First time I met him was in the local train. I was reading John Grisham's "The King of Torts". His voice was as irritating as any sales man who comes in and disturbs us. He had a couple of headphones with him in multi colour. I was not a bit interested in buying the same. He was a bit different in his approach, he was not in a monologue to sell his product, but was having dialogue with the passengers. This was really strange and I tried to figure out what was wrong with him. The moment he came near I knew, the reason, he was drunk.
He came near me and tried to sell me a pink headphone. I asked him, "Daru peeke kyon bejtha hai ?". (Why are u drunk?) He was quick and took it very defensively. He told me that "Saab maine Daru nahi piya.. Yeh toh Beer hai". I couldn't hide my smile. By the time the train reached Mankhurd station and he jumped out of the train. He looked back smiled, waved at me and disappeared in the crowd. I went back into my Novel.
Couple of weeks later when I came back to Mumbai after a long official tour, I had no idea, I would meet him again. This time he was my auto driver. I suddenly recognized him due to his unique way of speaking with that Bojpuri accent. I didn't know if he had recognized me or not, but was speaking to me like he knew me for years. He was taking me to Kurla railway station from Mumbai Airport. Even in this half an hour ride he narrated me about his entire life. Even during the ride he didn't forget to help another autowala by pushing the auto till the nearby CNG station. He kept on speaking even though he was pushing the other auto with his leg.
He started with the difference between Mumbai and Bihar Culture. He was not happy with the kind of micro skirts and hot pants girls wear in Mumbai. He continued speaking like, he was a great narrator. Sirji you know that, in our Bihar, our females would never come out of the house. They always wear Ghunghat (a veil or headscarf worn by Indian women to cover their head and often their face). They will never show their face to any stranger.
I told him that I knew about this custom and one of my friend from TATA Nagar had told me about the fact that she cannot show her face or even touch her Jeth (Husband's elder Brother). My friend also told me that if by mistake her Jeth sat on her bed, she cannot use it without cleaning it properly. I kept of offering the little knowledge I had about the system and culture. May be because of my excitement of knowing my culture I didn't notice, he was feeling very uncomfortable and had gone mute suddenly. I some how realized the situation and asked him what was wrong?
Sirji, what you are saying is very correct. These are some rules in the society and these are made to safe guard the well being of the society. You know sir, my wife was working in a small enterprise nearby and my dad doesn't want her work because, she will have to interact with other male staff and customers. She didn't say anything and from next day onward she stopped going for work. That is our culture, but that bastard was within the family, what can I do? Whom are you talking about? My curiosity grew. My elder brother cheated me. What happened, I asked as if I cared for him.
One day when I came home I saw my wife cleaning the Charpoy. I asked her why she was doing and she told me that, Jeth by mistake sat on it. Like her I also thought it was a mistake. but one day he actually tried to rape my wife. It didn't happen because I reached home at that time. I had no words to say anything, I managed to ask him What did he do after seeing such an awful scene?
In our village it is very easy Sirji. If some one is guilty Panjayat decides the punishment. I was curious to know what was his elder brother's Punishment. He took a deep breath and told me that, the panjayat decided to hang them both to death. We call it honor killing. I was in a shock for a moment. You mean your wife was also hanged along with your elder brother? By the time our Auto reached Kurla Railway station.
He took the cash from me and returned me the balance and he started turning his Auto and before riding away he told. " Sirji ek haath se tali nahi bajti.." I just stood there for few seconds looking at his auto moving away.
He came near me and tried to sell me a pink headphone. I asked him, "Daru peeke kyon bejtha hai ?". (Why are u drunk?) He was quick and took it very defensively. He told me that "Saab maine Daru nahi piya.. Yeh toh Beer hai". I couldn't hide my smile. By the time the train reached Mankhurd station and he jumped out of the train. He looked back smiled, waved at me and disappeared in the crowd. I went back into my Novel.
Couple of weeks later when I came back to Mumbai after a long official tour, I had no idea, I would meet him again. This time he was my auto driver. I suddenly recognized him due to his unique way of speaking with that Bojpuri accent. I didn't know if he had recognized me or not, but was speaking to me like he knew me for years. He was taking me to Kurla railway station from Mumbai Airport. Even in this half an hour ride he narrated me about his entire life. Even during the ride he didn't forget to help another autowala by pushing the auto till the nearby CNG station. He kept on speaking even though he was pushing the other auto with his leg.
He started with the difference between Mumbai and Bihar Culture. He was not happy with the kind of micro skirts and hot pants girls wear in Mumbai. He continued speaking like, he was a great narrator. Sirji you know that, in our Bihar, our females would never come out of the house. They always wear Ghunghat (a veil or headscarf worn by Indian women to cover their head and often their face). They will never show their face to any stranger.
I told him that I knew about this custom and one of my friend from TATA Nagar had told me about the fact that she cannot show her face or even touch her Jeth (Husband's elder Brother). My friend also told me that if by mistake her Jeth sat on her bed, she cannot use it without cleaning it properly. I kept of offering the little knowledge I had about the system and culture. May be because of my excitement of knowing my culture I didn't notice, he was feeling very uncomfortable and had gone mute suddenly. I some how realized the situation and asked him what was wrong?
Sirji, what you are saying is very correct. These are some rules in the society and these are made to safe guard the well being of the society. You know sir, my wife was working in a small enterprise nearby and my dad doesn't want her work because, she will have to interact with other male staff and customers. She didn't say anything and from next day onward she stopped going for work. That is our culture, but that bastard was within the family, what can I do? Whom are you talking about? My curiosity grew. My elder brother cheated me. What happened, I asked as if I cared for him.
One day when I came home I saw my wife cleaning the Charpoy. I asked her why she was doing and she told me that, Jeth by mistake sat on it. Like her I also thought it was a mistake. but one day he actually tried to rape my wife. It didn't happen because I reached home at that time. I had no words to say anything, I managed to ask him What did he do after seeing such an awful scene?
In our village it is very easy Sirji. If some one is guilty Panjayat decides the punishment. I was curious to know what was his elder brother's Punishment. He took a deep breath and told me that, the panjayat decided to hang them both to death. We call it honor killing. I was in a shock for a moment. You mean your wife was also hanged along with your elder brother? By the time our Auto reached Kurla Railway station.
He took the cash from me and returned me the balance and he started turning his Auto and before riding away he told. " Sirji ek haath se tali nahi bajti.." I just stood there for few seconds looking at his auto moving away.
