Uncle Plats

by Aqua Allsopp

  The two of them nodded their heads in unison. “Good, but I am sure a lot of questions will arise once you people start working,” Rajiv said with a grin. “Well, that completes our formal introduction. It’s almost half past seven so we should better get going. Are you people hungry? I know of a nice place where we can go out for dinner!”

  Once again Julie and David looked at one another but could not think of an answer. “I’ll take that as a yes. Come on, we better get moving otherwise the place will simply get too overcrowded,” the Director said.

  Fifteen minutes later, the trio was walking out of the building. They climbed into another waiting car as Rajiv took the driver’s seat. “I hope you people like Italian food?” he asked before proceeding to start the vehicle.

  “Fine with me!” David announced.

  “Yes I’m good on Italian,” Julie doubled.

  “Good, then let’s go,” Rajiv said as he pulled the car off the curb and out on to the main road. It was late in the evening and the streets were pretty much crowded. The city was brightly lit up on every corner as people moved around, all in a rush. Despite the heavy traffic, it did not take them long to reach the restaurant. Rajiv had quite a few connections in the place and he pulled a few strings to get them a place though the establishment was pretty much crowded. It was far from the best Italian food that both David and Julie had ever had but none of that seemed to matter to them. They were tired and not really very hungry. Rajiv continued talking a great deal about the mission and vision of their NGO but neither of them listened with much intent. In the end when he had dropped them off at the guest house with the promise that Anand would be there the next morning, both jet-lagged Americans were glad that it was over. They could not wait to turn in for the day.

  Hearing a car arrive outside the front door, one of the servants came out. He asked something to Rajiv in the native tongue. “Would you people like to have a drink or something? All arrangements are in place if you do need one!” Rajiv asked his guests.

  “Oh no I’m too tired! I’ll just go to bed,” Julie replied.

  “I think I’ll have a small drink. Anything will do,” David said.

  “Okay, Dulal will take your drink up to your room. You can go and change now,” Rajiv said. “I’ll take my leave. Good night both of you, sleep tight!”

  And with that, Rajiv left the building as David and Julie dragged their tired bodies up the flight of stairs to the first floor. “Good night,” Julie said as she entered her room. David had already crossed the place and was proceeding towards his own bedroom. He stopped and turned around to look at her. A smile crossed his lips. “Good night to you too,” he said and then kept walking.

  And for the first time since their arrival in the country, the two New Yorkers felt a strange connect between the two of them.

  *****

  “Good morning,” Julie called out to David as he walked in to the dining room on the ground floor of their guest house. “Slept nicely?”

  “Good morning, yes I slept really well! I hope I am not late for breakfast,” David answered.

  “Oh no, not at all! In fact, even I came down just ten minutes ago. They are just preparing the tea.”

  “Oh that’s nice! What about you? Did you sleep well?”

  “Yeah, I am a very sound sleeper. You’ll need something really massive to wake me up,” she said with a smile.

  Soon one of the servants entered the room with a tray in hand and served out their morning tea. As they were having tea and trying to engage each other in some small talk, Anand appeared. “Good morning, I see you are up already,” he said as he walked into the room and sat down at the table. “Was everything fine last night?”

  “Yes it was,” both of them answered almost in unison.

  “Good! Had your breakfast?”

  “No, just getting started with the tea,” David said.

  “What are your plans for the day? Surely you will not spend the whole time cooped up in the building!” Anand asked.

  “I was wondering if we could take a tour of the city! What all is there to be seen?” Julie asked.

  “Lots madam, there is lots to be seen! And if you really want to see Delhi properly and savor everything that this city has to offer, it will take you a couple of days and that is precisely the time you have in hand.”

  “Then I’d like to go for the tour. Don’t want to spend all my time sitting here, I’ll get bored to death,” she said. “David, I hope you will be coming along as well?”

  “Yeah most definitely! Don’t see any point in my staying back all alone.”

  “Good, if the two of you are willing then we can head out after breakfast. The car is all ready and waiting to go,” Anand announced.

  So a quick-fire plan was drawn up for going on a tour of Delhi – both the new and old areas of the city. Anand was more than happy to be their guide. He took them along to some of the popular tourist attractions around the city while also throwing in some of the places that were not so well known among the masses. The two Americans were in awe of these places. Some like the Qutab Minar and Jama Masjid left them gaping and marveling at the piece of architectural brilliance. The Red Fort was another attraction to marvel at. As they were walking along the courtyard inside the ramparts of the famous Mughal-era fort, David said, “When you think of India the first major attraction that comes to your mind is the Taj Mahal. I understand that this is mainly because the monument is one among the Seven Wonders of the World. But honestly, if you ask me some of these places that I have visited today are just as good! I had no idea there was so much of hidden treasure in this country.”

  Julie agreed. “The next time I have someone from the USA coming to India, I’ll personally ask them to take some time out and tour Delhi. It’s a really wonderful place!”

