutely no make up, no ornaments except a very sleek gold chain with a diamond pendent, no bangles except a slim Omega watch in gold, and simple informal and sincere look over her beautiful beaming face. The most striking feature of this girl was her stunning beauty and her natural simplicity and conduct. 228

‗How was your journey? I am sorry to make you travel to this rustic place for my first meeting,‘ she said with a soft smile in a low utterly sweet voice. Her voice was another attracting feature that simply melted his tiredness and refreshed his mood.

‗It was all right. My driver kept me busy, I did not feel it took more than four hours to reach your place,‘ he replied.

‗I am trying to trace you in my memory the last time I saw you more than twenty years ago, but it is missing. Absolutely no trace of it there,‘ she said with a grin.

‗Are you happy with the past‘, he asked.

‗God does everything for our good, whatever happened was ordained for good, and otherwise how was I going to get you. It was my destiny. I am happy with it, especially where I have no recollection of anything which should put me under grief, for no fault of ours,‘ she said.

‗I appear to agree with you over the issue. It was a bold decision anyway,‘ she said.

‗For lot many years there was confusion in my mind. You may or may not accept me. I longed to see you again when I was a little grown up. You know, there was curiosity; Sometimes I felt irritated by the manner we were bound for life by others,‘ he said.

‗I felt terribly lonely until I wrote that first letter to you. Everybody here was prompting me to write or meet you. However, I was apprehensive. I have heard about your intelligence. You are already a legend. You may like me, may reject me, and such negative thoughts preoccupied my mind. Then I took a decision. If it is rejection let us face it. Then I wrote to you. Your first letter was such a great relief. You made me comfortable. From then on life became wonderful. The competition was the natural outcome of your encouragement. Then there was a feeling to prove worthy of you. I made it a rule to throw all feudal hang over and come out of my shell to work eight hours a day without fail. Yet I could not do what I wanted,‘ she said.

Both Jagan and Charu were educated in most modern institutions and despite their imposing past hangover could foresee the imminent changes hung in the air. Both imperialism and colonialism were already part of history. The new dawn braced with democracy. Democracy was going to ruthlessly extinguish any traces of feudalism. Aristocracy and zamindari were going to be concepts of the age gone by. Their families might not have sensed it these youngsters realized in time caste and class disparities were bound to give way to equal status in major areas of social interaction. The day was not far when equal mental race might not leave their people behind the more diligent elements of society which hitherto has been rather marginalized as a result of the rule of tradition that got stereotyped prominently during the deliberate policy of the erstwhile colonial legacy. They could fathom intelligence and grit were nobody‘s monopoly; not at all of any caste or class of people. As the independence years progressed during the first decade of free India they were witness to see their generation degenerate into vain enough wayward youth 229 picking up habits of the age gone by drinking, lethargy, dependence for any and everything needed to regulate life. Scs got to start new entirely different approach to their life; it was a passion with them to work hard, change their surroundings and mental attitudes, and get on with the new privileges democracy showered upon them as a result of the affirmative action of quota reservations. They affected change in their dress, profession and mental attitude more prominently. A distinct and peculiar element of the way both Jagan and Charu felt, however, was their attitude of welcome to the changes taking place; these young persons felt comfortable society was overhauling they thought was the only course left open after age-old deprivation and slavery. And to suit with the changing times they adjusted as naturally as they went ahead to achieve extraordinary academic excellence in their areas of activity.

‗You have done very well and I am proud of you. I have no doubt in my mind if you repeat it you will make it. However, let‘s be practical. It‘s a premier service; sky is the limit. Above all it must be your own decision. Marriage can wait.‘

She blushed, dropping her large black eyes lashes.

‗I have been thinking lot about it. I feel going round your view. The rigmarole of repeating again the same long hours of it and taking another chance may put me in IPS, or even IFS, the two services I don‘t really like. Of course if you were also in IFS I won‘t mind being your junior by a year. I ventured to think of repeating partly because of you; somewhere in my mind there were lurking qualms you may think not good of me and I am not prepared to fall in your eyes by not having made to it,‘ she said looking in his eyes.

‗You are so innocent. IAS or IRS is the result of the same test. In the sense you talk, you are placed much above me; you with humanities have made it in the first chance that is a credit in itself. I had maths and all that. Dismiss any such thought,‘ he told.

‗I feel more confident now,‘ she said.

‗Charu, dear you will take time to understand me. I value you more; your service cadre comes after you,‘ he replied.

‗Before I received your first letter in my response I was very tense. My imagination soared about thinking what aristocrat or sophisticated estate heir you might be, I continued to imagine you might not take me and went on inventing arguments what wrong have I committed that you are refusing me entry in life. For unending hours in the nights during rains I kept awakened with only you in my mind. There was confusion too. I had not seen you. Your face, physique, body language, and most important your eyes were not familiar to me; I have not seen them in my consciousness. I then painted your figure in my imagination. Various images were made. Some I rejected outright. You couldn‘t be so terrifying. Others were made. I felt I was groping in the dark. Then my heart came to the rescue of my senses. The image made after my heart joined me in the effort miraculously recreated an image which so closely resembles you as you are in front of me in flesh and blood. Heart and mind when meet it creates extraordinary panorama of persons, places and 230 events. When that image was made I was convinced you will take me as I am,‘ she said looking into his eyes.

‗Strange, the confusion was mutual. I was, however, convinced that you will accept me; I argued in my mind since destiny has put seal over our union, you won‘t affront luck, so to say,‘ he replied.

‗Your analysis was based on more firm ground; no one could go beyond destiny,‘ she said.

‗All the same my conjecture was rather crude; you made a picture of artistic dimensions justifying your charming person as also a wonderful mind,‘ he said.

‗My mental exercise once received a reverberation when pestered too much Shiva, the lord of Kailas, recoiled by force-opening of the Third Vertical Eye, which extinguished Kamadev, the lord of love; I was so afraid it may not happen with me that I opened my eyes and put the lights on and prayed for peace for many moments tranquility,‘ she said.

‗I am a mortal less divine, any inkling of your message would have put me on run to see you,‘ he said.

‗Did you ever thought of me prior to my first letter,‘ she asked.

‗You occupied a permanent niche in my mind; the fact of marriage when passed on to me I was of some age, I could never, therefore, forget you,‘ he replied.

‗When you didn‘t come comforting I ventured out in the premises of the school for a stroll. It is difficult to conceive how the imagination of its founder, Sir Lawrence, may have first perceived that Sanawar was to be the place for his new school. Placed on a rural hilltop at 5,600 ft, forested with pine and evergreens, Sanawar estate was a veritable wonderland of rambling paths, trees, flowers and exotic birdlife. In the north, on a clear sparkling morning, the panoramic view of the snow-clad peaks of the Himalayas could be seen, while to the south are rolling hills leading down to the plains. Away from distractions of my home assignment, I was lost in your thoughts in the idyllic environment, walking around the campus, amid colonial buildings and green vistas,‘ she said.

‗You recollect I exhorted you to enjoy your surroundings and work hard. You must have cursed me to preach instead of share the worries,‘ he said.

‗It was your inspiration coupled by the school‘s inducing a sense of responsibility that made me to take the initiative and enthusiasm in life which has resulted in my career,‘ she said.

‗We both were sufferers in the first quarter of our game of life; the agonies of your child-widowhood and my child-marriage were acts of parental ambivalence we couldn‘t 231 make sense of or it was destiny playing its predetermined role, was unclear,‘ said Jagan looking sober.

‗Parental balancing was the consequence of medieval social hangover of child marriage; It‘s unclear who gets the curse, the society or parents,‘ She said.

‗The verdict has to be shared collectively,‘ he said.

‗The agony of widowhood did start bothering me when during vacations in and out of our haveli, there were subtle but depressing do-not-do-it or don‘t move out sort of restrictions making me conscious I was being put under little bit fetters of social interaction. There were times when restrictions were very mildly put over my participation in certain ceremonies or going out to partake in auspicious functions, chiefly marriage parties, or temple visits; in my innocence I really couldn‘t make out then the reasons of that childhood forbidding, but hampered I did feel even then and as of now it becomes apparently understandable why was it done,‘ she dig her past.

‗I can imagine the young inquisitiveness of an innocent mind,‘ he said.

‗It was sometimes in the last years of my Sanawar schooling that I became conscious of my over all surroundings including the personal problems of inheritance my widowhood included which played more heavily on me than my marriage to you, though normally marriage sends very soft romantic feelings in any young girl, to me it was rather stale, touch less, feeling less and meaningless perhaps,‘ she said.

‗How did you manage to come out of the imbroglio,‘ he asked.

‗It was then that out of exasperation I ventured to write that first letter to you. There appeared to be no way out. No one was there to go for counseling. Parents were in a different mould of feudal heredity separated by generation gap. You came to me naturally. Something inside me prompted me to write to you. And you were so wonderful. Your reply sent all my retrograde rumblings of inheritance, marriage, widowhood, remarriage, tumbling down the slopes of the school hillock and I was a free person, reborn as Charulata, very near and dear to Jagannath Pratap Singh. You redeemed me out of morass. That is the reason I like you so much, dear,‘ she added in sentiments.

Jagan stood up, took her in his strong embrace and opened the floodgates of his heart pouring love in torrents. She was calm and composed.

‗Charu dear, we both have to undergo it. You were not alone. In the corridors of St. Stephens I felt fetters when friends and colleagues went dating, movies, dancing; I restrained myself and reverted back to mental exercises coming out of my being, taking the form of a rebellion towards the anomalies of life as we lived. I felt cheated by the parent generation; and the irony of it is that they thought they have done the best they could do for their children. There, of course is one glaring fact that might have come out of the situation I was put in. I rebounded to work, the inbuilt organic energy had to be channelised; the 232 harder I worked the lesser the feeling of betrayal getting me to a situation when I topped almost every examination to which I was engaged in. The topper Jagan is the result of a baby Charu marrying him when both did not understand its meaning. The amount of interest I take in issues of woman, widowhood, child marriages, their poverty is the net result of these injustices done to us that we champion these causes. It therefore, was both a blessing in disguise and a depressing do-not-do-it forbiddance. It is better to take the better half; so come, Charu, let us celebrate, enjoy it,‘ he said lifting his arms.

‗I try to laugh too but am not able to discard the tiny traces of it completely from my psyche. You are a seer; your psyche is much stronger than me and you were able to convert it into emerging out a real genius, as every body now recognize. But I am a frail person and depend one hundred per cent upon you to carry forward my ethos that I missed because of the situation I was perforce put in,‘ she said.

‗We will both meet it, no worry, please Charu,‘ he said holding her soft hand.

‗The childhood buoyancy and girlish games of dolls, their upkeep, doll-marriages followed by feelings of a vacuum, jhoola festivals and participation in the reverberating enchanting melodies sung by village newly-wed brides and virgin damsels, expectant amusement of joining various celebrations including the grand feasts especially on marriage functions were made objects of envy for child like me foreboding inauspiciousness if the like of my innocence joined the celebrations. When time dawned upon us to really understand the meaning of such segregations in our childhood, I suffered mental aches, like of which couldn‘t be cured by any medication. In that situation the only way out was to go to you; and that‘s what I did. Once joined your soothing company-by- distance tranquility prevailed on me and my heart. The mind aches disappeared instantly. I felt on the top of the world; you are wonderful, dear Jagan,‘ she said in a voice that felt like dew drops falling off winter oaks and pine trees in the morning hue.

Equipped with so much intelligence that could be the envy of anyone out of the intellectual crowd, endowed with an extraordinary rich heritage making them free of the mundane wants people crave for and spend whole lives meeting both ends meet and blessed with best of the physical environment their health included, this brilliant couple felt the psyche-ache their parents and society has given them.

Oh God, who will repay their loss! Parents immersed in their well meaning, wholesome, innocence; society which enjoyed participation in their loss; or the governance which witnessed its regulations being so brutally violated?

‗How about some food, you may be hungry,‘ she asked.

‗Not yet please, a little more, let me see you properly,‘ he said teasing.

He took her soft hand and examined the palm; try to look into his future life. She has a clear line of head and life. He was not interested in anything more than her life and her mind. He already knew her heart. 233

‗You know palmistry too? Is there anything under the sun about which you do not know, dear,‘ she asked elated.

‗As administrators we need to be the jack of all trades, that is what you specialist people are jealous of us,‘ he jokingly said.

‗But I shall have the cake and eat it too, you cannot envy my position, can you?‘ she said pouring some juice to him.

‗If I am a cake eaten by you I will pretty well sit within you, why should I envy?‘ He replied.

‗We shall both be generalist and specialist amalgamated into one, what a wonderful combination. So now I am finally decided not to repeat. Your coming here is so auspicious, it has made things so simple to decide, you are already proving wonderful, Jagan dear,‘ she said.

‗It is the way you think, otherwise I am just typical, the more you feel proud of me the greater your personality, because only great souls feel proud of their love,‘ he said looking into her eyes.

‗I really love you‘, she said shyly bending to touch his feet.

‗If you love me you should be near here,‘ he said lifting her and pointing towards his heart area of the chest.

‗I am made for you as you are only made for me, you try hearing your chest-beat, you will hear my tune whispers there,‘ she said.

‗Well Charu, as you please,‘ he said relaxing into the easy chair.

‗Lunch, shall I ask for it?‘ she asked.

‗All hunger and tiredness has withered away by being with you,‘ he replied.

‗Now stop being a poet, tell me what your plans are. What is to be done for me? Where will be my training, when shall we meet next?‘ she asked jovially.

‗You think I have come here to waste time on these trivialities? I came to meet you, see you, and talk to you,‘ he said.

I am asking her to put lunch,‘ she said calling her maid servant.

‗Please, Charu, can you ask for food to be brought here, I don‘t want to be bothered by lots of people asking too many questions right now in your rather ominously large dining 234 hall. I hope you will not mind. It is no discourtesy to anybody. I just want to be near you alone,‘ he said.

‗No problem, I will get it here. I had already told my parents that you are coming to meet me only. They know it. Then everybody knows you here so well that there is no misunderstanding. You are known for your gentle ways,‘ she said asking her maid to bring food in the lounge room instructing that none except her should enter the room.

‗You accept me as your man, I understand,‘ he asked.

‗Any doubts, I had accepted you the day I wrote my first letter five or six years back,‘ she replied.

‗I propose marriage,‘ he said with a question mark.

‗That was decided some twenty years back, your proposal has no significance now. Technically I am senior being widow of your elder brother and second time wife to you,‘ she told in a lighter mood.

‗It means I am already done up and had to look for soulmate in only seconds?‘ he asked grinning.

‗Destiny is impregnable!‘ she sighed.

‗Let‘s unite to face it honestly,‘ he said

‗You are my life and more relevant than myself,‘ she replied.

‗I love you, Charu,‘ he said taking the diamond ring from his pocket and putting it on her middle finger. She replied, ‗I love you too dear, I cannot survive without you anymore,‘ she said responding eagerly for the first kiss over her lips by her man with astounding warmth and emotion.

Both of them had a quiet lunch, followed by a small siesta. After chalking out the details of their plans, the dates of marriage according to the time Charu gets off from her official duties, Jagan left Tilmai with a heavy heart. His liking for her and her sincerity for him modeled in an affection that crossed the frontiers of love.

Charu did not move out of the haveli for few days. The ache she felt were the pangs of separation.

235

6.5

Shanti was on line a couple of times.

He rang up her late Saturday and requested her to come to Allahabad. She arrived after a week and stayed in a hotel. She telephoned Jagan in the office of the Collector. He asked her to come in the evening and have dinner with him. Meanwhile Shanti disposed of her business during the day. The local media bureau chief called on her and there was a meeting attended by two of her assistants, who had traveled with her from Bombay. The issues discussed related to the rural reportage of the group‘s newspapers for the entire Eastern Uttar Pradesh region and parts of Bihar. She was unhappy with few reporters whose files were put up for her decision by group‘s media manager. She approved some new appointments for wide coverage of whole state. Financial issues were also discussed and some decisions taken to augment resources authorizing local people to utilize funds, keeping in view revenue earned by the region. She stressed the need to highlight issues of rural women and communal harmony. Only sensational news reporting would not be enough; it would be detrimental in the long run. The news must carry substance and conviction. She refused to attend any reception during her stay of a week she wouldn‘t be available for a few days except on phone for urgent matters.

On reaching circuit house she told the driver to leave, she will get back by her own. Jagan was meeting a group of persons from Naini when she arrived. As he saw Shanti he dismissed them and reached her to take her to his room. He kissed her on her forehead and offered to sit and relax.

‗So, how are you junt saab, you appear to have put on some weight,‘ said Shanti surveying him.

‗They give rich food and I don‘t get time to exercise the way I am used to. I have to eat outside with somebody almost on every alternate day. People think a solo like me needs to be taken care of, and I am fed up with the sort of rich food offered everywhere. The timings are also irregular, junt saab is everybody‘s maid, you know,‘ he replied.

‗I can understand, but I know you won‘t bow to duress under any circumstances, bachelor or married, you eat always less than needed,‘ said Shanti.

‗Yes, but may be I am bit careless now with lots of work around here,‘ he replied.

‗It‘s just begun, junt saab, if you forget your health regime future will be many times busier,‘ she looked askance.

‗No, I haven‘t settled yet, that‘s the reason I have requested you to come; life now is different from hostels I was used to. Nanku has to learn lot to reach that level of house keeping. I therefore, need you, my dear‘ he said.

‗Or is it the beginning of bureaucratic lifestyle,‘ she asked with a mild grin. 236

‗I am hardly a bureaucrat that way, you know Shano dear,‘ he said.

‗I have taken a couple of days off to see that things are arranged the way you are used to here. Are you not shifting to an independent house? You will be better there with the orderly you already have. I intend to make him learn the food you like and train him to cook for you,‘ she said.

‗That would be wonderful, Shano,‘ he replied. He called Nanku and instructed to request the Xen PWD to see that the house he was allotted was ready by tomorrow he might shift there by evening.

‗Shano please see that few of my belongings are shifted tomorrow; purchase whatever is needed to run the kitchen. It will help me organize myself better,‘ he said to her.

‗That is the reason I am here for a week. I know what is required to be done for you, please don‘t worry,‘ she said.

After a couple of day‘s stay and satisfied at arrangements made in the new house for Jagan, she left on urgent call from Bombay, with a promise to come he gets a regular posting. Shanti was in the process of critical phase of her career. Her press effort with Aftab has grown out of proportions and she was thinking to launch her own independent venture. However she kept it close to her heart and act when right opportunity appeared. She didn‘t want to leave abruptly.

‗Do as you like. Tell me something about NTUC, I am hungry to learn more about it from you, though Neki has been regularly briefing me,‘ he said.

‗Nekiram is doing well. The production of footwear and better sickle for farmers was undertaken with innovative improvements and has picked up well. He has established six more branches in the district. Computer for the main branch is being looked into. They made quite bit of money, recently they had begun to weave durries and khes for which Nandgaon had been famous. They also intend to take up the cotton wool stuffed modern jackets both for man and woman. They had three tailors already working. The idea is to export some of the finer specimens of suitable products. Another item they intend to take up is to make the Nandgaon quilt a brand-name product and try to export the material as samples of good artisanship. These measures we have taken to augment and meet our financial needs. The society has been registered as directed by you. Neki has approached people in the export promotion council for the sample exports. First consignments might be moving this winter. However, much remains to be done on its unity aspect. We propose to hold rallies or functions inviting a wide cross section individuals from all major castes and give a signal that we are Indians first, anything else later, based on the principles you had sent them some time back,‘ she said.

‗Include Kirpa too in your scheme of things,‘ said Jagan. 237

Shano said, ‗Nekiram proved to be an asset for your dream project NUTC. However, in turning out positive he underwent great deal of transformation. Personally he learnt to be sincere and articulate about things which were critical for success of the venture. Secondly Kirpa gradually with the encouragement he received from your end became a confident comrade in arms with Nekiram. Kirpa who was more mobile with thorough local knowledge of people and places become a natural ally for Nekiram to successfully put the project on an achievable and sound organizational goal.‘

NUTC, though originally conceived, planned and financed by the confident and courageous Jagan and his mentee Shano, in course of time become an object of sc transformation and upliftment in and around Nandgaon initially and later at the state and national level as the organization grew in size and proportions. Though started as a village project on basic principles of rural upliftment, Shano too have thought of it as an organisation for mobilization of sc energy and upliftment. Since the two key persons running the organization were their trusted confidents, it resulted in two significant developments. It become synonymous with the upliftment of oppressed scs in rural; secondly both Jagan and Shano though belonging to upper ruling group in the village were obviously perceived as agents of sc upliftment in and around Nandgaon, a compelling comprehension.

Construction of social chemistry in times so far in Braj and for that matter through out the country was observed by small gestures that indicated the place a person enjoyed in social set up. Jat thakur children will not salute sc elders; it was customary for scs, whether young or elderly, to wish all persons of village ruling elite without consideration of age. When needed for any interaction scs would be summoned instead of the thakurs going to interact with them in their fringe mohallas. When the two met at the former‘s chaupal they were supposed to talk either standing or sitting not on muddhas or dewans that were not offered also but on ground. They were of course not offered the hookah, the token of rural honour. When manual work demanded scs were summoned either on beggar or meager pay. At personal or community feasts held by thakurs scs would sit at a distance from areas where high caste feasted. Some social etiquette also was observed in between savarnas. Brahmins, the dwij-twice born, received salutations from all others including the ruling thakurs. Though elsewhere there were 136 kinds of restrictions for observance by scs, in Braj thakur dominated areas, there was some kind of bon homi in between the ruling Jats and scs since both worked together on farm and shared their past. In Nandgaon Jagan first as a child and later as a person of substance broke free of the social discriminating codes. Jagan frequently visited Nekiram‘s house; Kirpa was on way, whenever he went to see Neki he would invariably reach for Kirpa. Shanti, a Brahmin, followed Jagan and when she came of age she joined him in annihilating social restrictions, saluting all who encountered them, particularly sc elders.

Democracy ushered in elections. To seek votes all contestants have to reach scs. This changed the rural scene. Segregation vanished into thin air though some persons would continue to be hooked to the feudal mentality. Jagan was the first to break loose all taboo linked with caste. His NUTC effort made it expedient. He gave Neki and Kirpa an equal status. Though this initiative on Jagan‘s part was novel, his maiden effort was dwarfed by 238 the prevailing wider social change in society. Political class under democratic process renewd it in various ways. There was difference in approach; one sprang from inner conscience the other was sheer political gimmick.

‗That is really lot of work done. Congratulations, Shano, for making the news of a small idea in a village that longed and teased for trickle of news bits. I saw some papers writing editorials over your effort. Was it tutored‘, he asked.

‗Not exactly, but you have to inform people that something is happening in the villages too,‘ she said.

‗And about your press effort with Aftab?‘ He asked.

‗It was the compliance of your wish that I put some of my savings in it. However, it is giving dividends. The income was worth it and income tax returns had been filed for the company for the first time,‘ she said, ‗the Parker pen set for you is a gift from Aftab, have you seen the gifts?‘ she asked.

‗I noticed the packets you brought, but where was the occasion. Nothing is more important than you, and with you here I do not see any thing else, my dear,‘ he said drawing her towards him and kissing her over the lips.

It was a brief visit packed with too much trivialities and she left under pressure of her assignments with a promise to come later soon with lots of time to talk and plan life in their new surroundings. For her it was always painful to leave him.

It was his first meeting with Shano after his recent voyage to Tilmai. Both talked secular only, unassumingly though. Neither he nor she broached over the visit and their exchange of views. For her it was their private area she never tried to venture into. He felt bit uneasy and that was why he had requested her to come. The uneasiness was floundered by their delving into matters of serious built which were of utmost concern to both of them. They unconsciously leveled the hoofs in their otherwise smooth relationship; apparently she too was as imminent and inexorable as was the princess of Tilmai.

6.6

Jagan was thinking to go and see Charu at Poona, where she has been asked to report for her training and further posting. He was in touch with her. She was awaiting further 239 assignment schedules and would get back to him soon. Meanwhile, she cleared his proposed visit to Poona, whenever he gets time.

It was Jagan‘s deliberate decision to renew marriage with Charu, despite the undiluted love of Shano to him. He on his part perceived that his friendly childhood fondness cannot be viewed as immoral by liking a woman who aspires to be his love from the early childhood, and marrying another woman whom he was destined to choose to be his wife according to the family code of convention, but for whom he later developed an intense liking that could be called spontaneous love. He never saw Shano in that perspective ever through his childhood or young age, when their being together and meeting so closely was both voluntary, spontaneous and natural, though he recognized the complete infatuation of Shano towards him ever since she became of age. She had decided not to marry anyone. It was for many other reasons, though her immense liking and infatuation with Jagan, was one of the many reasons she decided not to marry ever. Shano was conscious of the fact that placed as he was in the social hierarchy of his estate and society he was destined to marry a deserving lady of his choice and status, and she had no misgivings of any kind on this issue. She wanted him to marry Charu, and she had mentally prepared herself to devote her life for the couple of her dreams. She had planned to balance her devotion equally between Jagan and Charu, whom she has yet to meet. Infact she liked both equally and made an effort to balance her behavior in that direction, though for her innermost core of heart, there could never be any other man in her life except Jagan, married or unmarried. She had no other feelings for Charu than veneration, and she had decided to serve her in the same spirit that she had dedicated herself to Jagan. It was a paradox. But Shano could never think of another man in her life. Jagan tried hard to persuade her to marry her choice, but for her the die was cast, and like Meera of the yore, she could never think of anyone else. There were no tensions in the minds of anyone on this issue, not even Charu, who has been timely updated about her village background, her devotion to the couple and her decision not to marry ever. Charu, herself a child widow and a woman of substance, understood that Shano perhaps had more important things to do in life then get married, bondage for life, abused and humiliated in view of her childhood saga of woman being treated both by the society and man. Her resolve was unflinching and final.

After he shifted to the new residence from the Circuit House, Jagan began preparing for his long awaited visit to meet Charu at Poona. He booked his journey through Delhi, where he had to see some of his colleagues and call at the PMO. He arrived at Poona in the afternoon of a Saturday, where Charu waited to receive him. She wanted to engage her man in her arms, but modesty restrained her to simply hug him with a warm welcome that indicated how anxiously she was waiting to see him. They straight away went to Charu‘s house, as she was posted in Poona itself and was allotted an independent house, after she had successfully undergone the period as a probationer. It was a small but neatly kept house with large open areas and lawns both on the front and the rear of the house. Charu used her rear lawn to sit and sip tea after she returned from office. She had a personal maid servant and a driver, both of whom were from her estate sent by her father. The driver also worked as additional help to the maid both in and outside the kitchen. She used her official car to go to her office daily and after she returned in the late hours of the evening, the official driver had instructions to return with the vehicle. She never used her official car for 240 any of her personal visits or journeys, which, in any case were not many. She was trying to instill in her habits from falling into the bureaucratic advantages which pile up gradually to the disadvantage of the state, so far as her personal budget and life style were concerned. It gave her personal satisfaction, and a reputation that traveled faster than her. Partly she was briefed to start her career that way by Jagan, himself a staunch admirer of personal integrity.

A small village inhabited by Kolis and Musicians during 6th and 7th century Punnyapattanam (City of auspicious deeds) grew into today‘s metropolitan city of Pune. Since its geographical location is at the banks of nearly 5 rivers the city has been influenced from many cultures.

Nested in the picturesque Sahyadris (the Western Ghats), just 150 km south of Mumbai, Pune is a contrast of history and modernism. Base of the Great Maratha Emperor, Chhatrapati Shivaji and the Peshwas, the city has been a cultural capital of Maharashtra for centuries. Pune is considered as the Oxford of India – with its many educational and research institutions apart from other institutions for sports, yoga, ayurveda, culture and social services. Your visit to Pune is incomplete if you have not visited Lakshmi road at least once. When you come to the famous Lakshmi Road, you have entered the real heart of Pune city. You can easily judge this for yourself looking at the crowd and the hustle and bustle on this road as well as on any of the countless narrow side streets that crisscross it. ‘Lakshmi‘ is the goddess of wealth & as you start your shopping on Lakshmi road, you will really feel as if the Goddess of Wealth has showered her blessings on this road. This road, which starts at the Alka Talkies Square and running right through the heart of the old city, terminates in the Cantonment area, has an overall length of 4 km in all & over 90 percent of this length is literally lined with shops on both sides. You can find shops of the widest range of articles on Laxmi Road. But it is mainly famous for its many shops of garments of all varieties, suitable for all climates and purses. Jewellery shops take a distant second.

Pune came into limelight after legendary Dadoji Kondadev guardian and tutor of Shivaji drove golden ploughs through Pune. In Shivaji's reign the area in & around Pune assumed mammoth importance. ‗Raigad‘ was made by the Hindu king as its principle headquarters from where all guerilla tactics for the warfare were chalked out. Shivaji's huge popularity among Hindus and Muslims alike helped to fend off the Mughal colossus. He ruled with religious impartiality, recruiting officers from both faiths. He also contributed technological insight, engineering a network of hilltop forts to maintain control of the countryside, and a navy that could challenge even the European colonial fleets. Even after Shivaji died in 1680, the Maratha confederacy he founded prospered.

After Shivaji Raje it was actually the ‗Peshwas‘ who brought name & fame to Pune. The Peshwas considered they were servants to the throne & continued their fights against their sworn enemies like the Nizam of Hyderabad, the British; Pune naturally became their headquarters & a place of great importance. Under the Peshwas reign Pune started shaping into a new city, properly planned, rich in its culture & center of knowledge. During this time many monuments were constructed in Pune city itself like Peshwa Bajirao 1 got the famous ‗Shaniwar Wada‘ done up. 241

This city gave the country some great leaders like Lokmanya Bal Ganga Dhar Tilak, Sane Guruji, the Chapekar brothers & countless other freedom fighters & great personalities. Pune was the city where Shri Lokmaya Tilak started the ‗The Ganesh Chaturthi‘ festival with the sole aim of uniting people. This festival is now celebrated worldwide with great pomp, affection and joy.

Next day was holiday, it being the Sunday, and she planned to enjoy it with Jagan. Whether to treat him as her wedded husband or husband in the making, a chosen fiancée, were the twin ideas parading her mind? Unmindful of these thoughts she was certain that he belongs to her in totality and that was enough to treat him the way she wished. She knew his taste for ice cream, and his liking for good outings with light dinner, and therefore, she planned her dinner out in one of the best eating places in the town.

6.7

She took him to ‗The Place: Touch‘ the sizzler, a two-tier indoor restaurant which specializes in sizzlers but also offers Indian, tandoori and continental dishes. The food was excellent and the service fast, though it was neither to finish off the sojourn in a hurry, nor to fill the appetite with stupendously sizzling food. Her motive was to enjoy both his company in isolation at a quiet dinner, unattended by personal servants, as well as offer his meager appetite some healthy food, followed by his favorite Tutti-Fruitti ice-cream, in an unassuming, silent environment. Both Jagan and Charu were meeting for the second time only, the first meeting was when Jagan traveled to her estate in the village, about a year ago. Both were eagerly trying to watch each other, through eye contact, body language, soft speech punctuated by emotional undertones, understand the personal needs, learn about each others thought processes, and trying to be informal which camaraderie comes with time one has spent with the other. Jagan helped her to be swept off the entire formal behavior, by being inquisitive about small details of her daily routine, by helping her doing odd things on his arrival, by being physically more in tandem with her movements jocularly, at times touching her hands, elbows, her lustrous hair, and raising a bogie of praises for her beauty and charm. He made it look natural, as it infact really was. She was greatly enamored with his pleasing manners and his intellectual personality. Both Jagan and Charu appeared to quickly like each other in view of their intending relationship as wife and husband. They had eagerly waited for this kind of informal intimacy. Intimacy of their ideas would develop only when they talk, discuss and invoke passion in their relationship, while also converging on the various issues related with their careers. 242

Jagan had enormous things to talk to her. But he was intensively impressed by the delicate gentle disposition of both her body and soul. She was purely transparent. Her absolute natural behavior won his heart. Inside her frail, delicate frame was a mind full of resolve and dedication, otherwise amidst the feudal, extravagant environment, and people vain enough all around, she would not have made it to the goal she has achieved. Part of this prompting came from her mother; the rest was her own resolve to emulate her child husband himself. Likewise Charu also had to talk over quite a few things relatively important to her career and life with Jagan. Both eagerly awaited right moments to unbosom their thoughts and exchange ideas to enable them take critical view of life.

The afternoon he reached the place was devoted to his comforts and conveniences needed to be taken care of as a result of a long journey that Jagan had undertaken to meet Charu. She chose to fix their dinner outside and there they were sort of getting used to each other, and evaluate how and what adjustments they both will have to make life an ideal one that suited their temperament. All this was mental exercise in the form of thought processes, without actually speaking over the issues making rounds within their minds. Then Jagan had to plan the formal marriage being solemnized, for which there were many options if the wishes of the family members were taken into account. He was, however, considering a simple few friends ceremony before the registrar of marriages under the relevant law, mainly to avoid extravagant aristocratic ceremonies involving wasteful expenditure. Personal issues of their estates and agricultural farms were also to be planned. More importantly issues related to their careers and interaction with wider range of people in the government and public contact was to be talked about. The aim of life was to be evolved. Jagan had hardly consciously known Charu‘s views about these matters till then. He was anxious to anticipate how seriously she takes these and others matters related to the country and its governance, of which they were part and parcel now. Reverting back to their present relationship a whole lot of issues needed to be talked over including the status of man- woman relations in the Indian context, the abject exploitation of woman both by the society and man, the newly born craze on the part of woman to free themselves of the tyrannies imposed upon them by the society run and managed by man and the resultant consequences and abhorrent situations that woman might have to face as a result of her efforts to free her from such sort of abuse, the deliberate lethargy being shown by man to digest the change of attitude in modern woman in the Indian context, the economic independence of woman which is the root of all problems and attitudes being slapped upon her gender, and the like. Jagan was trying to prepare himself to elicit Charu‘s own independent views over all these issues that were going to affect their lives, and bring out a consensus where their views converge to showcase a mutually agreed and broad vision to start life in that spirit. Jagan assumed that both he and Charu have greater responsibilities than what is obvious to them or people around them at the moment, and he wanted to equip them to meet the situations that would be facing them when they usher in life as responsible public servants; as also man and wife.

After the refreshing dinner both were in a lighter, gentle and airy mood. Looking to the number of telephone calls Jagan had received after his arrival, Charu purposely made the larger bedroom for him, where the phone was placed. Her bedroom was comparatively smaller and was littered with all sorts of her lifestyle articles of daily need, as she was still 243 living as a single person. Somewhere in the arrangement was hidden her abject confusion whether, at this stage and point of time, to share her bedroom with Jagan to sleep together or keep the distressing, unwanted distance maintained till such time she receives an initiative and signal from her mate. Jagan was a complete man. He made things easy.

For the first time Jagan held her at the threshold and kissed her first on the cheeks and then upon her rosy lips. Charu felt a surging emotion throughout her body frame.

‗I hope you would not mind if I sleep in the adjoining room. You might get disturbed by the lamp I keep on for quite some time to read before I am asleep‘, he asked Charu holding her in his arms affectionately.

‗You have taught me to be disciplined, otherwise you know what would I prefer?‘ she replied in whispering undertones.

‗We should observe family ethical code of conduct as well as your convenience always‘, he replied taking her to a stroll to her back yard in bright moonlight, this being a day preceding the full moon.

‗Jagan dear, don‘t you think a need to look at our ‗family values‘ quite afresh has arrived, particularly with regard to what had happened to both of us‘, she ventured to suggest in her gentle sweet voice.

‗These values are not codified, and hence there may not be an option before us to review. But I do realize that the kind of treatment meted out to the minor child, more particularly the girl child, need immediate drastic change of attitude. Family ethics about which I was talking takes generations to evolve and, therefore, the same could not be changed by one generation, and secondly the change has to be cumulative and widespread through out the social fabric, in which individual opinions does not count for much, though I agree that prominent individual‘s actions does count in society that gradually goes to bring in changes in the value systems of which we are talking about,‘ he put in.

‗If you consider ourselves to be part of the ‗prominent individual‘ category then we should initiate such changes in the value systems as we might consider right for both the genders‘, she suggested.

‗That is the reason I have taken the cause of Nathia, Shanti, Hina, my dear Charu. I hope you recollect having given you the option to accept or reject me as your child husband. I simply refused to accept you as a widow, and that is the reason, my dear, I have come to finalize our marriage arrangements with your consent, otherwise we are already married‘, he appeared to suggest.

‗Yes, and I also realize how difficult is it to get out of the family value system, otherwise you were quite free to derecognize incidents that occurred more than twenty five years back upon the whims of our elders‘, she admitted. 244

‗It is not the family value system alone that needs a fresh look, in some more areas we need to reorient our position. We are witnessing a significant change in social value systems too. Time has reached to foresee the extraordinary fast changes which would alter the erstwhile social hierarchy. It would also usher in a political change in the hitherto hegemonistic contractual system. People would change, their professions would change and things are going to be tipsy turvy; what was heavenly ordained is going to melt like an ice cube in the churning vassal of social values,‘ he said.

―These are serious issues that go to make the image of your country, and enrich life at home‖, she asserted.

‗Come on, Charu, it is no time to talk serious matters. Our episode is a wonderful gift of God, or say the family value system, otherwise how was I going to get such an extraordinary beautiful and intelligent person who readily agrees to accept me as her husband‘, he said lapping her face delicately in front of his and feeling her breath through her almost transparent nostrils, and kissing her again and again, and teasing her by playing with her soft handsome nose, eyes, eye brows and her dark locks of hair that spread over her face like dark clouds over the white silvery moon.

‗I suggest we discuss later; it is important though, my dear‘, he politely suggested looking to the fact that she was getting somewhat excited over such important serious matters that go to indicate her mental alertness. She agreed and put her arm over his shoulder and her face over the chest where his heart was beating elegantly. They were silent for quite some time.

―What are we doing tomorrow? It is Sunday and you are also free‖, he asked.

‗We are driving to Khandala and spend the day there, eating, relaxing, talking simply to ourselves, and absolutely nothing except our personal matters‘, she replied.

‗That would be wonderful,‘ he said.

It was past midnight. Both were reluctant to release themselves from their embraces. Charu suggested he might have been tired and both agreed to retire to their bedrooms, after he planted one last long kiss over her worked out hot lips and lightly squeezed her shapely body frame. Both retired to their bed chambers with the satisfaction of meeting persons of high personal character and beauty of body and mind. Jagan found that Charu, though gentle and silent, was made of substance. He was happy to find a person as his wife who would add to his inspiration through out for a long time to come. He was satisfied to find a person of caliber to share many of his concerns they would be facing in life of raising their family. Charu also felt entirely submerged in the comfortable prospect of having met prince charming of her dreams, levels higher than what she had hitherto understood.

Khandala is one of the important hill stations in the state of Maharashtra and is the pride of the Sahyadri Mountains. The place is endowed with abundant natural beauty. It also provides a popular gateway from the hustle and bustle of cities of Mumbai and Pune. 245

The picturesque green surroundings of this pretty hill station attract the travelers towards it. The town provides a panoramic view of the lush green hilly environs. One can enjoy the scenic beauty of this place by taking a walk around. It has a number of trekking trails around it too. The popular hill station of Lonavala is only 5 km from Khandala. There are a number of lakes around Khandala - Tugauli Lake, Lonavala Lake and Bhushi Lake. Karla and Bhaja Caves are located in the hills at a distance of 16 km from Khandala. These rock- cut cave temples dating back to 2nd century BC are amongst the oldest and finest examples of Buddhist rock-cut temple art in India, belonging to the Hinayana Buddhism. Echoes of „budham sarnam gachhami, sangham sarnam gachhami,‟ resound from the belly of the enchanting valley.

6.8

Charu had booked a private cottage overlooking the lake providing a wonderful view of the lush green valley. By the time they reached, cottage was done up to receive them. Lunch was arranged there. They had no plans of moving around as stray tourists. The lady caretaker was remarkably agile and smart, in her forties. Her name was Paro, a Protestant Christian, and a cook to cater to the guests who frequented the place.

‗Please enjoy the scenic beauty here and call me if you need anything. My name is Paro‘, she said.

Two easy chairs were kept in the open verandah overlooking the green valley. Jagan and Charu made themselves comfortable in the easy chairs. Paro brought water in spotless crystal glasses. She leisurely related a bit of history of the place as if she was a tourist guide. She must have worked as such the way she narrated the environs, about the cottage.

‗Madam ji I will bring some snacks for you and Sahibji, what would he prefer tea or coffee. I will first get you some fresh juice, O.K. madam ji,‘ she asked.

‗Paro, please get us coffee, and you are so good to care for us‘, told Charu.

She returned with fresh pineapple juice, fruits and coffee. Charu and Jagan were struck by the beauty of the place. For quite some time they felt cool fragrance of the valley that refreshed them.

‗Our marriage requires any preparation, do you really want us to celebrate it the way I want, Charu?‘ he asked. 246

‗If you subscribe to the family values and want to make them sacroscent do not think of any celebration,‘ she replied.

‗What you think should be done; I will abide by it,‘ he asked.

‗Simple informal function will do. What is important we get away to be together for some days to an exotic destination,‘ she replied.

‗That also will be your choice. I was thinking to register our marriage with close family members and friends, without any celebrations,‘ he suggested.

‗We might require more than a month off from our duties,‘ he asked.

‗I think a 45 day leave will be enough, in February, which is not very far. A week for marriage, followed by our quick visits to the village, by 15th February we might leave. When to return we may decide there!‘ she said looking into his eyes.

‗That is wonderful, do I understand these dates are final,‘ she asked.

‗Unless you change, it is final,‘ he said.

‗For arrangements I will brief my people, but Charu, you may like go shopping. I will be glad to be with you. You are near Bombay, and shopping is your meet. I will pay,‘ he interjected.

‗I also have to buy gifts for you, would be pleased to go with you, and yes, I will make all arrangements for it,‘ she replied.

‗May I know what gifts you want from me,‘ he asked.

‗Gifts will be from you, you will decide what do I like, need or deserve,‘ she said.

‗We are converging our likes into a composite whole, like two bodies in a soul, it was in this context I wished to include things for me that you decide and for you I choose,‘ he suggested.

‗I feel we leave area for surprise so far as gifts are concerned. It will judge our feelings for each other,‘ she said.

‗That is fine,‘ he finished.

Charu had a large laugh and hugged him closely.

―Jagan dear, I want to share some feelings that linger in me,‘ she politely said.

‗Come on, yes,‘ he asked with a little surprise. 247

‗I have lost twenty precious years of my life in deprivation. Had I been allowed to be with you since I was introduced to you, I must have fallen in love instantly and enriched my life. Fortunately you came back to me in life when I had spent my adolescent age in isolation, but that is no consolation for the sweet sixteen years gone waste without your affectations. I feel it pinches now; I don‘t know how to cope with the incurred loss?‘ she helplessly said and added, ‗It is not imaginary.‘

He rose and lifted her in his lap. Putting his face on hers gently kissing all over, he reassuringly said, ‗I will give you so much affection and care you will forget the loss altogether. I had faint memories of you as a child bride when you arrived then, but you were only a kid and fragile to remember anything. I liked you ever since those airy childhood days, separation further mystified our relationship. We were destined to meet the way we have, our gain is born out of that loss, why bother?‘ he said.

The feeling of loss because of isolation of her child widowhood on her part appeared a pointer to him who got all opportunities of childhood ecstasies of being together and in the process kindle ties of innocent playmates, both girls and boys, providing opportunities of fond togetherness. Nature allows undetectable fondness between inmates of both genders and in that process boys get friendlier with girls, or they are more intensively attracted towards them rather than the boys of their age. It was a fact of life and he realized its implications more when Charu mentioned it as a loss to her. It implied as a child widow both society and her family had unconsciously bonded her within restrictions less physical than psychological. Born in a family of repute physical restrictions were minimal but the trauma of being a child widow must have begun to play over her innocent mind as she came of age to understand her surroundings. She had not many children of her age in her family to interact and play with and contact with outside children of her age was in a way restricted, if not totally prohibited. What she was expressing in her fondling love of Jagan was this feeling of acute loss in an age where innocence tries to equip the mind with emotions; love being a major human emotion, she had felt the loss was apparent when she expressed it to the person who would compensate it. Jagan loved her sincerely. She also realized it. Woman discernibly understands feeling of attraction and love instinctively. She tried to portray a crucial period of her adolescent life consumed in a vacuum. This sudden burst of feelings on her part made Jagan thoughtful. He began scanning his own adolescent life, in view of what his love Charu felt, and to his surprise, found sense in what she was expressing. A whole lot of different yardsticks being applied to genders became apparent. It obviously was a man‘s world. Though put in similar background and circumstances, he could grow in the fascinating company of Nathia, Hina, Shanti, Isabella, Sumitra, Pauline, Richa and others, which certainly have added to his pleasures and enriched life; Charu was doomed to a grand moral isolation with only material affluence bordering her existence, leaving an unnatural barrier to enrich her life as a normal adolescent. She received her first break into the wonderful array of life when, after she had undergone the aloofness in her adolescent age, Jagan wrote her the first letter after which she craved for his company. That craving met now; who cared for the trauma she underwent during her teenage?

It made Jagan realize Charu knew Shano too. There was no denying this fact. Also Jagan has been updating Charu about his relationship with Shano and she was apprised of 248 all successes she has scored because of Jagan. Charu herself was not at all worried about that woman‘s dedication to Jagan, she knew and had enough faith in her man, but the fact remained that there was a woman, named Shano, who intensely loved Jagan only, had his affectations and physical satisfactions derived from their close embraces as adolescents, who was equally, if not more, beautiful than Charu herself. Jagan realized he liked, though it couldn‘t be termed love, Shano, her brilliant diligence, her total dedication minus any demands, begets suitable responses from him. In his subconscious he realized objectively Shano‘s effort was a grade higher than Charu‘s; one‘s sacrifice was total; the other was reaping fruits of her destiny, without much sacrifice involved. Such thoughts notwithstanding his feelings were not shaky about his affections for Charu. It was a reality. He loved only Charu?

‗I expressed my feelings as I have carried their burden for so long. I felt I won‘t be honest with me if I don‘t share my thoughts with you,‘ she said hugging him after her release from his embrace.

Paro had brought in some local bhajia and dosas alongwith coffee. Both Jagan and Charu liked the snacks brought in. They sipped coffee. Jagan felt light to see her share his personal concerns. Charu was an inspiration for him. She was so completely open, transparent and dedicated he was lost in her personal briefing. He felt satisfied his ladylove was a capable partner.

‗Which place would you like us to go, we have many exotic destinations in our own country as well, after we are free from the marriage formalities,‘ he asked looking eagerly towards Charu.

―We have already talked over it dear; we go to Switzerland for one whole month, during the later part of which we could see some good places in Europe, 1-2 day trips to Paris, London, Hague and Berlin‖, she replied reassured.

―OK, I will carry your passport and book all arrangements at my level. You will confirm the leave you get well in time‖, he said.

―We may intimate later part of our return itinerary to some of our close friends who could be useful in our tours in those countries and help book places worth staying‖, she suggested.

―Yes, I have that in mind. I will do it‖, he replied.

―Well, Jagan dear, I have been thinking of marriage a bit lot and that has given me an insight to look at it as an institution in its present as well as future prospects. It gave an opportunity to go through its variegated history,‘ she said philosophically in a lighter vein. Before lunch was served she carried Jagan into marriage‘s memory lane.

In Hinduism man is himself a half the second half is his wife. In just reverse view of the western view sex is the price women pay for marriage and marriage is the price men 249 pay for sex. A Jewish wedding includes the signing of a contract called a ketubah. This contract establishes the wedding of the couple, and it is signed by the couple, with the signature of the rabbi as a witness. Amongst Muslims a woman temporarily married, say, for a month or a year, has her marriage automatically annulled at the end of that time, or at any other time when the husband releases her from the balance of her engagement. It is not necessary for this that there be any witnesses, or that the woman has had her period. In the mountains of Jamaica, among the Maroons, when a girl is old enough to marry, her parents make a feast, and if a young man agrees with the girl to live together, they are considered married. In Egypt women are so jealously guarded, that no men are allowed to look at them from their infancy, except their nearest relatives. In Siberia, the bride is required, on her arrival at her husband's home, to invite guests to a dinner prepared by her, and if pronounced good, it is a recommendation which is above all things to be desired by a woman. In Japan, the bride's teeth are made black by some corrosive liquid to show that she is married. The laws allow man to marry all relatives except sisters. And in India, as you know, the Hindu widows are not allowed to marry, however, young they may be. The very day a girl becomes a widow, her colored clothes, silver and golden ornaments are all taken off. Henceforth, she has to dress in white, and wear no ornaments of any kind whatever during her lifetime. Her daily meals are reduced to one, and that is prepared in the simplest way possible. She is strictly prohibited the use of any sort of animal food. Each widow is required to cook her own food, and to abstain entirely from food and drink two days in every month. On the fast days, when the burning sun dries up the ponds and scorches the leaves of the trees, these poor victims faint and pant in hunger and thirst. If they are dying, a little water will be put on the lips merely to wet them. They have no hope of ever changing their widowhood in the world.‘

‗A recent change in the law, however, now allows the remarriage of widows, and people are earnestly engaged in redeeming their condition, by introducing the system of widow re-marriage. I am gratified to belong to a class of honest hardworking people who believe in the immediate re-marriage of their widows, but only with their consent.‘

‗I intentionally dug up the historical perspective of marriage to find out to my dismay that woman has been treated as a property and if at all some status is granted to her it was purely to suit the male convenience, prestige or estate. This is a hard fact,‘ Charu concluded.

Jagan was pensive. He could not have denied the conclusions drawn out by Charu of the man–woman relations evolved through ages. He sincerely felt to be at her wavelength in her feelings. He was concerned about this and other anomalies in society. They had a silent but refreshing lunch.

‗That is one reason why marriage as an institution is fading. Modern woman is breaking the barriers, man dominated society and also the governments are passing legislation empowering woman, laws about marriage, dowry and domestic violence have already come up. Pati- Parameshwar concept is obsolete; live in relationships find recognition, how far you are from marriage becoming obsolete itself, now?‘ he asked.

250

‗There is change, of course,‘ she replied.

‗Past is dead; look to the future,‘ he said.

‗It takes time to wipe out miseries, happiness is easily forgotten. You are my escape from the past,‘ she said.

‗Besides change in marriage parameters whole lot dead wood of our past need to be dumped to make future safe. Sati was long thrown away in the last century, though stray incidents still occur. Incidents of witch hunting still surface and needs to be eradicated. Arranged marriages with the dowry syndrome are gradually being replaced by love marriages, and latest now by live in arrangements. Child marriages and fetal skewing are obstinate not because good sense of societal response is lacking to forego the evils; it has serious economic reasons that come in the way. Its all about money honey!‘ said Jagan.

‗There is no community mechanism to take care of these evils. Formerly social and political leaders were more tuned towards social change besides the politics; later was based on the former in focus. Present guys are busy weaving reelection strategy and personal asset management,‘ she replied.

‗The day is not far when the guys and style you mention would vanish altogether; market forces will annihilate these anomalies. Socialists and communists are fighting a losing battle on false assumptions. It will also take care of the socialist who want poverty to prolong so that their cause of labor welfare enables them access to power. It‘s not much different than the modern sc politics including the fireworks of reservation that flares now and then. Most problems have economic reasons. Vested interests want to let go disparities. Sooner or later the market will take care of it,‘ he said.

6.9

Paro has gone through exploitation. She had begun working as a domestic maid when she was quite young. She loved a man when she was sixteen. She showered all her earnings and emotions on him. He enjoyed her for three years and left after a girl was born to her as an unmarried woman, who is now more than twenty years and changing lovers in the hope to find a suitable man for her; she works as school teacher in Lonvala. Paro immensely liked her man upon whom she devoured whole contents of her heart. Those were merrier times they entered life as man and wife. It was her first love. She was full of dreams about their life together with her man. Paro was young and caring; her man Joyce too was 251 fulfilling. When her daughter was a kid they slept in her apartment showering and mutually sharing their emotions together. During the engaging nights the couple went to sleep Joyce making Paro feel at the top of the world; Paro was an extraordinary loving person so young and fresh in her prime. Paro slept with her kid and her man. They both loved the child and cared for her. Joyce was healthy and passionate. Often during the nights that augured for their bodies to be perpetually united together they involuntarily passed into their dream world caressing each other. While she would be in a state of slumber he would be awakened to the amorous sweetness of her body aroma and delicately caress her hairs, her back with loosened bra and reach for her boobs, which felt wet and warm having been breastfed her daughter only moments ago. She would become conscious of his yearnings and while the baby in her lap delicately trying not to disturb her sleep she stayed in her posture while emotionally pushing her back of buttocks to enable her man to play his desires. He would feel her finely shaped buttocks all over and glide his hand over its soft tender skin reaching to feel her insides. In their efforts not to disturb the baby both indulged in a feat of an erotic exercise to please their desires; she pushed back her pelvic region further and his erection made way to reach her from behind by pushing farther and pleasantly breeze in. They remained in this compressed state of union when he pass into her with his erection and she squeezed it tight in her lofty antechamber of lubricated countered labyrinth for such time they again slumbered into their world of dreams. The two experienced the extraordinary duality of her being; care for her procreation and sustenance of the whole process of it yielding mutual satisfaction. Or during the busy morning hours when she would be busy dusting and cleaning her apartment he would appear as if from the skies and delicately free her of the sweep sticks and dusters, take her into a hearty embrace, kiss her over her fresh lips as an extended foreplay, and throwing an eye all around to ensure they are not being watched, lift her silken skirts and her left leg to his pelvic region, feel delicately her smooth insides which were warm and welcoming by removing the thin velvetti underwear, invade her from the front and complete that quick encounter to bring them both to fathoming boisterous laughter. It made life both enchanting and peaceful. Her visionary eye looked into the future wondering if she was so fortunate to be blessed with such insurmountable happiness in the start of her life; but it was to be a rude shock not in the distant future, like the tales the mynas recount of their parrots debauchery and perfidiousness, he left her high and dry after enjoying her virginity for more than expected number of her voluntary yielding to his dubious entreaties.

Paro later met a man for whom she got a fancy who worked in confectionary making dough‘s, bread and pastries. He lived with her for six years after they were married to each other and enjoyed life as both worked and had their joys and sorrows shared between the two of them. He died of a road accident and Paro again became a grief struck widow with two children, both of whom are now teenagers, elder being the girl, who after her primary education goes to a tailoring shop owned by a woman stitching ladies garments, and younger a son who goes to a car mechanic Macheal, himself a widower, but attracted towards Paro. Macheal has promised Paro to train her son Daniel to be a good mechanic. Paro was attracted towards him for his masculine body and kind of care he showed. Macheal‘s wife Jennifer died leaving five children, but the man felt the need of a woman. He began meeting Paro who had by now joined the guest house, and had a separate clean quarter. Macheal would drop in with fresh pastries and flowers to court Paro‘s attention. 252

Not long after she succumbed to his and her own desires. Macheal would rush to her quarter when he felt to fuck her, during day time, at the odd hours of the night after he had finished his garage work of repairs late in the night, or even at early vee hours of the morning. He would come with fresh flowers always and some sweats, and finding her alone, would lift her in his embrace, shower kisses over her beautiful face, undress her gently and will make love satisfying their desires. Paro enjoyed it. Paro also liked the man. While love making she felt his greasy body yearning for her and greatly enjoyed the act. Both of them thought marriage to be an unnecessary burden. They shared life as it opened to them without any inhibitions. Paro knew man would like her so long as she was physically attractive and able to satisfy their sexual needs. When old she would prefer to be alone in her own peace. But she felt young and lived in her present. She had abandoned all her misconceptions about long lasting relationships or enduring organic or inorganic creations. Each minute has to be gone through, and since there won‘t be any better alternative she has learned to depend only on herself, and live through it. Paro was beautiful and even in her advanced years she meticulously maintained her body. She was slim and that was her greatest asset which made her both smart and attractive. She has a round face, considered to be an oriental beauty mark. She was whitish fair and had a smooth glowing skin. Her hairs were cut over her shapely shoulders and she played enormous clout by timely jerking her hair locks to and fro, left to right and maintaining a befitting facial expression. She was an expert in extending correct message by her grins, laughs, sometimes silent, at times with the melodious tone of her shapely mouth and lips, and she was able to attract attention of any stranger who happened to meet her. Her lean and small shapely boobs added to her attraction. She was agile and expert cook, at the top of it. Her demeanor strengthened by the delicious dishes she served drew most tourists towards her. She was a past master in exploiting the situation, and the initial enquiries she made were to find out the kind of food the newcomers liked. She made biriyanis of various tastes, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, and her kawabs and pakoras were eatables the tourists remembered much after they left. She made such fluffy and broad omelets that breakfast at her lodge was an added attraction. For North Indian tourists Paro prepared such delicious parathas with yoghurt and chutney, it became a specialty. She stuffed the parathas with boiled potatoes, onion, ginger, peas, green gram, chilies and black salt. More than lunch and dinners, tourists needed timely snacks and breakfast, which were her specialty. Tourists, by and large, took breakfast and left for sight seeing having their meals at various restaurants that catered with a variety of cuisine, while moving around during the day. Dinners also people mostly joined better known eateries of the place. But snacks and breakfast were a must at her lodge, and she was catering to all with ease. Once in a while she was also catering to the physical needs of such tourists of taste who took interest in her, and showed both respect and dignity to the quick encounters she participated in. There was a rich Punjabi fellow who, in his first visit, was enamored by her charms and courted her for sharing his bed and showered her with costly gifts, and wanted to have a long lasting relationship with her; she politely turned down his request to leave to go with him. The fellow repeated his visits a few times and both enjoyed being together. Few women understood man better than Paro. She was happy looking after the lodge and being paid handsomely. She had no misgivings about any permanent or long lasting relationship with any man.

253

After lunch Jagan and Charu retired to their bedroom for a brief siesta, and later in the day in the afternoon they had planned to take a long walk in one of the trekking routes of the green valley. As Charu lay over her bed, Jagan gently sat alongside and held her delicate hands kissing repeatedly. He felt he has fallen in love with the wonderful lady. Charu appeared to respond. Jagan kissed her forehead, cheeks and lips. A vibration ran through her body. They had a small nap. After tea they went for a walk. Brisk at times and slowing their pace they evolved a mutually enjoyable speed to walk the ten kilometers of the designated trek. Hand in hand and arm in arm they walked the distance talking about marriage, their own personal likes and dislikes, ceremonies to be avoided, gifts and articles they would buy for each other, their proposed honeymoon trip to Switzerland, places they would be visiting in Europe, small presents they planned to buy for close relatives, mementoes they wanted to buy for themselves and the like. Both enjoyed the trekking which gave their bodies much needed momentum and vigor to unwind.

Paro‘s joyful-sad existence exercised Charu. No two persons are equal or similar; yet there occur striking similarities in the lives of people living far apart and in entirely different situations. Woman is often at the receiving end of life‘s bounties; she wondered why it was so that only women are the object of unequal treatment in most areas of her journey. She is a normal woman with access to power of mental discrimination and rational thinking; she is well placed in life. She knows there are men too who are targeted by such eventualities; yet women suffer more often than their counterpart men in the run of life. There is absence of equilibrium in human affairs. It‘s not missing in nature; nature would include all other animal or plant life where ecological balance appears to be its hallmark save where human interference has disturbed its natural go. In nature only the fittest survive; the laws of ecological balance demand that system to operate. In humans there are different yardsticks for multiple facets of existence. There is society. There is money and its power to influence most human behavior. Then there are inferior and superior, fair and dark, honestly chaste and criminally flirt, this religion and that religion, this region and that region, this class and that class, the rulers and the ruled, this profession and that profession, this rich and that poor, this strong and that weak, this intellect and that dull and many other similar compartments.

She asked Jagan, ‗why man has created so many elements to differ and aggrandize fellow beings and what was behind man‘s great endeavor to seek deliverance, moksha or nirvan from life?‘

‗It‘s the miseries of life that prompts intellectuals to try seeking final deliverance,‘ said Jagan.

‗If there was equanimity in human approach possibly it all wouldn‘t look so miserable,‘ she said.

‗To draw inference of how much is good and more is bad is not the meet of ordinary mortals; it becomes like gradually getting down the marshy world of greed, want and desires that seem never to end,‘ he said. 254

Elucidating Jagan said, ‗Maya is indescribable for it has two principal functions, one is to cover up Brahma and hide it from our mind and the other is to present material world instead of Brahma. Prakrati made of three elements rajas, tamas and sattva is the material cause of all beings, as Krishna in Gita says, ‗in great Prakrati I place the seed of Brahma the creator also known as hiranygarbha, and the seed gives birth to all beings: I am the father; primordial Prakrati is the mother.‘ He sees, who sees that all actions are performed by Prakriti-nature alone, and that the Purusha-self is action less. In Allegory of the cave, Plato also gives ideas reminiscent to Maya.‘

‗Do you want me to understand that since Prakrati is both unequal and unstable equananmity is not possible,‘ Charu asked.

‗Due to this age the three basic elements constituting Prakrati are imbalanced causing more miseries,‘ Jagan said.

‗So Paro was the target of this imbalance,‘ Charu said.

‗That is nature‘s broad system for the universe according to our thought; you can interpret it in case of any living being out of the numberless creation, 84 hundred thousand categories presumably,‘ he said.

‗Is it possible to share love?‘ she asked.

‗If its unattached and unqualified, yes,‘ he said.

‗Love of God can be shared alright; I am talking about humans,‘ she asked.

‗It will depend upon the nature of the person, which again is the constituent of different elements as we have discussed,‘ he said.

‗Can Macheal go through a third young guy sharing his love of Paro,‘ she asked.

‗More than Macheal, Paro would be required to see if she wants that sharing of her affections,‘ said Jagan.

‗Paro is now a wiser person; she wouldn‘t go in for any Platonic relationships,‘ she said.

‗I casually asked her to join us on our marriage; she was eager though talked they will forget her when time comes, then she has to cater for the lodge that makes difficult for her to leave,‘ she informed.

‗She is a good person,‘ he said.

‗Fleeting thoughts of traditional weddings came to my mind I dismissed without any rethink,‘ she said. 255

‗If you so want we could indulge in the extravagance; our families would be too pleased to enact it,‘ he replied.

‗Jagan dear, marriage meant so many things to so many people in traditional set up of our families. It was discussed for months togather, the groom, his ambience that will carry away the darling daughter of the family, the prolonged ceremonies, inviting guests and close relations, display splendour by fascinating nautch girls, crates of scotch whisky consumed by dare devil Jat nobles, ceremonial arches and festoons, the grand show of fire crackers that continued for weeks togather, marriage party travelling in traditional chariots of yore brought out and done up particularly for the occasion and the grand feasts offering the richest Indian food and specialities shared by not only the relatives but the whole neighbourhood of the periferry villages, were some of the magnificance of our marriages in the past,‘ she said.

‗That‘s heritage now; its good for classical records of family culture,‘ he said.

‗I quite agree but look there was something very enchanting about it. It use to be topic of talks, gossips in between village damsels for long hours during days and nights that filled their own fantastic world of prince charming appearing for them out of fanciful fantacy,‘ she said.

‗With change of times neither marriage is so much sacroscent as it was in the times you are talking about, nor people who participated are left in the arena. They have gone with time that is now history,‘ he said.

‗I realise yet was it not fascinating? Without some amount of fantacy occassions like marriage look bore, monotonous?‘ she asked.

‗I guess I will have to revive my plans of a simple legal marriage,‘ he said looking into her innocent eyes.

‗I was reminiscencing; its appealing to indulge in your cultural heritage at times,‘ she said.

‗Are you sure,‘ he demanded.

‗Perfectly certain; I had thrown over the hangover long back,‘ she said.

‗What does Shano thinks of it?‘ she asked.

‗I have never mentioned or discussed it with her; I feel its our personal choice the way we want our marriage to go,‘ he said.

‗Nor did I ever talked it with her,‘ she said.

‗She would be too happy to do whatever you wish her to do in this regard,‘ he said. 256

‗I like her faithfulness and the way she is establishing herself in her area of business,‘ she said.

‗She is more energetic and resourceful than what she apparently looks so to you,‘ he said.

‗Much credit of what she is goes to you,‘ she said.

‗Charu it‘s a myth; I have repeatedly told her too,‘ he said.

‗Its your greatness of character, though without her own efforts so much wouldn‘t have been achieved,‘ she said.

‗I have repeatedly requested her to think of her marriage; she always puts up bagful pleas of defenses,‘ he said.

‗She feel her childhood was witness to such acute gender bias she is almost disgusted with the idea of marriage,‘ she said.

‗Have you talked it to her ever,‘ he asked.

‗Perhaps never,‘ she said.

‗I wish if you could try and motivate her for marriage now since she has progressed so much both as person of repute and wealth,‘ he suggested.

‗I will try though I am surprised it never has occurred to me to talk about it; perhaps you have been telling me she is against it,‘ she asked.

‗May be; you try next time you meet her; she is so sincere and affectionate to you personally,‘ he said.

‗I am already overwhelmed of her personal obligations to us,‘ she said.

‗To me she is an invaluable friend; I know her since we were kids and never could I imagine this dumb girl would reach such dizzy heights of success. It gives me immense satisfaction to see her progress,‘ he said.

‗I know; it makes me proud too. It boost my ego and my liking for you. Not many man could boast of such intimate relations with a successful woman of substance without making any kind of tattle,‘ she said.

‗You have mentioned a subject I wanted to talk over for quite some time now,‘ he said.

‗You don‘t have to bother, dear Jagan, I have enough confidence in my man; he is above board,‘ she said. 257

‗She won‘t marry or leave me ever either; most other persons would misunderstand such a relationship and that‘s the reason I have been telling her to marry,‘ he said.

‗Jagan, is marriage such a necessary part of a person‘s life; if I was placed in similar circumstances I may have opted out of it. It would look ridiculous if she should marry only because people may talk about her with referene to her social interaction,‘ she said.

‗Any arguments over the issue brings you disappointment; it applies to both you as well as Shano and I have no option left except keep quiet. But life is a long journey to tread, being lonely is full of apprehensions,‘ he said.

‗She is a successful woman, you forget. She has larger than life commitments to follow. With friends like you its obvious she should act the way she is doing,‘ said Charu with a grin.

‗I have always tried to persuade her to take marriage; but in vain,‘ he said.

‗I guess she will stick to her stand; what interests me is whether her decision touches us in any manner which may give slightest impression we will loose something if she enters into her wedlock,‘ she asked.

‗Your‘s is a pertinent querry; I feel if there is anything to be amiss it would be felt on both sides and in equal proportion since the relationship began with me when I was a kid. An important aspect of it is that it was built up over the years purely out of natural instincts without any kind of deliberation on either side. She was a playmate and placed in wretched circumstances; I was normal and wanted her as well other playmates to be normal like me and to that goal I worked instictively without any sort of promptings either from within me or without anybody outside. I reacted in similar situation for Nathia, Hina, Neki or Kirpa exactly the way I reacted in case of Shano,‘ he said.

‗The missing links if any may not be physical or even material, it may affect feelings which for people like us is more valuable than anything material,‘ she said.

‗Though I am the cause of it you also will be affected equally, if not more, if she is missed out of our life. She is friend to both of us and lot more to you than me; our bonhomie, a wonderful honest company, working the kitchen and eating togather, going places, shopping, exchange of views on matters personal as well as public and scores of small entities that daily life presents,‘ he said.

‗I entirely agree. Are we therefore, not interested in her wedlock?‘ she asked.

‗I have tried myself; you attempt now. As a natural benefactor of the gender I would be immensely pleased if she agrees,‘ he said.

‗I think she is capable to take her own view over it; if she decides to wed it would be her decision as not to enter the wedlock is her own decision without any exterior 258 promptings. She is a highly regarded and capable person. It would be folly to think she will take decisions other than what she thinks are perfect for her,‘ Charu said.

‗It would be blasphemy to imagine that we are not interested in her wedlock on account of things or feelings affecting us would be abroagated if she marries; instead as far as I know her it would affect her more than any of us,‘ he said.

‗I seem to perfectly agree. She is no more a child; she is placed in very happy circumstances and perhaps carry more serious agenda in her life than the frailties we are talking about. She is an ambitious person,‘ said Charu.

‗While we talk of it I might casually mention my relation with Shano carry complete transparency so far you as my wife is concerned; you have yourself added I am above board yet I feel I must share with you all such emotions that affect both of us. I speak for the sake of future; no misunderstanding ever should appear within the two of us ever. She carry with me more serious agenda both for the gender as well as the country; she is beyond any personal reproach,‘ he said taking Charu‘s hand and kissing it softly.

‗Do I need repeat my own man is exclusively my own and to my mind this is not only truth but the whole truth,‘ she said.

‗I am redeemed by my own love,‘ he said planting a soft kiss over her fresh lips unnerving her for a moment, she enrapping him like creeper takes to tree belly.

‗May we get back dear, we have had a good long walk, I felt a cup of tea is needed,‘ she said.

‗Oh yes,‘ he said taking the u-turn.

Charu and Jagan had a quite dinner prepared by Paro. They stayed for three days, during which they spent a day shopping. They then returned to their duties.

6.10

Cutting family ceremonies Jagan and Charu were married at the registrar of marriages. A week later after hurried but ceremonial trips to Nandgaon they flew to Zurich for their honeymoon. Visiting select European capitals they returned back after a month‘s vacation. 259

They resumed duties on return from leave. Jagannath was transferred Collector and District Magistrate, Benaras. Charu joined ITO Kanpur.

Out of their honeymoon the two of them evolved into one. They enjoyed the breathtaking beauty of the country, efficiency of their transport net-work and wonderful gourmet.

In pre–Roman times the territory now known as Switzerland was inhabited by the Helvetii in the west and the Rhaetians, believed to have been related to the Etruscans, in the east. Julius Caesar and the Romans conquered the region, which they named Helvetia, in the 1st century BC, and it became thoroughly Romanized. During the Germanic invasions that swept over the Western Roman Empire in the 4th century AD, the Burundians and the Alamanni conquered Helvetia. The Protestant Reformation in Switzerland started in 1518, when a country pastor named Huldreich Zwingli began to denounce the sale of indulgences by the Roman Catholic Church. Subsequently, under Zwingli‘s leadership, the city of Zurich revolted against church dogma by burning relics, banning the adoration of saints, and releasing clerics from their vows of celibacy. During the 1790s, the French Revolution spread to Switzerland; the French continually intervened in support of Swiss revolutionaries, a group that sought to promote political reforms and the establishment of a strong national government, and in 1798 the revolutionaries occupied all Swiss territory. The Swiss confederation had until that time been a loose defensive alliance, but Napoleon Bonaparte, the future emperor of France, unified the country under the name Helvetic Republic and imposed a written constitution, which was bitterly resented by most of the Swiss. In 1803, when it was in his interest to have Switzerland friendly, Napoleon withdrew the occupation troops and granted a new constitution with Swiss approval.

