Wednesday, August 31, 2011

CHOTU... aur wo 5 Minute..

Sunday.. 21st..
Ah! This day, i was eagerly waiting for this day to come. Since the 16th of Aug, there has been a Person named "ANNA HAZAARE" who has been on Fast to Fight against corruption, with his people from INDIA AGAINST CORRUPTION. I dint know much of him and got some information from internet to know him, i also got to know that he was fighting the government to implement LOKPAL BILL(OMBUDSMAN) in our country to put a Curb to corruption.

On this day, there was a big Rally to be called from "India Gate" and would march towards "Ramlila maidan" where 'ANNA' ji was on Fast. I took a few friends with me to there and could sense the atmosphere that 'This is it'. Now we knew that something is going to happen soon after the rally. I was astonished to see the enormous amount of people to support this person. After the Rally i went back to the metro station to board a train towards Karol Bagh and so i did.

I was feeling too tired, to walk back to my home which was quite far from that place and it was already 8pm. So i hired a Rikshaw from the there (bargaining from 20Rs to 15Rs ). I was thinking of the whole day as what i did. Suddenly, something came into my mind and asked the name of the Rikshaw puller, here is what, i had a conversation with him and this is what i m writing down.


I : Tumhara naam kya hai?
He : (Surprisingly) CHOTU.
I : Kahan k rhne waale ho?
He : Bihar.
I : Kitne saal k ho?
He : 14.

I : Bas 14, school jaate ho?
He : haan kabhi kabhi
I : Kab, subha?
He : nahi, 2 mahine baad jayange, jab school ki fees jama ker lenge apne Gaoun main.
I : Tumhaare mata-pita..
He: Baba guzar gaye, maa hain wo bihar main hain gaoun main.
I : Aur kaun kaun gai ghar main.
He : 3 choti bahanen hain. Maa ne pese kamane bheja hai.
I : to tmhe yahan kaun laaya?
He: Chaha.
I : chacha kya kerte hain?
He : wo bhi riksha chalate hain.
I : kitna kama lete ho.
He : (he looked at me) din main kabhi 100, to kabhi 200. pakka nahi hai. baaki maalik ka jo hissa hota hai wo le leta hai.
I : malik? jiska riksha tum chalate ho?
He : haan..
I : kya tumhe pata hai Baal majdoori gair kaanuni hai,

He : Kise farak padhta hai saab, hum paise nahi kamayenge to gahr paise kaun bhejega aur humare school ki fees kaun bharega( now again he looked into my eyes)

looking into his eyes this time, i was ashamed of myself as to why did i ask him such question, and we should ask the same question to ourselves.

He : aap yahan hi rhte hain naa saab? aap kahan tak padhe hain?
I : main Collage main padhta hoon aur ab mera aakhiri saal hai.
He : kisi din hum bhi collage jayenge saab aap dekhna? aur aapki tarah hi farrate waali angreji bhi bolenge..

I : bhut badhiya, lekin abhi to tumhara school jana bhoot zaroori hai iske liye,
He : hume pata hai saab, isi liye to hum yahan Fees jama ker rhe hain.

I dint have any questions to ask him as my mood was too-upset to see his plight, but was amazed to see his enthusiasm about his future.
then i asked again,

I : koi tumhe yahan tang bhi kerta hai.

how this question came to my mind i dont know but i asked.

He : (After a Pause) Chaha,
I : wo kyu, kaise
He : chacha daaru peker aata hai, aur sunata hai.
I : to tum iski complaint kyu nahi kerte?
He : kis se karen saab, jisne naukri dilaai usi ki kerenge to kahan jayenge?

he kept quiet for some time then He explained to me the kind of torture done on him every night.

I : Tum 1 kaam kero wapas chale jaao
He : 2 mahine baad.
I : roko roko.. mera ghar aa gaya..

I looked into his eyes, he was crying. I asked him why was he crying. he said that i was the first person who had listened to him and talked to him since the day he had been to Delhi. No body here cares for him and he surely wants to go back to his native place and live there with his family, this city for him had been a hell for him and he only thinks of his village and his family and friends.
I took out the money and gave it to him, turned around and took out my handkerchief.
there was a loud noice from my back Chotu calling me

"Saab baaki paise to le jaao".

i went straight into my house, i did not have the courage left in me to look back at that child again
I only wish to god to fulfill his dream and let him be away from this "HELL".
GOD BLESS HIM.

Note: the whole day what i was looking for, was going to the rally but at the end of the day, those 5 minutes was what that struck my mind.
dont have any more words to say..
Could not click his picture as the battery was low, and would post his picture if ever i find him(I hope i wont).

Thanks for reading 5 minutes of  Chotu and my life..


2 comments:

  1. Great to read this one mate. I liked your idea of sharing the plight of an outsider,living his life in the darkness of Delhi.

    I wish he goes back to his place and start with his studies asap.

    Reading this, I could understand the pain he shared with you and the level of relief he must have felt after speaking his mind to you.

    God bless him!

    Love
    Aditya Bhasin


    I Speak-Aditya Bhasin will continue to stand against child labour.
    www.adityabhasin.in

    ReplyDelete
  2. dude, that's the reality of many rickshaw puller or auto wale in Delhi... every person has its own plight to tell, if asked to speak, ppl will go deaf....
    nice that, you had such an experience, but you must strive to do something for them, so that you don't have to hear such heartening stories...

    ReplyDelete