38

After a long 18 hour journey, tired and exhausted, all his bones aching Ramu reached his destination------Delhi. Along the way to Jahangirpuri where his friend Badri, from the same village lived, he stopped onto a roadside tea stall. All around him, everyone city types were going about their normal everyday affairs, and here, he was sitting on a broken bench in the tea stall sipping his tea, feeling a desperate loneliness. He felt as if he was the only outsider who had no place here. Here he had no ties to anyone except his friend who was working in this city from the last two years.

Debilitated, he reached Badri's residence after enquiring from different people the way to his house only to find a padlock greeting him. By that time it was 6pm. He kept waiting for him sitting across the lane and felt like a faceless person in a mass of people in the metropolis.

In the big smoke, your defenses are always up and the automatic response is not to talk with strangers.

His thoughts wandered off to his village.

"My village offers more intimacy and a close knit community that I can feel a part of. Here, I'm sitting all alone on the footpath and no one to even offer me a glass of water leaving aside my well being," mumbled Ramu to himself.

Lost in his thoughts about his own village, about the people and the trees and the smell of the soil he never knew when Badri opened the lock of his room. As soon as Ramu looked up across the street gazing at the door, he found it open. He sprang up on his feet and rushed in. On seeing Ramu, Badri hugged him tight, offered him some tea and biscuits. Later, after having dinner, they kept talking till late night about the village and the welfare of Badri's parents and his own marriage to Tara, how and what he had gone through.

"I've come here to earn in this big city. Now, you are going to help me find a job," Ramu told Badri.

"It's not easy to find a job in this metropolitan, but don't you worry I'll talk to my boss and maybe you can become an employee in the factory outlet where I'm working as a salesman. In the meantime, you start with cleaning of the cars in the vicinity. I too do it as a part time in the early morning, and for sure I can introduce you to the car owners without any hassles," said Badri.

It was great relief to Ramu on hearing it. Next day was a Sunday and Badri took Ramu with him to show how the job was done and also introduced him with the car owners who agreed to Badri as they all knew him as a laborious person from the last two years.

From the very next day Ramu started with the cleaning job, and started winning the hearts of the owners of the cars by giving a good service to each one of them.

In the meantime, Badri had a talk with his boss.

"But how can I keep a new face without any guarantee for him," his boss replied.

"Sahib, I stand a guarantee for my friend as he's a very honest person and promise he won't let you down," said Badri.

"Okay then, you bring him along with you next Monday as I'm going out of town and will return on Sunday only," said his employer.

Ramu was elated to hear this from Badri and ultimately Monday too arrived after a long wait of seven days.

On reaching the outlet on the appointed day, Badri straight away took Ramu to his employer's cabin.

"So you are the one who wants to work over here?"

Ramu, with his head down and folded hands nodded his head in approval.

"How many classes have you studied or are you totally illiterate?" asked the employer.

"No Sahib, I've studied upto 10th class in my village and I know how to read and write Hindi and also a few easy words of English as well," replied Ramu.

"Okay, from tomorrow, you join us and your duties are going to be that of a peon. You will be paid Rupees Eight Thousand monthly and any holiday you take in between the week, I will deduct your day's salary. Only Sundays we are closed. That's it, you can go now," the employer said.

"And remember, you have to reach the store by 10am sharp and will be relieved by 8pm," the employer continued.

Ramu again nodded his head in approval and went out. He kept waiting for Badri till lunch and in the lunch time which was for an hour Badri dropped him home on his bicycle and came back for work.

From next day Ramu started going to the outlet with his Badri. He worked with lot of care and precision and cleaning the place setting everything neatly. Badri had made him understand all the work to be done. This way five days passed and then it was Sunday-closed day of the store.

Badri and he had already made a plan to go for an outing and see the charm of the big city Delhi.

As the metro train hurtled at a dizzying speed inside the tunnel from Jahangirpuri, the passing scenes were a blur, save for the occasional majestic sites of the high rise buildings. It was also incredibly noisy inside the train till it reached Chandni Chowk apart from the sporadic announcements, and then all hell broke loose.

Stepping into the Chandni Chowk train station was like being hit by a wall of sound. A million loud conversations swirled around. A bigger surprise was on the escalators. People stood on the right and unceremoniously shoved those on the left. And the conversations were colorful as were the streets and the people.