Swiss culture has contributed notably to literature, art, and music. From early times Switzerland has been exposed to many foreign influences, and as early as the middle ages the country had achieved a high cultural level. By the 18th century, however, Swiss culture had become increasingly internationalized. In contemporary Switzerland theater and music flourished. The Swiss people as a whole are mainly of Alpine, Nordic, and Slavic or Dinaric descent. The ethnic composition of Switzerland is generally defined by the major language communities: German, French, Italian, and Romansh [Rhaeto–Romanic]. Less than 10 percent of the population is made up of other ethnicities, such as Spanish, Portuguese, and Turkish. There are enormous regional differences between the Swiss people. Visitors may sense variations in attitude in different areas of Switzerland.

English is widely spoken in Switzerland. The other national languages spoken are German, French, Italian and Romansh.

Jagan and Charu enjoyed skiing down glaciers and walking the hills, touring and driving, from Zurich to the Alps, Geneva to Lucerne, for chic European shopping and cosmopolitan cafe culture, it was all there for their dream holiday in Switzerland. The majesty of the country conjures up images of breathtaking mountains, beautiful lakes, Alpine villages, chocolates, cowbells and fields of edelweiss was a land with the power to seduce the honeymooners. Some of the Alpine meadows are breathtaking and are inhabited 260 by famous and distinctive Alpine animals such as the ibex, a mountain goat with huge curved horns and the chamois, a horned antelope. There is perennial snow cover at altitudes of above 3000m. Its people enjoy the highest standard of living in Europe. Switzerland has long attracted many foreign artists and writers including Voltaire, Byron, Shelley, James Joyce and Charlie Chaplin. The 18th century writings of Rousseau in Geneva played a key role in the development of democracy.

When tired of excursions Jagan agreed to Charu‘s desire to relax. Such occasions were replete with romance. The charm of Charulata‘s body emissive put forth an odor intoxicating her partner. Each young woman reverberate surroundings with a personal musky aroma that emanates from youth of her body. It is nature‘s gift to woman. Her body contours and radiant skin glowed like a dazzling dream. They indulged in tiny pleasantries teasing each other arousing senses, entrapped themselves in subdued laughter and mutual pleasure of body contact. They indulged in conversation making half or no sense, their encounters with persons of opposite sex, their gender attitudes, acute pain of separation that torments and why does it so happen? What propels them to be near each other, what causes uneasiness when they are not together? What is love; the extant it can devour heart. They tried to peep into their inner selves to find out if love is relative to biological chemistry of being together or it extends beyond being together as man and wife, a term denoting not only physical togetherness, but the burden of being the mother of procreation. They tried to explore mysteries of transmigration; how wife or husband differs from soul-mate, if there is one. She blushed as he gazed into her eyes. He held her hand and tried to read the lines; lines that make a destiny, lines that win or loose battle of life. They felt they have rediscovered themselves.

Both were used to outdoors and great walks; Switzerland offered the opportunity. They started first with the walk from Scuol to Guarda. The first half-hour's climb out of Scuol was steep, but the path soon levels out so that you can divert your attention to your surroundings. Below them were tiny villages and green meadows in which cows grazed nonchalantly, their gently clanging bells providing them with a musical accompaniment, while above, on both sides of the valley, soared majestic peaks still shrouded in their winter blanket of snow.

The next day was a gentle walk to the village of Lavin which leads down through the valley past gushing streams. The flowers were marvelous, the gentians, large buttercups and other flowers coloring the lower meadows yellow and purple. Lavin is a workaday, nevertheless very attractive village. They paused for a drink and cake at the small patisserie before crossing the covered wooden bridge and continuing the walk along the valley floor. Up above them, on the other side of the valley, the train between St. Moritz and Scuol, which you can use to travel from A to B on any days that you don't feel like walking, snaked its way across the slope at regular intervals.

‗So what made it so enjoyable?‘ asked Jagan.

‗You,‘ she replied. 261

‗It was mutual, yet the onus is more on you for all intoxicating emotions emnate from you,‘ he said.

‗I would say the walking, which is so flexible that you can extend or shorten the routes or even just hop on the train to suit you, but above all the sheer beauty of the valley and its timeless villages,‘ replied his pretty wife.

‗Loitering window shopping was interesting too,‘ he said

‗In the fast moving crowds through the shopping malls and small kiosks, there were stocked pretty small items of desire. The clean and decorated shops made me wonder, how we in India can‘t keep that level of sanitation and upkeep,‘ said she.

‗Amidst those crowded market places, Charu, did you notice senior citizens, old people, alone often uncared for, rarely with their spouses, sitting over corner ends with empty looks, greed in eyes, envying the young couples that filled the place, going down memory lane when they were young, had girl friends, wives who change husbands like furniture in their houses, and their forlorn present old homes where they spend the evening of their life,‘ said he.

‗That their family life is joyless, without passion, devoid of care by grandchildren with their innocent queries and joys of childhood, is remarkably noticeable. Old age is a period when you need the hugging affections of children and care of the family you have raised the most. That is a drawback of the west,‘ said she.

‗They have a different life style; nuclear family culture is not very far from you either,‘ he said.

On another beautiful day, this time around, the sky was clear and the views were as magnificent as they had imagined them to be. It really was a perfect day, with lots of wild daffodils and crocuses lining the latter part of their ascent, and they loved the feeling of having the mountains to themselves. In fact, the only person they saw all day was a puzzled farmer, who asked something incomprehensible in Catalan. It was only on their way back down to Llanars that it occurred to them that he had been asking if they had seen his cows. Charu hoped he found them. They climbed to the high pastures and sat there in the sunshine admiring the views and watching the birds. So far, they spotted several flowers that were new to them, but it was here that they spotted the first ever crested tit flitting about between pine trees. The other two firsts were a citril finch and a red-backed shrike, in addition to sightings of griffon vultures, honey buzzards, linnets, bee-eaters, fire crests and leaf warblers, to name just a few.

Before closing up their itinerary, Jagan took Charu shopping to buy odd gifts for their loved ones back home. Both of them also gifted themselves with gifts that gave them pleasure. Charu presented her hero the statue of the philosopher Rousseau. He presented her with a golden laced Venus portrait encased in a pendant, besides some valuable items of gold and diamond jewelry, sophisticated electronic gadgets, camera and clothing. 262

7.1

After probation period of training as Joint Magistrate was over Jagan was posted ADM Allahabad and shifted to an earmarked house. He exercised much more authority which for him brought about more work and even greater responsibilities. He learnt to administer a district. Allahabad being the constituency of PM, he was known in the political circles as well as an officer of outstanding integrity and merit; he worked fifteen hours regularly. A little more than a year and half in Allahabad so hectic was his life he got little time to his own; there always were people and politicians, their problems and a host of other departments to look after. His transfers to Agra and Varanasi as DM came gradually. His work created political and other adherents amongst the people who wanted him to continue wherever he was posted; vested interests were unhappy in the background.

Shanti was growing into an important media person of repute at the national level. She was gaining recognition as Miss Shanti Trivedi {M S T}, vivacious, brilliant and objective, a person with up-to-date knowledge about the fast changing modern times. She was delivering lectures, visiting foreign countries, meeting heads of states, and running more than a dozen newspapers, magazines, weeklies. She has established herself at Delhi as headquarters of her business. She had three printing presses, including the original one taken with Aftab that has trebled its capacity. She was a prolific writer, and has authored books on various subjects related to matters of public concern, including child-marriages, widowhood and illiteracy with special reference to the women of India. Her daily work schedule spread over ten hours in her office, two hours in physical activity, including squash and yoga, one hour meditation; she never brought any home work to her residence, where she was a very private person and discouraged people seeing her at her house. She had innumerable visitors whom she met in her office, including the social and political persons of standing in the country. Her reputation built up during the last couple of years was that of a woman of substance distinctive, objective, honest and highly sought after by politicians. She was a nightmare to highly placed bureaucrats of doubtful integrity whose personal dossiers she had begun keeping in super computers. Jagan al through remained to be her main motivator; he too held her opinion in high regard.

Nekiram, after leaving his job was whole time engaged in the affairs of NTUC Nandgaon, whose first branch was opened about an year ago in Delhi, where it has acquired six acre plot allotted by the MCD on concessional rates for its manufacturing, office complex, residential quarters and craft conclave, a hub of making exotic articles of traditional Indian nature mostly for export including shoes, quilts, ladies wear, hand bags and a host of leather as well cotton apperal. It was run by a trust headed by MST, whose accounts were audited each year and tax returns filed regularly. Its worth increased to sixty crores as net profit in the concluding year. It had an effective workforce of 560 skilled as well supervisor level employees. Jagan was the patron of the trust; he relinquished as chairman to bring in Shanti in position since she was the real moving force behind the huge organization run by Nekiram who was its elected executive director.

Nekiram was married when he was a kid. His father Chetram, with the patronage of Jagan and his estate ruled over by his mother Thakurani Nirmal Kaur was asked to closely 263 ally with Munshiji Sarpanch to work in active collaboration in Nandgaon. Munshiji remained Sarpanch of Nandgaon till his natural death in his old age, some years later. With the death of Munshiji Sarpanch the political leadership of Nandgaon, as also most other villages, passed on to the lower caste people who got elected on the basis of unity in their ranks as against divergent fissiparous tendency of the upper caste, though they were in majority. Time has changed and in popular democracy people who were suppressed and denied fair deal got preference over outdated, domineering upper castes.

Under active support of MST, with tacit approval of Jagan, Nekiram was put up to contest election for the local MLA which he won, though by a thin margin, his opponent being a lower caste political upstart from Kanchanpur, a village in the Tehsil. That ushered him into politics of the mainstream in the state of Sanyukt Prant, later redesignated as Uttar Pradesh, the land of Nehru, Pant and Tandon; of Vyas, Viswamitra and Maitreyi, of Rama, Krishna and Balram. However, patronage and support, from Shanti or Jagan, were elements which appeared to be adages, more formal than real, decorative than substantive, superfluous than real in the realm of the current political climate of a new India. Change was in the air. Change emanating out of a morass of countless centuries grinding of the underprivileged by the privileged, oppression of the black by the white, caning of the dark skin by the fair, carriage of donkey load by the half clad for the profusely gowned, sweeping and carriage of garbage over bare head for the turbaned, by the impoverished, half fed, skeletons for the affluent ornamented pot-belied dwij-twiceborn intellectuals demystifying the mysteries of the universe. It was flawless like the sacred waters of the Jamuna, the Ganga and the Godavari. It was obvious as the autumn that must follow winter. It was certain as death after having been born. It was time bound as the sunset after sunrise, it was natural as getting lush green by rains after the scorch of summer heat in the forests, it was fodder like the small fish for the bigger ones; it was as natural as fetus getting shape and being born a baby, if there was no skewing, bathing in milk and turning the wombs into tombs, as it happens.

For it was politics, the game played by patronized creep, and everything was possible, or was made possible by the expert players in the field, new incorrigible slime buckets in the making, of the largest democracy in ancient country‘s young electoral processes. The idea of caste, so sacroscent organ of varnashram dharma, a social chariot to move on, would turn into the most abhorrent, black hole of societal change that would become hotbed of political manovering and a cause of intense bickering in its innumerable claimant contituents. It would also become an expedient for the political upstarts to form sizable outfits based over its edifice and a pretext to raise empirical wealth.

Its auxiliary adjunct one will be inveiglement of wealth. Money in shape of gold, diamonds, jewels, real estate, lands that will multiply in more gold, duplex dwellings, bungalows sprawling in one to ten acre farm houses, multiplexes, malls, showrooms and the like listed of the unlisted properties. Money in colonial currency of the queen Victoria gold sovereigns and king George silver rupee coins, in paper currency stacked in rooms of various sizes like one stocks fodder for milk animals and in the back of the golden deities being offered daily puja and prayers camouflaged in back-yard strong iron safe openable only by the computerized digital system of pass words. 264

Its outgrowth limb two will be to enhance efforts to get re-elected from safer constituencies by hook or crook, unmindful of the multitudinous faces of people witnessed during the electoral campaigns, their miseries that were promised to be addressed as soon as they win the battle of the ballot, and after the war is won deleting them from their agenda as swiftly as these were made, like a dream vanishes on awakening. In the process of re-election the most important link would be the bureaucratic establishment, the spoiled baby of the late steel frame; distribution of loaves and fishes would have to be disbursed not only amicably but equitably, the later getting solid chunk in strengthening their already secure position less accountable, though the concept of accountability was as foreign to it as the proposal to divulge and share power. Indian bureaucracy, both in its colonial clone as well as Patel‘s new avatar, was the perfect progenitor of the Vedic seers, who in the best interests of those primitive times, invented and continued the extraordinary ‗oral tradition,‘ with the sole intention of keeping it both confidential and exclusive, free of any interpolation to make it impure. Its impact could be seen by the fact that the later scoundrel-oriented governance would need to pass legislation for having access to information on matters of public concern; and as enacting laws in India eradicate all social ills, the right to information law would also be destined to showcase the law-book counters of barristers, legal libraries and official premises of governance, with out making any concession in the passing of any information to the needy and in time when its need was urgent.

Its derivative sprout three will turn democracy into dynastic rule, invoking the old global concept of rule by the grace of money that is goddess Lakshmi, the spouse of all pervasive creator God Brahma, and electoral malpractices, including booth capture and lure of money, as its subsidiaries to carry on governance of the family, disproving the concept what is there in a name for in inheriting the name Gandhi, Nehru, Chowdhary, Patnaik, Reddy or Yadav countless manipulations involving social customs and matrimonial alliances would be invoked and the lucrative names kept intact to fool the parliamentary democracy‘s multitude masses.

Thus as part of the obvious social evolution Nekiram was elected MLA. His election was totally financed by MST; it was run by the Nandgaon led brigade of scs in the mainstream followers of Nekiram, Kirpa and Sarpanch Munshiji and his father Chetram, going places and seeking support of both their fellow voters as also of the erstwhile Jat nobility, and the twice born upper layer compatriots of Guruji Ganeshilal of the area. Jagan‘s sway over the whole process was overwhelming. But it was Miss Trivedi‘s media coverage of Nandgaon constituency which was crucial in victory. A band of 50 dedicated media persons worked round the clock searching loopholes and filling the blanks for about two months. Miss Shanti Trivedi camped in Nandgaon for the whole election period with her infrastructure of media coverage. The place was highlighted as an example of free and fair polls in the most democratic manner. The role played by the old veteran women of the Mohini estate, Bhopti, Mooli, Pyari, Anisa, Midniya and others was commendable, they carried substantial weight in their caste groups and since all of these belonged to the lower strata of the populace, they took it up as their own election to be won. The reasons for a thin margin of victory were many including the fact that the opposite candidate Govindram of Kanchanpur also belonged to lower caste, a khatik, and he carried good clout too. There 265 were of course no booth capturing or rowdyism allowed to be practiced by the lady in charge. The election was by and large fair; except money spent which was more than normal, a situation obviously out of control on larger fiscal environment prevailing in the country. Jagan was naturally interested in it. Only Shano could talk to him; she regularly briefed him.

7.2

A very subtle but significant change was meanwhile happening in Nandgaon. Kirpa was fast taking to his village, its problems and surroundings. Since his alliance with NUTC the organization has trebled its activities.

Kirpa, designated Up-Sarpanch of Nandgaon, by none other than Jagan, endorsed by Shano, played an important role in Nekiram‘s electioneering. Jagan, who was posted as district magistrate and collector Bijnor, couldn‘t have come but his interest was taken care of by his trusted band of friends, headed by Shano. However, such fair poll process was not visible in other places. Kirpa was growing into a very alert intelligent ground level worker of the party in power. He was heard in the district set up of the party; soon he will receive attention at the state level party echelons. He was being reared as local expert in all matters of party functioning with an eye over the poll process. He knew almost every member of the party at the village level by name, their capacity, their resources, their activities and sources of income, their interest in national integration, their secular credentials and much more. He, therefore, held party secretary‘s post and was encircled by a large number of active members, admirers, followers in whom he was able to create camaraderie and confidence. Days of cattle grazing were gone past with the dawn of independence and elimination of the grazing charagah lands and the dwindling cattle population, with the change of times. He was still attached magnetically to his childhood caretaker Jagan.

In a quiet post poll critical analysis of the rural electoral environment in the event of having won the recent election that focused on whole lot of attributes, Shano held a closed door meet of her men where all caste groups were present. The participants were local people, which segment embodies effective vote banks. Shanti briefed them initially over the issues that matter in the daily run of life, in the conclave where Neki, Rafiq, Kirpa and others were present. It was an important gettogather to form definite views over key issues and take post poll review of political environment.

Kirpa who was listening intently to her reverential lady‘s analysis of the political climate, raised his hand to speak; all looked towards him. 266

He said: ‗Caste always was a political entity. It is even now very much political with political parties almost entirely depending over it to win votes and in the process further vitiating its inherent beneficiations. We have traversed almost half a century over its rough shod treatment of social engineering creating dissensions in society rather than improving the inter caste relations; I therefore, hold that all reservations must be done away with now. At the grass root level I know more than anyone else that sc young persons are far more equipped to meet competition as against the savarnas in all respects. What we need is money; that we will take anyway. If one political outfit‘s call could change from the former venomous rhetoric, ‗Tilak, tarazu aur talwar, inko maro jute chaar‟ [Brahmins, traders and the warrior caste should be kicked]; ‗Brahman, bania, thakur chor, baki sab hain DS4‟ [The three upper castes are thieves and should be kicked away; ‗Vote se lenge PM/CM, arakshan se lenge SP/DM‟ [we will win PM/CM with vote, SP/DM with reservation] to the present opportunistic slogan of, ‗Brahmin shankh bajayega, haathi badhta jayega‟ [Brahmin will blow the bugle and the elephant will make progress; and ‗Hathi Nahin Ye Ganesh Hai; Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, Hai,‘ we also will shift from quota reservations to budget sharing on our terms.‘

Kirpa continued with his analysis, ‗Caste based politically oriented reservations contain some glaring inconsistencies. It exists in the realm of all three basic classifications of scheduled castes, tribes and backward castes. As the results of the affirmative action percolate down the new young generations who become convinced of its shortfalls and incongruities, the social equilibrium appear to be threatened in ways and proportions no one have ever conceived. Besides the inconsistencies in between the declared eligible castes versus castes per se, castes historically considered ritually higher in social hierarchy are now getting not only prepared but are virtually agitating and taking to the streets to compromise traditional status to the new affirmative privileges. Infighting between castes less than one category is pregnant with horrors of caste war that will diminish if not destroy social harmony. It is not difficult to understand the psychology under which extreme emotions erupt and take the form of caste war a little too short of civil war as people understand it. Major contribution of reaching such a state of a situation in any area dominated by a particular caste or two major castes must go to the stupidity of the politicians who make hollow promises they can never fulfill and thus impel those who have been promised to take to streets and prompt the other caste or community to react that ends up in more violence termed as caste war. The two communities live happily in a hamlet as neighbors. Both come from exactly similar background and have almost identical survival mechanism by way of occupation and profession as a means of livelihood. Affirmative privileges given to one family belonging to a particular caste results in all adult educated young persons of the family getting the highly privileged access to all India services including the IAS, IPS and IFS; others get employment in various other central and state government departments including the income tax, railways, engineering openings and reach an unprecedented high standard of living. Their next door neighbor belonging to another caste not included in that category of state quota policy but belonging to same living background fumes tilling his meager uncultivable land without necessary inputs and rears a dozen head of cattle to meet both ends. Meanwhile the republic has lived through sixty years of its transcendental existence; while one family members live in abundant prosperity, drive Toyotas and Honda cars, hop by air travel to enjoy vacations and maintain 267 a set of luxurious villas in metros and maintain their village homes as vacation homes lording over huge agricultural farms acquired recently by their affluence, the other wretched family works as oafs under heavy debt and their children half clad, half educated roam in search of jobs that get scarce with the globalization of economy and the state adopting a policy of work by contract to reach some efficiency and affect economy. The unemployed and confused youth of the poor neighbor get envious and claim the same affirmative status as enjoyed by the neo-rich neighbor. The feeling of discontent spreads like wild fire one trying to reach that position by claiming quota and the other affluent one resisting the demand lest their share of the booty may be partitioned and divided between other contenders. The eruption of violence as patience of the have-not family plummeted to zero level could be anybody‘s guess.‘

Kirpa continued, ‗At the close of the 19th and early 20th century certain castes including the gujars, ahirs and jats attempted upward mobility by claiming kshatriya status; today some of them are claiming OBC or ST status. At that time it was higher social status that was the coveted good. During British Raj this attempt was turned into a traditional Hindu categorization of social caste. Today, however it is education and sarkari jobs that matter even if it means downward caste mobility. When jats were awarded OBC status, many community members from parts of Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh decried the move on downgrading from their superior kshatriya status. However, now even rajputras and Brahmins too claim that they be downgraded in caste hierarchy and given the much coveted OBC status. Sixty years down the road of independence we must think seriously what is our concept of social justice and then after having once decided under the raj hangover that caste is the basis of inequality in our society, do we necessarily have to stick solely to caste criterion? Caste configuration is an extremely serpentine, hazy and confusing domain spread from individuals to wider social groups to any one trying to understand it. In one state the same caste is known by different names in some cases; backwardness status of castes is also periodical and changing with times warranting upward as well as downward trends. Nehru the architect of modern India, in a letter to chief ministers, prophesied way back in 1961 lamenting even promotions are being given on caste instead of merit; it will end in not only grave misunderstanding but disturb social equilibrium. Latest incidents in a northern hitherto peaceful state bringing two communities to confrontation could well be the harbinger to civil strife fuelled by the unimaginative policies of political bandits.‘

Rafiq intervened, ‗a clash of interest commences; the profanely ambitious politician gets locked up in his safe hole and the society burns with both sides getting frenzied with high pitched emotions. Meanwhile unsocial elements enter the fray and exploit it for their gain. It is a matter of money, honey! The chakka jam call given by one disgruntled community is carried through one week, during which lawlessness prevails, the state government hides in its shell and during jungle raj all normal, commercial, and urgent activities comes to a grinding halt. In terms of money this state alone has incurred losses of 4000 crore of commercial activity, 200 crores of railway property gutted and damaged, 100 crore public property looted and burnt, 20 crores loss to state roadways by burning buses and loss of revenue, 10 crores worth private property gutted, and 70 crores other cumulative losses incurred; an approximate loss of about 4500 crores, besides the stark 268 public discomfort and inconvenience affecting the normal life of the whole country. Near civil war situation has reached by confrontation of the two communities; dozen killings on both sides have been reported though the spread of caste violence in the rural hinterland where normal approach is difficult any estimate may be a crude guess. Meanwhile state government and its enormous establishment sits silent and cozy.‘

Kirpa further emphatically said, ‗the damaging public perception that in polls people don‘t cast their vote, they vote their caste may be true for the whole country. It could only change by saying good bye to all quotas and reservations.‘

Everybody seems to endorse what Kirpa holds to be the only way out of the malady; but which political outfit would ever be able to take such a decision was an open question and they all had crossed fingers over it.

‗Have you thought how unity of people can be achieved in this great country, you might recall it was one of the main pillars of our effort to raise NTUC,‘ Shano asked Neki.

‗To try to reach a conclusion you will have to go to trace those elements first that divides us in the country,‘ Shano answered her own query.

‗And what are such elements,‘ Neki asked.

Shano said, ‗the first is religion not only in India, the world over religion branded people in different alcoves. Religion leads to various modes of faith, philosophy, worship, thought process and subsequent elaborate deliberations eulogized by those who monitor the religious integrity of people embracing it, and that leads to two other major elements of disunity. First is the confrontation in between followers of different religions over practice and form of worship. Second is the element of conversion, to bring people to its fold under coercion,‘ he eulogized.

‗It would imply that to the extent religion differed in different geographical locations there could be no negative affect on the conduct of man. Problems arose when one religion wanted to either expand or impose by force its beliefs on different people living in distant lands. Voluntary religious conversions attract not much attention or opposition, it became contentious when such conversions were affected by violent force with complete disregard to human values,‘ she said.

‗Next to religion, particularly in our country, the next important element of disunity is caste based affirmative action by way of the quota reservations adopted by political outfits with an eye on vote,‘ said Kirpa.

‗I think the disunity based over caste is a gift of the British as a legacy of the Raj. It is more prominent and dangerous than the religious disparity since it has become a very sensitive political issue on account of the affirmative options exercised indiscriminately,‘ she said. 269

‗I agree. Didi,‘ replied Kirpa.

‗The caste factor had been both encouraged and exploited by the colonial rulers and Indian political parties to the detriment of the country as a whole,‘ she said.

‗Whatever one might preach caste formations are there to stay, and it would not be possible to do away with the disadvantages. It is a paradox. We preach the abolition of caste; yet put our internal energies to strengthen it. Caste consciousness cuts across all walks of our life social, economic or political. The latest is the doling out of the quota system that results in social and economical advantages often putting disadvantages for other groups of society. Caste has come to imply means to an end. It has taken the shape of a vehicle for expediency and speed to get things done and achieve results. It signally ignores merit. It has found a very expedient and provocative argument in affirmative action to those who were historically oppressed,‘ Kirpa said.

‗You may be correct; let us analyze the malignancy and look into its origins. Its Hindu viewpoint, as caste is widely associated with Hindus, its political fall out and social ramifications were drawn through its variegated history by people who were at the helm of affairs. I have failed to visualize any corrective measures to eradicate the evils, though; caste has become political and only political solutions would work,‘ she said.

‗Well, is it so incurable,‘ Rafiq asked her.

‗It is often claimed that Hinduism is inherently unequal, that ‗Indian Civilization, so rich with greatness, has been marred by the proposition that all men are created unequal‘. This view of Hinduism is reportedly based on the „Purusha Sukta‟ [Rig Veda X.90.12],‘ she said.

‗What does it say actually?‘ he asked.

‗There is no other Sloka more misinterpreted than this X.90.12 particularly by foreigners or colonial grammarians who fail to grasp the symbolic aspect of the deep meanings of everything Hinduism stands for and to grasp its meaning we must refer to its previous Sloka X.90.11. This too must be interpreted in accordance with the established Hindu traditions of ‗symbolism.‘ It refers to the imagination of the creation of a social human being by the procreating divine forces. When the divine imagines to create a „Purush‟, a man, as he would interact in the totality of his society, who would be like his mind [head], who will be like his arms [bahu], who compares well with his abdomen [uru], and who would be like his feet [pada]. However, the entire blasphemy comes out of its erroneous interpretation. The seers were contemplating on human beings in social workshop. What are the functions of the different organs of the body, viz. the head, the arms, the lower body, and the feet? Can anybody deny that the head or brain control the body of a man, and it moves man to all activity? This class of persons was termed as Brahmins for they did much of the thinking. The arms are mainly instrumental in the maneuvering of weapons needed for defense and for offence such as hunting to survive; action in response to impulses from mind performed by persons known as kshatriyas. 270

Different organs of body perform likewise all other bodily functions. Lower portion of body or the stomach creates hunger need to meet that hunger and then the act of digestion and clearance of the bowels-an activity that covers demand and supply, production and consumption-activities that are related to the class of people who were termed as vaishyas. The feet symbolizes other activities not connected with either the brain, arms, or the stomach, and their main function is to carry the purusha, the social person with its load, which activity was symbolically compared with the class of people performing these services, namely shudra. In fact it was the later misrepresentation of the system divided in rigid compartments, impregnable caste system with no option to change ones vocation that it in course of time became what fundamentalists among Hindus and later the colonial power made it to appear. But presently that is the reality and we should not feel shy in admitting that caste system exists to the disadvantage of many human beings who otherwise are equals,‘ she said.

‗You mean Hinduism did not originate with the unequal hypothesis of man as such,‘ Kirpa asked.

‗No. It was the later misrepresenting the original social hypothesis into a kind of usurpation of the freedom of some by the still fewer ones representing the mind, arms, or the stomach into the body politic of our social set up, ‗she said

Elucidating further Shano said, ‗varah puran contains Mathura mahamatya as one of its important organs. Mathura-mandal is the main theme of discussion in the treatise. Detailed valuable information about places and people of braj-mandal are an integral part of it. A key ingredient of the description of the various historical spots of braj-mandal is the absence of class or caste distinction; here rich and poor, high and low, ruler and the ruled stand at one pedestal without any recrimination and discrimination. Varah the incarnation of Vishnu enumerates all tirtha-holy places, van-forests, mandir-temples and ghats-bathing steps over pious Jamuna situated in Mathura-mandal in unfolding it in historical and religious perspective to prithvidevi-mother earth; Mathura has since been depicted to be the holiest of the holy and dearest of the dear sacred place. Spread over 20 yojanas God Himself personified as varah and keshav deo dwell in Mathura. Arrangement of the varah puran indicate God Himself went round Mathura-mandal and thereafter narrated detailed account of all holy places and its importance to mother earth. Kalidas the great Indian poet has eulogized Vrindavan as the garden of Kuber:

„Vrindavane chaitrarathadanune‟ {Raghuvansha 6/50}

‗In the first chapter while describing the qualities of various holy places there is mention of Kampilya, a secret holy place; bathing there man gets social recognition and prestige. Kampilya was a holy city within the Panchala region. The city was affluent and Brahmdutta ruled there. There lived a barber Tinduk in the city for a very long time. He lost his entire family in bad times that befell him. It gave him untold misery. Renouncing all desires he proceeded to Mathura and took up quarters with a Brahmin family; he performed many pious deeds and passed away there bathing daily in holy Jamuna. As a result he was born in a noble Brahmin family and received recognition as great yogi. He 271 proved to be an eminent Vishnu devotee, intelligent yogi and was renowned to foresee future births by his divine powers of mind. Thus he obtained rare mukti-delieverance from the cycle of birth and death solely due to holy Mathura.‘

‗Varah Puran in its mathuratirthamahamatya, third chapter, recounts another example where an evil scavenger – nishad named Suprateet who lived in Nemisaranya went to Mathura for short duration. On krishnapakshiya chaturdashi, he desired to swim in kalindi – Jamuna. While swimming he reached swamighat where he was witness to dropping of shoes placed over his head into pious Jamuna; Suprateet was drowned in the sacred river and died. By his having drowned after bath in the sacred kalindi he was born a brave kshatriya king of Saurashtra, by name Kshatradhanu. Observing his kshatriya dharma he fulfilled wishes of his people and resultantly was married to princess Pivari, daughter of king of Kashi. Pivari proved to be the noblest queen out of hundreds of queens in the palace. King Kshatradhanu and his Queen Pivari, after a grand rule of seventy years, renouncing his rule and appointing his sons as king, went on a pilgrimage of the great holy tirtha Mathura where he enjoyed fruits of life in Braj vans and upvans – holy parks. As a brave kshatriya king of age he realized there is no greater joy than estrangement- sacrifice; no better eye than knowledge; no braver than the eyes; no worse sorrow than attachment: renouncing all desires is attainment of supreme knowledge – gyan.‘

‗These are very significant pieces of evidence that in ancient India caste was not something that couldn‘t be changed, is clearly indicated by this ancient scripture. There are many similar instances from which it can be conclusively said that a lower caste could become kshatriya-rajan, or even a brahmin if he followed a holy and noble path. It adds credence to the view that caste in its present form of rigid tradition bound social entity was a corruption of its earlier flexible status which got established comparatively during modern times.‘

‗There are, therefore, three motivating factors to the entire issue of reservations dividing society in castes and classes, one: pay with out work, two: other extra income, and three: politics of vote. Otherwise where are the jobs; whatever jobs are there, most governments are getting their business done by hired contractors? Politics of vote includes the reserved electoral constituencies‘ equivalent with job quotas; it has also served its purpose. Providing crutches to the otherwise healthy walker would make one both physically and psychologically disable and destitute. Governments are by themselves proving that to open up is the only way out to redress ills created by the outdated, corrupt bureaucracy. How are we going to deal with these issues is most relevant now,‘ Kirpa said.

‗It will have to be a cumulative national decision. We should first shift our perception of caste. Not only caste will not die easy it may prove to be an exercise in futility; let us publicly recognize it for its cultural ambience. We might as well again begin to call ourselves Mr. Engineer, Mr. Banker or Mr. Administrator instead of Sharma, Srivastava and Verma. I repeat again because in the earlier stages in India we began to recognize people by their occupations; caste as such as we understand it now is a corruption that appeared much later. First the Brahmins coined and practiced it to save their social hierarchy; the colonial rulers much later bracketed caste with a rigid never to change 272 tradition and compartmentalized it, since it sustained colonial rule. Simultaneously inter- caste marriages ought to be encouraged vigorously; that again is a definite step to minimize caste efficacy. Caste is endogamous; breaking blood monotony by mixing it in a wide spectrum of social edifice will be an effective way to eradicate the evil. Inter-caste marriages will blossom in each other‘s liking; it will also decrease the menace of dowry and bride burning as also girl fetus skewing and reduce wombs being turned into tombs. If we are so greedy about surnames a different but novel approach would be to call people by the town or village they hail from; there already are people known as Singhania, Barnala and Jhunjhunwala. Political leadership is too selfish to begin with; social leaders would have to come forward to adopt better options to unite people rather than divide them as Sharma, Srivastava and Verma; Brahmin, Jat and Gadaria,‘ she said.

Besides these two elements causing discord what other factors, do you think, contribute to our internal wrangling and disunity,‘ Neki asked.

‗It is unequal economic disparities of two Indias,‘ she said.

‗Do we lack patriotism?‘ he asked.

‗Not exactly, but yes, people in charge, need to think above self and party level. We do require honest national commitment. Corruption is so widespread now that everything seems to be available for a price. Recruitment, transfers and postings, favors of a thousand varieties, contracts, exploitation for bribes and the public sector that has become a zamindari – mistress for the administrative bosses, even selection for national games is available for a price. If you allow people to jump the queue, do a favor in contract, or recruit and post incompetent people eliminating those who deserve and are meritorious, how can the nation progress? For every single act of this kind the country is pushed back on the road to progress by a day, month and year. There are always some reasons, compulsions, compromises; the more you indulge in these, the faster country goes down the hole; that is the harem culture - the mother of sycophancy,‘ she said.

‗Corruption appears to be a more potent foe than religion, caste, or poverty we are talking about,‘ Neki asked.

‗You are correct. How do you plan to overcome these great hurdles now since you are also one of the ruling elite,‘ she asked.

‗To answer it is a riddle. No one knows. The only way seems to be wider public awareness and the twin scissor blades of accountability and transparency. Total eradication of the disease is a utopia. Like the tolerable levels of pollution, the country could do with some of it and make quick progress. The only road to it passes by the market economy, which might include hire and fire to all jobs highest to lowest and a right to recall the elected legislator who deviates,‘ Kirpa said.

It was quite late in the night; they dispersed in peace after having deliberated for for many fruitful hours. 273

Shanti‘s diagnosis of the riddle called by many foreign and Indian writers and thinkers about India continuing its march in its slow traditional manner for the last six thousand years of its civilization by the dictum, ‗This is India‘, or there are, ‗No Full Stops in India,‘ appears to be an apology for our inability to wipe out all that is worthless and dead wood, as also an appreciation of such saner elements of Indian society through the ages, beginning with vedic rishies, religious avatars, political icons, social reformers and last the honest, sincere civil servants, because they have maintained the integrity of the country in the face of unscrupulous political dispensation; there are 777 political parties recognized by election commission, one of which, at least once, tried despotism, a female dictator in the avatar of the goddess Durga, but failed. However, it is time we forgo ideas and practices that hamper our growth in the fast changing world scenario. Political corruption must go. Only competence and market forces can build a new India. The new young generation is very capable to accept the challenges. It is desirable, however, to give them a strong base and a big hand. Are we prepared to get out of our mindsets and closed shells to begin the new journey?

They didn‘t have an answer at hand; only hope and a resolve to fight; a bold reform plan is needed.

7.3

Kirpa was growing into a real son of the soil, ground level worker not only for his political associates and party he has inherent traits of a man of the masses, people around him. He was averse to anything foreign. He didn‘t bother to learn what was happening in the capital over any matter that comes up in day today focus; his village and its environs were more important. He thought if his village was well enough there would be many opportunities to look for other places later. He was man of natural affinity to his fellow beings. He was popular, likable, at ease with other villagers, man, woman, children. He would look to their personal problems, their routine wants, share their concerns over little things that bothered his brethren around him and tried to meet the eventualities, by helping them going to find solutions. The problems of hunger, clothing and shelter were small; but for the villagers they were as important as the issue of global warming to humanity. He would go to the local doctor or ayurvedic vaidya with a patient, get him examined properly, get medicines, advise whatever was needed because he felt half of the ailment was psychological and if a person was treated affectionately, with a feeling of care, a bit of benevolent love, he will get better soon. From the early morning he got up in his daily routine till late in the evenings Kirpa was busy and surrounded by people. He was short of time. He knew each villager by name. He knew his problems. He knew how to give a 274 helping hand. He was always on the move. He was village chacha for children, bhaiya for village women and friend for villagers. He will fight with sarpanch, with local baniya, the sarkari kerosene dealer, with patwari, the thanedar, anybody who defers to help his villagers. He inherited from past generations the critical character of herding village cattle, hundreds in numbers, move them for grazing, united in group, not allowing them to astray, till the herd got back to its stables. He was a gifted leader of man and herded them with ease with which he herded the cattle. He was a natural leader of man. He was of medium height, almost dark complexion, of lean stock, but energetic; people flocked around him because he was likeable, knew their problems, sincerely worked to ease them, without any kind of return; he was a true follower of the greatest of shepherds, Sri Krishna, cow- herdsman par excellence, practicing absolute nishkam karma, hence a born leader of man.

India is full-brim with persons doing nishkam karma. There is Krishna inside all of them. Doing nishkam karma is their chief occupation, otherwise who would go walking early morning with bagful of grinded flour to feed ants at innumerable anthills scattered all over wayside, purchase kilograms of coarse-grains and splatter it to feed hundreds of small birds at main thoroughfares in and around big cities, install pyayu water-huts during the scorching hot noon days of the Indian summer over main cross sections of thoroughfares to quench the thirst of travelers, organize huge langars-free kitchen feeding thousands daily around holy places, briskly share the stupendous helping bouts after an accident, tragedy befallen by nature and other emergency disasters?

The land of Krishna is full of Kirpas. Each common man is a Kirpa. The irony of this country is the camouflaging of the majority of Kirpas by a thin minority of manipulating netas and dalals – middleman. Democracy has been hijacked by netas. Novel are the ways of hijacking; double faces, imposing politically maneuvered dynastic inheritance, forming an unholy alliance with unscrupulous industrialists and dishonest bureaucrats, playing the caste and religion card to manipulate people‘s sentiments to divide them and garner support, traversing over people‘s miseries to create personal wealth and estates and buy leadership through mafia-money oriented elections. For unconscious and illiterate masses democracy is a dangerous epidemic; netas are manufactured artificially and such clones act like robots to fulfill their personal agendas. People are forgotten; Kirpas are not permitted to move upward, save exceptions. Some industrialists and bureaucrats are drawn towards the halo a neta in power displays to become one by them; by and large they fail to impress. Nandgaon Kirpa may prove to be an exception.

‗Kirpa, since elections are over, we may come together with Nekiram to meet Jagan,‘ asked Shanti.

‗I have to go and see him before I leave for Lucknow; new assembly will meet shortly,‘ said Nekiram.

‗Didi, it is always a pleasure to meet Bhaiyaji, you should go. Nekiram has to go out now since he is an MLA,‘ replied Kirpa.

‗Wouldn‘t you come along,‘ asked Nekiram? 275

‗‘With you and didi gone out who is here to look to people‘s problems? You have made promises to them and they need to be fulfilled. There is so much to be done for them how can I think of leaving them,‘ answered Kirpa.

‗You have done a wonderful job during these hectic days, Jagan would like to greet you over this victory,‘ said Shanti.

‗Didi please put me on telephone, or else I will meet bhaiyaji at the haveli when he comes here,‘ Kirpa requested Shanti.

Shanti knew he was right. An agitated Kirpa wanted to talk to her.

‗What bothers you, Kirpa,‘ she asked affectionately.

‗I am concerned about an important matter the party may not like the way I personally think about it; I wanted to share my concern with you,‘ he said.

‗It will be kept a secret,‘ she promised.

‗I happen to be in the town day before and saw the anti-Mandal procession that went wild and violent resulting in death of a student in police firing,‘ he said.

‗I have knowledge of it,‘ she said.

‗But I feel very strongly about the reservation policy which is rotting my people in rural India,‘ he said continuing, after that incident a crowd of about three hundred sc youths of my area who had gone to participate in the rally, assembled in the adjoining park in the town. This is how I talked to them; each word springs from my mind and I stick to it party stand notwithstanding‘:

‗Friends, it is almost half a century that we became a free country. Under the aegis of our constitutional father Dr. Baba Sahib Ambedkar time for reservation to scs was granted for a limited period. It has since been renewed several times, without taking us into confidence. I see a deep rooted conspiracy by non-sc parties and leaders who seek our votes and does not want to make us self sufficient. The self-appointed leaders who claim to be well wishers want infact to imprison us into a perennial paralytic state with two aims: one-to garner sc vote and two-keep us potentially impotant for ever so that we don‘t rise as independent competent individuals. For if that was allowed their leadership will be doomed. I think you will agree with me that quota reservation to SC and ST is doing more harm than good. It is a plan to keep us in deciduous lame duck. So long as we are assured of a seat in any body politic or sarkari job, we will naturally never try to learn to be independent in the sense that every individual has a right to. Do you want to be scs for ever? If they were serious to raise our standards substantial financial input was the answer. How much money scs have been given since independence for education or health?‘ 276

‗I substantiate my point. In my village primary school there were 46 students in the initial class one. 23 were sc children. 42 students passed the final IV class after four years. Two failed. Both were upper caste children. All sc students passed the final IV examination. Among the ten ranks in class IV final, 1, 3, 4 & 5 positions went to upper caste boys 2, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 to scs. I was 2 in merit. For higher education, matriculation and graduation, percentage of scs had a steep fall, only 1 boy Nekiram appeared in matriculation and he passed. I couldn‘t do 10th because my father was a poor Gadaria. Out of 24 sc boys only one could pass high school, because others couldn‘t afford to send them for financial reasons, while 21 boys out of 23 of upper caste went for both matriculation and graduation. If government was serious all 23 sc boys should have been given funds to study further. It is the same story in primary schools all over the country. It was not done, and it may never be done in future either. Instead we are given sops of reservation, to keep us permanently disabled. I have decided not only to oppose reservation but seek constitutional amendments to strike it down altogether. It‘s a sham on the abilities of scs.‘

‗With it I seek fifty percent share for woman in all walks of life. Please raise hands if you support me. It might be a long drawn battle I seek only those who have the perseverance and courage to face sarkari oppression.‘

‗Out of 300 only 4 persons didn‘t raise hands for personal reasons, I am convinced of my stand and planning to launch a nation wide protest. I am in touch with members of the OBCs too. All Jat Thakurs of Nandgaon are solidly behind me. Jats never wanted to be part of the backward lot; they never were?‘

‗The second fall out of reservations to SC & ST is that those who get selected, now being nick-named as the creamy layer, get to form a distinct caste of them breaking off completely with the members of their fraternity and following the old Indian tradition unsusceptibly behave like the savarnas behave with scs. It percolates to a situation where reservations to scs is creating more caste within castes since those selected in prestigious services attaining a higher standard of living mix up more with savarnas than their own caste in variegated ways including marriages, social interactions and participation in various celebrations, simultaneously breaking off completely with their erstwhile compatriots. Not only they disassociate themselves from their caste fellows, they begin to look down upon those below them with more acute dislike than even savarnas. If reservation is creating more castes within scs and further dividing them it is unacceptable to us.‘

‗The third fall out of reservations is the chances of sc upliftment through reservations might take more than expected time and ultimately leave a majority of scs in wilderness since with globalization opportunities for jobs in the government are likely to fall drastically, if not cease to exist completely. Even if reservations in the private sector are allowed, though there are very little chances that the industry will first agree to such a step to change society at the cost of global incompetence in this age of cut throat competition, and even if it agrees to implement it the international industrial environment and competence bias will make it rather difficult for scs to make it a strategic method for their upliftment.‘ 277

‗We therefore demand 1/4th of the country‘s budget allocations for sc students including a national chain of coaching institutes to sc students exclusively so that they are able to compete with others, instead of any reservations that benefit the savarna leaders more than the scs.‘

Shano heard him.

It was a timely explosive. She thought his move would raise curtains to expose upper caste leader‘s hypocritical postures over the years. If carry conviction with masses and young persons he may well be a national hero.

‗I assure you will get my full support, carry on, the idea has the potential to change country‘s leadership. You should think of taking over your state,‘ she assured him.

Nekiram was poised to become a strategist in the party organization so far it was relevant for governance. He was a natural executive. Once a plan was finally made and given to him for implementation he would ensure its implementation so meticulously few could do better. His track record at the NTUC was proof of his pudding. A simple idea to which he was associated from its conception was implemented so assiduously the organization could become a giant cooperative effort and one of the premier non- government organizations in north India giving huge profits both in the domestic and export markets. His expertise in forecasting revenue generation was based on micro level planning of each minor investment with its possible productivity syndrome. He could forecast possible hurdles which might have been reasons to disturb the smooth flow of achievable project targets. He had an eye for possible stumbling blocks in any undertaking that could stall its progress. He was a hard taskmaster and didn‘t tolerate inefficiency on the part of people engaged in its implementation. Having taken care of their welfare and work environment as was required by permissible resources he ensured no one was blunt and time bound production schedules were strictly observed. He put up work ethics by personal example and always was the last man to leave his work place. He was silent and obedient to his superiors in party hierarchy; his expectations from people working with him were nothing short of these virtues. It was his humility that scored victory at the recent assembly polls. Nekiram was launched in the whirlwind of country‘s politics with these positive personality traits; he would churn the political syndrome to extract firm and enviable position for himself within sc constituency of the country. After having concluded post election wheeling-dealing of accounts, vehicles and fuel bills, people and perspectives, Nekiram had a quiet stock taking meeting with the lady in charge of the polls, MST.

‗Didi I have no words to express my feelings of gratitude to you and Bhaiyaji,‘ said Neki.

‗It is the result of your sustained attitude towards people and problems that led us to believe you will deliver goods when called upon to do so,‘ replied Shanti.

‗I am aware little bit of his mind and your resolve to move towards the goal; I assure you I will always stand by you in whatever you ordain of me to do,‘ Neki replied. 278

‗The foremost task before you should be to make room at national level for you in the party in your sector. We cannot do without being practical. sc sector must be your area at the national level. That should be the objective; it‘s just a beginning,‘ replied she.

‗I hope I will make it,‘ he replied.

‗The core area would be the finance of party funds. I am never going to join any party. You must manage it with your experience in accounting and finance management,‘ she told him.

‗I hope scruples would not come in the way,‘ he replied.

‗You must not hanker after ministerial allurements; the more you show your disinterest, it will come sooner than expected,‘ she told.

‗If it is offered I will not shirk responsibility,‘ he replied.

‗That‘s what I mean; you should never ask for it,‘ she replied.

‗Yes, OK,‘ he replied adding, ‗the country faces serious challenges, poverty, illiteracy, corruption, country‘s unity. I will sincerely put myself on the job without allurements.‘

‗I have faith in you. So has Jagan. He should never be mentioned in political circles ever, mind you,‘ she asked him.

‗I know,‘ he said.

Behind the epiphany was whole lot of unaccountable misfeasance of a misshapen society running into incurious myriad centuries of which both the beautiful lady in-charge and her successful fair haired boy incumbent were azure axiomatic; it appeared to have been sumptuously rewarded. She rather than the victorious pet was more mindful of it. She was more knowledgeable, being progenitor to sage Yagyavalka; centuries old drudgery of heaviness having made him drowsy and innocent. Yet he was apologetic, kind of shy of the victory he has been awarded. It was repayment of the debt his forefathers were indebted to the involuntary submissive acquiescence of the prevalent times; he was around to be beginning to think it was reward of his observant perseverance despite the lingering brightness of day followed by prolonged darkness of the night.

Nekiram was becoming aware of the dawn. Though Munshiji sarpanch was still nambardar and Guruji Ganeshilal the intellectual leader of Nandgaon fraternity commanding salutations and esteemed respect, the dynamics of social change was in the air; Kirpa was becoming more visible than ostensibly hibernated, more vociferously audible than meek, more mobile than stationary in mohallas that were on the brink of breaking loose their restricted boundaries of intercourse. Though kerosene too became more easily available on frequent intervals, electricity poles appeared beside the dull dirty lanes of the dingy houses of people living on the village fringes. Visitors dressed like netas, 279 donning Gandhi-caps and Jawahar-cuts, mounted over motorbikes, frequently purring Willy‘s jeeps and occasional whining Ambassadors or at times Fiats replaced the awe inspiring hoofs of the feudal bureaucratic horse riders of the old order. A new breed of likes of Nekirams and Kirpas was in the making; soon the bands of them will flood the tehsil and block offices, their lips locked with Cavender‘s Navy Cut cigarettes, betel spitting angry faces, imposingly displaying pillion riders as status symbols, dark tanned leather cross belts cushioned with Webley Scott revolvers, or Chekoslavian twelve shot automatic pistols, over motor bikes of people who carried them to get things done by inundating the officials at the block headquarters, where over road crossing dhabas, chayawalas, tea-vendors did a fast brisk business. Genuine audiences to the old guard honest netas was being replaced by manufactured crowds addressed by make believe robotically mobile leaders. Democracy was visible in many hues imbued by immeasurable excitement.

Kirpa Gadariya was different. The mushrooming growth of the sc neo-politicians riding motor bikes with pillion riders racing to officials to threaten and get things done appeared to him quite similar to what workers belonging to other political parties in power have since been doing, when the country became free and the heady wine of freedom moved political parties to extract spoils of freedom. Workers who belonged to parties which have tasted the fruits of independence for decades, having undergone unmitigated lure of money and power at the micro level, through the maneuverings learned from the army of lower levels of block and tehsil government functionaries and their agents numbering more than the babus themselves, appeared to be no different than what the neo- sc workers were engaged in doing. It troubled Kirpa really. He felt disturbed greatly. He would often share his apprehensions with his friend, guide and philosopher Shanti. He was not worried that the neo-scs were attracted towards earning money and becoming rich. He was not worried that such hither-to un-nerved, apprehensive, backward and fearful young man appeared to be bold and strong plying over bikes whose models changed with the seasons. He was not worried that such numbers of their fraternity who behaved in this manner and were successful in intimidating the sarkari babus get things done at their dictates. He was worried that the existing political system was able to influence these sc young workers to act in the manner workers of their political parties sharing power so far have been doing. It was facilitated by the new leaders emerging out of the sc constituency. Such leaders, he thought, were losing the aim for which sc movement was started.

He was convinced that Ambedkar never visualized his fellow compatriots to fall in the trap of the political system that prevailed in his future perceptions. He visualized that power ultimately will corrupt the weak-willed, poverty struck sc leaders. He therefore clearly warned scs to be careful about two significant aspects of their political awakening: to refrain from being violent in their struggle, since he was himself a great patron of all constitutional authority, and second to be beware of such political leadership out of their own constituency who might loose sight of the supreme objective of sc movement, which to him was the real awakening of the scs and bring them at an equal par with others of the society, others included the savarnas of all hues, for lesser gains of amassing wealth at the cost of the sc constituency and becoming rich on the exploitation of the nomenclature sc. Kirpa saw this happening. Those sc leaders who rose to power behaved in a manner which was forbidden by Ambedkar himself. These leaders lost sight of the sc upliftment to bring 280 them at equal status in all matters of social and economic areas; instead they exploited the sc movement, even the name of Baba Sahib Bhimrao Ambedkar, to acquire personal power and wealth in the manner other savarna leaders were doing. Kirpa was neither an ideologue nor a national sc leader; if he was it was for others to judge. But he felt very strongly about this aspect of the sc movement. He therefore, has started to oppose the reservation hypothesis as a valid means of sc upliftment. He clearly visualized in this great maneuvering a deep rooted conspiracy by the leaders of the savarna castes, who have gained expertise in Indian poll process, to keep scs perennially weak, dependent and poor and encircle them in the tangible games of vote gathering devices being propounded by such expert players in the field of Indian politics. Dr. Ambedkar as an ideologue having been sidetracked, Parwatis and Paswans, unscrupulously rode to glittering power thrones with the sole aim of collecting much sought for wealth in abundance and enjoy power, not to promote the real sc cause of their upliftment to bring them at par with savarnas, but to enable them to capture power to enjoy it, collect wealth to their heart‘s content, the critical content of collective good was ironically missing.

Kirpa argued the basic urge behind reservation was to annihilate the caste as an important attribute of modern social set up in independent India. The emergence of demands from savarna castes for reservation coupled by affirmative action to further promote reservation goes to prove beyond doubt people realize the object behind reservation of creating a casteless society has signally failed; it has further consolidated the caste as a tool to further strengthen various socio-political goals. The present parliamentary state and the political system is further strengthening the caste conglomerate by trying to introduce affirmative policies detrimental to the original idea of demolishing the caste as a basic constituent of social set up. The move of reservation has thus left its original hypothesis of creating a casteless society; rather the affirmative action is a tool in the hands of the state to augment its performance by influencing the vote constituency and therefore it must be opposed by scs.

Kirpa, in a dialogue with Shano, said, ‗impending eventuality in this country may be forced untouchability enter our society once again and prepare us for another century of fresh freedom struggle to create an egalitarian society; we might need another Bapu to wage that war, which possibility seems very remote, such leaders being born under nature‘s bounty once out of centuries, much like Lord Krishna‘s proclamation of appearing as Krishna-Avatar when unrighteousness reaches its hilt and dharma is engendered. People enjoying affirmative benefits would become the Brahmins of tomorrow; today‘s Brahmins have already firmed up themselves in the futuristic social scenario with those creamy layers who have succeeded in securing power on sc card. There already exist untouchables. During my tour of Madhya Pradesh I met 6 year boy Ramnivas who help his father catch poisonous snakes with the ease a 6 year old would play ball. But in society he is rebuked, howled and yelled away by Kathiars, Charmkars, and Meras, all belonging to scheduled castes, and is declared a renegade outcast, in Siranpur village, Hoshangabad near Bhopal. He certainly is an untouchable. He is son of a snake charmer. They cannot even reside in or near the village. At feasts they sit with animals to eat. At nag panchami they are allowed to roam in village, women throw peltry coins, but their children are not allowed to enter either the temple or school. Although they are BPL card holders yet they fail to get rations for 281 want of minimum money needed; forest guards takes away their snakes and threat them legal action. Soon there would be more of the tribe; present day Brahmins, Rajputras, others would socially become untouchables if the affirmative quota reservations continue to disunite the country, I have no doubt about that.‘

‗The logic of what I presuppose is abundantly clear. The origin of varna either by Manu or others earlier, was based on each individual‘s proficiency of the work, a system where job was interchangeable; in course of time it took the form of caste, with the rigidity of noninterchangeablity. In the process over centuries went in the process of crystallization where those members of the upper layers equipped themselves with powers of mind by education, training and practice. Besides they also acquired substantial share of both the wealth and landed estates. To own more they learnt to fight battles and wage war; in the process by way of waging wars rights and ownership appeared which empowered to rule, rest becoming the ruled. Now the two attributes which gave them power to rule over others were mental intelligence and wealth with all contributory elements of power. Those, who as a result of affirmative benefits now become socially powerful, shall obviously put others in the category of being ruled with all historical affiliations of poverty, segregation, dependence and backwardness. This is a historical process inherent in human nature and wouldn‘t be easy to alter; it definitely would end up in creating more castes, a situation our constitution proclaims to encounter and discourage. The process has begun. It might look normal and healthy for Brahmins to give their daughters in marriage to the new successful upper segment scs of the creamy layer; however in course of time it must create different social castes as caste concept in this country is almost a permanent feature, consciously or unconsciously being reared by almost every individual. If we fail to address it in this perspective the consequences are bound to repeat.‘

‗I, therefore, appeal to all to say good bye to a system which eventually is bound to create more castes and resultant disunity in society. People of all segments might better be aware of the short term gains a political outfit might be advocating for its own agenda to win votes; any further classification on any ground would be fatal. Today it is posting of bureaucrats on the basis of per cent reservation to posts such as DM, SSP or SHO; there are affluent and dry areas and posts opening another way for creating avenues to enhance kickbacks and bribe. Tomorrow it might be the distribution of ration, energy fuel or even water on quota reservation per cent age. The greed of power and the ultimate objective of politicians to be re-elected may lead them to any practice modules that might prove fatal to society in the long run. We need to be wary of such moves; the only way out is fair distribution of national budget and facilities to all sections and doing away with the politically motivated quota reservations.‘

Kirpa was convinced present sc leaders were wayward in the same manner the country‘s savarna leaders were wayward in sidetracking the main issue of bringing real freedom by ushering in economic independence of India promised to the freedom fighters and framers of the constitution, by indulging in loot of country‘s resources and promoting exploitation of the farmers and the poor. He was worried that in the struggle for access to political power such elements have been born within the sc fraternity who are getting stronger and whose gaining power at the cost of scs is detrimental to the basic cause of the 282 sc movement. He was worried that such elements from within the sc fraternity are becoming equal partners in keeping the 40 percent of population under the poverty line. He was opposed to reservation because he knew that only 2 percent of available workforce in the country has been given employment by the government, while 8 percent of this fraternity has been employed by the private sector, and for the remaining 90 percent it was a matter of luck-based chance and were uncertain that employment would be made available to them, pushing them further into hunger and squalor. He was worried that out of this ninety percent populace seventy percent was the marginal farmer who dwell in his poverty in the village and who have since been the recipient of government lollipop of agricultural reforms including the lop listed farm land allotment which could be withdrawn or neutralized anytime by any government; the standing amelioretation of sc appeared to be a far cry. He was worried that scs are made into tools for gaining power and more than this prospect was a fact that sc leaders are themselves playing into the hands of major political forces to neutralize sc power to be tools in hands of bigger players for personal temporary gains such as brief innings of power play or personal riches, at the cost of the wider sc fraternity. Access to such brief lackluster power by so-called sc leaders was lost in myriad media savvy dingy and dark lanes and by lanes of corruption and crime. Kirpa, as a grass root sc, was agitated by the fact that Ambedkarization of politics by sc leaders to gain short term gains might not throw Ambedkar himself into oblivion leaving scs anchorless; there ought to be born a new avatar of Ambedkar to take account of lost fifty years of sc movement. It was necessary to set its record right.

Both Shanti and Jagan were conscious of the tenacity of Kirpa‘s views, and were conscious of the fact even if he was not encouraged he had the capacity and the genuineness of his cause that were bound to bring him to the top sc movement and its leadership in the country. Kirpa realized his views were born of his association with Jagan his boyhood friend; Dr. Ambedkar, the giant of Indian sc movement, came to his knowledge when, after matriculation, he read books on him given by Jagan as presents on his success in the matriculation examination.

7. 4

While Jagan and Charu were busy in the governance of the country, not much had, however changed at village Nandgaon. 283

Thakurani Mohini Kaur was old, Nirmal Kaur has taken over. She still was sitting over the joint family establishment, but it was thinner.

Munshiji Sarpanch was engaged in village administration the way Indian rural political set up works, initiating development schemes, pucca lanes and by lanes, widening them and in the process exploit by extortion from persons who did not want to release Panchayat lands occupied irregularly, compromise rules, by make allotments to ‗needy‘ villagers of unoccupied pieces of uncultivable abadi lands, making hay in collusion with local officials, bartering away lands meant for widening of village roads, doing favors in unending village disputes, between neighbors, relatives, upper caste versus lower caste litigants, doing regular visits of local Tehsil office for recommendations of various sorts, clients paying for expenses incurred on journey, casual purchases, shopping, tea-snacks, evening drinks [desi tharra and santara liquor]. Munshiji Sarpanch has his men doing rounds of the village mohallas trying to locate people in need of official help; there were negotiations for speed money. They were also paid or allowed to join drinks. They met Sarpanchji in evening or early morning daily, furnishing information and taking instructions for the jobs in hand. He shunned violence or police intervention in matters of his village; it endeared him to villagers. He was successful because he gave a cheaper option and a quicker one. He hated to antagonize any villager, his prospective voters. He defined politics as prostitution. Prostitute pleases everybody. Few villagers could challenge his wits. He carried an air of superiority but was approachable by everybody anytime, though his nights were filled by Gulabo, Dhamo and Chamelis. Life is to be enjoyed, hell with development, roads, power, agriculture or animal husbandry. There was no evening when some official was not invited for partying; billed to the villager who sought help. Life was wretched for the helpless villagers but great for the touts, creation of the post independent India.

Dualri Bhangin was still in attendance at the Haveli. She was Thakurani‘s favorite begari she got much more than paid employees. Married thrice, first to a useless leper who died soon after she was young, her second husband was a cousin of her first one. She had four children by him. He had pet pigs for survival, main bread earner was Dulari. Once in a while a pig was butchered it would fetch enough money to buy foodgrains, kitchen oil for a month. It was besides grains Dulari got from houses she cleaned and carried garbage. Dualri was fair, attractive and submissive. Any Thakur would get fancy for her and force her to submit to his lust when she went out for grazing her pigs, around sugarcane fields. She will take it lying low; she could do nothing. She would ironically grin and forget. It was common. Not many would learn of it anyhow. She would not go for grazing for sometime. Her husband Shamu would do it or the kids would go. The kids could not control the pigs and the brutes entered crop fields, the anguished farmers thrashing them badly. Shamu made thatch buckets that he supplied to his Jijman Thakurs in return for some grains. The children went to work on meager food to fields or odd jobs paid miserly. Shamu died of tuberculosis when he was in his middle age. Her third husband was Shardu, a distant relative of the village. He was older but worked hard to feed Dulari and her kids. Dulari had three children from Shardu. She had by now said good bye to marrying husbands who were more interested in sleeping with her for procreation. The burden of child keeping ultimately fell on her and resultantly the kids were unattended, uncared and undernourished. Her eldest daughter Dali, who herself was of a tender age, was forced to 284 rear the flock with whatever grit she could look after the crying infants, half fed, almost naked, sick, and uncared for. Genetically immune from diseases these urchins would grow to bear man‘s burden when young. One of them would grow to be a wrestler; the other one will be an outlaw, a rebellion towards the systematic injustices done to him and his likes by the society, spreading fear in people by being a criminal involved in robbery, theft, murder, being shot dead in one of fake encounters by the obese police Daroga, though he was murdered by his own lieutenants, as revenge for not sharing the booty in his gang. One of Dulari‘s sons eloped to Calcutta on a stray address of a distant relative who worked in the Municipal Corporation and got employed there as sweeper. Years later he would visit Nandgaon wearing a blue tunic suit supplied by the corporation, with a fat purse and a pot belly. He wouldn‘t miss a call to Haveli to pay respects speak braj bhasaha and part khari boli, accompanied by his wife, who also was a sanitation worker in the Corporation, and had married him a month ago. Within a year she would leave him and find another lover whom she would call her husband. She had vowed not to procreate children. That devalued woman‘s independence and status, she thought, quite an enlightened and sophisticated view for woman of her status! The Thakurani will be obliged to offer tea to the unexpected guests and would bless the couple.

Bhopati was as usual Thakurani‘s ambassador plenipotentiary in matters of sustenance of influence over people of the village. She was mainly used to summon persons to her attendance when required. She would involuntarily exude cheerfulness, eulogize Thakurani‘s benevolence and for such characters who were suspect in her opinion to disregard her sway, she swore to bring consequences so sincerely that the guy was scared to fall in line. Bhopati was looking after the recovery of money taken by people on loan and interest levied rarely. She was a staunch believer in the virtues of Thakurani. She admired her loudly people believed it by and large because Bhopti was not off the mark. The Thakurani was a noble soul, magnificent in her beneficence. Bhopti was married to Dhuda when she was perhaps six years old. Dhuda was an obedient and subservient husband overawed by the clout she carried. She flirted with lot many persons to elicit money favors, which was almost always scarce. She was abused by many upper caste guys of the village when she was young. Out of her eight children half were born of such encounters forced upon her by people both her and upper caste. Dhuda worked as a laborer and earned to feed ten mouths of his family. He never kept holiday. He worked like a machine same routine day in and day out. Bhopti also looked after cleaning cattle yard, collecting dung to make dung cakes and spread for drying in the spacious enclosure of the Haveli. She was paid ten rupees a month for the job, besides the normal daily gifts of food leftovers, butter milk from the Kothi kitchen and clothes both worn out and new at times. Bhopti was a tall woman. She had ample breasts slips showing from the corners of the ill fitted shirts she wore without any undergarments. Her tits and cleavages attracted man while she moved in the village. Thakurani‘s patronage restrained many from fiddling with her, but she had no concern or hatred of such man. She thought if man did not desire to make love what was she meant for? But she was not a whore. Her only weakness besides squalor was a habit to steal like shop lifting while window shopping indulged in by elite. She was known for it. Even in Haveli she was kept under a cloud. Life of perennial scarcity, poverty, uncared eleven of them ensured the urchins become abnormal adults. To her it was normal. She stole and lifted in the same vein she ate or took a bath once a while. She 285 admitted she was a lifter, and had during forty years learned the techniques of stealing, the best of which was her innocuous innocence she pretended. Stolen articles were hidden articulately in her zigzag sari plates touched her ankles or thighs so that people would stare her shapely legs than stolen goods in her under-garments. For Bhopti each day was the beginning of the universe, and at the end of the day it was Pralaya. She did not have the time or need to think else. Like greatest of the seers she lived only in the present. In fact for most villager‘s life revolved around the day that stared them stark naked trying to feed them, their enumerable benign offspring and after a tiresome day sleep to encounter the second, other subsequent and all coming days.

Midniya Kasai was the immediate neighbor of the Haveli, and wife of Mian Maula Bux, a respectable Musalman villager, who, besides being a farmer, was engaged in cattle trade. He was the main butcher in the village. Most often a goat, or at times a sheep was butchered by Halal and the meat was sold to clients with prior orders. There is a difference in Halal and Jhatka meat. Muslims prefer Halal meat. In Halal one nerve of the animal is cut first when blood begin oozing out, but the animal is not fully dead; meanwhile the butcher prays to Allah and only after that prayer the animal is killed by cutting the throat. They believe in Halal process meat is purified and better. Jhatka meat is that which is availed after killing the animal in one stroke, and meat procured after it. Jagan being a prominent youngster of the Haveli was very friendly with the children of Midniya, one of whom was Hina, her brother Neksa being a buddy. Maula Bux was the descendent of Hindu converts during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb, while Begum Midniya claimed descent from a direct Turk lineage, and she was way ahead proud of her ancestry than her husband. The pride reflected in her movements and behavior. Only poverty came in between. Midniya had six sons and five daughters. Maula Mian‘s trade and butchery was insufficient to meet all needs of large family. The sons were helping their father in agricultural operations farm was being fragmented leading to depleted resources. Soon after a son was married he separated from the family dividing farm lands. Farming on smaller land pieces became uneconomical pushing occupants to poverty, debt and unemployment. There was no plan of educating children beyond primary stage Madarsa did not exist, though Muslim population was sizable. Once in a while a Maulvi came to the village, collected odd children to educate religion, stay a couple of days, when hosts showed signs of unwillingness as burdensome, he left the place as suddenly as he had come. The hangover of last centuries when Muslims ruled the country, and people like Maula Bux were members of the ruling elite with lot clout of wielding power gone into history, myth broken by the rude attitude of Raj, people like Maula Bux looked towards magnanimity of village zamindars like Thakur and Thakurani Vikram Singh, for both company and protection. That explained why Midniya courted the kindness and company of Thakurani Mohini Kaur for occasional financial help and protection of their prestige.

Begum Telin was another Muslim member of Thakurani Mohini Kaur‘s elite group. Entrenched in abject poverty, the Telis‘ or expellers of oil, mainly mustard and partly rapeseed, were successors to a flourishing village trade of the past. They operated bullock drawn expeller extracting oil and oil cakes. Oil cake were an essential part of the milk animal feed and was as costly as the pure oil of yellow mustard, a valuable edible commodity of the rural economy. They say pure yellow mustard oil is more valuable than 286

Ghee and makes body stronger and healthy without calorie input. But the neglect of village economy and rapid industrialization has ditched the village expeller like Begum and her family. Begum was married to Rasula when she was a baby 4-5 years of age. She was a faithful wife and earnestly worked to help Rasula in his tedious business of expelling oil and oil cakes. Ever since she came as a bride she has been taking mustard grains after weighing, arranging inside the kolhu area for expelling, collect oil, it‘s remnant ‗gaad‘, and bring out the round thick and rich oil cakes from inside of kolhu, stack them properly return the oil and oil cakes, after receiving the rental, by way of cash or kind, from the farmers. She also was in charge of sale. She was meticulously honest in her weighment. Rasula worked kolhu during day or night if the situation demanded. Begum also looked for labor employed by Thakurani Estate for farm, both regular as well as daily wagers. Begum knew most of them as they came to buy small quantity kitchen oil after days work. Mostly woman were enrolled to work and Begum was sort of a contractor for labor force doing harvesting and sowing of crops. She also arranged child labor for odd jobs farmers needed at times of harvesting. Of her nine children elder ones were put on jobs to add to family income. As part of sales promotion she used children to narrate the old goat and wolf tale with variative narration that made her popular with village kids:

‗There was a goat which had four newly born kittens. When she went out for grazing she locked her enclosure and instructed all the four kittens to open it only when she calls the names all four of them by sequence arithmetically: Ala open the door, Bala open the door, Chein open the door, Mein open the door, the names of all four being Ala, Bala, Chein, and Mein. One day the local old wolf that was starving for lack of prey learnt about code words to open enclosure and when the goat was out grazing to collect food for kittens, the wolf tip-toed, falsely parodied code words to open. The kittens opened the gate and the wolf ate all the four of them. Goat on return found the enclosure open and empty. She intuitively understood the trick of the wolf of which she was apprehensive and prepared to retaliate. She first went to brother carpenter and requested him to sharpen her horns so at little push wolf stomach may be punctured. Then she went to the Teli-oilman brother and requested him to apply pure oil to her sharpened horns so at contact horns slide inside the wolf stomach. She then went in search of the wolf that was lying lazy after sumptuous feed of the four kittens, punctured the stomach and collected all four kittens back to her bosom. The wolf died. It was possible only with the help of the pure oil applied by Rasula to the horns of the goat.‘

The small story was a hit promoting oil Rasula extracted. Caste population in the village varied. Besides Jat zamindars most common farmers were also Jats and made a majority. The Jats were by and large simple, hardy, independent and honest farmers. They possessed crude wit. With Telis and Cobblers farmers had professional relations, as both worked in tandem in all farm operations. They were inter-dependent for survival. There was a popular humour about the Jats and the Telis.

