Note: 1) This story is not meant to criticize any particular caste or community
2) It is real life experience of the author and views expressed are owned by him only
It's 3 o'clock in the morning and I was, as usual, very focused on solving one of those lousy problems in mechanics from I.E.IRODOV. Let me Introduce myself...I am an IIT-JEE aspirant who will be given a last chance to appear for this most challenging entrance exam.
When I say last chance, it's not alone from JEE conducting authorities but from family also.
They have been awfully cruel especially my elder brother who is an ex-IIT'ian and keeps me under dreadful pressure to crack this exam. In a subtle way, this helps me a lot when I feel bogged down by the mock test results. Off late, I am performing better and my brother, who keeps a strict vigil on my efficacy, seems quite happy, whenever he finds time to talk with me.
I am approaching to nail the moving pulley problem but again.........I hear sobs from my dad's room. This is the sixth time within last four days and it exactly starts at this odd hour of the day. For the first time in my 17 years old life, I am watching my Dad weeping like this. He has been very strong and never-ever showed emotions in front of anyone.
Emotional breakdown was sole territory of my Mom and elder sister, but this time I am going through a completely different scenario. Ladies have been strong .....Amazing!!!!.
My Grandfather who is at least 83 in my knowledge has left the home without informing anybody. He is mentally challenged and suffering from old age Syndrome and now readers must have understood, why my dad was sobbing under the blanket. From the past four days, My Dad and uncles are involved in exhaustive search of the Old man,who as many say, has created a lot of problems in past for his family members. My Dad's business empire is at halt. During the daytime he is using the resources to find out The Old man and in night, he disturbs me by continuous sobbings.
Let me dig into the history of the Old man. We will call him Babuji and in the following lines, I will present some extracts from his life .
Babuji was fourth son of Lala Devakinandan who was a ZAMINDAR during British rule. Surprisingly, the eldest son was a freedom fighter and on the day of his wedding,he was in Jail because of actively participating in BHARAT CHODO ANDOLAN(Quit India Movement). Other sons of Lalaji were well-off,one an apprentice doctor, other an executive engineer and Babuji being a Lekhpal....basically a government clerk.
Babuji had 8 children, four Boys and four girls ...my dad was the eldest. Babuji never had been a family man i.e. he sparsely cared to ask his children about their needs or future aspirations. But mind you, he was only 8th grade pass out ,so does this not suggest his mediocre literacy a cause of this ,Readers? Dad was his favourite,as he has been obedient and softspoken. Dad was also a hardworking and good student in school. He did every damn thing which any ideal son like Shravan Kumar could do...but I don't care of all this idealism...I don't give a damn....Readers,what do you think?
I forgot to introduce one big-time
character..Ammaji,,She was a religious lady and her endurance
was example given to the ladies of our family till date. She was The One who could bear all the nuisances of Babuji and convince him to spent some money on other things,apart from eatables.She was one hell of a lady, to whom I could not see as she died way before I was born. But my elder brother was a her toy and he used to accompany her wherever she went. My elder brother still recalls those days when he used to make toys and Chapaatis out of soil, his favourite past time, with the help of Ammaji. Her composure was breathtaking and the love showered on every family member was divine.
As they say "God takes away those whom he likes most",She died at an early age of 54....We will come back to her in later part of blog.
Babuji spent a lot on eatables but ignored other important things. Three instances I would like to share:
Dad And Engineering
During those days, You don’t have to give goddamm JEE to get in IIT, All you have to do is to get 80% marks in 12th class and you are eligible for an entry into India's most famous T-School. My Dad stayed with his uncle in Varanasi city to complete his 12th class whereas younger brothers were still in Village studying in primary or middle classes. Since Babuji didn’t earn a great amount of salary, so it was quite logical to send my Dad to his Engineer brother's house.
There, dad performed all kinds of jobs which a servant would have done in lieu of 200 bucks, starting from stroll of their dog, vegetable market to cooking of food ...my poor dad this,just for the sake of studies. One good thing that came out from his stay was :he learnt how to cook,anything and everything......He studied after everybody slept and burnt midnight oil, just to get good marks in PMC.....finally, his perseverance paid and he got good enough marks to get into IIT's--The cherished dreams of Nehruji .
It required few grands for fee but my Grandfather didn't had a single penny to be spent on higher education. He thought it's wastage of time and my dad should start doing some business at this age of 17.I can't even dream of that at my age. Someone suggested him to take a lone from his elder brother but in fake high self-esteem, he refused. Dad's carreer was decided. He was told to step in as an apprentice for a well known builder.....and the rest is not required to write here. Like true Shravan Kumar, He did what Babuji told him to do, Ammaji was against it but she couldn't do anything. At this oddly hour in night, I am trying to imagine what my Dad has been today, if he were an IITian having 30 years of experience !!!!Readers?
Uncle in Pursuit of 25 paisa
Babuji had a lousy bicycle,using which he went to places. It was a mere structure of iron and my uncle's used to say that he got it from Harappan Excavation.But for a person as miser as Babuji,it was not less than may be Mercedes.
Some month in mid-session, uncle’s school decided to increase six-monthly fee by 25 paisa so my uncle demanded the same from Babuji but he refused;
"You are a liar!!", said Babuji
"No, they have increased the fee, you can enquire with any body"
"You will take 25 paisa and will buy Kanchas...I am Not a fool"
"But, I will be thrown out of School, if not given the fee today.."
"So Be It”
Babuji Picked his bicycle and flew away, my uncle started running along with him.. now it was a Tom and Jerrry race!!!
