THE BURDEN OF LIFE

THE BURDEN OF LIFE

BHIM SINGH FELT HIS EYES CLOSING INSPITE OF HIMSELF. HE HAD BEEN AWAKE FOR AT LEAST 12 HOURS. THE SUN HAD RISEN AND THE ONLY THING HE WISHED FOR WAS SLEEP. HE WAS THE NEWLY APPOINTED NIGHT WATCHMAN OF THE WAREHOUSE THAT HAD PLASTIC WARE STORED IN IT. SINCE THE FESTIVAL SEASON WAS APPROACHING SO EXTRA VIGIL WAS KEPT AT NIGHT. BHIM SINGH HAD ONCE AGAIN BECOME THE VICTIM OF HIS MASTER’S ECCENTRICITY WHO IN A SUDDEN FIT OF INSPIRATION APPOINTED HIM AN ADDITIONAL GUARD.

BHIM SINGH HAD ASSUMED VARIOUS ROLES IN THE TEN YEARS OF HIS PATRONAGE UNDER HIS MASTER, MAHIPAL SINGH. HE HAD BEEN HIS SERVANT, COOK, DRIVER, MUSCLE MAN, AND LATELY A NIGHT WATCHMAN IN HIS WAREHOUSE.

SUDDENLY, THE GAUDINESS OF THE DAY ENTERED HIS EYES AND BROUGHT AN END TO HIS NAP. NO IT WAS NOT SUN LIGHT, IT WAS THE FOCUSED LIGHT OF HIS MASTER’S PEN TORCH.

“ BE VIGILANT BHIM SINGH! THE NIGHT SHIFT IS NOT OVER YET,” ECHOED THE BASS VOICE OF HIS MASTER IN HIS EARS.

“ YES MAALIK!” BHIM SINGH STOOD UP FROM HIS STOOL AND SALUTED HIM IN ONE SINGLE MOTION AS IF GIVEN AN ELECTRIC SHOCK.

SLEEP VANISHED FROM HIS EYES. HE THREW THE STOOL ON WHICH HE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY SITTING TO THE GROUND WITH A QUICK KICK AND STARTED PACING THE BOUNDARY OF THE WAREHOUSE. WHEN HE PASSED IN FRONT OF HIS MASTER’S OFFICE THE AROMA OF GREEN LEAF TEA GAVE HIM LITTLE-BIT AGILITY AS WELL AS IGNITED THE FLOW OF MEMORY IN HIS MIND.

IT WAS A CALM OCTOBER NIGHT WHEN HE HAD COME TO THE HOUSE OF MAHIPAL SAHIB.

THE ACCOUNTANT WHO WAS THE LOYAL SERVANT OF THE SAHIB AND HIS DISTANT RELATIVE FROM THE MOTHER’S SIDE INTRODUCED HIM. SAHIB MAHIPAL ONLY LIFTED HIS HAND AND SAID, “ HMM… SO FROM TODAY YOU ARE MY DRIVER.”

IT WAS NOT ONLY HIS SKILL AT DRIVING THAT GOT MAHIPAL HIS JOB BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT HE BELONGED TO THE SAME SUB-CASTE AS HIS MASTER’S AS WELL AS HIS HAVING A ROYAL PAST. NOT TO MENTION THE REFERENCE BY THE ACCOUNTANT.

“ IT IS REALLY A TRICKY TASK TO GET A JOB THESE DAYS,” HAD MUSED BHIM AS HE DROVE THE BRAND NEW MERCEDES THROUGH THE CRISS-CROSS OF THE CONCRETE JUNGLE.

“ SO YOU HAVE A ROYAL PAST?” CAME THE LACONIC QUESTION FROM HIS MASTER.

“ YES MAALIK, MY GRAND FATHER WAS THE NAWAB OF TARAGARH WHICH IS NOW THE BIGGEST DISTRICT OF THE STATE.”

“ THEN.”

“ MAALIK YOU KNOW THE LIFESTYLE OF THE BIG PEOPLE. HE HAD A BIG HEART AND MANY MISTRESSES TOO. REST IS HISTORY.”

“ MAALIK I HAVE ABOUT 20 ACRES OF LAND AT PRESENT BUT 3 YEARS BACK THE SEA ROSE AND SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN A SALTY WASTE LAND.”

“ LOOK AHEAD YOU IDIOT, I DID NOT ASK THAT.”

“ YES MAALIK, I AM SORRY.”

BHIM’S CHEEKS GREW RED WITH SHAME AND ANGER BUT HE HAD TO GET USED TO IT – IT WAS A MATTER OF SURVIVAL.