Irked by the impure oil complaints by the Jat, a Teli said, ‗Oh Jat there is a khat over your head,‘ the words ‗Jat & Khat‟ fitting nicely the parody matrix.

Exasperated by the attack the Jat replied, ‗Oh Teli there is a Kolhu over your head.‘ 287

Teli happily observed since the words ‗Teli & Kolhu‟ are not symmetrical the parody has failed.

The Jat responded with a grin and said, ‗I don‘t care for the parody, you will have to bear its weight!‘

A Kolhu weigh in quintals.

There was another anecdote in vogue in the village about Jats and Cobblers. A sturdy Cobbler in a personal bout grounded a physically weak Jat. The Jat, confident of his courage, threatened the Cobbler sitting over his chest, let him come out of the position he will thrash him. The Cobbler started crying. The passers-by saw and asked you have grounded the fellow and sitting pretty over his chest, why are you crying?

The Cobbler replied pointing towards the threatening eyes of the grounded Jat, ‗as soon as I free him he will thrash me!‘

Such folk lore is part of village humor pointing towards the intrinsic unity various caste groups enjoyed without rancor.

Pyari koria was a regular visitor to the thakurani household. She supplied all hand woven gaji cloth requirements of the haveli. Gaji- a forerunner of khadi was popular in rural economy much before father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi, popularized khadi that symbolized swadeshi movement. Braj was rich in cotton production. Every household had more than one hand ginning charkhi, and equal number of spinning wheels, charkha. Besides the kitchen, ginning and spinning rough as well as fine cotton threads was the main preoccupation of the house-wife in the village. Weaving fine or rough cotton threads depended on the expertise of the woman working over the wheel. The threads were supplied to korias for weaving of cloth for use by the villagers. Korias were fine craftsmen, produced utility cloth, including durries, dutais, chadars, suafis, and plain cloth. Pyari was married to Gangadhar when she was a tiny girl of whom she had no recollection. She knows that she belongs to Nandgaon where she had been brought up, since her parents never tried to reach her after her so called marriage. She was perhaps purchased by father of Gangadhar for a price. She had seven sisters, and three brothers. Only one of her brothers Bisuna often visited her that too because of his connections with the murli baba ashram, he was an ardent fan of Chameli. He uses to accompany his mentor who was a regular client of Chameli, and in the process he also grew an intense liking for her. Bisuna could not have dared to entertain idea of courting Chameli, he was placed much below the grade, and still he served her and was satisfied at times she allowed him do odd jobs for her clients. Bisuna arranged halt on payment for staff attendants of peers who came to meet Chameli. He had begged her sister to allow him to stay in her large enclosure where Gangadhar and his people spread weaving net. Pyari herself was known to Chameli, although both were miles apart in appearance. Chameli was bright and fair, Pyari was absolutely dark and well built. Chameli had a flourishing business, Pyari was hand to mouth. But she was also object of desire of man and was courted by them with passion. Pyari was attracted towards physical love outside her marriage with people she deliberately 288 kept a secret. There was no money involved in her relations. It began with a Youngman Banerji who worked as an orderly with a British superintendent of police, Gladstone, posted in nearby Etah, who accompanied by the Nawab of Dibai, came once to enjoy the hospitality and charms of the legendary Chameli. Bisuna brought Banerji to Pyari to stay for the night, while his boss enjoyed the company of Chameli and enamored by her beauty and ebony charm, courted her and persuaded her to sleep with him, after everyone had retired, her brother, Bisuna as usual had had his tharra addha bottle consumed rather hurriedly and lay flat over the pavement of the enclosure. To his surprise Banerji found the bodily contours of Pyari so attractive that he enjoyed her healthy body whole night they were together, and gave her the satisfaction of pleasures she craved for. She liked strong man in long lasting encounters which satisfied her. Shivratan of the Ashram also gave her sexual satisfaction, and she was employed by the tantric saint to enjoy her pleasurable body God has gifted her. Though she was aging but liked occasional encounters with healthy man. Bisuna surreptitiously brought man to her he got tips substantial for him.

Haripyari Kachhi was the vegetable vendor of the village, her first husband Sugma died when she was in her forties, and married Dulare Kachhi, a widower of her own caste. She had six children by Sugma and two by Dulare. They did not own any lands. They cultivated in the peripheral beds of the village ponds and occasionally took some lands on rent, or at times a farmer would plant an orchard and they were put in the lands, where they will stay for five or more years, plant orchard, rear the plants, sow vegetables as cash inter- crops and earn a living. Kachhi woman would be selling vegetables throughout the village, and Haripyari had the exclusive rights to supply vegetables to the Haveli regularly. She also enjoyed confidence of Thakurani Mohini Kaur. Haripyari had reared for ten years the largest orchard in the village that Thakur Vikram Singh laid some fifteen years back. Since then she was picked up by the estate. Two of Haripyari‘s sons were permanent employees at the estate farm. Haripyari was both agile and good looking when she was young. While they were rearing the garden Haripyari lived in the garden quarters meant for the purpose, and was courted by Gulab Singh for a number of years. He would bring the choicest sweets for her from the town. He would give her heavy tips for the occasional fairs around the Ramnaumi and Dolphul fairs after Holi. She would wait for the passionate Thakur when alone in the garden, her husband having been sent out for purchases. Haripyari had more lovers than anybody could imagine. These affairs of dark night‘s blossomed garden being away from the village it was convenient for the people to court her. Haripyari took these encounters casually and forgot them the next day. Women like Haripyari, Dulari and Bhopti were there in Nandgaon but were experts in exploiting the wayward. Most women lived life of want, misery, poverty and had not much time or desire left for such sex. These sexual activities were male oriented initiative came from men folk of the village, the upper layers of society which was hippocratic. It included poverty driven exploitation of women by men who believed it was their right to ask any woman to sleep with them. Some woman, like the legendary Chameli, exploited man in the same vein. Haripyari‘s main occupation, however, was selling vegetables, carrying fresh green vegetables in a basket made of reeds, the hawkers display case, from door to door, and it was both grain and currency that was accepted, but mostly it was barter by grains. Most households, however, couldn‘t afford, they used chilies and onions as the staple food additions, besides the buttermilk, if they had a cow or buffalo or buttermilk brought from farmer households. 289

Anisa Fakiran was the wife of Ashik Ali Fakir and lived in Fakir Mohalla of the village. Nandgaon was settled in mohallas for separate caste groups. Thus there was a Chamriana, Fakirana, Bhangiana, Teliana, Kachhiana where people of these castes lived. There were other castes, Dhobis, Kahars, Sakkas, Aheriyas, Brahmins, Banias, Bohras, Maheshwaris and the Jats, scattered all over; segregation seems to have been convenient for the lower strata, the service class of people. Fakirs were mendicants or Muslim beggars who survived mainly on alms offerings collected by the male members of the community daily. A Fakir would call on each household and call at the door, ‗Malik Abad Rakhe‟, ‗May God Bless Prosperity,‘ that got an immediate response from the housewife who brought foodgrains or flour to offer to Fakir, who kept a two compartment bag, one for the grains and the other one for the flour. Besides alms they were expert story tellers and craftsman. They made excellent Durries, which Nandgaon Korias could not make they were bandmasters in the village, Nagaras and Dholaks-sort of drums, followed by Tansa band replaced by Angrezi-band modern trumpets and other musical instruments. They also excelled in the marshal arts and made very attractive Tazias. Ashik Ali, Anisa‘s husband was an enchanting story teller. Interspersed with his alms collecting activity, when he reached the Haveli, children collected in good numbers, tempted him to tell a story. It was a passion with him.

His stories began with a king and his queen, followed by the princes and princesses entangled in passionate love hindered by the villain demon that prevented lovers to meet, throwing them in utter tragedy. Thereupon a Fakir arrived on an alms collecting mission and looking to the tragedy of the Youngman in love-torn separation, he told lover a secret by which he could meet his sweet heart. Disclosing a verbal map of a hazardous hillock, there was an oak tree, on way were laying frenzied snakes and reptiles, scorpions guarding it, over a branch higher up the tree there was a cage hanging being guarded by a dangerous hawk, inside the cage was a tender bird. The bird was the carrier life-source of the demon. The lover was advised to open cage after killing the hawk, take hold of the bird. Upon holding the bird in his hand the demon, thousands of kos apart, trembled in terror. As the lover broke one leg of the bird, the demon became one legged. Finally as the lover twisted the birds‘ neck, the demon moaned in pain and died as the bird was killed, paving the way for the two to unite. The children were enchanted by the story. At times the story will take hours together to be heard in a pin drop silence, after which Ashik Ali was offered food that he happily took and then left.

Mooli Dhoban was the wife of the life-bond labor Prabhu. Like Midniya Kasai, Mooli also was an immediate neighbor of haveli. Infact ancestors of Thakur Vikram Singh, who settled the village and built the Haveli, few hundred years back, settled such persons around their new abode, who would serve the estate, including waterman, butchers, who were neighbors and future challengers to authority of the estate, when the wheel of history turns full circle to usher in democracy. Mooli collected clothes needed to be washed everyday from Haveli, and by evening, except during the rains, brought back duly washed. All providing services to the estate, including barber, carpenter, tailor, cobbler, waterman, oilman and the bania were paid in grains the quantity of which was fixed according to service rendered, and grains were distributed at the harvesting season of rabi crop every year. The bania, in addition to the annual grain, was paid in cash also for the goods 290 supplied, the grains being paid for the services being rendered. Mooli was quarrelsome but only to her husband, whom she always cursed for micro-mistakes she thought were committed by the idiot that Chhidda was. Mooli had seven children, three girls and four sons. All girls were sold off and married to the needy. She owned two donkeys that were employed to carry goods of farmers, mainly farmyard manure, or at times earth from the ponds which gave her additional grains as return. Her elder son would carry the donkey load of the clothes to unload at the taal-pond where Mooli washed most of the day, and the donkey ferried the organic fertilizer to the nearby fields, by Girdu, Mooli‘s son. Mooli‘s day began early by cooking for the family, dispatching all to jobs including Chhidda, collect clothes and reach the pond herself alongwith children who helped her do washing. In afternoon she attended to Thakurani and brought washed clothes. From Haveli she brought vegetables, pulses, clothes, some money as reward for odd services rendered and information supplied about affairs of interest to estate. She was liked by the Thakurani. At intervals there were celebrations in the Haveli and on such occasions all woman confidents of the Thakurani were invited for participating in festivities and join feast. It might be Satynarayan Katha, Hawan, musical and dancing night or other kind of celebration. Food would be offered to all members of their families. Later when daughters and daughter-in- law managed the house Mooli worked whole time in the haveli kitchen. She was an expert cook.

Chironja Dhimar, married to Nathu Dhimar, displaying her amorous dalliance with an air of coquettishness even Vasavdutta might never have expressed smooching most adult males of any stock was the unquestionable sweetheart of all philanderers of the area. She was comparatively young, smart and very mobile. She carried a very attractive body frame. But what made her indispensable to the haveli was her expertise in message of the body. Daily without fail Chironja was beside the done up bed of thakurani; she couldn‘t sleep without half an hour‘s message which included both kneading and rubbing both arms and legs followed by her back with a soft tinge of practice her hands learnt over a period of time. Chironja was an expert messageur par excellence; this alone made her indispensable to thakurani. Often it was late when she went to bed and if Chironja arrived earlier she waited till her mistress was free from her daily routine that included the evening bath, followed by half an hour‘s puja, after which she sat for dinner. Nirmal, Jagan, or others of the family came to look for her in case she need anything to be done, though Mooli looked for all that she needed. By the time she retired to sleep Chironja would be ready in her large imposing bed chamber. The minimum message time was half an hour, at times it took more than that and for that reason Chironja was allowed a separate room within a corner of the second chowk of the haveli, where mostly she slept for the night; often she had her paramours visiting her in cozy aloofness of the night as the room she chose opened out of the haveli and thus had an independent access. She was the master of the room and kept its key with her. Chironja was not seen in or around haveli during the day unless she was specially summoned by thakurani; she disposed off her day‘s job of house keeping and arrived at the haveli only as the last duty to attend and retired to sleep there after her job was over. Sometimes thakurani was awakened during late hours of midnight or during vee hours of the early morning and if sleep didn‘t come easy Chironja was summoned and that was the reason she was allowed to sleep inside the haveli. It was either Lallo or Badri who had to summon Chironja on such occasions, which though were rare as thakurani was 291 emotionally a contended person and had normal good sleep; many times Chironja had her lovers exploring her pleasurable body when the sudden knocks and threatening calls of the authoritative Badri or Lallo quite perturbed them, the lover either quickly making an exit by the outside exit, or if she wanted to retain him was pushed under her bed in the darkness of the night where the poor lover waited her woman to return and resume love making. Both Badri and Lallo have had the fortune of sleeping with Chironja; it was a premium paid to keep her affairs a secret from other inmates or attendants of the haveli, though everybody knew Chironja‘s indulgences which were an open secret. Chironja kept herself very clean; she has to sit beside her thakurani and had instructions to be odorless and clean.

7.5

The lives of Dulari Bhangin, Bhopti Cobbler, Midniya Kasai, Begum Telin, Pyari Koria, Haripyari Kachhi, Anisa Fakiran, Mooli Dhoban and Chironja Dhimar were, with the sole exception of Mian Maula Bux and Ashik Ali both of whom were rejected by the Bohra as unfit to be given loans, interwoven with the life and times of Bohra Raghubar Dayal. He was the local moneylender. In times of need their husbands had taken grains or cash to survive their abject poverty, the interest and compound interest of which had entrapped them for life to work over farm or business of Bohra Raghubar Dayal. They were bonded for life in the modern day parlance. They were bound by bahi khata, account book, of the Bohra with their thump impressions duly taken, and the cost of five seers of grains taken say forty years ago costing fraction of a rupee, had now risen to hundreds of rupees that the poor wretches could never dream of paying back in their lifetimes, some of them may have to bind their sons too for their life time servitude. This practice was in vogue generally. That was the reason women of those bonded came out for assistance from Thakurani Mohini Kaur, who never indulged in money lending for purposes of interest, particularly to the poor of the village. That endeared Thakurani to villagers.

The story of estate building was part grabbing and part acquisition by those who could wear the sword; it was same in case of Vikram Singh estate. Some sturdy migrants about six hundred years ago had uprooted the local Kalars, who were the original settlers of Nandgaon, acquired and usurped their land after throwing them out of the village. But this was how kingdoms were made and merged by those who could wear the sword. History is a mock witness to the war games played by those who thought themselves to be the representatives of God on earth to rule over the mass of the people, under the Divine Right. Woman like Dulari and Anisa wished there was a God of the poor too; thakurani Mohini Kaur though provided them bits of relief the desire to have a much larger omnipotent God 292 still lingered within their hearts. Gods and their agents were there though, but they needed more offerings, still more sacrifices; even gods have turned miser?

One prominent reason why thakurani was popular with all women who worked in her estate and through these women many others in the village and its periphery was this element of benefaction with regard to monetary advances without any interest and no hard repayment schedules, as against the rough and tuff terms of bohra Raghubar Dayal. The women felt obliged and alongwith received better treatment in haveli. In and out of haveli Dulari Bhangin, Bhopti Cobbleri, Midniya Kasai, Begum Telin, Pyari Koria, Haripyari Kachhi, Anisa Fakiran, Mooli Dhoban and Chironja Dhimar were sanguine as individuals. On occasion of either Ida or Moharram Begum and Midniya invited all others of the group for partaking in their meager feast of semari bura or the rich oiled biriyani they so assiduously prepared. They would sit in group, get through the entire gossip of their environment and tease out of them such benefactress of male attention that for a while inflated their egos, they would love to talk of their progeny who greatly assisted their house running chores, some would also take recognition of the sincerer with which their husbands complied with their wishes. They openly discussed sex within sparkling giggles while narrating their experiences with persisting or stranger lovers, sex in the open field, lying down inside the wet water drain channel wide enough to accommodate the two of them, in the wheel cart that the paramour used to ferry farm material or transported food grains from and to the market, pre-orgasm coitus movements synchronizing with the cart moving slowly on tracks with which the he-bullocks were quite familiar leaving the man free to work out the woman he was copulating, over the green grass lawn of the huge landscape of the garden that gave the freedom to enjoy open cool environment, the dark dingy alleys where rustic lovers persuaded them to oblige, well furnished bed chambers of the well to do lovers who invited them in absence of their dominative thakuranis, in between the desire and its act were the laddoos and rasgullas offered by their lovers brought in stealthily to the spot of copulation; the deserts tasted sweet and the following intercourse even more sweeter in which they drowned their day‘s unsavory mishaps; for never under any circumstances was sex forced upon these wily incumbents. These women used it to receive besides attentions small bits of favors and services that made their existence somewhat easier, a piece of cloth, a sari, job to the progeny or the husband, a silver item of jeweler and the like. Their lovers too were not affluent; savings from their day‘s earnings were kept to meet the situation.

On the eve of tazia Begum Telin has called this get together in her gher-courtyard. All will eat together and enjoy singing and dancing with no male obstruction. All of them were off duty and it was a grand holiday picnic, sort of a kitty party of the modern femme fatals.

‗You have taken nothing Mooli, take more rice for it‘s you who enable us to enjoy haveli dishes,‘ said Begum serving more to her friend.

‗I am taking, it‘s very tasty,‘ replied Mooli.

‗It‘s your recipe I have tried though oil is put in place of ghee. Is it enough sweet or I bring more bura,‘ Begum asked. 293

‗Mooli has a bitter taste it may taste enough sweet to her,‘ said Anisa.

‗Non-veg dishes are more common in haveli kitchen and naturally I like it,‘ replied Mooli.

‗Why Midniya is absent,‘ asked Pyari.

‗She may have gone down memory lane to meet her Turkish ancestors?‘ said Bhopti with a grin.

‗Poor soul; but her chutney is really marvelous,‘ said Dulari looking almost beautiful.

‗With whom tazia will be celebrated today, you are looking a queen almost,‘ said Chironja to Dulari with a grin.

‗Only when you will spare anyone then may I celebrate,‘ replied Dulari with sarcasm.

‗Only fucking is not enough to pass the day; our children are not being paid their dues, ask Mooli to get thkurani‘s intervention,‘ lamented Haripyari Kachhi.

‗Bohra Raghubar Dayal is very dangerous, he might annihilate my poor wretch,‘ said Anisa Fakiran.

‗We are at his mercy?‘ cried Pyari almost tormented.

‗Last night Teja Thakur promised he will speak to the Bohra,‘ said Chironja Dhimar.

‗These Thakurs are liars, they entrap you, fuck and forget, these fellows are too under the Bohra‘s debt,‘ said Anisa.

‗At least for one day we can keep the Bohras and Tejas out? Chironja get up and begin dance, I will take the dholak-drum,‘ said Dulari with a gesture.

As Dulari took to the dholak, Bhopti took the manjiras, Chironja got up, arranged her sari and began her dance in which she was an adept.

‗Which song will you take up now?‘ asked Bhopti.

Haripyari, in her melodious voice began the chorus-raag; Chironja took the floor and danced arithmetically. Folk songs of Braj are interesting caricature of real life of people of the area and often convey music to the ears. Braj culture is traditionally musical where every moment of life is a celebration. Folk songs of Braj talk, argue, suggest, revolt, depict inconsistency of human relations, the grandeur of nature, the ecstasy of romance and depict whole lot of emotions in between woman and man, wife and husband, wife and the husband‘s family, husband and the wife‘s family, relations that speak with the change of seasons, and with the change of the modes of the moon. „Sai sanjha ko tilava pataki le meri nanadi, nato gharau uthai!

Tero so bhaiya albeli bari nanadi, gur chori ko khaya!

Barjyo jai barji le nanadi, tero bhaiya par ghar jai!

Baro hoi to barjun meri bhabi, bhaiya te lagatie laj!

Ghar ki khir kirkiri lage bhabhi, par ghar ki maheri khaibe jai!

Ghar ki khand kirikiri lage bhabhi, par ghar sakkar khaibe jai

Baro hoi to barjun meri bhabhi, bijra in barjyo jai!

Kua hoi to patoon meri bhabhi, samad na patyo jai!

Chithiya hoi jai banchun meri bhabhi, karam na banchyo jai!‟

‗O, my sister-in-law, place the evening to take relations to ponder; Brother like yours O beautiful sister-in-law, he steals to eat jaggery; If you can restrain him, he visits other slut housewives; If he was a child I may try to check, I feel ashamed of him, O, Bhabhi; Sweet nectar of his own taste bitter to him, he goes out to eat garbage; Yes Bhabhi, his own chocolate taste stale to him, he goes out to eat street candy; If he was a child I may try, but to tackle a stud like him is impossible; O, Bhabhi a well could be covered, to cover the wide open sea is impossible; O Bhabhi I could read a letter, but to predict fate is impossible.‘

‗Wonderful, that‘s the reason all dudes queue to seek her to fuck,‘ said Bhopti caressing Chironja.

‗You too are no less whore inciting wayward thakurs by showing slips and your thigh legs,‘ said Pyari.

‗May be, however why Chameli is excessively soft on you, your brother Bisuna knows it better,‘ said Bhopti looking to Pyari.

Said Begum, ‗now look Anisa will tell a tale that she has learnt from her skinned Ashik Ali, kindly give her your attention.

Began Anisa Fakiran in style reminiscent of her husband, a great story teller, the tale of times of yore, in her voice which was soft and vibrating, displaying life‘s inconsistencies:

‗Thakur Ram Prasad and his thakurani were the only two persons consisting of his family. They cultivated their meager land holding. He owned a buffalo and a pair of bullocks. Buffalo gave milk. The crops didn‘t yield much. In such circumstances he 295 couldn‘t pay land revenue for last three years. Revenue clerk, patwari and nambardar reminded him almost daily about the payment. When the sepoy of revenue clerk came for payment he returned with buttermilk. Patwari carried all curd when he came with the demand. Whenever the clerk himself appeared with the demand he carried all milk from the Thakur household. Poor Ram Prasad found himself at the end of his wits and become a pauper.

The clerk patwari duo threatened Ram Prasad to either pay three years accumulated demand or else they would put his land on auction. Threatened Ram Prasad told his wife when the auction clerk comes he would be gone underground and she should lock herself in the house. He will return late in the night; and he went underground.

Ram Prasad‘s wife the thakurani after taking bath and dressed in new clothes went out to fetch water from the well. Patwari met her on her way. Curiously he asked who she is. Looks like Ram Prasad‘s wife?

‗Oh Yes,‘ she said and stood with her back.

‗Where is Ram Prasad? Send him or else auction process will commence,‘ asked the Patwari.

Replied thakurani, ‗sir, he has gone underground because of your fear for quite some days now.‘

‗Is that so?‘ he asked.

‗Yes,‘ she replied.

‗Oh, then who looks after the cattle,‘ he asked.

‗Sir, I have to do that all,‘ she replied.

‗Don‘t you worry, I would be coming to help you,‘ said the patwari.

She then proceeded further. The clerk met her. Seeing her he asked who is there, Is she Ram Prasad‘s wife?‘

‗Yes,‘ she replied and stood with her back.

‗Where is Ram Prasad? Pay the demand or else auction may have to be done,‘ he said.

‗Oh sir, he has run off for quite some days now,‘ she said.

‗Is that so,‘ he asked. 296

‗Yes,‘ she replied.

‗Then who looks after the cattle etc,‘ he asked.

‗Sir, I am doing all that,‘ she replied.

‗Oh, don‘t worry, I will come this night,‘ he said.

She proceeded further. Sepoy met her on way. ‗Is it thakurani,‘ he asked.

‗Yes‘, she replied.

‗Where is Ram Prasad?‘ he demanded.

‗O sir, he has run away,‘ she replied.

‗Who will pay the demand, or else auction will be put in place, however don‘t worry, I will come during nights and about the demand also I will see,‘ sepoy said.

At dusk when day made way for the night, the sepoy came first. He knocked on the gate.

He asked for Ram Prasad. Thakurani replied, ‗wait I am coming.‘ She opened the gate. Spread the bed. Sepoy sat over it.

‗Why did Ram Prasad ran away; I may have paid the dues,‘ said the sepoy.

Meanwhile patwari arrived.

He said, ‗Is Ram Prasad at home?‘

‗Wait, I am coming,‘ thakurani replied.

Alerted sepoy asked, ‗who is there.‘

‗Its patwari ji,‘ she informed.

‗Oh, sister, you first hide me, you are my dharma-sister, I am your brother. Protect me,‘ sepoy pleaded.

Thakurani asked the sepoy to take off his clothes. She then disfigured him and thickly painted him with potana-mitti. She put an earthen pillow over his head, lighted an earthen lamp and planted it over his head and made him stand erect in the steep corner.

She opened the gate. Patwari entered. He sat over the bed. 297

‗Don‘t you worry I will deposit all three years dues in coming season,‘ said patwari.

Meanwhile clerk himself arrived.

‗Is Ram Prasad home,‘ clerk asked.

‗Wait, I am coming,‘ replied thakurani.

Patwari alerted asked who is there.

‗Oh, sir it is the karinda himself,‘ informed thakurani.

‗Oh Lucky one hide me,‘ pleaded patwari.

‗Take off all your clothes,‘ advised thakurani. Without delay he disrobed himself.

‗Enter below thatch of grainer–kothi, but stand still and don‘t touch thatch roof, a black snake has positioned there and is not moving for last few days, the reptile may have been blinded.‘

‗O, Lucky one, I will be perfect still,‘ replied patwari.

Thakurani opened the gate. Karinda entered and sat over the bedspread. He asked since when Ram Prasad is gone.

‗Oh, sir he is out for weeks now,‘ replied thakurani.

‗Don‘t you bother much? I will manage it all. I will exempt his land revenue for the last three years as well as for the next three years to come,‘ suggested karinda.

‗Oh, sir, he is gone, now do what you want,‘ thakurani replied innocently.

Meanwhile Ram Prasad appeared. He called his wife to open the gate.

‗Wait, I am coming after putting milk over the oven,‘ replied thakurani.

‗Who is that,‘ karinda asked.

‗It is he,‘ replied thakurani.

‗Who, Ram Prasad? Asked karinda?

‗Yes,‘

‗Oh, blessed one then hide me!‘ pleaded karinda. 298

‗Oh, sir, where do I hide you,‘ she asked.

‗Oh my dear, you are my daughter-like. Please hide me. Otherwise he will insult me,‘ pleaded karinda.

‗O.K. then, gets off your clothes quickly,‘ she demanded.

Out of fear he threw all his clothes.

She asked him, ‗enter the granary immediately, but remain standstill and don‘t move. There is stored last year‘s arthritis medicinal oil for joint pain that attacks me sometimes. If it is spilled wherefrom will I get it.‘

‗Oh, blessed I will not even take long breath, why talk of movement,‘ karinda replied.

She opened the gate. Ram Prasad entered and said, ‗look, I am hungry for the whole day, if you have some food give me, but first tell me if anyone came to demand payment of dues.‘

‗Some did come, they arrived late‘ she replied.

Thakurani served him porridge and poured milk into it.

‗It‘s too hot to eat,‘ said Ram Prasad.

She said, ‗I will bring the fan, cool it.‘

She thought patwari may be hungry too, he is looking towards the milk from under the thatch, let me give some milk to him too for we have lot things to be done by him in our life.

She poured hot milk in the pan and stepped towards the granary to give it to patwari over the granary. Patwari was sitting still, as he tried to hold the pan it slipped from his hands and the hot milk spilled over the granary, he got milk-burnt resulting in acute pain. As he moved inside the hot milk pan hit karinda who was hiding there. Karinda also got milk-burnt as it was sizling hot. Karinda pleaded Oh, blessed one, he has not spilled your arthritis oil, but it is very hot. Patwari said he also has not moved at all, how hot oil reached him.

Hearing hushed voices Ram Prasad said I will eat porridge later, first let me see who has encroached and hiding in the granary.

As soon as he saw karinda he dragged him out. He asked him he threatened for three year demand and crossed limits, now tell what to do with him. 299

With folded hands karinda said, ‗I exempt you from the land revenue for life, but please let me go.‘

Karinda was released.

‗Who is hiding under the thatch roof, let me see,‘ pronounced Ram Prasad. Poor patwari was dragged by feet and given a good thrashing.

‗I will put your land under official remission–muafi, please let me go,‘ pleaded patwari. Patwari too was released.

The peasant thakur thought loudly he has thrashed these important persons today. They will take revenge, so let‘s migrate from here. Looking towards the lamp post the thakur said to his wife she has made a life size lamppost, in our absence some body will use it so let me destroy it.

As the thakur proceeded with a strong club to hit the lamppost to dismantle it, the sepoy who was painted by thakurani, cried, ‗Oh, thakur sahib, please be kind to me, I will die.‘

Replied Ram Prasad, ‗mother fucker you didn‘t leave even skimmed milk in the house, I will teach you a lesson.‘

‗Oh, thakur sahib, I will resign this job and shall never come to you, please release me,‘ pleaded the sepoy.

He too was let off. Thakur didn‘t pay a single paisa to anybody; he was now a muafidar of his lands.

Greed of para-nari-other‘s-woman or wealth leads to dishonor.

Besides its moral message it gives a satirical insight into the cauldron of corruption and bribery and how it entered the indigenous rural Indian system through middle ages under the Arab and Mughal rule and crystallized into custom during the colonial rule under the Raj.

As Anisa closed her story there was a big applause. Thence commenced comments over the tale who seeks whom to satisfy their cravings; prolonged gossips continued for rest of the session. The women enjoyed such freedom at large intervals; these great spazzed out zonkers appear to enjoy every bit of it.

Anisa like her husband Ashik Ali has handsomely learnt the art of story telling. Stories told by dadis and nanis and innumerable story tellers convey different things to many people. The village embers on prominent lane crossings and chowks locally called aghianas-bonfires through out Braj attracted people of all ages and beliefs to collect and tune to story tellers who commanded respect. Stories connect ages. ‗Once upon a time,‘ 300 or ‗long ago there lived a princess‘ the vintage words most stories begin with of hundred years or may be thousand years old tales of wonder connect people of the present with the past. Stories fire our imagination to peep into the fantasy of the past that was wonderful; we connect ourselves with different episodes of story and communicate with our inward selves. It connects people to animals, birds, demons and gods; all species talk both sense and nonsense, animals to animals, humans to animals, demons to humans and humans to gods. Stories carry us in a wonderful world and inspire us to usher in similar environment in our present through unconscious effort. Stories are great moral boosters; the acts of the demons and efforts of human beings in communion with gods to counter the ill omens inspire people to reach such lofty goals in their real life existence. Stories are great encouragers of will power and character; by identifying with particular aspects of a tale we make efforts to identify ourselves with the forces that changed the fate of characters in the story. Stories encourage our senses to grow characteristics such as brevity, alert mental attitude, and robust common sense, root out fear complex, promote character building and boldness.

Stories unite people by dismissing divisionary epithets of caste, religion, rich and poor, fair and ugly and promote sense of unity simply as human beings. Stories encourage community life by infusing elements that made characters of that story behave in the run of their existence. Stories help us understand ourselves, heal community wrongs, learn to be compassionate and spread love. Stories allow us to delve into the mysterious would of different parameters than the limited encircled world of our own reality. It launches us into more imaginative, attractive and magical realities of life that encourage us to achieve it by allowing the unexpected to happen, different awakenings and insights, clarity and direction as inputs to real life experiences.

Stories ignite our imagination; it encourages in creating progressive images that make the whole, our most permanent values are born out of reactions, thought processes and feelings generated by the story images as the story teller takes us spell bound into the mystic world of make believe that beget us conscious of possible consequences of our actions. Analyzing and exploring true stories help us develop self assessment as also community and organizational behavior; it becomes so much relevant therefore, to modern managers, organizational administrators, accountants, engineers and human resources consultants, if merely for the quality of association it would create and also stimulate ingenuity and creativity. Stories goes to help us understand ourselves, our social behavior and thus encourage communal and community harmony and understanding.

***

301

Part Three

7.6

Like Anisa, Mooli and Bhopati the condition of the farmer is even more pathetic. Majority of farmers are small and marginal. Marginal farmers find it difficult enough to ensure a modestly sustainable life on existing patterns of land ownership and seed availability. But when manipulative marketing strategies introduce fake seeds and loans for cash dependency and debt, their poverty becomes a cruel trap. Genetically-modified (or manipulated?) seeds are still new for Indian farmers – as are, to a very large section of farmers, hybrid seeds. There are obvious reasons for farmers not to accept new and untried seeds: they cannot afford to risk their yields and crops. About 79% of Indian farmers are what are known as ‗marginal farmers‘, owning less than 0.8 hectares of land. It is this piece of land which has to provide the basic food needs of the family as well as of the landless laborers helping them. Such farmers hardly have the means to buy food from the open market; hence whatever they can bring home from their farms is the maximum they have for their consumption. Quite often this is not enough for all those working on the land. Marginal holdings account for slightly more than 20% of the cultivable land of the country. These farmers do not have access to public irrigation facilities, so they can hope to have only a single crop during the rainy season. Rain-fed cultivation cannot ensure anything more than the minimum subsistence. Crop failures due to the monsoon vagaries are practically endemic, multiplying the woes of the marginal farmer. Marginal farmers cannot afford to buy seeds and chemicals from the market because they do not have the resources to procure them. Purchasing seeds on credit will make such a farmer a debtor for all time.

Besides seeds and uneconomic land holdings the other dilemma farmers in India face is the complete imbalance between the cost of production including the entire range of inputs from fertilizers to cultivation and remunerative prices they just don‘t get. Agricultural prices commissions notwithstanding the farmer remains largely unrepresented in decision making of the cost of their produce; it is decided by pseudo- agricultural experts who find place in the decision making bodies. Farmer has neither the resources nor wherewithal to fight the traders on one part and manufacturers of various farm inputs on the other with the result there is complete absence of any serious attempt to minimize input cost and maximize productive price. Over this neglected range of the most relevant financial variant of our economy there is the behemothic array of government functionaries of agriculture department who refuse, despite serious attempts made in the direction, to move out of their offices and reach the farmer over his field and help him cultivate better by innovative and productive methods. Instead they continue to eat into whopping funds released by the government resulting in making the mockery of the system and huge bunglings in the area leaving farmers to their own, with the result that farmer is denied the benefits of the entire range of improved farm techniques and research. Market of farm produce remains primitive despite the stupendous mandi- samities and marketing federations sponsored and funded by the government. With abundance of bountiful river systems nature has bestowed over the sub-continent and appreciably welcome rainfall over major portions of the country, irrigation to reach the 302 much needed farmer remains a mirage. Consequently he is forced to bore private tube wells and finds to run these as daunting a task as to acquire fuel to energise the diesel pumpsets with soaring fuel prices; power supply to farmer is denied and remains almost a perennial problem and whatever is given is only to satisfy statistics for the voltage, phases and load shedding makes it just impossible to run any motorized pump sets, making a most hopeless scenario. While the netas vie each other in haranguing debates over the welfare of the farmer the farmer remains untouched by all that is critical to him, power, fertilizers, improved techniques, higher yield researched hybrid seeds, irrigation without which no crop can survive, unremunerative prices, besides nature‘s unpredictable behavior.

On the home front we have allowed some critical inconsistencies in our food system. We have passed through green revolutions and produce more than ever before yet more than 800 million people are at the brink of starvation where as more than double that number of people are obese and overweight eating too much or more than is required. It is a fact that most poor people of the world are farmers and most of them, almost four out of five live in rural areas and are exclusively dependent on agriculture as means of livelihood. To cater to the needs of consumerism in between the bulk of farmers and large chunk of consumer population there is very small number of commercial enterprises doing business. This small number of companies purchases food grains at cheap prices from farmers and turn out fast foods that drool with sugar, salt and fat, the main ingredients that play up to create as many diabetic people as contribute to the mouth watering fast foods. The junk food consumed forms the aureole of misery; poor men‘s throttled income is driven out while the affluent rich satisfies the body cravings by consuming it propping them to obesity and disease. In India the British and the Dutch traders formed what eventually became the first few food system giants of the modern age. We would have the largest number of diabetic people in the world not in the distant future; besides the dual wastefulness of consuming other‘s share of energetic diet and then spending good share of personal family budgets over gyms and fat reduction operations including medication. Side by side the levels of malnutrition unrecorded since we attained our independence is rising ferociously engulfing more and more people below poverty line. During colonial era India traversed through vagaries of the voluminous edible menu structure of the world; the Indian share of world capital under the Imperial Mughals stood at about 24 per cent around the year 1700, very closely equal, if not more than the European share, which has come down to as low as 3.5 per cent after independence in 1950. It was the result of a deliberate effort by the colonial rulers to ruin the Indian agriculture and drag it into the global liberal market to further exploit it; nothing better have been the result of free India‘s own governments over the various five year plans to better the farm front. Therefore, any efforts to alleviate poverty and malnutrition in India must first focus on the Indian agriculturists; farmers are the core sector of Indian economy and so long as there are farmer suicides and neglect poverty alleviation efforts are bound to fail. Agrarian reforms and not the lip service in the name of agro-reforms would have to be deligently followed by way of substantive land reforms, protective farmer oriented markets where fair price of the produce could be ensured and easy availability of timely input including quality seed, irrigation and fertilizer is made available. 303

Yet about one-third of its population is condemned to living in abject poverty without even the minimum required to stave off hunger. It is the high cost of food that keeps food from the hungry mouth. The prices of food items, even when heavily subsidized through public distribution schemes (PDS), are too high for the poor. Vested interests have sucked the primary food items from the farmer at throwaway prices and in return have flooded packaged and processed trash food which only the higher middle class citizen can afford. Practically all the food giants of the world are now engaged in processing and packaging food and marketing it, on average, at a minimum of five to ten times the basic cost. In addition, the artificial cutting down of food items through heavy subsidies by the developed countries makes poor farmers in poor countries all the poorer. The emerging world trade pattern dictated by the WTO compels India to sell cereals and pulses at a CIF price lower than the PDS price prescribed for delivery to the poor. Government warehouses are full of cereals rotting in absence of demand. But the government will rather export and expose its citizens to death and starvation. It is the jinxed distribution dictated by market forces that makes the poor face such tribulations. By its very nature, GM produce would take away the last morsel from the poor. Why talk of feeding the poor?

Ten five year plans over a period of fifty years has spent thousands of crores to benefit the farmer, particularly the small and marginal; a cursory visit to any small farmer‘s hutlet and farm will expose the hollowness of official efforts to improve the lot of the farmer. Where this colossal amount of money has gone? It was people‘s money. The journey of money sanctioned by parliament passes through the huge labyrinth of bureaucratic organizations and persons whose only duty appears to appropriate it to enhance their establishments, budgets, paraphernalia and making heftier their pot bellies by eating whatever remains from the end of March close of financial year spree of spending to meet budgetary targets. The department of agriculture and cooperative is provided with an amount of about 4590 crores as annual expenditure for the year 2005-06; the farmer at the lowest rung of the far flung village will hardly get a portion of this huge amount. It will be consumed in the upkeep of more than a dozen departments with decentralized centers in the state capitals, districts and community development blocks. The village level worker is the only person from the lowest rung of bureaucratic establishment who will, at his own sweet will, visit the village and contact the village sarpanch of the local panchayat to make bogus entries in a couple of registers the panchayat keeps and plan to swindle the money that has been sanctioned for agriculture, the sharing of the booty between the panchayat chief and the VLW would be decided in the quantum of money he is able to divert from the block development officer. The common farmer is unaware of the four and half thousand crores allocated for his farm development, seeds, fertilizer subsidies and the like and therefore it is an exercise in futility. The story is repeated in all other departments. Instead of strengthening the panchayat-raj institutions and making the elected zila pramukhs the focal point of development by giving both financial and supervisory powers most chief ministers are trying to function through the district collectors by trusting them more against the elected representatives. It suits them; the bureaucrats are active participants of the bids for postings and it suits the auctioner politicians to encourage bidders to stake more money for future bids. Politicians have hijacked parliamentary democracy; it is the real cause 304 why India is not making rapid progress to become a world power. Whatever progress is registered is because of private individual enterprise of Indians, who rank high in being personally organized, intelligent and skilled.

There appears to be a competition between state chief ministers to barter thousands of hectares of productive land in the vicinity of the state capitals for special economic zones, SEZs. It is a serious matter of policy. If we are forcing the farmers to sell their lands for economic development what happens to the traditional Indian farmer who is both economically and emotionally tied with his land for past centuries. It is not the SEZs alone; lands are being sold for real estate business too. Millions of farmers are being trapped in the sale of their productive lands to property dealers where mafia rule reigns; first lands are purchased at throw away prices from farmers and sold at hundred time more premium rates and then there is no arrangement in place to guide and advice farmers to invest money in alternative viable commercial activity to ensure their livelihood. It results in youth of farming community creating an artificial affluence by engaging in purchasing sprees for buying trendy and costly motor bikes, Toyota and Honda cars, Nokia and Motorolla cell phones, luxurious costly music systems, getting addicted to costly hard drinks and drugs, unmindful of their studies or careers and by the time the hangover is over the mullah has vanished down the drain turning the wayward youth to loiter aimlessly or join criminal mafia gangs. This is ruining the farming community and nobody cares. India has nearly 75 per cent rural farmers including farm labor of its total 1.1 billion populations. If this proportion of country‘s population is put in the process of ruin by forcible land acquisitions and casual attitude in providing for their agricultural operations, whatever economic progress is achieved might well be nullified in no time. The giant economic progress might be hollow if majority of Indians remain below poverty line. The gap between the rich and the poor might be further widened as well as the ratio of rich as against the poor. There may be hundred or a thousand millionaires but what about the majority millions who remain poor and forced to enjoy their squalor. Country‘s politicians should think seriously about the farmer if they get some time from their wealth earning and vote garnering games spree. Bureaucrats might also realize if their paymasters get futile and hungry it may be the end of their bounties too.

A curious but gigantically ominous is the green house scenario which threatens the global farmer in ways more than anyone could imagine; underground water resources are depleting gradually painting more and more dark zone areas where flourishing agriculture would be history, climate changes ushering unpredictable monsoon cycles, floods and devastation brands farmer a helpless onlooker, and above all if mother rivers like the Ganga goes the legendary Saraswati way and dries up earlier than we estimate, any amount of industrialization and development would be simply useless.

305

7.7

3000 hectares agricultural land of seven villages around Patoli has been acquired for SEZ. Hectic activity in the land demarcated is perceived to be the beginning of change for the area. Dalchand and his assistants, a contractor from Gurgoan has established his camp in the 60,000 meters of land demarcated for the two projects, one of a mall and the other a residential multi-story complex. He is expecting the arrival of his investor. He trotted towards a halting limousine nearing his camp.

‗Dalchand what is the progress?‘ asked Khandelwal the owner who alighted from the black sedan.

‗Sir, I am waiting for the landmark alignments to prepare maps and estimates,‘ replied Dalchand.

Khanelwal handed over two rolled up sheets to the contractor.

‗Now sit and see the rough layout carefully. I want few changes,‘ said Khandelwal.

Dalchand scanned the mall layout. Khandelwal pointed changes in size of showrooms, selling counters shifting to south of the frontage.

‗I suggest different plans of layout for all six floors,‘ said Dalchand.

‗I agree, but the staircases and landings should coordinate with the expected flow of shoppers, with out many turns,‘ said Khadelwal.

‗Turns will not be there for escalators will carry up and bring down people to different floors,‘ said Dalchand.

Dalchand opened the other sheet. It was the 6-floor apartment complex.

‗We want 60 houses in one block; total 12 blocks should have exteriors according to the known percepts of Vastu,‘ said Khandelwal.

‗Even interiors would be planned as per Vastu design,‘ replied Dalchand.

‗We want furnished flats to be given to people; just enter and enjoy home life,‘ said Khandelwal.

‗That will be done,‘ replied Dalchand.

‗Keep these plans under your personal custody not to be shown to anyone, particularly people from the government,‘ warned Khandelwal.

‗Yes, sir,‘ replied Dalchand. 306

‗And where are the super structure plans of factories supposed to be opened,‘ asked Khandelwal.

‗Huge boards are under preparation over which factory site plans for various products and services would be pasted for interested parties to look and respond,‘ informed Dalchand.

Fate of the prestigious SEZ was sealed in between the two persons.

From the start an element of desperation helped create the Patoli SEZ business tradition. The region has one of the best alluvium soils of the gangetic plains. The farmers are many in numbers and hardworking. Roughly more than three thousand families are being uprooted. It was part of the granary of the north-west. Barring a forced and forged indigo plantation scheme in the eighteenth century these lands have never defeated its owners, always giving rich returns of the toil that went in its cultivation. Official and bureaucratic negligence of the area continued even after independence. In free distribution of subsidies and fertilizers the big fish in the form of middlemen and the fertilizer companies pocketed huge amounts leaving farmers to fend for them. Now the Special Economic Zone has arrived in a new avatar. Without working out the detailed road map for allotment of land to different entrepreneurs it was acquired to be given to a business house of repute that in return is made responsible to create detailed infrastructure to be developed over it. The land ultimately would be gobbled up by property and real estate mafia, including people like Khandelwal, and both the farmer and the government cheated over a period of time. Instead people and families should have been allocated space for tiny workshops, often fewer than a couple of workers, who might have produced simple goods. Over time these tiny workshops might have blossomed into full-scale factories catching on quite a few low-tech industries. In the process the local uprooted farming community may also have been absorbed and saved from boom oriented destitution. It would have opened up a reliable competitive private sector enterprise. Erecting huge concrete structures and furnishing it with costly often imported technology on government level for industries that needed tin shed and screwdriver technology the project was destined to be doomed. Instead of mega projects small items of everyday use including door swings, electric plugs and adapters, electric switches, florescent light bulbs, nail cutters, cigarette lighters, cloth buttons, needles, faucets, scarf‘s, plastic bags and hundred small articles could have been produced.

To get going India needs to accelerate its GDP at plus 10 if it wishes to be in line with its developing giant neighbor. The infrastructure for that to reach is missing. Country has got to get out of the feudal mindset, a corrupt bureaucracy and its implied red tape. Industrial activity is not getting the speed it requires. Whatever farmers or rural migrants reach urban centers they find not jobs readily for manufacturing goods; they either become daily wage laborers at construction sites or ply manual rickshaws, some may join the beggar‘s entourage crowding and pestering foreign tourists at all major road crossings. Entrepreneurs should come forward to produce goods that require little capital and low technology, like the one in a poorest city of a richest province in China, where handwritten job notice read: 307

1. Ages 18 to 35, middle school education 2. Good health good quality 3. Attentive to hygiene, willing to eat bitterness and work hard.

All through new development zones young Chinese wander in packs, reading the factory placards posted at the New Year holiday. At the local job fair, migrants gazed at a digital board with listings so terse these read like code:

„Cashiers, women, 1.66 meters or taller‟ „Willing to eat bitterness and work hard‟ „25 to 45 Yuan a day, male, middle school‟ „Male workers 35 Yuan, female workers 25 Yuan‟ „Average workers, people from Jiangxi and Sichuan need not apply.‟

There were no footnotes or apologies. If a company preferred its women to be tall, they asked for it. If they were prejudiced against a certain region, hard luck for them; they were disqualified already. In a similar job notice in India, people of the region, Bihar or Maharastra, may have taken to streets, put the factory on fire and gutted public property worth fifty crores, making life stand still by chakka jam of the national highway.

In an interview a woman was asked her age.

‗Which age you want to know, my real age or the one at my identity card?‘

She explained that some years ago when she had first left home, she had forged the identity card because she was so young. She was offered the job; a woman like her must really enjoy working. Jobs are offered at lowest rates but applicants pour in; there is no shortage of unskilled workforce either there or in this country.

A factory owner kept bra rings at the interview table to show what they produced. On the second day after the job list was full told an applicant that her name would be on the backup sheet.

‗Just switch my name with somebody else‘s,‘ she said.

‗I can‘t do that. We have made up all the 19 we needed,‘ he replied.

The woman has bobbed hair curls and was pretty. She was 17. She bent over the desk and fiddled with the bra rings impatiently as if it was the dice that will bring her full six and success.

‗Just change a name,‘ she said. ‗Why does it matter?‘

‗I can‘t do that.‘ 308

‗I would have come yesterday if I had known.‘

‗I will make sure you are first on the second list.‘ See I wrote ‗Good Girl‘ against your name.

But the young lady won‘t give up. At last, after lot of pleading, he added her name – but then the Chinese superstition of 20 struck, a bad number much like starving to death. So I will have to add another.

The young woman thanked him and proceeded towards the gate.

‗But if the boss says 21 are too many, then it will have to be 19.‘ He warned her.

The woman walked back to the desk. ‗Move my name up the list,‘ she said, her eyes conveying a rare determination.

A little later her name moved up to the center of the list. When she finally left, the man shook his head admiringly and said, ‗that girl knows how to get things done.‘

Later they realized that she had used her elder sister‘s identity card. The girl who got things done was barely 15 years old.

She represent the restlessness to work for their future of that country‘s youth; they neither wait to form endless queue at employment exchanges for government jobs nor their government promise them easy jobs with perks out of quota reservations. There are entrepreneurs who organize job fairs and innumerable opportunities; young persons in equal numbers are ready to take up their jobs instantly. Of course communism in China had provided a closed door environment and with opening up of their economy the country found too eager to take up challenges in their burgeoning population. No tradition came in between them and their work. Kirpa though oblivious of that country‘s historical process wanted youth of India to join the kind of job opportunities people are really interested; not the ones government offered. His argument was the government was maiming country‘s youth by providing quota and creating rift within the otherwise nonviolent existence of communities.

Market or the private sector left to it bereft of any government interference is capable to deal with the situation on its own terms. Indian youth has been tempered with to hanker for government jobs; the giant private sector leader Reliance has on its work force over the Medak pipeline project in Zaheerabad base camp Chinese including engineers, supervisors and workers from Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing working and their work culture is both marked and different in the sense they don‘t stop work for innumerable tea breaks like the Indians do. Liu, a worker coming from a village a few hundred kilometers away from Beijing on the Zaheerabad Kondanpur Rudraram section of the pipeline project informed the work of drilling, laying pipeline and welding them goes on and the break is only for lunch; Fu and Lee try to cook their own food while the 309 other members continue work. These people have been nurtured to work without any lollipops.

It is to underline the vagaries of unobtainable quota-reservation perks of government jobs the youth of rural India are being misguided to hanker for; jobs that are nowhere in existence, jobs that would never provide satisfaction, jobs that create greed, lethargy and corruption, all symptoms of a harem culture. The whole country is agog with the fever of reservations; it is political parties that are responsible for its spread. Behind it are perceived the steel frame‘s well grounded attributes of permanence and unaccountability; those spearheading agitations publicly lament they have no collectors and superintendents of police out of their community. If you make a bureaucrat permanent corruption and nepotism are natural corollaries. It hinders the basic instinct to serve the people. It is related with the country‘s recent past. It breathes feudalism. Despite apparently lowering of standards as also comparatively low pay packet the IAS, IPS, and IFS continues to be the preferred option of first choice for majority of youth in our country, a fact ratified by the industrial chambers of commerce and industry. These premier services drew the country‘s best talent contrary to the impressions that flight of talent have shifted towards private sector with increasing trends of globalization and liberalization.

Of late, however there is a perceptible change; yet it happens after they are disappointed at the quota front. Real change would come when youngman dismiss the idea of sarkari job and opt to work to find real job satisfaction. Vibrancy of the work ethics would soar only when workers choose their jobs after their natural inclinations; the politically motivated governance should be out of all recruitment business in India.

Kirpa‘s aversion to China or anything foreign centered over that country‘s double speak, particularly over borders. China was a society in bondage; women are oppressed only a bit more than their counterpart men. It has still to reach to be an enlightened society by democratic norms. There is much more you loose than you gain in a dictatorial set up; they can therefore, never equal with India. Thirty thousand square meters or may be kilometers of Indian Territory might have been grabbed out of the echoes of ‗Hindi- Chini Bhai Bhai‘ when Chou En Lai and Nehru shook hands out of the panchsheel. There are regular attempts to grab more of our land over borders; they even claim whole Indian Union States belong to them. Their land grab catches up speed whenever there are attempts to meet by leaders of the two countries; its deliberate and Kirpa thinks to be passive over Indian borders with that country might be a bitter mistake than the 1962 episode which unnerved India‘s first prime minister. Passivity might be misunderstood as weakness; not only communists, none other may be depended upon when the critical questions of our sovereignty are involved. The historical 1962 Chinese betrayal has stiffened Kirpa‘s anti-foreign ideologue. He feels Indian youth is no less patriotic and hardworking; if only official attempts to maime them are stopped.

310

7.8

Shanti when she was a child had once traveled to Prayag to take holy dip in sacred Ganga and had stayed with a distant relative of her mother along with her parents. The kind of affection, veneration and care the Saraswat family had shown towards the three of them was ingrained in her memory as permanent gesture of utmost regard for guests. Taking cue from the three day sojourn in the holy city she has organized her life on its lofty ideals of regard to the guests; she has a guest house in her residential complex which is the only place she visits regularly to see that her ideas of honoring her guests are properly taken care of. Though still in the conceptual state she entertains of a dream when she would on her own conceive, plan and build a hevenly ordained guest house she plans to gift to her idol; the dream, about which she never talk to anyone, is a passion with her.

Could there anywhere ever be a better perspective of a culture that yearns to invite, entertain and respect a guest like someone divine in the family environment?

Athithi Devo Bhava – we treat a guest like our god; that was both the desire and expectation of all Indians. It was a tradition. Illustrating Indian ambience a renowned satire lyricist once recounted a real life story of a family who lived in a big hall. There were three members in the family besides two ladies who occupied another big room. The three of them felt the room they occupied was rather large and inmates few which situation led to their uneasiness; they therefore, took a conscious decision to invite a guest to live with them. With the arrival of the guest they were much more contended and also happily busy catering to his needs. Whenever the guest wished to go they requested him to stay some more days. They were exceedingly happy. In a reversal of time frame touching upon the present age the same three member family, one of whom was the father of the other two, kicked out the father to outer precincts of the house saying the room is too short for the three of us and since you are retired old man with not much to do, you might live outside and meet your friends who so frequently visit you in the open fresh air under the tree. The story conveys the transformation of ideas dealing with human values. It raises doubts if we still honor our guests? Do we still practice the age- old tradition of feeding the guest first and eat afterwards. Do we still worship the guest who may have traveled long distance to stay with us? Do we still feel gratified in fulfilling the needs and desires of the guest even though we may not be in an affluent position to fulfill it? Do we still honor the guest like the legendary God SriKrishna treated his friend and guest Sudama, by offering the bounties of the world as parting gifts to the honored guest?

The diologue leaves many questions to be answered. Tourists who come to visit are our guests. Are we treating them in a civilized manner? What are the Lapkas-the tourist thugs, the auto drivers, the spurious agents, the hefty unscrupulous shopkeepers and vendors catering to the needs of the tourists doing with the guests officially declared so with investment of huge funds out of public money? How are the tourist police dealing 311 with these innocuous mannerisms? Are they also hand in glove like their other counterparts in the civil police to fleece the tourists and help other vagabonds to treat them the way some reported incidents indicate. Single lady tourists are lured robbed of their money, their costly gadgets and other essential belongings are looted, and they are sexually molested and also ultimately, in some cases, murdered to hide the heinous crime. Many tourists come from different open societies. There are stray incidents foreign woman marrying Indian auto drivers, rikshawalas, camel drivers, other non-entities that make amusing news for the media; however, how such allured intimate relationships surface and what is their logical end is a moot question interested persons would like to understand. Such incidents might be exceptions every body will agree; these and other such lewd news, however, does affect and tarnish the good will and image of the country as a whole.

It can only be expected of the agencies involved in tourist trade including the department of tourism both at the center and states of the union to deal with these and other allied vices effectively and try to send a message every tourist coming to India is our valued guest and his security and well being is our meet.

Now since India is opening up in a big way it is not only the tourists, other important visitors would have to be provided proper, transparent and peaceful passage to their investments and enterprises. Formerly we were worried over brain drain export from India to other countries of the developed world. The situation is fast changing now. Nine out of the ten most prospective companies of the United States of America to take up employment with Indian youth flew across the Atlantic and the Pacific is doing shop in India itself; Indian youth no more is required to leave their country. More foreign visitors are in the offing. Though proper climate is basic to any foreign direct investment without which no sensible company would plan to put their mullah here, it is critical for us to keep and maintain a democratic peaceful and purposeful environment free of hassles and bribe to let them do business here. A democracy where the rule of law is not strictly followed and this fact ought to be well recognized by other countries can not be an ideal place to do business.

All said Indian hospitality still attracts a large number of people from all over the globe; ‗such compassionate culture of hospitality is neither witnessed around nor heard of in the present age‘ declares Chin Un member of a student delegation from China on a visit to the Pink City of Jaipur.

While we in India feel highly gratified in our ancient custom of atithi devo bhava- guest is god and aspire to carry on the tradition in the true spirit, we are constrained to take the view America, the pseudo leader of the world powers, who has demonstrated highly reprehensible boorish etiquette by insulting an outstanding guest after he was duly invited to come to the venue of the unparalleled incident of truculent behavior. Differences of opinion do exist almost everywhere. One may not agree with what others think to be virtueous. If one is courageous he should go and tell he does not agree. However if you invite, and then heap insults, it‘s vulgar and uncivilized. It is also extreme cowardice and hypocratric. That is what Bollinger, Columbia University 312 president did to Iranian President Ahmadinejad after the later was cordially invited and welcomed by heaps of insults. It amounts to both violent and criminal demeanor. It has nothing to do with politics or the kind of diplomacy world super powers and their allies practice or the kind of obstructionist approach other differing from the powerful behave and shape their foreign policy; we basically talk of a civil code of conduct which, in any case must look civilsed as a minimum courtesy the fact of having been born human.

7.9

Bonded with farmer is water; water is life for agriculture. Management rather dependence upon nature is inadequate. It is a sad commentary over the governance of the country that irrigation to farmers to grow food for the country has not been provided even after sixty years of independence; it would be futile to talk about irrigation when more than half people in the rural are not provided with potable drinking water. Trillions of cusecs of precious water a boon from the rain gods is wasted in floods causing enormous damage to life and property; we have failed to store and canalize the greatest natural water source. The eco-system disturbance by human causes apart we have spoiled and polluted our rivers to an extent of almost a point of no return. The sacred Ganga may, not in the distant future, go the grand old Sarasawati way. Other great rivers, the founding sources of civilizations may also dry. Glaciers are in a melting mode; disastrous droughts might be in store in the future. Environmental pollution and depleting of forest cover by man‘s greed might change the climatic cycle for worst of results for human population. The loss of flora and fauna accompanied by the multi-storied concrete jungles rising over the horizon may sound the coming of doom earlier than expected. If development is polluting rivers, cutting forests ruthlessly, annihilating the wonderful animal species, melting the glaciers, creating haphazard concrete jungles over the gold producing land, we might well think twice before embarking on the disastrous path. Water is already scarce and a source of dispute between peoples and states. There is no water policy in place. We use or misuse water the primitive way. Tube wells and bore wells are being holed in areas black listed for no water zones. What is needed is urgent efforts to recycle waste water, save rivers from pollution, increase forest cover, save the existing forests being cleared by the timber mafias and Verrappans, save water and recharge it by rain water harvesting which should be made a law in all urban conglomerations, link canals on a national grid to utilize waters where the need is urgent and utilization of flood waters to irrigate arable lands. Water is the principal panch-tatva that life needs for sustenance; it is paramount to use it by discretion.

313

Jagan and Shano are worried about the world getting hotter and uncomfortable. On a hot humid day in late September Shano got to Jagan to think loudly about global warming, climate changes, threat to thousands of animal species which are confronting annihilation.

Said she, ‗in an honest true perspective there are predictions of disastrous results from the climate change globally; from the high Himaliyan glaciers to the vast polar ice sheets, the world is losing its ice faster than anyone thought possible. It's no surprise that glaciers are melting as emissions from air conditioners and refrigerators; cars and industry warm the climate. But lately, the ice loss has outstripped the upward creep of global temperatures. Scientists are finding that glaciers and ice sheets are surprisingly touchy. Instead of melting steadily, like an ice cube on a summer day, they are prone to feedbacks, when melting begets more melting and the ice shrinks precipitously. Other feedbacks are shriveling bigger mountain glaciers ahead of schedule and sending polar ice sheets slipping into the ocean.‘

It might be a coincidence that almost all developed countries of modern times in the western hemisphere have cooler climates and perhaps have therefore refused to be signatories to the Kyoto protocol; most of the orient and Africa is currently facing the critical onslaught of global warming as a result of climate change. That an American veteran A.Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change headed by Dr. R.K. Pachauri have been awarded Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 indicate even western developed economies are becoming conscious of the dangers of global warming. IPCC scientists have made it clear beyond doubt human influences are contributing to changes in earth planet‘s climate. Worried environmentalists have been recounting the ill effects of culprit greenhouse gases being released by human activity, mainly carbondioxide and non CO2 gases including methane, nitrous oxide and halocarbons, mainly as a result of the fossil- fuel based carbon economy for the last about quarter of a century. However, vested interest groups and governments practicing the present fossil-fuel economy have been opposing the warnings to bring in substantial changes by influencing mainstream international policy from taking note of its potential dangers.

Dr. Pachauri has concluded by over 30,000 comments from 600 experts the probability of human activities causing global warming at 90 per cent as against 66 per cent over their reports in 2001. Some may still doubt the credibility of these scientific assertions, propelled by the chance of putting heavy investments in alternate technologies. Unlike the problem of pollution, smog from coal burning, acid rain and dead fish in water bodies, which was brought under control when the initial waves of its ill effects were brought in by the industrial revolution in the developed countries, climate change and global warming, cannot be managed post facto. A scientist from Australia has pointed out the level of CO2 gases in the atmosphere in 1800 at the time industrial revolution took place was 280 parts per million-ppm. The most recent level of this gas is 380 ppm. Present danger signals indicate critical changes could take place in the global climate if the CO2 concentration in atmosphere exceeds double of the level by 2100. 314

The fate of many mountain glaciers is already sealed. Millions of people in countries like India, Bolivia and Peru who now depend on melt water from mountain glaciers for irrigation, drinking, and hydropower could be left high and dry. Meanwhile, if global warming continues unabated, the coasts could drown. If vulnerable parts of the ice that blankets Greenland and Antarctica succumb, rising seas could flood hundreds of thousands of square miles—much of Florida, Bangladesh, the Netherlands—and displace tens of millions of people.‘

Said Jagan, ‗the situation is really ominous, what is even more worrying is the feeling of helplessness on the part of governments who find unable to halt modern industrial journey to save the earth, and a even more catastrophic predictive view by those who want to save the world for posterity.‘ Continued Shano, ‗the temperature threshold for drastic sea-level rise is near, but many scientists think we still have time to stop short of it, by sharply cutting back consumption of climate-warming coal, oil, and gas. Few doubt, however, that another 50 years of business as usual will take us beyond a point of no return.

All it took to release that water was a few degrees of warming. Climate back then had a different driver: not fossil-fuel emissions but changes in Earth's tilt in space and its path around the sun, which warmed summers in the far North by three to five degrees Celsius (5° to 9°F) compared with today. At the rate the Arctic is now warming, those temperatures could be back soon—by mid-century, no problem, there is just unbelievable warming in the Arctic. It's going much faster than anyone thought it could or would. That may have happened 130,000 years ago, the last time seas rose higher than today. The sheer magnitude of the rise, 15 to 20 feet (five to six meters), points to a contribution from Antarctica as well as Greenland. Then, as now, Antarctica was too cold to melt from above. The attack must have come from warmer oceans that undermined floating ice, triggering a partial collapse of the ice sheet. The stage is set for it to happen again.

If you dry up the mountains, what happens to the cities below?" asks Walter Vergara, a Latin America climate-change expert at the World Bank. In the developing world, the question is often asked in anger. ‗Climate change wasn't caused by the poor countries like Bolivia,‘ says Oscar Paz Rada of the Bolivian Ministry of Planning and Development, ‗and there is a debt owed them by the developed countries.

Shano thought by the time the debate concludes in between developed and under developed countries of the world it may be too late. Jagan appeared to agree. New dams and bigger reservoirs could keep water flowing through the dry season; wind or solar power could supplement fitful hydroelectric generators. These measures won't be cheap, and some, like dams in the earthquake-prone Andes, carry risks of their own. But time won't wait people need us to take action. As a scientist, one is fascinated to watch a planet being transformed. As a human being, he feels the loss of a beloved landscape.

The keepers of the Doomsday Clock plans to move its hands forward to reflect to what they call worsening nuclear and climate threats to the world. 315

Asoka Devanamapiya Piyadassi, {304 – 232 BC} the Great Indian Emperor, two thousand three hundred twelve years ago made this passionate state promulgation reflecting his ecological concerns:

‗Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, speaks thus: Twenty-six years after my coronation various animals were declared to be protected -- parrots, mainas, aruna, ruddy geese, wild ducks, nandimukhas, gelatas, bats, queen ants, terrapins, boneless fish, vedareyaka, gangapuputaka, sankiya fish, tortoises, porcupines, squirrels, deer, bulls, okapinda, wild asses, wild pigeons, domestic pigeons and all four-footed creatures that are neither useful nor edible. Those nanny goats, ewes and sows which are with young or giving milk to their young are protected, and so are young ones less than six months old. Cocks are not to be caponized, husks hiding living beings are not to be burnt and forests are not to be burnt either without reason or to kill creatures. One animal is not to be fed to another. On the three Caturmasis, the three days of Tisa and during the fourteenth and fifteenth of the Uposatha, fish are protected and not to be sold. During these days animals are not to be killed in the elephant reserves or the fish reserves either. On the eighth of every fortnight, on the fourteenth and fifteenth, on Tisa, Punarvasu, the three Caturmasis and other auspicious days, bulls are not to be castrated, billy goats, rams, boars and other animals that are usually castrated are not to be. On Tisa, Punarvasu, Caturmasis and the fortnight of Caturmasis, horses and bullocks are not be branded.‘

‗In the twenty-six years since my coronation prisoners have been given amnesty on twenty-five occasions.‘ [Piller Edict 5]

Said Shano, while Jagan heard her intently, ‗in Indian tradition Vyas‘s epic Mahabharat is also preeminently Krishna‘s epic that obviously is a glorification of the Eighth avatar Vishnu as Krishna; the first three avatars were Water Creature Fish {Matsya}, the amphibian Tortoise {Kurma} and the onland animal Boar {Varaha} who represent three moral hoops of time in ascending order emphasizing vital role of environment and ecology for human survival in Indian chronological civilization. There are total nine yugas of time in ascending order of moral importance which constitutes a Maha-Yug that consists of 12,000 god years or 4,320,000 solar or man years. This is the macro time-frame. Mahabharat chronicles the last years of the third dwapara-yuga of Hindu mythological chronology. The present kali-yuga is the last before pralaya consumes the world and is re-created. It is calculated to have started at midnight of February 17-18, 3102 BC, when Abhimanyu‘s son Parikshit ascended the throne, after Mahabharat war.‘

Accepting Nobel Peace Prize in City Hall at Oslo from Sweden‘s King Carl XVI Gustaf before being treated to a lavish white-tie banquet Al Gore and Rajendra Pachauri spoke on global warming and spreading awareness on ways to contain it and said, „we the human species are confronting a planeatory emergency, a threat to the survival of our civilization that is gathering ominous and destructive potential even as we gather here. It is time to make peace with the planet. We must quickly mobilize our civilization with the urgency and resolve that has previously been seen only when nations mobilized for war‟. 316

They urged US and China, the world‘s biggest carbon emitters to make the boldest moves or stand accountable before history for their failures to act.

According to an ancient Indian tradition observed in Braj Atma takes birth in human form, the epitome of life system, after having passed through 84 lakh previous births in non-human form of life; it presupposes there are so many forms of life on earth. If we exclude humans from the run of life on earth, no other specie exploits, extracts, disturb the equilibrium of nature manifested in the five chief elements, termed as panchatatva: earth, water, fire, air and sky, as does the human activity. The entire biological life only adds to the natural resources as manifested by our ancients as the basic panchatatva; only humans exploits, excavates, bores, burns, produces toxic elements by mixing and exploiting the basic five attributes of life on earth, creating conditions in which modern human generations find it difficult to live healthy and normal lives. It is being done in the name of development; how could a state of activity that hinders the natural run and growth of life of all biological entities on earth including the human beings could be termed development? It is the crux of the problem. Humans in their quest for survival exploited mother earth for coal, metals, oil, and used the available earth properties to generate electricity and in their race for dominance by one group over another invented lethal weapons of mass destruction by fighting wars with weapons termed as atomic devices; and they are gleefully glorious in declaring them as developed countries. If the human mind worked in the area that could be termed as positively negative against nature which we better understand by our coined terms of ecological balance, environment and save the animals and trees, many species of whom are either already extinct or are on the verge of being extinguished, it is time human brain begin working on a positive note, primarily by developing power by way of the five basic elements God endowed to our existence and survival. We need to generate power by the wind. We need to exploit sunlight, the storehouse of unprecedented fire power. We need to utilize the source of all life on earth, water in a discretionary manner, use each drop without wastage, recycle the amount we use and make dirty. We must help preserve the 84 lakh yonies – forms of life - as predicted by our seers that exist before atma took the human form, or else the entire stock of life on earth including the human beings shall meet the same end termed as pralaya by the seers and it might be the end of the road for all life on earth. Man shall be responsible for pralaya; it might be the obvious cycle of events in universe, yet human factors shall be accountable for the abrupt end of life on earth. It is time we pay attention to what the Noble Laureates Al Gore and RK Pachauri solemnly inform. Development would be unable to sustain life.

Human contact with metaphysical and physical apparently is slated on an uneven keel. It appears to be a game of hide and seek. Man‘s endeavors to seek and have dialogue with the supernatural remain intrigued in ambiguity; similar to the details of his destiny hidden in between the lines of his palm. The more efforts to solve the puzzle it gets even more disillusioned. Human lethargy in relation to its contact and intermixture with the physical sciences is based upon equilibrium of give and take so far as nature is concerned; there, however, is no balance in between the bounties we enjoyed and efforts to maintain that capacity of the later, resulting in what could be called an approaching doom. Science ordained 350 parts per million [ppm] was to be the highest safe level of 317

CO2 in the atmosphere. The planet presently has 390 ppm COand this figure is increasingly rising by about 2 ppm each year; above 350 ppm is the danger zone. We may be engaged in serious negotiations in developed and underdeveloped peoples of the globe; it would, however, not stop Ganga from going dry within a quarter of the century, and it would also not result in timely rainfall, or stop the white of the Himalayas turning to dull black and grey. Nature not only requires to be negotiated; it‘s of paramount importance to maintain it.

