14

‘BHAJI!

Satnam was hurrying along the Atta Mandi Bazaar on an urgent errand when that one word, spoken in a gentle lilt, brought his feet to an instant halt. He paused and looked around at the row of small double-storey homes on either side of the street. Seeing nothing, he chided his imagination for playing tricks on him and walked on. He had barely taken a couple of steps more when he paused again, with that distinct feeling of having heard that voice before. Once again, his eyes scanned the street, looking closely at the doorways and windows of the houses around him.

‘Bhaji! This way!’ It was that voice again.

Lifting his gaze in its direction, his eyes fell on a familiar image: the old traveller and that girl ‘Krishna’.

‘Krishna?’ he found himself uttering her name even as his heartbeat quickened and he found himself thinking, ‘Could it really be the same Krishna?’

It was getting dark and some shops had already switched on their lights, but the window from which he heard the voice coming was still quite dark and seemed to be without an electric lamp or lantern. A door on one side was open and its light allowed Satnam to see Krishna’s face.

‘Bhaji, can you please take the next alley and come to the rear of the first house?’ Krishna quickly moved away from the window as she finished speaking. She seemed flustered and her tone carried a sense of urgency. She’d closed the window before waiting for Satnam’s reply.

Satnam’s pulse quickened, he could hear the thumping in his chest get louder with each step.

Why was his heart beating so fast? Only someone who has seen the sudden rays of hope after facing ominous clouds of dejection will understand the reason. It had been a week since Satnam had seen Krishna near the Golden Temple on Vaisakhi; a long, unending week that he had spent making discreet enquiries about the old man and the girl. The ground floor portion of their home, which he and his mother had renovated in anticipation of their arrival, remained as it was. Neither of them had expressed an inclination to host some other refugee family.

Satnam reached the rear of the house indicated by Krishna and found her waiting impatiently. She spoke the moment she saw him, ‘Would you have some time to spare, Bhaji?’

‘Sure! I have all the time in the world,’ Satnam replied, suddenly unmindful that he had been hurrying to complete an errand that wasn’t just urgent but also quite important.

‘Can you please accompany me to the Golden Temple?’ Krishna enquired breathlessly.

‘By all means. Ready when you are,’ Satnam nodded.

‘Just a couple of minutes, then. Let me go and check with Bapu ji,’ she said as she disappeared behind a door.

The couple of minutes extended to something closer to ten minutes and while Satnam waited for her to emerge, his mind swirled. Was this the same Krishna, the one he had seen last week? How could a person transform so quickly? Extraordinary! Her attire, her manner of speech, her appearance … as different as day and night. If she looked comely then, she seemed strikingly beautiful today. There was a radiance about her that had removed every trace of despondency, of that deathly pallid hue he had observed on her face the other day. Which God or Goddess had showered such blessings on her?

He heard her footsteps before he saw her, the same attractive face, the same impressive eyes were now looking at him.

‘My apologies, Bhaji,’ she spoke without a hint of diffidence. ‘It took me a bit longer than I anticipated.’

Satnam was speechless, barely managing to mumble ‘No problem,’ and walking alongside her as they left the house for the Golden Temple.

Krishna was dressed in simple, elegant attire—a plaid khadi saree and a matching jumper with light brown slippers. There was an ethereal glow on her face, not the kind that touches your heart but rather reaches straight into your soul. There was a spring in her step that reflected a certain self-confidence, a firmness of purpose. Her naturally pink lips may not have carried a hint of joy, nor even a smile, and yet, there was something about her demeanour that encouraged a sense of easy familiarity.

‘Bhabo searched heaven and earth for you the other day,’ Satnam played around with various words and phrases in his mind before he could form a coherent sentence that finally emerged from his mouth as they approached the wide steps leading into the Golden Temple. If he hadn’t played around with the words, he might have blurted something like, ‘Both me and my mother went absolutely crazy looking for you since last week.’