As first impressions went, Chandni Chowk seemed like an urban sprawl gone awry. One could spot the old Delhi's soul between its pulsating shopping streets. The streets and the road itself were packed with eateries. Narrow stone allies disappeared into the distance and opened suddenly into little courtyards with temples of different Gods and Goddesses which unapologetically rubbed shoulders with chaat and paan bhandars and hole-in-the-wall restaurants.

As both Ramu and Badri wandered around they were buffeted by waves of indulgence. Massive shops competed for clientele and a noisy buzz filled the air. Local and duplicate global brands, luxury and every day products, hip and vintage wear competed with souvenirs and trinkets. But apart from shopping it was more a foodie's paradise.

As the day turned into evening the whole place got a bit more frenzied. It was time to go back home with a holiday well spent for both.

From next day, the same routine of work started. It'd been six months working constantly like this.

------------------------------------THEN ONE DAY-------------------------------------------------

"Sahib, I would like to visit my village, just for a fortnight, as my wife is expecting and anytime the delivery of the child will be there," Ramu requested his employer with folded hands.

"Okay you may go, but make sure you'll be back in a couple of weeks, otherwise I'll have to appoint another person for your job," the employer said in a strict tone.

"I will, Sir and that's a promise," Ramu spoke in a soft tone.

Ramu had saved nearly Rupees thirty Thousand by now after deducting all his expenses of eating and sharing his accommodation with Badri, and that was a lot of money for him.

He was the happiest person who had never seen such big money in his village.

Next day he boarded the bus and left Delhi onto his journey to meet the newborn who was expected any day. After a hectic journey of another eighteen hours he reached home late evening and knocked the chain let of the door of his house. His mother opened the door and she gave a shriek of joy and surprise to see her son standing out waiting for someone to open it. She hugged and kissed him on the forehead, simultaneously calling out to Tara.

"Heyyyyyyyyyy!!! Tara look, who has come. Our Ramu has come back at the right time when we need him the most."

Tara with her pregnant stomach bulging out in full bloom and a big smile on her face came slowly to the door to receive him.

"Waiting for you to come back home to me is the hardest thing I've ever had to do," whispered Tara in his ears.

Ramu hugged her tight taking care not to give any pressure on her bulge. She took him to their room and brought some hot milk and the leftover rotis for him. His mother also sat by his side. Till late night he kept narrating his new life in the big city, telling everything from the high rises to the outlet he worked in and the self centered people who have no apathy for anyone in distress. He took out his savings and trinkets from his trunk.

"Ma, this whole is my savings of six months and you, Tara, here are the trinkets for you which you wanted for a long time," smiling he passed on the possessions to them both.

His mother was surprised to see the wads of the currency and Tara was the happiest woman to receive the gift which she had wanted for so long.

Next morning, Ramu went out of his house to meet his friends and other acquaintances. The next three days passed and there was nothing to do for Ramu.

On the fourth day, in the afternoon, suddenly Tara started getting the labor pains. A small boy came running to Ramu, who was sitting with his friends in the meadows.

"Hurry up Ramu, run home as fast as you can. Your Ma is waiting for you as Tara bhabhi is writhing with stomach pain," he called out stuttering.

On hearing Ramu jumped up in excitement and started running to his home with agility. As soon as he put his first step in the house his mother called out in a tone full of excitement, "Go, and get the midwife as soon as you can. Tara can deliver anytime. In the meanwhile I will boil some water on the stove."

Ramu rushed back like a breeze to fetch the midwife. All this while Tara was wailing in pain.

After a few minutes the midwife arrived panting hard as she was an asthmatic patient. She rested for a while sitting on the corner of the bed of Tara, holding her hand and patting her with love.

"Be bold Tara, nothing will happen to you. I'm here now," said the midwife in a soothing tone to her.

"Get me some hot water immediately, the child is expected to come out any moment," she called out to Ramu's mother.

Ramus mother, who was already near the stove, picked up the big utensil in which the water was being boiled, with the help of a towel and brought it immediately to the midwife.

"Quickly put a curtain around the bed. The delivery is going to start now," called up the midwife in an urgent tone.

All this while Ramu was sitting out in the courtyard with his mother waiting impatiently and praying to God silently in his heart.

