Shadow of Jamun
Raghav had an attachment to the Jamun tree in the
courtyard of his house, just as a human would have with his child. He was not
educated that in view of the dangers of global warming, he may have suddenly
become an environmental lover, but this love was in his blood.
He had a love for the environment, love for the greenery
around him, love for nature— And for this, he did not feel the need of any
school or a teacher. He was a supporter of the culture that has been passed
down from generation to generation which has always been sensitive to nature
and its natural resources. However, it was another thing that this tendency did
not reach his next generation and they were the representatives of the same new
and modern generation which was cruel towards nature to the last extent.
The evening was approaching— it was the time to get some
relief from the heat of the day. Flocks of birds flying over the sky were now
traveling back towards their shelters. The huge Jamun tree in his courtyard
itself was also home to so many birds who were now gathering and chirping on
the tree.
Raghav was lying on the charpoy under the same tree.
He was wearing a cotton vest and dhoti and a scarf was
tied around his head. He was attired like a typical farmer. He was smoking bidi
and was absorbed in thoughts and the sound of the horn coming from outside
distracted him.
“He came to meet you in the afternoon as well— he must
have come.” Sumiti's voice came from inside.
He sat up.
After throwing the bidi there, he came out. A safari with
black glasses was standing at the door itself. Seeing him coming out, Seth Ji
also got down.
He greeted him by folding hands.
“Come Raghav— how are you?” Seth Ji said while
approaching.
“I'm fine, Seth Ji.”
“I came in the afternoon also but you had gone
somewhere.”
“Yes, sir.”
“So— what have you decided? Look, I talked to both of
your sons and both agreed for this deal. The land around your house has been
sold out... Now, this type of house of yours alone would be like the odd one
out here. And now both you and your wife are getting old. You also need care—
How long will you stay alone here? Stay with your sons at this age and now go
on pilgrimage. At this age, why are you doing hard work in farming, etc.?”
“Yes, Seth Ji— But I am emotionally attached to this
place. I was born and brought up here and now I have grown old. I can't leave
it so easily.”
“I can understand Raghav— we all love our native home.
You have fulfilled a lot of responsibilities; will you do a little religious
activity now or not? This life is done— now do something which can give you
religious merit afterlife. Get rid of the responsibilities and go on the Char
Dham Yatra— I will make all the arrangements and also ensure that both your
sons take care of you both.”
“Sure Seth Ji— I will tell the children today to come.
Then I will discuss it with everyone and tell you.”
“Okay— as you wish, but make sure that you do not talk to
anyone else about this. Nobody can give you a better deal than us.”
“Sure Seth Ji.” He folded his hands.
Seth Ji patted his shoulder and sat in the car and left.
He kept looking at the car blowing dust standing there until it could be seen.
It was once a rural area twenty kilometers away from the
city. At that time there were forests and orchards when he was a kid, but by
the time he was young, a lot of forests and orchards were cleaned so that
farming could be done. He was also a thriving farmer of the village— He was the
only child of his father, so there was no partition in anything. Though he
could not study beyond the fifth standard even after the wish of his father, he
had both knowledge and understanding as needed.
Soon the nearby city had expanded to his village and now
it was ready to merge that area too. It was a land full of forest and orchards
adjoining the city once, now it was first converted into fields and then turned
into concrete jungles by big builders. Now even the area ahead, which was full
of trees, was being converted into the fields.
There was also greed behind this, mostly there used to be
orchards in that belt, but seeing the high demand in the changing economic
system, people started considering farms providing crops twice or thrice a year
to be profitable than orchards which could give money once a year. So who would
save the orchards? Raghav himself had felt that this greed was harmful to
nature but he was not in the position to resist, his father himself did the
same.
Now if the population will increase in this way, then
people will need land to live and where will the land come from? So the gardens
and fields have to be sacrificed.
However, he could not overcome the opposition from his
mind.
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When young, he often used to go to the city to get seeds,
sell crops or for any other work. Then he used to enjoy a lot. At that time,
the city was also less populated with wide streets, big, airy houses where
greenery at every step used to relax eyes as well as mind.
But the city changed drastically.