‘I was sure she would be looking for us,’ Krishna spoke with a pathos that discouraged further conversation on the subject. They walked quietly till they reached the Darshani Deori that leads visitors towards the sanctum sanctorum.

‘So…’ Satnam resumed, ‘you had some work for me?’

‘Let’s go inside and pay our respects first,’ Krishna responded, her face a picture of devotion as she bent down and touched her forehead on the marble entrance.

After completing a round of the temple’s Parikrama, Krishna suggested that they sit on the edge of the sarovar near the entrance facing the clocktower. As they settled down and gazed at the shimmering waters of the sarovar, Krishna started the conversation with a question.

‘Bhaji, which gali did you say you live in?’

‘In Vadhao Wali Gali.’

‘I’d completely forgotten the name of the lane.’

‘But why did you leave the serai? Didn’t your Bapu ji agree to Bhabo’s suggestion that you would move to our place?’

‘We were fooled, Bhaji.’

‘Fooled?’

‘Yes.’

‘How?’

‘They told Bapu ji that they had come to take us to your place, that your mother had sent them.’

‘And who were they?’

‘Two men, a Hindu and a Sikh.’

‘And then?’

‘Then they took us to a house and asked us to stay there. The house did have several women but there was no sign of you or your mother.’

‘But is that the house where you are staying at present? I think it might be a branch of the relief committee.’

‘No, no. This is a different house. That was in some other mohalla.’

‘Okay. And then?’

‘Then we left the house that evening itself. Bapu ji, in fact, sensed something amiss the moment he entered the house. The way those two men were speaking only confirmed his suspicions and we decided that we would leave at the earliest.’

‘What do you mean by the way the two men were talking? What were they saying?’

Krishna responded by lowering her eyes and pursing her lips. Satnam gathered that it must have been something indecent and that the girl could not bring herself to speak about the lewd intentions of the men.

Changing the subject, he continued, ‘So where did you go after fleeing that place?’

‘We went to the office of the Congress Relief Committee.’

‘How did you end up there?’

‘That afternoon I had read some posters in the street from the District Congress Committee. They were looking for educated girls and women among the refugees who might be offered some jobs.’

‘Yes! I remember seeing those posters too. And then?’

‘Then we told those guys we wanted to pay our respects at the Golden Temple and used it as a ruse to give them the slip. While we were on our way, I told Bapu ji about those posters. He is the one who suggested that we should go to the Congress office. We made some enquiries and managed to make our way there.’

‘And what did they say?’

‘We met a middle-aged man there, the secretary of the local Congress committee. Bapu ji told him our story and also mentioned that he is quite proficient in administering traditional medicines as a hakim. The secretary was delighted to learn this because he was looking for someone experienced to help with injured and sick refugees. So, he’s given that responsibility to Bapu ji and has also given us the house where I met you.’

‘And has your Bapu ji started his work?’

‘Indeed! The secretary took just a day to order all the medicines, liniments and other stuff that Bapu ji needed.’

‘And you, Krishna ji? Have you also been able to find some work?’

‘There are plenty of opportunities for me, but right now Bapu ji wants me by his side. He has told the secretary that he won’t be able to manage without me because he can’t see too well. And so, the secretary has appointed me as his compounder.’

‘And has your dispensary gotten off on a good start?’

‘Extremely good, Bhaji. There’s such a rush of patients from eight in the morning till one in the afternoon that Bapu ji doesn’t have time to breathe. Fortunately, another person has been appointed to work with him. He helps by making sure the right medicines arrive and prepares the formulations, etc. Although he has a diploma in ayurvedic medicine from Tibbiya College in Delhi, he was quick to see that he is no match for Bapu ji’s experience as a hakim and in the special preparations that he makes—he treats Bapu ji as his guru and wants to learn from him.’

‘So does that mean you are adjusting into your new life here?’

‘I’d say it’s way beyond adjusting. To be honest, this is the first time I am feeling alive. And not just that, I’ve also found a wonderful means of entertaining myself.’

‘And what’s that?’

‘You see. the secretary’s room is right next to ours and he has hundreds of Urdu books in his cupboard. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy reading them!’