After around fifteen minutes the crying of a new born hit his ears and the midwife came out of the room smiling, "It's a girl, congratulations, you have become a father now and Tara is also alright taking a nap comfortably after so much pain she went through," announced the midwife.

The moment Ramu's mother heard the news, her head hung in disgust. She didn't know what to say. She stepped aside with a disturbed mind and gave way to Ramu to go inside the room where Tara was. Ramu stepped into the room with a big smile on his face. By that time Tara had also opened her eyes and she gave a weak smile in return.

"Ramu, it's a girl," she called out in a sad voice.

"So what, if it's a girl, she's our daughter and I'll see to it that you take a special care of her when I'm not there with you. You'll have to educate her and give all the facilities of a son to her. She's our child, the symbol of our love to each other," replied Ramu with a voice full of passion and love for the little one.

Tara called out to him to come near her and held his hand in a thanksgiving manner and a loving smile that lit up her pale face as if a glow of a hundred candles burned together. On hearing their conversation Ramu's mother also came in.

"Ma, won't you congratulate us and give your blessings to the new one. You've become a grandmother now and your level has risen to the next step," Ramu said in a tone as if complaining.

His mother gave a lopsided smile and with a troubled heart said, "Yes, why not? But wish, I've a grandson next time."

Ramu took the words in a zestful manner and walked out of the room, "Ma, I'm going to my inlaws house to inform them."

On hearing the news Lachmi came running to the house where Tara lived.

"Oh!!!!! Tara, I'm so glad to see you and your daughter," taking out Eleven Rupees from her blouse and touching them on the newborns forehead and gave to Tara. In the meantime Ramus mother brought some tea and homemade biscuits for her and a glass of hot milk with some ghee laden rotis for Tara.

After seven more of holidays, it was time for Ramu to go back to work. He felt as if going back after a vacation was just like running out of antidepressants. On the sixth day of the newborn was a ceremony known as 'Chatti' ceremony as the baby was six days olds. According to folklore, there was a belief that on the sixth day after the birth of the child Goddess of destiny would quietly enter the house around midnight to pen the destiny of the child. This function was accompanied by the naming ceremony of the newborn where the letter with which the baby is named is decided based on birth time, positions of the stars and planets etc. during the birth of the bay. Normally a pandit or astrologer provides such a letter.

The women folk of the village were invited to Ramu's house. At the auspicious mahurat a sacred fire was lit and the prayers were chanted by the pandit. Later, women sang the songs welcoming the newborn and performing the baby naming ceremony, and then, when it was all over, all the village women of those who were present and the pandit were served with lunch and with ladoos. The little girl was to be called Sitara.

The next day it was time for Ramu to leave for Delhi. With a heavy heart and a skeptical mind he took the newborn in his hands and later hugging his mother and wife he left home to catch the bus. In another eighteen hours he was back to the city all exhausted, but, cheerful with the memories of the newborn Sitara still alive in his heart. Back to work, within the stipulated time, his employer was happy to see him. Ramu offered him and the other employees ladoos which he had brought from the village to celebrate with everyone in his work place for the birth of his first child. With the flow of congratulations and beaming faces of his work mates, he started his duty of brooming and mopping the store and putting the stocks in an orderly manner.

Weeks, and then four months passed. Then one fine evening before the closing time of the store Ramu's employer called him into the cabin.

"Ramu, if I put you in sales and if I ask you to go out with the samples of the products to different stores across the country, will you be able to handle it?" asked his employer.

Ramu replied, "Why not Sahib, just give me a chance and see how I rope in more customers for our our company."

"But, you aren't quite educated!! What is tenth class pass in a city like Delhi?" mocked his employer.

"I've more business tricks up my sleeve than the market feel of all the graduates put together," said Ramu dismissively, "They are but snobs in their neck ties, these graduates."

The employer laughed at his criticism for the graduates, the educated ones.

"Okay, okay, if I send you to Lucknow with some samples, will you be able to book orders for us?" the employer said smilingly.

"Just give me a try Sahib, I won't let you down although it will be my first time having ever travelled to any part of the country," Ramu spoke feeling excited.

"Okay then, I trust you. You will be getting your rail tickets and travel expenses tomorrow. Moreover you will be getting a commission of five percent of the total sales," quipped the employer.

Later, the employer shared with him all the details of the Lucknow market and stores giving the samples bag to him, making him understand the quotes to be given for the same.