Harmoney has no creed and religion

Next day of lockdown 2 extension till May 3rd to curb the pandemic spreading, I had understood that the labourers who were surviving with their families on daily wages were in big trouble then.

Since all the economic activities had been halt under this nationwide shut down for the past 21 days, their saved fistful of cash in hands might have zeroed, and they would not be in position to satiate their hunger by other means.

In a sceptical mind, I wake up early in morning of Wednesday last week and went out for a walk while I would have seldom or never woke up in morning for the past 6 months.

I walked 500 meters and arrived infront of a shanty on roadside.

A man 70 years old was inside space to clean up it. I spoke him... Bhaijaan... Ram...Ram.... the man's voice came Ram... Ram.... His face was not towards me so he was not able to reckoned me.

It had passed about 7 years since I had met him, but I knew him during my school days... it was the year of 1986, my   ghetto dwelling shanty was at roadside near the trisections of this place, and I used to study here daily.

To tell you the truth I had born here. My parent used to live in this shanty unless my mother's parent left the home where my family is now residing after my parent deaths. 

My elder brother had completed his post graduation (MSc Physics) from  this place to University of Lucknow.

A man had begun his bicycles and riksaw repairing ploy on roadside culvert and after he had established his shop.

This repairing man who had come with my brother in law was from Maskunwa, a station in eastern UP under district Gonda.

 Bhaijaan would come to repair his ricksaw and my proximity to Bhaijaan was because of my rising puberty and he used to carry the school girls to thier schools and colleges by his ricksaw.

He was elder than I and I could not garner the courage to confess any of my colourful day dreams. Mostly I used to continue my study, but for short refreshment I used to talk with this Mistry who always   did the kidding with me, and meanwhile if Bhaijaan used to come there for a short stay, I   talked him.

He often used to offer me to have a cup of tea, and i pleasantly accept it.

He was unaware of my crave, but in his view I was a gentle and studious boy then.

In 1981 when my father died in brain cancer, my all dependency was over my mother and the elder brother.

My father was in government service, so after completion of my intermediate I joined the service on compensation ground as a junior clerk.

 Since then I could not spare time amply, say to truth the gentry had changed and I began to talk with my compering status.

Ever at anon on roadside pavement Bhaijaan used to a vacant look at me in eloquent way while ricksaw pulling and my smile gave him respect.

My frequent visit to this small home had been occasional.

In the year 2008 when this was removed by Lucknow municipal corpoartion including all the shanties errected in one kilometere along the roadside, my visit to this place became random.

On the name of encroachment this removal surprised me and I investigated  the cause behind through my sources, I found that a local  leader of a political party and its gang were involved this erasing.

The chairman of PAC in then Union Government was to visit in a marriage ceremony held to this leader's home and the gang having taken the benefit of this visit to satiate their rivalary they made all erased.

Anyway had these homeless nothing to where they would have gone, they again erected shanties and began to live there.

We found local corporator's interest too; even he did not fail to demolish partially the old temple while he had won the election of that party ticket, which is known the protectors of temples by its tenet.

I should not discuss these facts to this story, and should talk about Bhaijaan who was cleaning his home in shanty.

Still his livelyhood is earned by ricksaw pulling. He has a bank account only where he has some money.

He told me that he met with Kallu hotel Walle for some rice and flour which were being distributed to the destitutes provisioned by Government during this pandemic Covid-19.

Kallu hotel owner is the man who had funded and supported the corporator who was involved in the shanty removed allegely from roadside although he is not now corporator and has been defeated in the municipal election in the district.

Kallu have distributed this government assistance to the local residents by choosing them discriminated; and Bhaijaan had tried three times, but Bhaijaan request was not enough to make Kallu listen.

Solemnly I hear whole narration of this real story... and gave him some money and asked him call me whenever he would feel any such trouble, or come to my home.