‘Really? That’s wonderful! And what is the secretary’s name?’

‘I must confess I’ve never bothered to learn his full name. But I do know that everyone addresses him as Sharma ji. He seems like a really nice man. Lives alone, cooks his own food. Says he’s always been like that. And he’s quite affectionate towards me.’

Satnam felt overjoyed that a pair of penniless refugees had succeeded in setting themselves up so quickly. He wanted to thank the unknown Sharma ji from the bottom of his heart.

‘So, Krishna ji,’ Satnam looked closely at her face as he spoke. ‘Waheguru has showered his abundant blessings on you, have a decent place to stay and you’ve also found work that you enjoy.’

‘But please hear me out regarding the main reason I have imposed upon you.’

‘No imposition at all. I’m all ears.’

‘Bapu ji has certainly found work that he enjoys and is very happy with it. But he doesn’t wish to stay in that house.’

‘Why not?’

‘The real reason, Bhaji, is that the place is visited by all kinds of people throughout the day—some are decent, but others are not so nice. Bapu ji feels that it would be ideal if we can rent a small place somewhere in this neighbourhood. He’s also mentioned you and your respected mother a couple of times. I’ve also thought of coming over to discuss this with you but was held back by the fact that I didn’t know your lane. I was lucky to spot you today as you were passing by and that’s why I called out and requested you to come. I would have taken you straight to Bapu ji, but he was busy treating a patient and I knew that it would take him at least an hour or so. Moreover, I’ve developed this habit of visiting the Golden Temple in the evening and I thought it would be nice to sit here and discuss.’

The moment Satnam heard that they were looking for accommodation, his mind raced to the place in his own home that was ready and waiting for them. But he felt strangely tongue-tied, unable to renew his invitation to them. After an uncomfortable pause, he spoke, ‘Are you looking for a place where you two are the only occupants?’

‘No, that’s not necessary at all, but…’ She didn’t complete her sentence, but Satnam knew precisely what she was trying to say. Krishna’s Bapu ji was acutely aware that with a young girl in a new city, he must take each step with caution.

‘I guess what you mean is that you’d be willing to live in shared accommodation if it were with a decent, respectable sort of a family,’ Satnam probed.

Krishna nodded in assent before adding, ‘But we won’t be able to afford very much by way of rent. Bapu ji does not want to place any financial burden on the relief committee and he doesn’t charge his patients any fees for his own services.’

Satnam made a strenuous effort to overcome his own timidity, his voice trembling as he ventured, ‘The lower portion of our house is available if we can persuade Bapu ji to have faith in our respectability. That’s the place my mother had offered the other day.’

Krishna’s face had a discomfited look when he used the term ‘have faith in our respectability.’ She lowered her eyes in silence.

Satnam found the absence of a response embarrassing and started to wonder if he had been wrong to extend the invitation. Krishna sensed his feelings and when she lifted her eyes to look at him, they provided him all the reassurance he needed. His heart soared as she began to speak, ‘How can you say that Bhaji? Bapu ji can read a man’s character at first glance. He has nothing but appreciation for you each time your name is taken. That’s the only reason he agreed to accompany those two guys to their place. He did notice that they seemed somewhat frisky but asserted that so long as we were staying with “that lady and her son”, we had nothing to fear.’

‘But how did those two learn about us?’

‘I think they were eavesdropping on our conversation on Vaisakhi when your mother was speaking with Bapu ji. I distinctly remember that one of them had bought something from me just before you both had arrived.’

‘Anyway, be that as it may, let me reiterate that you are welcome to stay on the ground floor of our house for as long as you want.’

‘Roughly speaking, how much would the rent be?’

‘Rent???’ Satnam’s indignation at the question swallowed up his response. Krishna looked quizzically at him before lowering her eyes again in embarrassment when she saw his expression. Had she managed to belittle their generosity?

Krishna finally broke the awkward silence. ‘Are you upset with my question, Bhaji?’

‘Absolutely,’ Satnam replied without looking at her.