Strange as it may be the world would appear moving as preordained to pralaya- perish; it then renews life afresh. That is the absolute truth.

7.10

‗Congratulations Neki, you have done honor to us here as well as there in the city of Nawabs,‘ Kirpa said embracing his buddy after the election results were out.

‗This is your victory, really, Kirpa,‘ he replied.

‗I am a local desi adami,‘ Kirpa replied.

‗Votes reside locally where you reign supreme. Without you I won‘t have been able to brow beat that fellow from Kanchanpur,‘ he said.

‗Let us not forget the promises made to people here; I stand answerable to them, don‘t ever let me down,‘ Kirpa said.

‗Future will speak itself, you will see,‘ replied Nekiram

‗The other promise you made is a commitment with me. I hope you will garner support for my view over abolition of the reservations by a constitutional amendment. Our party cannot be allowed to get tied with feudal concepts. Scs can never rise till the reservation lollipop is feeded to them. I am gradually making people aware of this sham. They too feel ashamed to be given such vain pushes. It‘s a matter of money. Why should we not get access to the funds to raise our standards of not only education but other areas too? It is like a race where upper caste ride horses and scs are given ordinary shoes to run the race and compete. Sports shoes won‘t reach a horse running in the race course. It‘s an 318 impossible situation. It is never going to improve unless we throw the fetters put to us. We want freedom. We want share of money for our development. Its money that made all the difference since early ages, once you get access to the goddess Lakshmi you will reach the top. No one can stop you then. Do you think we lack enterprise? No, I say we with almost no resources in the rural survived with our expertise in traditional crafts better than the privileged ones. None of us ever remained unemployed. Others were often without work. We were self-sufficient; they were dependent on us for every little thing to be done. We were agile; they are dullards. I hope you believe in my belief that the so- called leader‘s infact seek reservation sops to keep us maimed for ever. All these new quota demonstrations by Brahmins and Rajputras are manufactured. They want to befool us. In this age of economic reforms, with the dwindling size of the state, bureaucracy under enormous pressure to cut constitutional guarantees and own accountability, every job including the teachers being done on contract, where are the jobs? Why fight for jobs that are not in existence. Once the ‗son-in-law‘ image and extra income syndrome is replaced with commensurate responsibility added by punishable accountability, who would prefer to queue up for thankless, dull sarkari jobs? I am certain in my mind it is a conspiracy of the upper caste old guard netas who flourish at the cost of the scs. I will fight it to the finish. I will expose them from village to village all over the country; let nobody underestimate my grassroots network, with OBCs round the corner our strength will be invincible‘ Kirpa said firmly.

‗I believe you and what you propose to do. I will not only support you, but create opinion in the higher echelons of party set up. If you want I will also brief Jagan Bhaiya about your feelings,‘ replied Nekiram.

‗Yes, please do tell Bhaiya, I don‘t want to do anything without his approval,‘ replied Nekiram.

‗I will. We are going to see him. I will leave for Lucknow from Bijnor. When are you coming to Lucknow?‘ asked Neki.

‗Party headquarter want me to go there, but you see Neki, I have so much to do here, without which your party will be rootless, anchorless. With me gone the workers at village level will get disappointed, workless, and leaderless. I have no secrets. I will fight to the finish. I will seek the country over reservation issue and I will win. I am confident,‘ Kirpa replied.

319

8.1

Nekiram was able to make Shano agree to see Jagan at Bijnor. It was his third district as Collector and would be the last. His suppertime scale was due. Heat and dust of the poll process over Jagan planned a few days off and wanted Shanti to come for a small break just to relax and talk of his village. For her the period brought in intense busy schedules she left no chance to fulfil her commitments; it was a phase of transformation for her and the grit and hard work she put in to achieve her goals was remarkable. Even so a call from her bosom friend was always both inevasible and fascinating. She joined him in Bijnor a completely changed person.

The two were meeting after quite some time.

‗Please write your name and purpose of visit over the slip,‘ asked the uniformed armed guard confronting Shanti and Nekiram at the sprawling Collector‘s house in Bijnor. They had come without information. Few minutes over, the Collector himself came to receive the guests.

‗Shano, you could have informed me,‘ he said as both of them bowed to touch his feet.

‗My heartiest congratulations to both of you,‘ Jagan said hugging Shano by his left and Neki his right arm.

‗There was no time, Neki has to leave for Lucknow for the new assembly session; we thought he will move from here after meeting you, dear sir,‘ replied Shano.

Jagan has come for lunch. He asked his guests to be easy and join him. Lunch over he asked about their itinerary. Nekiram has to reach Lucknow day after tomorrow he has to leave by this evening train.

‗Please ask someone for his reservation, a word at Darul Shafa also for his room,‘ asked Shano.

‗Well, I will be back within an hour, meanwhile you relax,‘ said he asking his boot man to take the guests to their rooms.

The collector was quick to return. For three hours they were closeted in his camp office without any one disturbing them. Nekiram left in the evening to Lucknow. Shano was requested by Jagan to prolong stay by a day.

Jagan extracted the evening to be with his friend beautiful, enchanting, loving Shano.

‗So you have made entry into the realm of politics,‘ he said. 320

‗It carried your tacit approval; you gave me 25 legislators, I have been successful in 16 places – 4 in Maharastra, my old favorite,‘ she informed.

‗U.P. deserves priority,‘ he asked.

‗Total six have come out victorious I have to be careful about people whom we support. There are lot dark horses; I am learning the art of our democratic practice. As I told you earlier we plan for one-fourth parliamentary constituencies in the first round; I expect at least half seats of the number to win,‘ she informed.

‗Parliament is more crucial here, yes, you are right. It has the maximum seats in the country – the cow-belt so to say,‘ he said.

‗There was message from the UP CM during the poll; I politely turned down, telling him I am an ordinary person making my living,‘ she told.

‗How do you think Neki will fare with the cause you stand for, reforms,‘ he asked.

‗It‘s too early to suggest; however he will stand by us always, come what may,‘ she replied.

‗Democracy is a heady vintage wine though I too have complete faith in him, yet to be careful will be of help. He is completely dependable though, I can vouchsafe,‘ he said.

‗People are carried over by swift current that is the problem, my dear,‘ she said.

‗Confidence builds up credibility, you know it. What will keep the flock together with you is their future; if you can assure that they will bring more numbers beside their loyalty,‘ he told her.

‗I will take care; Jagan I am tired already of politics, will you talk your magic, cinema, affection. I am seeing you after so many days,‘ she said looking into his large black eyes.

She embraced him entirely for long spell. When loose he kissed her, shuffled her dark black hair, and played delicately with her body making her unwind the tensions she carried over last couple of weeks.

She was like blossom magnolia garland eager to ornament her prudent, wiseacre, Kamdeo like mentor‘s neck-cervix reaching out to touch his heart to spread her warmest cool fragrance. She opened like a swastika on all sides and yearned to dive deep into fathomless foggy lake waters of her eternal love. Jagan felt modestly innocuous in front of her larger than life consecration. She engulfed him. When hearts met to converse mouth kept absolutely shut. Ears reverberated with resonance of damru beats of the tandava nratya of Shiva from his abode at the Kailash. 321

Without informing her Jagan took three days off from his work. He booked Hotel Jaypee Residency Manor, Barlowganj, and Mussorie. He however, was dissatisfied three days were insufficient to be on a holiday with her. Both he and Shano belong to Braj where holidays never end before weeks or even longer. Holi festivities continue for months. Brajvasis are in fact almost always celebrating life. It‘s a mental attitude. The kind of mental psyche capable to celebrate life builds up over a period of time – ages before it is reached a state of peace and compassion that become powerful tools for celebration of life. Peace of mind comes when tiniest quantities of violence are uprooted from the self. Ahimsa, absolute non-violence is difficult than violence to practice; utterance of an insignificant lie is too a violant act. Abnegation of any violent act by the self is the basic requirement of blissful life. Individual behavior reflects in collective way of life. Brajvasis or for that matter Indians are at peace with their environment; they are satisfied with whatever is available for them and that is the fundamental truth about a fact of history that India has never invaded any other people or country. Nature provided this country with such a bounty of cycle of seasons that life not only originated here it grew to reach the highest achievable goals. The first sound emanated from the Damru of Shiva from atop the Kailas; from that original Damru sound followed the first alphabets including the vowels and the first spoken words of human beings were heard. Damru is also associated with the Kailas – the abode of Shiva which again is glorified symbol in Hindu milieu. Kailas is not only the holy abode of Lord Shiva; it is the most sacred mountain in the world. To Hindus it is the throne of the great god Shiva. Budhists associate it with Chakrasamavara, a powerful Tantric deity, and with the sage Milarepa, who fought a magic duel there with a shaman priest in ancient times. To the Bonpo, the followers of the indigenous religion of Tibet, it is the great crystal on which their founder, Thonpa Shenrab, descended to earth from the skies. For more than a millennium, Budhist, Hindu and Bonpo pilgrims have been visiting this Throne of the Gods and performing pious circumambulation around it. Three major religions are associated with the Kailas from whence peace pervades the earth.

8.2

Tandava Nryata‟s damru beats still reverberated into her ears when Jagan softly informed her of his decision to go to Mussorie for three day week-end break. Damru is particularly related to Shiva just as the bansuri-flute is associated with Krishna. He has stolen her wish; when she embarked on this visit with Neki she has her own plan to take few days for personal break with Jagan. They didn‘t have any opportunity to either discuss or plan it at their end. Time was so short and every body appeared to be busy. 322

However, their mind did meet and the result was the break he planned without even a word spoken to her; it happened exactly the way she wanted.

Leaving aside the district magistrate‘s paraphernalia, he drove her into his personal car alone to keep her near his bosom without attendants hovering under idiotic protocol. He wished to be with her only abiding by old perception that two is company and three become crowd. Bijnor to Mussorie is not much distance and they enjoyed being alone after so many days past; whenever Shano and Jagan met there were almost some intruders as part of her or his formalities and official engagements, personal secretaries, orderlies, cooks, drivers, boot man, security personnel, the later not allowing any opportunity of being the two of them as company out of security concerns. The hotel suite was warm and comfortable, though it couldn‘t compare with home either her or his. After a while they moved out to the Mall. Being off-season it was not crowded, a situation Shano liked. Leisurely they walked hour‘s together, window shopping, buying a cute small banquet, imported Paris violaceous lilac purported lavender, a few sleek attracting hair-pins for her dark curly braids she pretending to protest he purchased the small article ignoring her inviting nays. Once his eyes met hers in front of a kiosk, he touched the wooden structure, murmuring touch wood, as soon as his eyes met her; she looked so charming in her un-made-up simplicity his mental alertness automatically moved her fingers to touch the piece of wood to ward of a slight chance of affecting her darling companion who was innocently unaware of her bewitching beauty.

To touch wood or knock on wood is a superstitious re-action to ward off any evil consequences; it can also be a charm to bring good luck. The origin is unknown, though some have pointed to pre-Christian rituals involving the spirits of sacred trees such as the oak, ash, holly or hawthorn. There is an old Irish belief that you should knock on wood to let the little people know that you are thanking them for a bit of good luck. There‘s also a belief that the knocking sound prevents the Devil from hearing your unwise comments. Others have sought a meaning in which the wood symbolizes the timber of the cross, but this may be a Christianization of an older ritual. It wasn‘t always wood that was lucky: in older days, iron was also thought to have magical properties, and to touch iron was an equivalent preventative against ill-fortune. The phrase itself is relatively modern, as the oldest citation for the British version of the phrase, touch wood, dates only from 1899. The American equivalent knock on wood is roughly contemporary, with first example from 1905.

Once his eyes met hers it required an amount of effort to shift his sight; she glanced to grin responding in him a desire to enjoy being happy. What splendid eyes she possessed! Her lashes appeared to be the zigzag of the serpentine road leading to Mussorie from its foothills. Her retina glowed like a sharad purnima full moon, blurred by off-white spots that symbol explained by local tradition to be the old lady churning hand pulled threading machine, locally called, ‗charakha‘, surrounded by hovering thatched, dark, off-white and dithered cloud conglomerations constantly moving to form different patterns in the sky. When she flicker her eyes the lashes appear to flirt like peacock wings from a distance which conveyed her feeling of inner satisfaction with what he said or meant. Flicker followed by natural opening of her eyes like fresh petals of 323 lotus inside a deep pond she wished to let him continue his tale he meant to relate without speech of mouth. Eyes seem to talk. Both appeared to feel subtlety the eye language. The eyes sent message, brain ordered facial muscles to grin, showing her white teeth slightly very softly, lowering eyes again as if to warmly receive it and thank sender of such loving messages. There was no way speech could ever hope to convey so lucid message by words of mouth. A pair of Sarus crane – Grus Antigone – environment friendly posture hoarding over edge of the Mall sent her eyes looking some twenty years back to Nandgaon meadows where as kids they used to watch with curiosity the elegant pair of the saras their heads red-black, the male leading way a bit higher than his queen, blowing rather loudly their sonorous sound taking a half turn of their long necks and still longer beaks declaring to the world the grandeur of their union. She has perceived her mate ever since those dizzy days as her partner leading her in life as the saras pair always does. She never has had the opportunity to speak of it by mouth; but her eyes have been transmitting this message which have been congruously received and gratefully owned by her soul-mate. It was such a coincidence when she eyed that bill-board he too glanced same moment and returned back to her eyes, both pair of eyes met and appreciated the big bird as they both perceived it long back in their childhood.

Poet Bihari recapitulates various omnifarious variegated sentiments a woman‘s eyes depict; Shano appear to outwit the poet of erotic love by her rich boisterous eye vocabulary.

„Kahata,natata,rijhita,khijita,hilita,milita,lajiyaat! Bhare bhawn me karat hai neyanan hee son baat!!‟

‗Talking, denying, flirting, irritating, moving, meeting, shying; she talks by her beautiful eyes placed amidst encircled laden lean eye brows.‘

As evening approached the street crowd, mainly tourists, gets thinner and the thoroughfare looked partly deserted. Loungers over the Mall were mostly in pairs, couples or friends, there were rare single man and still rarer single woman walking in the cool clime of the queen of hill‘s main shopping area over which depend the economy of the tiny resort. She felt refreshed at their return from the two-hour leisure walking.

‗I wonder your interest in reading and following that writing your own ideas has surpassed my perceptions of you as media person,‘ said Jagan.

‗I get inspired by you,‘ Shano replied.

‗The manner you attribute everything to me looks you will put me to a big cipher not in the distant future,‘ he asked.

‗It‘s illogical; you are the store house of ideas and a very robust tool to put it into action,‘ she replied.

‗What are you busy with your writing at present?‘ he asked. 324

‗Women in the slum of Dharvi,‘ she replied.

‗Simple knowledge about them would not click areas of their probable improvement,‘ he said.

‗Awareness would follow only when you have knowledge about it,‘ she replied adding, ‗the man-woman ratio in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh has come down to 382 female for every 1000 males. If you do not make people aware of this truth awareness will not arouse action by society.‘

‗Society is deaf and dumb for girls, alive or dead in womb,‘ he replied.

‗Two-third male population faces the dark reality of passing out of life as bachelors; what is going to happen in this country?‘ she asked.

‗The cult of Draupadi should flourish; else the majority of famished males take to crime or become insane,‘ he replied.

‗Marriage market rules may change too,‘ she asked.

‗Obviously. The thumb rule of demand and supply require object in short supply to be rarer, dearer,‘ he replied.

‗If the gender plays it intelligently woman could muster lot of clout being an object of desire by more than the normal number of males; they could even change rules of the game,‘ she said.

‗Sky is the limit,‘ he replied.

Their conversation spread over an uneasy calm. She wished to make the brief holiday pleasant she therefore changed discussion to personal plane.

‗How do you keep emotional level alone without Kanwaraniji in a spacious house,‘ she asked.

‗I am used to it,‘ he replied adding, ‗you are hovering over me in a state of constant vigil,‘ he replied.

‗Is it gate crash intrusion,‘ she asked.

‗Oh no, that‘s most welcome; your company gives me great strength and purpose both in personal as well as official thinking,‘ he replied.

‗I love you Jagan and you too never leave me alone when I am away from you,‘ she said. 325

‗I don‘t know what love is, I have, unluckily or otherwise, not many love tales trailing behind me, there is, however, a significant fact of life, you are something very exclusive to me; I see you beyond your somatic ambience including the brilliance of your beauty and charm which of course is simply fascinating and sufficient to blur anyone‘s vision. I see you as a person beyond the bodily charm and its mesmeric attraction, I perceive you something beyond human desire that binds most relationships, and I am awakened to behold you as a soul mate where your body deliquesces into an enduring positive energy that gives me strength at every moment of my own being. In an abstract I am part of you as much as you are part of me, you have always been with me and you would continue to be within me for all times to come in this or any more lives I am destined to live,‘ said Jagan.

‗Oh, my dear Jagan, my life is resurrected and glorified,‘ said she with a grasping deeply inhaling her breath, her heart missing a couple beats.

‗It comes from within me as naturally as the prana-vayu; it appears as if you have grown beside my physical form since birth and even when I deal with Charu, the most intimate person to me, you are part of me, unconsciously you are ingrained within me,‘ he replied.

‗My life is the creation of your earthly consecration of energy that Prakrati procreated something inconceivable to happen out of this human form; the procreation of Prakrati is timeless and ageless and anything that comes out of our union is out of the routine,‘ she said.

‗How do you analyze the phenomenon,‘ he asked.

‗Its destiny,‘ she replied.

‗Charu too feel this way,‘ he said.

‗The melody of Krishna‘s flute affected both Radha and Meera; and not only the two of them but whole lot of Gopis of Braj. Which maiden could avoid being seduced by the intoxicating tunes of the divine flute? Even mortal Brajbalas could not resist the temptations. Krishna was special for Radha; he was special as you are special to me. It is not ordinary relationship. It is not mundane. It is divine willed. I see you as Krishna to me. Path of my communion and final deliverance is obtainable through you. We are inseparable,‘ she said in a breath inspired by power within.

‗We are human,‘ he remarked.

‗I am aware; I am ready with my physical body and soul if my lord wishes which way he desires,‘ she replied.

‗The content of mortal love leads to the union of two bodies in supreme surrender,‘ he said. 326

‗I am prepared for anything my lord wishes,‘ she engagingly replied.

‗You not only have to be ready; you have to seek union, make an effort to complete the process of ecstatic union,‘ he replied.

‗That would amount to putting demand on my lord,‘ she replied.

‗Supreme union is not possible until you have a keen desire to reach it,‘ he said.

‗I repeat: I am at the disposal of my lord, he may lead me to whatever he wishes, however, to seek it as an option would amount to putting a demand which I will not because I can only give, serve and please you. I have no right to ask you to give me something exclusive of my own desire,‘ she replied.

‗Since I love you too now I may expect you to reciprocate my feelings as I feel in case of Charu, for example,‘ he said.

‗Correct. Kanwaraniji has more power over you than me. She can demand as also she can if she so desires give to you. However, I am limited to only giving, surrender, serve you, my lord, the manner you like,‘ she replied.

‗Will that not amount to coercion?‘ he replied.

‗You as my lord are privileged to require me to give anything you wish; it certainly is not coercion, it is on the contrary perfectly voluntary on your part to desire anything from me,‘ she replied.

‗Physical union between two mortals leads to intimate coitus,‘ he replied.

‗I will reciprocate with my lord‘s desire in providing unprecedent, unforeseen pleasure,‘ she replied.

‗You will not seek and initiate me fulfill the desire,‘ he asked.

‗Providence has not provided me with that initiative,‘ she replied.

‗Is it feminine modesty or some sort of cultural barrier,‘ he asked.

‗We have had physical, even genital contact countless times since we were kids. We have loved each other, kiss innumerable times every day we are together, embrace each other, in fact does everything that is called sex including creating emotions, erections, body touch and close contact and satisfying our body muscles with each other‘s body cruising. What remains of sex that we do not do? Coitus is not the only sex as I have earlier also said,‘ she replied.

‗In people‘s perception orgasm is the pivot of sex,‘ he said. 327

‗I view it as a violent and essentially damaging act,‘ she replied.

‗It‘s an idea!‘ he replied.

‗If you permit me to explain: love is relevant only till there is a longing for it. If the passion of love dies love itself will starve. The act of orgasm, besides being violent kills the passion of being in love. The mortal, obviously natural feeling of fulfillment for female partner and achievement on the part of the male appears prominent just after coition. In most cases male and female turn their faces and lounges into long lazy hours of sleep. In part or whole the act may also leave feelings of repugnance, creating an undeniable distance between the two which till that moment yearned to be together. It has nothing to do with virility. Anything that distances me from you is unwelcome,‘ she replied.

‗One is constrained to ponder,‘ he replied.

‗It‘s a basic principle of mutual behavior; longing for anything is more ecstatic than its culmination of having acquired, conquered or achieved it. Its ebullient euphoria, sheer joy looking to reach the target; once you reach it, it becomes stale with feelings of success, glory slides into past, I would never like the fire in me to reach you extinguish, to diminish at any eventuality whatsoever‘, said Shano.

‗If only expectation is glorious why culmination is celebrated‘, he asked.

‗The celebration of culmination is like the postmortem of a country‘s economy after having won a war which is all in shackles; only reconstruction gives life and passion to work‘, she replied.

‗Does it connote what Gita teaches to work, do thy karma without expectation of any results‘, he wondered.

‗Exactly, Indian ethos, seers never ever get excited at results or achievements, neither are they disappointed over deep afflictions or failures‘, she said.

‗I may not disagree‘, replied Jagan

‗My dear, you have to appreciate the finer everlasting propositions enunciated in the Gita; there is life only in moving forward, trying to fulfil the work assignments, do your karma. Once you have reached your goal, completed your work, karma, you have to proceed further beyond on way to do other karma, and so complete your designated journey. The moment you entertain any feelings of looking at the results of your karma, you get off the track, loose momentum of life, meddle into an area out of your goal, beyond your profile, out of your power, beyond of your limits, prohibited area carrying bill board of no entry zone. That is the ideal situation for an individual, jeeva, to attain deliverance, and no questions asked on its way are part of the ideal. Even otherwise you have been given an agenda for life, any digression from the assigned agenda would 328 uproot you from your goal, disturb the equilibrium putting individual in doldrums. My aim is to be near you, to give you affection and everything else you might wish; any digression from this objective is not welcome to me. You as a complete man would allow me that freedom, I know for sure,‘ she said.

‗Such a vehement opposition to a basic love trait might well be misunderstood to be an aversion or even umbrage,‘ he replied.

‗I have faith in you that are unshakable. Then again the act of orgasm is nature‘s mandatory method of procreation. That‘s why sex was created primarily. Where that intention is not wanting it is desirable to love the friend, or even wife,‘ she replied.

‗That brings us to the institution of marriage,‘ he said.

‗By the grace of your gender it is in an awkward situation,‘ she replied.

‗Some marriage practices from all over the globe appeared to take woman as a property; but the institution of marriage continue being skinned – the government in Spain under its leftist prime minister has laid down a condition where by the marriage registration will include the house chores being done by both husband as well as wife; its violation would be violation of the registered marriage rule.‘

‗In the good old times, a Persian girl who owned a little property-a hut of fishing boat-was thereby authorized to select a husband herself, like our system of swayambar. If she wished to commence her search for a husband, she hung up her blue apron in front of the door of the house, and posted herself behind it. The young men of the village passed by the apron one by one in a long procession, dressed in their best Sunday clothes. As soon as the right one appeared, the girl rushed out, threw her arms around his neck, and within three weeks there was a wedding.‘

‗The Marriage ceremony in Turkey, a man sends his Negro eunuch to compel a woman he fancies to come to him after an examination by the future husband she is turned into his harem if she suits him. A man is allowed seven wives in one house, and can have as many times seven as he has houses in different towns. When he becomes tired of a wife she is turned out to go her way. The Eunuch is master over these unfortunate women, acting like a shepherd dog, keeping them herded together, and not allowing any one but the Turk to see them.‘

‗In Russia, the marriageable women are put in market once a year, and men walk about and view them, and when one is seen that is fancied, a card is put into her hand-she hands hers to the admirer, and the courtship commences,‘ he said.

‗It is the result of this wheeling dealing of woman as property that marriage as an institution is fast collapsing; live in relationships are in things, unmarried mothers are finding recognition,‘ she said.

329

‗There are some other related modern developments that will directly affect marriage,‘ he said.

‗Such as surrogate mothers; wombs on hire, gene banks, semen banks, and of late human cloning,‘ she said.

‗Globalization as well as commercialization will call final shots for traditional marriage a go by,‘ he said.

‗Getting married is different from dating or live in as friends, a legal contract based on enormous confidence and compromise that is wanting in youngsters. Relationships are simple, even funny outside wedlock; if you don‘t like just slam the door and walk out. Women enter wedlock with an exaggerated sense of individuality which often backfires. Young bachelors are too busy to be serious about it mental forebodings warning them of the future family budget, grocery purchases, cooking, washing clothes, dusting, changing nappies and getting animated exhortations to bring home more money to surrender to better half the very evening of pay day ending by exasperations of what do you get in marriage that you cannot get out of it,‘ she said.

‗Old mindset obstructs them to shoulder responsibilities,‘ he asked.

‗Society and familial celebrations hides the realities of marital life ever so skillfully that most couples enter wedlock dreaming fantasies ending to realize honeymoon is not for ever. Small matters turn real big when your personal identity and space shrinks and even merge completely into one of respectful obedience making silly small issues like which side of the restricted half bed to sleep on, where to leave the mail, who to attend to the call bell, who gets up to fetch the milk early morning, whose parents get to visit, even normal friend‘s get together becomes big issues. Just like every young husband begins to hate the idea of being accountable for the time they spend outside home while innately pinning for that lost sense of bachelor identity and freedom that go with it,‘ she said.

‗In this fast changing momentary world where likes and dislikes change like sensex at Dalal Street, nothing hinges to commitment for life! That is asking too much it appears,‘ he said.

‗Yes, you are right, like their global colleagues they may like to be married but not for life! May be five or at most ten yeas would be OK. It‘s an age of use and throws culture. So why a permanent husband or wife?‘ she said with a grin.

‗In this buoyant pleasure seeking scenario what kind of children who will be in charge of gen-next grow like?‘ he asked.

‗Basically mother is responsible for the life it gives birth but without the active support and planning of father that life would not grow to desired level and that is where the present environment may not be healthy for the children of the generations that will follow,‘ she said. 330

‗Is that not an important aspect,‘ he asked.

‗It certainly is. If the couple who neglects duty to enrich life of their off spring emotionally, mentally and physically the loss will not be limited to the couple, it will percolate to society as a whole which is what I think must be given priority. Much of the violence and frustration in modern world is the result of insecurity we allow to enter the child psychology through a host of lifestyles affecting mental attitudes of parents. Where pleasure and fast life, eating fast food, disregard to medical modesty and societal arrogance, ditching a clam and composed home environment is dominant the newly born who starve to taste breast feeding mother‘s milk that is nectar to the baby are left in crèches in uncared of the hired caring business homes employing untrained, unsympathetic casual workers handling of tiny tots who as they grow are pushed before the television to blunt their mental firmament to develop the consequences for the kind of gen-next being brought up are anybody‘s guess,‘ she said.

‗Healthy growth of progeny must be the priority of marrying couples,‘ he asked.

‗You know about unfortunate Chandra Pratap and his love mate Chaitali who in the initial years created an artificial infatuation sending the simple Youngman off his feet resulting in his career doom; after marriage she was hooked rather unnaturally to her parents or her father, had two children, one girl and a boy procreated and after perennial mental torture of the Youngman left him in the lurch. Both children have been spoiled to a point of no return, tutoring them against the father and his noble family. She is a real squawk and stinking outrage, a blot on the feminine gender. I am ashamed to talk of such a degraded female but human rights have been grossly violated in case of the children, who otherwise may have become very normal, promising healthy young persons,‘ she said with remorse.

‗I am disgusted to think about that couple and the two unfortunate children,‘ he said.

‗That was what for entire sexual gamin was invented by nature – procreation. You see in the animal world both share the upkeep of the newly born till such time it can survive on its own. Sex is lot exploited indiscrimately by humans. Its main function is procreation. They have perverted it to homosexuals, lesbians, gays; even marriages are being made in gay and lesbian couples with mobilization of forces to pass laws to legalize such unions. Uninhibited sex will lead to extreme perverted pleasures against the laws of nature. This is social defiance against the tyranny of woman liberation, as the woman liberation was the result of atrocities of man‘s world. Sex is one area where utmost caution and discretionary restraint is badly needed. Modesty is need of the hour; it is fast disappearing,‘ she said.

‗Family life as ordained and practiced in India, particularly the joint family system was commendable in creating the best gen-next of the family genre, was it not?, he asked.

‗It was wonderful. The child got affection, care and love of so many persons around enriching her emotional cup to the brim; an emotionally strong built child was robust to 331 meet vagaries of his world, his problems, his worries and finances making him or her a better father or mother and a much better understanding citizen,‘ she said.

‗It was the institution of that age gone by; modern couples should find to inculcate those attributes in the nuclear family units,‘ he said.

‗The newly gained independence including the economic one coupled with the pleasure seeking attitude comes in the way; history might be repeating in history books but for ordinary life past never is the way out they only get going what their economics and emotional built up motivates, sex is poor third in the domestic area,‘ she said.

‗I appear to agree; sex has widened its operational space, its dominant outside home and family eating out old taboos,‘ he said.

‗Freedom has ushered in free sex; condom bindas is new slogan pretexting to experiment on safety methods from HIV AIDS,‘ she said

‗I always wondered why stolen sex is appealing,‘ he asked.

‗You will notice most animal species have specified mating seasons spread over few days to couple of months. Only humans have perennial unhindered sex celebration; nature provided so as human species were allocated brain that could think no other creature could do. In India‘s ages Treta and Dwapar this power of mental discretion was used resulting in creation of a society extremely superior intellectually. Decay set in after the great epic war in the Kaliyug. That is when Krishna passed away leaving his message contained in Gita; He prophesied to appear again after this age of perversion caused by adharma comes to an end. This is the fundamental truth.‘

‗Of your second query of stolen sex it is the inherence of this age. Sex is not located in loins; mind is the place it is stored. As mental perversion occur in view of behavior of the genders no more ideal conduct is observed; since there are external societal restrictions about sex behavior, any adventurous sexual foray with opposite gender other than socially permissible appeals to both partners. This appeal combined by the sexual urge that is most strong one difficult to contain, celebrate sex with stolen prohibited partner. Then like jealousy or stealing, it is an extremely desirous human activity which has little bit of adventure, hidden pleasure, sex appeal enhanced by the social restriction which is why it is stolen, is attractive and nurtured by most man as well as woman. Sex urge is extremely strong. It has power to diffuse better sense of judgment. The urge is promoted by its exclusive hidden character; it is also the result of disappointment in permissible sexual partner‘s capacity to fulfill and satisfy the partner in bed and prompt comes the idea of stolen sex, which in some way is the result of either too much libido, potency, sex drive or the loss of these, hence stolen sex is appealing and widely prevalent in modern free society,‘ she said.

‗It appears to be beyond regulation,‘ he asked. 332

‗No regulation is needed; nor will any amount of moral policing be able to contain it. It‘s like water taking its own level when released. PDA [public display of affection] is now as common as being cool in being emo. Youngsters openly exhibit their love. The saving grace is stolen sex is engaged in by consent of both partners; voluntary conscious consent gives it some kind of legitimacy at least of the two persons involved.‘

‗I came across a joke once in Spain. A couple was visiting a stud farm. Its keeper at approaching an attractive horse praised it saying it serves twelve mares in heat in a day. The young lady turned to him to say tell my husband about it at which her husband wittily replied Monsieur, tell madam Sallie it mates twelve different mares?‘ she jocularly put in.

‗What however, cannot be allowed is forced sex; rape is not only violation of feminine gender it is an outrageous crime against the soul of the victim and is therefore both unmanly and criminal,‘ she said.

‗That‘s a first rate crime, all would agree,‘ he said.

‗Marriage had a special significance for woman. Since she traditionally was keeper of the house, she needed security, space to nurture the family she raised and a certain amount of freedom within the family; marriage provided it all in ample amount. Since woman has walked out of that role of housekeeper and instead taken up the business of earning for her, marriage has lost its glamour as well as sheen. Earning the mullah has provided her with notions of equality with man who till now was recipient of the pivotal role of a bread earner and provider. Not only is she overdoing her mate in almost all walks of life, she is doing it better. For her marriage is now more for pleasure than procreation; it has moved to her free choice rather than societal necessity hovering around forced dowry syndrome resulting in bride burning and the like,‘ she said.

The social chemistry took such a turn marriages were broken on the scale and frequency of the metro‘s power breakdowns. Both young and mature women inside wedlock took to lovers outside their marriage rather aggressively and there were news almost daily innumerable women deserting their husbands to perpetually unite with lovers. Breaking social barriers there were incestuous couples torn by carnal desires uniting to live together as man and wife in wedlock at locales farther away from their homes; media reporting the gruesome killing sentences passed by the local caste panchayat and such torturous sentences were executed publicly by relatives. There were grooms with innate desires to be gifted dowry that consist motor cars, mobikes, great mullah in cash and what not, being obtrusively turned away by the smart brides from their doors when grooms came with large number of baratis to strike toran. It was difficult to hide shame and embarrassment when such grooms accompanied by their greedy relatives were taken into custody by police beginning long drawn legal battles. There were brides who invited their lovers to their marriage ceremony arranged by parents on both sides, the bride choosing to garland her lover instead of the groom who has brought three hundred baratis to celebrate marriage. There were brides eloping in their wedding dress with lovers on counsel from close aunt or uncle while the groom 333 majestically moved to accept her lady in waiting, unknown of the catastrophe that waited him. There were married lovers who in connivance of their beloveds planned and executed neat killings of the wife. There were wives in lascivious company of their lovers murdering their husbands. There were mothers who sought blind lustful gratification by killing their own offspring who were roadblocks in their and their lovers. There were fathers butchering their teenaged daughters for their liaisons with young man of the same village or of the neighborhood. And there were unfortunate love birds disappointed by the cruel world jumping to death under a running train or swallow poison to glorify their love and end life. Now there are fresh beautiful women who threatened by the abrupt termination of their wedlock send their husband and in-laws to gallows for forcing them to abortion and kill unborn girl child. Lot wheeling dealing went into marriage while it was proposed opening prospects of a honeymoon in life; the realities not only obliterated prospects of honeymoon, it made it wither away to unleash crime

It appeared certain marriage was on the rocks.

However, what was not ostensible was the sentiment of love being linked to kill. If its love it couldn‘t be violent to the extent of killing. Love is forgiving, giving and enriching life by tender feelings emotionally fulfilling the life of the lover or the beloved. Love does never demand anything in return. It is the unique identity of real love. It might be the mullah, carnal desires, lust, sexual gratification and any mundane attribute affecting human behavior but not love. Love is always peaceful, transcendent, fulfilling, sacrificing and absolutely non-violent. There never was love in marriage. It was an obligation to the human specie and the community to carry on procreation. Most marriages spread over love fail. Marriage is give and take. Love is sacrifice. There is no bartering in love. Marriage is a contract; love is fathomless, boundless, beyond exchange of goods or services. Eventually there could be love in marriage too but its harmony is adulterated by rights and duties, freedom and bondage, give and take. Love in modern parlance is a misnomer; most so-called love affairs revolve round sex, gratification, wealth and are time pass, purely temporary. Real love is sublime, pure as a dew drop over a rose petal and enriching. No wealth, diamonds, gold or silver can match the richness of love. A person in love is the wealthiest, richest and happiest of the lot; richness by virtue of gold and diamond is synonym of misery. A person of wealth could fall in love; his wealth becomes anfractuous after he experiences love.

‗This is the Lila happening without break in the human world,‘ he concluded.

‗Man cannot do without woman as woman cannot do without man; these are different ways of being together in different ages. However marriage in some form and for a major portion of humanity would continue to be relevant, the live in‘s, office spouses, tu tera mein mera notwithstanding,‘ she said.

Despite a long leisurely walk and pleasant discussions opening up their hearts to each other their appetite remained unconsummated and when they returned to their hotel they felt neither tired nor sulky; their mood was jubilant and exhilarating. They had a quiet dinner and went up the huge terrace for an after dinner walking siesta with their 334 bodies softly grow transference of emotive perceptions leading to kindled desire in her heart for her consort. It was perhaps a day or two passed full moon. In the pristine cool clime it looked as if it was poornima.

Poornima and amavasya are two aspects of the same moon cycle. Poornima brightens, encourages, aspire, inspire, conspire to rekindle infatuation to reach out for the soul mate, and if that physically is not possible because of time or locale, weave the web of hope that soothe the aching heart and permit moments to breathe out sorrow. It‘s spring when flowers bloom. It‘s joy of a new life. It‘s the first showers that cool the scorching heat. It‘s the joy of arrival of the awaited and the ecstasy of uniting in exuberance. It‘s like access to the library of the legendary Nalanda or Taxila to quench the thirst of an inquisitive mind. It‘s like providence allowing eyes to see the beloved as its first bounty. It‘s like heavenly fireworks when moments of happiness pass by and joy enriches life. It‘s like the bright new one who with its tender beak struggles to appear after breaking the shackles of the outer egg shell. It‘s like the slap of the new born by dadi who must cry after the biblical chord has been severed and allowed breast feed of the nectar of life as baby‘s first intake of her drink. It‘s like dew drops on a cool winter morning over rose petals shining brilliantly in bright morning sun rays reflecting the pristine prism of nature. It‘s like a young mere in heat meeting her stallion and like the gushing waters of a fully charged dam upon release in channelised waterways. It‘s like Mohinimurti, the protégé of Lord Brahma, handing over the pitcher of nectar obtained by a thousand year churning of the ocean to Devas enrapturing the Rakshasas in her enchanting beauty and charm commemorated by the mahakumbha at Prayag. It‘s like clearing ten meters by a pole vaulter in the Olympics and a footballer firing the final deciding goal to capture the prestigious gold trophy for his country. It‘s like homecoming of a commando after its successful operation against terror and it‘s like ringing of the last bell that frees and allows little kids leave their classrooms to return to their home and freedom. Poornima is positive force incorporated in nirvana, like perpetual deliverance from the sins of life.

Amavasya is darkness, wrapped up in mystery, foreboding unseen, unimaginable, unforeseen, intimidating, overwhelming, frightening, lackluster markings of unpredictable destiny. It‘s burdensome so that seers of the yore cried with folded hands:

„Tamso ma jyotirmaya gamaya: lead us from darkness to light!!‘

Its dark clouds laden with heavy and lashing torrential rain pregnant with possible devastating floods inundating man, his dwellings and his cultivation. Its danger lurking in the thick of dark nights of thieves, dacoits, burglars, owls howling drowning the watchman‘s voices in the din. Its uninhibited dilapidated unfortunate dwellings of unlucky princes of the past flocked by bats, flying foxes and giant spider webs, visited by lunatics where witches assemble to dance to the tunes of ill fate. It‘s the fate of young widows visited by tantrik spirits to molest and humiliate the unlucky ones. It‘s the squeezing narrow congested lanes and by lanes of Vrindavan and Mathura thronged by heads shaven, young and old, uncared, left to their fate widows from all over Bengal Orissa and Assam who confront with more squalor and hard luck in the city of their god 335 supposed to grant them final deliverance. It‘s the evening that begins with desperation for a young prostitute to look for clients who oblige by the night and humiliate and scorn by the day. It‘s the end of the day for millions who after a hectic bone breaking day of hard work might go to sleep hungry and even thirsty forcing their better halves to make available them and their offspring to put on the block for either a day or for whole life. It‘s like fetters of slavery which fashioned after a hectic auction monitored by the human greed. Its owlish groans of fate feted by the evil messengers of yamaraj; amavasya is negative force personified by the tamas guna of the elegant Prakrati, ultimately leading the creation to its logical end, the pralaya.

It‘s the great sage Narad of the Hindu pantheon who in his globe trotting avatar tries to maintain some kind of balance in between the positive and the negative forces. If amavasya was not there poornima would be lackluster, dull and monotonous. If it was all good and no evil the era would belong to the past ages that could be termed imaginative in the present perspective. There is interest in life only because there is a perennial confrontation in between good and evil; efforts made to learn to use discretion in life is the real battleground where one either wins the race or is beaten and thrown out of the jamboree. Therefore, life is interesting and worth living, Shano thought when she took her friend in her hug and buss during their endearments.

Mussorie in that part of the year was cool. She encased her mate in cozy raps of the soft blankets administering their sides by feather pillows of different sizes. She kissed him on the chest, over his strong arms, his face, forehead, lips. He was responsive and relaxed. It gave her immense pleasure to fondle and shuffle his hair. He coiled himself to engulf her in his light persuasive passionate embrace. Adjusting to contours their body relished with deep emotional tinge of mingled satisfaction they dozed off to sleep.

8.3

After breakfast Shano was ready to go out for little bit of sight seeing with Jagan. Places they visited included Lal Tibba View Point, Kempty Falls, Camel's Back Road for pony ride. Special attraction of Mussoorie is the Gun Hill – the second highest point in Mussoorie, it offers mesmerizing views of Himalayan ranges. Shano arranged the packed lunch they had carried in a neat corner ridge at the hill from where the birth places of two most sacred rivers are visible, the Gangotri and Janmotri. They made themselves comfortable on a grassy turf patch Shano selected. 336

‗You look so sweet, Shano,‘ said Jagan lying down beside her.

‗I am the reflection of your sweetness; devoid of you I have no attraction,‘ replied Shano.

‗Why do you attract me since you were a tiny girl,‘ he asked.

‗I don‘t know. It was you who made me mad and run for sharing your cozy quilt,‘ she said.

‗It was your dumbness perhaps, was it?‘ he asked.

‗I was apprehensive you may get annoyed and go to Hina,‘ she said.

‗Its why you kept mum,‘ he asked.

‗I feared I may say things you may not like, I was such a fool and Hina was clever, intelligent and charming too, ‘ she said.

‗So it was Hina,‘ he asked.

‗I couldn‘t bear you going to her,‘ she confessed.

‗But I liked you; she was an exceellent playmate. I realised under your bewilderment was the miracle of your fascination,‘ he said.

‗That was the reason I gate crashed to share your bed, at times without eating so that I take shelter before haveli was closed for the night,‘ she recllected.

‗The dilema I faced when I grew as an adult was great, you recall our long discussions at the farm Neem,‘ he said.

‗By that time I was in the know about Charu; however, I firmly decided there was absolutely no other man in my life,‘ she said.

‗I was hoping against hopes you will get married like others,‘ he said.

‗I also decided I would never like you to leave Charu and had decided I would give her similar regard as your wife that she was. I have stuck to my resolve, you will permit me that,‘ she said.

‗Charu herself admire your stand,‘ he said.

‗Now since I have obtained part of your love my pledge has been redeemed,‘ she said. 337

‗You have won on that front; would you be frank enough to tell me that there has never ever been any man trying to pay you attentions either here or abroad in many trips you make there,‘ he asked, adding, ‗ it is difficult to believe that a person of your caliber, personality, intelligence and beauty above it all would not attract most eligible man to court your attentions.‘

‗I am prepared for the agnipariksha; there was a guy in Denmark who with great effort sought interview to talk to me, when I was on my way back from United Nations meet,‘ she disclosed.

‗You casually mentined it once,‘ he said.

‗You are correct; he was an Indian settled there and has been hearing me and reading my writings and was sort of highly impressed by my media effort,‘ she said.

‗What was he like,‘ he asked.

‗He was a top Denmark media chief, perhaps a billionaire himself, with the added advantage of an impressive personality,‘ she said.

‗He was with me for about ten minutes; I offered him coffee out of normal courtesy, He was somewhat taken aback when I told her that I belong to some one very special of the species and that there is no place for any other man in my life,‘ she said.

‗His quick reaction was, ‗but, madam MST, my uptodate information is that you are not married, I have been following you for getting personal details that can‘t be mistaken‘ he told me wonderstruck in a very low voice,‘ she said.

‗I told him rather bluntly he may update his information, and thanks for meeting after so much effort, after which he left and has never tried to disturb me again,‘ she said.

‗There never was occasion to tell me the details, however, I would still like to meet him and wish he persues his effort vigorously again,‘ he said.

‗Jagan sir, with all your bureuacratic manovering you are doomed to loose it, please leave it at that,‘ she said.

‗I have resigned already long back, you are so stuborn‘ he said.

‗With a person like you as benefactor why any woman under the sun would think in terms of any other man in the universe,‘ she asked.

‗The words are music to ears; I have, however, no misconceptions about me, your‘s or anybody else‘s epithets notwithstanding,‘ he said.

‗That again binds once more firmly to you, my dear,‘ she said. 338

‗Modern time requires you to think material too; you should plan for the vast estate you shall leave,‘ he said.

‗Umesh and Himgiri are my inheritors; no one could change that too,‘ she replied.

‗Oh, lucky kids, God didn‘t bless us with a foster mother,‘ he said in humour.

She kissed him. For long duration they were devoid of motion.

‗Better part of the day is over, shall we have tea and move down,‘ he suggested.

Shano poured tea. She got some biscuits, local snacks and they enjoyed sipping it. They came over to the road where the car was parked. Tourists were coming and going; some carried binaculars to watch Himalayas. Down below Mussorie looked settled scattered amidst the huge pine trees and the green belt spread majestically over the elegant slopes.

Jagan brought out a long scarf from the car, tied one end to his right wrist and handed over the other end to her; they suddenly begin going up to the gun point, some steep rising climb few hundred feet above, he kind of a sherpa pulling his fair partner that was both amusing and mannually getting into fit gear. Gun point is called in the times goneby there was placed a huge gun at the highest point in Mussorie, it was fired once exact at midday to alert the inhabitants down below that it was noon time and they could time their clocks with the blow fire sound of the gun and start their day. She was so lean and smart pulling her along up the walk become only symbolic; she in fact was elated to walk by her own effort and he tried to drag her to bring her closer to him in vain. When she laughed he too grinned. The two of them appeared a perfect made-for-each-other match and passers by couldn‘t resist looking to the wonderful pair of these two seemingly ordinary people with extraordinary attributes of the human species. They deliberately without making visible attempts turned young, abstract, familiar, common tourists to feel and enjoy the roughs and pleasures of being plebian homespun domestic travelers seeking mutual diversion and mirth.

Up at the gun point they enjoyed both the skyscape and townscape panoramic vista. While returning down below he pulled and spread the bright green blue and yellow scarf over her head covering her bobbed hairs and took her hand in his broad palm to gain similar momentum over the steep slope.

‗Take care, pebbles under your feet may catapult you to a sudden distance more than double the length of normal step,‘ he warned her.

‗With my hand in your grip I am not scared at all,‘ she replied.

‗Shano let‘s become strangers completely unknown to each other,‘ he suddenly spoke of the abstraction that occurred at the spur of the moment which even surprised him too. 339

‗Its possible; seal the memory stic duo of our minds and learn to live in the present only?‘ she said.

‗It requires rigorous mental descipline,‘ he said.

‗We may not be able to compete with our ancestors of the treta or dwapar and reach the dizzy heights of mental manoverability they could achieve, after long years of meditation to train the mind, both in the realms of forecasting future as well as looking back into earlier births, we however, can certainly try to shut our immediate past temporarily and extrinsically alienate ourselves from it and become rookie strangers in this tourist mountain outland,‘ she said with a grin.

‗Does it appeal to you to play the game,‘ he asked.

‗It may be precarious too,‘ she said after a brief pause looking straight into his large attractive eyes.

‗Do we lack spirit of adventure,‘ he asked.

‗No, the space we have covered in our lives with distinction few can repeat; the crucial element would be at what level we start up our new acquintense,‘ she said.

Are we apprehensive either of our past which to me looks pure transparent or the future that apparently appears to be reassuring,‘ he asked.

‗What seems to intrude into our sequestered quiescent is neither the past which is glorious by any standards or the future that is prefectly fascinating; it‘s the present,‘ she said rather in a retrospective contemplative mood.

‗Without making it all so mysteriously serious we meet as routine revelers,‘ he suggested.

‗We would talk past for language couldn‘t be evolved all of a sudden, I mean you just cannot shut completely with past personality and yet play it,‘ she said looking askance.

‗Oh, Shano, come on, you are dragging it too abstruse and bewildering, its just fun; you deserve some jest once in a while,‘ he remarked.

‗I would love to be stranger friends, it seems exciting,‘ she replied.

Maya‟s proactive Lila began its weave of a web of delusiveness in semblance of reality that was unreal. Immersed in their friendship turned into love of each other, the two of them gradually were delving deeper into the realm of asat, prakrati in its adjuvant gunas playing a leading role. Imbalance of the three gunas of dominant proactive prakrati would appear to be main theme of the kali-yuga; the two normal beings couldn‘t 340 escape from the flow of energy emerging out their domineering prakrati leading the duo into the sensual world of desire, the two of them being absolutely unconscious of it.

8.4

‗I am Manav Patel from Bhuj,‘ he said adopting an attitude.

‗I am Himani Katju from Banihal,‘ replied she with a soft grin.

‗Oh, pleased to meet you,‘ he said.

They both disengaged themselves and looked somewhat reserved as strangers.

‗You enjoyed the hill,‘ she asked casually.

‗Yea, coming from a semi-desert Gujarat it is change,‘ he replied.

‗I am used to greater heights, Kashmir is well known,‘ she replied.

‗Yea, you come from heaven; how is life now. Is militancy on vane?‘ he asked.

‗Its inconsistent; life goes on,‘ she replied and moved sideways away from him.

She took out her camera and took pictures. He walked on without any curiocity. Meanwhile someone got near him and they busied in talks. She missed him and after taking snaps continued her downward march her wooden stick acting as constant companion. For about half an hour they lost contact. His mind returned back to his marketting problems in flashes. She thought of Piyush, the youngman who treated her lavishly; her problem is she doesn‘t want tied up for the whole future. This world is strange. What people say they do not aver. Its fun enjoying new opportunities. If she happen to stop and stare at someone for a longer period she will judge when she comes to cross the bridge. People have double faces; it is difficult to take guys at their face values. Tomy wants a hole; chics want sumpruous feed, feathers and what not. Then she thought of her office in Pune. Boss‘s advances and his ugly wife, whose brother keeps company of the boss always to fix deals out of which he extricates hefty commission. 341

The man who stumbled into Manav Patel was Asim, his colleage in marketting posted in Bangalore. To sell any product was so challenging; both Manav and Asim are group leaders of their company selling computer hardware and software. Manav is posted in Gurgaon. The company sits over their suggestions and the politics of brand managers at company headquarters wouldn‘t allow things to go the way marketting people in the field want. The grey market is the real formidable enemy number one. You get same chips, hard disks and software damn cheap delievered at your home. Life is so uncertain; they have targets to fulfil which in case of even a minor shortfall the democles‘s sword hangs over their head. They might be demoted, posted to other distant destinations or even fired. They begin their day at 8.30 AM and end up anytime between 9 to 10 PM. Life is full of shit. Exesperated by the cut throat competition and the chill of his job requirements he has taken this brief holiday to soothe his nerves and prepare for the next innings. Sales people are being trained in the use of conversational hypnosis to convert more prospects into buyers. It's well known in sales organizations that the facts of a product are not enough to sell it in the majority of cases. Sales people are hitting their prospects with everything they can to earn their commissions. If you're in business and not using these techniques, you're working at a severe disadvantage. They get good package but when and how to entertain their girl friends through the mullah. The bloody witches want bike rides, discothes, movies, gifts; and don‘t ever offer an opportunity to moisten desire. They come round only when they feel they need one erogenous gonad, even at that their hand bags are full to the brim with lubricated prophylectic johnnie made so popular by AID‘s compaigners and also the emergency tablets just in case there is a slip in the hurricane of the quickies they fondly engage in quite freely.

Himani Katju works in a MNC in Pune. The MNC culture is a strange mix of western work culture mixed with Indian style of uptodate humanistic approach, where you get uncalled for advice, a horde of eye pairs gaze at your gait, body, dress and relative pertnence towards the boss. While the boss is westernised thoroughly, having travelled to UK and Italy a couple of times, her immediate coworkers are less westernised and more Indianated. The boss thinks he has the highest libido in the arena and expect all good looking girls in the organisation to act like the oval faced, dark eyed personal secretary of the former American President Bill Clinton to perform exhilerating oral consummation in his chamber. There are a few oldies who without fail summon girls to surmonise almost daily about not going morally astray and remind them of the basics of Indian culture meanwhile satisfying their eyescape in watching the girls in their subordination particularly eyeing their gaze at the various slips modern dress allows body curvatures to be focussed. She thought of Piyush and the like, who hurl praises galore vieing within their circle to create an impression that he and only he is the best ideal suiter, but without any impressive results. When in the evening late as they get released from work shackles and run for a fraction of booze they lament to bosom colleagues, ‗Sali fassee nahin, yaar, phir dekhenge kab tak bachegi yaaron se.‘ Almost everybody particularly the youngsters flounder the florilegium of credit and debit plastic cards in multicoloured avatars that percolates to pot holes their hard earned money going down the hole. They all are fond of living on credit. Equity they don‘t talk because they haven‘t got any. Credit crunches make them both uneasy and unaccessible to their greedy creditor banks and financial organisations; their elated ego was worth notice when the bouyancy provided by the 342 plastic cards sent them storming the variegated and specialised malls displaying goods of desire. Those who could afford change their cell phones more frequently than their jeans; old and rotten jeans with pot holes similar to the roads in Patna, are in things of fashion. So our girl in Himani Katju was amused.

By the time Manav reached his car the stranger beauty was visible again. He sought her company.

‗By the way Ms. Katju which way will you be going, I may drop you,‘ said Manav.

She thought for a moment. She fancied the attracting young man who appeared to be both charming and inviting.

‗I am in a hotel,‘ she replied rather softly displaying a body language he must respond to.

‗I too am in a hotal near the Mall,‘ he suggested to drive togather.

‗OK, and thanks, Mr. Patel‘ she said.

Like a chivalerous young suiter appearing straight out of the Middle Ages, he jumped with agility to open the car door and facilitated her get inside, helping take her delicate hand and slightly brushing aside her upper body bordering her bosom.

She looked pleased by his courtesy.

‗Thanks, Mr. Manav Patel,‘ she said.

‗Life is rather tense; would you concede to my request to call me Manav simple, please Ms. Katju,‘ he said with an appealing voice still standing on her side of the car door.

She appeared to agree without saying anything, however, her wild beautiful eyes conveyed him her reply.

‗Thanks Manav,‘ she again said. He took the wheel and drove her seated beside him down below to Mussorie.

‗And you may call me Himani likewise,‘ she said.

‗You have a name as wonderful as your personality,‘ he said.

‗I have passed that age of make believe Manav, what do you do for living,‘ she asked.

‗I am marketting hardware in Gurgaon, and you, Himani?‘ he replied. 343

I work in a MNC head office in Pune,‘ she replied.

‗I understand it would be futile to talk of our jobs, its monotomy of heated work culture that has perhaps brought us here to unwind our boredom,‘ he said.

‗You guess right. How long you are staying here,‘ she asked.

‗I leave tomorrow. I have waded through Prayag and holy Benaras, has bathed in Ganga, then came here to consolidate washing of my sins back at the holy places,‘ he informed.

‗What a coincidence I also am leaving tomorrow to Delhi from where I fly to Mumbai; I have spent seven days here, it‘s a good peaceful place, people don‘t intrude into your privacy,‘ she said.

‗I hope I am not that culprit,‘ he said.

‗Oh no, not at all. Infact I was craving for some company,‘ looking into him direct just informally she replied.

‗Its my pleasure,‘ said he touching her elbow.

She glanced at him. He is a very likable guy she thought.

‗Would you mind if we go first to my hotel,‘ he softly suggested.

‗Its OK, evenings for monos are boring almost,‘ she replied.

‗Bhadraj temple dedicated to Lord Balbhadra, brother of Shri Krishna, offers a commanding view of the Doon Valley and Chakrata ranges, did you see it,‘ he asked.

‗No, I couldn‘t make it. Though I am not an atheist yet too much gods and religion doesn‘t click me somehow,‘ she replied.

‗Me too, it all leads to some kind of superstition that‘s taboo in the modern age and our life styles. If you have the mullah you have all the gods on your shelf. I go online at times to see them all; the ism‘s has created so much nonsense,‘ he said.

‗I am fond of movies, did you see Chini Kum,‘ she asked.

‗Oh yes, Pyar Ke Side Affects was more likable, you pass two and half hours, then back to routine,‘ he said.

As they approached the hotel he asked if she drinks to which she said no except an occasional glass of bear. He informed he too doesn‘t like hard drinks, only occasional beer with friends. He purchased some beer cans and checked in the hotel. 344

She liked the suite. Her hotel was not starred. Manava gets company reimbursement once in a year for five star hotel stay. He carried her backpack and made her comfortable on its terrace and ordered tea to be served to them. These persons lived only in the present. They neither lamented nor celebrated the past nor heaped unnecessary aspirations over the future. Tomorrow will be met when they come to it. Mullah is their god. All range of tricks to be in the job and make it go is their priority. They never discuss family; they do not believe in its efficacy too. India is already overpopulated; why bother to think of child bearing a most strenuous and time consuming affair. Nothing is permanent; who knows they would not be victims of a tsunami or an earthquake. Anything other than the moment harbors miseries galore therefore, it is taboo to either plan for tomorrow or peep into the bygone day. Yesterday is gone and it‘s foolish to think and talk about it. By the time they finished their tea it was dark; Mussorie illuminated brightly at odd spaces and shrouded in the deep forestation of the place. He wanted to please her; he asked if she wanted to go and see a movie, to which she replied she was a little tired and would rather stay at her room. It's basic human nature to avoid pain and gain pleasure. What do we do when we experience pleasure? We smile or laugh! Laughter means pleasure, and humor is what creates laughter. Women trust their instincts more than their logic. Life can move pretty fast, but this is the one night to slow things down and enjoy each other's company. Hold hands, kiss playfully, dance to your favorite number their mobiles were loaded with gigabytes of the favorites, pops as well as gazals; anything that brings the present moment why you love each other. Manav was thinking about her and it came naturally as she liked his manners, his caressing, his attentions, his manly demeanor and above all his attentions. If a woman is paid attentions she may or may not deserve she would be attracted towards the man. He helped her take off her walking shoes he pulled her socks and messaged her tiny well contoured feet to placate her tiredness, stretching each finger so delicately and playfully she almost admired him. It immensely pleased her. It swallowed her tiredness. He laughed that made her laugh too. He caressed her thighs and she felt relieved; she may have walked well over ten kilometers during the day.

‗How about having a bath and refresh you,‘ he asked her tenderly.

‗That‘s what I was thinking, but I might be going to avoid putting you to trouble,‘ she half heartedly said.

‗It would be a pleasure, Himani, if you stay as my guest for the night,‘ he ventured to open his heart.

‗I surely don‘t want to put you to inconvenience,‘ she repeated mildly.

‗It‘s a hotel as good as the one you may be staying; we have made friends lets get a bit more friendly if it gives us pleasure, and pleasure is what we have come over here to enjoy,‘ he suggested.

‗You are tempting,‘ she smiled in lieu of his broad laugh. 345

He was handsome and extremely likable, she thought.

She was charming and splendid company, he thought.

He broke the barrier and kissed her hand and lifting her by her elbows requested her to take the shower, instructing her how to operate hot water in the bath that was spacious.

‗OK I will vex and burn out you tonight if you so like,‘ she replied getting up to go to the bath.

She got some light dress for the evening from her backpack he offered his slippers to her and guided her towards the bath. After a while when there was no sound of the hot water shower spray he called her if she could operate it; without waiting he entered the bath. She was unrobed and looked a fairy in her slender figure, the only missing link were two wings which could make her fly in heavens. He instinctively took her in his stride and kissed her all over; he caressed her hairs, he kissed her over her hot lips, he played with her beautiful tight tits gently, he reached for her navel, touched it softly and caressed it. He buttressed her buttocks and their counters gently caressing her interiors. It instantly aroused both of them. Witnessing his formation she instinctively caressed his perineum which made it still more gelled and brittle. She out of passion lowered herself and kissed his prepuce taking it out and in her shapely mouth. He touched her pristine modesty and felt it was wet and hot. While she lowered down to remove her clothing from under the shower, he turned to her back and interposed his worked up puffer into her lubricious anointed vacuity burrow giving her immense pleasure. They screwed and fornicated in that pretense for bounteous stunner. He operated the hot water mixture to the desired temperature and made her stand under its shower which she enjoyed. Meanwhile he undressed himself; joined her beneath the shower, messaged her body while soaping her from toe to her head. She felt pleasure while he gently rubbed and messaged her body all over. He made her bent over to the wash basin and opened her buttocks, cleaned the area and again pudenda led into her both feeling tremendously serene and obsequious; he then made her stand up in his front so that he could wash her pubic symphysis arousing her to a high pitch. She took his erect nervile in her hand and rubbed it under the shower that made it still convalescent and more arrect. At that point they jumped into the tub which was already full with clean warm water; they played with their bodies and aroused their feelings to an extraordinary pinnacle of mutual pleasure. They lopsided in the tub, she over him and he over her and immensely enjoyed the frolics. Both breathed irregularly under acute sensuous desire, his penile erection making her itch for longing to unite in her prurience, invaded as she was by aphrodisiac. She frolicked with his genitals under water that gave her even more pleasure; he kissed her boobs gently making her even more ardently desire his further involvement. It was a rare occasion of momentous pleasure for both Manav and Himani; she gently messaged his strong erect pubococcygeus muscle and put it at the sensual lips of her mango and while doing so she bent upwards to watch it enter her, in the well lit spacious bath. Seemingly watching his erect prepuce she got aroused more erotically to still greater heights. Between his penetration and her orgasm an age elapsed involving both moving arithmetically amidst the robust strokes to which both contributed equally to gain much more pleasure and she 346 managed to arrive at the peak to her own orgasm and unimaginable, high pitched, top of the world, contented euphoria out of her self indulging gratification.

This coition was her maneuver; she wanted it, she persuaded him to it, she encouraged him to get it right and it was for the sake of blissful contentment – pure and simple. She was satisfied by her sudden foray into the realm of desire seeking thrilling urge and self-indulging bliss. She performed this lovemaking in a manner of maturity and magnetism she preferred in other areas of her life. It appeared as if Kamdev, the God of love himself personified in their coition to make it most adequately contended fulfillment of their physical revelry.

After a prolonged and contended bath Manav helped her dress and both went to dine in the hotel dining area; she was hungry and Manav gave her the menu and the choice to order stuff she like he would today share his meals chosen by her new friend who would be gone next morning. This element of loosing such a wonderful friend, and this feeling was mutual, made their dinner even more appetizing. Dinner over they together hand in hand strolled over the extended terrace for some time and talked pleasantries satisfying their ephemeral ego with inbuilt consistency to live only in the present without shedding tears over regrets of the past or futile uncertain day dreaming aspirations for the future. Manav was extremely courteous; Himani was equally receptive. They wondered why on earth they did not meet earlier than the gun point to celebrate their today.

‗Himani, you are a wonderful person, please accept my heartfelt congratulations,‘ he said taking her hand and kissing back of her palm.

‗I am extremely happy to meet you, friend, forgive me for putting you to any inconvenience,‘ she replied.

‗I was perhaps destined to get such comprehensive pleasure no words could define, my dear,‘ he said.

‗I often think of a bubble; it enjoys and perceives the world momentarily before it bursts. Life too is so short and uncertain, why waste it in unimaginative wrangling,‘ she said holding her warm hand.

‗People to people contact gets motivative and therefore it ends up in unpleasantness,‘ he said.

‗It is particularly so in case of man to woman relationships; man mostly view it lascivious oriented, while it is only part of whole human behavior. We eat, dress, move, work out, attend to job assignments, go shopping, play with dear ones and children, so also copulate and that‘s all about routine,‘ she said.

‗I agree, focus on one part of the whole is both unwanted and imbalanced,‘ he said.

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‗That brought me nearer you; you never ever during our long conversation brought it appear to me that you want to indulge in joy ride,‘ she confessed.

‗I honor woman; that‘s my way of giving respect to them,‘ he said.

She paused for a moment drew him nearer and kissed him. She felt tired and both of them retired into their cozy blankets. He kissed her again and again. They entwined themselves in the manner it gave them pleasant gratification of physical contact. Himani experienced six wholesome and extraordinary orgasms amidst fun, frolic and body that emitted thousand emotions without a single spoken word that night. It was in response to an internal subconscious call to achieve orgasms with the man of her dreams; it was heavenly provided. They hardly slept; the thought of the day closing on busied them more in themselves. The experience was breathtaking but evaporative; she felt accomplished intoxicated with flavorful contentment.

She was an incomprehensible riddle enwrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, in apprehensibility too deep, was she Himani? Or incognizability going over one‘s head was she Shano? Which phenomenon passed comprehension mystically obfuscate ungraspable both Himani in the garb of Shano or Shano in manifestation of Himani? Or was her conjugation dichotomy indistinct obscurely scrambled into one? Or was her echo of both? Whatever was it real or phantasmagoric, it happened, and it has ever since been happening, and it would go on indistinguishable recurring unseeable in perpetuity.

She combined in herself energies of saraswati, shakti and divine mother. Radha was Krishna's shakti. Seeta was lord Rama's shakti. Parvati is Lord Shiva's shakti. Unless Shiva joins Shakti, he is powerless. Himani is the energy of Manav. Shano is the energy of Jagan. In kundalini yoga, this shakti is awakened. After awakening shakti travels upward in the body and meets the Lord in the center of the head chakra. During Navratri festival Hindus pray to shakti and ask for her blessings. Durga puja is a tradition of shakti worship. It is shakti that makes the winds blow and the oceans churn. Shakti is manifest as the very affective ability of all the forces of nature. She is the heat of fire, the brilliance of the sun, the very life force of all living beings. She is seen as the power of intelligence - buddhi, compassion - daya and divine love - bhakti.

The one dominant instinct that camouflages an individual‘s earnest aspirations to rise higher up his mundane surroundings and reach approach the ultimate reality is his sense of ego, one of prakrati‟s main stumbling blocks arising out of its rajas and tamas gunas. This is the main stumbling block curtain often extremely difficult to look beyond through inward eyes access to which is possible only by persistent bhakti and gyana yoga. However, there comes moments of great mystified confusion that conceal and ensconce by way of self aggrandizement produced by an artificial clout of prestige in the form of ego for flying moments of time that might prove crucial in releasing the negative forces detrimental to soul‘s well being; it occurred to Arjun, even though he had had the grand opportunity of visibly witnessing the grandeur of Lord Krishna‘s cosmic extravaganza of the universe, when he became enslaved by his mounting pride after he was victorious in 348 the battle field, when he preeminently thought of royal protocol for his sarathi Krishna to get off first and wait on him to alight from the victorious rath.

It happened even though Arjuna, the warrior who desperately refuse to fight, was witness to straight personal manifestation of the grandeur of cosmic realities depicting the absolute truth of the physical universe when his sarathi Lord Krishna portrayed to him total reality by way of karma, gyana and bhakti yogas during and over the battlefield where both grand armies were ready for action in combat formation. The Lord personified as the sarathi Krishna depicted his absolute power and at the request of warrior Arjuna bestowed him divine eyes to behold the glory of His transcendental phenomenon. It was then that realization came to Arjun, his friend, playmate and sarathi is none other than the Supreme Being. He whereupon witnessed the hitherto unheard, unseen, mysterious spectacle of an infinite, limitless, unbounded, unnumbered figures, heads, faces, stomachs, without any beginning, in between or end wayside thronging the Divinities, Vishnu, Brahma and Mahesh with animal forms of innumerable, lions tigers, elephants, snakes; he perceived his friend The Lord as the habitat of the entire creative universe, controlling everything within Him igniting devastating unquenchable fires and disprortionate widespread flames engulfing everything visible, as the ethereal intrinsic embodiment of limitless potential.

Arjuna was both stunned and overwhelmed with imposing absolute amazement about the divine greatness of the Lord; the stupendous glory incorporating the heterogeneous complexities of both the tamas and sattva gunas in their wider and wilder ramifications. Arjuna was both terrified and nervous and devoid of any valor he dropped down his gandeeva in desperation; only the Supreme Being‘s realities brought him out of the stupor when realization came to him that the Lord contains entire gamut of good and evil, pleasures and sorrows within Him and there is nothing in the universe outside His purview: his courage, valor and zeal returned to him enabling him to fight.

Such grandeur of spectacle notwithstanding Arjuna, after he was victorious in war, perceived once again his friend Krishna as sararthi only mesmerizing his earlier extravaganza of the whole universe within The Lord Krishna ordained Arjuna first to get down immediately forgetting protocol. When The Lord got down after Arjuna from it the chariot instantly burst into flames. The blinding lila of the mysterious maya is capable to blur the vision, hide the real from fictitious and lead us astray; the only way to undo effects of Maya is to pray to God for bestow on us the true vision and wisdom.

This world is not real; it is impermanent and ever changing.

The world in which we live is a world of ignorance and falsehood or untruth, called Asat, in contrast to Sat or the world of Truth that exists beyond it, where neither mind nor senses can ever reach. In the concept of maya, the very existence of an individual as a separate entity is unreal. As long as the individual thinks that he is different from the rest of the creation and strives to work for his own ends, protecting, furthering nurturing and defending his own ego or individuality, he suffers from illusion and his ego continues its journey into an unknown future shaped by his endless actions and desires. The senses 349 draw us towards the sense objects and through the process of attraction or repulsion give us feelings of joy or suffering, rendering our minds unstable and vulnerable most of the time.

The world draws us into its vortex of confusion and misery as we try to embrace it.

There is no escape for us from this world of illusion, unless we wriggle out of our individualities and realize our true nature. The purpose of human life is to realize this truth and work for unity with the Divine. Jagan, like Arjun, was mesmerized into the frailties of maya‟s illusionary effect and delve deep into uncontrollable force of desire. However like a yogi that he was he was destined to realize the truth sooner or later. He has learnt that only compassion has power to outwit ego. He has realized the vanity of ambition and futility of anger and hatred; the bubble bursts like the victorious rath- chariot after Lord Krishna stepped off it before the bewildered gaze of Arjuna who learned the absolute truth the hard way.

The adventurous diversion was over. Jagan and Shano were pawns. It was maya, the enchantress extraordinary.

8.5

When Jagan and Shano rolled out of bed it was late in the morning. They felt sleep- drowned soporific and drowsy as if they were awakened through a very unreal prolonged dream. Jagan the genius was now awake and in his original form. Shano, the invincible Murdoch of Indian media was clearly out of the illusion too. After bath they went for breakfast. It was their last day of the weekend and they would be returning back to Bijnor. They had sumptuous breakfast as lunch might have to be skipped. Sipping juice Jagan asked his companion how was the break.

