Asked to Leave

  “Hey by the way, where had the death taken place?” She returned and asked.

  “In an ambulance in Gurgaon.” He replied.

  “Then you go to the Gurgaon Municipal Corporation and talk to them. And one more thing, don’t forget to carry some money to deposit the fee, else you will waste their time and energy.” The story from her end was brought to an end. It looked like Jai Singh was a letter posted to the wrong address, and had to be returned to the sender. The alternative was supposed to be online, without paying money.

  “They will give a date to get it registered.”

  He was frustrated with the way the system of family welfare department was functioning, as for the registration of death, first he had to go to the office and then get a date for future and finally go and get it registered.

  After a while, to spend that hard time with his parents, Jai went home, spent about 10 days and took a bus for Delhi, which let him get down at IFFCO Chowk at around 11:00PM. In search of a call centre cab, Jai was waiting at IFFCO Chowk and after some time he heard an accelerated car coming towards him, it stopped near him, nobody was there and Jai was alone, he was not scared though.

  “Oh ****, ********, ************, **************, come here you bloody *******, you ******. “All of those who were in the car started abusing and shouting at him. Actually, Jai Singh and the overwhelmingly drunk people, both were out of their senses. They had their parents’ money, Jai had earned his, they were so called land-lords, he was just a tenant, they were rich local guys, he was poor, born in poverty, working hard day and night to arrange for bread and butter for himself and his family, he was aware of the sunshine, they were not. So, he had used his brilliant mind and tried to run away, as he was wearing a black jacket. He thought, once he is out of their sight he will be able to escape. A guy came out of the car and kicked him hard. Jai kept running and begging God for his life, as they were out of their senses. Finally he managed to escape by running on the wrong side of the road. The interview about the intolerance vs. tolerance on a famous news channel in the MCD office was going through his mind.

  Every now and then, incidents like this take place in the country, we read the newspapers and watch news on TV, we come across these things over social networking, but nobody cares. We compare our country with other countries and try to portray ourselves as superior to them, rather than reducing this terror within our country.” Jai was asking questions and answering them too. He didn’t call the police, because police always comes late, after everything is over. Moreover justice was never guaranteed. Policemen are supposed to be seen helping people in general though.

  Jai was thinking about that day, when he had come to that city for the first time and it was some locals who helped him to get a good job, a good place in Gurgaon and today in the same city, some people were trying to kick his bu** for no reason. He was hurt from everywhere. “What a great day it is! What a great month it is. What a great year it is. Oh God! Why are you testing my patience?” He looked towards the sky and asked if there were any supernatural power watching him from the above, there was no response from sky. He thought it is worth going back to the room and fortunately got a call centre cab at around 11:30PM and kept thinking, counting buildings across the roadside, and stars in the sky.

  The Same Day, Ram’s House, Gurgaon, India

  After getting separated in a different accommodation in Gurgaon city, my life changed. I had my newly-wed love Devika supporting me all the time. Her mother moved in with us. Once again, I started feeling that I was with my family. My mother-in-law and I used to watch her daughter and my daughter playing together and feeling better than before.

  “I used to curse myself for not having a son.” The mother-in-law said looking at me after seeing Devika and Leena playing.

  “I am your son too Mom. More than blood, I have always believed in the relationship tied with strong strings of heart and soul. I have seen blood relatives fighting on minor issues and mere stuff like money, land and share in parental property. Love is a blessing of God.” I said and saw a smile on her face. Devika had her eyes on me and her mother.

  “So, my daughter is happy to be with you, Right?”

  “Yes Mom, I am fortunate to be with her too. She is sincere, humble, polite and courteous, she is awesome. The devil, who married to her earlier was mad, to have left her for the sake of dowry. She is now in safe and good hands mother.” I said.

  “I wish I could die today, I am fortunate to see you, my daughter and my grand-daughter happy together. I would not be able to die in peace, if anyone of you is sad or in trouble.” She said which was not expected.

  “Mother, you are happy, doesn’t mean that talk sad today. Will we be happy to see you die? Please think positive, and live a better, satisfied and a happy life with us. Like today, I will go to the office; you and Devika will take care of yourselves and Leena. Think positive and think about us, you are still young.” I was trying to motivate her.

  “Let’s make something sweet today. Like Gajrela,” she asked Devika to make it that night. It was her way of expressing happiness.

  “Son, she will take care of you and you take care of her. I love her so very much, may be more than you do. Because I was the one who brought her into this world. I don’t know how far in future my last day is. But promise me that you will take care of Leena and Devika.” She made me wonder why she was talking like that; I mean last day and all that.

  “I will take care of them and you too, we will go home on the hills and breathe taintless air, smell different flowers, taste the meditated water, fresh vegetables and fertiliser-free crops.” I was convincing her to go to my hometown in the Himalayas.

  “I am not sure of me, but you must enjoy the beauty of the Himalayas, take care of your mother, nobody can understand the world of a widow better than me. Thank you for being the reason of my happiness, and Leena.” She was trying to indicate the end of her life. But I thought, she was referring to her age and mentioning her inability to go elsewhere.