“ EVERYONE SALUTES THE RISING SUN AND THE SUN OF OUR SPLENDOUR HAD SET LONG BACK,” THOUGHT FRUSTRATED BHIM.

AT FIRST HE THOUGHT THAT HIS ROYAL ANCESTRY WOULD GET HIM BETTER TREATMENT BUT IT SEEMED THAT IT STOOD IN THE WAY OF HIS MASTER’S EGO. HIS MASTER FELT UNEASY IN HIS PRESENCE ESPECIALLY AFTER HE LEARNT THAT HIS ANCESTORS RULED OVER AN AREA THAT WAS ABOUT 10 TIMES GREATER THAN ANY RICH PERSON’S POSSESSION IN THE STATE. HIS MASTER WAS STILL STRIVING TO COME IN THE BRACKET OF THE SUPER RICH. IT WAS HIS SOLE AIM IN LIFE.

NEVERTHELESS BHIM SINGH HAD RESOLVED TO STICK TO THE JOB AS HE HAD TWO CHILDREN AND A WIFE TO SUPPORT. THE NEWS THAT HIS MASTER WAS A MAN OF HIS WORDS GAVE HIM FURTHER RELIEF. HIS JOB WAS NOW SECURED.

BHIM WORKED WITH FULL HONESTY AND PUNCTUALITY. HE WAS NEVER A MINUTE LATE. ON TOP OF THIS HIS GENTLE FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE BRAKE RESULTED IN A BETTER MILEAGE. IT WAS NOT OF ANY MONETARY SIGNIFICANCE FOR HIS MASTER BUT IT DEFINITELY PROVED HIS SKILL AS A DRIVER. HE WENT ON LIKE THIS FOR A FULL YEAR AND EVEN GOT A SALARY HIKE. BHIM WAS SATISFIED WITH HIS LIFE.

HIS MASTER HAD NO REGARD FOR ANYBODY, NOT EVEN FOR HIS NEAR AND DEAR ONES, SAVE MONEY. HIS MIND WAS REDUCED TO A FUNCTIONAL ORGAN WITH THE PRIMARY FUNCTION TO ATTAIN SUPREMACY. MAHIPAL HAD FORMULATED CERTAIN RULES OF LIVING PECULIAR TO HIMSELF. AN IMPORTANT RULE BEING NOT TO BE DEPENDENT ON ANYBODY. BUT NOW BHIM SINGH WAS ENCROACHING UPON THIS RULE.

THE NEXT DAY BHIM SINGH WAS SHIFTED TO THE KITCHEN AS A DISHWASHER AND AS AN APPRENTICE UNDER THE COOK. WITH THE PASSING TIME BHIM TOOK TO MANY JOBS UNDER HIS MATER’S RULE. THE PRESENT ONE BEING OF THAT OF A WATCHMAN.

A STUMBLE FROM A STONE THAT PROTRUDED FROM THE GROUND BROUGHT HIM IN THE PRESENT. HE CONTINUED HIS VIGIL KEEPING AN OCCASIONAL EYE ON THE GROUND FOR THE FEAR THAT HE MIGHT STUMBLE AGAIN. HIS LIFE WAS GOING ON SMOOTHLY THOUGHT BHIM SINGH.

YEARS PASSED BY. STREAKS OF GREY APPEARED IN HIS HAIR AND HIS FACE DEVELOPED A FAINT LABYRINTH OF WRINKLES. THESE DAYS HE WAS A CASHIER AT ONE OF THE MANY RETAIL OUTLETS OF HIS MASTER’S COMPANY THAT HAD GROWN BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS IN THE RECENT YEARS.

“ HOW FINE DOES GOD HELP PEOPLE WITH MONEY,” BHIM SINGH OFTEN USED TO THINK.

ONE DAY WHILE HE WAS BUSY TALLYING THE ENTRIES, HE HEARD A SHRILL CRY, WHICH EVIDENTLY WAS OF A SMALL CHILD. THE CRIES CAME AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL THEY TRANSFORMED INTO WAILING. BHIM SINGH JUMPED FROM HIS CHAIR AND FOLLOWING THE NOISE REACHED THE BACK PORTION OF THE SHOP. HE WAS PETRIFIED ON SEEING THE PITIFUL SPECTACLE THAT CONFRONTED HIS EYES.
MAHIPAL SINGH’S YOUNGER BROTHER SUKHPAL SINGH WAS BEATING A SMALL BOY WITH THE FEROCITY OF A SAVAGE. BHIM SINGH TRIED TO INTERVENE AND PLEADED TO SUKHPAL FOR MERCY. HE GOT A TORRENT OF ABUSES IN RETURN. HE WAS INFURIATED AND THE SENSE OF HIS ERSTWHILE ROYALTY FORCED HIM TO CATCH HOLD OF THE BOY.