‗It was fantastic; once in a lifetime transcendental experience,‘ she said.

‗I felt we are celestial beings landed upon earth in our UFOs,‘ he said with a grin peculiar of him.

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‗It might have been an OBE-out of body experience which psychotherapists also call paranormal and are currently under focus of research,‘ she said.

‗Anything was it, I have a feeling we are more than what we carry and convey through the mass of our body; soul is aware of consciousness beyond body does exist,‘ he said rather philosophically.

‗I feel gradual fading of illusionary memory with minutes ticking into hours,‘ she said with a tinge of surprise.

‗It‘s past and buried; let‘s look into your worldly affairs and the complexcities,‘ he said touching her hand looking into the newspaper.

‗What is the exigency to bypass the extraordinary blissful experience which could happen to the two of us; I feel entirely devoured into the cherished paranoid that happened to be wholly satisfying,‘ she said.

‗We wouldn‘t be able to wipe it off even if we wish to,‘ he replied.

The breakfast over, they were engaged in their business of national reconstruction for which mainly he has taken a break with his friend and partner Miss Shanti Trivedi.

‗Now since the last two days has seen us unwind ourselves and respite from routine we might as well come to it now if you agree,‘ he suggested.

‗There are multiplicity of issues to be talked over; I have prepared myself to come to these one by one,‘ she said adding, ‗I have done my home work.‘

‗With Neki and Kirpa launched in the arena you have lot friends there,‘ he said.

‗Now look Jagan dear, you have made me what I am; my only ambition is to leave this country on the top of the world, to regain its lost glory, to assimilate humiliations imposed over it from without into its limitless and ageless milieu, to usher in a nation of modern, intelligent and capable countrymen, who would be beyond the multifarious divisions and parochial streams, who would fight corruption, who would honor their woman and restore her to her legitimate place in society and shall be enough resourceful to protect its borders ultimately leading the international community to a peaceful compassionate world minus poverty and hunger. To achieve that an efficient governing machine shall have to be put in place; lot reforms shall be of paramount importance and priority to us. It is not possible without your involvement in the manner you think proper,‘ she said in a serious vein.

‗I have nothing to add to what you have proposed; pertinent is how to achieve the reform stage,‘ he said.

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‗It wouldn‘t be easy or quick. It might take ages, even beyond us, however we must begin,‘ she said.

‗You should decide your priorities; for the kind of society you want to usher in changes would be required in four areas: political, administrative, economical and social. Major thrust areas in these four categories may be enumerated as follows:

Political: Electoral reforms including the power to people by a well constituted mechanism to recall elected representatives.

Administrative: Remove constitutional guarantees to public servants and prune its size, giving the employer state power to hire and fire according to requirement.

Economic: Usher in vibrancy by way of opening up, giving market a global perspective to play major role in shaping financial health of the country, the thrust area would be withdrawal of state from business which in turn should be taken up by people in private sector as you call it.

Social: Shift emphasis from caste, religion and region, wipe out quota reservations completely and provide half share in all areas to women. Now see if your personal assessment includes all this, I mean the home work you might have done,‘ said Jagan.

‗It almost tallies; I have taken a different format,‘ she said looking excited by a perfect projection of goals to reach.

‗Next should be the infrastructure by which you could achieve your targets. Lot political maneuvering, social engineering and financial back up would have to be put in place if you want it to succeed. It wouldn‘t be a personal venture; the whole country will have to be mobilized and to do that you possess the best tool: the media,‘ he said.

‗And the best persons to complete it; Jagan, the bureaucrat, Neki and Kirpa the politicians and a college of consensus out of the elected legislators many of whom we already have on our side,‘ she added.

‗I am collateral; I am bound by regulations. The only contribution from me would be advice. Shano, you would have to spearhead the movement,‘ he said in a serious vein.

‗The presentation perfectly matches with my mission in life; I do realize it is going to be quite serious and difficult assignment. My only succor is you, my personal god and my god willing we may surmount the hurdles,‘ she said spiritedly.

‗The endeavor does require providential patronage,‘ he said.

‗Movements started with noble objectives does gain human as well as divine blessings; you have made me to have faith in us and our efforts,‘ she said.

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‗There is one more element we must beforehand perceive; human nature as well community conglomerate are imperfect by creation and to hope for complete perfection would be unrealistic. As society progresses there would be more criminals equipped with better means and anti-social elements including high-tech terrorists or negative forces working against what you propose to achieve. There would be attempts and repeated ones to thwart the project, bifurcate or disfigure it; also there would be personal attacks including character assassination more so because you are a woman, and successful at that. Besides there is bound to be political opposition; you would be working in a democracy where every one has a right to speak his mind. Things should be viewed in larger perspective; optimum good to the largest people is the thumb rule of a democracy,‘ Jagan explained.

‗I am prepared; since I have dedicated my life to this cause nothing is going to stray me from the path; my only prayer to almighty is I may never ever under any circumstance distance from you, my lord and idol,‘ she said in a vein.

‗We were born to be together, I guess. Its not only you, I too hope you never go away from me. It will make life listless and languid,‘ he said.

‗I am greatly relieved; these things were hovering and troubling my mind for a long time, I couldn‘t get it so precisely ever though it appeared to me that the political agenda is the root cause, it was perhaps the whole gambit of perspectives,‘ she replied.

‗My purpose of taking this break was precisely this; we didn‘t discuss details with such clarity earlier. Also I wanted to make it certain that there is enough intent and competence involved to even think about it,‘ he said.

‗How do you find it,‘ she asked.

‗It could click with an obstinate person like you heading it,‘ he said.

‗Even expansion of MST Times is mortgaged to this cause,‘ she said rather determinedly.

‗You are great really; I love you,‘ he said.

‗You have made me; without you I am cipher,‘ she said.

‗Lets talk preface to your grand design,‘ he said.

‗Charity begins at home; Nekiram is a legislator and Kirpa an important element in the party. With friends from Maharastra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh we are already a force,‘ she said.

‗Your ultimate objective should be to put Neki at the helm of affairs in the country, with Kirpa in control of Uttar Pradesh, you would be placed in a comfortable 353 position. Also you must push your company to greater and international standards that provides you more leverage. You may keep mental notes of these important contributary factors for it might not be easy or feasible to get such opportunity to meet and converse easily. You are a busy person,‘ he said.

‗For your information this has been audiorecorded for my future reference though it all is very clear in my mind,‘ she informed.

‗Destroy it as quickly as you memorise the agenda; never keep record of what we discuss,‘ he advised.

‗I will follow,‘ she said.

Satisfied with a wholesome break they returned back from Mussorie.

8.6

Chandra married Chaitali the same summer she was supposed to graduate as MBBS. Chandra failed to reach up to IIMs; however he passed MBA from the local Gwaliar College. His dreams of following his eminent elder cousin floundered and he failed to even qualify in his prelims for the few competitions he attempted. He was devoured by that woman who was venal, knavish, spiral, and fraud personified. She was cruelly demanding and he a gentle love bite.

Chaitali was the daughter of an insignificant engineer employed in government whose wife was the real villain. Uneducated and schematic, she mothered a daughter who, hundred per cent match her in both body and mind and appeared like her duplicate. She was obtrusive and idiotically obstinate. Her husband who was knave and dull was forced by his demanding wife to earn more by bribe; he was caught and humiliated. In the family and home he was an ass, asked to do everything from cleaning, washing to grocery loads from stores. He would bring milk, get up early to collect newspapers, change nappies of children and keep the bedroom clean. His bribe forays included as low as five rupee notes and edible beetle nuts.

As their daughter was coming of age, the couple was worried of her marriage. The medical fraternity knew the upcoming doctor to be foolishly hot headed and she was 354 unable to pick up any guy who would prefer to enter into wedlock. She passed graduation with effort of bribe paid to teachers and inside guides. At personal level too she managed to please those who cleared her in the finals, only god knows how. She was dull and took almost double the years to clear MBBS than the normal 4-5 years, and opted to marry under desperation in between. She lived few houses away from where Chandra lived with her mother‘s parents. The problem of dowry loomed large over them. She was getting overage and no sensible bachelor was prepared to marry her. To pick up a medico boy the dowry may have been twenty five lakhs, the couple couldn‘t dream of arranging. A wicked net was spread to capture Chandra, knowing his status and family background anybody might have been attracted towards the boy who was by all standards an eligible bachelor minus a career. Chaitali became desperate to seize him. She went farthest to get him under her sway; she made sexual contact before marriage and entrapped him threatening to blackmail if he refused to marry her. Her parents, particularly her mother co-opted in the plot and plodded her daughter to capture the boy through illicit sex. Chandra was caught in a fix; he was forced to marry. They eloped and married in a temple, with one of his friends standing witness. Later it was disclosed to his parents and there was no way to avoid it. A second social marriage celebration commensurate with the family dignity was performed inviting few guests. Jagan too participated in that show off. A few months later a girl was born to the couple, who continued to live in Gwaliar in Chandra‘s maternal grand parent‘s house who has adopted him as they have no child.

Although Rupees ten lakhs were spent on gold ornaments and clothes for the bride by Chandra‘s legal grand parents, Chaitali began harassing them. She took no job; no clinic would accept her without experience and she got into rut. She would create scene alternate day and wanted the old owners of the house vacate it. She began treating her husband the way her mother treated her own husband; a true copy cat. Chandra tried some jobs but couldn‘t continue due to the tensions his wife created. She kept all gold and other assets with her mother and would treat her husband‘s house as motel, transit house at the most. She owned no responsibility; meals were prepared by maid. The girl child was treated so odd she was a skeleton her mother just didn‘t care to look after the child. Chandra did whatever he could; his prodigious wife began tutoring the girl child against her husband, so much so that she was apprehensive of her own father. Chandra loved his daughter and wanted to do all he could, but his wife spoiled the child. She was made to sit on television, for everything the girl was made to depend on her mother, with the result the child lost her initiative and become dullard. Her childhood innocence was robbed and she couldn‘t adjust with her age group children. She was being forced to become a psycho case of imbalanced IQ.

Couple of years passed this way; Chaitali still got no job. She tried in government, got part-time jobs on contract for brief periods and remained basically a daily wager, while her batch mates were making medical news she remained almost an illiterate medical graduate. Her attentions diverted to areas she was trained by her mother. Out of the caucus she made in the house she filed a criminal police case against her husband and claimed maintenance. Chandra was arrested under dowry law and his grand parents had difficulty seeking bail from High Court. Meanwhile a son was also born to her. The personal life of Chandra was in doldrums; his wife didn‘t stay in the house, she took 355 everything she could lay her hands and transported to her mother. She became a thief and shoplifter. She gleefully enumerated her husband‘s failures, abused him, refused tea or meals and the poor soul has to depend on friends for survival. The children were so tutored they were in utter confusion, how could a father spoil his progeny? It was against nature but the woman was an isonomic occultist and she spoiled not one but half a dozen lives.

The children were the worst sufferers. As Chaitali left on her contract job hunting spree or to attend to daily wage jobs she managed to get, her children were left to the care of the maid. When she was not jobbing hunting she eloped to her mother‘s den she took to her paradise she was enriching by stealthily adding to her and her mother‘s comforts. She was in her parent‘s house where her brothers and their wives indulged in lip service in front of her and their mother, as soon as she left the place the maid was asked to take child out of the house. During summer months when everybody in the house was inside with coolers and fans on, the small child in the care of a dirty hired maid was kept in the open under tree shade, under unhygienic conditions. The girl child who was now school going was so used to headaches and bouts of fainting that she carried pills in her school bag. They remained uncared for till their mother returned from her normal daily routine outings. Her outings were a mixed bag of daily job work, part loitering, aimless roaming into bazaars without any amount of money or credit cards, loafing with acquaintances, gossiping with whoever cared to talk to her, particularly women of the lower strata of her neighborhood. As soon as she was home she would dump herself in a sofa and call names to her children as if she cares for them. She was so antagonized against Chandra, she took children to be his identity and tortured them thinking that way she was hurting her husband. Both the children were doomed to destitution. Out of ten years of her marriage at the time she went to police to register a case against her husband, her stay in her parents house exceeded by three- fourth time she spent with her husband, roughly eight years with her parents and some two years spread over wide gaps with her husband. Her parents kept her not on charity; she procured from Chandra regular money, articles of need and extortion and deposited with her mother. Whatever Chandra earned he passed it on to his wife, who left no occasion to nag and humiliate him. As this life has become normal way of exploiting her husband and his maternal grand parents, she was opposed to any idea of a divorce. There were rumors doing the rounds of her illicit relations with her jijas and others; incestuous relations were too not ruled out. The children in such a situation were uncared and undernourished; it was left to Chandra occasionally to bathe them, oil and comb their hairs, put them to sleep and attempted a little bit of child care to which the poor kids were strangers.

The physical surroundings apart there was a lurking danger of her being the target of psychological disorders; she was in need of care of her mental health. Her parents, particularly her mother, continued to further complicate the already worsened situation. Chandra‘s future was doomed till he gets separated from her or controls his unruly wife. The family which has adopted him was so disturbed they forgot about him and their future; they resigned to God. 356

The women like Chaitali and her mother, who are definitely exceptions to Indian womanhood, may sprung from either personal psychological factors that should have encountered the family in either their own life span or in the life of family history in the near or remote past genes to behave as they have been doing; or there is a possibility of their genes having intermixed endogamy at some point of time with foreign gene alignment of a people more violent and negative in nature, for with more than five hundred years of slavery the people of India encountered various different barbarian invading hordes of people who ultimately settled in the country of their occupation and there was much blood admixture involving heterogeneous racial groups when man picked up woman under belligerent circumstances, producing the progeny that was a mixture of races, brutish and violent. However, what they projected was not in consonance and harmony with the soul of India; their acts of omission and commission totally convulsed its substance.

This instance also gave occasion to see the ill effects of laws passed by parliamentarians in haste; section 498-A of the Indian penal code, an amendment added to ameliorate the hardships faced by woman in relation to her husband or in-laws after the two had fallen out of the marriage, was a case of more misuse by such woman who pretended to suffer and belonged to that strata of society which even otherwise could deal with situations arising out of their differences born out of estranged marriage. Real sufferers in both rural and urban lower middle class backgrounds were mostly victims of dowry related embroilgoes and went without reporting to law caretakers. The misuse of the law in this particular area of dowry related disputes was the subject of much criticism both in and out of the parliament; so much so that the police in various states had to issue directives to use utmost discretion while registering such cases, more than fifty per cent of which were filed either as a result of ego hurt or were misused to take revenge for matters not connected with either dowry or marriage. In case of Chandra, it was a perfect fraud; they married in a temple without any family member participating in it, the case was registered after ten years of the love marriage and the couple had two children born to their lovelorn wedlock. It was a mockery of the law passed in haste to placate gender sympathies basically as an electoral gambit to gain an image of the party being women friendly. There was lot other laws also on the Indian statute book which smelt immature legal output of an unimaginative legislative organ of the state.

Both Jagan and Shano were deeply anguished over it and to have thoughts of improving the situation by personal sympathetic intervention was negatively taken by the wily woman to be interference in their personal life which appeared to be so when Chandra too has no comments to make. Jagan therefore left them to themselves and their destiny.

Racial intermixing apart through global movements of people from one continent to another in the remote past Shano in the process got occasion to study in depth gnome and values of people in various cultures, obviously in the context of Indian values of moral philosophy. Contents of morality revolve around ethics and gender equations. These in course of centuries constitute a culture. Aim of all literature is man in his multifarious behavior; it is both influenced by human behavior and human behavior in turn gets 357 swayed by it. Morality is beliefs regarding appropriate behavior; it gets affected by good and evil, negative and positive motives and forces. There would appear to be an equal emphasis on morality in all ancient oriental societies in varying degrees, including the successors to the Indus valley, Vedic, Egyptian, Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Chinese, Siamese and Cambodian cultures; the women‘s liberation movement began in western societies most probably because of lower moral environment particularly against the women who rebelled to claim equal rights with her male counterpart. In the process it brought commercial sale of woman and sex in the open market, though women sex was no less exploited in all ancient cultures too. Both modesty and ethical view, however, hold sway of the ancient orient and it reflected in their succeeding civilizations.

Contumacious, divertive and desultory human behavior could at best be an erratic exception; it however, did portray the depths to which one of the species would slide down the orifice of abysm, the great supernova of tamas, one of the three aspects of Prakriti. That‘s how the Indian seers have come to analyse errant behavior after studying human conduct over centuries past. Moden science does try to find out what separates morality from cruelty and in the clinical examination of the brain it doesn‘t get clear what builds up cruelty and falling from ranks; some go back to millions of years that went in shaping human culture and indicate towards the accumulated savagery and bloodthirstiness which has gone in the making of modern human species. Our analysis of Prakriti constituting the core of the human grey matter appears to be logical answer to human greatness or degradation, with the three attributes playing key role in behavior of the individual. Chaitali was synonym for all that was vice, immoral and degenerate. She was shame personified on the gender known for genteel creativity. Shano missed a breath as well as heart beat whenever image of the nauseating scuzzy woman flicked her consciousness. It brought her closer to Jagan; his presence, physical or mental, acted as a purifier doedorant of both her mind and soul. However, Chandra was so circumvent and betrayed by the extrinsics of the beguiled buffalo he was entrapped into a notoriously vicious wedlock with her. Hypocracy is the vehicle over which rides our double face. We proclaim to be honest; in personal life we act in the reverse gear and try to camafloge the acts of nepotism. We declare loud to be secular; the first thing we begin our daily profile is to enrich sectarianism. We profess morality in public; any and every occasion is exploited to be amorous with woman who may have access even though distant with man, foetus skewing is the favorite pastime with most couples to murder unborn girl child and turn the wombs into tombs, and have a population near to largest in the world with claiming the second largest number of reported global HIV AIDS cases. We profess something and do quite different. Whether it is dowry, election expenses or our secret sense of hoarding and consumerism we only pay lip service to norms and act in opposite direction. Same dereliction is glaring in case of caste. We perhaps are the most hypocritical people in the world? However, this parameter applies to a limited number of people who play particular role in the daily run of life affecting others, majority of common people remaining honest to their business of earning their daily bread; Chaitali and Pitamber Das were the epitome of the varieties found around. Just as Chaitali was Jagan‘s experience Pitamber Das was Shano‘s share of the brutal episode of the gender he represented.

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Long ago when Shano worked in Bombay slum Dharavi she encountered a coworker Amrita. Amrita was sad, solitary and appeared flabbergasted. She was quiet but deligent. For a couple of months Shano worked her way in the realities of human existence. Amrita‘s awed mental attitude drawn her to learn more about the woman who appeared to be coming of a decent family and was intelligent, gentle and likable; one of the routine day Shano invited Amrita to her apartment for a quiet afternoon break extending to dinner. While unwinding Amrita narrated the harrowing tale of her sadness that made a permanent dent in Shano‘s attitude towards man and enabled her to feel her guest‘s trauma.

Amrita was eldest of the three sisters of a Gujrati middle class businessman who dealt in gems. He enjoyed an eminence of an intelligent exporter of gems in the making and carried a good reputation. He was based in Navasari and had often to visit Bhopal, Indore and Jaipur for his business dealings. Gem traders of Jaipur respected him and his credibility could fetch business worth crores upon his word. He never defaulted in his business dealings. During the period he was visiting Jaipur more often his second daughter Nishi came of age and took up entrance examination to the MBBS course in the Sawai Man Singh Medical College at Jaipur during the course of which he came into contact with Pitamber Das, who was personal assistant to the then health minister of Rajasthan. Pitamber was the kind of a person normally serving the post independent India‘s politicians who in their glory of governance had forgotten all about Gandhi and Patel and were engaged in wealth collection more than service to the people. They needed and acquired such persons in their personal staff whose expertise in redtape, doublespeak, and extortion matched their achievements. He promised the Navasari businessman to help his daughter Nishi manipulates the test and eventually Nishi was admitted to the medical course in Jaipur. The intimacy that Pitamber motivatively manipulated grew in the girl‘s innocence when Pitamber became her local guardian and her parents obligingly put their trust in the vulture of a human that he was. Pitamber was married and had a son and a daughter who were little junior to Nishi in age. He used his wife and daughter to gradually develop intimacy with the medico. He would send his minister‘s car to fetch Nishi on weakends to his house and persuade his family to be intimate with the girl, himself keeping aloof. He would inadvertently appear and say hello to her and wish her great future. Soon he would leave making an impression also lest his wife had any doubts harbouring in her mind. His wife knew her husband well as a crooked wolf always preying for women he could meddle with; however since he brought lot money to her she was not so much interested in his womanizing as the freedom he allowed her to use the extra money he procured out of his dubious dealings in the chamber of the ministerial arena. Pitamber was like father of Nishi in age and she began to give him the same respects and recognition that warranted from an innocent young aspiring girl. For a couple of months it was carried on like this; the medico really thought she has got another family to look after her. She became innocently very near to the family and visited at odd hours and behaved as if she was member of the family.

Pitamber started to exercise his official position to influence the superintendent of the medical college with particular motive to make his moves to be closer to Nishi. He would leave bits of surgical articles, stethoscope, stationary, personal medical kit, perfumes and 359 scarfs to be delievered to her as personal gift items which went in leaving an impression over the mind of the medico. The gifts carried were packed to be delievered to her personally and there was therefore, no discussion about it in either her circles or in the classroom. What was made out was that Nishi is well connected in Jaipur‘s high society. One whole year passed in this manner he never forced his personal encounter in the hope of creating an honorable impression over her. He manipulated the girl‘s practical tests at the end of the first year assuring that she got better grades than most of her colleagues. Nishi felt secure and entertained lofty ideas about her local guardian, though he particularly ensured not to personally meet her except on hurried occasional encounters in his house when on weekends she visited them or during daytime at the campus, when he would try to give an impression that he was busy and important, ending in a sweet hullo to her.

During the course of Nishi‘s second year in college she was a happy person. During winter Pitamber manipulated his admission as a patient in the medical college special VIP cottage ward. He didn‘t deliberately inform Nishi about it. He used his family to inform Nishi about his medical problems and about his being an inmate at special cottage ward. Again she was highly impressed by his demeanor. She immediately visited him in the ward and protested innocently why she was not informed about his medical problems; he showed aloofness by saying he didn‘t want to disturb her in her studies. It made her more interested in him and she began looking after him personally in the special ward. Over one of the weekends he arranged dinner for him and Nishi both served in the cottage when he praised her sincerity to him as a person. Pitamber began by inducing her to stay beside him during the night and managed to administer tranqulisers to her exploiting the feminine failings of the young woman. He explored her body for the first time and was immensely pleased to have a perfectly healthy grown up feminine figure to exploit. He was able to coax her into sleeping with him without reluctance. She was raped repeatedly the very first night; as it dawned upon her when she came to her self in the early hours of the morning she resigned to the relationship she was manipulated into by the crooked guardian.

Whole hell appeared to open for her. She was in a trauma. While he continued caressing her she was in a stupor. He was a villainous wicked rascal. He has a sturdy body huge in size; he was a sexual maniac. He molested her at his will while she capitulated under fate feeling desperately helpless. While he manipulated her body from her back, front and sideways she surrendered involuntarily the sudden shock quivering her mind over what has happened. She hesitated and couldn‘t make out what to do while he played with her young body. When she regained her self she realized the magnitude of damage done to her. She regained conscousness and courage.

‗You are a sinful crook mean reprobate Pitamber?‘ she said trying to arrange her dress.

‗Whatever you call me, I am your derelict fugitive, ready to do anything for you,‘ he said.

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‗What more you can do to me; your behavior has ruined me. You would enter hell and die a betrayer,‘ she said.

‗I love you from the moment I saw you first,‘ he whispered with a cruel grin.

‗Don‘t utter that word, you old wretched hag,‘ she virtually screamed.

‗I beg you to please forgive me; I will not only see that you top the MBBS here but get the bast job in this hospital itself. Take me as your dog; I will be sincere from now on,‘ he said touching her feet.

‗What is done cannot be undone; however, I hate you from the core of myself,‘ she said breaking down in tears.

He tried to hold her; she however, left him in deep disgust.

For coming few weeks there was a thaw in their relations. He let it go. Couple of weeks more she realized she was pregnant and let it be known to him. He showered all praises and then threats to be silent. She understood she was in a situation of no return. From then on commenced his adeventures into exploiting the woman sexually, he would command her to have sex every alternate day and keep silent. Her first pregnancy was terminated exactly the way he wished and from then on he was free to order the woman to sleep with him as and when he felt like it. Nishi was broken internally; she continued to complete her medical course and after graduation he manipulated her posting as an intern in a Jaipur hospital. The rascal of the local guardian would not allow the wrecked woman to leave Jaipur and she was posted in the city. She underwent three more terminated pregnancies and in a years time she was poisoned and murdered by the local guardian in a manner no legal or police investigations were possible. Amrita, Nishi‘s elder sister was the only person with whom Nishi had made her tortureous revelations. It was made out to be a case of suicide. Nishi‘s parents were so grieved they died within a year of their brilliant daughter‘s murder. They just couldn‘t do anything.

Sometime after this grueling incident Pitamber attempted to rape his daughter-in-law, his son having married the woman of his choice, while Pitamber wanted to marry his son for a hefty dowry with an eye to using the young female to gratify his lust belonging to a family he has already set his mind. The Youngman was so disgusted he shot his father dead; Pitamber‘s family is ruined his son is facing a murder trial chances are he may be rescued on plea of grave provocation.

Shano was simply upset by the brutal tale of Amrita‘s sister. She later related it to her man Jagan. Both were deeply anguished over the human degradation. They couldn‘t obliterate it for remaining part of their life. It depicted the futility of uncontrolled desire and wayward ambitions.

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8.7

After transfer from district magistrate Bijnor Jagan got two more districts before he was Commissioner of Faizabad. His tenures of deputy commissioner and commissioner were periods of intense workload related to people; the problems were galore and he busied himself for almost 15 hours a day. The heady charge of magistracy and commissionaire left him uniformly consistent. He introduced quite a few innovative methods of administrative expediency that reduced the gap between people and the monolith corrupt bureaucracy. He has no hesitation in admitting there was widespread corruption. Nothing however, would result only by his admission. His chief contribution could be of personal integrity giving some scope of relief to the aggrieved millions. He was shifted to the secretariat first as special secretary and then as secretary as he attained seniority. This was routine for members of his cadre. What, however, was peculiar of him was that he thought and worked out of his bureaucratic clout. He has firmly established his reputation of an incredibly intelligent and honest officer of highest integrity. He never sought transfers and no government could take him rough shod or routine. He was outstanding and extraordinary.

Seven years after Jagan got his suppertime scale in his home state, he was picked up for appointment as Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs. His wife Charu was posted a Joint secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue Intelligence. The couple had two children, a boy Umesh, and a girl, Himgiri, both of whom were studying in the matriculation classes. The personal family life of Jagan and Charu was, to put it mildly, happy and perceptive. Both were sensitive to each other‘s needs. There was a feeling of providing each other the very best they possessed, mental, psychological, material and the fusion of life produced two very live, intelligent and innocent children. But their role in the governance of the country gave them periodical shocks. With age and seniority their role in the administration increased, and with that also increased their uneasiness over the demurral and discrepancies of the system. The political elite with whom bureucracatic set up was intimately linked, was picked up from the grabble of the country‘s rural populace, plagued by all kinds of inequalities, historical paradoxes, cultural anomalies, educational ambiguities, centuries old poverty in a caste ridden society. On such torn edifice of a large country was added brutal exploitation indulged by foreign rulers during decade of past centuries, the first of whom were spending the spoils of the toiling masses in extraordinary, excessive and luxurious lavishness for personal pleasures maintaining the colossal burden of a huge military establishment, that was the sine qua non of Muslim rule in India; the later commercial in nature, proved to be more damaging by exporting country‘s wealth draining India of all its variegated resources by destabilizing the indigenous social and industrial infrastructure, as was done during Raj. More than fifty years of independent rule by elected political class has failed to live up to principles the freedom fighters dreamed of a new emancipated and economically free India. It needs to be looked into. 362

Contours of the world around Jagan had also changed dramatically. Absorbed in his seniority were the years spent in the exuberance of the intensity of his various official positions held from deputy commissioner in-charge of districts to secretary to government. His reputation has grown with advancing years to a point of no return. He was known for his honesty, efficiency, avoiding political confrontations by being non- political and objective in approach. The top political brass came to respect his strict objectivity in affairs of the state. His reputation traveled faster than him. There were times of crisis, when the inebriated neo-political adventurers faced his non-party approach such situations were summed up in favor of state policy. He was looked in awe by political opportunists, sycophants and the bag lifters. However, his asset of unassuming and cool bearing and transparent approach un-nerved all opponents. Wily politicians withered by his astute reasoning on matters of importance involving public money. More than neo-politicians he was object of disgruntled anguish of some of his colleagues who believed in dancing to tunes of political bosses to force issues that gave discretion. As the republic advanced in its years of governance the number of such bureaucrats increased who tried to sail in flow of authority used to grab wealth unaccountable. They were comfortable in their positions that gave power of discretion without accountability; the neo-politicians were adventurous and impatient enough to grab every opportunity that came their way by which they could collect wealth at the cost of the taxpayer. Many did not realize they could be subject to criminal inquiry, but even those who were booked took the shelter of the Indian law that gives unimaginable flexibility by dragging matters till their political careers were over and had not much to loose. His attitude towards such colleagues was not of challenging vendetta, but of a sober and cool mindset which itself unnerved many of them. By and large he was not happy about the situation. He would occasionally sit around his people, Nekiram, Shanti, Charu, Kirpa and others and openly discuss matters to unwind his mind of the many inconsistencies that persisted in the system.

Besides the ruling elite consisting of the politicians and the bureaucrats Jagan was concerned about the working of other major players and institutions responsible for the country‘s progress, including the public sector, the industry, and finally the agriculture, which he thought, was the backbone of the Indian economy. While the industry was far from being competitively global in character, both in terms of the finished goods produced and the manner these were run on family-centric managerial culture clearly outdated and unprofessional, public sector had been forced to play personal mistress of concerned administrative departments, particularly the ministers in charge, resulting in creating the colossal organizations a sheer waste of public money and raising white elephants for the government of the day. Officials in charge of various public sector units cheerfully made hay draining public money into personal coffers; some were caught, but most went mawkishly unnoticed. It was believed the private wealth of India, at times codenamed black money, was many times more than money accounted for in annual budget of Indian government. The psychology at work was the same old one peculiar to India. Indian‘s first priority is to keep clean inside their homes and dump the garbage on to the road outside. Whether it was industry, public sector, government, games and sports, agriculture, financial institutions, or any kind of activity, those responsible to run, invented ingenious ways to divert better part of cake to personal wealth, without giving 363 thought of public interest. Sub standard and adulterated goods would be manufactured and people fleeced by charging inflated prices. Exporters who had knowledge their goods were sub-standard, had the cheek to supply such garbage putting the country to shame. Not only sub-standard seeds would be supplied to farmer, all schemes of augmenting agricultural production would ultimately end up in scams by the army of state extension workers who became experts in lynching public money meant for farmers. Whatever progress is achieved in agriculture is because Indian farmer is one of world‘s most honest, hard working one, used to survive grueling draughts, famines, bad irrigation and exploitation by an army of officials and not by efforts of department of agriculture. In most areas merit was most often replaced by people with connections who jumped the queue, with slippery brief case culture, also codenamed the harem culture. Even those who were genuine players worked not for the team and the country as a priority, but for their personal records, titles, trophies, advertisements, only after which came team and country. Provisions of providing efficient loaning through banks and financial institutions for development were subtlety flouted and a commission culture established which became rule of the game. The depth and prevalence of corruption in Indian society could well nigh be measured by the stupendous marriage market. There are open bids, first, for grooms in government jobs; their capacity to earn ‗extra other income,‘ over and above salary one gets, that too without work and accountability. The guy proudly proclaims to be ‗son-in-law‘ of the state! Once in, no body under the sun could chuck him out. So why work? In this scenario some of our wise planners under the socialist pattern conceived everyday business, to produce, manufacture, or simply trade, done by the state, manned by the innumerable, prestigious, betel eating and pot-bellied ‗son-in-laws‘. They completely disregarded the Indian tradition where a ‗son-in-law‘ is to be worshipped, given a befitting welcome, pestered by various sister-in-laws and brother-in-laws, over whom, he - the venerable ‗son-in-law‘ reigns supreme. Set against such state vendor of goods in the public sector was the modern consumer, whom, the global market economy declares, to be the king. When a pestered ‗son-in-law‘ encounters a king, that too for earning profits, the consequences were bound to be disastrous. Jagan at times was not only worried but horrified by the scepter of hazy, lousy and irregular working of the Indian institutions. PDS – the million eyed attractive public distribution system, for example, which was modeled upon the utopian concept of providing relief to the antyodaya-last of the lowest, by way of subsidized foodgrains, sugar, kerosene, coarse cloth and other things persons like Dulari Bhangin, Bhopti Cobbleri and Mooli Dhoban need in the evening after a back-breaking tumultuous day of hard toil, they are faced by a blunt reply of no stocks! The stocks, however, never reach the place of destination. The PDS dealer, who has spent his fortune to take the license, has sold of the goods at the wholesaler, under the penetrating eyes of the local food inspector, part of the booty being shared by almost everybody above him in rank, up to the minister in charge. Dulari, Bhopti and Mooli turn to Bania‘s shop next door, and purchase at black-market rates, the kerosene and sugar, that was meant to be distributed to them at less than half the price they had to pay to Bania. The dimension of each irregular transaction even if it involved one single paisa spread over whole of our population, the stupendous total would be more than one billion paisa, making it more than many crores. People ambiguously call ‗this is India‘. Why people tolerate all hum bug is again a matter to ponder, and ‗this is India too‘. These are words and phrases to please the ears of the intellectuals. To Dulari, Bhopti and 364

Mooli this is pure and simple loot, dacoity under the state protection, where, as usual, the Indian legal system is operating majestically, and by the time justice comes to be delivered all three in queue would be dead and forgotten.

Unshaved, tanned, wrinkled and troubled faces of the Indian majority half of which consist of the feminine gender who procreate impatiently wait to be looked after; who would, if ever, take the challenge was a moot question? They are conversant with only exploitation, generation after generation come and go, so appear polls and its incumbents the netas, bureaucrats and an army of officials who are maintained out of his resources extracted without giving them the ‗service‘ he needs urgently. Loud voices are raised in legislatures, seminars, media highlighting urgent gear and goods he requires; these remain only part of debate and he is left to toil his way to his own salvation. He will have to face the stark fact of life; he would have to do his own house keeping and demand discipline from the governaning establishment dimensions of which are mind boggling.

Jagan was not unfamiliar with Delhi, or North Block, but he was here on a regular posting only now. It was good Charu also got a posting in the capital.

Nekiram, now a minister, regularly kept in touch with Jagan and Charu. Having fulfilled the objectives of the NTUC, Nekiram was prompted and encouraged by Jagan and Shanti to contest the parliament elections for the fifth Lok Sabha and he won with a majority that even surprised him. Shanti, like his previous assembly election was, under prompting of Jagan, in command of his electioneering, right from nomination for a party ticket from the reserve Sasni parliamentary constituency, to funding, strategically matters related to the election, vehicles and final victory. She put Kirpa as her second in command. On victory Nekiram was made a minister of state. His image as a scheduled caste politician was clean and his close association with Jagan helped him keep his morale. He has done a commendable work in the Nandgaon NTUC, making it a global NGO, earning profits not only to run its programmers in the country, but six centers were opened in different countries of Asia and Europe. With Shanti as head of the largest media group in north India, NTUC received not only regular grants from overseas, but was promoted in a manner few organizations could manage. NTUC‘s latest expansion of activities under Shanti‘s efforts was the creation of a cell to help sick and destitute woman and look after their health. Some years back the headquarters of NTUC were shifted to Delhi and it had acquired prime land in south Delhi, with a hostel for working woman and its various offices established inside it. It was the result of Nekiram‘s efforts that this project was completed, Jagan helping government approvals and grants from time to time. The President of India was honorable life Patron of the Trust. Jagan never believed his brain child could make such progress. However, without the active role Shanti played and manner of meticulous effort Nekiram implemented it was really commendable. This was one success story of her being nominated as Padma-Shri, as the chairperson of the prestigious organization.

Kirpa Gadaria, one time playmate of Jagan, has grown up from the literal and exiguous beginnings as a village shepherd boy to reserved, easily approachable, wholly locally inclined, young party worker with tremendous support and encouragement both 365 from his buddy Jagan and that wonderful watchword for success Shanti. Everyone who knows Shanti knew her amazing success story mostly by dint of her perseverance and dogged hard work. Kirpa in a way emulated her. His studies up to matriculation were the handiwork of Shanti. That almost changed his life. Now that he could read Jagan saw to it that he read voraciously; three boxes full of books were sent to him by Jagan when he was in Delhi. This gift of a mini library changed his way of life; books included on the life and times of Vivekananda, Tagore Gandhi, Ambedkar, Periyar, India‘s freedom struggle, social novels by Munshi Prem Chand, Sarat Chandra, Karl Marx and others. Even the sender was not certain Kirpa would be interested in reading all; he proved otherwise. For two-three years after matriculation Kirpa could be seen with books in rustic locality corners, in the fields under shade of neem trees, in his dilapidated hut at odd hours reading books and taking notes. It facilitated him to learn about his country, its basic history, about notable Indians and what they thought about the country and its people. It was a little surprising for a man like Kirpa, coming down generations of illiteracy and poverty to take to books in such sincerity. But it attracted his fancy to learn about people who were great and it motivated him to think in his own way about himself, his surroundings, his people and he, meanwhile, watched people from his own caste or class take to politics that gave them some leverage to play the caste card and get benefits, leaving most others of the tribe in the pitch dark of squalor and poverty. He gradually saw some of his own class of people rise the ladder of social hierarchy and in the process creates more castes in between their category. He watched sc politics being played to the disadvantage of the larger sc constituency. He observed few clever persons exploit sc card to play agents between people and a corrupt lower bureaucracy earn bribes and commissions to enrich on the pattern of other savarna political workers belonging to political party that claimed having won independence, were doing and innocently discouraging the fair and healthy growth of a whole new generation. He understood the misuse of sc card. He realized the exploitation by select few of the scs is going to do more harm to the larger sc cause than help grow it stronger. His mental make up revolted against the quota reservation system, unprompted by anybody, basically because it created more castes in caste groups, and the recipients having benefited, left most others in a situation where it was impossible to get out of the centuries old rut. He evolved his own thinking over the issue. As time rolled by his aversion to reservations further firmed up and he began to advocate its total ban. He saw savarna boys go for higher education to colleges and universities; he concluded the main deterrent was monetary condition of these people. This gave him an insight into the idea of seeking share in the public money to help his people. Money, he thought, was the only medium which could change their future, because he knew they did not lack any other quality which makes people successful. They were hard working. They were normal in intelligence; they certainly didn‘t lack it in comparison to other higher castes. They were resource less only money could provide.

Kirpa grew up a likable person. His friendship with stalwarts like Jagan and Shanti gave him both encouragement and confidence. He was married young and had two children, a boy and a girl. He worked hard to earn his living. However, most of his time was spent in social obligations. Many people were sent by Jagan, Neki and Shanti to see him for things to be done locally. He was both a known figure in local official circles, not 366 as an agent like most others, but as help to the needy; he didn‘t resist from picking up arguments when due work was not done. These traits qualified him to be noticed by the political party and they pursued him. He never ran for party position; the party depended on him. He refused invitations to go to party functions far away from his village; he was man of Braj and remained so through out. He was the key figure in electoral success of Nekiram and with the magnetic personality of Shanti he worked very hard. For his own elections he never requested any outside personality to canvass. He would often remain absent from his own constituency during his election and come out successful. He canvassed for others in the party. In Uttar Pradesh he was a known young, honest and discretionary ground level party worker. That image he would maintain till his last days. Even when elected to head governance of Uttar Pradesh, he remained Kirpa Gadaria of Nandgaon. His roots embedded in Braj he never thought or worked in narrow parochial mindset many others in politics behave; his interest in his local problems didn‘t obviously opposed persons coming to his home turf for whatever they may have come, work, business or education, only exploitation he would oppose which might have emerged from either a local or an outsider. He definitely thought India to be one for all practical purposes; outsider for him meant foreigner in whom he had no interest whatsoever.

8.8

Shanti was a different person now. Her dynamic personality radiated in the metropolitan capital. She worked fifteen hours a day, assisted by the two personal secretaries, Maria and Anjali. She has authored a dozen books over different topics covering the media and on Indian identity. She has made Delhi her permanent home, with a fleet of cars and several servants. Her office in the Jhandewalan Extention was the nerve center of national and international media center for news, interaction, group discussions, documentaries and seminars. She was highly regarded in the ruling political elite. She was most sought after woman of her times in the capital. Her exclusive charm and personality exude cheerfulness. She was smarter than one could imagine. For the national and international newspersons she enigmatically remained Miss Shanti Trivedi, Padma Shree, of the MST Times.

She was enigmatic that reflected into her mysticism making her an object of both awe and curiosity. That she remained out of ordinary wedlock made her more distant to man in the run of life leading to a role model verging on idealistic adulation. She enjoyed star status, though she never tried to project her as such; she was basically a very private 367 person and this was one reason she didn‘t meet people at her residence. All meetings, formal or informal, were held at her office complex, to which schedules she tried to keep time and punctuality. The only exception was Charu and family for both Umesh and Himgiri were like her own progeny and she enjoyed talking to them, invigilating their home work, which most of the days they did with her, play with them and move out with them, occasionally seeing movies without their parents who naturally were busy in their bureaucratic schedules of meetings that were exercise in futility bringing zero results. She enriched the children‘s mind and psycho with human values that made them a class apart for their age to think positive. She paid and kept accounts of their schooling; she so meticulously monitored their progress reports of school and participated in parent meetings with teachers, the children took her to be their true guardian and mother.

Charu and Jagan generally came for dinner and stayed till late hours with Shanti. When she was invited to Charu‘s place she would keep free of all engagements in the afternoon, and would personally go to fetch Charu‘s children from the school in the afternoon, and drive to Jagan‘s house where she stayed for evening out or shopping with the children, and a late dinner. She was fond of both the children, especially Himani, whom she loved. She would spend hours together talking to the children. Most of the gadgets and articles of daily use including their clothes were gifts from her. Fully conscious of her past and background she always asked Jagan and Kanwarani ji before any gifts were given to the children. She impressed the parents with a sincere feeling to have a liking for them and their approval for extending her affection to the kids. Every woman is a mother even if one remains unmarried. Shano‘s decision not to marry was her own based as it was on a variety of factors, one of which was that she liked Jagan to the extent she could never think of accepting any other person as her soul mate. Of late with Jagan having admitted to have the same intense feelings for her without being guilty about it she was upbeat about her decision not to marry. But she consciously did not realize that beyond it nothing was going to happen, nor was there any need, as far as she was concerned, for that to come up. She liked Charu and the lady was equally graceful in accepting her as a childhood friend of her indulgent husband, who carried worries of the universe–the governance, bureaucratic ambience, political ombudsman, intense and critical reformer for the cause of the women and the children, national integrity and what not? Charu realized her husband need persons like Shano in his multifarious activities and did not for a moment want to disturb that equilibrium. Perhaps she also recognized the reality of the relationship between her husband and Shano, and unlike her grandmother-in-law, Mohini Kaur, she did not precipitate matters. Thakurani Mohini Kaur was the only person around who despised Shanti of being a selfish upstart intruder into the personal life of her successful grandson. She hated her ever since she was picked up by Jagan to be taken out of the village for studies. She was not aware, of course and blissfully, about all the efforts and the amounts of money, Jagan spent for and on her behalf to help make her career, otherwise hell must have broken over both her grandson and the wretched daughter of their neighbor Pandit who survived almost over the generosity of haveli and the estate. She was the only person whom Shano feared and never confronted her during the rare occasions she visited Nandgaon. But that is history. Thakurani is dead her successor Nirmal is kind to her since childhood. Besides that Shano‘s attitude towards all of them, the children particularly, almost touched Charu‘s 368 tender feelings for the compatriot woman who was doing so much for her despite the fact that she was so highly placed in society, was rich and widely respected for her integrity. Charu, at times, felt she was her fan, as against her late grandmother-in-law who thought she was totally unwanted. Next Saturday the family was going for the usual dinner at Shano‘s place. The intervening period of 2-3 months has been rather busy for almost everybody.

There were many tell tale stories about the life and personality of the media baron, her affiliations with the political heavy weights in the country, and her innate desire to improve the lot of the woman, particularly the girl child. She was mainly responsible for the enactment of law banning the practice of scanning pregnancies to find out the sex of the fetus. There was lot of hue and cry over the issue, but her stout championing the cause focusing on dangers of eliminating the girl child termination of pregnancies, major setback to the cause of woman worked to help bring out legislation to stop it. Yet she was aware enacting law alone will not eliminate evil. There was a plethora of laws that remained unimplemented. None bothered to implement either. There were laws to prevent corruption. It continues rising over the graph with phenomenal speed. There were laws to prevent deforestation, smuggling, illicit distillation, and child abuse, but the evils continued unhindered. No effort is made to make the laws more user friendly for society; it may not be possible without educating people. Political leadership and lack of education were mainly responsible for evils persisting to plague society. She believed if we continue to think police can implement law and reform society we would be befooling ourselves. Shanti in public dialogue argued we are spending fortunes over urban improvement-sanitation, better civic amenities, hygiene, health and education but forget the population of urban cities and metros is rising at speeds many times more than the efforts to provide facilities, people migrating to cities in thousands each day adding to slums-we play politics over critical issues like family planning, and compete human procreation that make mother pities of all creatures. Statistics about slums and jhuggi- jhonparies eating away the urban ecology would baffle any sane person, but not our politicians who not only encourage and regularize the wretched human clusters for vote, but also reward the ‗social workers‘ who help in its perpetuation. She ardently hoped to bring in reforms; but how to ignite the revolution was still utopia. She was conscious politicians didn‘t land from heavens; they are part and parcel of society we all cumulatively does create. However, politicians do bungle public money and are greedy to come to terms with things vetoed in common parlance for good to community life with an eye on vote. Greed of power and vote was the real culprit. It made politician subject of both ridicule and hate. The only alternative was to recruit better politicians; politicians, however, would remain politicians who cannot do without vote which has to be wooed and earned. The job therefore, was tedious.

Feeling of desperation brought her more near to Jagan, worthy of being a national leader if he was in politics. He was capable to laugh at his own tribe and its trivialities. His inbuilt unqualified personal integrity, invigorative commitment to work for his country without playing politics was main attributes of character. Shano has nicknamed him the Mahatma of the Bureaucrats { MB } and rightly so. She was his most ardent fan. His qualities of unassuming nature, brilliant ideas, unmatched caliber, his ability to put in 369 honest hard work and his innate quality of objective assessment of man and matters were few characteristics he was renowned for even amongst his critics. She loved the man, besides being his most notable admirer. She loved him also for his transparency in maintaining human relations. Whenever she got down the memory lane her infatuation for him increased. How as toddlers they played together. His attentions to Hina use to upset her even when she was a little girl. Hina was demanding. She claimed Jagan was her most wanted playmate. She talked about him to other children, and visited Haveli more often than other boys and girls. But Shano, as a child was shy. And between the two he wanted her more than Hina. She was reclusive and therefore attractive. Hina talked more but conveyed less; she spoke less yet conveyed more. She remembers the twilight of a morning when in their innocent infancy they fondled with each other‘s genitals, under the morning sensuous yawning erection, ultimately kissing the parts vigorously and laughing under the quilt that they slept in. Playing late on many days they slept together, when Jagan‘s mother would give her food to eat and both would slide into sleep in each others‘ arms. She remember with a rapturous feeling of togetherness when often he kissed her on the cheeks and she would get angry or dodge by running away, creating an urge in him to seek her. Her fair complexion almost matched his lustrous face and their being together in childhood was God given. When she grew in age she became more reserved and shy, and as understanding of their surroundings grew it further increased aloofness out of modesty and social restrictions as it began to be felt. But not he, and beside Hina he continued to take interest in her as long as he was in the village school. When he left village school for matriculation it was her turn to be curious about him; she waited for him to come. Her eyes eagerly wanted to see him. He has slipped down in her heart. Hina‘s early marriage, and herself having been spared the inevitable destiny of being thrown or bartered in her infancy in the social ritual called marriage, were the two incidents that she now recapitulates as the turning point in her life. For it was almost certain that she would be thrown into the cesspool of marriage by the time she was around ten years, if not earlier, for a life of serfdom, poverty, want, betrayal, an easy prey to village vagabonds to be exploited at will and lifelong drudgery. Heavens saved her because her parents had more girls to marry for which there was no money. The slavery and drudgery of running her mother‘s household fell on her tender shoulders and providence spared her the detestable and loathsome ceremony of ‗marriage.‘ Even now the abhorrent word sends chill in her spine and she bows in veneration, first to God who created her and brought her in this world and then to the man, her idol, her personal god, Jagan, who had the courage to lift her from the garbage dump and facilitate her to prove her innate desire to fly high and achieve something worthwhile. This human ingenuity made her feel and realize the sincerer of the man, and his continued interest in her, in spite of the knowledge that there were innumerable highly qualified girls of beauty, brains and affluence seeking him made her his lifelong devotee. For her, Jagan was a prayer she repeated in her mind perpetually without fail each day, without whom she couldn‘t have been what she is today. Jagan appeared to acknowledge in perfect silence meeting her eyes which appeared humming poetry:

‗From the abode of Moon where moonlight resides! Emanating from Sun from where sunlight sustains life! News has trickled down to earth; there is none other like you!!‘ 370

For Charu and Jagan she continued to be simply Shanti. At times it was embarrassing, particularly for Charu, to watch her unassuming behavior, looking to the high regard she commanded outside. She remained more with Charu than Jagan when she was home. Jagan got little time but he took it nothing abnormal, though he showed great respect for Shanti. But he liked her and, therefore, her behavior didn‘t surprise him. It was nothing new. The most significant aspect of the relations between Jagan and Shano was complete transparency. Nothing was ever hidden. Ever since Jagan and Charu have come to Delhi, it has become routine that they dine with Shanti for two days in a month. One day, mostly Sunday or the second Saturday, when Jagan was relatively free, Shanti invited them at her residence and they remained together for many hours. That dinner Shanti herself prepared and served personally, much without her retinue of servants whom she relieved for the evening. Second khana was at Jagan‘s place, and that day also Shanti took leave of her multifarious engagements, to join Charu prepare dinner, and she personally did most of the cooking, asking Charu to send all her servants for a paid outing with their families. She liked it that way. Shano was an asset when the children were born. Umesh was born when Charu was posted at Ahemedabad and the delivery without Shano would have been rather difficult, though all her relatives were there to look after. Hemgiri was born in Lucknow. Again Shano took charge and she spent whole one month with Charu, looking after her and the baby. Both the children were born within six years of their marriage.

The complexities of such a relationship were made simpler by the natural interaction of all three persons, Jagan, Charu and Shano. Jagan loved Charu and equally liked Shano. Both were two sides of the same coin. He would feel uneasy without either of the two. Though he met Shano in isolation many times, but there was nothing that he did which he would shy doing when Charu was around. He immensely liked her for her qualities of meritorious perseverance and grit. He was basically attached with her exactly not for reasons of her sex appeal, though it was enormous, or her physical exuberance that radiated more when she was with him, but for unexplained reasons of camaraderie which lingered from the days gone by while both he and Shano were innocent kids playing, fondling and teasing each other while Gods came down on earth to watch them play together. Such, however, was not the only fascination of Shano for him. She worshipped him literally, for his qualities doing good to others, his brilliance in his life‘s option of a career, his openness and innocence and his greatness of his qualities of head and heart; she also was fascinated by his physique and loved his body contact with a particular passion, beyond her control to understand it herself or explain to anyone else around her. It was beyond any reasonable comprehension; but it was there, and that was the only thing she knew about. She was mentally wedded to him. She could not survive without him in any circumstance. It was a fact of her life imbedded in her bosom. She has resolved not to utter it anywhere to anyone, come what may; even death would never extricate it.

Jagan equally loved Charu from the days she was widowed by the laws of fate. Besides she was his wedded wife and mother of his children. She played a very significant supportive role in his career as a senior bureaucrat, she herself being one of the esteemed crowd, she also received similar succor in her vocation from her brilliant 371 well connected husband. Love was mutual. A very thin line filtered his respect and regard for her more as a widow, the esteemed wife of his elder brother, than his own wife. Somewhere in the incredibly complicated seclusions of his brain was lurking an impression selection and choice of wife is very personal and is the harbinger of many emotions in going through the process of looking for a partner of life which has escaped him, as well as her. Perhaps she too was in lone moments aware of it. She was dedicated to him. She was his nurse, caretaker, cook, dress designer and tailor, physical coach, and a companion par excellence. In times of stress she extended maternal care to soothe his animated nerves when he returned from the corridors of North Block. It was important. Surrounded by rustic neo-politicians riding over fanciful chariot of power unlimited promulgated and leashed by Indian democracy and working in the midst of colleagues impatiently eager to share the spoils with political bosses by uncodifying the labyrinth of unexplainable rules and procedures, his efforts to safeguard interests of the Republic sent ripples to tire his nerves and ruffle his cool temper. Charu‘s soothing and loving care worked wonders to unwind him. The superlative difference between concerns of the two women in Jagan‘s life was while Charu, being his wife and companion has innumerable unspelt demands from him besides offering her love and care, Shano made absolutely no demands. She gave him her all. That is the greatest attribute of love; love makes no demands – it simply protects and provides the lover. Any love that makes demands is untrue. It was the ecstasy of the relationship which augured well for all the three, though Shano in her isolation remained a loner and a loser by modern percepts. This aspect of her life, however, was by her absolute choice.

***

372

Part Four

8.9

Charu evinced Shano for a weekend break, after Jagan returned from his demanding tour of the North-Eastern States. Both of them decided to go to Bombay, familiar to Shano because of her media connections and previous posting. Jagan wanted go shopping for sportswear and odd things he needed, and Charu had taken his consent too. Then she thought of Khandala and the guest house where Paro looked after them so well. She was not sure whether Paro would still be there, but she planned to revisit that lodge once again. Shano took the responsibility of making all necessary arrangements for the tour. Flights were booked and two chauffer driven cars were arranged to be at the lodge before they reach it. Shano also ordered a special cook to be in attendance during their stay. Children would not be going as their examinations were in the offing. Shano promised to bring some special presents for the kids.

When they reached the destination they found, to their surprise that the lodge had changed ownership and the new proprietor has redone the exteriors and the furnishings of the lodge, and Paro, the old hostess was still there with her young and charming daughter-in-law helping her serve guests. Paro remembered the couple and was extremely excited to receive them. Jagan was feeling overburdened for sometime the way Indian system of governance was shaping itself. Since Nekiram was also joining them for the evening after his return from Tiruavantipuram, he requested Shanti Didi to arrange a free evening with only four of them to sit together and talk serious matters of state. Last time when Jagan and Charu had come to the place it was just to talk personal affairs. Shano grinned and said she know they had come here to plan their marriage. She assured Neki arrangements for the informal meeting would be in place before he reaches. She informed Jagan Neki will reach here from Bombay after his lunch, and she has asked him to join the group. She informed UP Chief Minister Kirpa has also been requested to come and he has agreed to reach in time. Though Nekiram will be leaving she has requested Kirpa to overstay, though he too was short of time and wanted to return.

Jagan looked relaxed. Congratulating Shano for the excellent arrangements made for their stay he enquired if Neki and Kirpa would stay for the night.

‗No, he has to return by an early morning flight from Santa Cruize. He will travel back after you free him from the meeting. Kirpa might stay,‘ replied Shano.

‗If he is short of time night stay may not be required, he would be there in meeting?‘ asked Charu looking towards Jagan.

‗I didn‘t ask him to come. He wanted to meet us here and I said OK, he is welcome. He can go if he wants to, where is he?‘ queried Jagan responding to Charu holding her hand affectionately. 373

Alighting from the back of the lodge, Nekiram and Kirpa greeted all, and bowed down to touch Jagan‘s feet as usual. Jagan forbade them and said: ‗You are Ministers now, you should stop this practice,‘ Jagan said casually hugging both at shoulders.

Nekiram and later Kirpa Gadaria too were part of the Braj lore where dominant conception of Krishna was that of a hero fighting the monsters of the times. To them Jagan from their childhood days appeared to fit in that image of a fighter extinguishing the monsters of caste and oppression in which their lives were entirely emersed. The truth about their relationship was hidden around such obvious psyche that filtered down their beings unobtrusively personifying Jagan as their hero much like the playmate of gwal- bals as Krishna, the bal-sakha par excellence as he was. No one ever either talked over it or was persuaded by any external source; the image of their hero in Jagan was built up gradually as they grew in age, going to school together, playing games and frolicking in the village meadows. It highlighted in times of discerning attitude towards themselves that was diverse and satisfying as against normal behavior of others from their surroundings. They received in Jagan a particular bond which sprang from their innermost selves and the missing traces of discrimination further enriched the relationship. It was spontaneous both so far as Jagan and Neki or Kipa were concerned; it was however, not limited to them only. Jagan was as open and attractive to others of their tribe in the village as towards them or their families. They all, Hira, Neksa, Shanti, Hina, Mooli, Bhopti, Anisa and others who came into contact felt the same towards him. He was as simple as a savior. He was as approachable as a playmate. He was resourceful as a boon giver. His presence worked as a healing process for the wounds societal surroundings from the times goneby might have perpetrated. There appeared to be no effort having been brought in play in such behavior on the part of their hero too. It came naturally to him. He felt at ease in bonding with them as he did. In present circumstances too his presence was both soothing and satisfying. What was strange was they never came to frequent eventualities of confrontation others in their surroundings had to cope with. As political masters in the run of life having to deal with a thorough bureaucrat like Jagan was surprisingly very smooth; it was because they entertained similar views on key points of state policy. They all entertained dreams of a different country they wanted to build. The ladies in the elite corp were not much different from the glorious images of Radha, sahacharies and Rukmini.

They settled down and sipped some juice. The environment was vibrant and cool. The group looked fresh and in a happy mood. Paro was serving drinks with her daughter- in-law Parvati.

‗Though graying of age, she keeps fit, Charu,‘ he said glancing towards Paro.

‗Her spirits keep her going,‘ replied Charu.

Neki was Union Cabinet Minister and Kirpa Chief Minister Uttar Pradesh, both of whom were visiting their old friend for an informal dialogue and such personal occasions the recipients didn‘t like to be reported; Shano, therefore, has taken steps to keep media completely away from their hide out. The two ministers were heavy weight sc politicians 374 both widely recognized as honest public figures through out the country, a rare combination found wanting in most other public figures. They have of their own enticement desired to meet their childhood friend and sympathizer Jagan, who was one of country‘s top bureaucrat. The other participants of the enclave included another senior bureaucrat Charu and the country‘s most sought after media chief, Shanti Trivedi. It was a rare coincidence most of those meeting today originally belonged to a village Nandgaon in Braj and had an extraordinary relationship with Jagan, the bureaucrat. His former relations with the politicians could well be termed friendly patronizing and warm marked particularly by absence of any feelings of class or caste distinction, a rare phenomenon in the times they were young and playmates over the fields and meadows of the village, enriched by the astute discipline of their common Guru Ganeshilal, now almost lost specie. This special camaraderie was potentially enriched by the fragrant innocence of Shano, the content and organizer of the present outing, and Hina, the extrovert phenomenon of a deeply sensitive girl lost into the cauldron of life to friends.

This extraordinary enduring friendship was bonded by strong mental attitudes; that‘s the reason it still survives with the same warmth. The group of four from Nandgaon was in their own manner shaping the country‘s destiny. Personal parameters of the four have considerably altered; what obstinately refuses to change is their cognitive innate disposition.

They often meet on official occasions, in meetings, in legislature, various functions; their mutual understanding never disappoints them. He regards them as political masters showing all due courtesies; they view him in very high esteem drawn by a lengthy association of personal give and take. He never ever distinguished these childhood buddies on unequal terms based on their origin and his own lineage; the only criteria that impelled him to these successful persons were their common mental chemistry. Their long association has converged all of them in the crucial governance of this large democracy which they want to convert to a place of their dreams. An additional flavor of critical urgency winged by its power to fly high has been added by Shano, the fairy with golden feathers.

He was with his sophisticated wife Charu, when Shano ushered in both Neki and Kirpa. With folded hands they wished Charu.

‗Oh, Bhaiya ji is there a way we could revert back to the old days,‘ said Kirpa seating himself near Jagan.

‗Centuries have labored to bring in present age of freedom and equality, why pine for days gone by,‘ said an ironic Shanti.

‗The freedom we enjoyed with Jagan Bhaiya in the meadows of Nandgaon surpasses all the exciting changes it may have brought in,‘ replied Kirpa.

‗We should honor and live in the present, Kirpa,‘ said Jagan. 375

‗You are always right Bhaiya, but it has detached me from my roots,‘ said Kirpa.

‗We are trying to embellish the roots, Bhaiyaji, Shano Didi, you and all,‘ said Neki.

‗We were hoping you will stay for the night with us Neki,‘ said Jagan.

‗They have hundred excuses,‘ said Shano.

‗Bhaiyaji, I have told Didi, the CM has urgent problems this evening, and PM wants me to see him urgently same time. I wish we could overstay; you better know all this,‘ replied Neki.

‗OK, I understand. We will get to our business and end up soon leaving enough time for your return flight,‘ Jagan said looking up to Shano.

‗We have the whole day almost; I guess it won‘t end up as routine bureaucratic meetings tend to celebrate their egoes?‘ said Shanti.

‗With you there everybody fits in the elephant foot,‘ said Jagan with a grin.

‗They have arranged for working lunch; we can begin straight away,‘ replied Shano.

Shano briefed about fifty years of independence the country has moved not as per expectations of either the millions who perceive freedom with hallucinations of partition it brought along, or the selective few who braved their lives in sacrifice to attain it. We need to look unto ourselves and find answers to few pertinent features of our political system that hampers the speed of development. She began by quoting from the Braj lore. In Braj there is a popular folk wisdom, if a bania-businessman repeatedly reminisce his former business acumen when he made decisions resulting in proliferation of his trade which brought affluence, it‘s a cautioned divination of his future predetermined ruin in business. In other words only those who have no future repeatedly refer to the past; a successful entrepreneur would always keep track of the future forecasting, since only that is going to yield him profits and wealth. It was significant that Shano never ever referred to her remote past though glorious it was; she always thought of the future and planned for it as best as was the longing of the hour–the present. That‘s why she was a huge success. She emphasized notwithstanding our past being unprecedently glorious, it would be futile to live to linger over its sublime grandeur and magnificence; we must take stock of where does we stand in fast changing modern global run down and volition as world‘s largest democracy surrounded by small fragmented totalitarian regimes, to meet the aspirations of people who look for a better future.

In a brief scan of our past Shano brilliantly explained the Indian view: why do we repeatedly refer to the glories of our past in normal parlence? Do we not overlook our present day failings while going back to our past or we refer to it to supercede the failings we encountered as nation enslaved for about a thousand years during which much of the sheen of our heritage was either adulterated or disfigured upon confrontation or sheer 376 inability of the barbarians to glance into the mysteries of our thought? It would appear to be normal for a people to hate the past if it brought bad memories as it would be as complacent to revert back to it if it carried images of glory. It happens with all kind of human cultures. Americans revert back time and again for its fighting the revolution and its notable presidents Abraham Lincoln or Jefferson. Greek celts revive the great past of its glorious Roman Empire. Entire Europe often reverts back to its medieval times when they held the world at their sway by way of exciting colonialism bathed in chivalrous imperialism. Intellectual interpretations apart, skeptics may bring in different viewpoints of such revival of thought in any culture. By reviving glories of our past and the splendid literature the times produced we are simply trying to heal our wounds afflicted by the invaders, though Arabs and Turks were completely assimilated by the vibrant culture they confronted creating another extraordinary way of life which became part of the Indian mileau. The later white imperialists were more damaging as they pilfered much of the wealth the mighty Mughal Empire proliferated, leaving a fractured legacy and badly damaged social, economic and political institutions. The mixed bag of failure and success of the first fifty years of independent India could easily be assigned to surfacing the potholes left by the rulers who escaped with much of the booty in terms of damage done to social and economic life of the subcontinent.

Initiating the discussion Nekiram said, ‗The United Nations Human Development Index [HDI] puts India 124th out of 174, just behind Morocco, and most Middle Eastern states. The total student enrolment rate is 55 per cent. India immunizes 68 per cent one year olds against tuberculosis; Egypt immunizes 99 per cent. The Indian infant mortality rate is 69 per 1000 births; the Sri Lankan figure is 17. India‘s maternal mortality rate is 540 per 100,000 live births; Venezuela‘s is 60. The figures for the poorest classes, castes and communities are much worse. The wide gulf between the overall success of the country‘s democracy and the everyday functioning of Indian institutions covering different areas of life of its citizens calls for some urgent analysis and conscious thought. The system of corruption works so well that the World Economic Forum global competitiveness ranking of forty-nine countries ranks India forty-fifth in the honesty of government officials, and fortieth in tax evasion. We have some major obstacles in the process of development which we appear to have inherited from unhindered party rule of the past two decades or more, yet to me the most happening feature going beyond our reach is corruption. At least two prime ministers of the country proclaimed from public platform, corruption is a major problem; the third prime minister was convicted of corruption despite the slow moving lethargy of the judicial system and huge officially sponsored personal defense of the accused.‘

Shano recollected, ‗More than a decade ago the country‘s youngest Prime Minister concluded a new moral center was needed; trust was absent. While giving a speech celebrating the 100th anniversary of the ruling Congress Party, he bluntly asserted that ‗millions of ordinary Congress workers are handicapped, for on their backs ride the brokers of power and influence, who dispense patronage to convert a mass movement into a feudal oligarchy – corruption is not only tolerated but regarded as a hallmark of leadership.‘ Ironically a man who could so eloquently speak about political corruption 377 was allegedly himself embroiled in kickbacks whose resonance is heard even years after he was murdered by a fanatic terror outfit.‘

Charu said, ‗every body present here feel corruption is worse now than when the young premier made the statement many years back.‘

Shano continued, ‗much later it was another former prime minister to bluntly state publicly: ‗corruption is the biggest single impediment both in development and in the way of social programs.‘

Shano continued, ‗sane voices depicting the insanity and helplessness of heads of government of a country so thoroughly engrossed in corruption; even as country‘s chief executives they could do no more than lament the bravodo with which it pervaded almost all walks of life. It also indicated these heads of government were either weaklings or were pawns in the claws of a system that was far more permanent and powerful; it had no face, eyes or ears and therefore, beyond laws of trial or punishment and almost everybody was happy that it was nonexistent allowing them to enjoy the bracing climate of its annonimity. The corruption codes are extremely complicated; those who are entrusted with the responsibility of putting an end to it are infact it‘s most trusting perpetrators. Therefore, it is invisible, deaf and dumb. It hunts the defenceless public in its widest parameters justifying the slogan what is everybody‘s business in nobody‘s business; poachers who get caught occasionally find the laws of the land a boon which almost always gives them a benefit of doubt.‘

Explaining its intensity Shano said, ‗corruption has adopted a peculiar resilience that has permitted the new players of post liberalization regime to practice it in brilliant modern variations.‘

‗I agree,‘ said Jagan, adding, ‗it further leads to peculiar micro management level consequences as global player‘s reluctance to put up shop in a corrupt economy greatly hampers growth. Corruption is not only rampant it seems to be incurable. It might have been of part advantage if the speed money had adherents at the lower levels of official dispensation only; it is however, very insignificant compared to the stupendous graft rackets at the higher echelons of public functioning, major share being usurped by the political class with sporadic bureaucratic bungling and isolated mafia involvement. Some even use it as a corollary to development, no bribe no development they argue; realistically the country‘s first prime minister in late years of his spell came down to prefer people in governance who were efficient to deliever goods but were potently dishonest. Corruption at the higher levels of governance produce inefficient service industry putting social needs at jeopardy; it produces a demoralized generation of citizens, ultimately affecting the country‘s goals as a member of world organization of markets, industry and allied infrastructure. It is highly conducive in generating black money; it is estimated the parallel black money transactions outnumber few times more than the national budget. It is a major handicap to India‘s development. It blocks foreign investment in more than one way. It gives unnatural shade to the honest money earned by competitive commercial endeavor. It‘s the major indicator of being an underdeveloped 378 and backward economy with whom no developed country would prefer to deal and without which no country can survive in modern globalization and liberalization regimes. Corruption persists because the spoils have been devoured by a small group of political, bureaucratic, and business glitterati. The costs are diffused among people who lack the organization, knowledge or power to impose an agenda for systemic reform needed urgently. Although they can elect new faces, what people need is a new system of responsible public administration.‘

Joined Kirpa, ‗I experienced many of its facets when I had to pick up quarrels with local government functionaries at block and tehsil level to get things done. Canal irrigation jiledars are under pressure to behave almost exactly contrary to the ostensible objectives of their job: instead of reducing water shortage, they maneuver to increase it if they wish to maximize bribe collection; instead of dressing the canals in perennial flowing state by de-silting, they leave large stretches of canal undressed to save maintenance funds for other uses. Agricultural extension officers and village level workers are under pressure, if they wish to have congenial postings, to adulterate the special inputs they are in charge of, so as to sell the balance on the black market, and to approve the substandard seeds or fertilizers of private dealers that farmers are forced to acquire in times of need. The PDS dealer likewise sells all quota of kerosene, cloth, wheat or rice to the wholesaler and returns with excess sale proceeds in his pocket, leaving villagers forced to buy same articles in black market price from the nearby bania shop. The doctors who attend rural dispensaries only to obtain their salary and the kickbacks returned after selling free medicines in the black market by the compounder who virtually is master of the unit, gleefully pocket earnings and enjoy city life. The police daroga would do everything for bribe paid to him; likewise patwari plays havoc with age old revenue record to evict or seat any farmer from or over the lands they till from ages. These are sequestered patterns; enumeration would be enormous from the bottom to the top. Now as Chief Minister of the state I try to go back to the roots of these discrepancies there are a thousand pretexts by those who boss over the departments and I confess I find it very tricky to pinpoint the culprits. There are rules and regulations, whole lot of redtape capable of consuming my whole political tenure in fixing one single ziledar for obstructing irrigation channel at a particular point.‘

‗This is peanuts if you uncover corruption at top layers of political and administrative establishments about which you might be well aware now since you sit at that pedestal,‘ said Charu.

‗Madam, I know it and much more. Besides corruption the other important area where change needs to be urgently brought in is the caste based reservations‘, said Kirpa.