Every passerby was looking this scene with joy,a kid running for some goddamn money and his father is not even listening...finally after 5 Km of marathon, kid pulls off and fell down in sand.
Readers,My uncle's name was removed from school's register and after one month long tussle they pulled him in
Kanyadaan
This one is latest. As per Hindu culture, every father has to give the hand of her daughter to the bride and this custom is called "Kanayadaan". To perform this, father needs to keep a fast on the wedding day.
So for the Kanyadaan of his youngest daughter, Babuji had to keep fast ,,everyone knew that he couldn't do it but still my dad insisted him to do the rituals...Dad thought, who knows,,Babuji may do it(Although, for the earlier marriages, he couldn't do it...dad had to do the Kanyadaan for his sisters)as this was the last chance. But Babuji succumbed for rasgulla and gulabjamun(Sweets) and without thinking, he ate those. Dad was shocked to see that....afterall, it was HIS daughter who was getting married.........Thankfully, Babuji had a son like my dad....I would'nt have cared for this goddamn thing if I were in his place...what-so-ever others may think...Readers?
Enough of Babuji's background, now I will come to real scenes. My dad ,as always has Shravan god Damn Kumar,was monumental in taking the responsibilities so early and execuitng them as far as possible.Babuji came in picture only when he has to give Ashirvad to some lousy fellow. Since then, everybody in family and outside it was well familiar with Babuji so moslty.nobody cared for him,except my dad and Ammaji. After the death of Ammaji,
Babuji was alone and Dad staying away from him, with my elder brother, created a black hole in Babuji's life.
Basically, he started feeling dejected and alone. Mind you he stayed in the Village and said he will stay in there till death. My uncle's family was staying in Village so he got meals thrice a day and that wasn't enough for his greedy stomach. He now fell for everything which can be eaten and as the days progressed, he became more and more inclined towards food. If he found anybody eating anything, demanded...it was getting tough to control him.
As the days progressed, Babuji's friends started disappearing from earth and he was left alone within a couple of years. Rarely ,guys talked to him ,Nobody cared.....The affection which he used to get earlier from his wife and eldest son was absent. Dad was too busy with his business and family...he visited once a month but that was not enough for Babuji.....At this point he started LOOSING IT....Major contribution being loneliness, lack of care and love.
Every human being expects an attention from group and if he is not given that....certainly feels dejected and lost in twilight, how-so-ever be his behaviour towards other members of society. What do you feel Readers?
Now there was a drastic change in his behaviour....he started sleeping outside our Haveli in Village and hunger increased exponentially. Babuji had a lot of cash and used to keep it always with himself during those so called Sane days...sane days my foot!! He was never sane...never at all. Now a days,he don't even care for that huge amount of dough, which at one point of time were his life or even more than that .He started treating Five Hundred Rupee note as a piece of paper.....Good old Gandhiji would have never thought of that in his dreams, but that's what old age Syndrome does::It takes you far from the realm of reality.As my family Doctor suggested,this lethal Syndrome can be prevented by proper care and respect of elederly fellows.My Dad did everything within his capacity but in vain. This guy was out of control. He wanted to eat each and every thing ,if somehow he came to know about that.This made my poor Aunt very angry.... but she couldn't help it.
As the time progressed, Babuji started to forget kids like us.... it was difficult for him to recall me or my cousins and frankly, I didn't care. My elder brother was the only guy whom he can recognize and of-course my dad too. Others were not that fortunate ...but everyone did their duty towards him. Babuji started to run away from the Haveli and nobody knew why. Probably he was searching somebody...someone whom he missed most. But at the end of day, he used to return safely, inspite of his low memory. He always used to carry a bag along wherever he went so I made a list of his Children, their complete address and contact numbers....just to make sure that he returns safely back to home. This made my dad feel proud of me as he never expected this from me,, he always thought I never cared ...but sometimes I did.
On that fateful day, Babuji ate a lot of rice and left just like that. Aunt thought, he will return as he has done umpteen number of times. Only god damm issue this time was ...he forgot to take his bag which meant no money and above all, absence of list that I had prepared. As the fate had it..he didn't return that night.
Now it was difficult time for dad and uncles, they started extensive search from the place where he was last seen...... posters were published ,pamphlets were distributed and every possible village en route was enquired, even Police Inspector who is my uncle's best friend was personally involved. After three days, no clue was found and those were the days when I started hearing my dad's sob. Probably he was asking to himself "Why you left us ?What the hell I didn't do for you? I perfomed all the god damm duty which you had to do.....So why I was chosen my lord"
Dad did everything, stupid Pundits asked him to do Puja.. he did..they sent him to Haridwar based on lousy astronomical prediction which signaled Babuji is in Haridwar..he did. Same was the case with uncles. Poor guys were doing everything ...but of no fruition. Once an old dead body was found near railway station.. dad went ,thankfully he was not THE ONE.
Slowly, but surely, everybody started to forget Babuji.....Everybody except dad.Not even after wasting 18 lakhs within 20 business days or wasting a lot of effort and money in pooja and lousy Pundits who don't even know their future.
I am home after my mid semester exams at IIT, it's been four years to that incident...I still can hear sobbs...not that frequent but once in a fortnight. My dad still believes that Babuji is alive an keeps on asking questions from himself. He still wonders "For what he left us??In search of whom??"
My answer is ::He was a forgotten creature and lack of care made him to run away from himself and his family.........What do you think Readers?