The population grew rapidly and the houses became
smaller, paved and multi-storey to comprise. The roads were narrowed down due
to encroachment. The empty places, grounds, all become a concrete jungle. Now,
where was the place left for the trees— they too became small and were confined
to the lawns or pots of some rich people.
Raghav and Sumiti had three children. A daughter Shalini
and two sons Ramesh and Mukesh. He could not study, so he knew the importance
of education, and he had educated all three children as far as they wanted and
according to society, his children were worthy. After graduation, the daughter
got married in a good family and the sons got jobs in the city itself, but they
were of the modern age and new thinking.
Neither did the atmosphere of the village suit them nor
did people— in the language of the village, it did not take them long to become
oppidan. They settled there. However, despite being modern, thankfully their
backward parents did not seem to be a cause of embarrassment to them and both
wanted their parents to live with them.
But Raghav was not able to adjust to their lifestyle.
He used to go to the city, to both of his sons... would
stay there for two days and become restless. As far as he could see— roads,
houses, buildings were seen. The green city which he was accustomed to seeing,
had changed. Now it was a concrete jungle with pucca houses, buildings and
people living like flies.
He used to get suffocate in two days.
His sons' comfort-loving nature used to irritate him
further.
He knew the value of a bucket of water which he used to
pull from the well or hand pump and here they used to waste it in the city in a
huge amount. Just switch on the motor and get as much water you want… If the
need is for one jug, four buckets would be shed. Everyday the car should be
washed. They were used to sleeping in the open and those closed rooms in the
city, where AC was required which can cool inside but heat outside. No one is
bothered about how they are wasting air and water. No worries at all... And
this was not the case of his sons alone, there were almost all such people— who
were not giving anything to nature, were just extracting from it.
And that was the reason why he would return the very next
day.
The sons got settled. The daughters-in-law also got along
well. Whatever may be in the mind, but externally they used to behave properly.
Four grandchildren were born and now they too have been ten to fourteen years
old.
He avoided staying permanently in the city for such a
long time, but now what? Seth Ji was also right that in old age, some religious
activities should be done. This life passed well— why should not some
arrangements be made for the afterlife also. After all, Sumiti had also desired
to visit Char Dham, Vaishno Devi, Amarnath Baba's darshan... and now what else
is to be done.
This area, located far from the city, was once very
economical... but the expansion of the city started to engulf it and the land
price hiked. When they started getting good prices, most people started selling
their lands and shifted from there and it was sure that only big buildings will
be seen here in two to four years. His house will also be hidden behind a
building. His fields, which are four kilometres away from here, will also be
covered by houses and bungalows.
He told Sumiti all the things at night and asked her
opinion, she also wanted what Seth Ji said. Seth Ji was a big builder, what he
had promised that he would definitely do. Perhaps while saying this, the
feminine aspiration must also have been in her mind that she is working even at
the age of rest. At least she would get rid of this burden.
The next day, his sons and daughter also came— it was
discussed with everyone.
The daughter's happiness was with the parents' opinion
only... while sons already desired this, so their happiness was countless. They
knew the value of the land and that was enough to make them happy, as
ultimately it will come to them.
It was decided that Seth Ji should be informed and after
completing all the paperwork, both of them will go on pilgrimage. Now, in the
last stage of age, their goal was religious tours and religious activities
only. Everyone stayed together till evening and then they went back to their
homes.
From the next day, Raghav started his preparations. After
all, he had to wind up a lot— as he didn't know whether they are destined to
come back here or not. So why not meet everyone— all dues should be cleared.
Differences with people should be resolved. Hariya, caretaker of the fields
should be informed of the decision and his account should be settled.
Three to four days passed in all this.
And almost everything was settled— today was Friday and
tomorrow the deal was to be finalized with Seth Ji. They will be shifted to the
city day after tomorrow.
Now only one task was pending and he left in the morning
to do the same. Nanku lived in Majra, which was two kilometres away, who used
to do the farming on metayage. He took five thousand rupees from him, once the
crop was ruined which he had not returned till date. Raghav was aware of his
situation and he knew that Nanku would never be able to repay. So he had
decided that he would exempt his debt meeting Nanku so that there would be no
burden on his heart nor on Nanku's heart. This was the only work left.