Nekiram said, ‗the process of peaceful massive social engineering by competitive political polarization and affirmative action in favor of the disadvantaged since independence has unleashed social, political and economic forces hitherto unseen in Indian history, in the process rearranging its priorities and preferences. It shattered the Brahmin-imposed village autonomy of the Nehru era based on a rigid hierarchy of priests, landowners, traders, artisans and untouchables, which had survived both the medieval 379 and modern periods of country‘s history. Soon farmers, bus conductors, petty smugglers, village pehelwans, teachers and the progeny of peons could rise to the highest levels of power as chief ministers and cabinet ministers, as shown by the Lals of Haryana, the Yadavs of Uttar Pradesh under the honest leadership of Chowdhary Charan Singh and Bihar under Karpoori Thakur and later Lalu Yadav under the mature leadership of Jaiprakash Narain. Imagine the creative and disruptive energies released into the system, with adoption of politics as career providing leverage to ambitious and determined persons, who were poor, uneducated, socially and economically disadvantaged, the opportunity to work his or her way up the ladder and wield power, the gateway to all round prosperity. We stand as examples of this democratic process. Kirpa Gadaria is an example of being one of the most able Chief Ministers of the eminently populated state in the country. Closely following it were people from other areas, particularly the cinema, who after having tasted the fruits of unlimited financial prosperity, ventured into politics, all over the country, indicating a trend that only money power could graduate one to portals of power. Unfortunately, in this free-for-all environment, many criminal elements, helping the politicians in vote gathering and booth capturing, have moved into the corridors of power with celebration being profusely reported by media and the system's inbuilt resilience for corrective action now appears to have been lost. After recording a downward growth into corruption, quibbling and total disregard for all civilized norms, occasionally the election commission and presently more often the proactive judiciary are taking some measures to strengthen these independent institutions, but without great success so far. The judicial review comes more as deterrent rather than a viable alternative to problems or criminal acts to strike at the root causes that made it happen; what is needed is eagerness and preparedness on the part of the executive to reform its decision making, which appears to be in the present political scenario, a tall order indeed.‘

Kirpa said, ‗who was responsible to allow the infiltration of rowdies in the poll process? Obviously those imported netas with no base and contact with the people and to which the party hierarchy is also responsible. In India, under politically motivated affirmative benefits being doled out to woo vote banks, a variation of the old Brahaminical caste system has emerged by which the Indian political class has institutionalized mediocrity and decay. Brahmins being part of the intelligentia of highest level in social reckoning and consequently advantaged attract both attention and criticism when their actions are selective to ameliorate their living conditions which they often perform by supporting those who are in the seat to rule. The loyalty of the bureaucracy and other levers of power are to individuals, families, caste dynasties, and not to the state. In such a situation, families and mafia rule. There is scarcity of netas who have none of their progeny trailing their political inheritance. By providing quota system we are strengthening fissiparous tendency and creating new castes. Caste and politics goes together is best illustrated by the ironic manifestation from pre-independent India; in 1937 the Congress to contain its bitter critic sc emancipator BR Ambedkar pitted Palwankar Baloo, who emerged as an icon of sorts, and central character of Ramchandra Guha‘s cricket history, ‗Corner of a Foreign Field‘, against Ambedkar for a Mumbai assembly seat. The Congress went to the extent of exploiting their subcastes – Ballo was 380 a Cobbler and Ambedkar a Mahar. Ambedkar barely managed to scrape past the left arm spinner‘.

Asked Shano, ‗if caste continue to be the basis for every state policy we adopt, be it reservation, coalition politics, admission to a school or hospital, industrial license or recruitment than we are in for continuance of a system we not only want to avoid but wholly eradicate?‘

Kirpa, who was patiently listening to her said, ‗Now look Didi, I have traversed through the length and breadth of the country soliciting people‘s views and promoting my stand point over the ticklish issue of reservations. My logic is very simple. It is as simple as a layman can easily be made to understand. The father of the Indian constitution Dr. BR Ambedkar thought reservation was too short a measure to meet the depravity of the oppressed classes in India. Yet upon suggestions from other constituent assembly members, most of whom belonged to upper strata of Indian society by chance, a ten year provision for reservation in place of separate electorate for scs was finally approved. Senior leaders thought separate electorates for scs would divide the country. What Ambedkar had in mind was clear division of resources in between the scs and other countrymen upon the basis of which progress could be made. His basic thought was to allocate monetary resources to scs unhindered by anyone outside their domain meddling in its use and management. He had a deep insight into the condition and composition of scs over the centuries. The one absolute attribute that has gradually constituted the present condition of people called scs was and still is money. If these people had access to money and its resources, they won‘t be what they are now, scs. He therefore, was in favor of giving them exclusive financial powers and also sole authority to use the money so allocated to ameliorate their condition. Circumstances conspired at that point of time not to give a reasonable slice of the cake ie, money. Instead they were handed over a lollipop in the form of crutches of reservations. It led to some critical offshoots, in course of time when quota reservations have been extended by about half a dozen times by the happy-go parliamentarians in the hope that no political party or outfit could gather enough courage to stand in opposition to extension of reservation clause.‘

‗It has increased the already existing umpteen multitudes of castes. It has given the party in power an unbridled power to discriminate between castes by its affirmative benefits exclusively on the assumption to garner vote banks. It has resulted in inter- community rivalry in a near civil war setting. Democracy has been hijacked while the majority of sc remain where he was sixty years ago. Reservation was an enabling clause in the constitution; it must end one day is an obvious and legal assertion. Scs need economic share on equal terms; all quotas must be scrapped altogather.‘

‗Even the propagandists admit reservations have created more castes, in the shape of the creamy layer. They behave like neo-Brahmins. Antyodaya is a farce and remain a slogan. Mooli and Bhopti who are the last in the queue shall remain unaffected and are destined to die in squalor. The power to provide the sop of reservation has created a disturbed society putting one caste against the other in the race for getting the social benefits. It has greatly disturbed the social fabric by violent mass agitations and 381 destruction of public property. A near civil war situation exists between castes which have, over the years, tasted fruits of affirmative benefits, and others belonging to the same social, economic and historical perspective and background, but denied inclusion in the selective category. The country sits over an eruptive volcano. The political greed has done incalculable damage to society; it must not be prolonged anymore at any cost.‘

‗Coming to its legal justification it fails at each count. First it was an enabling clause of the constitution. A time must come when it must come to an end. The independent judiciary must take a serious view of the sensitive matter and scrap all reservations altogether without much delay that might cause more damage to society. Politicians being what they are it would be a folly to expect them to cut at their own survival, though we must continue to strive to reach a stage when the political executive supported by its bureaucracy conceives and affects reforms so badly needed. Majority of scs want it to go and expect a reasonable share in the treasury.‘

Intervened Shano, ‗that is the reason we need electoral reforms to cleanse our political pollution. For UN and foreign observer‘s Indian democracy might look successful, we should be varying to toe their approach; we know our democratic weaknesses and electoral deficiency. Since these have been pushed into the vicious politics of group interests based on caste, sub-caste, religion and region, we need to know where and what organ is sick. We may also see if it‘s the individual‘s or the system failure. If it‘s the individuals they always would be there indulging in politics of the Mandal, Kamandal and the electoral arithmetic and therefore, they are adamantly deaf to all suggestions of change or improvement.‘

Kirpa said, ‗I lay emphasis on the grass root realities for more transparency in our political upbringing. After all who makes them leaders? Is it their jugglery at the party headquarters alone that makes them netas; do people have no interest in all this business of transfer of bureaucrats who are supposed to serve them?‘

Charu, ‗CM is justified in raising it; the fact of the matter is that as soon as they are elected netas begin by forgetting people who have returned them to power, or revert to lip service creating hue and cry signifying nothing; most often such political elements try to shift responsibility over poll outcome, failure to seek reelection is laughed away by anti- incumbency slogans, underestimating people‘s disgust with their performance. Public disgust is indicative of people choosing to elect eunuchs to power, as happened in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Nothing however, seems to work; might be it‘s the market economy which would usher in real consequential change, replacing an outdated onerously depressing governing ambience irresponsive to the constitution.‘

Kirpa, ‗I hold every major political decision by elected representatives should be submitted to people by a system of referendum to seek their approval; in case they fail the test people might be armed with the power to recall. I have told the party high command if they do not do it now they will pay heavily in next poll when electorate would demand their queries answered to avail satisfactory solutions.‘ 382

Charu calmly asked, ‗Is there still some hope?‘

Shano replied, ‗Only if the political class tries to reform the system, which at the moment seems most unlikely. It has itself become the problem. Regardless of whoever is in power, though, the wheel of unending suffering of the Indian masses will continue, through the next elections, and the next, and so on, most likely as recurring five year plans, without much happening in the village.‘

Shano continued, ‗if Ashoka the Indian Emperor, Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, more than two thousand years ago could speak thus: ‗In the past, state businesses were not transacted nor were reports delivered to the king at all hours. But now I have given this order, that at any time, whether I am eating, in the women's quarters, the bed chamber, the chariot, the palanquin, in the park or wherever, reporters are to be posted with instructions to report to me the affairs of the people so that I might attend to these affairs wherever I am. And whatever I orally order in connection with donations or proclamations, or when urgent business presses itself on the mahamatras, if disagreement or debate arises in the Council, then it must be reported to me immediately. This is what I have ordered. I am never content with exerting myself or with dispatching business. Truly, I consider the welfare of all to be my duty, and the root of this is exertion and the prompt dispatch of business. There is no better work than promoting the welfare of all the people and whatever efforts I am making is to repay the debt I owe to all beings to assure their happiness in this life, and attain heaven in the next.‘ [Rock edict 6]

‗We hope someone out of our lot like the indigenous Kirpa would prove better, said Charu‘

At that point Jagan intervened, ‗political parties depict their mediocrity by lack of political philosophy, ideas and program involving people and their problems; that these outfits have no political program indicate their aloofness from people. For if these parties work at the grass root level with people, as Kirpa rightly envisage, there would be endless problems people face; common man has more problems he can handle he therefore suffers. The purpose any political organization has existence is to take cognizance of problems people are facing and agitate to make the rulers conscious of the miseries people suffer and make them not only realize the problems does exist, but to force them take remedial measures so that people‘s suffering are lessened. That does not happen. The political parties resort to various extraneous postures to prove their existence and survive in the world of make believe. They agitate and try to gain popularity by championing causes that indicate their hollowness. The most often ploy is of Mahatma Gandhi; there is stiff competion to claim he belonged to them. When there is nothing remember the Mahatma to revive and survive. Mahatma has many themes for political parties to fall back upon. He is related with Khadi, Ahimsa, Satyagraha, Dandi March and freedom struggle. When Mahatma becomes stale likewise there are other issues to arouse people‘s sentiments. There is Dharma; it however, is not the kind of Dharma Yudhistar professed during the epic war. Build a temple, protect or rebuild a mosque; whether such place of worship is in fact built is not their concern, their purpose is to arouse people‘s sentiments; in the process they might have erected or taken possession of the temple or a 383 mosque but they have lost their conscience of faith. When Dharma has lost appeal there is caste reservation and quota. Project panorama of dreams for government employment that does not exist; most government functions are being done on hire contract. Yet political parties will bring hell on earth for quota reservations resulting in demonstrations recoiled by human emotions of hatred and anger in the loss of human life and property. In fact politics is an art of make believe and the ingenuity of the political leaders should be appreciated for the amount of superlative optimism they possess to make people believe their prophecies. A significant lapse on the part of the politicians, of which the media also forms part, is failure of not working out a transparent system of financing political life in a rapidly changing world; it has resulted in dubious ways by which politicians get their palms greased. They wish for the end but persistently ignore the means which has to be fair and honest; difficult realities dog every decision across the political life and that‘s what all politics and government are made of though it never could include corruption as a means for political expediency.‘

Jagan further added, ‗however, there are some striking inconsistencies about the pointed criticism of the political class that desrve to be considered if any fair appraisal of it has to be made. Politicians come out of the same stock of people who form the bulk of those who criticize including the media persons too. Each man has lot of problems, inconsistencies, hypocratic behavior even falsehood in his day today run of life; politicians are not angels to perform any different. It would be pertinent to examine why does it so happen? The only clue appears to form corruption as the core issue for which politician‘s desrve the verdict of blame. Much of their criticism gets justified the manner they exploit almost every situation to either fill their pockets or enrich their party outfits. While criticizing the political class as a whole we might not overlook their capacity to sustain political activity in quite difficult situations. The real test of a politician should hang not upon simply carrying on the government or running an opposition party but to what extent he fulfils the people‘s aspirations and leave the stage enhancing dignity of the commom man.‘

There was a pause; everybody appear to appreciate the point raised by Jagan.

Paro and Parvati brought in coffee and the famous bhajia of Khandala, some cheese pakoras, and other snacks. Charu arranged these to be served.

Nekiram, looking towards Jagan said, ‗Things will not improve till such time better politicians are not elected, and better politicians would be elected only when intelligent, honest persons contest. That is not possible till present electoral system, particularly funding of polls, persists. The country will have to swallow what is being offered.‘

Nekiram, the politician and Jagan, the bureaucrat, has given their assessment of the present situation, which is not widely off the mark.

Charu asked, ‗Why wait ages for that to happen, can‘t people revolt against the perpetrators of misrule?‘ 384

Replied Nekiram, ‗No, there is nothing like the ‗people of India; it‘s a myth, it is what we make out of them. There is as yet no collective voice of the people of India. We have divided them in various religions, castes, subcastes, villages, mohallas, cities, wards, faiths, cliques, and the like. It is a tough task to unite the people, to build a consensus; it is just simple to divide and disrupt the unity slanderously. There are vested interest groups who oppose the unity of India. Caste a bye product of our political system is the greatest hindrance to the cause of unity, followed by the economic unequality.‘

‗The fact of the matter is,‘ said Shano, ‗that none in the ruling elite has time to think in terms of devaluation of Indian institutions or in the process creating more problems for the farmer and the poor.‘

Said Kirpa, ‗there are people who think otherwise, didi; there are lobbies very strong to crack. However, time will come when truth will prevail and voice of the people shall overcome these superficial barriers. We are exploiting something that has already been deeply entrenched in society. Most effective method is inter-caste marriage and not reservation which will enable the fission and fusion of blood, since caste basically roots in endogamy for purity of blood.‘

Jagan appreciated the suggestion by raising a fingure; all else agreed.

‗Replied Kirpa, ‗I am what you have made of me bhaiyaji, I have learnt to fight to the finish from you and Guruji Ganeshilal.‘

Said Neki, ‗we all were his pupils; a shikshak guru par excellence.‘

Said Jagan, ‗pupils who have words of honor for their teachers are man of character; I feel gratified my friends belong to that category.‘

Charu asked, looking towards Shano, ‗The Indian media, instead of playing to the tunes of the politicians in power and sharing the spoils should have taken a lead to openly put the issues for a wider public debate which might have affected the decision making process.‘

‗I entirely agree,‘ said Shano, adding, ‗But the media is way far behind in integrity of championing causes important for the country. Media barons are also power brokers, to admit the least.‘

Kirpa said with a remorse in his eyes, ‗Tyranny is a concept associated with past since arbitrary use of authority was the basic element a tyrant used to meet situations or created ones during governance. Democracy presented modern and acceptable way of being governed since people‘s participation at most stages was a prerequisite. It would therefore look ironical that democracy too creates situations where tyranny becomes a norm, much to the annoyance of the people being governed. There is the tyranny of caste, reservation, religion, political expediency and bad governance. There are situations created by acts of commission and omission which become tyrannical. The basic 385 ingredient of tyranny is its arbitrariness; in democracy if people, a sizable section of the populace or majority of them, are confronted with situations where any act becomes cause of common irritation would become tyrannical. Democracy has evolved a method by which feelings of such public irritation are displayed by means of demonstration, protest oral as well as written, and rallies, which in the present context turn into situations affecting law and order. As soon as law and order comes into play the state presents its ugly hand wielding the baton and most often gun of meeting violence by more violence, resulting in loss of property and killing of innocents. The important question is how to meet this kind of tyranny? Problem erupts when rally turns into a mob. Often mob is taken over by anti-social or fundamentalist forces. When mob frenzy gets out of hand state forces return it by more violence. That situation makes it more destructive resulting in loss of man and material both to the detriment of people and society as a whole.‘

‗A rational conclusion is the political activists, throwing illogical reservation lollipops to appease the people with the palpable aim of garnering votes as part of the party agenda are responsible for the wider fiasco and need to be kicked out of the governing process. But political parties being what they are manned by persons universally known as scoundrels, spending money that does not belong to them, need supervision; the best way to keep democracy working is to arm people with power to recall such elected representative who go amuck and disturb democracy. A person so recalled must be disqualified to join the process again. Power to recall therefore is a very important ingredient of the proposed reform plan. Reform agenda must also include penal provisions for the costly precious hours wasted in legislatures by disruption of proceedings; cost must be deducted from the allowances paid to members who disrupt. Public property gutted during agitations must be reimbursed from imposing costs of damage from those who carried it.‘

Charu asked, ‗But where would all this lead to?‘

Replied Kirpa, ‗Didi, please try to understand when I decry anything foreign? After matriculation when Jagan Bhaiya presented me with box load of books I read them all. It was like a heavenly treasure delivered to me. It might have taken months to read the literature and history that awakened me from the slumber of slavery, oppression, and poverty that were left as tenets of the country where I was born. I thought for sleepless nights, for workless days, for worthless existence that we are left to be placed at the end of the road from whence we have to restart the big march. I asked myself why foreigners so aggressively came to loot our motherland. I pause for a moment and fathom those barbarians who came with a sword to loot but who in course of time without returning to their homelands merged into our land and culture and became us Indians. Then they contributed to enrich this great country; for whatever was their booty major part of it remained to be used and spent for themselves in their country of option. Then I think of those traders who wiped clear the lavishness ordained on our land by grace of the goddess of wealth. The last one misused our body, mind and soul. They polluted our history, they vitiated and misused our institutions, concocted fables to suit their governance, sowed seeds of discontent between peoples of different faith and communities, disturbed age old systems of land management, with the sole purpose of 386 extracting whatever was left after their dishonest and treacherous acts of commission and omission and lavish military campaigns. My mind remained riveted to the atrocities committed by the foreigners over our mind, age-old institutions and systems of extraordinary dynism that reverberated through the long centuries of our past and the damage done to spoil them. That phase of my life was rather painful. I can never repay the debt I owe to Jagan Bhaiya for waking me from the slumber; whatever I think now is only because I was made to see what Periar, Ambedkar and Gandhi saw with naked eyes. I, therefore, view quota reservations purely temporary, meaningless and schematic slogans pursued by vested interest groups and as a fall out hangover of two hundred years of slavery. I appeal to my fellow countrymen and brethren to rise above petty politics of vote and do something substantial to help so called scs; the only element that can change their status is share in the consolidated fund of India. That I demand and shall take anyway; I cannot allow injustice to continue indefinitely.‘

Said Shano, ‗Nekiram should convey the sentiments to senior party colleagues about what Kirpa thinks of the issue. They may not be able to wane the avalanche he might release if he is not heard and followed.‘

Said Nekiram, ‗I have promised to try my best possible; he himself is a heavy weight now and carry unquestioned mandate and following of his people.‘

Said Jagan, ‗an integrated approach would be an effective option, what Shano means is that you do the spade work, Neki.‘

‗Swallow the system till people is educated enough to return better people to rule, or when better individuals join politics. Experience and age would do the trick automatically. Global market economy would also hasten the process; or else bring in the much needed electoral reforms including what Kirpa calls people‘s power to recall the defaulting politicians and financing the poll expences,‘ said Nekiram.

Said Shano, ‗The party in power may whip up the issues in national party conclaves, mould public opinion, bring in a reformist agenda mood and push it in the legislature with the zeal it‘s leader showed all through; it would be an uphill task and most present legislators may not like the moves.‘

Jagan appeared to agree. He knew such periodical outbursts of stale thoughts by lively debate relieved him from the feeling of guilt, first as a bureaucrat and then as a citizen. However, it was no solution to the huge problems facing the country. He was convinced that the problem was so widespread and colossal that no single man, not even the prime minister, could do anything about it. The major slipup appeared to lie with the political set up. The way politicians think in terms of the self, their term in office, get reelected, to achieve which placate bureaucrats, give them leverage, during which they mismanage to make it possible to create more avenues of kickbacks and bribes to thrive, resulting in the abuse of power, punishing the unwanted rule bound by found guilty stratum, promote and patronize those who helped create avenues for amassing bribe, 387 every once in a while chanting adulation of ideals they must strive to achieve in name of leaders like Mahatma Gandhi. They not only sell names; they auction ideas too.

The two politicians who participated in this informal discussion of the core group were politicians after all; Jagan would be looking inwards to see if they in fact believed in what they have expressed. As friends of the cause he has no doubts about their integrity. Historical propensities of their being in politics might affect the way they think and both he and his aide lady of the press didn‘t wish to further expand the idea whether or not reform process may be influenced if the political friends become passive partners. Apparently there was no reason to think so; the first step to achieve success in any venture is to think positive, so they intuited.

On conclusion of the discourse Jagan said, I agree with Kirpa; he is a brave politician with original ideas that spring from his grass roots, we have gone into the historicity of post independence Indian political scene. Views expressed have been very candid indeed. Having said so much we should now turn to face the issues and devise ways to remove bottlenecks and usher in a new regime. The significant issue now is how to bring in the required reforms into our system of governance. Though political practices of patronage and bureaucracy‘s obdurate attitude continue to percolate down in insignificant degrees, what we have lost sight of is the new emerging resurgence that has gripped India of the present; politicians and bureaucrats, businessmen or direct foreign investors, anyone who dare to halt the process shall be obliterated and consigned to dump heaps, so great is the force of market forces and the youth of the country nothing will stand in their way.‘

It was decided by unanimous consensus that a definite reform plan of action shall be prepared at the political level by the government and such bold reforms requiring constitutional amendments would be put up both in the parliament and a massive reform agenda shall be sought out by creating public opinion by way of national debate through rallies, seminars, public meetings supported by intensive media coverage. Nekiram will handle it politically at the center; Kirpa shall take country‘s right thinking sc leaders in all states of the union to canvass the scraping of all quota reservation clauses and ensure one-fourth of the national budget exclusively to sc upliftment.

Paro had brought in fresh juice and soup. They picked up their favorite appetizers. Lunch followed appetizers.

Jagan, Charu and Shano came to see them off. Nekiram took Jagan and Kirpa aside and whispered something for a while. Another meeting was fixed. Shano was contemplative and business like. The ministers left satisfied at the day‘s deliberations.

388

8.10

There was a telephone call for Mrs. Charu Lata Singh from Delhi. Charu went back of the lodge where phone was placed. Shashi Gupta was calling from Delhi. There was CBI raid on her husband‘s office and residence. Cash and valuables worth 4.2 crores have already been recovered bank lockers are still to be opened. S.L.Gupta is Jagan‘s batchmate and was posted in Hyderabad in the FCI. His wife Shashi was living with her children in their palatial house in South Delhi, was a very well behaved lady of academic interest friendly with Charu, whom she frequently visited. She appealed for help. Everyone knew the position Jagan enjoyed both in the political as well as bureaucratic circles. Charu was uncommitted. She has all the sympathy for the couple. She would inform Jagan. She hoped Gupta gets bail soon, as CBI sleuths caught him red handed accepting a bribe of two lakhs cash in office. Charu informed Jagan about the incident. Jagan didn‘t react immediately but was serious. There was a long pause before anybody spoke. Shano could not understand what is wrong.

―How about going for a walk in the green valley?‖ Shano proposed.

Charu supported the proposal. They got in walking attire and shoes and came down, all three of them, Jagan, Charu and Shano, without uttering a word. The green valley was enchanting. It was lean track. Charu, followed by Shano, and then Jagan walked leisurely, gradually picked up speed as the track widened and opened up to flat spaces with lush green crops and grass covered mother earth. At a steep high cliff Jagan helped Charu get up and then holding her delicate hand he helped Shano to come up on the surface road. Shano looked into him but he was busy analyzing phone call. It was serious for the cadre. She missed his eye contact. She then touched him in the elbow, putting a question mark by her finger? Only a few days back two officers from Bihar were in the anti-corruption net. A chief secretary of a state was arrested in a scam involving the chief minister of the state.

Meanwhile Charu informed Shano about the news.

Shano, in a lighter vein pulled up Jagan and said, ‗It is a widespread disease plaguing all over. There is nothing to be upset about it if it is happening in your batch. Regrettably world over there always has been and probably will be a closed circuit of money-politics- power-money that is perennial. The US is probably one of the best examples ‗the best government that money can buy‘ as it is apparent whoever has the largest campaign dollars buys the presidency with the sponsors gaining their rewards afterwards. Cronyism and corrupt politicians are some of the costs of democracy, however, they are even worse in other forms of government, let it not be forgotten. Money is involved in politics everywhere in the world. But may be there is somewhere where politicians can be elected, appointed or gain and keep power without pocketing crores and without campaigning either publicly or with a power elite. We elect representatives to decide how much money they are going to extract from us and what they are going to do with it. Every government of which we have a record was organized around money. We know this situation bothered Chanakya, Plato and Marx and has been a topic of concern for most thinkers 389 since. Bureaucrats are part of the system. When politicians pine up for wealth, their instruments of acquiring that, the bureaucrats can‘t be left behind.‘

‗Sure Shano, dear, I was contemplating about ushering in market forces which could both eradicate the system of bribery, and like in case of the United States, put every thing at a cost - a premium cost, medium cost or a minor cost. The prevailing competition would upgrade efficiency levels and also increase proficiency of people providing services. We have already wasted precious half century in our wayward experimentation on outdated ideals of socialistic pattern, public sector and too many babus with too many rules to misinterpret and compound chaotic confusion. The very idea of state doing business hand in hand with the private sector provided the opportunity to the greedy to pocket enormous wealth by unleashing forces of black-market economy. And all of the ruling elite and industry barons had manipulated the situation to favor their vested interests. The state should limit itself to oversee country‘s defense, finance and economy and social ethics buildup which would include broad supervision of the rest of primary integrants of human life – education, health, social amity and well being, being ushered into by the competitive market economy in the hands of the private individuals and entrepreneurs. Let us give more opportunities and options to our women. They will definitely do better in whatever they undertake. And let us keep a maximum of ten percent of the most competent and brilliant bureaucrats of the existing total strength and release the entire army to openly bid on contractual basis to participate in the enterprises of country building.‘

‗The first requirement to achieve that,‘ said Charu ‗would be to amend the constitution. Who is going to do that?‘

‗Only a charismatic leader with a vision could do it,‘ replied Shano.

Jagan suggested, ‗There is no dearth of talent in the country. If properly fired by a correct vision, even a Parvati or a Yadav or even Ayaram could do it.‘

‗Oh, a brilliant idea, but what if such adventurers are only fired by a vision of acquiring wealth.‘

‗Let them do that and fill their breadbaskets. But if the vision is limited to that only and nothing beyond, hell with them,‘ said Jagan, adding, ‗to cut and abolish to size the present bureaucracy is a formidable task. You need a heavy weight political set up of a standing nature to achieve that goal.‘

‗The country could experiment with Nekiram, who is fired by a vision, no doubt, and he is also acquiring a national stature,‘ said Shano.

‗You could talk to him after return of his forthcoming tour abroad of European countries, Shano,‘ said Charu. 390

‗Look, alongside drastic pruning of bureaucracy,‘ added Jagan, ‗you must also include in the constitutional amendments reforms in the electoral laws including a right to recall a legislator through an easy and efficient system by the constituents who elected him, and immediate confiscation of unaccounted wealth to state treasury without procedural delays at the same time giving it a normal democratic judicious decision. Law must ban defection and change of party once elected; in case the change is urgent the legislator must first resign and wait for another opportunity to get elected.‘

The leader would have to be cautious and courageous, dynamic to carry chief ministers, political heavyweights, along his thinking - all agreed. The plans might be put in action in the forthcoming general election due this winter in the country. So far as the people were concerned it would be a timely decision; the masses are fed up with present set up.

The trio had walked for well over three hours approximately. They had arrived back at the lodge. It was getting dark. Paro informed there was phone call for Miss Shanti Trivedi from Bombay.

They dispersed to take bath after a relaxing siesta with fresh pine apple and pomegranate juice.

Shano in her room was almost ecstatic. She loved the man and his ideas. His physical appearance was enchanting to her. She enjoyed every single moment in his company. Her love would end up with her. There was nothing she could not do for his sake. While Jagan was engrossed in his thoughts she intently watched him and adored his demeanor. She had stored in her animated memory innumerable images of her man. Her adoration sprang from the core of her heart. Though Charu was a decently responsive wife she was herself a senior bureaucrat and bear her own concerns that she shared with her husband. Shano was for Jagan a whole person set apart only for him alone, and therefore, she took every opportunity to serve him according to his needs. She appeared to repeat in her prayer, ‗I worship you, and I love you. My love and my adoration are totally mixed and combined in my soul, so much that I could not tell whether I love more than I adore or adore more than I love. I adore you because I find in you: all power, all holiness, justice and wisdom. You are My Creator and My God. I love you because I find in you all beauty, all kindness, all tenderness and all mercy. I love you because you have given me, as a present, an invaluable treasure.‘

As all of them assembled for dinner, Shano‘s enchanting beauty was stunningly bewitching and they could not resist looking at her. There was grace in her gait and poise in her appearance. Charu sat at the head of the table flanked by both Jagan and Shano.

‗Are we visiting Bombay tomorrow,‘ Charu asked her husband as they sat for dinner.

‗Everything is arranged. They have to be told about the time we might be there,‘ said Shano. 391

Jagan suggested, ‗If you both agree we relax one more day here and leave next day. Marketing is such a big bore you know Charu; you will have to do all that shopping in the crowded bazaars. In fact you know what is to be taken for me, and with your ITO Bombay South in attendance you may well leave me alone here. I may do my reading.‘

‗As you wish, I know you rarely go to bazaars. We will go and return by evening,‘ replied Charu, looking towards Shano.

‗As Kanwarni ji proposes will be followed,‘ replied Shano glancing Jagan with her captivating smile.

‗Please bring all the newspapers, and some tutti-fruity,‘ requested Jagan looking towards Charu.

Changing the subject Jagan told Charu, ‗There is really nothing I could do for Gupta‘s arrest. He might have been already released on bail, I guess.‘

‗Three of your batch mates are under the cloud. What is happening, Jagan?,‘ asked Charu.

‗Love of the nickel, or should I say gold?‘ said Jagan.

‗And love is blind, Aye,‘ added Charu.

‗True love is discreet. It may be greed perhaps,‘ added Shano, slightly raising her voice.

‗Anyway, you might tell your people to filter the news in the media, Shano,‘ said Charu.

‗I was, on the contrary, going to tell them to cover it fully, if Jagan approves,‘ asked Shano looking towards Jagan.

‗I don‘t intervene; please take your own decision. You know my views on the matter,‘ replied Jagan.

‗Since FCI falls under the purview of the Union Food Minister, Nekiram must have been informed, I guess,‘ asked Charu.

‗Not necessarily, he might be informed now,‘ replied Jagan.

‗Shano, you will use all your intelligence to talk to Kirpa and Nekiram over the larger issues we discussed today during our walk, things are so uncertain and risky,‘ asked Charu. 392

‗I shall use the greatest caution; besides I am confident of his trust in me because of Kanwar Sahib,‘ said Shano.

‗Shano, you are country‘s top media big wheel now. Please use your discretion, and keep me informed if you like; it will help you help the cause,‘ said Jagan.

After dinner they had a stroll over the lawn and later retired to sleep.

9.1

In their morning walk both Charu and Jagan reviewed their health. They were both around forty which is the period when life really opens up for most responsible persons in all its colors. By the grace of God and their efforts to keep regular exercise an essential part of their routine both enjoyed good health. None needs a spectacular for reading. Both can jog for kilometers without stress. They have maintained their slim figures by controlling weight, though Charu, particularly after the birth of her children, has put on some weight, for which she papoose Jagan responsible. At the time of delivery and after care her mother as well mother-in-law, mostly pestered by Jagan gave such rich stuff to eat for a complete 90 day course, that too with out any exercise that she added 6 kilos straight away. She was administered about 16 kilogram pure deshi ghee in the form of laddos with the entire range of spices on the prescription of their family records. Charu exprobate Jagan that she was such a beautiful figure, he being jealous of her looks conspired to make her plump butter ball. Jagan would take it laughing knowing fully well that the recipes given to her after child birth would stand good in her future posterity, and rebuking her for lethargy, and not doing proper exercises later, getting overworked in her revenue collecting matters, that should have been kept away from the health regime they had earmarked for themselves. He sincerely wished Charu return to her former beautiful shape. For that reason he would not miss a single day‘s exercise routine.

The beauty of the valley was refreshing. They jogged three kilometers and after doing some body stretching recommenced their return walk. Charu wanted to get back soon as she would be talking to the children before they leave for school. Both in the morning for a short duration and in the evenings for long periods she would talk to both her honey bunch. At times Jagan would also be put to repartee with them when they had finished, especially his daughter Himani, who was growing a lovely child.

Jagan was contemplating over the discussions. He has no doubt about Shano‘s sincerer in making it possible, she was above board. But he was doubtful about the 393 adequate potentiality of the various players in the game. Though the ruling Socialist Congress Party [SCP} had the required national status and infrastructure, but the myth of the SCP as a freedom fighting force was fast decaying under the spell of unimaginative leaders devoid of required national fervor, more inclined to find ways to put their official positions to personal gain, rather than national cause. The harem culture was fast spreading assemble an army of sycophants and people eager to jump the queue. Merit was being replaced by dissuasion and the speed money culture. To carry forward such gigantic and ambitious plan to reform both the bureaucracy and the political elite needed the broad dynamism at the national level the party was lacking. There were no other rival parties to match the bill. At the personal level also, though he had complete faith in Nekiram‘s sincerity, he would not be satisfied with his width of taking the whole nation with his rather revolutionary move that again was being tutored to him by a dedicated group of reformists, and did not originate with him personally. Nekiram was enough competent though and he could be tried if he personally put both his heart and mind into its implementation.

Jagan was aware, besides the political corruption, of the fallout of colossus bureaucratic mauling of state exchequer in unequivocal ways and perpetually exercising it as a matter of right. Though he was irked by the details of this shameful dissipated extravagance of public money, in one of their many leisure discussions between him and Charu it centered over the subject. However, the main theme eventuate with the briefcases offered both in the morning and evening durbars, though the actors are now smart enough to siphon of their personal collections through distant relatives, friends, confidents and are all benami transactions. It might run into crores every month, six months or a year depending upon the kind of posting one is able to bid for. And the final recipients and bidders remain the politicians, who think they are there only for a fixed tenure and therefore, need to collect more efficiently and urgently. During the middle ages assignments and posts, such as the Mansabdar, Faujdar, Zamindar were openly auctioned; now it is done anonymously with the rates having increased by hundredfold, if not more, and the canalization of both the activities and the nomenclature having been refurbished by the bureaucracy under and during the period of the Raj, to a permanent mechanism that modern democracies find it difficult or impossible to do away with. It‘s a system everybody purportedly hates, but finds helpless to do anything against it. There is only one power that can undo this perennial historical blunder: the market economy. It made Jagan despondent and a strange feeling of helplessness devoured him from within. He often imagined, like millions of the countrymen, he was a villager from Nandgaon, tilling his meager landholding with a poor wife like Shano, a mere skeleton of some flesh and bones, and Nekiram his fellow farm laborer, who remained half fed through the thirty days of the month without work. It made him dizzy to think of it. The task in mind was tremendously hazardous in nature.

His wife could read his engrossed mind, ‗Jagan, do you really think what we discussed yesterday could be made to happen.‘

‗Depends,‘ Jagan replied. 394

‗Yes, I agree… Let them try,‘ said Charu.

After breakfast Paro informed Charu there were nine calls from Delhi and Bombay for Jagan Sir. She informed he is out. Jagan talked to one person in Delhi, perhaps his Minister. Charu came and said, ―Since you are not going we might visit the city today itself.‖

―With pleasure, yes,‖ replied Jagan bugged in newspapers.

Charu rang up ITO South Bombay to meet at Taj, Gate of India. They will reach within an hour. As she was preparing to leave Paro came rushing to inform that the chef who had come to serve them had fractured his leg, climbing the cliff on way to the lodge and that he has been sent to the city in the second car for treatment. What food she asked Jagan Sir would like to have for lunch, she will prepare.

Charu knew she prepared good breakfasts, not food, and, therefore, thought of requesting Shano if she could stay back to look after the conferee voyager.

However, she hesitated and discussed with Jagan if it would look proper to do so. As they talked it over, Shano passed by, looking askance.

‗And what is the matter now?‘Shano asked.

‗The chef reported injured has been sent to hospital. Paro is not a good cook,‘ Charu said.

‗Jagan Sir likes my food. You may go, I will look after,‘ Shano said reassuring Charu with familiarity that was her trait. Charu felt easy and then left.

Paro came to know what was to be cooked. Shano told her to get to the kitchen, she would be there shortly.

When she was ready, Shano came to see Jagan, who was still looking into newspapers. As usual she touched his feet, and asked, ‗How was your walk, did you go east or on yesterday‘s track.‘

‗Yes we went east, it was good,‘ replied Jagan, asking her to sit by his side and tell how certain she was about the reform plan, to which she replied she was quite anticipative, provided proper financial arrangements were in place.

‗What have you planned? From where funds will come and how much would be needed,‘ asked Jagan.

‗We cannot evaluate without Neki and Kirpa to do all the calculations,‘ she replied, adding, ‗It shall be the official baby.‘ 395

‗I guess you might be contributing to the cause,‘ he asked.

‗Yes, if he is short of funds and the PM requests me,‘ she replied.

‗Shano, please tell me honest, would you contribute of your own accord and willingly,‘ he asked.

‗Whatever is ordained by my kibitzer guru I would bear willingly and with pleasure,‘ she replied.

‗How long would you continue loading me with your favors? How shall I repay your debts? You are richer than the richest around Nandgaon or even Nekiram and it is your own wealth created by your perseverance and hard work,‘ he asked.

‗You are my ‗creator‘, and all wealth is meager as an offering for a cause emanating from you, this however, is no personal favor, the cause is as dear to me as well,‘ she whispered in his ears.

‗Shano it will be a political decision taken by you Kirpa and Neki; I want to be freed from the burden of sharing a political program with politicians,‘ he asked.

‗Just at a nod I will distance myself from it,‘ she told.

‗No, Shano, try to understand me. I am bound by my conduct apparatus. Future may insinuate me in destabilizing the country, and therefore, I just want to keep away from it except my advice as an expert,‘ he told.

‗Who is naming you as its sponsor, anyway? You will have to shed passing the buck attitude of a bureaucrat if you approve of the original idea of the reforms,‘ she asked.

‗I would have no option than to advice the government if it comes to that,‘ said Jagan looking into her deep eyes.

‗Jagan dear, you are the caretaker of my body and soul, do you dispute it?‘ She asked.

‗Truly no, unknowingly and astonishingly I am so inextricably interwoven with you that I cannot imagine how my self will survive if you were not there. My mind is hooked with you since we were tiny kids, with a sea of difference in our life styles and ways of thinking, yet making it click to the supernatural as one. It‘s a miracle that you always stay live in a safe corner of my mind, without disturbing the equilibrium of my whole existence – my parents, my grandmother, my colleagues, most of whom know you as a big media queen, my wife Charu whom I love and whom you too respect equally well, my kids, almost everybody and everything. What is this?‘ Jagan admitted.

In his subtle silence he glanced through the bunch of newspapers towards her lovely face and appeared to say: Lovely Shano, I beg of you: take my love. 396

Words that stopped at the threshold of his lips; his eyes told it boldly enough though.

‗Ah, my dear, you have taken more than thirty years to grasp the depth my veneration for you. My life‘s existence stands redeemed today. It is the happiest day for me personally,‘ she added taking his hand and kissing it repeatedly.

Angels hovered around the divine couple. Shano phonated her heart, ‗oh, restless ephemeral pluck spirit, stop rhythm beat for a while; I have reached the magnetic fascination of my haven, let me glance it through the glorious moment.‘

‗If my liking you was based upon false notions of persons existing around, I might have carried a feeling of guilt. But the most astonishing fact about my liking you is that it is a wholly transparent relationship ordained by powers beyond me, and is, therefore, natural. There is nothing that I hide from anyone, Charu included. I think our relationship extends beyond physical relations and is therefore, divinely ordained,‖ Jagan added.

She embraced him and tears rolled out of her eyes with outbursts and sobs. She was immersed in the joy of elated ecstasy. After a long embrace she cooled down in his caresses. Her life propelled over his love which interminably he had not candidly acknowledged or envisaged to have prevailed, though he always showed proper respect to her on all occasions. The relationship with one of the country‘s reputed woman in the media possessing both beauty and brains gave him great interest in life. But for him she was the old dumb Shanti, being put to enormous household chores in the midst of acute poverty, who as tiny little girl, had played with him, cried with him, eaten with him, slept with him, played games of teacher and pupil and mummy and papa, explored their bodies in the privacy of the fields and remote corners of the areas where they played, and later as adolescents embraced each other under intense emotional gender attractions. His concerns to lift the poor wretched lonely girl from the environment of a hopeless existence and prompt her to work hard, which advice she takes to her heart as a command from God and proves her worthy of the trust he reposed in her. He recollects the rapturous moments when he saved money from his scholarships to fund her education, and her moments of success in almost every goal he put-on before her. Her stint in Bombay in the service of a newspaper organization and her spectacular success there and her progress in the area of news step by step to create hundred thousand crore worth media house speaks volumes for her stupendous courage, intellect and on her part she achieved all this under the heavenly patronage of her ideal man, the first, the last and the only man to be part of her earthly existence, as also of any other life that might occur after death. She was completely devoted to him. It was an extraordinary relationship that has survived mainly on her devotion to the man, and her vow never to marry any other in her life. Her life was a saga of sacrifices no one could believe a human mortal would attempt and then attain success without clangorous echoes. He realized her unassuming nature has unnerved him and he could not think of ever leaving her shadow. Jagan was conscious of his chequered career and the institutions where he had left records of unsurpassed brilliance and intellectual capability that were justly proud of his achievements recorded for posterity. Today he realized there is at least one person who has definitely excelled over his records of achievements. With his six hundred year estate 397 background and a career the like of which is envy of most men women of the country, she has raised at least a dozen counts over his wealth both in terms of money as well as good will. Look to her humility when she openly declares all her successes have been possible only because of his inspiration and encouragement, part of which, though, was a truth, but how many recount those who encouraged in the background? Her sacrifices for the man were equally astounding. How could such enormous effort go unnoticed? What forces of energy sustained this effort? Jagan realized today the power of selfless love. Love that only delivers and does not demand a morsel of favor. He bowed in reverence to Shano, held her in his embrace and kissed her on the lips for uncounted immortal tranquil moments of heavenly pleasure. Darlings came and blessed the immortals. On her part she was simply doing her dharma. She appeared to proclaim sloka of the eternal Mahabharat, the fifth Veda:

„I raise my arms and I shout ! But no one listens !! From Dharma come success & pleasure ! Why is Dharma not practiced?!!‟

It was spontaneous outburst from the repressed self of an imprisoned soul mate for countless moments of ecstasy and expectations.

9.2

Kapoor Associates, well known architects of the capital have had a number of meetings with MST. Tushar Kapoor was present in office with MST and her financial controller. A bundle of sketches, drawings and detailed design of the proposed office complex were laid before her. MST complex was spread over an area of six acres beyond Chanakyapuri in south Delhi. Within the complex on the south-western corner a personal office cum guest house was proposed to be built independent in all respects, adjacent to the personal residence of MST. Guest house would consist of three room accommodation attached bathrooms, a sitting cum dining area, and three room office, the main office room 19x19 feet adjoined by two rooms on either side for the personal staff, computer, television, telephones, movie projector and other essential sophisticated gadgets and the other one for meeting formal guests. Towards north-east a chic swimming pool encircled by poplar, neem, pipal, Khejadi specially brought from Jodhpur, trees was to be commissioned with perennial fresh water supply. The guest house complex was to be built in a 1500 meter plot with a high rise boundary wall for security reasons. The only access to the guest house besides the main entrance from the north connecting the outside thoroughfare was to be from the personal residence of MST, by a three meter wide turf 398 passage covered by soft grass. The guest house complex would have a large lawn 90x90 feet encircled by bogunvallia and other flowery hedges.

‗I have finally approved the plan. It is for you now to see it is completed within the stipulated time,‘ said MST handing plans to her FC.

‗Tushar you will please see me in my office after this meeting with Madam,‘ FC told the architect.

‗I will,‘ answered Tushar.

‗Tushar I will personally approve the bath fittings, including the jacuzi and sauna systems to be installed. You will seek time to enable me see things,‘ said MST.

‗Yes Madam,‘

Tushar replied, adding ‗I will get in touch with FC.‘

‗No, please don‘t bother him; you seek Maria or Anjali,‘ suggested MST.

‗OK Madam,‘ replied Tushar.

‗Maria, see he gets to reach me when needed, ask Anjali also,‘ said MST looking towards Maria who was present.

‗Yes, Madam,‘ Maria replied gesturing to Tushar to see her.

‗Tushar, I want it to be completed early, thanks,‘ said MST thereupon everybody took leave to leave her except Maria.

The informal manner MST transacted business showed discipline and protocol. She was time conscious and spoke less than hear those who met her. Maria regulated her time. Tushar wanted to meet her after a fortnight. His meeting was fixed for today.

‗The schedule is ready, not much today, you have been invited in the University for lecture; since you always speak extempore I have put few notes about the seminar where you are expected to address,‘ answered Maria. 399

‗Time,‘ MST asked.

‗3.30 In the afternoon,‘ Maria told.

‗There was a phone call from CM office Lucknow. Kirpa ji was on line,‘ Maria informed.

‗Ask him to call back in the evening,‘ MST told.

‗He was to leave for Nandgaon by evening train. I will inform CM office to ask Kirpa ji to call back in the evening,‘ Maria said.

Maria left her alone. MST took Dak pad and looked into newspapers, other files.

‗A journalist couple from Norway is coming to meet. They will reach 11.45 and will be served tea,‘ Maria informed MST.

‗Their background note and purpose of visit?‘ she asked Maria.

‗Its ready,‘ she answered.

‗What else today?‘ she asked Maria.

‗Nothing more, madam,‘ replied Maria.

‗You are scheduled to go for dinner with Jagan Sir,‘ she hesitatingly added.

‗Some papers were to be received by us from USSR, did you spot them, Mr. Gorbachev mentioned about his intention to put in place a credible transparent media effort in place in that great country and wanted us to make it possible. I was thinking to send one of our vice president to explore the possibilities if an honest effort could be started in the post cold war opening up society. Russians, by large, are honest and hardworking people, they have not had the good fortune of having a good ruler ever since Marx put his philosophy in practice. Class wars leading to the rule of the proletariat was good reading in a book, when it was put in practice it failed because the ideology created a kind of communist aristocrats in party hierarchy, who misused the immense power vested in them to further their personal interests rather than improve people‘s lot? Maria would you like to go there and give me first hand report about the project,‘ she asked her confidential secretary.

‗I could go if Anjali can look after you wholly,‘ she replied.

‗Talk to her and see if it‘s possible. It might take a fortnight for you to be away,‘ she said.

‗Yes, madam,‘ replied Maria. 400

Shano‘s life revolved round people seeking her. She was a legend. People talked about her, read her books, editorials, her thought provoking speeches, her ideas moved millions in the country and abroad. Her star status aroused ambitions few could match. The dimensions of the country made her ventures extraordinary successful and money multiplied manifold. Lakshmi was fond of her it heavenly appeared. Scholarships to women students in rural Uttar Pradesh alone spread over 34 colleges benefited about five hundred girls emanated from her trust. There was a pour of girl students wishing to meet her; she couldn‘t meet all those who came, but as many numbers as was possible were able to see her, watch her, get inspired and returned completely changed persons. She spoke little but relevant; her advise to all women was the solitary one she made known to all, ‗get up to rely only upon yourself alone in this world nobody does anything for girls, put marriage and procreation secondary attributes of womanhood; to develop an enlightened woman must be your priority.‘ Her advice off stage or in the media was experience, explore and expand love to wipe out hatred. Woman is the creators of life therefore use discretion before launching the process of procreation. Assert yourself to make life fruitful. That is possible only through love. Hatred is insane. If creation evolves out of love and compassion it would be a much better world. Avoid and expel exploitation. Try to get out of the weaker sex psychology created by your counterpart of the species. Woman is strong sex. Believe in it. Experience it. Enliven it. Avoid being a copycat western lib woman. That is a negative idea. Absolute negation of the other gender is both harmful and useless. Beauty is admired because there is ugliness. Woman is sought, liked and strong because there is man. Don‘t bother for perversions or exceptions. There are lesbians and homosexuals. Human has created his own gods of evil. Yet evil is recognized only because there is good. Better than being good is the goodness. Good is good because of its goodness; else good is skeleton, zero. In cipher is vacuity, void. There is no vibration in vacuum. Vibrations appeared only when vacuum gave way to shapes. That is how world came into existence. That is how it is destined to turn cipher again. The only truth is love. Selfless love is the sum total of our Kalpa-taru tradition. She passed through routine without effort of consciousness. She became conscious only when Jagan appeared in her imagination. Jagan was a phenomenon. It runs through her blood, bones the entire anatomy. That is exterior physical mass. There is something more acute, more apparent, more real, of which the physical mass was only a shadow reflection. That real is the phenomenon. That is Jagan. Jagan only awakens her, invokes her intellect, enrich her soul. That is the real Jagan. Jagan have been her soul mate ever since she was created and shall continue to be her part till she gets deliverance. As a natural corollary of deliverance she will perpetually unite with him as he would likewise do changing the duo into one single organic entity free of death, time, age, analogy or analysis. She therefore, loves Jagan. She cannot imagine being part of someone other than Jagan. He therefore, is a medium for deliverance. To reach a status where one becomes free of the cycle of birth and death, passing through the struggling processes, possessions illusive in nature, and the drama of the relations of family ties, home ties, social bondages, national aspirations through the myriad earthisms culminating in a keen desire to be free from all worldly maneuverings called the ‗lila‘ is natural. Therefore, the desire to reach Jagan is natural. It is apparent. It is transparent. It is pure. Most part of her days is spent in thousand memories of Jagan. When her mind is out of her secular responsibilities she reverts back to Jagan. She sleeps with him, performs daily physical and biological rigmarole of 401 sustenance with him, breakfasts with him, plan her day with him, dresses for him, thinks with him, breathes with him, when in isolation and peace talks with him; talks that never seem to end, the talks over subjects as deep as their soul and life within life, as subservient as butterflies that flutter across her enchanting orchard, or night light flies that move without steering their route and thus colliding with objects coming in their way. She talks about pigeons, peacocks, sparrows, parrots and humming birds; the unique agility of the latter when a cute beige colored humming bird first reach a flower to extract the essence of a rose blossom staying in that posture for many seconds flying in the air with her wings fluctuating and flirting in a matchless sequence no helicopter could perform. She talks about the sharp peak of the small creature by protruding it she penetrates the flower, reaches its essence storage roots and collects the nectar in her smart small body frame which appears to be wonder of nature. In her dupatta she maneours to catch one or at times more than one light flies which saunters around in the garden without any apprehension of being caught or collision and shows it to Jagan. They both wonder what body part illuminates the tail of the creature that looks so attractive to be called as ‗jugnus,‘ firefly or glowworm, which translation of the original fail to convey the sweetness, airy glory that is felt by its original name, ‗jugnu.‘ They talk of the jugnus for hours together. Jugnus are tiny creatures giving so much pleasure to children who spend whole hours in trying to catch them, collect and put in a thin cloth to make quite a light to watch and play with. She commences her tale of girls who like the jugnus spark momentarily to illuminate the lives of boys when they reach adulthood, which trying to seek pleasure out of them catch them and destroy the beauty in the process. She laments the cruelty of the world, of the injustice being done to jugnus by one and all, closing her tale by reverting back to fate that the jugnus have been born with, to illuminate for a while, provide pleasure to man, and reach her end after she has provided immeasurable pleasure. She nods to the feelings shared by Jagan in the same intensity in which it is expressed. He is a whole man. He is a complete man. He is the creator‘s ingenious creation. She prays to her god. She prays not for wealth or riches, nor for real estate or jewelry, not for fame and prosperity, but for the company of her soul mate Jagan, without whom she is incomplete, insane and insecure. It was therefore her dharma to adhere to Jagan, to seek him, to love him to pray for him to worship him. Since he is great deliverer others like her, may too seek him to reach the natural inspirational goal of freedom. She is not bothered about that; there is nothing wrong also about it. Krishna and Radha are the supreme duo in their pre-deliverance avatar, there are innumerable Gopis – Sahacharis seeking Krishna, adoring him, getting bewilder semi-conscious on hearing the tunes of his flute, leaving their mortal belongings to reach him from where the flute tunes emanate and wish to unite with him. Having realized that consciousness her union with him is predestined and preordained she does not seek mundane mortal pleasures. The concept of desire never enters her mind. She reacts to the desires of her soul mate. She performs everything possible to please his emotions desire included if he so wishes. Love is pure giving. It puts no demands. That is its greatness. Her love for Jagan is not conditional. Jagan‘s love for her cannot also be conditional; it is pure and whole for the goal of perpetual unity is preordained and it, therefore, cannot be divisive. He is the source of her pleasure. Pleasure is the consequence of performance of one‘s dharma; Jagan being an organic entity in the performance of dharma is the fountain head of pleasure for her. 402

9.3

The prime minister who introduced the revolutionary economic reforms was ironically convicted for corruption; but the reforms have begun to affect the country‘s climate of change in a big way. Professionalism was being introduced in private sector to meet the urgent requirement of global competitiveness. Economic activity has taken a vibrant mode; new business corporations augured by the technology revolution were being created in collaboration of foreign expertise. Money markets were bullish; the control of government patronage over Indian business was fast loosening and international cooperation in industry was producing better and viable products. The areas that reflected the change range between products and services boosted by information technology. Almost everything was getting bigger and larger. Bureaucracy appeared to accept the change; it reflected in more and more collaborations coming out of the governmental occupancy. There was emphasis on creation of road and rail infrastructure. National highway grids were being created out of hectic road and rail laying processes. Power sector was getting priority it deserved. There were more airports and the fleets of public carriers of air services were being overtaken by private air carriers. Air fares were being drastically reduced inducing people to travel much more demanded by the hectic domestic commercial activity. Fifty per cent of the manufacturing sectors have shown above moderate growth despite various pressures in terms of the appreciating rupee and hardening interest rates. It included sectors like cold rolled steel strips, pig iron, textile machinery, industrial gases, electric fans and microwave ovens. Fuelled by growing fascination of youth towards the fast moving consumer goods [FMCG] and rising income levels the FMCG market in rural and semi-urban parts of the country have risen to a faster pace than expected meeting a total market share of 15 billion. Prudent conservative estimates are emerging economy of India would overtake developed countries including the USA in economic growth by 2050. With intensifying competitive cost pressure, companies across the world would resort to offshore services and manufacturing to lower cost and higher growth economies such as India. One company in five intends to relocate all or part of the European activities outside the region and for this they look forward to the Asian countries, particularly India and China. This change in foreign investor interest towards Asian countries is because high skilled labor power and cost effectiveness coupled by a better ground for R&D activities. Tourists were flocking to India seeing a respite in terror trail brought under control by an efficient army deployment in both the north and eastern sectors. GDP and per capita income was rising gradually higher, giving impetus to further economic activity. Indian companies have reached a status much higher and efficient to appear in a global take over mode. Permanence of the patronized politics of the Nehru era was broken to pieces and governance was being organized on combination and assortment of various political forces leading to coalition governments. Developed nations began eyeing India as the next global business hub and were targeting the country in more bilateral agreements and MOUs.

It was in this background that Charulata Singh was posted to Indian Consulate in United States of America. The two countries were coming commercially closer and it was important to push the trend on sound bilateral ties. Both Umesh and Himgiri were already studying in the States, and for a while Charu liked her new posting. She was picked for 403 appointment in the States by the highest authority on basis of her splendid service performance, reputation and track record.

Jagan was taken by surprise for once; his feelings of a life without Charu centered on things she managed in their house that included almost everything. It was part of a bureaucrat‘s life, however. More important were the matters they both took interest in related to country‘s all round development; a thought crossed his mind about reforms. He got solace she would be nearer her children; Mobile telephony was there to compensate for distance. Transfers are routine; in their past too they have remained few occasions posted separate places. His mind continued to argue; why no one dropped a hint that it was coming. He is part of the apparatus himself; the surprise of it still surprised him. It would be difficult without her, the thought persisted.

Charu‘s posting in US, however, continued to engage him a bit. Shankaran who handled the cabinet approvals of senior postings was his junior and friend it was unusual he would not discuss Charu‘s move with him. It was even more surprising the Cabinet Secretary, who took him into confidence over moves of very senior officers in most ministries, would not even hint about any move regarding his wife. Informal discussions which were normal feature of the close relations between him and the Secretary Personnel went to show it must have either been more secretive just at the political reticence between the PM, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Finance Minister that it escaped bureaucratic knowledge; or else there was some kind of deliberate top level arrangements to keep the move aloof from him. Political appetency also made it improbable he would be excluded from any policy decision including transfer or posting of senior bureaucrat‘s government might be contemplating over any matter involving highest level decisions; political establishment presently included his reliable buddies who have not much changed in so far his personal equations and family matters were concerned. Initially it didn‘t strike him there was anything unusual Charu‘s transfer was affected, transfers were routine and he never gave importance to these; he was sought more than he went in to seek the normal changes. However, as time went by and Charu appeared to shy away from any kind of personal discussion over the matter in their normal exchange of views as husband and wife, Jagan got inkling there was something curious about the move. When he shared his concerns life without her would be difficult, dull and uninteresting, her response was her children too needed her more than he himself now. She was their mother and has every right to be concerned about them, however, the kind of care she seemed to bestow on account of their children looked somewhat out of the way more so since till now she has voluntarily and with her utmost pleasure been relying more upon Shano to take care of the kids including personal care, their maintenance, their needs all that Shano went in doing at her own with utmost care and concern, so much so that both Himgiri and Umesh naturally treated her by confiding more with her than with Charu. For them she was their mother. If Charu rang up Umesh and Himgiri once during the day Shano was on line with both the youngsters, ofcourse a bit more with Himgiri who tended to confide in her foster mother than Charu herself, more than a couple of times during the day; while they rarely rang up their mother at their own, they were constantly in touch with their caretaker foster mother more than they had occasion to talk to Charu. With Charu it was only one way traffic, she calling them every 404 day; with Shano it was both ways and more often the number of times the children called her was more than she had occasion to call them. Infact there has grown a kind of understanding the children would call her more than she calling them at her own. Jagan was particular to reimburse all major expenses Shano incurred for their fee or books, Shano had been mutually given allowance both by Charu and Jagan to present the children with odd kind of gifts they needed and this giving them love through articles of desire they cherished ever went on increasing for which no accounts were either asked for or given. Shano in course of time has come to exercise something like an obvious responsibility to cater to their needs.

In such circumstances Charu‘s concern for the children somewhat surprised Jagan; it was never his way of thinking to allow any kind of misunderstanding between himself and his wife and he left it at that. When man and woman grows in age going beyond their passion of being husband and wife, there comes a time when the mother is more involved with her offspring than with the man who shared their procreation and in such circumstances the man particularly feels not actually hurt but some kind of an unwelcome and an a sudden distance creeping into their relationship. Many men get disturbed greatly by such psychological changes in relations with a person they lived in so thoroughly involved so far; others try to divert their attentions to their work or those with an extra libido seek the third person avenues out of their wedlock. Shano‘s proposed gift of Vaikuntha guest house to her husband perhaps made Charu feel she needs her children more than her husband for whom there was already another person who was there to take care in more ways than she could at any time give herself. She was almost as busy a bureaucrat as her husband and when the passion of it somewhat slows down these things become secondary reflexes only not to be given much thought. Jagan always carried complete transparency in her relations with Shano and there never was anything that appeared to confuse Charu about the relationship; however this time round a tiny thought flashed to him his wife was trying to adjust to a situation none out of the three could perhaps do anything to change the prevailing circumstances. In a hindsight hunch he also experienced a flashing thought transpiring within him and also simultaneously lingering within remote recesses of Charu‘s mind the absolute evil of a child marriage to better which both he and Charu has consistently done all they could possibly do about. He has felt at odd occasions during course of their married life an irritating thought of her being his ex-bhabhi, and a host allied things that go with it, continued to occur more to her as both his and her upbringing emerged out of a traditional Hindu family respecting old ancestry values. May be the transfer was the outcome of this non-irritating pablum; since there was no change in her affections for him he left it at that.

Shano was in Paris when she was informed of it. Anjali informed her of the development since Maria was with her; also Charu rang her up. Shano informed Charu she would be back within three days while she flies to States to meet Himgiri‘s requirements. It would take at least a fortnight for Charu to join her new assignment. Two days before she was to leave they met at farewell dinner hosted by Shano at her residence.

‗It gives me pleasure you will be near the youngsters,‘ said Shano welcoming her guest who was accompanied by her husband. There were no other guests. 405

‗I will miss you,‘ replied Charu.

‗We will miss you too,‘ said Shano, adding, ‗how did it come suddenly, or was there a move?‘

‗Jagan is innocent; I too was not sounded by anyone, though there were rumors someone from the Revenue Service might go to bolster up new wave of Indo-American relations in our consulate there.‘

‗It goes back to your track record as a brilliant officer,‘ Shano said taking her arm caressingly.

‗I am no special; our way of working takes toll of all personal time, then you are expected to work more,‘ Charu said looking towards Jagan who was silent.

‗Your kind compensate for the loss country suffers by majority who enjoy life as well as luxury,‘ said Shano.

‗I don‘t know,‘ replied Charu.

‗We would have to take it the way it deserves. That might be one reason you have been chosen. Developed countries in general and States in particular have lot many products and technologies to be exported, which might have become obsolete for them and look innovations to countries like ours. The right approach and discretion are required to feed the agenda, looking to what and how important any product or policy would be in the long run for us. Environmentalists recollect even now the import of dangerous weeds alongwith the PL wheat imports in the sixty‘s,‘ said Shano.

‗No country makes another great; the effort has to be indigenous and it‘s the sovereign right of any country to judge what is good for its people or the economy,‘ replied Charu.

‗Our future is safe with you there at crucial input base for decision making,‘ said Shano.

‗We will see, don‘t you bother dear,‘ replied Charu.

‗I have both hope and confidence,‘ replied Shano.

‗I go there so that they are reminded of late heroine Kalpana Chawla and new face Sunita Williams, the woman scientist from Gujarat in NASA‘s outer space shuttle who spent more time in space than any American. I go there with a view to remind Americans that every day, scores of busy young Indian radiologists in Bangalore deciphers CT scans e-mailed to them by emergency-room doctors in the U.S. With my arrival in America present generation of Americans might be surprised to find that their dentist or lawyer is of Indian origin, or are shocked to hear how vital Indians have been to California's high- 406 tech industry, or that Indians have now taken up public participation in their democracy to only give them lessons on how to conduct a real democracy, a way of life with Indians. In ways big and small, in research laboratories, key industries, and large corporations or small shop and hotel establishments, Indians are present without whom life would be drab for the hurly burly affluent Americans. Its not an opinion but a startling fact even the President of America couldn‘t camouflage and suppress while he advised youngsters of his great country to either compete with the growing intelligence of younger Indians or slide into back seat.‘

‗That is what we expect from you Kanwaraniji Saheba,‘ said Shano embracing Charu.

‗I have some expectations from you too,‘ said Charu.

‗Your word would be law to me,‘ replied Shano.

‗You are caretaker to both Umesh and Himgiri by option; I now entrust my husband to you, please take care of him. You know he is a busy man; bureaucratic ambience takes a heavy toll of his time. He needs to be looked after; he is very important to us and perhaps the country too,‘ said Charu.

‗It would be complied with; he is equally important to us,‘ replied Shano.

‗I have requested him to move to the regally transcendent guest house you have gifted, please get him here. That would keep me in peace,‘ said Charu.

‗That also was done up with your consent; whatever I possess is yours,‘ replied Shano.

‗God knows how we shall repay your debts; our indebtedness brings you nobility of life. You raise higher up we slide down the veneration reckoning scale,‘ said Charu.

‗I have not been able to repay even fraction of what I owe to Jagan Sir and you, your indebtedness would commence only when I am able to unload huge accumulated chunk from over my bosom, my dear Saheba,‘ said Shano.

‗I pray your perdition is not my yield,‘ said Charu.

‗I am born detached and unbound, in bequeathing and relinquishing is hidden divinity of my humble existence,‘ replied a sublime Shano.

‗We both are part of a heritage intrinsic in our inner selves,‘ replied Charu.

‗That‘s a cumulative Braj inheritance; we share it today and for ever, but let me also take care of my distinctive guest,‘ Shano said leaving to look for Jagan. 407

Anjali was in attendance. She saw her coming looking for Jagan.

‗Sir has moved towards the guest house, Maria has taken him, perhaps he is in the home theater looking up news,‘ Anjali informed her boss.

Shano walked over soft velvety turf of the short passage leading to the guest house.

‗I was held up with Kanwaraniji, how are you,‘ asked Shano reaching side of sofa he was plunged in viewing Doordarshan news.

Maria slipped out as Shano entered TV room.

‗I was updating with news. They appear to worry over Chinese growth. They forget China began opening up two decades earlier, with a state controlled economy change was destined to appear earlier than our democracy,‘ said Jagan.

‗Oh Sir, we have not gathered here to talk politics and GDP,‘ said Shano with a flair.

‗How was Himgiri the day you left; she had bad throat or tonsils,‘ looked up Jagan.

‗She may have recovered, the problem is cold drinks and ice creams that come in innumerable hues and options,‘ Shano replied.

‗Charu having been busy in her farewells for a few days past there was no contact with Hima; she told me you put her on medicines. Your travel may have been hectic this time,‘ Jagan asked Shano.

‗I wished to spend a bit more time with youngsters, my stay in French capital was on schedule,‘ replied Shano.

‗How is the older guy?‘ he asked.

‗He is doing excellent, to tap his father‘s glory might be arduous quintessence for anybody; it was no picnic. He, however, is purposeful and serious,‘ she replied.

‗His health - is he regular?‘ he asked.

‗Every bit of him reminds of you; he too talks little,‘ she replied.

Putting the television off she took his hand to lift him to get to the lounge where Charu was being looked after by both Maria and Anjali. Juice was served. Charu appeared to be relaxed.

A very sophisticated brief puppet show was arranged to entertain the special guests. Such portrayals were uncommon at MST complex. Three episodes were staged; the manual puppet maneuvering was styled with pre-recorded audio narration part prose and 408 part poetry in Brajbhasha specially programmed for the occasion. The first portrayal was part of the epic Mahabharat, depicting Krishna‘s role in enthusing Arjun to come of the stupor of darkness and view the grandeur of the universe in its real manifestation. Ethos of the Indian milieu was beautifully depicted by enumerating the indigenous Kalpataru tradition, the details of which were sparkling truths of human experience. The second belonged to the Kalinga war fought by Ashoka the great Mauryan Emperor after which he realized the futility of violence and turned to Budhism, to prove to the world that human values are soaked up in Indian historical tradition which could turn barbarity into compassion. The third episode depicted the origin of the idea of India as it emerged out of the hoary past changing its geographical names from Jambudwipa, Aryavarta, Madhyadesha and Bharat to India, a name given by the Yavanas who came under Alexender of Greece to exploit the rich grandeur of the golden ambience it relayed. It briefly but cryptically displayed the greed and fascination of barbarians who successively raided it ending with the white colonial imperialists; and it focused on a particular day in the history of India, December 29, 1930, when a hitherto patriotic and secular poet of a vernacular dialect Urdu, born in the Sufi tradition of recent past, who was mentally turbinated by the persecution of Jews in Europe during the Hitlerian era, and gripped by foreboding trepidation of same fate may be meted out to people of his faith in an independent India obviously encouraged by the perfidious and catchy policy of white rulers, spoke before a bizarre meeting of the fragmented Indian Muslim League and gave the idea of Pakistan, picked up and followed by another secular and liberal Muslim barrister. The former was Iqbal; the later Jinnah. The epic and saga of the legend of Bharat overwhelmed and stimulated the viewers.

Shano wished to invigorate Charu of the kaleidoscopic maturity of the idea of India she was going to represent in the most powerful country of modern times. India‘s greatness camouflaged by its long foreign rule and resultant poverty was not much known and even less understood; it was now beginning to be reckoned with again. The show put the small audience in very especial disposition.

‗It was nostalgic to hear and watch our own past in such subtle demeanor,‘ said Charu.

‗It was just to entertain your intellect,‘ said Shano, adding ‗and usher you in party mode.‘

‗Shano‘s ways are innovative,‘ said Jagan after a pause.

‗She is the jewel of the mine named Indian womanhood,‘ said Charu with a grin.

‗The jewel‘s fascination is the result of age old turmoil igniting combustion inside a mine,‘ said Shano.

‗Fiercer the turmoil higher the carat value of the jewel,‘ said Jagan. 409

Anjali appeared with a couple of bearers holding various appetizers. One was Martini.

They opted for their favorite drinks which included fresh juices, juice cocktails and cow butter milk treated with Braj spices normally taken in mornings, soft drinks, lemonade and wines from Burgundy.

Shano didn‘t drink; however, there was a marvelous bar counter for guests she often received from all over the world. The most in situations she wanted to willfully join she took bit of grapevine; she never drinks liquor. Jagan was a ceremonial participant in drinks; save occasional fruit juice and sherry cocktail or champagne in parties he got occasion to unwind. Charu too liked soft drinks and relished English wines occasionally, a past hangover her elitist estate life passed on.

Though her personal suite of the extensive residence bore a simple look, Shano lived in a peculiar style. A local fakir from her village lived in separate quarters with a dozen fowl birds, cock roosters which gave alarm calls at 4 AM each day; she keep no alarm clocks on for getting up early. The three fowl cocks were transported from their regular dwelling on the southern tip of the complex where the fakir lived beside the cowshed where similarly the cow herd couple lived with half a dozen breed cows. The rooster cocks were put in the hen house specially built at some distance from the bedroom that enabled the crowing calls reach madam to realize it was early morning. In the morning the birds were taken back to their house and the night hen house cleaned. Eggs were not part of her dining table menu; the proceeds from eggs went as pocket money to the fakir who was also paid salary besides free lodging. Cows yielded normal forty-fifty kilo milk daily; the breeds included Rathi, Haryanvi and Holstein. To prepare buttermilk and take out cream no machines were allowed. The man‘s wife who kept cows would do it traditionally as is done in all households in the Braj. Shano visited the cowshed quarters at least once to watch the churning and fresh butter-cream preparation. It enriched her sense of belonging to Braj; Balmukund, the darling child prodigy that Lord Krishna was, might have viewed it to taste and splash fresh butter and annoy his divine mother Yashoda.