‘Please accept my apology.’

His ire vanished in the face of her transparent honesty and his spirits lifted when she asked, ‘Can we move in tomorrow morning?’

‘Bhabo’s had the place ready for you since last week. You can come tomorrow or the day after. I can only assure you that it won’t be given to anyone else.’

Krishna lowered her head in gratitude and respect as she replied, ‘We’ll try to come early tomorrow morning.’

‘Why do you want to come on your own? Bhabo will come and escort you.’

‘No! Please don’t bother her early in the morning. But I won’t decline the offer if you are coming.’

‘Fine! I’ll be there.’

‘By the way, you looked like you were on your way to something important. I could tell you were in a hurry when I called out. I hope I haven’t interfered with your work.’

‘No interference at all. It’s about our Unity Council and the library we’d set up at Majith Mandi. The Council has pretty much fallen apart and we’ve been paying rent for the premises without any benefit to anyone. I’ve been thinking for a while that we should remove the books and furniture and vacate the place. But one thing or the other kept me from sorting it out. When I heard this afternoon that the Muslims of Katra Khazana are planning an arson attack on Majith Mandi, I told myself that the literature we have there is quite valuable, let’s not run the risk of seeing it all go up in flames. So, I was heading to the library with the intention of having the stuff removed.’

‘But this Unity Council that you mentioned, how did it fall apart?’

‘Well, the reason is pretty obvious, Krishna. The communal frenzy in our city has reached such a fever pitch that our small voice gets completely drowned out in the crescendo.’

‘But the books in the library are meant to be read by ordinary people. Even if your Unity Council has broken up, what’s the need to close the library?’

‘Because many of the books in our library revolve around the theme of fraternity between the different faiths. And things have come to such a pass in our city today that the very mention of words like unity, fraternity or amity has people turn their face the other way. Who is going to read books like these at a time like this?’

‘I must say that I simply adore books that highlight this theme. There are quite a few such books in Sharma ji’s cupboard and I’ve been feasting on them every day.

‘I’ve had a somewhat rudimentary education in our village but ever since my brother Aziz got me a few books written by Iqbal, Josh Malihabadi and some other leading poets, I started to enjoy reading literature. I first heard Iqbal’s poem “Saare jahan se accha Hindustan humara” from Aziz and I loved it so much that I memorized all of it. That’s what really ignited my love for literature.’

‘Krishna ji, your demeanour tells me loud and clear that you are blessed with immense capability.’

His unexpected praise forced Krishna to lower her gaze again. A gentle blush spread over her face and she quickly changed the subject. ‘Bhaji, is there so much hatred in the minds of people that organizations trying to promote unity are finding it difficult to operate?’ A thought came to her mind, and she continued, ‘Sharma ji was also speaking about some unity council the other day. He said that several young men had joined these councils with a lot of enthusiasm, but unfortunately, they too had changed their colours and joined various communal outfits. He didn’t mention the name of that unity council.’

Krishna’s words hit him like a blow on the shin by a quarterstaff. Trying to hide his own mortification, Satnam spoke, ‘Several such councils sprouted like mushrooms in the monsoon. But they’ve all perished. None has survived these storms.’

‘Does that mean there isn’t a single council today that is trying to stem the tide of communal violence ravaging this city?’

‘As far as I am aware, there is none that is still active. There might be one or two that exist in name alone.’

‘But Bhaji, how did your council break up, one that has someone like you…’ She failed to find an adequate adjective to describe the noble attributes she saw in Satnam.

This was like a second blow to Satnam. If the first one had targeted his shins, this one hit straight at his chest. He realized that he had been compromised by the frailty of his own character. Seeing that there was no escape from this predicament, he quickly changed the subject. ‘Anyway, let me get moving now. I have to rush to Majith Mandi because a couple of guys are already waiting for me there. I’ll see you at around eight tomorrow.’

‘Of course. Please go ahead. We’ll be waiting for you at eight.’

Krishna remained seated as Satnam got up and left.