SPANNING DECADES (PART 1)

It is the beginning of my first novel. It is just a plot going through several cities and lives.

In the early winters (December) of 1973, in village of Durgapur in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, was born a boy named Krishna. He was the second child and first son of Pandit Motilal and Uma Devi who also had a daughter 5 years ago named Devki. Pandit Motilal was the village priest and belonged to upper class of Brahmins. Krishna grew up in a peaceful village environment. In their neighbourhood lived a Muslim family. They had a son named Akbar who was born a year earlier than Krishna. Both Akbar and Krishna grew up together and due to same ages, both enjoyed each other company's.

Both went to the village school in 1978, and studied together for 3 more years, when in 1981, Akbar's father got transfer and he had to leave. The friends at the end, separated, and were unable to contact each other.

While without Akbar, Krishna had to continue his life. He went to school and at age of 12, he joined his father in temple (during evenings only). From childhood, Krishna had been very religious and the village's peaceful and brotherhoodly environment always taught him to love and respect everyone.

In 1991, Krishna passed his 12th Boards in excellence, gaining 3rd position all over the state. He then applied for scholarship in DU (Delhi University) for his graduation in economics. He got selected and he left for Delhi. His father accompanied him in the journey and gave him some money to support himself in the new city, by selling some extra ancestral land they had.

Krishna joined his new college life. The first year went little rough for Krishna as for him the transition was rapid, so his result wasn't too great but he survived it. Beginning of second year, however, went too smooth as now he adapted to new environment. But this was 1992, time. Political tensions in country were at rise.

Last year, the country just transitioned from a closed economy to market one and corporations were flooding into the market and this was the year in which occured "The Babri Masjid (Mosque) Demolition"

It sparked nation wide unrest. The aftermath of the demolitions saw heavy untrust between communities for sometime and Bombay Riots and Bombings next year. During this time, Delhi was also becoming a pot of hot lava. Krishna was working for an NGO duing this time as for him, it was a good source of both income and blessings.

So, in 1993 occured Delhi Riots which saw violence. When riots ended, Krishna who was working for NGO came to help the victims. While working, he saw an old man, little injured. He didn't faint but was in little pain. When Krishna rushed to help him, he thanked him. Krishna offered to take him to hospital but he said that since he is not too injured and his home is just around the corner, so he asked him to just help him to reach home.

Krishna dropped him at his home and left to help others. The peace was established in Eastern Delhi for few days but violence erupted in East Delhi again. The second round of riots began. These were as violent as previous one. DU is in east Delhi so Krishna was near to the site of riots. He went there to volunteer for help. As he was doing his job, he found a man fainted. He wasn't injured a lot but seeing his conditions, he had to be rushed to hospital, but all ambulances have left and there was no new ambulance which had arrived by now. So, instead, he thought to take him to the house of the old man to whom he met/helped few days ago. He lived near to the site. Krishna took the man to old man's home, who welcomed him inside.

There, he firstly put the injured man on bed and then, was to go to call for a doctor. But the old man said that he is a Hakim. He said that he now does something else but he always have few herbs for emergencies. He said, that he will apply the paste of haldi and some other herbs. He did so and let the man rest. Krishna said to him, that he will go to help other victims and will come back soon.

Around an hour later, he went to meet the old man again. The injured person hadn't gain consiousness by now. So, Krishna settled near him. The old man made tea and offfered him. As they were taking a sigh of relief with evening tea, they began to talk. The old man told that his name is Parvez and is living on rent here. He told that he works here in a shop, and is somewhat able to support himslef. He tells that he has a daughter named Nusrat who also lives with him but had gone to village for few days. Krishna also introduced hinslef and told him several things and they both soon became friends. Krishna even begans to call him Hakim Chacha. As they were talking, the injured man had gained consciousness.

He was amazed to know that he had survived. But instead of thanking them, he went in rage and asks them why they saved him. Krishna was shocked to his silly behaviour. But Hakim Chacha calmed him down and Krishna even asked him why is he trying to die and end the God given precios life in a silly way like riot.

