23rd March, 2012
There was a bustling atmosphere at the station; Mumbai is a city where everyone seems to be in a perpetual rush, and Vyom was no exception that day. He needed to catch a train to return home for a festival celebration. Just in the nick of time, he boarded the train and discovered someone had already occupied his reserved berth. An untidy man, likely a laborer, was sitting there, probably intending to enjoy the sleeper class luxury tonight at Vyom's expense.
"Excuse me, ye meri berth hai, S1 17", said Vyom.
"Par TC ne to bola 17 par baith jao, 100 rupaye bhi liye", the man said.
"Hmmm TC se check karna padega" said Vyom and he went looking for the TC in the other compartment.
"Sir ye S1 17 is my berth par waha koi baitha hai, bol raha hai ki aapne berth usse allocate kar diya".
"Nahi nahi kaun hai, usko bolo 18 par baithe, 18 khali hai", said the TC. "Ok" said Vyom and went back to his berth to announce, "bhaisahaab 17 mera hai, aapko 18 par baithna hai". The man took a moment before deciding to move and then left the seat murmuring, "TC paise bhi le liya, koi raseed bhi nahi diya, ab aise hi idhar udhar karte rahenge log". Vyom ignored his mumbling and arranged his luggage under the berth, took out his book and started reading.
The man started a formal discussion, "bhaisahaab aap kaha jaa rahe hai".
"Bhopal" said Vyom almost uninterested.
"Bhopal to bahut door hoga", asked the man.
Vyom realized that the inquiry is not going to be over soon, so he lowered his book and said, "kuch khaas nahi, 12 ghante me pahuch jaunga. Aur aap kaha jaa rahe hai."
"Main malegaon jaa raha hoon, ye train manmad tak jayegi phir waha se bus/taxi karke jaana padega to subah ke kuch 4-5 baaje waha pahuchunga" explained the man.
"Hmmm", an agreement from Vyom and he was back to his book.
"Veg biryani, chiken biryani, veg biryani...", shouted the vendor while crossing the compartment. The man was suddenly interested and called the vendor, "how much for chicken biryani?".
"Sau rupaye", quoted the vendor, handing the chicken biryani even without actually ordered.
"nahi nahi sau rupaye to bahut zyada hote hai, itne se biryani ke, rehne do".
The vendor gave the man a dirty look and moved on.
"Batau bhaisahaab itne se biryani ke sau rupaaye", the man complained to Vyom looking for agreement. Vyom lifted his face from the book, nodded and slipped back to the book. "Samosa, 15 rupaya, samosa", called another vendor. "Arre samosa wale, samosa de do", said the man who was now content about the price, the vendor gave him a plate with two samosas and a packet of sauce which the man refused. "Nahi chatni nahi chahiye", he said.
He then turned to offer Vyom, "lijiye samosa khayiye".
"Nahi nahi thanks main train ka khana nahi khata" Vyom declined feeling sheepish.
"Humko to khana padta hai, nahi to ab khana seedhe kal milega" said the man and ate the two samosas voraciously and followed by a litre of water. Vyom was watching this from the corner of his eye and he was suddenly a bit interested in the man and asked, "bus. Ab aap khana nahi khayenge".
"Nahi bhaisahaab, itne se raat kat jayegi aur subah kha lenge", said the man nonchalantly. By now the man got Vyom's full attention, he kept his book aside and began a conversation. "Kya kaam karte hai aap", inquired Vyom.
"ji mistri (plumber) hai, drivery bhi kar lete hai thodi, abhi ek mumbai ki company me kaam karte hai, din ke dau-teen sau (200-300) rupaye mil jaate hai" the man told and continued, "hamara ek chota bhai aur behen hai, abhi behen ke ghar jaa rahe hai, kal sham tak wapas nikal jayenge, chutti nahi milli hai phir somwar se kaam par jaana hai. (pause) Bhaisaab agar aapke phone me balance hai to ek call karna hai, ammi ko batana hai ki khana kha liya hai, wo fiqr karti hai". Vyom dialled the number and handed over the mobile to the man, "ji ammi khana kha liya hai, haan haan ab pahuch kar baat karenge aap fiqr na karo"
"Thank you bhaisaab" and he handed over the phone to Vyom.
Vyom sat thinking for a while and then moved pretending to call someone. He went to find the biryani vendor, it was already 10.45PM and the pantry was about to close, the vendors were having dinner when Vyom reached there and he requested one of them, "bhaiya thodi help chahiye, ye S1 me 20 berth number par ek aadmi hai, usko chicken biryani de dijiye aur ye lijiye 100 rupaye, usko bol dijiyega ki uske liye hai, usse paise mat lijiyega" and Vyom roamed around the berth pretending to be be talking to someone over the phone till the time the chicken biryani was offered to the man and he finished eating it. Then Vyom moved back to the berth and opened his bag to pull the covers for sleeping. When the men said, "Thank You bhaisaab, mera naam Yunus hai, Yunus Sheikh aur aapka?"