  “No please, she is my sweetheart. And you are as respected as my own mother; in fact you are my mother. Thank you for your love.” I said.

  Devika placed her mother’s favourite food on the table and prepared the dining table. She called Leena for dinner.

  “What a dinner my love!” my mother-in-law appreciated the wonderful treat.

  “Yes, I give 10 out of 10; I liked it, truly.” I added.

  We spent a wonderful evening. We talked about our future plans and fell asleep.

  “Mom, Good Morning!” Devika said and greeted her mother.

  “Mom, Wake up! Hello.” After not getting any response, Devika repeatedly tried to wake her up with alarming calls.

  “Ram,” Look, what happened to Mom.

  “What happened? Is she breathing?” I didn’t know what to say, but I felt that something was wrong, yesterday when she was talking to me about her family’s security and care. I rushed towards her and asked Devika.

  “I don’t know.” She said and started crying aloud in grief.

  I was trying to console Devika, holding Leena’s hand.

  I called my friends, who helped me throughout the procedure of the funeral; Jai and Shamim were in time.

  “I will follow the procedure of the last rites and everything as per our religious belief. She was as good as my own mother. We will remain blessed forever. Please control your feelings, it’s natural for all of us to leave this mortal body and leave for heaven, where we all will meet one more time forever.” I tried to help her calm down.

  Those few days were extremely long. We had lost one of our dear family members. As dates kept changing, we turned stronger. I remembered my mother, but after the demise of my mother-in-law, I used to call my mother and talk to her.

  “It was a natural death, wasn’t it?” Devika asked putting the wreath of flowers on my mother-in-law’s p
hoto hanging on the wall after the morning prayers.

  “Yes, I don’t think she was suffering from any diseases, she was fit and fine.”

  I was glad to see Devika better, who had also accepted the truth and had started smiling again. I was spending some good time with my family. And mom was just a call away; I used to call her as well.

  “You should take us to your hometown.” Devika said one day.

  “Sure dear”, I said with a glance of smile as I was waiting for her to say that. Devika used to listen to the conversation between my mother and me, however, since we had secretly married, neither had she insisted to talk to mom, nor did I share this news with my family members.

  ***

  CHAPTER TEN

  The Penalty Of Being

  Devoted To ‘God’

  6th November 2013, At Home, Badarpur, New Delhi, India

  The Wankhede stadium was roaring ‘SACHIN, SACHIN’, when I got up early in the morning. I switched the TV on and started watching Sports 1.

  I was watching the India vs. West Indies Test Series and innings of the Little Master, who was playing his last international test match in Wankhede stadium, Mumbai. Thanking the technology of the 21st Century, I was able to watch him. Every eye present in the stadium, everyone watching TV and tuning into the news channels or cricket channels, his mother, wife, kids, family members were praying to God. Even the bowler who was bowling must have been praying for him; after all a star was saying goodbye to something which made him stand that high. He was a diamond sent to earth by God. He had done a lot for mankind and he was playing the final innings of his test match career in his hometown with an incredible smile.

  I had a dream of bringing change in our society and setting an example for the mankind. I was cursing myself on my slow progress in life. But, I was happy for him, as he had changed the course of history, not only in the history of cricket, in fact, the history of being human, polite, and down to earth.

  It was a sunny day in Mumbai, but it was raining runs in Wankhede. The audience was happy to see him do it for the last time that he had been doing for more than two decades in the past.

  “Come and sit with me Devika.” I asked my wife to accompany me and become a part of those valuable and incredible moments.

  We sat together and experienced commentators, a wonderful audience getting emotional. I recalled his biography and records, I had gone through them many a times in the past; suddenly I found myself getting emotional.

  “What is this? Why are you crying?” Devika asked me; though she already knew the answers.

  “It can’t be explained baby, its love. I like this game and specially Sachin, It is just amazing to see him play and the feeling that I won’t get to see him while watching this game is making my eyes wet.

  “He doesn’t even know what is happening with your eyes and heart in this room right now.” She was obviously trying to pull me out of that emotional situation.

  “It doesn’t matter if your lover, or the one you care for, knows (how much you love him or her) or not, and these tears are true, so the value can’t be counted neither in numbers, nor in currency, nor in runs nor in centuries. And one more thing, I don’t care who else loves him, crying for him, hugging him, thinking of him, because I truly love him. The one who made love and who made human beings, living beings has not made rules and regulations to love someone. It was human who made conditions in love. Love can’t be with conditions, if made with conditions, it is business. And similarly, pray can’t be with expectations, it’s begging.” I had taught her lesson of love and worship.

  “Okay my Love guru. There is someone else whom you love, and who loves you. That’s me! I can’t see you crying, being it for any reason; when I see Mr. Tendulkar, I will ask for the price of your tears.” She said.

  “It’s neither him who made me cry, nor I cried for him as person. It’s actually the fight between my spirit and the nature in the form of time, it wants the time to stop itself for some time, but time, as uncontrolled cyclone, is not listening to anyone. There are millions who are crying, and begging the nature to stop the time, so that they can live the happy moment for some more time.”