She spoke Brajbhasha while in company of her own people; with Jagan when they were two in easy dialogue they conversed in Brajbhasha. The huge complex was littered with Kadamb trees, besides the traditional Neem, Pipal, Bargad and patches of fruit groves, mango, guava, grapevines, falsa, jamun and the like. The place was heavily planted and tree groves provided a deep green hue enabling an equally large bird population. Particular areas meant to be maintained for grass lawns were the only patches free from trees. A narrow jogging-walking trail surrounded the whole complex spread over six acres one round stretch of which made 2 kilometers. She used it either in the morning for exercise or after dinner; whenever Jagan and Charu had dinner they never forget the after dinner luxury of walk in the low florescent lighting.

‗I was not as fortunate as Isabela or Reddy or Aftab to be his college day companion, however, I know the delight Jagan Sir got upon the idea of a movie,‘ said Shano. 410

‗Oh, his passion for movies almost equaled one for ingenious studies, I recollect,‘ said a reminiscent Charu.

‗You too appeared somewhat later Charu; the passionate period was between matriculation and college - Agra to Delhi just prior to days when ICS career option braced him; those six years were compact full years,‘ said Shano.

‗More than the idea of movie, it was the spirit of camaraderie and friends that appealed, I guess now in retrospect,‘ answered Jagan.

‗That age is splendid,‘ said Shano.

‗No doubt, those years are golden years of life,‘ said Charu.

‗Shano had a discovery of the age of youth; it still seems to click, I wonder if she has gone over it now,‘ said Jagan looking up to Shano.

‗Yes, I still hold to it; ‗a person at 40 is what he planned to be at 20‘,‘ said she.

‗It has worth, though,‘ said Charu.

‗Would you like to relapse into that misty age, the girls has arranged few old movies, both of you decide which to be seen,‘ suggested Shano.

Both Maria and Anjali appeared with some VCDs and put up before the guests. All agreed on Mahal, a 1949 Ashok Kumar Madhubala classic thriller.

After drinks they moved to the dining hall. Dinner over, they moved to the projector room. Shano asked Anjali to serve juice, ice creams while the guests enjoy movie. Tutti fruittee ice cream was specially flown from California, along with some wines from Denmark and France.

Maria was in charge of everything foreign with MST Times. There was a very quick network of international maneuvering, in most capitals of the world people of the MST Times were active available on hot line. Maria looked after both cargo and messaging at her boss‘s level; for details these were referred to concerned vice-president in the organization. Three IT professionals, two female and one male young in age worked round the clock in the news room at the residential complex; messages of urgent nature were filtered by Maria and then put up before her boss. Each room was inter-connected with audio-video viewing mechanism; if MST wished to talk to either Maria or Anjali they were on line at the push of a button round the clock.

After the movie all three moved towards the new guest house complex to see the arrangements. They then took to the walking lane and enjoyed the end of a remarkably memorable evening with Shano. Anjali presented some gift packets to Charu; a Rolex Oyster lady‘s wrist watch and an imported diamond ear ring neck pendant set. There 411 were no formalities within the three of them; confidence and mutual trust guided the relationship.

‗Thanks Shano dear,‘ said Charu while leaving.

‗It was my pleasure Kanwaraniji, I am thankful to Jagan Sir for accepting my gift which is a gesture of my regards for him on his having been awarded Padma Vibhushan,‘ said Shano looking up to Jagan, adding, ‗please take care.‘

9.4

Two days after Charu left to join her new job Shano flew to Washington to oversee other arrangements. Both Himgiri and Umesh would continue in their hostel apartments. Shano returned after a hectic week in US.

Soon after her return, Shano undertook the change of residence of Jagan to the guest house. All personal belongings and important articles were shifted in her supervision. The most varied were the books that went to the library room; lot books were already stacked by her. The official residence would continue to be occupied by servants and other official employees; it would also house the several guests Jagan received from home and foreign countries. The guest house was exclusive hide out for Jagan only. The only person who could intrude in its privacy was Shano, the hostess, including the trim swimming pool that she shared with him. During summer months hours and hours would be spent in the cool, clean and flowing waters of the pool by the two of them. The change was planned to begin with a Saturday; a superstition lingered in her psyche changes affected on Saturday are regular and permanent. Also it being the last day of the week the occupant would get to enjoy following Sunday relaxing.

It was a major event in her life. She would have her Murlimanohar Krishna in proximity of her amble to see, watch, serve and enrich her life. It was the result of her yearning for almost forty years of her secluded existence. An age has gone by. More ages would move along; time does not stand still. Her physical body would also pass out of life; however she would remain with her idol Jagan, who only could allow her deliverance from the dual existence to merge into him united to become invisible and 412 inseparable part of the whole, the Parameshwar Brahma, the ultimate symbol of compassion.

‗Ah, Vaikuntha, you have really created it here on earth,‘ said Jagan the day he occupied the guest house.

‗It wouldn‘t have been possible without your proclivity, my dear,‘ replied Shano.

‗You are personified Prakrati, the all pro-active force, perennially moving, creating, energizing and activating the still part of me; my role in the matter of creation is negligible, dear Shano,‘ replied Jagan.

‗My entire power of creation and energy is aimed at being united with you in perpetuity; that creative energy is, therefore, derivative of the desire to unite with you and you always remain the pivot that motivates that desire,‘ Shano replied.

‗You are wonderful, Shano,‘ said he.

‗I am a reflection of you,‘ she said.

‗You have surpassed me,‘ he said.

‗Reflection is always brighter than the main theme,‘ she said.

‗I am immensely pleased to see the brighter side of me, feel it, touch it embrace it,‘ said he.

He held her in front of him, watched with amazement the resourceful charming face as if she was an angel come down upon earth to affect his mind as well his soul; she was his soul mate extraordinary.

She kissed him; he held her close to his bosom.

The all round surroundings of the guest house were invigorating. The convenience of living in such lavishly elaborate and furnished abode left him all time to think and work; and the work place provided the company of a fascinatingly glamorous person. He pinched his left hand with right thumb and index figure to see if he was living in a reality. She watched him enact travesty and burst into a low soft smile. It wasn‘t mesmerism; she didn‘t believe in it. Meanwhile the telephone rang trin, trin, trin. She lifted it to tell Anjali to record message for now. It was from Kirpa, the Chief Minister.

‗Since you have named it the guest house would be known as „Vaikuntha‟, the abode of my lord, from now onwards,‘ said Shano.

‗It deserves the name,‘ he said. 413

‗So be it,‘ replied Shano.

‗Vaikuntha,‘ according to Shano, ‗is the one region worthy of praise in all the worlds, which is shining most splendid with its most beautiful and wonderful mansions of the gods and wise men and which is in short a region of divine nature, is occupied by the Lord of the universe. The Vaikuntha Loka is thronged with Vimanas of Vaidurya, emerald and gold, which are visible only to those that bow at His feet; and there women of stout hips and smiling faces do not, by their maddening smiles and other arts, excite the passion of those Muktas who have given their hearts to Krishna. There are some inhabitants who have attained the liberation of sarupya, or possessing bodily features like those of the Personality of Godhead. The vaidurya diamond is especially meant for the Personality of Godhead, but one who achieves the liberation of bodily equality with the Lord is especially favored with such diamonds on his body.‘

‗The Mukta is one whose wish becomes spontaneously realised; therefore, the Mukta is both bodiless as well as has a body. The real truth is that the Muktas, through the force of brahma-vidya, have torn off all corporeal vestures, and have become beings whose mere will is action. Of these Muktas, there is a class who wish to have a body and they assume a body by the force of their mere will. But those who have no desire to assume a body, do not get a body. The Muktas always possess this chit sakti, and always follow the will of the Lord.‘

As evening tea was brought in various snacks were served. Shano made tea herself. Some official papers have been received which was put in his office suite. Shano left to see arrangements for his dinner. Jagan came in his office. There was a long list of persons who wanted to see him; there were some members of parliament, company CEOs, people from mofussil, media and others. Shano has put three personal secretaries to assist the one he had from his previous dwelling to assist her deal with people and papers that flow perennially for his attention. One of the three looked the hotline that connects him to the prime minister and chief secretaries of states. It being his first day at the Vaikuntha, she wanted him to be free from it now; he has given about three hours to the routine.

‗Important is almost over, I will free myself within minutes,‘ he said looking up to Shano who entered the room and looked askance towards him.

‗I am waiting outside, its pleasant there,‘ said she leaving the office.

After a while he emerged and joined his waiting hostess.

‗Hostess! Did you mean hostess, me?‘

‗I haven‘t uttered a word,‘ he replied anticipating response from her mind reading intuition. 414

‗Mr. Cabinet Secretary, Sir, you are no more guest here; you are neither a tenant nor part time occupant and I have the delegated authority by no less a person than Charulata Singh to treat you the way I think is best suited to you,‘ said she.

‗I willingly acquiesce in, madam; Vaikuntha is real or imaginary and I am its regular occupant is an issue that harbor the complexity of life. To remain permanently encased in its bounties appears to be as difficult as to get out and leave it,‘ he replied.

‗Kinkartavyavimurha, confusion confounded? Is it?‘ she grinned.

‗There is ceaseless perpetual expostulation in between Dwait and Adwait; seers engaged in its exploration have agreed to disagree on its realities,‘ he said.

‗No, they agree at the end result of being one; jeeva after having undergone various physical births and deaths ultimately aspires for liberation to get united with parmatma. The other deny there is anything like liberation; to them atma and parmatma are one and indivisible reality,‘ she said.

‗In between appears mayaa, the great enchantress; it‘s almost impossible for jeeva to overlook mayaa,‘ said Jagan.

„Mayaa can only create delusion and delay by ignorance; I agree it is not for ordinary mortals to pass over the intricate mayaa,‘ replied Shano.

‗Alluring fascination of mayaa notwithstanding jeeva still aspire to unite with the Lord Brahma, or Paramatma, whatever you call it,‘ said Jagan.

‗And for those who seek it, it comes,‘ replied Shano.

‗Come it must for both want to unite,‘ replied Jagan.

‗You are my Parmatma and I am your Atma; the two are destined to unite,‘ said Shano tenderly embracing him.

He politely drew her still nearer and kissed her over her tender rosy lips.

‗So how do we celebrate the investiture of Vaikuntha,‘ asked Jagan?

‗As my lord pleases,‘ replied Shano.

‗The weekend propensity sets the pace for celebration,‘ said Jagan

‗Added to it is day next being Sunday, an idea drizzling delights among most bureaucrats,‘ said Shano.

‗You are not only right, also wonderful,‘ replied Jagan. 415

‗Celebration springs from mental attitude followed by suitable environment that is created by feasting over delights,‘ said Shano.

‗Micro delights are appetizers, neat good meals and fruit juices followed by tutti fruitee ice creams; unnumbered rounds of your walking trail around the vaikuntha coming naturally,‘ suggested Jagan.

‗Celebration does not abruptly end there,‘ said Shano with a grin.

‗You may add up to the pleasure of celebration,‘ said Jagan.

Some affection is better understood without being named and spelled out.

Exactly at 8.30 the serving maids arrived with trays full of articles in glittering silver vessels. Shining immune dry glasses were filled with juice - pineapple, pomegranate and grapes. Also served were Cabernet Saungnon, Shiraz, Clairette and La Reserve. There were snacks of sliced cheese spreads, germinated salted and unsalted pulses, lemonades, sliced fruits, and fresh nuts and dry fruits.

Shano made his favorite cocktail. The two of them were in perpetual peace with them.

‗Unaffected you have carried the burden of existence alone on your own without any demands; it makes me diminutive dwarf in front of your behemothic being,‘ said Jagan.

‗It‘s your greatness that you think this way; It wasn‘t possible to achieve anything without your efficacious participation in my life; on the contrary I have an inverse feeling I have been too much demanding,‘ she said.

‗The quantity of space you have created for yourself in society is too gigantic to be obtained single handed; you deserve admiration,‘ said Jagan.

‗At no point of time I felt I was alone; you were always there at hand and call; in fact what I have done was your doing. Without you I might have passed out of life by now,‘ she said.

‗It requires great mental discipline and courage of conviction to tread the path you have covered; I am a subterfuge masquerade only,‘ he said.

‗You cannot evaluate yourself; only others can do it and since I was the affected person I know the umbrella care you spread for me,‘ she said.

‗You are a winner always and so you remain,‘ he said.

‗Take piasticho, these are roasted,‘ she offered. 416

‗Germinated beans are tasty,‘ he said.

‗In retrospect I now see both Himgiri and Umesh are your creations; both regard you as their real mother than Charu,‘ he repeated.

‗Charuji was a working bureaucrat; I was free. Then you gave me inspiration and I felt as if I am their mother and so I behaved,‘ she said.

‗Charu recognize it; in it is hidden her greatness,‘ he said.

‗I regard her as my motivator; if she was negative to our relations, though older it was, I might not have done what you call my doing in life,‘ she said.

‗Both of you are part of me; or I belong to both you and Charu. Charu is my physical caretaker while you are my soul mate, you are caretaker of my sub-conscious ephemeral existence, though at times you intervene in our living perseity too,‘ he said.

‗My cause of being alive is redeemed; I have united with you in perpetuity, Oh Heavens, thanks so much, I have no other desire left now,‘ she exclaimed and embraced him like a creeper.

Shano gave him another cocktail with La Reserve in pomegranate. She took Claivette in pineapple. They have been on the grass for over two hours. She felt hungry.

‗Meals, shall we go in the dining area or ask them to bring here,‘ she asked.

‗Lets us be Brajwasis tonight; eat where we are,‘ replied Jagan.

‗Anjali, ask the maids to serve meals here,‘ Shano ordered.

The maids came with light weight cane dining table and two chairs and arranged under a dim lighted space reserved for such occasions. Dinner was brought and served.

Jagan was a miser in eating; he however was delighted by the variety and taste of the meals. His take of the ice cream was fulfilling. The dinner reminded him of his Nandgaon Haveli menu, particularly the Braj flavor in everything served for the occasion.

‗Leisure walking over the trail was both invigorating and relaxing; your company has added to its romance,‘ said Jagan.

‗It would be routine now onwards,‘ said Shano.

‗Vaikuntha would really be heaven,‘ he said.

‗It‘s meant to be so,‘ replied Shano. 417

Hand in hand they crossed over the soft turf towards his bed room. Shano left to change. As he lay in the cozy comfort of a splendid bed she quietly slipped in his bed over his left side, the way she used to glide as a kid. They made love in prodigious pleasure and had a divine sleep, like of which they had never ever experienced.

9.5

A fortnight after Jagan resumed his duty, the premises of the Minister for Communications were raided by the CBI sleuths and cash worth about nine crores was recovered, besides record of huge assets. Though corruption was all pervasive stray raids and particularly the CBI appeared to work as if all was well with the system to keep conscience of the country. However, the credibility of the government of the day was going down the drain. The minister concerned was arrested and pleaded not guilty alleging that it was a conspiracy. A week before, the chairman, board of revenue, Bihar, was arrested accepting a bribe of three lakh rupees; upon investigation and subsequent raids property worth six crores was unearthed. The amount of black money running parallel to the official money in circulation was enough to repay the country‘s total up to date debt liabilities plus interest over it payable to the international institutions and loaning countries. Such incidents made headlines one day; next day these were forgotten. The colossus of a country that is India continued in its own way of life. There were starvation deaths, disputed by the government of the day, the deputy commissioner telling the country the disease that killed the persons. The incidents of rape and criminal assault on women were brutally increasing. The girl child ratio to per thousand population came down to as low as seven hundred in some areas. Agriculture was the slave of faulty natural calamities and farmers were committing suicides. Higher savarna caste outfits that were in the ruling elite a few years back were taking the state to ransom to allow reservations for jobs that were not in existence; even those in employ were not paid regular salaries.

On a humid August day two significant unrelated incidents occurred. A Member of Parliament was publicly reprimanded and punished for taking another woman as wife on a pleasure trip which revelation came from no one other than wife of the MP herself. Only a few months back a prominent member of parliament belonging to a national political party was arrested while duping with another woman declared as wife in a case of human trafficking. In an interesting observation the honorable speaker of Lok Sabha, himself a veteran parliamentarian, observed clean slate that India‘s children are more 418 disciplined than members of parliament. Admittedly the incidents may be, one hopes, exceptions; however, entry by criminals in politics is being encouraged by almost gate- crash approach and what is more critical no one including the host party is perturbed about it. As in love silence connotes approval, it may be surmised their calm is indicative of their ineptitude or unwillingness to restrain it. Where will it lead to is counterbalanced by the youth of the country who seem to have taken the challenges on its face with bravura and tenacity? Educated young men all over the country are taking to odd jobs in the private sector progressing fast in their careers, keeping in mind the people‘s voice poll undertaken by the world economic forum that no person the world over harbor expectation ever to get the promises made by any politician fulfilled. Perturbed and grieved by the inefficacy of the police people have taken to night patrol their business establishments themselves. Small private business enterprises are flourishing. The country still harbors poverty; the young spirit however, is profusely visible in the fact that young and versatile Anil Ambani‘s per minute income is accounted to be 15 lakhs, which group is in reckoning the world over which the country is proud. The times when stories of brain drain of Indian youth to western countries found top place in all forums have now completely changed; Indian companies in England are giving employment to thousands of Brtishers in their new foreign ventures. Employment generating profile of the world, India is second only to America; in domestic profile thousands of foreign experts are taking up jobs that give them satisfaction.

Not only employment opportunities to foreign nationals Indians abroad are destined to turn quite some of the white cities to brown hue. Big cities like Leicester and Burmingham in England and California and Los Angles in the United States of America are likely to turn brown by the coming mid-century. White Britons are destined to be a minority in their own cities. Likewise Muslims in India would loose their minority status not in the distant future if the rate of their population growth continues to speed at present levels, while per cent age of the Hindu population is likely to fall down appreciably in the times to come. Demographic changes in some parts of the world would change the way people think in coming centuries. The world, once appeared so large, is destined to be like a village while people shift residence to colonies set apart in many satellite planets of the globe. Global tourism has already made a humble beginning and there is bound to be an interesting overall growth in the area, with the establishment of space cities.

In India, however, still more is needed to be done. It is a critical walk over tight rope to meet demands of coalition politics and introduce envisaged reforms so very necessary to take the country ahead. If netas could think big and stop distributing loaves and fishes in the guise of affirmative benefits to selective sections of society by way of indiscriminate discretion of quota reservation sops for jobs that nowhere exist and educate people the temporary steps like reservation would hardly meet the challenge, it would be a different country. Instead of storming the well of the legislature to disrupt proceedings if the netas divert their colleague‘s and the country‘s attention to the problems people are facing and suggest measures to improve the rot it would be a different country. If netas could welcome the honest committed Indian youth into politics in place of the money and muscle strong mafia leaders India would be a different country. 419

The stage appeared to be ripe for a movement of reform to take place in the wake of the coming general elections in the country.

Disparities appeared to outscore disunity. Laxminarayan Sharma a teacher in a basic middle school in Nawabganj was daily going to school six kilometers away from his village on foot. Seven years of service with hundred per cent honesty allowed him to save ninety nine rupees, and the bicycle he wanted to buy to daily up-down from his village to school will cost hundred and six rupees. Two months free teaching the local Bania‘s son brought him a loan of fifteen rupees at a monthly interest of 2 percent. He then purchased the cycle, continued wading the zigzag village fair-weather pathways for rest of his life and retired at the conclusion of 40 years of dedicated service, with two daughters still to be married. The loan of fifteen rupees went up to an amount of six hundred rupees that he was able to repay on the day of his retirement from funds he received as gratuity. His wife died of tuberculosis three years back. He was still, at his retirement, struggling to contract tuitions to marry off his daughters. In the nearby city of Jaipur there was Suneet Mehta, a third class B.A., who, through the ladder of the harem culture became a teacher in a private college, and within three years established a fake university, rewarding degrees to the unemployed millions, making seven crores in just five years duration. When his fake university was caught running from the upper floor of a flat of two small rooms, Mehta had properties worth eight crores, with which he went underground, never to be recognized as vice chancellor of the Vinoba Bhave University.

S.P. Singh, an honest state service officer in Bihar‘s Rohtas District, was serving as the city magistrate in the district town. He was allotted a government quarter three kilometers away from his court buildings. He use to cycle to his office. After a service of eleven years he applied for a loan to buy a motor cycle and got it in one years‘ time. He purchased a used motor bike second hand and kept it cleaner than his clothes. When he rode his way to the office he felt as if he was driving a Rolls Royce and after thirty three years he retired with his motor bike intact, always spending an hour on its upkeep, oiling and greasing it regularly. In the adjoining district of Patna was a district excise officer, Muzaffar Hussain, with a total monthly commission of nine lakh rupees collecting from the producers of illicit distillation in the ravines after payment of one lakh rupees to his superior officers as regular pay offs each month. This was besides the extra income of about a lakh of rupees from the monthly raids he conducted to extort bribes. He had three cars, two scooters and a Wlly‘s Jeep to travel in the district, besides his official vehicle. He has three houses in Patna with a value of three crores, and had business partnerships worth twenty crores. When Muzaffar Hussain was posted in Sahasram together with S.P. Singh, whose reputation traveled faster than him, as the city magistrate where Hussain has to produce illicit distillers for remand, both encountered each other, Singh on his 1954 model motor bike, and Hussain in his brand new Willy‘s Jeep, for he changed his vehicles every year, there were mixed feelings on both sides. Such disparities were common to be seen around, the only comforting scenario being the dwindling survival of officers whose integrity was intact despite the odds of life.

Adivasis residing in the Kishenganj area are solely dependent on the forest produce for their livelihood. With the depleting of areas under forest cover the survival of the 420

Adivasis is in danger. Every year many poor Adivasis die of starvation. Besides forest produce the other means of their livelihood is agricultural labor which prospect is also fast depleting because of the mechanized harvesting of crops they are loosing jobs. Their poverty had given birth to a flourishing personal banking business under the weight of which they are all beasts of burden, their meager lands having been mortgaged to the personal bankers. The deaths many times go unnoticed; at times the opposition political outfits, with the sole objective of gaining political mileage from the reported incidents cry foul and a war of words begins over the innocent deaths mainly to get sympathies of the local populace with an eye on votes. The government machinery moves and medical teams are rushed to prove the claims by the state and its bureaucrats that the reported deaths were due not of starvation but other prevailant diseases with which these people are suffering and do not even reach the hospitals to obtain medical aid. The government of the day fails to inform that the hospitals and primary health centers are running only on paper to draw public money for distribution as salary and other bills, the real position on the spot is that the buildings in hopeless condition does not have the doctor or medicines as claimed and are in the care of a part time nurse, who also comes once in three days and stays for a few hours only. In other areas of Adivasi population in Dungarpur, from where hundreds of persons are working in the gulf countries and need to regularly send money to their families back home, necessity has created an army, consisting of the Adivasi young persons moving on motor bikes, to deliver money under the Havala transactions. Even many Adivasi women are actively participating in the lucrative business of the Havala trade, under the nose of the police. In the Havala parlance twenty thousand rupees are called twenty pen, or twenty chocolates, or twenty buttons and amounts more than a lakh are called a match box. Recipients of fifty thousand are bound to give a receipt of having got fifty pieces, which receipt is faxed to the Havala dealers in Gulf countries for accounting purposes. These Havala traders possess modern arms to defend themselves and their trade, of which the Adivasis are a part and parcel.

The disparities in the life of people are hopelessly unaccountable; they, however, co- exist with the wonderful truism of unity within diversity, a unique feature of Indian life. There is an underlying unity of purpose spread through the length and breadth of the vast country. The whole mass of Indians throng to the holy rivers for devotional baths in Ganga, Narmada and Kaveri to gain access to washing the sins committed in this life and aspire to reach Swarga, the heavens. The whole multitude from south to north aspires to reach Amarnath, Kailas and Mansarovar to have darshan of the heavenly abodes of Bholeshankar Lord Shiva. The entire north Indians aspire to pay homage to Gods at the Meenakshi-Sundareswarar at Madurai, Tirupati Balaji in the south, and other Indian temples at the twelve Jyotirlingas, Somnath and Onkareshwar. The stories of the same Gods, Ganesha, Shiva-Parvati, Ram-Sita, Hanuman, Sri Krishna-Radha and the same epics of Mahabharat, Ramayan, and the Bhagwat Gita inspires the core of the people from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. It has been so through thousands of years of their life in the subcontinent. Every morning one could encounter a Gaya Prasad in Brijmandal, a Subramanium in Tamil land, a Mohanty in Orissa, going for his daily morning walk with a handful of foodgrains and grain floor, spotting ant homes on the pavements and feeding the creatures daily with out fail. One could perceive in the thick of old bazaars in Mathura, Jaipur, Ujjain, Travancore or Podicherry, food grain heaps for sale to feed the 421 birds in their vicinity and hundreds of flocks of birds - sparrows, pigeons, parrots, crows, and the like flocking around too eager to get their daily feed. Where else could one find people, particularly the Jains, walking with brooms in their hands to ward of any creature that creep their way and being killed under their foot? Begging is a sham but where one would encounter a beggar who was forced to the option of begging because he refused to steal and become a thief; and with a begging record of forty years in a metro city the same beggar would undertake the responsibilities of a man of society and educate two of his sons who would become a doctor and an engineer. Such practices are jewels in a world full of crime and violence. But alongwith where else could one find mothers selling their children out of acute shortage and poverty? Where the girl child ratios per thousand of population dip as low as 700? Where one could find the mushrooming growth in clinics with facilities of sonography to scan the sex of the baby to be born and in case of the baby being a girl it would be murdered by her own parents even before she was born? Where else one could find tiny boys and girls being engaged to be married while they are still in their cradles many of whom would be widows and widowers searching for life partners to be bartered again by their parents. All Indians love to throng the multitudes of temples daily, read and learn the same history of their kings like the legendary Vikramaditya, Bharthari, Ashoka, Chandragupta, Rajaram Chola, Akbar, Shivaji, Surajmal, Pratap and their exploits, observe almost the same festivals and crop harvesting seasons, wear the same kind of clothes – Dhoties for man and Saries for woman, follow the same family traditions of respect to the Gurus, the teachers, elders and love and compassion to the needy and the poor, enjoy the same cycle of seasons and their bounties, dream and create the same kind of literature through different languages, see the same movies and cinema shows, and now aspire to reach the top by way of advancement in the fields of aerospace and hi-tech information technology revolution. It is a fact of life in India. Though language changes at every fifty kilometers, the ethos and aspirations of Indians find no substantial change and remain the same through out. Despite the pernicious caste system and fight for the scarce state jobs the spirit of life that moves all Indians is the same.

Confronting dual identity of Indian nation – disparities and unity in diversity – is a new menace, modern in semblance though feudal in concept, threatening its existence, terrorism, from within and outside the country. There are Naxalites, Marxist war groups, separatists, Naga insurgents, Maoists bordering Nepal and Muslim terrorists in and out of Jammu & Kashmir. Terrorists are aided and abetted by foreign countries. Terrorism began with the birth of the Republic in 1947, an ugly left over of the partition of the subcontinent amid extreme hatred and human sacrilege. To understand this abhorrent feature a peep in the past for an objective analysis is needed. Democracy allows a certain amount of freedom of speech and also action. During the freedom struggle non-violent as well as violent protests persisted for decades till the country became free. Such protests were for a national cause and sprang from the peoples‘ aspirations aroused by leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi. Post freedom governance appeared to slip down from lofty ideals of nation building by sacrifice to personal greed. It created an artificial barrier between aspirations of masses and the ruling elite, few in numbers whose work culture flourished on sycophancy, harem culture and political game, alienating large chunk of disgruntled masses from governance. Such disillusioned elements, over a period 422 of time, and abetted by the interested foreign forces, embraced terrorism to avenge their disgust with prevalent system. Tactless mishandling of separatist forces by rough shod security forces and an arrogant political leadership gave them unity and resolve. The imbroglio continues with added vigor and violence. Basically all extremism is born and perpetrated by economic reasons. Kashmir terrorism was the result of two communities being put through a historical confrontation.

India is one major country of the world that has not undertaken any attacks militarily on any other foreign country. On the contrary India had been the target of attack from foreign barbarian military brigands, mostly from the north-west – the Arabs and the Turks. By and large Indians are peaceful, God fearing, religious and intellectually inclined. They had never shown any liking for militancy; that may itself explain why it was repeatedly attacked, ransacked and humiliated. During the Middle Ages those military adventurers who attacked India settled here and in course of time were assimilated in the Indian milieu. But since foreigners who came to rule here belonged to a different faith, which had no place for non-believers, which element of some Turkish rulers, obviously a minority, clashed with the vanquished majority Indians who were historically called Hindus, and this clash of cultures was intensified, over a period of time, by periodical intolerant dictates issued by rulers, as during reign of Aurangzeb. Though victors settled here and become Indians like the rest of the majority and some amongst them, like legendary Akbar, were religiously tolerant also; a minority ruling elite imposed secular and temporal restrictions over majority Hindus under influence of fundamentalist elements which was counter productive and gave birth to similar forces within the majority community being ruled. Muslim terrorism is child of this antagonism.

Sufism, one of the finest human thought is a product of this meeting of different faiths.

In this background the role of the next foreign rulers who replaced Moghuls in India, pursued a policy of fostering further disunity amidst already divided minorities and the majority, both of whom became the ruled ryots. The new rulers were also frightened by the prospect of the vanquished later Mughals redeploying and regrouping themselves to regain their lost empire renowned world over as golden bird, which fact further put them on alert and prompted them to pursue a policy of divide and rule, particularly after the 1857 uprising, termed as the first war of independence in India. Upon independence came the partition of the country based on the two nation theory that left a long lasting hatred between the two communities. Pakistan vying to take Kashmir struck the first terrorist attack on India. Some politically naïve decisions by the new rulers of independent India further complicated matters and Indians have a regular Kashmir problem being fuelled by cross border terrorism, affecting the whole country.

Essentially the cause of all separatist activity Naxalites, Marxists, Terrorists or Maoists is closely linked to economic reasons resulting in the professionalization of the criminals fueled by the lucrative revenues from sale of drug trade and sophisticated weaponry. The fact of the matter is that militancy has come to be the way of life of many criminals in the guise of self rule and autonomy. In some parts of north India, Bihar and 423

Eastern Uttar Pradesh, there is still another kind of terrorism linked with land reforms and caste-communal rivalry, sometimes also called the caste wars, and there are regular terrorist outfits armed with crude weapons, calling themselves armies. Then there are pure and simple dacoit gangs operating in many parts of the country. At some places such as western Uttar Pradesh, particularly Muzaffarnagar, sometimes dubbed the criminal capital of India, people of criminal nature take it as a right to exploit, kill and rule the rust. The police are as usual ineffective. The image of the police continues to wriggle out of its extortionist appearance, despite some brave and honest officers manning it.

Now when most countries of the world are moving towards establishment of market economies, dismantling a world power of pre-cold war era USSR, globalization is fast trimming the idea of state doing business; market forces are pushing in individual enterprise in private sector. India has taken it seriously. Despite the official promotion of the public sector centrally controlled economy India remained a wholesome country of shops. India has the highest density of shops in the world: one shop for every 20-25 families. 96 % of shops in India are below 500 sq. ft., comparatively number of shops per thousand people in USA – 4, UK – 5, Singapore – 4, India – 11 and in Delhi it is 45 shops per thousand persons. Only 2% shops are in the organized sector, where 0.5 million people are employed in organized retail market, while 40 million people are employed in unorganized retailing. 50 % of India‘s population is self employed; many of them take to petty retail trade; the process may result in squeezing out the unorganized small retailer. The lesson, however, is there already exist a great indigenous sense of market economy in the country, unsponsored and unorganized but quite large in proportion. If half of the more than a billion people are self employed and could manage to run the maximum number of shops per thousand populations who cares for the state imposed centralized economy or the principles enunciated by Noam Chomsky and his privatized tyranny, or Adam Smith‘s labor mobility theories.

This change may be unpalatable to bureaucracy. It affects their status and the constitutional guarantees available to them about their accountability to no one except to themselves. The fight for reservations is the fall out of the non-accountability enjoyed by services, by making one who ‗obtains‘ a state job is proud to assume the pivotal role of a state ‗son-in-law‘ and son-in-laws does not work or are never asked questions. This psychology has percolated to the youth, who want paid without any work output and corresponding accountability, plus earning extra wealth proportionate to their job. If people want to work, who restrains them from joining the burgeoning private sector job market where one has to deliver same day under hire and fire policy of market forces? It would thus appear that there are two contributing factors responsible for the decay in society by abdicating their obligation to work sincerely earn one‘s living: one the caste and two the politics of vote. Both are dividing the society and doing utmost damage to the body politic of the country. Caste instead of being a storehouse for the cultural upliftment of its members has now come to disintegrate the unity of the country. Politics of convenience is at play otherwise those who are termed as BCs are more enterprising than the OBCs or either of the two. Even amidst those who are backwards, there has come to be recognized a creamy layer, proving beyond doubt that the period of protective discrimination as provided by the framers was sufficient enough to put them at par with 424 rest of the society. If the dwarf politicians want the society to take u-turn in social chemistry it is certain Brahmins will become modern Sudras in course of time. Already such members of the castes under protected discrimination who has made up to the top services are agog with the offers of highly placed Brahmin girls for matrimonial relations. There is nothing wrong in that. It is an encouraging scenario. Demon of caste shall be annihilated. But indefinite protectionism might be counter productive to the society as a whole in the long run. In efforts to round off the previous czars you create lot more new czars; the efforts would appear to be lackluster, hence the cry of modern Brahmins and Rajputras to be included in the list of the OBCs. Infact some Sc leaders have totally opposed the concept of reservations for the weaker sections, which according to them would become still weaker if the state continues to provide crutches by way of reservations. Those responsible to govern do not care a damn to provide reservations to the section of society that not only deserves it but need it very badly – the women. After all it is a man‘s world!

The latest move was to introduce reservation in the private sector. Indian politics appear to be entirely dependent over caste reservations is an irony of political parties, whose numbers synchronize with the strength of leaders in the country. The greedy diminutive netas want votes; such slogans were the surest means to obtain it. It was a matter of serious debate; to pollute individual enterprise with such rotten concepts of creating illusions to demean and destroy the very spirit of entrepreneurship is needed? Instead of providing robust shoes to walk don‘t provide them crutches, let the unemployed face the market conditions and adjust them to fit in the scheme of things. That will make them both efficient and self sufficient. If need be give them financial support to study and opt for careers they want and compete.

A fiery new wave of indigenous origin is about to touch Indian horizon; youth of lower caste communities are going to disown the reservation quotas and compete openly. Sixty years of work in tandem with others have infused them with a resurgent confidence; they feel they are equally capable, if not better qualified, to compete with others. It is an affront to hypocrite, vote seeking quota oriented neta. A meteorite grassroots Sc leader is fast emerging on the socio-political horizon; Kirpa Gadariya of Nandgaon, the indomitable sc leader from Uttar Pradesh, is appearing invincible with his 3-P agenda: no reservation, no foreign jobs and no foreign interference. Kirpa‘s 3-P agenda was getting popular and this new swadeshi movement was proving nightmare to top traditional leaders of the country. Unconfirmed sources say Kirpa is closely associated with the media baron Padam Shrimati Miss Shanti Trivedi, the exalted MST. Who would confront the invincible lady and her dynamic ideas?

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9.6

There was an upsurge in activities at Madam Shanti Trivedi‘s residential complex. In her official circles Shano was known as MST; her group of media ventures was widely known as the MST Group in India and abroad. She moved more frequently out of her residence attending meetings, social engagements, inaugurations, statutory parliamentary committee meetings, government appointed panels and seminars. All three of her vice presidents, in charge of daily group of newspapers, periodical magazines and electronic media and television, would present themselves for daily briefing at exact eight o‘clock in the morning. Each VP was responsible for human relations, news editors, coverage, appointments and disciplinary proceedings, besides revenue generation. Money management was looked after by her Finance Controller-FC, who carried lot of clout in organization and was ranked number two after MST. The session took almost an hour to review the work done yesterday and chalk plans for the day. They also discussed day‘s engagements, including visitors both domestic and foreign that she has to meet. At 9 AM both her Hindi and English stenos took dictation for the important communications emanating from her. At 10 AM her Finance Controller arrived with his papers, after which, if there were no guests or important visitors to be received she would straight leave for her office. Often times she carried her FC to office in her vehicle entourage. She was often accompanied by foreign dignitaries or personal guests for lunch, except when Charu and Jagan were her guests others would not be invited.

Shano‘s life was regulated by two women secretaries, Maria and Anjali. Maria dealt with foreign guests, English correspondence, electronic media and television, foreign tours, official engagements including central and state ministers, PMO, Rashtrapati Bhawan, state capitals, chief ministers etc. Maria Albuqurque was from Pondichery and was proficient in six languages besides Hindi and English. She lived in a bungalow in the MST complex, was given a car with a driver and worked 14 hours. Her husband lived in Sagovia 4 hours distance from Madrid, Spain. They lived previously in Pondichery, her husband having shifted after she got linked with MST. She is profusely paid and relied upon, the later being main attribute which makes her position both enviable and long lasting. She was recommended to MST group by French ambassador, where she worked previously. Maria has done her graduation from New York, and a secretarial course from Ohio, United States. Maria often accompanied MST on her foreign tours. She understands and keeps track of her Madam wherever she goes; however, the only exception Maria does not cover or know anything about is her relations with Jagan and Charu.

Anjali Gaekwad, picked up from her Bombay days, looks after her domestic affairs including NUTC, Hindi newspapers, local and village level visitors, Kirpa, Nekiram, Nandgaon persons, her household management, overlooking the servants, drivers, furnishings, repairs and the kitchen. She stays in a house in the MST complex and has two vehicles at her disposal for herself and for domestic needs, market, vegetables, kitchen requirements, and movement of servants, goods and material during day or night. She is in charge of MST garage. It has nine vehicles, besides the two that are busy with Anjali and house upkeep. There is a Z-class security cover provided to MST by the 426 government. They too are under Anjali‘s care. Anjali is purely indigenous, honest and round the clock worker. She is vegetarian and strictly religious, having staunch faith in destiny and God minus the ritual or superstition. She knows about her Madam‘s bureaucrat friends, but not much; the only relevant element of it is she is prohibited to either know much or talk about it. And she is honest to her mistress to the point of no return, therefore she stays.

Maria was busy for MST‘s New York tour and her itinerary. She was to address the UN General Assembly, nominated by India as part of the special session beginning Thursday, 21st May. She has besides more than a dozen public and media functions to attend, including one at the University of Pittsburg, where she was to be conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters. Her speech at the United Nations General Assembly was widely cheered and acclaimed as a rare piece of Indian intellect:

‗Mr. President, Ladies and Gentleman,

‗I feel greatly honored for being called upon to speak in this august assembly. On behalf of my countrymen and on my own, I sincerely wish the United Nations the very best of triumph in fostering peace and speeding up its gigantic humanitarian work to help women and children of the underdeveloped world.

Way back in 1957 a great Indian intellectual diplomat Krishna Menon addressed this august Assembly thus: ‗we are an old country but a new nation. Against that background, one approaches the United Nations not as from a vacuum but in terms of the successes and the failures of its predecessors. The United Nations was founded, while war was raging, by those who could see further than the events of that time in order that peace might reign in this world and that this comity of nations might not be a holy alliance of good nations and of bad nations, but a universal society where the differences between sovereign countries, with their different historical backgrounds and civilizations, might be expressed in such a way that their diversities would make them a common richness.‘

We have since traversed pretty good ground my country having passed through vicissitudes of governing experimentation culminating in real democracy whose antecedents goes back to many centuries past. History stands proof that we not only preach peace but practice it; we have never ever invaded any other country. History will again vouchsafe that innumerable greedy people invaded us; some got ultimately mixed up in the great ocean of Indian milieu while others escaped with rich booty. Of course we invented different ways to conquer empires and continents; our wisdom and ideas of peace reverberated through length and breadth of the world from the dawn of civilization. I therefore, salute this august body whose main theme hinges around peaceful co- existence; 1.1 billion people, however, still wait and hope to be permanently linked with decision making of this organization.

Cold war era of post war world have given way to still more destructive age of cross country terrorism often encouraged by rogue organizations and even states at times in the guise of people‘s right to claim and determine territorial integrity. We have not 427 only not been able yet to raise a standard fool proof united defense mechanism against terror, we appear to be divided too by adopting different standards depending upon the locale of such attacks; India having been the target of terror for a long time has been very vocal in pointing out to the world that terror cannot be differentiated over the locale of attack and therefore, whole world should be united to counter the threat of terror. I wish the United Nations to take it seriously and reach consensus to meet this danger; the possibility of nuclear weapons reaching the armory of rogue terrorist organizations cannot be ruled out for ever. India‘s position with regard to nuclear disarmament has also been very consistent – destroy all weapons of mass destruction; nuclear deterrence is an obsolete concept. Though we have nuclear bomb; we are prepared to dump it the moment all powers big and small dump their complete arsenal simultaneously. Nuclear deterrence is nothing but another way of proliferation of these weapons. If one state does not have it, the opponent state may not require having it in its arsenal.

The most commendable role this august organization is playing is in the area of development of those people‘s of the globe who have been left out of the race for no fault of theirs. Poverty, hunger, education, public health, agriculture and a host of other critical areas are under focus and this great effort is being run by United Nations in a need based manner. However more needs to be done to underdeveloped economies. There are people who sleep hungry. There are children who have yet to go to the school. There are children who are undernourished. There are children who are innocent as budding flowers but are abused. There are children whose childhood has been robbed by working to feed their families. Then there is the girl child; skewing fetuses have turned the wombs into tombs. The woman aghast at the treatment meted out to her gender on matters of equal keel with man deserves better lot. She is on way to claim equanimity in matters of her choice of marriage, vocation, education, property ownership and as responsible citizens of the governing process through out the globe. United Nations stands as a beacon light to members of the feminine gender in matters of her contribution to enrich humanity. These efforts need to be coupled with both speed and money. I appeal to all member states to give faster motion to regulate lives of the better half of the world and allow them their due share in shaping their destiny. This world owes so much to her; she is mother, affectionate colleague, wife and daughter. Without her creation and creativity is impossible. She needs to be treated with equality and honor.

Without being threatened by speculative warning of the doomsday knights we need to be careful to maintain the much needed ecological balance and green house affect. Global warming may be taken a problem to be dealt by cumulative efforts of all member states with the seriousness it deserves. We are bound by commitment of inheritance to leave a greener and safer world to our children of the future. Tsunamis and natural disasters notwithstanding I have hope that we as team of humanity would take proper care to keep it a safe place to breath and live in harmony with nature for our safe and healthy future.

Technological innovations and globalization of our economies involving industry are taking faster strides to remove distances and make it look like one world. Yet there are villages and cities which appear to be confronting each other. There still remain wide 428 space in between the rich and poor. There are noticeable parameters and measurable disparities in between the life styles and living standards of citizens in the developed countries and the underdeveloped ones. We earnestly hope that under the aegis of the United Nations these disparities and varying life standards would be eliminated and people all over the globe would be facilitated to live a reasonable civilized life. For that I suppose was one of the many attributes of agenda when this great organization was set up.

In my humility of being a person of the impuissant gynic of an underdeveloped country comprehensively trying to improve the lot of its citizens and particularly the women who have been given equal status in many more areas of activity including the political sharing of power which quite a few sister states still pine to attain, I appeal to honorable members to stand united in giving their life partners, their mothers and sisters a sumptuous sharing of life and its wide spectrum of activities so as to make it rich, richer and still richer.

Thanking you all. Namaste – Jai Hind.

There was thunderous applause for an extended spell of time. Her speech was as dazzling as her person.

9.7

Nekiram Sagar, the senior most cabinet minister of the union government was a busy person, carrying more clout of wielding power more than the prime minister. Though a man of few words, he carried a broad mindset for matters of party organization. He carried a reputation in bureaucracy that bothered every babu. Long years of association with NUTC interacting with central bureaucratic establishment made him learn much about the way they function. He appeared to have learnt the deftly art of maneuvering in the governance of the country. He was flexible as a bow and as explicit as an arrow. Nobody understood better than him the deprivation and wretched poverty his fellow citizens had undergone in past and fully exploited it to gain popularity. He was a real leader of the masses. The role of MST and Kirpa in his meteoric rise was immense and there was no newspaper in the country that did not go to please him. Besides Shano, who by her magnetic charm attracted people‘s faith and confidence Nekiram also learned the art of winning over people by his unassuming nature He learnt to have no qualms about the prevailing system. He avoided directly summoning Jagan on official encounters 429 except in cabinet meetings, though Jagan never felt shy of showing him due courtesies that he deserved as a political boss. When there was need he walked to Jagan‘s room. Jagan saw his positive ingredients as a politician who was growing into a leader who could deliver. His belief in the innate goodness of his virtues accompanied by faith reposed in him by shrewd MST, Jagan, without being too much inquisitive Okayed the reform plan to be discussed between her and minister-politician friend. Prompted by PMO at Nekiram‘s initiative there had been enormous home work done by the cabinet secretary with secretaries home, finance, administrative reforms. Jagan was the pivotal of this exercise that hammered to reduce in writing various suggestions for the proposed amendments, its‘ terms of reference for pruning political and bureaucratic parameters.

Feeble attempts at ‗bureaucratic reforms‘ had been attempted earlier too, mainly the handiwork of the bureaucrats themselves to placate the ruling political fraternity that they were in command of the situation and government functionaries were subordinate to them who could be reformed. And perceive the reforms to be ‗kicked‘ early to energize the administrative apparatus! reduction in entry point age for the IAS, IFS, IPS etc. from 28 to 24 years, omnibus code of conduct for the bureaucrats, the repition of certain old forgotten circulars to bring in more honesty and sincererity to serve the poor people more effectively, panel to approve up gradation of officers for joint secretary level to be enlarged inviting outside experts for it, indicating the quantum of sacrifice the bureaucracy was prepared to make by surrendering their right to promote themselves to be shared by people outside their cadre, and better appraisal of their annual confidential reports for more transparency and quicker promotions. The high profile cabinet secretary or the principal secretary to the prime minister, would shed crocodile tears at the falling standards of the officers in various states, as if those serving at the center on deputation were angels, and hoped the proposed ‗reforms‘ would improve the efficiency of the young officers at the entry level. Such cosmetic changes and attempts to reform would be widely circulated and the tutored media would print it in frontline pages, trying to make it news. This time round the basic difference was that the reforms originated outside north block and political leadership, backed by a powerful media lobby, was taking a calculated risk to try and make an effort.

Not only reforms were absolutely necessary to wipe out the remnant of backward tag the country had been habitually garlanded with in the present global environment restraining inflow of FDIs while at the same time encourage people to do business with India, and it is equally, if not more, important to understand, it was becoming apparently imperative to restrain the tyranny of the politicians as well as bureaucrats, both of which class were mostly unaccountable and irresponsible to people, and were the chief encumbrance of the required changes for India to become a positive force in the global perspective. There were two factors that made it possible. In politics to the winner went all possible pillage and plunder. There was no convention to treat the citizen or the opponent with reasonable respect. Second the bureaucracy was both unaccountable and irresponsible for reasons of their permanence. It led to a confrontation between the re- elected politician and an unaccountable bureaucrat. The politician, however, invented an ingenious method to outwit and control bureaucracy by the twin sharp-edged weaponry, patronage and divest bureaucracy of its institutional avatar. Besides cracking and eroding 430 the credibility of its establishment it brewed frustration and dissension in cadres. Both situations were unhealthy for adequate performance of democracy able to boast of transparent modern environment for investment. Reforms were an urgent necessity. No one was better equipped and qualified with the broad wide experience of the intricacies of Indian system of governance from within the corridors of power than Jagan. And equally no other person in the country was capable, resourceful and committed to the cause of reforms in India in the coalescence of the present environment.

It was a rather difficult task, bureaucrats being asked to put up proposals and a critical memo to cut their constitutional guarantees in the hope that such a measure was bound to be floundered, on grounds of equanimity and intrigue. It was a surprise that such a move got formal consideration of the government to prepare itself to approach parliament knowing fully well it required two-third majority and a strong willed executive to put it into practice. MST worked behind the scene and her concentrated efforts on all fronts and at all levels was mainly responsible to get this done. However, the party in power agreed with the proposal mainly in view of impending elections to show the opposition their innovative ingenuity in bringing major reforms to better the people‘s lot, and win the elections on such lofty promises. If and when they have won the elections they will see. That is what all parties coming to power had been doing in past. The move was inexorably involved in controversies from the very outset, every lobby viewing it in their own way and putting hurdles at every stage. Jagan was hoping against hopes.

***

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Part Five

9.8

Two chief ministers of states who had mass following, one from the south and the other from the west, the union food minister himself, accompanied by a select team of three top bureaucrats, and media baron MST flew into Simla for a three day confidential conclave. Jagan was approached by Shano to accompany on official tour; he refused. He had expressed inability to his minister, who wanted to take him. They deliberated for 32 hours spread over three days and prepared a Reform Plan Memo popularly known as [RPM-9].

Shano was impatient when nothing came out of their Simla conclave for a month or so. She was in regular contact with Nekiram. But she was not satisfied. She called up Jagan in office to know its progress. He said he would call back. The draft paper prepared by the four member team appointed by the PM for the Simla conclave was not opened by the PMO for 21 days. Later it was sent to home minister for his comments. Jagan took ten minutes in getting it cleared by his minister. It was then sent to PM for perusal and comments by the minister home in his residence bag of files. PM could not see it for short of time and it returned to home ministry with a note by the cabinet secretary for more information. The papers returned again to PMO with information needed; the cabinet memo prepared but waiting to be approved by PM. This was the latest in the matter.

RPM-9 contained nine critical proposals:

Women shall be given fifty per cent representation in all areas of governance in the country without any conditions including all openings of employment and all elective bodies, legislatures and forums under the Constitution of India.

Any person convicted under any law of the land shall be disqualified to contest election. The disqualification of any person shall extend to any matter under investigation or trial. He shall be entitled to contest only when he has been fully exonerated of the allegation and submit to the election authority an affidavit by the party nominating him to contest. In case of an independent candidate he shall file an affidavit to declare his final discharge, acquittal or exoneration, as the case may be, before the competent electoral authority.

The Election Commission shall evolve a mechanism to give people the right to recall an elected legislator in all elective bodies, legislatures or forums under the Constitution on his making efforts to defect or fail to fulfill the six-point oath mandatory for any legislator through referendum by a two/third majority vote in support of such recall upon representation made by 1/6 of the total voters of the constituency. The decision of the Commission shall be final to which no appeal shall lie. The six points related to the legislator’s oath of eligibility shall be: His obligations to the people and the constituency he represents, his integrity, his contribution to the legislative work and its quality, the quantum of development works he has undertaken, his overall reputation and proficiency in people’s welfare. The speaker shall deduct from his pay and allowances 432 the cost of the hours he took part in disrupting the lawful proceedings of the house, and his decision shall be final. Every member may have a right to stage a walkout as a mark of protest; his pay and allowance for the period he remains away from the house shall be deducted by the speaker, which shall be mandatory, except in case of absence by permission by the speaker of the house.

The Election Commission shall be responsible for holding of simultaneous elections to all elected bodies from the panchayat to parliament and no elected body shall be dissolved before expiry of its term of office. The electoral reforms shall include provision for complete state funding of elections including a statutory amount to be deposited by each candidate as his contribution to the election expenses, efficient referendum and voting system to be operated through digital personal mobile phone or election voting machine, or some such device so as to avoid mass movement and congregation of voters at one place for the purpose of voting, duplicity or fake voting and a controlled civilized campaign code to be effectively imposed by the commission. Each recognized political party shall be subject to scrutiny of the Election Commission in all matters of internal party organization which must conform to democratic norms; often party heads tend to be despotic in the guise of discipline; that must in no case be allowed to happen since internal party democracy is as important as democracy in the country.

A composite law shall be enacted under the constitution for abolition and removal of all constitutional provisions safeguarding the permanent nature of the civil service and all public servants both at the center and the states, including all organizations under their control to provide in the constitution the power to every government, whether local, state or the central, to hire and fire all jobs and their holders, general or technical, simultaneously increasing the salaries of all employees taking into account the GDP growth, per capita income and the market rates of living index of the country and commensurate with reasonable grades of salary being offered both to the national and international private sector management executives and employees. The state must prune size of its underwortked bureaucracy for which it must be given power to act.

Every Indian or foreigner living under valid legal status in the country, shall be entitled to earn and own as much wealth [to include money, cash, land, property, shares, debentures, valuables including jewelry etc] as one desires or could earn through legal, peaceful, right and eligible means; but each such individual shall declare all the wealth to the state appointed authority within a period of three months without fail. All banks, nationalized or private operating in India, all financial institutions or monetary organizations engaged in such activities, shall submit to the state appointed authority, within a period of three months every detail with regard to all the accounts and lockers, money and jeweler chests, etc. deposited by any individual in his individual, HUF, or any other capacity, for purposes of estimating the wealth of the country, both in the public as well as private possession, ultimately with the objective of maintaining absolute transparency the way such wealth has been earned acquired and kept, as also to help the state acquire the legally due share of its taxes over the private property by way of filing a return of income and wealth each financial year, to file which would be mandatory for each such individual as stipulated above. No such individual shall be entitled to transfer, carry, or send money out of India, except on 433 valid and legal permission to be issued by the designated authority through a precise simple procedure, and such undeclared deposits or transfer of money that comes to the notice of the state shall be seized and declared state property, notwithstanding any regulations to the contrary existing in any foreign bank.

It shall be obligatory for the state to provide compulsory education to every Indian. A composite plan to usher in hundred per cent literacy in the country within ten years shall be achieved by the state by all means at its disposal. No religions prescribe use of loudspeakers and disturb public tranquility; hence its use in all temples, mosques, churches, and all other religious places shall be banned forthwith. This restriction shall also apply to all processions, congregations, ceremonies, assemblies and any other meetings where social or religious feelings are likely to be aroused that help fundamentalist forces of all shades and hues of all religions being practiced in the country to disturb public peace and harmony. The state shall, instead, encourage fairs, festivals and enrich cultural heritage of all sections of the people to foster spectacular unity amidst manifold diversity of the people of the country.

The practice of codifying, observing, defining, or exhorting caste, in any manner including all existing or futuristic reservations of all kinds based on caste shall be discontinued forthwith. The only categorization in all forms, rules, regulations, orders, official papers and any other prescribed oral or printed procedural formalities or codifications, shall be ‘Indian’ and nothing else shall be included, except the local address or place of residence of the concerned person. One fourth of the total Union and States budget allocations shall be made to the class of persons who were either recipients of reservations or quota so far and all such underseveloped class of persons who are economically weak and special educational arrangements shall be made to make them competent to compete at all India level.

A comprehensive land reform plan shall be introduced and implemented within five years. The Farm sector shall be given priority it deserves; prices of farm produce through out the country shall be decided by the farmers after consultations with the Farm Prices Commission where farmers shall have sixty percent representation. All funds for Farm and Agriculture sector shall be made available to the individual farmers invariably in the form of entire set of inputs including machines, farm tools, seeds, fertilizers and irrigation systems needed.

434

9.9

The reform plan memo was widely known as the RPM-9. These were specific issues of law to be enacted. Rules would be made to explain and remove difficulties in their implementation. The entire legislation must appear fair to the FDIs and global market forces that might not distance those who want to do business in or with India, and therefore, this law must be market friendly. Behind the scene activities must include convincing the people who matter that the reform plan was to bring in both accountability in governance and eradicating corruption from the root level. The draft paper was to be put up before the cabinet. It took nine weeks for the cabinet memo to be prepared. There was a political storm in the cup also brewing up. The tussle was about the sc constituency. Nekiram was so far the undisputed leader of the majority of sc legislators. In fact in the north-west of India the late Dr. B.R.Ambedkar and in the south the late Mr. Periar, had left a rich legacy for the sc politicians to exploit it from time to time and raise various political outfits to support their own personal agendas. Looking to the immense size of sc constituency in the country, every political party wanted to attract them to their fold, net result of which was that names of Ambedkar and Periar became passwords to any right or wrong political maneuvering by any number of upstarts. These names ensured everyone was free to support or oppose any leader or policy and make hay if compromise in the name of unity was called for.

Rohitas Kumar opposed Nekiram in western India though he had not much following, but has a political outfit in the name of the sc avatars. The prime minister welcomed Rohitas to keep Nekiram trim so he does not aspire for top job. Rohitas was receiving pecuniary gains worth 3 crores annually to keep his rival under check. There was the great Badrinarayan, minister for civil aviation, who being a Brahmin was returned from a sc dominated constituency. Since Badrinarayan had an eye on the top job, the PM used Nekiram to frequently visit his constituency that sent Badrinarayan into hysteria. The Jat lobby had bouts over the agriculture ministry. D.S. Malik was pitted against Shobharam, a prominent Jat leader, aspiring to go to home ministry, giving agriculture to his protégé Ramniwas. The PM played it secret and evenly kept them fighting. Brahmin lobby was financially backed by the media barons opposed to MST, and aspired to make their own PM. MST spent 16 crores to keep them at bay and under control. She purchased nine MPs from the block and put them behind Nekiram and the present PM. There were black sheep almost in every camp in the direct pay of the opposite camp. Srigopal received a monthly allowance of 3 crores from the finance minister Ashis Agrawal, to receive official information from secret files and throw occasional bomb shells in the parliament against those who opposed the FM. Sundaram was paid 2 crores every month for creating hoodlum inside parliament and march with at least ten members into the well of the house, as directed by the leader of opposition. The socialists and the communist MPs were cheap ware. Their support could be obtained by fifty thousand or above. Goenka a business top brass claimed with 750 crores he could install any duck as PM. These claims were not wide off the mark. Gayasuddin, a MP from Bihar, had the credit of ten murders all political in nature but actually were caused due to the hindrance they created in his empire of illicit distillation and drug trafficking. If he was in jail that meant the chief minister wanted another political rival to be eliminated. Soon after the next murder made 435 front page news, Gayasuddin was out on bail. Witnesses were 90 percent fake and 10 per cent tutored. Judges too had a price, more at the lower levels. There were ‗witness contractors‘, a whole time job doing brisk business, available on price, just like gangs that were hired to capture booths, and counterfeit the entire polling stations. It was the safest and one of the most lucrative of trades.

The present colleges and the universities were the training grounds for the future politicians and members of parliament. These student leaders not only faked the examinations, threatened the lecturers who wanted to play clean, but funded by the local political don committed murders of rival student leaders, committed thefts and dacoities, confronted the police with strong backed rough methods, raped university girls openly defying all norms, and intimidated the college and university authorities with dire consequences through the democratic move of calling strikes and processions, and burning buses, damaging public property and creating a fear psychosis making it difficult for anybody to take action against them, the local state government hoping to get their sympathies in the next election when either from their caste or influence they would prove to be assets to them. Social workers, at times lady in white, in the pay roll of the land mafias enter Jhuggi clusters, work there for a time, bring doctors and medicines occasionally, then manipulate their sentiments and make it easy for land mafias to usurp the extremely costly lands in the vicinity of the posh colonies, and cheat the poor wretches by paying small contributions by future promises. The lady social workers would be awarded prizes for their contributions by the local government, and would be in the news, on their way to become the next legislator.

The local MP Gopal Bhai, belonging to the party in power received 15 lakhs per month from the adulterators and 6 lakhs per month from the pharmaceutical firms manufacturing fake medicines. They were assured protection by further paying small amounts to the local officials, food inspectors, drug inspectors, supply officers and others in the pipeline. The MP would stage manage a public show of strength by collecting a crowd hired for the purpose and financed by the drug mafias, with the PM as chief guest, in the process demands from the traders would be presented, some would be acceded to, giving further strength to the MP and his cronies. In the process public parks would be getting squeezed, finally disappearing altogether from the city maps, unauthorized multi- story structures coming up at odd places defying all the city planners who otherwise also are in the pockets of the land mafias, making life of citizens more and more difficult. Whole colonies would come up under high voltage power transmission towers endangering lives of the innumerable households, dozens of persons, particularly children, dying of power shocks every kite flying season and during rains, the municipal authorities withholding regularization of such colonies and thus sharing to pocket the funds so saved. The Indian administration was the royal imperial organization which radiated with the money spinning colossus machine churning out crores and crores every day, fattening the already astounded pot bellies of members of parliament and state assemblies, contractors, student leaders, land mafias, inspectors, social workers and the like minded peace loving crowd of democratic India, leveled as Jains, Mathurs, Guptas, Agrawals, Sisodiyas, Chauhans, Rathors, Dahiyas, Ahlawats, Goenkas, Podars, Sagars, Sengars, Meenas, Parihars, Chaturvedis, Trivedis, Dwivedis, Ahirs, Gujjars, Rao‘s, 436

Reddys, Subramaniams, Mundas, Gowdas, Panwars, Mahajans and the like of unnumbered caste clusters. Gandhi statues at every major road junction in the metros watched the country grow rich and prosperous. Dualri Bhangin and Bhopti Cobbleri of Nandgaon collapsed after their ageless wait in the long queue to get a bottle of kerosene oil to light their meager dwelling at the night fall and a kilogram of rice on their ration card to feed the multitude of their progeny.

9.10

There were rumors in the corridors of power. North block was agog with uncertain future forecasts. Gossips in the corridor of power had a nervous increase with the conferment of Padma Vibhushan to Jagganath Pratap Singh on his commendable services to the republic as an honest and brilliant public servant on the occasion of the last Republic Day by the President of India. Various groups were at work. Senior bureaucrats in various key ministries met in a reputed five-star hotel lobby reserved for their use by a well known industrial house. Only senior most IAS officers in control of the key departments were allowed entry by permission. Highly sophisticated and entertaining girls were in attendance. The matter of reform was discussed, with feedback from their financial masters from Bombay. They did not want it to happen.

P.R. Srinivasan, Secretary Finance informed, ―The Aiyers with a 24,000 crore business interests the world over would be adversely affected if committed politicians and bureaucrats were not available. The junior Aiyer spoke to me.‖

B. Mahadevan, Secretary Commerce Ministry asked, ―Whose interests are going to be met by the revolutionary measure?‖

Roshan Sharma, Secretary Steel and Mines, ―You can‘t bring such a stupendous reform measure all in one go you have to explain its genesis why the measure was required.‖

Mohit Srivastava, Secretary Shipping and Surface Transport, ―Even Sardar Patel and the ICS stalwarts like Deshmukh, Tayyabji and Dharamvir did never imagine such a step was needed.‖ 437

K. Batra, Secretary, Petrochemicals, ―Why is the cabinet secretary silent? Should we not speak to him?‖

S.K. Singh, Secretary Industry, ―He might be under political pressure. Then it is premature to talk about it now. It will indicate we are nervous over it. Outwordly we should take a posture we welcome all reforms.‖

Srinivasan, ―I agree with Singh. We must think and talk positive, only then the move could be scuttled at the right time.‖

Batra, ―Do you think the political rascals can survive the reforms?‖

Srivastava, ―It might be a plan of action to win the elections. The PMO is shaky as it comes in the wake of situation at home deteriorating and external threats including terrorism moving people away from the ruling elite.‖

Sharma, ―Do you see a hidden hand of the opposition in the matter.‖

Batra, ―No, they are even more stupid.‖

Sharma, ―Srinivasan, you will chase the food minister, the most vocal about it, though he speaks less, but the fellow is smart and intelligent. He controls a large constituency of the sc in the country.‖

Srinivasan, ―He is clever. He never talks direct. The PM speaks on his behalf, and he manipulates it in a way that secretaries have to go to speak to him.‖

Mahadevan, ―The Cabinet Secretary had to tell me twice to go and see FM on the import of palm oil issue. He has all the figures on his tips. He works hard, no doubt.‖

Batra, ―Do you see in him a dark horse, next time around?‖

Mahadevan, ―It depends. He is honest.‖

Sharma, ―What is Jagannath Pratap‘s role in the matter.‖

Singh, ―As we all know he is above board. His integrity keeps him away from cliques. But the fellow is a giant, you will have to admit. He deserves the title he has been conferred.‖

Mahadevan, ―His wife also carries an extraordinary reputation. Both are inspired by a nationalistic fervor, and are happy there. Both of them come from some royal background, I am told.‖

Sharma, ―That‘s correct. He will be CS soon.‖ 438

Mahadevan, ―His political affiliations are unlike his image though; his liaison with the media is also not well known. Is it a fact that the largest media lady chief is her friend, or their family friend, rather? She takes care of his career in the PMO.‖

Sharma, ―Less said the better. He shows respect always, that‘s enough. He is not impertinent like Ghildyal who boasted about his PMO connections, you will admit.‖

Mahadevan, ―A single person‘s integrity count should not be allowed to play with a historical service cadre, that too going up to the level of constitutional amendments to wipe out its importance.‖

Srinivasan, ―How can you attribute it all too poor JP alone? Nothing happens unless the political establishment clears it. Their main aim is to return to power.‖

Batra, ―Ask Gulati in the human resource ministry to work out the financial implications of the proposed changes, and highlight the amount of money that will go waste on contract system, with no control over their functioning, Srinivasan.‖

They thereafter discussed personal matters, and took special Champaign and Sauvignon Blanc to drink. Sharma took Johnny Walker black level Scotch whisky. All persons except Srinivasan were millioners, with bank accounts and ‗relatives‘ in Switzerland or the United States. They had farmhouses outside the capital. Mahadevan has two houses in Bangalore, besides one in Simla. Their ladies wardrobes and jewellary chests could make former begums of the Mughal harems feel timid and shy.

These parameters were not limited to the IAS officials only. Bureaucrats of other strains were even wealthier, though administrative bureaucrats enjoyed superiority and formed part of the ruling elite. An excise commissioner was trapped and cash worth more than twelve crores recovered from his possession; in one of his diaries there was found an entry, ‗if I get one crore a month ten lakhs would be put in the anonymous donation box of the Lord Tirupati Balaji‘. Such instances were common. Even one per cent is not unearthed; it was tip of the iceberg. It emerged out of a potent system that was deaf, dumb and blind.

The reformers were dismayed but were aware it was not easy therefore, they were not disheartened. Nekiram was not able to discuss it with MST for various reasons, one of which was he was overburdened with work. The PM left not much time to spare for his affairs to be looked into. He could not call her to his official residence for that would become news. He went unattended to her residence always to meet her in the late hours according to her convenience, though there were times when he did not need any prior appointment to meet her. Times however, have changed now. The former Shano, the poor little girl, one of the many children of the poor Pandit Brij Kishore of Nandgaon, for whom her playmate Jagan was the only source of light in her otherwise lackluster existence, was now always surrounded by a personal staff of more than ninety persons spread over six acres of her residential complex. Nekiram too has now transformed himself from the poor, shy, wretched cobbler‘s son and an errand boy of his childhood 439 friend Jagannath as a senior most union cabinet minister commanding a major share of the sc constituency of the country. He was to meet the media baron at dinner alone on an unscheduled visit late in the evening.

Shano met Nekiram in her rural suite. As they saw each other Neki bowed to touch her feet. She asked how he was.

‗I was trying to see you but could not till today because of pressure of work, and the effort was to make it happen. It is being opposed vehemently both by the politicians and the bureaucrats alike,‘ he said.

‗How serious is the PM about seeing it through,‘ she asked in a somewhat ironical tone.

‗If elections were not round the corner he would rather see the move floundered,‘ he cautiously replied.

‗Do you foresee his victory without our active support, I mean resources and the sc vote,‘ she asked plainly.

‗Possibly not,‘ he replied.

‗Why don‘t you hammer it out then, face to face?‘ she demanded.

‗I have more problems than you can imagine,‘ he replied.

‗Speak out,‘ she said.

‗Some key sc leaders want us to drop some proposals, including the one of the right to recall, and declaration of property clauses,‘ he put in slowly.

‗Then what is left, the bureaucrats would never allow their permanent clauses to be changed. In fact Jagan wanted that we bring reforms affecting both the politicians and the employees, it would balance each other so far as damage to both sections was concerned, and that should click. If you omit politicians who are going to give credence to your reforms?‘ she asked.

‗There is another bigger problem. I had a long discussion with the minister parliamentary affairs in closed doors. You know Didi Madam we are short of absolute majority in the house. Constitutional amendments require two-third majority, we are way behind it. The opposition would rather shirk and shy of cooperating in the uncertain possibilities of what apparently appears to be a bag of improbable. The move is finding support from most of the independents and few honest politicians, besides, of course, the PM, media controlled by you, and some clean bureaucrats whom you can count on fingers.‘ 440

‗Does it mean we are wasting our energies over a matter that has not compelling adherents to it? How does the industry react to it,‘ she asked.

‗Honestly Didi I have not much information over it. We have not so far thought of taking their views except summary discussions with a few of them. But the feedback is negative,‘ he replied.

‗Neki, we both quite clearly understand the poverty and humiliation most people of the category we come from suffer. It is that unforgettable experience which propels me to work to ameliorate conditions for the poor people to have a decent way of life. We cannot hope or even imagine reaching such a goal without changing the system we are governed by the few elected scamp swindlers and a fat army of subservient government employees, known as public servants, eat away the residual of resources. We are fortunate to have a leader like the Mahatma of Bureaucrats but its all in vain if you cannot create a political atmosphere for it. It is better we continue making efforts and bring out reforms when the climate is favorable, rather than attempt now, loose the game and expose ourselves. But promise that you will spearhead it the next time round. Please inform the PM I will see him at appropriate time,‘ she said with anguish.

10.1

Political propensities of various outfits made it impossible to carry on legislative bodies run their full term of tenure and therefore, there were mid-term polls, straining the already burdened economy. One full term and half of the next due period of polls saw three successive prime ministers. There was one redeeming feature of the change of political guard more often than was required, the liberalization and economic reforms had come to stay and it was not the result of the wisdom of our politicians, rather global requirements of survival and drawing political advantage out of the ongoing reform process were mainly the reasons it happened. The bureaucratic health went on improving, and the number of bureaucrats in favor of reforms increased, not because they felt the country‘s poor must share the cake, but because it was the only way to survive in the swiftly changing political atmosphere. Jagan was the new cabinet secretary due to retire a couple of months beyond the next elections, a period of little more than three years and 441 he indirectly continued his efforts to make a suitable climate for his dream project of 9- point plan to happen.