Raghav thought that he would be back by ten o'clock in
the morning, but by the time he reached, Nanku had left somewhere, due to
which, Raghav had to wait for him and it was eleven o'clock when Nanku came
back.
Seeing him, Nanku was obviously embarrassed, but before
he could tell his agony— Raghav had told his decision to forget the debt. At
first, Nanku could not believe it, then he fell on Raghav's feet crying and
Raghav hold him and hugged him— he was feeling relaxed.
But the result of this delay was that his return could
not be in the expected time and on his return, it was noon.
There was no means of transport so that he could hire it
to come back. Then the roads of that village were so bad that he could not
expect to meet someone who could have offered a lift, then Raghav also had the
habit of walking since forever.
But the weather was terrible.
It was the end of June— The sky was clear. There were no
clouds at all. The sun was over the head as if the fire was coming down from
the sky. The air was also still— the dry land was also very hot. There was no
sign of greenery— Most of the fields were cleaned for sowing paddy in the rainy
season. Earlier trees used to appear everywhere, a line of large trees used to
run along each side of the paths— and now only a few trees were left. At some
places, there were eucalyptus and poplar trees. The roads which had an
abundance of trees were left with a few trees of bael, rosewood, jujube and
chandni which were not enough to provide shade properly.
Strong sun, heating path and no shade on the way.
His body was drenched with sweat... As he had grown old,
there was not much strength left in him. At every hundred or two hundred meters
he would stop and pant. He was feeling the need for a shade desperately which
was not there. The heat was so strong that even the skin that came in contact
with it was scorching— his mouth was getting dry.
However, the rows of eucalyptus on the edges of some
fields were certainly giving a little shade, but at the moment it was not
enough because the sun was exactly over the head.
However, as soon as he reached the village, he was
brought back to life.
Around the village, there was the same shade-less land,
and the dim structures of the under-construction buildings were seen towards
the city. Once there were many big trees in the village, but they were cut for
development. Now the few trees which were there in the courtyard of people's
houses were of the small size of jujube, guava and mulberry etc. In the entire
area, there was only the hundred-year-old Jamun tree in his courtyard which had
covered more portion outside than it had covered inside. Seeing it Raghav
realized its ’stature’ for the first time.
When he reached near the house sweating, he saw many
people were sitting there to get shade. Many goats also stood there— perhaps
they also knew the importance of shade. Along with them, few chickens were also
there.
This was not a new wonderful sight, but it was a common
everyday thing in summer— of which he had always been a part himself.
But today his vision was new— Today he walked here for
miles in search of a shadow. Today, before he got the shelter of the tree from
the heat of the sun, he was soaked with sweat and with great surprise, for the
first time today he was able to see how much the world around him had changed
and a common Jamun tree in his courtyard has suddenly become so worthy.
Could this shade have any value? Tomorrow, he will move
to leave everything behind and the ground will be levelled by cutting the
tree... Then on its foundation, a lifeless structure of cement and concrete
will be built, in which the mechanic humans will live— who will claim on their
respective forums the importance of greenery, will tell the trees to be
precious... without considering that their existence itself is breathing on the
cemetery of such greenery.
When he went inside the house, he was entangled in
strange thoughts.
He felt his tree as a sacrificial animal, to be
slaughtered tomorrow. It seemed to look at him with a complaint— as if it was
saying that will you improve your afterlife over my dead body? Every branch of
the tree, every single leaf seemed to complain to him like a living organism.
His conscience began to guide him.
Suddenly his determination began to fail... The whole
thought began to shake like a kayak stuck in a storm. He began to weaken before
his inner soul. For him, this tree was not a lifeless stump of wood, rather a
living entity that breathed and gave life. Arranging for his murder was not
acceptable to his conscience.
And then he gave up this idea.
He ran and clung to the tree in such a way as if it were
a human being, whom he would hold in his arms and started crying bitterly. He
had cried very little in his life but was crying a lot today and his intentions
were being shed in his tears.
Sumiti standing at the door of the inner room was looking at him with surprise.
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