  “It is selfishness then. Isn’t it?” She asked me a question which I had never expected.

  “Yes, no, may be, may not be. I don’t know. I will think about it later. Put it into the parking lot.” I asked her as I saw Tendulkar coming on the field for batting.

  She made some more tea, and came there next to me, I was hiding my tears, seeing him playing, he was still innocent like a kid, I was unhappy with his decision to get retired, again respecting his decision for the sake of selflessness. Moreover it was his life, his decision and his game.

  “You can’t survive like this man. What will happen to our future, and what will happen to our children?” My wife was tensed a lot after see me crying.

  For those who don’t have feelings must be considering me mad, but I had nothing to do with those critics.

  “You are surprised with my emotions as you don’t know this person completely. Whatever you said about survival, it was told to this legend 24 years before when he got hit on the nose, was broken and fractured with an intention of dominance intentionally by Pakistani bowlers, who praise him and are his fans now.”

  I was thinking that I was a failure, working in a call centre for survival of self and family. My childhood dreams like becoming a Nobel Prize winner for literature and peace, to do many good things for the society, mankind and nature were piercing my heart.

  I did the ‘crazy’ thing, which was getting the face painted with his name and SRT200. I went to the office, without caring about the reactions of the people who saw me painted; I knew the possibilities were either good, or bad.

  The Same Evening, Exxl Office, Noida.

  “Wow, you seem to be SRT fan, don’t you?” An Asst. Manager asked me to confirm.

  “Yes sir, I am glad that you noticed. Entire world is his fan sir. I am not unique.” I said.

  “No, you are unique, it’s not only I, entire office is noticing you, and you showed them that you are a genuine fan of him. I appreciate that. Why don’t you join me to have dinner?” He said.

  “I am sorry, I just had my dinner, and I will accompany later, promise.”

  He had encouraged me a lot and went outside to have his dinner. I went inside, logged in to the customer relationship management applications, and started waiting for call.

  “Hi, why have you painted your face like this?” A colleague ‘Vipinn’ came forward after murmuring with Srejana Govil and asked.

  “Nothing man, It was his last game. That’s why.” I replied to end that topic.

  “Okay. But have you gone to Wankhede to see the match?” He asked.

  “No, I watched it at home itself on the TV.” I knew what he meant, however I answered his question.

  “Now, you can wash your face. Can’t you?” As soon as he said that, his friends (my colleagues), started laughing and he looked at me as if I had committed a crime. It was becoming very tough for me to survive there; I wish it could have been the last day of my office. But, I had family to support, so I stayed back there, listening craps from Vipinn and supporting laughs from his friends. That night made me to recall the training days in Unique institute under Supiya.

  It was a surprise for me to have been targeted by those ‘kids’ who didn’t know that there were many things to play with. But they found it easy to play with my emotions. Unfortunately, I had control on my anger; they were taking unfair advantage of my tolerance.

  “Why are you looking at him?” Vipinn asked Srejana.

  “Why to look at him. He is not ‘hero’ to look at.” I wish I could not listen to that conversation. But I had no other option but to be there in the same sitting bay and listen to that bull****.

  I got shocked when I saw HR executive notic
ing that conversation, unacceptable comments including abusive words, which I can’t tell you.

  Ram! Why didn’t you report it to authorities then? The best part was they were next to you, and there was very less possibility for them to ask for the proof as they had already witnessed that shameful humiliating act going on. I am unhappy with that tolerance. It is not making any sense to me.

  Sherry! It was not easy for me to tame my anger inside myself, I would have destroyed them in seconds, however violence was not the best remedy for that problem, and I saw the bigger picture of that worldwide problem, so I thought that I would keep myself calm and see what happens next.

  They kept on passing sarcastic and abusive comments; I kept on getting stronger and stronger enough to deal with them. After all, they were born in this soil called ‘local place’, and I was an alien for them, because I was from the different part of the world. They had got admission from the best schools and colleges in the capital, and I used to learn A B C D under the tree. I thought I was not the sole victim of this, so I would start counselling people who are suffering from such attacks on their dignity and are victims of ragging and threatening. I also planned to have a strong and huge network to deal with eve teasing, violence against women.

  After some time, at 11:55 PM, I went to the washroom and washed tears, sweat, paint and the cause of debate among the colleagues ‘SRT200’ and ‘LOVE YOU SACHIN’, I found the respect and love for my beloved cricketer became inextricable from my heart and soul because of the criticism I faced in the EXXL office that night. See, they found the reason of happiness in teasing me, showing me down for that ‘abnormal’ and ‘crazy’ activity, and I found happiness in the form of increased respect and love for my best friend ‘Sachin Tendulkar.’

  “Guys, we are organising free speech activity and participants are invited. The topic is going to be ‘Tolerance and peace in India.’” HR executive was announcing it which was audible enough to 3 bays, and she had to yell for one more time by changing her location, so that rest 3-4 bays also can get an update. She would have called all the supervisors from respective bays and given an update though.