WHAA…T CAME THE SLAP ON HIS FACE.

WHOO… B STRUCK BACK HIS POWERFUL FIST THAT LANDED STRAIGHT ON SUKHPAL’S NOSE TURNING IT INTO A FOUNTAIN OF BLOOD. THE NEXT MOMENT UNCONSCIOUS SUKHPAL LAY SPRAWLED ON THE FLOOR WITH HIS NOSE REDDENING THE MOIST EARTH.

FINALLY, THE SENSE OF REALIZATION DAWNED ON BHIM SINGH. HIS FAMILY SWAM BEFORE HIS EYES WITH TEARS IN THEIR EYES. THE LITTLE BOY SLOWLY WALKED AWAY WITH HIS CHEEKS RED AND SALTY. BHIM SINGH’S EYES WERE STILL AS THOUGH SURVEYING THE VACUUM.

“ GO AND PROSTRATE AT THE FEET OF YOUR MASTER,” SOMETHING IN HIM TOLD HIM.

“ NO, JUST RUN AWAY FROM THIS PLACE NEVER TO BE FOUND AGAIN,” SPOKE ANOTHER VOICE.

“ ARE YOU A COWARD? JUST STAY AND FACE THE CONSEQUENCES,” HIS FOREFATHERS ECHOED IN HIS MIND.

“WHAT AM I TO DO?” MURMURED BHIM SINGH WITH A SIGH. “ IF I WERE ALONE THINGS WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT, BUT NOW … WHY EVER DOES ONE MARRY? OH MY GOD!… MY DAUGHTER, MY SON, MY WIFE… NO! NO! NO!

HE RAN STRAIGHT AWAY TO HIS HOUSE, WHICH WAS CLOSE BY.

“SHALLU, HURRY UP, LETS RUN AWAY FROM HERE!” HE YELLED AS HE CROSSED THE THRESHOLD.

“ WHAT’S THE MATTER!” HIS WIFE CAME RUNNING FROM THE KITCHEN INTO THEIR PARTITIONED BEDROOM WIPING THE DROPLETS OF PERSPIRATION FROM HER FOREHEAD WITH THE LOOSE END OF HER SAARI.

BHIM SINGH HUSHED HER UP BY KEEPING HIS FINGER ON HER LIPS AND TOLD THE WHOLE INCIDENT IN A JIFFY.

SHALLU TOOK STOCK OF THE MATTER AND MOTIONED HIM TO A CHAIR.

“ MY DEAR,” SHE SAID IN A MATTER- OF- FACT VOICE. “WE HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE. THE WORST HAS ALREADY HAPPENED.”

HE JUST STARED.

“ OUR DAUGHTER… WAS DEFILED BY SUKHPAL 3 YEARS AGO. SHE TOLD ME A FEW DAYS BACK THAT HE IS NOT AT GOOD TERMS WITH HIS ELDER BROTHER. IN FACT MAHIPAL HATES HIM.”

“ WHAA…T! YOU BITCH.” HIS HAND ROSE TO THRASH HER BUT FELL DOWN THE NEXT MOMENT. HE HAD LOST ALL HIS STRENGTH.

“ YOU SHOULD GO TO MAHIPAL AND ASK FOR SHELTER. HE SURELY WILL SAVE YOU.” CONTINUED SHALLU IN THE SAME TONE, HER FACE AN EPITOME OF HARDNESS. TEARS STARTED STREAMING DOWN HIS CHEEKS. HE LOOKED TOWARD HIS SPOUSE WITH QUESTIONING EYES.

“ YOU WERE BURNING WITH TYPHOID. IT WAS NO USE COMPLAINING. HE EVEN HAD HER PICTURES ON THE CELL PHONE.”

“ BUT SUKHPAL CAN BE A THREAT TO OUR LIFE, TO THE LIFE OF OUR SCHOOL GOING SON.”

“THAT HE CAN BE EVERYWHERE. DON’T FORGET HE IS INVOLVED IN A MURDER CASE.”

“ THEN.”

“ GO TO MAHIPAL SINGH.”

BHIM SINGH FELT HIS ROYAL ANCESTORS SPITTING AT HIM COLLECTIVELY. HE FELT HIS BODY RISE LIMPLY FROM THE CHAIR. HE STAGGERED TO HIS FEET, WENT OUT OF THE ROOM AND WALKED TOWARDS MAHIPAL’S BUNGALOW CARRYING THE BURDEN OF LIFE ON HIS BATTERED SHOULDERS.

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MAALIK=MASTER
SAHIB=SIR
SAARI=INDIAN DRESS
NAWAB=BARON