"Vyom" replied Vyom feeling bit awkward with the thanks.
"Aur aage, aapka pura naam" asked Yunus.
"Vyom, bus itna hi" said Vyom with a smile and spread the cover on the berth and lied down on the berth. That is when Yunus started narrating his life to Vyom, "hum gaon Dhulia ke hai, jab ghar se aaye the tab yahi traino me saaf karte the, kachra saaf karte the kapde se, phir sheher me kaam shuru kiya majduri ka, phir mistri ka kaam seekha aur ab thodi drivery bhi seekh li. Pichle saal hi kaam shuru kiya hai, uske pehle coma me the, mumbai me local par baithe the current lag gaya. Bahut paisa kharch hua, aap .......(forgot the name) aspatal jaante ho wahi hamara ilaaz hua tha. Ab phir se shuru kiya hai sab, bahut paisa lag gaya tha ilaaz me. Aap train me so jaate hai, accha aap so jayiye, humara station to ek baje aayega."
Vyom just nodded in agreement and pulled the sheet on his face, thinking about the party last week where he spent 840 rupees drinking beer with his friend because he was upset, he was upset because life was not turning out the way he wanted....
28th March, 2012
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Vyom is a citizen of India where the scams sum up to 10.67 Lac Crore (coalgate), 1.76Lac Crore (2G scam), 70000 Crore (Commonwealth), 27000 Crore (UP NRHM) and many unearthed till now... This is the country with highest number of worship places (temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras). This is the place which boosts of several Gods and religions.. this is the place from where God has gone.
God is gone, we are on our own...
"Par TC ne to bola 17 par baith jao, 100 rupaye bhi liye", the man said.
"Hmmm TC se check karna padega" said Vyom and he went looking for the TC in the other compartment.
"Sir ye S1 17 is my berth par waha koi baitha hai, bol raha hai ki aapne berth usse allocate kar diya".
"Nahi nahi kaun hai, usko bolo 18 par baithe, 18 khali hai", said the TC. "Ok" said Vyom and went back to his berth to announce, "bhaisahaab 17 mera hai, aapko 18 par baithna hai". The man took a moment before deciding to move and then left the seat murmuring, "TC paise bhi le liya, koi raseed bhi nahi diya, ab aise hi idhar udhar karte rahenge log". Vyom ignored his mumbling and arranged his luggage under the berth, took out his book and started reading.
The man started a formal discussion, "bhaisahaab aap kaha jaa rahe hai".
"Bhopal" said Vyom almost uninterested.
"Bhopal to bahut door hoga", asked the man.
Vyom realized that the inquiry is not going to be over soon, so he lowered his book and said, "kuch khaas nahi, 12 ghante me pahuch jaunga. Aur aap kaha jaa rahe hai."
"Main malegaon jaa raha hoon, ye train manmad tak jayegi phir waha se bus/taxi karke jaana padega to subah ke kuch 4-5 baaje waha pahuchunga" explained the man.
"Hmmm", an agreement from Vyom and he was back to his book.
"Veg biryani, chiken biryani, veg biryani...", shouted the vendor while crossing the compartment. The man was suddenly interested and called the vendor, "how much for chicken biryani?".
"Sau rupaye", quoted the vendor, handing the chicken biryani even without actually ordered.
"nahi nahi sau rupaye to bahut zyada hote hai, itne se biryani ke, rehne do".
The vendor gave the man a dirty look and moved on.
"Batau bhaisahaab itne se biryani ke sau rupaaye", the man complained to Vyom looking for agreement. Vyom lifted his face from the book, nodded and slipped back to the book. "Samosa, 15 rupaya, samosa", called another vendor. "Arre samosa wale, samosa de do", said the man who was now content about the price, the vendor gave him a plate with two samosas and a packet of sauce which the man refused. "Nahi chatni nahi chahiye", he said.
He then turned to offer Vyom, "lijiye samosa khayiye".
"Nahi nahi thanks main train ka khana nahi khata" Vyom declined feeling sheepish.
"Humko to khana padta hai, nahi to ab khana seedhe kal milega" said the man and ate the two samosas voraciously and followed by a litre of water. Vyom was watching this from the corner of his eye and he was suddenly a bit interested in the man and asked, "bus. Ab aap khana nahi khayenge".
"Nahi bhaisahaab, itne se raat kat jayegi aur subah kha lenge", said the man nonchalantly. By now the man got Vyom's full attention, he kept his book aside and began a conversation. "Kya kaam karte hai aap", inquired Vyom.