The country‘s decentralization process initiated way back in 1959 by Jawaharlal Nehru in Nagore, Rajasthan, has almost floundered, the village sarpanchs, block and taluka pramukhs and zila pramukhs, following unwittingly in the footsteps of their senior cousins at the state and national level, by usurping the process of development to enrich and increase their wealth, without caring to serve the people, on the lines the Indian bureaucratic fraternity had left a national psyche of unimaginable irresponsibility and unaccountability. The new decentralized leadership has been both discouraged and corrupted by bureaucrats, particularly of the lower level. State political leadership also does not want the district and block political leaders to come up for fear of their ability to throw challenge to them, the chief ministers depending more on deputy commissioner than zila pramukh and block pramukh. So is the case with central public leaders. Jagan thought the need to initiate the reform process must be felt by the bureaucrats, the virtual rulers and administrators of the country‘s governance and this elite section of Indian society must take the initiative to usher it in, rather than wait for the political bosses to start the process, though he realized it would be impossible to think of the reforms without the political leadership. Meanwhile the opening up of the Indian economy was bringing subtle but substantial changes in the corporate and private sector.

Jagan as the new cabinet secretary had an important role in bringing the economic reforms, without which political reforms were unbalanced. Globalisation of the economy brought in multinational company‘s play an important role in the increase of the economic activity, and persons of higher and better caliber began occupying key positions in the corporate world, often drawing salaries many times more than the country‘s bureaucrats could ever imagine. The result was that the talent started aiming towards private managerial opportunities, rather than struggle to enter the civil services of the country. The opening of Indian Institute of Technology and Management [IITs & IIMs] began to attract caliber of the younger generation, curtailing in some proportions the brain drain from the country to USA, UK and the world, though the lure of living in better climates with lot more money still occupied the minds of our IIT & IIM graduates. It definitely brought down pressure over the entry level of the civil services. Only such rural segment youths aspired to compete for the civil services who continued to carry the hangover of the harem culture and the national son-in-law psychosis, once enter and that is all, added to it was the lure of the additional income by milking the masses of their rightful earnings, to feed their personal appetite, and fleece through the industrial middleman under the control and license regime. The markets were flooded with training and coaching institutes minting money; and behold some of the blurb to attract clientele: ‗Training steel pillars for the nation‘, or, look more specific, ‗A career that provides unmatched challenges and variety. With power to conceive plans and implement projects that have a bearing on the lives of millions, vested with power drawn from the Constitution…‘ ‗Never mind the openings in the fields of biotechnology or IT, the charm of the civil services continue to hold sway among students across the country…‘ ‗For the Power and Perks that go with it bestows social status hardly matched by other careers,‘ 442 though the contents of the ads were not wide off the mark, yet there was a perceptive change.

With the progress in economic reforms resulting in fast changes in the market forces operating in the country there were significant changes in the socio-political spheres. Democratic decentralization brought in soon after independence had given rise to an eager enthusiastic rural village level leadership. They entertained dreams of a new India. They were impatient to work hard. They were inspired by what the nationalist leaders Gandhi, Patel and Nehru had exhorted the countrymen to take up the challenge. Sporadic achievements of great value to the local new generation were obtained. However, the meeting of minds in between the new local enthusiastic leadership with the old existing bureaucratic establishment produced mixed results. The bureaucracy was basically corrupt and carried a mind set of a feudal outdated era. It failed to meet with same open attitude of help transfer power and initiative to the new generation of leaders so eager to take the new challenges; on the contrary bureaucracy not only did not encourage the surging new leadership, it corrupted it by inducing delay and lure of money. Poor as this segment of people were the inheritors of an unfamiliar alien rule that had the power and intention to rob India of both the resources and a mind set of a slave outdated civilization the bureaucratic allurements of becoming partners in misappropriation of public money released for development was as easy as getting an innocent prey unprepared to meet a new situation of confronting a galloping jaguar. The few decades of decentralized democracy under the leadership of honest nationalist leaders were the best period for common man in India. Man on the street, farm and factory were paid credulous respect and honor. He was sought because of his power of vote. A feeling of success in throwing foreign rule equipped him to desire a bit of pride and aspiration to work hard to improve his lot in freedom. Real democracy prevailed in the 1950‘s and 1960‘s. Village level leaders and those belonging to the depressed classes became rulers in various states and at the center. The process of economic reforms introduced in 1980‘s and 1990‘s ushering in a different financial oriented leadership somewhat again changed focus from the farmer and village artisan to the citizen aspiring to earn more money to get rich; it produced a different kind of leadership too who were not infatuated to wear only khadi and don a Gandhi cap but a western anglicized three piece suit, drive in exorbitantly priced imported cars, living in luxurious environment saying good bye to the simple living Gandhi advocated.

In an altogether innocuous development the so far dormant erstwhile royal descendents-without-privy-purses of many houses became active in politics regaining their lost glory and in the process pushing back the common man in the background. The result was the princely owners who were left with enormous resources even with the abolition of privy purses jumped in the political fray and wrested political leadership on the basis of inherited prestige, money power and a reversal of fortunes as the new set of politicians lost the honest image indulging in public loot of resources pocketing a major share to themselves. The royal appeal in such a scenario boosted royal inheritors to capture power, in some states as chief minister or ministers with lot of clout in running governance. This royal come back was also synchronized with the introduction of criminals in politics. A host of causes brought in a situation where more and more 443 politicians began promoting criminals, particularly at the time of elections to capture booths or influence vote by either fear or lure of money. Democracy therefore appeared to be hijacked by politician-criminal duo coupled with the other powerful lobby of corrupt bureaucracy and the feudal royal princes and the leftover was usurped by the fundamental caste outfits whose passion, besides power, was money-the great mullah. Rajendra, the former zamindar, Dualri and Bhopti would still have to be content with an endless wait.

Market forces however, were at work. The huge English literate young generation, and it remains to be India‘s greatest resource, an unwitty thanks to Macauley, appeared to have arisen to needs of time. There was change everywhere. Mobile telephony was a key component of this change. Opening up of the economy increased foreign direct investment. Special economic zones were being planned and executed swiftly. Younger generation abruptly forget government jobs; instead there were professional courses and innumerable job opportunities engaging the youth in areas hitherto considered drab and uneventful, such as insurance, tourism, new young generation of sales force consisting of both boys and girls. The traditional traders were being replaced by colossal malls, containing everything from tooth paste to motor cars. There were takeovers in business circles. The face of Indian commerce was changing from the traditional low turbaned Marwari money wizard to the sophisticated Harward and Ahemadabad trained IIM young descendents of the old business houses. Transition from the family oriented management of business was swiftly giving way to professional expert management manned by result oriented experienced exponents of modern business ethics based on sound financial planning and attractive branding. Funds were disbursed at the door and without hassles. There was money, brands, manufacturers, exporters and thousands of goods produced from clothing, edible fast food eateries, four and two wheeler motorized vehicle industry, cell phone company Nokia to Motorola, music, FM radio, satellite radio, an inexhaustible demand and supply of compact discs replacing the audio and video cassettes, movies, soft and hard drinks, neembu pani replaced by Coke and Pepsi, later taking a back seat by beer, the soft booze that became passion of the younger executives. It was tip of the iceberg. Only urban sophisticated locales have been opened; the vast urban milieu and even mightier rural India await the process. The dimension of Indian market is mind boggling; hence Skodas, Mecedes, Toyotas and Hondas are coming in a big way. Even before Ambani could enter the consumer trading mall venture Walmart, Macdonalds, and Spears are heading towards the country. Outsourcing and call centers are the new way of life giving younger generation bite of their hungry appetite. As senior Ambani created a logo, „Karlo Duniya Mutthi Mein,‘ while inaugurating the Reliance mobile communication, it has come to stay true; in a 180 gram hand held gadget you have phone, photo camera, TV, FM radio, MP3&4 player, internet, e-mail, unlimited streaming video, calculator, calendar, torch, alarm, air travel details, bank, ATM, diary, road map and what not? The face of a socialist India is fast changing. It has considerably reduced yearnings for a sarkari job, the power and perks notwithstanding.

Nekiram was the senior most minister of home. Country‘s internal security problems were rather serious. Besides Jammu and Kashmir separatists in the North-East and naxalites in the south were posing great problems. Caste violence was also taking serious 444 turn in the badly ruled states like Bihar, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, where thanks to the Brahmanical order of yore and colonial legacy it has taken an astronomic heritage in genealogy and emotional social fabric of people.

Kirpa Gadaria was spearheading an agitation for constitutional amendment to remove the reservation provisions for all except woman for fifty percent in every walk of life. It was gaining momentum. He was accorded a rousing welcome in Mumbai and most of the sc leaders supported his move. His move is attracting sc on his demand to give financial support to all sc students for studies up to graduation and above free of cost, in place of reservation sop. He want one fourth of the total budget exclusively for sc education. He is an important MLA and heads his state party, and was the obvious choice to take over as Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh. Kirpa was in touch with MST. Kirpa‘s emergence as a strong sc leader has strengthened hands of Nekiram, MST playing a balancing role in between the two. Though there were not open differences between the two, Kirpa‘s thinking was more indigenous than the broad national and international perspective of Nekiram. Kirpa was a grassroots worker and didn‘t care for what outsiders thought about his views. He was more concerned with the welfare of his people and what they considered to be their priorities; his anti-reservation stand was the result of local village level fall out of last fifty years experience of reservation. He thought it was creating more castes than annihilating them. He was more concerned with the emergence of upper and lower sub-caste mindset in those belonging to the creamy layer and others left out of its benefits from amongst the scs. This was the most negative fall out of reservation. However the traditional sc leaders too were not extensively supporting him, though the common sc workers thought Kirpa was an enlightened leader who could really bring change in their status. Money after all was key component of change.

10.2

Kumaraswamy Bhetia, the powerful southern leader and union rail minister drove to MST complex early in the morning. Anjali escorted him to the urban suite where he was to meet MST.

‗How are you Bhetia ji,‘ softly said MST entering the room and responding with folded hands to salutations.

‗We are well, we pray for your good health,‘ replied Bhetia, taking his seat after MST was on her sofa. 445

MST signaled to be alone with Bhetia. ‗What can I do for you,‘ she asked.

‗Hobnobbing with Savithaji in Tamilnadu and Pillay in Andhra Pradesh by the PM has disturbed us,‘ he began.

‗I do not know,‘ she replied.

‗That‘s what I have come to tell you,‘ he said adding, ‗we must follow the coalition principles if we want to run the government. If that is not done we seek change of leadership immediately which is not possible without your blessings.‘

‗Have you met PM personally and informed him about your feelings,‘ he asked.

‗Yes, he asked me to discuss it with home minister. I have not been able to see Nekiramji so far, meanwhile I thought of meeting you, you were so kind to give me time, Madam,‘ he said.

‗It is better to sort out. It will give a wrong message to think of change. You may meet home minister; if he happens to see me I will apprise him of what you think. However, Bhetiaji last time we met you supported the reform plan, what do you think of it now,‘ she asked.

‗I stand by my commitment. We want a better India to happen and we feel the Indian press is fortunate to have a person like you in the field,‘ he replied.

‗Nobody is opposed to it; yet it is not happening Bhetiaji that is the problem,‘ she replied.

‗Your PM is worried about some sc apprehensions, also support from central India is also half hearted. But if he is serious about it he must take the initiative. Two-third majority is also a problem,‘ he replied.

‗Reforms are being treated like women‘s bill,‘ she skews.

‗Will you please discuss this issue too with the home minister and speed it up,‘ she said.

As soon as Bhetia left there was a call from Nekiram. He wanted to see her. Maria informed him to come.

‗PM has approved the cabinet memo to be put up in the next cabinet meeting. To that extant Jagan Sir has been successful. The RPM-9 was circulated to members of the cabinet, the party boss, all partners of the coalition; final word came after we carried a hectic canvassing using your name without your specific permission, I have come to seek your pardon for that and to inform that the PM needs to be encouraged and prompted at 446 your personal level if reform plan is to be cleared by the cabinet,‘ Neki apologetically said with some urgency.

‗I got the news from Charu who is in States; Jagan was busy. I have talked to PM and will see him this evening, don‘t bother; handle the sc without amendments,‘ Shano told him.

He left as soon as he has come.

MST was silent and serious when both Maria and Anjali were summoned. They waited her to speak.

‗See guest house is properly done up. Put fresh flowers in all vases. Everybody will remain off duty this evening except Anjali in her quarters to attend to urgent calls and callers. I will meet none till tomorrow,‘ Shano told her secretaries who left at once.

Shano anxiously waited for Jagan to return. She had planned to cook herself today for him. This was another day when she waits for Jagan to come. She has often waited for him. It was normal. When alone her nights reverberated with things he talked about with her during day. Minutes ticked by normally yet it appeared time had lost speed. It went the way wedding guests move in a marriage procession; movement is overawed by presentation and procession the onlooking damsels admiring with restricted tickling giggles resulting in laughter behind the veils.

In the corridors of power there was intense activity. Anti reform lobby was very active. Behind the scene were bureaucrats who opposed it. During the three hours the memo was to be approved by PMO it took fourteen politicians to have come and meet PM; they included senior ministers, three chief ministers including Kirpa Gadaria from Uttar Pradesh, sc leaders including Nekiram, Bhetia, Subbamurti, members of parliament and two bureaucrats who has to route through the cabinet secretary as a matter of protocol. Six occasions PMO was in touch with MST. It was Okayed half past eleven before midnight. Jagan returned past midnight rather tired but satisfied with a bit of progress.

‗Congrats, you have turned impossible into possible, great, my dear,‘ Shano said on his arrival at the guest house.

‗It was your meet and you have won the first round; the two of them Kirpa and Neki were able to reign in sc MPs the way you have chalked out, but for sc the move may have backfired. In any case it is a landmark beginning,‘ he said.

‗You take the shower I have prepared meals, please, no more reform discussions. You need to relax,‘ she said caressing him.

They had a silent dinner. Post dinner usual walk they didn‘t talk either, though he held her hand and took gracious slow steps, their mind being busy in recapitulation of the 447 drama that ended in initial success for both of them. It was not even half the work done they realized.

He retired to sleep. She slipped beside him in the cozy bed. They entwined in close embrace kissed each other and slumbered to sound sleep.

10.3

The cabinet approved 9-RPM in its totality. The Home Minister was to present the legislative changes involving constitutional amendment to parliament. Various ministries got on the task of presenting their part of the proposed legislation. Media was expectant of the revolutionary reforms and was able to create an atmosphere of coordination as a national consensus, though there was opposition lingering in some quarters both in the ruling coalition as well as the main opposition. Meanwhile two indicted ministers of the central cabinet were convicted by special court for corruption. There was a crisis in the coalition. Replacements offered were tainted and facing criminal cases. Elections were round the corner. Political climate didn‘t appear to be conducive. Uncertainty was in the air.

With prior appointment MST was to meet PM. She has sought it. She was in meeting with PM for 25 minutes. She drove straight to her office after meeting the PM. There was a message from UP House. CM was in the capital and wanted to see her. She was hard pressed for time as she was leaving the same evening to Newziland to attend an international seminar. Her visit was a short one and itinerary didn‘t include any other country though she was scheduled to visit US too. Maria informed her engagement in the US have been postponed.

A week after she returned from Newziland there was news. J.P.Singh, the cabinet secretary has been appointed Ambassador of India to United States of America.

Charu who was already in the States was obviously happy.

‗How do you take it,‘ Shano phoned Charu.

‗I didn‘t expect such a wonderful move for him, Shano. I am a bit surprised because I know him not to ask favors from anybody. I feel it is your doing?‘ she told Shano. 448

‗No, I am not in the picture, it was a news to me too,‘ she replied casually.

‗It‘s hard to believe, though,‘ Charu replied.

‗Where is he? I am unable to reach him,‘ Shano asked.

‗He should be in a meeting; I don‘t really know. He never calls from office,‘ she informed.

‗Please accept my sincere congratulations,‘ she said.

‗Oh thanks dear, I think I need to congratulate you on it, it‘s your win too,‘ Charu replied.

‗My happiness is inclusive with yours, I am part of you; besides heavens I thank you particularly to have allowed me to share emotions with you,‘ Shano said.

‗Much of what we have is because you are there always with us; especially children who think you and not me are their mother. I honestly couldn‘t have brought them as well as you have made it to happen, I am really ever so greatly indebted to you. You always invariably appear to provide us with happiness; even meals you share with us in our house are prepared by you. Your love is not only fantastic it is beyond frontiers,‘ Charu spoke from heart.

‗You embarrass me by expressing it; I try to do what my God ordains me to do. I need your continued forbearance in allowing me to be near you and children in whom my hearts beats and serve you with even more conviction,‘ she replied.

‗You will now have to frequently visit US since I may not be able to attend to all that is needed by the children who are entering their careers and Jagan too; I hope you will please plan life in that way. For once you would be coming along with Jagan when he comes here to take his new assignment,‘ she said.

‗We would discuss when we meet,‘ replied Shano.

449

10.4

Such massive display of public sentiment has not been witnessed in the history of free India. All roads led to the capital. Syed Butt from J&K, Sardar Malkiat Singh from Punjab, Nekiram and Kirpa Gadaria from Uttar Pradesh, Bilas Deo from Gujrat, Gurudeo Bhatvedkar from Maharashtra, Geoder Gonsalvis from Goa, Srikit Gowda from Karnataka, Muthairam Kutty from Kerala, Madhusudan Bigari from Tamilnadu, Anantdev Toda from Andhra Pradesh, Hyfitum Mohanty from Orrissa, Lobsang Thampa from Assam, Babudeo Sen and Kaliranjan Kanungo from West Bengal, Nanduram Yadav from Bihar, Hulasi Bhagota from Madhya Pradesh, Bhilsigu Sarang from Chhattisgarh were the star attractions of the ‗Implement Reform Plan‘ pro-sc rally organized by the All India SC Sangh, an organization that carried national credibility headed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kirpa Gadaria. The entire team of central cabinet ministers was present; also were present many chief ministers. Larger than life cut outs of Mahatma Gandhi, Ambedkar, Periar and Sardar Patel were posted high behind the dais. Huge banners displaying solidarity and a national consensus over implementation of 9-RPM hung all over the ten kilometer route the rally has taken. Mega screens and loudspeakers of audio- video visuals were installed through the length of Jan Path and the boat club. Kuttuswami Mudaliar of the Annamalai University, the noble laureate over social upliftment was at the mike. The rally continued till shadows lengthened. The Prime Minister was the chief guest. Miss Shanti Trivedi presided over the function and was the main speaker of the day.

To the right of the dais were arrangements for the media and TV crews. BBC, CNN, PTI, domestic press was present to cover the mega show of grass root leadership. Heavy law and order arrangements were in place. Plain clothes sleuths outnumbered the uniformed force. At the far back horizon mount police could be seen moving. Arrangements for emergency medical aid and drinking water were made. The crowd could be any number beyond 10 lakhs.

It has taken three months to mobilize for the event; Kirpa has toured whole country with credentials of a sincere honest sc leader somewhat on the lines of late Ambedkar, the only difference being the later was an intellectual with high academic qualifications and a doctorate from Columbia, the former is only literate with extraordinary powers of the mind and heart. Kirpa‘s capacity to organize and ally himself with the rural cause is god given. At the core of his work is the sincerity and care of the local. He distances from the ideal and foreign. He identifies with the poor and indigenous. In some places both he and Nekiram have worked. Nekiram as the Union Home Minister has provided infrastructure and support. The party has provided funds. The country seemed to be agog with awareness and expectations only sound action could satisfy the 20% sc of the country. Kirpa has been vocal, mobile and eloquent over the myth of reservations. He has rejected the state affirmative action to sc. He surprisingly received unexpected support from south.

Money, lot of it, has come from media baron MST. Her countrywide network played an important role in the organization and mobilization of this huge effort. It began with the cabinet approval of 9-RPM last summer when Jagan advised Shano to call Kirpa and 450

Neki to chalk out a substantive effort to canvass through the length and breadth of the country for implementation of reform plan. He warned against the strong lobbies of both the politicians and bureaucrats working against reforms. They were capable to destabilize government if it went ahead with reforms. Their capacity to conspire and oppose the move may be overlooked at the peril of the cause. He, therefore, advised an open aggressive debate not only to take the challenge at its face but also expose those who conspired under the veil. He advised transparency as the cause they were working for stood the test of time the country is facing. India is poised to play an important role in the comity of nations in the 21st century; it is time the downtrodden and rural farm sector asserted their views in development of the country. The mobilization thus began with MST leading the effort both financially and covering it as regular press effort of prompting people to identify them with the effort. Once it began as a people‘s movement no obstacle could come in its way.

There were great speeches made. Mudaliar began by inviting Kirpa Gadariya, the dashing Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, who didn‘t need any introduction. Kirpa explained the hollowness of quotas by elucidating that only 7% of India‘s children in the relevant age group can afford the luxury of higher education of any sort. Figures from primary schools all over the country would vouchsafe for this basic fact. The main reason of denial of higher education to them is economical. The discourse on 9 per cent or a possible 10 per cent GDP growth needs to be spread over much more humanitarian and upright financial argumentation: who benefits from it and what needs to be done, via education to ensure that economic development is coupled with distributive, not only affirmative justice elevating human dignity. With 4 % quota for minorities the government or rather the political party in power has opened another Pandora‘s Box. Besides creating ill will amongst the majority communities, it would create more castes among the minorities which are already being the target of inter community fundamental rivalries. Besides creating overall disharmony in society and still more castes amongst the minorities, this unwise step would push one of the most self sufficient and hard working class of skilled people into lethargy and dependence. It would appear the appetite of the blackguards to seek power is being unleashed to possible worst kind of damage to both the individual and community. First it was the grossly distorted caste which obtained the affirmative action, creating conditions similar to civil strife in between castes that graduated to benefits and others who were denied though both existed in historical similarities. Now comes the lollipop to the minorities, chiefly the Muslims who have ever since independence been the victims of being auctionable and transferable vote banks. Next to the caste and religion might be the body color and physiology and the regional variety to be the recipient of quota reservations. In and around Braj there is an old saying, when term of life terminates for a jackal it runs amuck towards the village and is killed. Measures like this, said Kirpa, are indicators for a total lifting of the quota reservation system of politically motivated affirmative action in the guise of being depressed, being a minority, black and white or short and tall in height. Looking to the fragile nature of political resistance the day is not far when the top most layer of social hierarchy the Brahmins and the rajputras are allowed quota in some guise or the other. What remains is anybody‘s guess. We therefore, demand that a total constitutional ban be enacted unanimously to stop the vile of quota reservations in the country. India is known to honor 451 and respect its judiciary; any digression from that would never be tolerated. When a five judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court considering the validity of the law providing 27 per cent quota for the OBCs observed that reservation would have to be stopped some day, after some years or some decades…it must come to an end one day, we must pay heed to what is in store for exploitation of political power. If it is perpetuated the entire object would be defeated. Since it is an enabling provision of law it has to be time bound. Conceptually it has to be terminated at some point of time.

After independence there have been vociferous measures to uplift the standard of life of the subsidiary castes - { s c } in and out of legislative bodies through out the country. There have come into being separate ministries under the pseudo sc leaders claiming to address the issues related to their enlistment. By the amount of progress made in this regard it was generally perceived that the so called measures were mainly made with an eye over the large chunk of vote banks by the political party in power. Whichever party came to power they turned to lip service to uplift the poor downtrodden rather than do really something to remove disparities. Kirpa was acutely conscious of these developments. He was trying to educate his people most political parties simply played with the concept of sc enlistment. That these efforts were not serious enough were repeatedly made clear by financial outlays meant for the oppressed population in the country. In public meetings throughout the country he focused upon the percentage of Central Government expenditure incurred upon the welfare and overall development of the scs including the SC/ST/OBC. During the dacade ending the plan year 2007 the average of 0.004 per cent of the non-plan expenditure and only 1.9 per cent of the plan expenditure was allowed to be spent for sc. The huge credit corpus of the nationalized banks of the country could only permit the sc to per capita credit of rupees 335, while non-sc savarnas were able to use and capture an average amount of rupees 800 per person in the country. Between 2002-2005 only 5196 sc fortunate persons were enrolled and provided job oriented training in the whole country, as against a number of more than millions of the savarnas. The ministry of social justice and advancement which looks after the wholesome sc welfare was allocated an amount of rupees 6028 crores in the ninth plan period, out of which an amount of rupees 5039 crores was spent and an amount of rupees 989 crores was left unspent taking the total expenditure during the total ninth plan period of five years to rupees 4050 crores, roughly about a little more than 1.5 per cent of the total plan outlay. A parliamentary committee found during a period of 4 years from 2001 to 2004 only 281 sc artisans were granted loans in the whole country. Kirpa didn‘t forget to tell his audiences he was demanding 25 per cent expenditure of total national budget for sc upliftment; what were being spent were pea nuts and he was absolutely dissatisfied with the present arrangements to lollygag sc by way of the reservation sops. The credibility and force of Kirpa‘s arguments almost convinced the country wide audiences; he appeared to be invincible.

People have heard him talk long hours over the issue.

Srikit Gowda and Hulasi Bhagota were other outstanding speakers. Most compelling talk, however, came from Miss Shanti Trivedi, country‘s top media baron: 452

‗Esteemed Leaders, Honorable Prime Minister, Brothers and Sisters:

I am honored for being invited to participate in this great show of solidarity for a cause that has been dear to me. Sixty years that we have been free is a long period to assess the rate of growth we have achieved in socio-economic area. Call it misuse or misrepresentation time tested institutions were pushed into distractions. Slavery brought in isolation of our intellect. Traditional cottage industry was ruined the country‘s rich resources were drained out forcing us to import goods of routine use. Time tested land management was superceded by oppressive measures to extort more revenue turning the farmer into a beast of burden. Harmonious community life was blacklisted backward out of date traditional caste ridden society that could only be ruled to emancipation by modern ideas never to be brought about; we as a nation woke up under our great leaders Tilak, Gandhi and Ambedkar among others to win freedom.

We are inheritors of a great civilization. We are poised to scale even greater heights in the coming century. We have done exemplary well by deciding to choose and maintain parliamentary democracy in the true spirit of our ancient traditions. Parts of our system have developed undesirable traits that need to be rectified. If corrective steps are not taken now the gulf between poor and rich would further widen. In fact the reform process has been overdue. The aim of reforms is to establish supremacy of common man in the country‘s development, to restore her glorious status as creator of life to women as equal partners, to save and strengthen future of India by protecting children and provide them health, education and care, to cleanse public life of corruption, terror, extortion, crime and usher in a civilized society. The reform process is aimed at reducing disparities in existing reality of two-India identity of rich and poor while reinforcing the unity in diversity. It is critical to support reform process.

When elected representatives seek bribe to put questions in legislature to redress grievances it is time to empower people to recall them. When bureaucrats are given assignments through a systematic auction process it is time to rein in both the auctioneers and bidders. When bureaucrats work not for the people who are masters in a democracy and are not accountable to anyone it is time to discipline the undisciplined and arrogant. When rural India and majority of millions are cheated by siphoning development funds to personal pockets it is time to do some audit. When farmers are ignored and treated with impunity it is time to restore their dignity as producer of food for the nation and reaffirm their share in national treasury. When women are treated second rate citizens, dishonored and raped it is time to provide them not only protection but restore to glory they deserve as equal partners in life. When children are maltreated and hungry it is time to provide them protection, education and nutrition. When in our hope of ushering in a casteless and classless society we add to numbers of castes and classes more arrogant than the existing ones it is time to wipe out quotas and reservations. When affirmative steps to equal inequality leads to more inequality it is time to restore equality for all. When legislative power is used to cater to political and personal ends it is time to eliminate such loopholes in society. When real necessity occurs to augment a cause let us strengthen it by providing adequate financial support rather than lollipops of quotas and reservations. When poll process is aborted by booth capture, criminal intimidation and bullying by 453 money it is time to reform the poll process and shut doors for entry of undesirable elements.

The galaxy of leaders assembled here today is true champions of democracy and stewards of constitutional aspirations of people. I am certain the country‘s future is safe and auspicious. I appeal to all present to give a big hand to the Prime Minister who has shown courage to put the reform process in motion. It would be improper not to mention the name of the magician of people‘s mandate, the indomitable Kirpa Gadaria, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh whose untiring efforts has made this convention possible.

1950 we gave ourselves a constitution drafted by one of the greatest patriot; let us repeat the effort to supplant it by rounding off the irritating contours focused by another gifted son of the soil.

Jai Hind.‘

There was a thunderous applause by raising hands; chorus of ‗Shanti Devi Zindabad‘ echoed for long duration.

The first fall out of the massive rally within a fortnight of uncertainty was change of guard in the ruling coalition; Nekiram Sagar was unanimously elected to head the ruling party and government. Nekiram Sagar was administered the oath of office and secrecy as the 9th Prime Minister of the country at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in a simple ceremony. He will lead the party in the coming elections a little more than a year from now. His selection by the political players was to stave off the possibility of dissolution of parliament and face fresh elections for which most of the herd was not quite ready.

10.5

Umesh and Himgiri were excited by the news. They were joined by equally expectorant young persons Kiran Sagar, Vikramaditya Sagar and Kunal Gadariya.

‗Hai Ume, how is zindagi,‘ asked Vikram hugging Umesh Pratap Singh. Vikramaditya is Nekiram‘s son. 454

‗Hey, I am OK, you were to bring your girl friend,‘ asked a sober Umesh, who is the son of Jagannath Pratap Singh and Charu.

‗Oh, Charlie was a bitch, I have taken another cutie,‘ replied Vikram.

A young girl of medium height and soft features in tight jeans shook hands with Himgiri after exchange of Namaste. Kiran Sagar is daughter of Nekiram the politician. Himgiri is daughter of Charulata Singh, a senior member of Indian bureaucratic fraternity.

Umesh Pratap Singh has graduated in space aeronautics with honors from Masseschutes Institute of Technology and working in a ninety billion corporation. He is in Florida. Umesh‘s brilliance attracted him to USA; he however couldn‘t reach his father‘s record of academic excellence. He otherwise was a true copy of his great parents; he speaks less but sensibly, like his father he is lean and smart for he eats less than needed, maintains his body trim for he too carries a passion for jog turned into race for 5-6 kilometers at a stretch daily, he is healthy and a debonair, he is sought by many girls and is able to keep his cool, he is ultra-modern in thought and keep himself updated on happenings around the world, unlike his father he is more inclined to think of people and their governance pining to improve the way things are managed in economic and social areas. Deeply entrenched in his Indian upbringing and inheriting qualities of head and heart of his foster mother having lived in States for quite few years he is truly global in orientation and approach; yet he keeps thinking of India and its problems. He is more intimate to his foster mother Shano than Charu.

Vikramaditya, is the son of Nekiram Sagar a childhood buddy of Umesh‘s father, at whose instance he has been sent to US to train himself as a stock broker. He works at the NASDAQ and has shown a flare to speculate. He earns good money and is interested in races of both the horses and formula one high speeds. He is himself an excellent driver and initially tried to become a formula driver. He is widely traveled both in the US and Europe. He was born and brought up in India and has completely cut off from anything Indian, memories of his wretched childhood lingering to point of nostalgia. He has vivid memories of the haveli of Thakur estate from where he uses to receive sweets and other noble presents. He has maintained regard for Nandgaon‘s Mohini Estate and that is the reason he is friendly with Umesh. He fully understands the relations of his father and Umesh‘s father. Like his father he likes Umesh Pratap; but their relations are not hinged over their past, all these young persons live in the present. He lavishly spends on girls and lives in style. He lives in an apartment owned by him in New York. Though Nekiram provides for his daughter Vikram also keep helping his sister Kiran Sagar who is doing a course in food processing. Vikram was never a good student and is not interested in academics. He is also interested in property and has some valuable assets in real estate properties in and around New York. He owns a ranch house, where he keeps some horses in the care of Negroid cow boys. He is fond of woman and has changed a couple of lady- friends. He is ultra modern in life and has no liking for tradition. He is shortly going to acquire a personal two seater plane and a beach resort in Miami. 455

Kiran Sagar is younger sister of Vikramaditya. She was also pushed to US with Nekiram‘s influence and channels pointed by Jaganath Pratap Singh. She is simple in bearing, moderately intelligent, obstinately hard working, and plans to open an eatery in the States, or take up job with the global junk-food outlets Macdonalds or like ones. She lives in New Jersey where her course is about to finish. She regards Indian connection with strange nostalgia but hopes she returns back to her country to be with her mother. She gets lots of mail from her community boys and girls and she is prompt in sending replies that‘s why she gets more mail. Lot letters are for help. She has no income so far; she is being financed by her father. She, however wish to be of some financial help to her people back home and she thinks lot about when she would be able to do something for her kith and kin. She has strong feelings for her own countrymen, and any boy or girl from India attracts her. She has not much knowledge about Indian history but she feels proud of her country. Like her brother she has nice feelings for Umesh and Himgiri, with whom she is friendly. She does not believe or like caste; the question of her caste or of any caste feeling has not arisen in this country so far because her special visa; however, some background distant racial discrimination she has at times mildly experienced. She is fond of Negro leaders Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and sincerely hopes India really comes out of the caste and class prejudices, widely aggravated during the British Raj as a matter of policy adopted by them. She is only aware that Britons had drained all riches from India and India‘s poverty is due to their rule of about two centuries. Part of this mental back up has been inherited from her father‘s telling her true story of the Raj and partly by her discussions with Himgiri. She takes Himgiri as the most intelligent history person who has detailed facts in her memory. She often talks to her over such stories of India‘s exploitation at the hands of the Turks and Mughals and after them the British. She has understood the difference between the two; Mughals though foreigners adopted India as their home and thus became Indians like other Indians and the wealth they earned remained in the country enriching the land of their adoption while the British cheated Indians and carried all wealth of the nation to England. Kiran living as she was in a free society has tender feelings for Himgiri‘s brother Umesh that was why she was on line very frequently; Umesh was absolutely unaware of any such knowledge or feelings. Many girls expressed a desire to be friendly. He was open like his father but friendship with girls has to wait. He too was serious like his father.

Himgiri was the darling daughter of Jagannath Pratap and Charulata. Both loved her immensely. But her affections sprang from and to her caretaker foster mother Shano who endeared her so much there were no secrets between her and Shano even now when she is an adult person entering her career in US. She gets regular phone calls from her almost daily. There is nothing that she could not do or provide her both here as well as while she was in India. Her upbringing, body language, mannerisms were true copy of Charu her mother. She was as dazzling and beautiful as her mother Charu. She was as transparent and simple as her mother. And she was very intelligent in studies. She is doing post graduation in management at Harvard. Her aggregate percentage up to graduation in humanities has been eighty per cent plus. At Harvard she is on scholarship. She is in Harvard Business School which is part of a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Harvard Business School and many of the university‘s athletics facilities are located in Allston, on the other side of the Charles River. Himgiri is 456 intimately interested in history. She has read volumes on the history of India, its ancient civilization and culture, United States of America and France. Her laptop is full of history downloads.

She has preserved a page with contents of architectural wonder that exists in India, supposed to be the most ancient structure built in recorded human history. In Bihar, Aurangabad district, at Dev, a Surya temple built in Treta Yug of Indian chronology, is famous for its religious importance and architectural excellence. Tradition is that ancient Indian architect god-like Vishwakarma himself built this temple. Built in black and off- white stones its design is similar to the famous Jagannath Temple of Puri. The most important aspect of this temple is the in-built foundation stone of this temple, in Brahmi script, translated into Sanskrit, on which it is, recorded that after the passage of 12 lakh 16 thousand years of the Treta Yug, Ila son of Pururaba Aila, started construction of this Sun-God temple. The stone inscription indicates that in the year 2006, the temple has completed 1,50,000 [one lakh fifty thousand] years of its construction. This is the only sun-temple in the country which is facing west; normally all sun-temples face east, the direction of the sun. Such news, so important for architectural antiquity of the temple as well as the Indian civilization, is not taken care upon the basis of which scientific approach could be built about Indian antiquity. She wonder the world antiquaries, history, the renowned historical television channels of discovery, national geographic and others speak of the ancient Greek-Roman, Egyptian sculptures being the earliest of world civilization; Indian antiquity is either left untouched or posted even later than the Chinese antiquity.

She is not fond of clubs and dancing; though she likes outdoors and trekking very much. Himgiri lives in an apartment with two persons imported from India, one man and his wife, to take care of the girl. The man drives car, a small Mercedies, ferries her from places on the campus to home and visit her brother at times when she is not flying. Shano‘s confident people regularly visit her and are always available to her. She is vibrant and cultured. She has taken to modern wear but likes salwar kameez also. She is fond of music and her portable music system has all Indian classical singers as well as pop stars. She also likes Bollywood movies and songs.

Kunal Gadariya, who was exported to US against the wishes of his father and at the instance of MST, is doing a course in animal husbandry management. He dreams of augmenting the white revolution in India. He is extremely attached to his country and the animal world, a legacy perhaps inherited from his parents. Kunal, Vikram and Kiran had to be conversant and fluent in English before they could be allowed entry in that country; that was the most difficult task for all the three. They had to clear some tests before their visas were cleared with so much high connections at the government level. All the three of them are exclusively independent to opt for careers they want and can make out. Their careers are their own choice. Kunal is more sober than Vikram, although he has some white girl friends too. Kunal was doing a course in animal husbandry to study the care and management of domestic animals. This degree can lead to a career in managing livestock, dairy cattle, or poultry; feed production; veterinary medicine; or others. An advanced knowledge of mathematics or science is not a prerequisite. However, field work 457 was integral to the course in this program, so students were required to have a reasonable degree of physical stamina and a desire to work with animals that Kunal has. He was in Georgia at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Tifton, Georgia. Kunal also planned to have course in horse breeding and management after the end of his current program this fall.

These four young persons have assembled to go to the airport where the new Indian ambassador designate is arriving. The Indian embassy has been careful to provide escort and transport facility to the youngsters.

Umesh, Himgiri, Kiran and Kunal all Indians have peculiar similarities. Instead of the past glory they look to future prospects. Their only ideal is reason based on science that can answer the why‘s and how‘s from the beginning to end. They are interested more in outer space, Moon, Mars and Jupiter, where in future they might have to go and explore chances to expand. If they have to fight they would do it for water, oil, or space but certainly not religion, caste or quota. When India becomes free of it they would perhaps consider return. They feel gratified that India too is marching towards the goal of reforms. About USA they feel society here has failed except their capacity to acquire mullah and economic success as a result of the self acquired role of global policing. Women liberation appear to have shaped a country high on drug addiction, disturbed childhood bereft of mother care, eclipsed old age senior citizens pining for family care money cannot buy, more divorces than marriages registered, social violence intermixed with crime, cheating and racial discrimination and a free democracy open to be mistress of those who can pump in more wealth to buy the administration.

However, Vikram is different. Although unconsciously aware of a god religion has no place in his itinerary. To him man-woman are equals and marriage find no room in his otherwise lively existence; come and live together till you like it or else go away and make room for the other. In his context the only caste, class or community he know is humanity; he has bypassed tradition caste and with that the ritual completely. He lives in present and spends so much so that he earns more; if there is mullah everything goes well. It applies to individuals as well as nations. For the rest he considers museums are the place to keep at perpetual peace.

This is the third generation of young Indians from Nandgaon and their life and thought display the role India is poised to play in international as well as national spheres. They are young between the age group of 24 - 27. They have put their agenda before them. It is their own. It‘s organic born out of their sharp mind and perspective of the world around them. In life they will work to meet that agenda. A man‘s future, as of a country, is shaped by the theme, dreams, aspirations woven by the young persons in the initiation of their age before thirty when they reach the threshold of middle age; the rest of life goes in implementing the agenda chalked out barring exceptions.

So have done the other 1.1 billion Indians at home and elsewhere wherever they are positioned. This country is going to take on most world powers. 458

10.6

Charu on weeks off from her duty in the Consulate has joined Jagan accompanied by Shano when he arrived in USA to take up his new assignment. Both of her children are working in the States which provide them job satisfaction. Charu‘s term has been extended once; she has acquired an independent spacious house in California, after the purchase was approved by Jagan, who was not interested in the project initially, however, since both children are there and she has found the climate better suited to her health the property was acquired. Both she and her children would have the option to stay in the country as it suits them. With his new assignment as Indian ambassador the decision appeared to be eventually a good investment. Charu would be retiring shortly and she has the option to stay in the country for the sake of her children and her health. Her aunt Sudarshan Kaur too has shifted from England to States and she played a role in the acquitition of the property and was a good company too. Sudarshan has two grown up and married daughters, one is a doctor in the States, who was mainly responsible to ferry her mother from England. The other was running a restaurant, an eatery of Indian cuisine, in England. It was perhaps more a coincidence that this acquitition of a decent house in the States by Charu followed a little away from the gift of Vaikuntha to Jagan by their bosom friend Shano. Charu was conscious of the indifference her husband have for a retirement in States or any other country for that matter; they had touched upon the subject quite a few times when their retirement was many years away and they were in the process of building their house in Delhi. The US home was a later decision emanating more from Charu which happened to fit in well with the posting of Jagan in the States; with it was also gradually becoming apparent she feels more comfortable in the bracing climate and modern living conditions of the country they are presently posted.

Shano has arranged a small celebration after he has taken over as new ambassador. Youngsters have also joined the outing. Shano‘s people in US have booked an overnight stay for all at Kimberly Suites, 50th East Street, New York City, a distance of 8 miles from La Guardia Airport. In the midst of Manhattan's fashionable east side stands a suite hotel, unique in spirit, replete in hospitality, apart in gracious living. The Kimberly Hotel, an intimate experience in timeless elegance is conveniently located in the heart of midtown Manhattan. The Kimberly offers luxurious accommodations and superb personalized service. The spacious one and two bedroom Suites feature feather beds with exclusive designer linen, a fully equipped kitchen, private balcony, a separate living room with sitting area, dining area, pullout sofa and work desk. The hotel is just steps away from Park Avenue and New York's world-renowned Madison-Fifth Avenue shops, close to many exciting sights and attractions. All Suites are city view. Room amenities include balconies, air conditioning, heating, smoke detector, sprinkler system, alarm clock, 2 televisions, movie and satellite channels on command, CD player, radio, video games, in-room fax machine, safety deposit box (large enough for a laptop), 2 telephones, data ports, iron and ironing board, bathtub and shower, plush bathrobes, scale, mini-bar, hairdryer, scale, electronic shoeshine machine, goose down pillows, full kitchen, coffee/tea maker, microwave, refrigerator and maid service. Cribs are available upon request. 459

George O'Neill‘s Restaurant, classic steakhouse and sidewalk cafe serving both casual and more sophisticated dishes, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. O'Neill‘s Bar, is a classic watering hole. Flat screen TV sets offer some of the hottest sports events. The Kimberly guests also enjoy unlimited and complimentary access to all locations of the New York Health & Racquet Club, two of which are located less than two blocks from the hotel. Rockefeller Center is a 5-minute walk and Central Park a brisk 15-minute walk.

Three 2-bedroom suites were reserved for Ms Shanti Trivedi. Jagan and Charu sat in the main suite living room.

‗I thought we observe too much protocol back home in India; it seems to be even more prominent here in States,‘ Charu observed looking to her husband.

‗More security after 9/11 is a factor. This country outpours more diplomatic activity around the world that results in lot formalities also,‘ Jagan said.

Himgiri followed by Kiran came towards living room, ‗Mom we are going on a cruise ride, will return before sunset; the guy was inquisitive if any of us is below 18 years,‘ said she a bit agitated.

‗You know there are rules for them to follow; children are not allowed on cruise, perhaps, you know better,‘ Charu told her daughter affectionately.

Kiran came forward to namaste Jagan, ‗She is Kiran, daughter of Kirpa, you know,‘ said Charu to Jagan pointing towards the girl.

‗God bless you, how are you,‘ Jagan asked the girl.

‗Thanks, I am well uncle, we are all so excited about your coming to this country,‘ she replied.

‗That‘s good. Work hard. Where is your brother?‘ Jagan asked.

‗He is outside with Umesh, shall I call him,‘ Kiran asked.

‗No, it‘s OK, take care,‘ Jagan said.

Himgiri took her mother aside while Kiran was talking to her father, Kiran waited for her to return. Upon Himgiri‘s return both girls left.

‗Him, where is Shano aunty,‘ Charu asked her daughter.

‗She is with the boys who are getting ready for cruise I will ask her to come, mom?‘ asked Himgiri. 460

‗No, don‘t disturb her,‘ Charu replied.

Shano entered the room, asking Jagan, ‗How‘s the place.‘

‗It‘s good,‘ he replied pleasantly.

‗It looks 5-star plus,‘ said Charu.

‗I am satisfied that both of you like it, my people were rather concerned,‘ said Shano looking towards Charu.

‗Ever since Jagan was awarded ‗Padma Vibhushan‘ I was thinking of celebrating. Then came the latest, his assignment in the US, it is in his honor, a little bit of celebration from us at the MST Times. Children have gone over the boat. I have sent a person to look after, he is an American,‘ told Shano.

‗It‘s so good of you, dear,‘ replied Charu.

‗Please kanwaraniji no formalities,‘ she said, looking towards Jagan she said, ‗I was with Umesh for quite sometime just now; he has something to talk over about future,‘ Shano informed.

‗Both of you talk over his mind and sort out what he wants,‘ said Jagan

‗He neither requires nor will I be able to do any kind of career promotion for him,‘ Jagan said again looking towards Shano.

‗He not only does not need any push from his parents, he has serious matters visiting his mind. He is nicely informed about home front, about reforms, about political uncertainties and the like,‘ said Shano getting serious.

‗He wants to get back to his country,‘ informed Charu.

‗He has not yet finally decided, he is thinking to take up ICS,‘ Shano informed.

‗He is already on a hundred thousand dollar job the like of which India has nowhere to offer; ICS is a fraction of the package,‘ said Charu.

‗He looks beyond money,‘ replied Shano.

‗I appreciate his thinking. Any patriotic successful Indian should think of his country; I have no doubt about his intelligence, he will make up to ICS in his first take,‘ replied Charu. 461

‗Having spent a number of years in States he has gone deeper and seen this society; he yearns to get back to his country and sustain human values with real development,‘ replied Shano.

‗To think ideals is pretty; reality the ground situation might result in frustration,‘ said Charu.

‗We might be committing folly to underestimate his potential. Job he will get anywhere anytime. ICS will be peanuts for him. He does not think of it only as an avenue of employment. He really wishes to be a partner in his country‘s upliftment, please try to understand his mind,‘ said Shano, looking towards Jagan who didn‘t intervene in the discussion he was keenly interested.

Jagan was thoughtful. He kept his silence.

‗Although he would take his own decision and he is competent to do that; we as parents are naturally keenly interested in his future. I look towards his father. He got his due promotions on time but his brilliance deserved more; he took reforms early in his career but it couldn‘t be realized. Things are easily said than done,‘ said Charu.

‗I beg to differ here. He has been extraordinary successful in bringing reforms to a level no civil servant could have ever dreamt of doing. There is a cabinet memo duly approved in place. The consequential constitutional amendments are ready to be put up to parliament. The rest remains is purely political process for which awareness has been created; I have no doubt the reforms will at some stage come through. As nobody can restrain India becoming a world power so also the reforms would have to happen,‘ said Shano.

Coffee with snacks was served.

Breaking his silence Jagan looking to Shano said: ‗Your debate is academic. I know if he has decided to return to India he will come notwithstanding what we feel about it. I know if he opts for it he would be able to clear ICS. Tell him, if he really wants to get back, he should go to Nandgaon parliamentary constituency and seek election to parliament, develop a thick skin, be honest to his goal. It is time better people enter politics. He might inherit my goodwill and achieve success.‘

‗That‘s great, please Charu lets give him a big hand,‘ said Shano hugging her joyfully.

‗Shano kindly don‘t interfere or suggest anything to Umesh. Let him decide at his own,‘ Jagan said.

For three days the new Ambassador of India had a private holiday. MST Times has ensured there were no media presence and no news of the personal holiday was flashed out. The youngsters fully enjoyed it. They drank champagne, danced to the pop tunes late 462 in the nights, and invited their girl friends and boy friends to enhance their pleasure. Vikramaditya particularly brought three girl friends for three days they stayed at the hotel. Surprisingly Kunal too brought his girl friend, though the youngsters were at a distance from their seniors. Elders frolicked from hotel rooms to central park, boat cruise, lunch at the boat, morning and evening walks, choicest food filled with rich American salads, saw movies, went horse riding, helicopter rides, and of course shopping. It was a gift from poor Shano to her darling idol Jagan. This group of VIPs was from the land of Krishna, Brajvasis; few people could delve into rendezvous of the kind Shano had with her Jagan, like Radha had with Krishna in Vrindavan and Gokul on the banks of Jamuna.

***

463

Part Six

2024 10.7

In the forenoon hours of 14th February there was hectic activity at the Raisina Hill Rashtrapati Bhavan. Umesh Pratap Singh was administered the oath of office as Prime Minister of India. He was the youngest Prime Minister so far in the history of the Republic. Prior to this position he has served as Member of Parliament for two previous terms of ten years duration. Shri Nekiram Sagar, the veteran President of India administered the oath of office and secrecy. The Prime Minister brought three new cabinet ministers who also were administered the oath of office as Union Ministers. They were Srikit Gowda, Kunal Gadariya and Ms. Kiran Sagar. Later they drove to Rajghat to pay homage to the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi.

After the oath ceremony the new Prime Minister flew straight from Rajghat to the Samadhi of his father Late Shri Jagannath Pratap Singh, Padma Vibhushan, Late Ms. Shanti Trivedi, Padma Bhushan, his foster mother of the MST Times, and Late Ms. Charulata Singh his mother, in village Nandgaon to pay his respects.

Much of what Nandgaon was before redemption of independence is now undergoing a fast change, both in appearance and substance. Post independence affirmative benefit‘s blessings to the creamy layer have changed the living standard of some scs; their marginal borderline dwellings are now protruding with three storey bungalows, being visited by official jeeps and gypsies more than the former thakur estate havelis which are turning into ghost heritage structures in dilapidated condition without proper upkeep and maintenance, as political leadership has changed hands from the later to the former under a vibrant democracy recognized globally, such being the power of the vote. The former dirty and dingy lanes and by lanes are now all paved and fair weather thoroughfares. In place of a lone post office run by one man who was postmaster, postman, post carrier combined in one with an old telephone with a winding alarm bell operated manually, there now stands at least half a dozen sky rocketing mobile telephony towers manned by executives who not only keep their machines in an air conditioned room, but sleep too in that somber atmosphere, belonging to Reliance, Airtel, Hutch, Tata and Idea multinationals. The village has large television cable network. There are bazaars and almost everything of daily necessity is available there. Literacy has increased to 70 per cent, there are no more child marriages, though fetus skewing does happen stealthily with the demand in dowry having increased manifold. Traditional dress has given way to shirt pant cum jeans, pockets cozily filled with mobile phones and scented and slippery condoms to protect from HIV Aids. Poverty still pervades; its presence is now limited and squalor is almost missing.

Dulari Bhangin, Bhopti Cobbleri, Midniya Kasai, Begum Telin, Pyari Koria, Haripyari Kachhi, Mooli Dhoban except Anisa Fakiran are all dead and gone; their progeny now lives in three storied bungalows. Bhopati‘s grandson, Mangat Ram is Major in the Hussars unit of the Indian Army. Both Nekiram Sagar and Kirpa Gadaria, the nation‘s top politicians, have large farm houses, manned by security and horticulture 464 personnel. Nekiram‘s farm house has a helipad built inside its boundary; once in years his children come from USA where they are settled.

Out of the former estates Jagan‘s Haveli stands intact and well maintained; it has added two modern new air-conditioned guest houses. The country‘s Prime Minister visits the place at least once in a year; the country house haveli and farm house are maintained in good trim. Nandgaon is now on the international map, linked to both Delhi and Kolkatta direct by the national highway. Beside the old bamba, where Jagan learnt first lessons of swimming, there is the Nandgaon Airstrip with all modern facilities.

Shano‘s residence is now empty, all family having shifted to Delhi; in that square plot in the precincts of her idol‘s Haveli, now stands a remarkable marble temple of SriKrishna and Radha, with Balrama overlooking the duo deities. It‘s the richest cultural center in the area, with one of the richest libraries of the state; Ras-lila, Ram-lila, Dol Phul, Holi celebrations, music concerts, dance and singing competitions often reverberate the richness of Braj culture from the temple, during most parts of the year.

Umesh Pratap Singh alongwith his sister Himgiri has also inherited the MST Times and her properties worth $ 12 billion all over the world by an inheritance deed left by the indomitable Ms. Shanti Trivedi, their foster mother.

In the first winter session of the parliament of the year 2010 the old 9-RPM, in its original form it was approved by the cabinet 23 years back, the historical reform plan was passed by a two-third majority that became the 39th Constitutional Amendment Act. It was as revolutionary a step as was the independence of the country under the aegis of the father of the nation, Gandhi, and swearing, in the central hall of parliament, of Jawaharlal Nehru, as independent India‘s first prime minister, on midnight of 15th August 1947, by the outgoing Viceroy Lord Mountbatten.

Though pockets of poverty remained both caste and squalor were fading; caste turned out to be more ornamental than decisive. There was a gradual amalgamation of various castes as inter-caste marriages increasingly changed the old and outdated mindset. The malficence of caste was running out of life of Indians with the change of succeeding generations. Creamy layer that was the target of lot criticism in the pre-reform era proved critically advantageous in helping intercaste marriages come through as the custom of arranged marriages was fast dying out. It might take almost more than a century to undo the damage colonial rule did to Indians by highlighting caste as the hall mark of contemporary social life; imperialism used caste to divide and rule. With the practice in systematic progress of Indian democracy the focus moved from caste to capital.

India reigned supreme in the world. It has reached a status of international standing beyond both the USA and China. Its military might and vibrant economy had no parallel in the harmony of world countries. Peace, equality and justice to all are the message India flashes through multiple complex convoluted satellites watching the globe from above the horizon. 465

10.8

Three tall uniformed brass of the highway patrol command over Delhi-Nandgaon- Kolkatta national highway a day preceding President‘s visit to Nandgaon were nostalgic to recall the incredible legend of Jagannath Pratap Singh and Shanti Trivedi, who toiled to make India a super power and whose spectacular sublime love reverberates in the soft blowing breeze of Braj, inspired by its Lord Balrama and blessed by the Arisudana Janardana SriKrishna coupled with Radha, the supreme exponent of love divine. One sentinel on scouting duty was from glorious Jat Regiment, second from the dare-devil Raj-Rif, and the third from the brave Hussars, the grandson of Bhopti Cobbler from days of yore.

In a glittering pageant of maya‟s lila, Shano and Jagan were apotheosis antecessors of Radha and Krishna in the kaliyuga; Radha and Krishna become Lakshami and Narayana in married form as they simulate Charu and Jagan of Nandgaon, a couple in wedlock, descended on God‘s command when unrighteousness prevails and He descends from the kingdom of God for maintaining the material manifestation to protect the virtuous, destroy the vices and to re-establish dharma in Braj and Bharat.

„Yada yada hi Dharmasya Glanir bhavati Bharata Abhyuthhanam adharmasya Tadatmanam Srijamyaham‟



the End.



466

August Musings

The Romance of Indian Renanscene

Glossary:

Though some local Hindi Brajbhasha words have been provided their English counterpart in the running text, a detailed glossary with nearest approximate English translation is being provided, mainly to facilitate the enlightened readers for their convenience. It may be noted the meanings provided may not be exactly as dictionary of the language contain; it relates more to the relevant text context rather than its exact literary understanding.

Abba-father Adwait-tenet of Hindu philosophy Aghianas-bonfires Aghori sadhu-extreme tantric ascetic Aham brahm asmi-I Am Brahman Alam-KG class Alha-udal-ballad Aloo-matar-peas potato Ammas-grannies Angrez-British Angrezi-piped band Antyodaya-last of the lowest Asalah-weapon Asat-untrue Ashramdharma-life obligations-duties Ashram-pious place Ashta-sakhi-eight friends Asura viviha-marriage by abduction Atma-soul Avatars-leaders Ayurvedic vaidya-ayurvedic physician Babu-bureaucrat Bacha-babe Bade bhaiya-elder brother Bahus-daughter-in-laws Bal-viviha-child marriage Bamba-minor canal Bania-trader Banjara-trader on move Bansuri-flute Baratis-persons with groom 467

Bari didi-elder sister Barosee-fireplace Bazaar-market Begum-queen, wife Bejhar-coarse grain Beta abhi tumne duniya nahin dekhi hai, aaj ham tumhain ek nai duniya dikhayainge-usher fresher to a new world Beta abhi tumne duniya nahin dekhi hai, aaj ham tumhain ek nai duniya dikhayainge-son we will take you to a new world you hanen‘t seen Bhaar-oven Bhabhi-sister in law, brothers‘ wife Bhadon-Indian calendar month of rains when dark clouds hover Bhagwan-God Bhaiya, babuji, amma-brother, father, mother Bhajan-Kirtan-prayer recitation Bhangin-sweepress Bhangi-sweeper Bhelis-weighed jaggery in different sizes Bhikshus-ascetics Bhoot-ghost Bhugol-geography Bidis-Indian counterpart of cigerrette Biriyani-deep fried rice Biriyanis-rice delicacy Bohras-money lenders Bol yaar-come on! Brahman bania thakur chor baki sab hain DS4-The three upper castes are thieves and should be kicked away Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh Brahmcharya, grahsthya, vanprastha,sanyas-ideal four stages of life Brahmin shankh bajayega, haathi badhta jayega-Brahmin will blow the bugle and elephant will march forward Brahmin-Indian upper priestly class Brahmins, vaishyas, jats, rajputs-three upper castes Braj bhasaha-local dialect of Braj Braj-parts of western UP, Haryana & Rajasthan Brajvasi-residents of Braj Bris-milah or bris shalom –circumcision Budham sarnam gachhami, sangham sarnam gachhami-Budhist prayer Burra sahibs- steel frame bureaucrats Burra sahibs-bureaucrats Chachu-uncle Chahi-irrigated Chakka jam-traffic block Chakra-spiked wheel, weapon of Krishna Chalo yaar thoda engine oil lagake ate hain-relax by peg of hard drinks 468

Chalo yaar thoda engine oil lagake ate hain-synonym to initiate one to hard drink Chaloo- gurus-smart guys, old repeaters smart at everything other than studies Changa Po and Fallas-Braj gambling Chapatti-Indian bread Chappals-slippers Charagah-pasture Charan sparsh-pay respect by touch feet Chardua-shuffler Charduli-shuffler small Charkha-mannual spinning Charkhi-mannual ginning Chasni-paste Chaturvarnya-four-fold caste classification Chaupal-open elevated village elder‘s sit on Chayawalas-tea-vendors Chhatri-cenotaph Chhoti bhabhi-younger brother‘s wife Chilam-earthen hollow bowl for tobacco hookah smoking Chilams sulpha-ganja-drugs Chit sakti-will power Choli-bra Choti-crown hair lock Chowk-enclosed sit on area part of large houses Chowkidar-security guard Chulha-fireplace Churidar-Kameez-dress Chutney-roti-spiced bread Collector saab-district magistrate Dadima-grandmother Dahi-curd Dal Urad-pulse Urad Dalals-touts, middlemen Dallan-verandah Dallie-presents Dal-pulse Damru-two pronged drum of Shiva with narrow waist in middle Dangi-sickle with long bamboo handle to cut tree turf Daresi-dressing of canal road Daroga-police inspector Darshan-see Dauji Maharaj-Braj God Dauji Balram, brother of Krishna Dauji-Balram-Braj Diety Deputy saab- sub-divisional officer Desi tharra and santara- local liquor brands Devadasi-temple girls Dhaba-campus restaurant, roadside eatery for drivers & people on move 469

Dhai-Kot Dhaikot-hide & seek game Dhaka mal-mal odhani-thin covering cloth-scarf Dharma-bhai-adopted brother Dhoban-washer woman Dhobi ghats-spot to wash clothes on rivers, ponds Dhobis-washer man Dhola-ballad Dhooni–agni-kund -fire place Dhoti-Indian dress, both male and female Didi-sister Diya tale andhera-darkness under the nose Dostam-friend Durries dutais chadars suafis-local weaves bedspreads Dwait and Adwait-tenets of Indian philosophy Dwij-twice born Fakiran-wife of begger mendicants Fakirs-begging mendicants Firangee-Britisher, word used as foreigners Faria-ladies great scarf Gaad-crushed seeds after oil extraction Gaddi-seat of business Gaji- a forerunner of khadi-indigenous cloth Gandeeva-Arjun‘s bow Gandharva vivaha-love marriage Gangajal-sacred water Ganja-grass drug Garhi-fortress Gauna-second marriage Ghaghra or lehenga-Indian skirt Ghagra-odhani-skirt & covering scarf Ghats-bathing steps Ghee-saturated animal fat Ghoora- garbage dump Ghota-polisher Ghunghuros-dance ring bells Gilli-Danda-Braj play game Girahbazz kabutari-pigeon contest Gita Slokas-excerpts from Gita Golewali kabutari-pigeon contest Go-loka-heaven Gomti-cloth whip Gopis-Braj women infatuated towards Krishna Gop-sakhas-cow herding colleagues Gore-white Gori mem-English lady 470

Gosht-meat Gramsevaks-village level workers Guarpatha-gel Gur-roti-sweet bread Gur-Shakkar-jaggery sugar Guru ghantals-smart patriarchs Guru mantra-the guiding philosophy Guru-dakshina-teacher tribute Guruji-teacher Guru-shishya parampara-teacher-taught tradition Gwala-Sakhas-co-shepherds with reference to God Krishna Gwal-bals, bal-sakha-playmates of child prodigy Krishna Gyana – knowledge Haats-selling market weekly or monthly Hafta-weekly instalment of bribe, forced pay off usually collected by rowdies Hala- wooden cultivator Haramkhor-useless employed or unemployed Hathi Nahin Ye Ganesh Hai; Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, Hai-Elephant is God Ganesh in trio of Brahma Vishnu Mahesh Haveli-affluent residence Heers-Juliets Hiranygarbha-seed of creator Brahma Hookah-Farsi-piped smoking apparatus Hundi-creditor‘s cheque Huzoor-mode of address, equivalent to Sir Jahar Pir-religious avatar Jatputra-son of a Jat Jhoola-swing Jhuggi-jhonparies-thatched slum clusters Jijaji-sister‘s husband Jija-sister‘s husband Jijmans-clients Jugnu-insect with a lighted tail Jungle raj-state of lawlessness Junt Saab-: ICS-joint magistrate Jyeshtha-gangasnan-parva-summer festival Kabutarbaz-tamer of pigeons Kabutaries-darling beloveds Kajal-traditional eye paste Kala-chakra-timecycle Kale-black Kali-Durga Kalindi-Jamuna Kaliyuga-present age in Hindu age cycle, last time frame before doom Kalpataru-wish fulfilling tree Kamandal-politics of religion 471

Kancha-marbles children play with Kanwarani saheba-adjective for sister in laws Karhai-large pan Karinda-clerk Karma-action, duty Kasai-butchers Katchnar, Amla, Jamun, Neem-trees of Braj Katha Hawan-religious ceremonies Kaudhani-waste-bands Kawabs and pakoras-depp fried delicacies Khana-dinner or lunch out Khari boli-Hindi dialect Khatik-caste Khat-wooden cot Kheer- gulab jamun-halwa- puri-kachauri-raita-Indian delicasies Kheer, Puaa, Puri and Kachauri-Indian Braj delicacies of indigenous cuisine Kheer-halwa-rasgullas-Indian Braj sweets Khoa-dairy product Khowa pedas-Braj sweet Kinkartavyavimurha-unable to decide what to do Kolhu-mannual juice extractor Korcha- money saved without knowledge of master or his clerks Korias-weavers Kos Parikrama-distance circumbulation Kos-distance more than a mile Kothi-mud grain storage Kshatriya rajvanshi-royal warrior Kshatriyas-warrior class Kula-clan Kuldeepak-son who inherit Kumbha- and mahakumbhas-bathing festivals Kumhars-potters Kumkum-female red paint on forehead, sign of married life Kunj-grove Kurta-pajama-Indian dress Laddoos and rasgullas-sweets Lakshman Rekha-line drawn to protect modesty Lakshmi-goddess of wealth Lal Mirch Chatni Langar-kitchen Langars-free kitchen Lathi-club, baton Lenhaga-great Indian ladies skirt Lila-happening Lila-play, scene, game of life Lungis-wrap around cloth 472

Mahabharat-the fifth Veda Mahajanapadas-metropolises Mahal-movie name Maharaj-adjective Mahfil-celebration Maikhana-pub Maiya-mother Makar sankranti-Hindu festival related to solar movement Makhan-cream Malguzari-land revenue Malik Abad Rakhe-‗May God Bless Prosperity Mandal-area Mandal-report on OBC reservation Mandara-parvat-sacred hillock Mandies-markets Mandir-temples Manjhali didi-middle sister Manjiras-clap musical instruments Maunds-weight Maya-ignorance Mayajaal-unreal, illusory Mehendi-hina paste Mela-fair Meri jaan-my life Mistries-mechanics Mohalla-ward, surroundings Moksha or nirvana-delievrance from the cycle of birth & death Muafidar-muafi-remission from land tax Muddhas-dewans-soft cane chairs Mukhia-head Mukti-deliverance Munims-clerks Munshis-clerks, touts, readers Murga-cock Murhi-saint hut Musalmani-male circumcision Mushak- water carriers Nag panchami-festival Nagaras and Dholaks-local drums Nahar-canal Nal-Damayanti-popular ballad hero & heroine Namaste-salutation with folded hands Nambardar-village headman Nand-earthen bowl Nanis-maternal granny Naths-follower of sect 473

Nautanki-village stage play Nautch-dance Navaratri-puja-worship of goddess Durga, Shakti Nawab Wazir-chief ruler Nawabs-ruler Nazar-token tribute Nazim-governor, ruler Netas-politicians, scoundrels Neza Kalams-writing tool Nikah-bethrotal Nimboo-pani-lemon water, a drink Nishad-low caste, sweeper Nishkam-karma-action, duty without result or consequence Nispector-Inspector Nitya-Vihar-daily rendezvous Painth-market place, open space Paisa-lowest currency Pakoras-cutlets Pakwaan-deep fried Pallu-part of sari that covers head, breast and upper body of woman Panchalas-occupational caste Panchatatva- five elements: earth, water, fire, air and sky Pandas-religious touts initiaters Panditain-Pandit‘s wife Panditji pa-lagan-touch-feet Pandit-learned Paneer-palak-cheese spinach Param Brahma-Ultimate Reality Para-nari-other‘s woman Parathas-half fried breakfast delicacy Parathas-Indian deep fried pitza Paraya dhan-other‘s property Parikrama-circumbulation Patal Loka-sea world Pattas-lease Patti-wooden slate Patwari-key revenue official at village level Payals-feminie foot ornament Pehelwans-wrestlers Pehle aap-after you, a cultural courtesy Peshkash-dali-nazar-presents Phul Dol, Chaitbadi-post Holi fair Poornima and amavasya-moon phases Pralaya-final doom Pranam-salutation Prasad- chanauri-part of God‘s offering 474

Prasad-alms Pratham chumbanam danta bhagnam-a pass for girls Prithvidevi-mother earth Puja-daily prayer Pundits-vedantins-learned in Vedas Pur -leather buckets Purdah-veil Purushasthra-manhood Purush-social human being Pyayu-water hut Raab-sugarcane juice boiled to semi-liquid stage Raag-chorus song Rabbi-priest Rabi and kharif-Braj crops Rai-mustard Raiyat-natives Raja-king Rajas-activity, heat, fire Rakhi-Indian tie of bond to protect by sisters to brothers Ramayan-Indian classic Ramlila Ramnaumi and Dolphul-Hindu festivals Ranjhas-Romeos Ras lila-divine love play Rasa-juice Rasiyas-rural folk songs Rath-carriage Rishies-seers Ryots-people Ryots-people under rule Saais-canine caretakers Saale-wife‘s brother, abuse, derogatory remark Saas-mother-in-law Sadhu-sage Sahachari Varg-feminine camrederie Sakhi Bhava-love flushed Sakhi-female friend of woman Saki-boose, liquor Sakkas-water men Salwar kameez-women dress Saptahs-week long divine recitations to propitiate heavenly powers Sari-female elegant dress Sarkai leu khatia jada lage-hot Hindi song: get close in bed to avoid cold Sarkari naukari-government job Sarkari-government Sarpanchji-elected village head 475

Sarvastivad- budhist sect Satchidananda: being- spiritual-peace Sattva-purity, light, serenity Satya sat-truth Satyagraha- civil disobedience Satyam Shivam Sundaram-Shiva is God & Glorious Savarnas-upper caste Sawan-Bhadon-rain months Sc-scheduled caste Semari bura-sweet nuddles Senwai-noodles Seth-rich Shairi poetry Shamner-student Sharad poornima-full moon Sharbats-soft sweet drinks Sheera-left over liquid after cane juice sifted Shikar-hunt Shikshak guru-teacher Shiva-God Shivaratri-ramnaumi-krishna janmashthmi-Hindu festivals Sipahi-sepoy, constable Somaras-Rigvedic nector Sudras-lowest service class Swadeshi khadi-indigenous woven cloth sign of national aspiration Swadeshi-indigenous Swang-rustic folk play Swarga-heaven Swarga-the heavens Swayamvar- father invites eligibles to be chosen by daughter to wed her choice Taal-pond, water body Tabela-stable Tamas-dullness, ignorance, darkness Tandava- nratya-dance of Shiva Tandoori-bread roasted Tansawale-bandsmen Tantrik-orthodox religious dogmatic sect Tarana-movie name Tat tvam asi-That Thou Art Tazias-Muharram replicas on lines of Hindu chariots Tehjib-etiquette Telias-oil man Telin-oil woman Thakurani-dowager Thakurs- chief of a village Thanedar-police inspector 476

Thekedars-pandits-pujaries-priests Thikana- cluster of villages under revenue collection rights Tilak tarazu aur talwar inko maro jute chaar-Brahmins, traders and the warrior caste should be kicked Tilak-holy forehead mark Til-sesamum seed Tirtha-holy places Titarbaz-partridge keeper Toran-symbol to be won in victory over bride Turiya-transcendental fourth state of consciousness Up-Sarpanch-deputy village head Upvans-holy parks Vaidyas-Ayurvedic practitioners Vaikuntha-heaven Van-forests Varnadharma-caste obligations-duties Varnashramdharma-duty by caste Vartman-present Vasuki-serpent king Vihar yatras-pleasure trips Virja-Kalindi, Jamuna, sacred river of Braj Vote se lenge PM/CM arakshan se lenge SP/DM-we will take PM/CM with vote SP/DM with reservation Vrsala-low caste Wazir [Vizier]-chief minister Wo-chamki-spot Taj reflection on full moon meant for damsels Yaar-friend Yagyopavit-sacred thread Yogi-seer Yojana-distance measure Yuga-age Zila pramukh and block pramukh-district & block political head            