  Anand laughed. “Well, Delhi has emerged as a popular tourist attraction among foreigners of late and we have been getting a steady influx of tourists from other countries. Yes, nothing beats the Taj Mahal and that will always be a famous name but it is wrong to say these places are not well-known. Not many leave Delhi without visiting the Red Fort and Jama Masjid!”

  “Tell me something Anand, does every Indian city have some such iconic attraction?” Julie inquired.

  “Can’t say about all but most of them do!” he answered. “Just like you have the India Gate and Red Fort in Delhi, Mumbai has the Gateway of India. Hyderabad has the famous Charminar built by the Nizam rulers. Jaipur is famous for its iconic forts and the Hawa Mahal or the Palace of Winds. Then you go to Kolkata – the city I come from – and you will find many structures dating back to the colonial era. The Victoria Memorial and Howrah Bridge are iconic but there are many lesser known establishments as well.”

  “Wow! I wish we could visit all of these,” David remarked. “Do you think it will be possible?”

  Anand thought for a while. “I don’t know! But yes, we can definitely give it a try later on.”

  On the first day of their tour of Delhi, Anand took the Americans for lunch at a place that, according to him, offered the very best of Mughlai dishes since the last days of the Mughal Era. “It will be a bit of a struggle reaching the shop, but trust me the effort will be worth it!” he announced before leading them through the crowded lanes along the perimeter of the Jama Masjid. Finally they reached their destination and after savoring some of the dishes, David remarked that they were the most “heavenly” thing he had ever tasted. On request, they returned for a second helping the next day.

  All this while, Julie and David were growing close and comfortable in the presence of one another. It is human nature to find comfort when pushed into an unknown environment and this time it was no different. It was a new place for both of them, a new country with new cultures and new people to get accustomed to. So having someone nearby who was from the same socio-political background as the two of them was a big sense of relief for both Julie and David. It became so that the two of them started being on the look
out for each other. It was still early days and there was a sense of friendship blossoming between the two but at that point had someone said that this friendship would blossom into something more, not many would have bought into that theory.

  On the evening before the day they were supposed to leave for Kanpur, David was busy in his room packing up his belongings and putting his bags in order. Suddenly he heard a soft tap on his door. He looked up and found Julie standing there. “Hi, come inside,” he said.

  “Actually, I was wondering if you would have time for a walk?” she said in a circumspect manner.

  “Walk? Now? But it’s late!”

  “Come on, it’s just eight in the evening! Surely you are not planning on going to bed right away?”

  He thought a little. “Well no, not really! It’s just that I had a bit of packing to be done. Anyhow, that can wait. Come on let’s go!”

  The two of them walked out of the guest house and on to the road outside. There was hardly anyone in sight. Crickets creaked in the darkness along the length of the road which was not really lit properly. David felt a little scared to take a walk. He had heard stories of how unsafe the streets of the capital city were after dark and did not fancy taking a walk all alone with a young woman by her side. But Julie had already taken off so he had no choice but to keep pace with her.

  “So you are from New York as well? Which part?” she asked David.

  “I live in Queens,” he replied.

  “Hmm…and which NGO is this that you work for?”

  David started explaining about the kind of work that he was required to take care of at his NGO. He felt a little surprised that someone who shared the same profession as him would be asking these kinds of questions. “By the way, I really don’t understand why you would want to ask such questions! After all you are part of an NGO yourself, aren’t you?” he asked Julie.

  She let out a resounding sigh. “On paper, yes I am but there is not much that I am ever allowed to do,” she answered.

  His surprise only grew further. “And why is that so?”

  “Well you see the NGO happens to belong to my father and he is a little protective about his daughter going out and working all on her own.”

  “But then you are here in India all alone! Did you have to fight for the tour or what?”

  She smiled. “No, that’s the surprising bit! My father asked me to attend it all on my own. He never even asked me if I would be interested; simply came to my room one evening and announced that I would be travelling on this mission. Not that it bothered me one bit, I have always been fond of adventure!”

  The two of them were about to carry on talking for a little longer when suddenly David heard footsteps behind them. A chill ran down his spine and he spun around sharply to look at the person who was pursuing them. However when he caught a glimpse of the man, a sense of relief passed over him for it was only Dulal from the guest house.

  “Yes Dulal, why are you following us like this?” he asked.

  “Sahib, city not safe for you and memsahib late at night. Me scared when you leave. Come back now,” the native said in broken English.

  “Okay, we’ll be coming soon. You can run along!” As Dulal left David turned to Julie. “I think we should be returning back to the house now. There is not a person in sight and I don’t want to take any unnecessary risks with you around.”

  Julie felt a little taken aback. “Why? What do you mean?”

  “Delhi is not really safe at night! And especially for foreigners. There have been mishaps and I don’t quite fancy seeing myself in the morning headlines for the wrong reasons. So I think it would be nice if we walk back to our rooms now. It’s for our own safety. Besides, there is a long journey tomorrow.”