After getting little comfortable with the duo, he tells them that his name is Sattu and that he was just now done with life. On furthur asking why, he tells that he is Dalit, thus belonging to so called "Untouchable" group. Krishna aksed him that is he hindu as he was wearing a green outfit from head to toe. He tells that he is Hindu but the discrimination he faces while working here in Delhi have made him very sad. He also tells that he had lost his investment money after the (1992) Harshad Mehta Scam. He tells that he was offered money by some people to participate from Muslim side in riots and he saw this as a way to earn money and even if he dies, he will be "free" from his troubled life.

Krishna is surprosed to hear the stroy and the fact that how moeny can buy anything. But thinking briefly, he calms down Sattu abd condemns from losibg hope too quickly. Sattu realizes his mistake but says if he could provide him a secure job.

Krishna is now speechless. But, Hakim Chacha says that he cannot guarantee him a secure job but a job where he may get better treatment. He tells him that in a nearby restaurant, there is a post open for waiter. He tells that the job is not fancy or very big but in tough times, he is near to him (Hakim Chacha) and Krishna and that the place is offering 5000 as salary which is somewhat acceptable seeing his current situation.

For Sattu is was better than nothing. He agrees to it and with help of Hakim Chacha gets a position. The trio gets along with each other and become good friends. A year passes by.

While, it comes May of 1994. Krishna gets a letter from her mother Uma. She writes him to wish him congrats for his third year result and also tells him that Bhairav; one of the villager and classmate of Krishna (in village school) have recently died. Krishna is shocked to know this news as Uma has written that he had committed suicide.

After reading the news, Krishna puts it down for sometime to remember the story and unjust that occured with Bhairav.

Krishna remembers that how he and Bhairav studied together and that Bhairav used to be a great student. But, when he was in 10th standard, his father died in mid term. Bhairav had to leave his studies as his mother was very weak. She was just in his mid 40s but economic tension had made her too weak that she was unable to do the work in fields. She began to hem clothes of village women or do piku. Seeing his family's hardship after father's death, he quit school.

Bhairav's father had taken loan from Manoj, a.k.a, Mahajan Ji. But, he became ubable to pay it. So, 90% of his land was taken by Mahajan Ji. His father not even had a lot of land and whatever land they had, they lost majority of it due to the debt. The family get in the cycle when during Bhairav's aunt was married off. The groom's family demanded dowry which his grandfather was unable to pay on basis of availabel capital alone.

He sold some land off and got his daughter married off. After his death, the situation git suddenly tense. Bhairav's father was unable to focus on the agriculture. Crops were ruined. Then during Bhairav's birth, his mother got seriously ill. She had to be shifted to city hospital whose bill led him to take loan. With time, loan got accumulated and the reuskt was this.

Bhairav knew how cruel Mahajan Ji was. So, instead he used some inital capital to sow vegetables. But when he went to sold them, he was offered very low. Fearing any loss of crops, he agreed to them. Some farmer adviced him to sow rice or wheat instead as he may get MSP on that instead. But when he thought to do so, his fellow villagers took him to Panchayat claiming that he is trying to eat their share in market. The Panchayat ruled off the case saying that villagers had silly arguments but the villagers began to hate him.

Seeing previos years losses, Bhairav took loan from his close friend, Gaurav. The two had very deep bond. Gourav used to work in city and agreed on helping him. But, Gourav's sister, Kavitri who lived in village and often met Bahirav, fell in love with him. One evening, he went to propose him, but he rejected. Kavitri was upset and considered it an act of insult. She accused him of assaulting her in front of Panchayat. Other vilalgers, used it as an opportunity and gave false claims of being a witness of it.

Gourav was enraged by this. He broke friendship and took his land as result of loan. Bhairav was sentenced to jain for two years. His mother died in fear of shame. When, Bhairav got released, he saw his life being torn apart.

Despite by now, Kavitri have claimed in front of her brother that she accused him falsely, Gourav didn't grant back Bhairav his land. He shifted his location to their ancestral village. The torn apart Bhairav, hence, commited suicide.

The memories of Bhairav, made Krishna emotional. He was sad. He wiped his tears, to continue to read te letter if his mother. He came to knwi that his sister, Devki's marriage has been fixed to Shankar, a fellow villager and his mother asked him to come home as soon as the two week long summer vacations began.

(TO BE CONTINUED........)

Author's Note

Hope you had liked first part. There must be some grammatical and word errors. But Ignroing that, I hope that it went okay. Whatever will be your thoughts, please share.

THANKS !