"ji mistri (plumber) hai, drivery bhi kar lete hai thodi, abhi ek mumbai ki company me kaam karte hai, din ke dau-teen sau (200-300) rupaye mil jaate hai" the man told and continued, "hamara ek chota bhai aur behen hai, abhi behen ke ghar jaa rahe hai, kal sham tak wapas nikal jayenge, chutti nahi milli hai phir somwar se kaam par jaana hai. (pause) Bhaisaab agar aapke phone me balance hai to ek call karna hai, ammi ko batana hai ki khana kha liya hai, wo fiqr karti hai". Vyom dialled the number and handed over the mobile to the man, "ji ammi khana kha liya hai, haan haan ab pahuch kar baat karenge aap fiqr na karo"
"Thank you bhaisaab" and he handed over the phone to Vyom.
Vyom sat thinking for a while and then moved pretending to call someone. He went to find the biryani vendor, it was already 10.45PM and the pantry was about to close, the vendors were having dinner when Vyom reached there and he requested one of them, "bhaiya thodi help chahiye, ye S1 me 20 berth number par ek aadmi hai, usko chicken biryani de dijiye aur ye lijiye 100 rupaye, usko bol dijiyega ki uske liye hai, usse paise mat lijiyega" and Vyom roamed around the berth pretending to be be talking to someone over the phone till the time the chicken biryani was offered to the man and he finished eating it. Then Vyom moved back to the berth and opened his bag to pull the covers for sleeping. When the men said, "Thank You bhaisaab, mera naam Yunus hai, Yunus Sheikh aur aapka?"
"Vyom" replied Vyom feeling bit awkward with the thanks.
"Aur aage, aapka pura naam" asked Yunus.
"Vyom, bus itna hi" said Vyom with a smile and spread the cover on the berth and lied down on the berth. That is when Yunus started narrating his life to Vyom, "hum gaon Dhulia ke hai, jab ghar se aaye the tab yahi traino me saaf karte the, kachra saaf karte the kapde se, phir sheher me kaam shuru kiya majduri ka, phir mistri ka kaam seekha aur ab thodi drivery bhi seekh li. Pichle saal hi kaam shuru kiya hai, uske pehle coma me the, mumbai me local par baithe the current lag gaya. Bahut paisa kharch hua, aap .......(forgot the name) aspatal jaante ho wahi hamara ilaaz hua tha. Ab phir se shuru kiya hai sab, bahut paisa lag gaya tha ilaaz me. Aap train me so jaate hai, accha aap so jayiye, humara station to ek baje aayega."
Vyom just nodded in agreement and pulled the sheet on his face, thinking about the party last week where he spent 840 rupees drinking beer with his friend because he was upset, he was upset because life was not turning out the way he wanted....
28th March, 2012
Vyom was en route to Pune, where he had to start work the next day. He boarded the train and settled into his sleeper compartment berth. Hoping to upgrade to an AC seat, he inquired with the ticket collector, who directed him to the AC coach's ticket collector. When Vyom approached the second ticket collector, he was informed that the upgrade would cost not only the difference in ticket price but also an additional 200 rupees. Sensing a bribe, Vyom decided against the upgrade and returned to his sleeper berth.
During the journey, Vyom enjoyed a meal, read some comics he had bought, and eventually fell asleep. He woke up at around 7 am, knowing the train was due to arrive in Pune by 11 am. He bought packaged drinking water to brush his teeth and wash his face, then returned to his berth to pass the time with movies and music until his devices' batteries died.
At around 10 am, Vyom got up to recharge his phone. He noticed a man sitting near the charging point opposite the washbasin but didn't pay much attention to him. As Vyom enjoyed the view from the train, he suddenly saw the man rummage through a plastic bag retrieved from the garbage area beneath the washbasin. The man searched several aluminum foils before finding some leftover vegetables, which he ate as though he hadn't eaten for days. After consuming the meager leftovers, the man drank water from the washbasin, not to quench his thirst but to satiate his hunger.
Vyom was shocked and overwhelmed with emotion, tears streaming down his face. He thought about how he had spent 36 rupees on three bottles of packaged water just to wash his face and brush his teeth, and how he had carelessly spent 50 rupees on comics that he read for only 30 minutes. The stark contrast between his life and the man's experiences opened Vyom's eyes to the vast disparities in their circumstances.
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Vyom is a citizen of India where the scams sum up to 10.67 Lac Crore (coalgate), 1.76Lac Crore (2G scam), 70000 Crore (Commonwealth), 27000 Crore (UP NRHM) and many unearthed till now... This is the country with highest number of worship places (temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras). This is the place which boosts of several Gods and religions.. this is the place from where God has gone.
God is gone, we are on our own...
4 comments:
loved the post and the ending, "god is gone and we are on our own"
You started with a common enough happening on Indian Railways but you drove a nail right into my hypocrite heart at the end. Good work, Vyom.
@ousu- thanks
@umashankar- that driving nail was something I felt while penning these words..
So, very true. But that man is still living because he hopes something better will happen. If nothing happens and no one cares the same man will loose faith and start stealing. SO, at that time god is really gone for him too. I felt like the news papers we end with no solution which only creates hopelessness. Lets think how to bring back the god :).
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