  She sensed the concern in his voice. “I understand what you are saying,” she said, and the two of them started walking back to the bungalow. They had had a really heavy lunch that day and were not hungry. The cook had been informed to keep a light pre-bedtime snack ready that they enjoyed upon returning home. Then it was time for bed. The next morning they would be travelling to Kanpur. Their mission in India was on the verge of kick starting.

  *****

  The city of Kanpur was in stark contrast to the capital city of New Delhi. The whole place seemed like it was overflowing with garbage and every single corner of the city had a feel of being overcrowded. “It seems almost as if the gutters of hell have emptied themselves on the city streets,” Julie would later remark to David when they were alone.

  Upon reaching the city, they were driven straight to the bungalow of the BDO or Block Development Officer, the person responsible for overseeing all kinds of development activity in the districts. Raman Kumar received them in his chambers. He was dressed in a crisp white kurta and pajama that made him look less of a government servant and, David thought, more of a politician (David had seen enough images of Indian politicians to know that they had a strong liking for the white cloth). He was of medium build and had a square face with hard set jaws. It did not seem to either David or Julie that the man was old but his hairline had already started to recede and looked as if it was receding fast. The thick-framed spectacles that sat on his nose made him look even older but well in place inside the BDO office that seemed to have more senior people than young minds.

  “Welcome, welcome,” Raman said as he greeted the two Americans into his office. This was a sparsely furnished room but well maintained and kept neat and tidy to go alongside. There was no air-conditioning in the place which made it a little uncomfortable for the guests but they decided to carry on.

  “I hope there was no trouble along the way?” he asked after everyone had been seated in wicker chairs. Julie had only heard about the existence of these things but never seen one, let alone sitting in them. She was pleasantly surprised to note how comfortable it was.

  “Oh no, it was absolutely fine!” David quipped. “But I am not really enjoying the weather. It has become really hot and sultry all of a sudden!”

  “Yes summer is just setting in. Too bad you will have to endure the wrath of an Indian summer!”

  “We’ll get along, thank you,” he said. “Now, can we please get down to some business? I’ve been itching to get started!”

  “Why yes, most definitely we can,” Raman said. “I’m sure Rajiv detailed everything to you back in New Delhi and I will only be making sure that you people get to carry out your work smoothly without any kind of interruptions from any quarters. You can go to your rooms now and freshen up. Take the day off today. Tomorrow we will take you to the village of Champaneer where you can do an inspection of the site that we have chosen for building the school. The laborers are in place to start the work as soon as you give the nod. We also have the blueprint drawn up and approved by an architect so it should not take too long to complete as long as people keep their heads out of the matter!”

  David stopped him short at this point. “Raman, ever since we have been here you have mentioned time and time again about people interfering in our business. Can you please explain what is going on over here?”

  A look of shock and anger appeared on his face but disappeared almost as soon as it had emerged. “Well, nothing serious!” he said, trying to put on a smile. “You know what, in India people are always trying to

  interfere in what you are doing. That is why I happened to mention that. Oh look, here is Hari. He will take you to your rooms now.”

  David and Julie got up from their seats and said goodbye to Raman who greeted them with folded hands. They were led to a beautiful bungalow at the far end of the campus and given a couple of rooms to stay in. Though these were nothing like the rooms they had enjoyed while in New Delhi, they were nevertheless pretty comfortable. The Americans settled in without much of a fuss.

  That night as David went to bed, the words of Raman Kumar kept flooding back to his mind time and time again. “I hope no one interferes in our matters,” the man had said. It seemed a little strange to David
that someone would want to interfere in a noble cause. After all, they were not doing anything illegal in the area but simply building a school.

  He wondered if it would at all be possible for him to figure out what had prompted the man to say something so strange and untoward but realized he was only making a futile effort. So he put the thought out of his mind for good and decided to try and sleep. It was not long before he had managed to doze off.

  *****

  Julie and David were left shocked by the abject poverty prevailing in Champaneer village. It was a very small place with only a handful of huts around a cluster, one small grocery store that also doubled as the only place where you could get all your daily provisions, a tea stall, a post office, a primary health care center and vast stretches of green pastures that were apparently unfit for agriculture thanks to the lack of water. The Americans had heard of the kind of poverty prevailing in some of the rural pockets of India but they were far from prepared for the sight that met their eyes. Raman heard them murmuring something in awe over and over again.

  As the car came to a standstill in the shadows of a large banyan tree, a group of men who were sitting around the place stood up and walked towards them. They were mostly simple village folks who, from the look of things, were probably daily wagers of various skills. The men were all clad in simple, hand-woven kurtas and dhotis. Only one person among the group was dressed differently in a kurta-pajama set that looked of a superior quality. He also had a turban on his head and a walking stick in hand. Anybody could tell that he held a position of reverence within the community.