RUPEES FIVE PLEASE

It was the winter of 2007, I was on my annual sojourn to New Delhi. One day I went to Okhla on a visit. I got down at the bus stop and searched for a rikshaw to reach for the destination. All those daily office commuters were smart enough to bargain and pick the rickshaws. Finaly only one rikshaw was left and I compromised to pay Ruppes Ten. No sooner I got up, a youngman, may be 25 years or so came hastily to request, " Please Sir let me take this rikshaw, I got my interview sharp at 11.00 AM, and I got late". Being a responsible cititzen of this planet, Kiran Mohan had to obey. He compromised to my proposal to share the rikshaw. First the rikshaw puller went to drop him. When this boy got down at Luxor pens office, he took out the wallet to pay Rupees Five. But this fellow didnt had the change, neither the rikshaw-puller. I comforted the youngman by saying, "I shall manage, you may leave as you are getting late. If you wish you can keep my number, and do let me know the result". As expected at evening the phone rang, "could I speak to Kiran Sir'. I said, yeas you are speaking to. The person on the other end started pouring thanks over the phone with a oblige. I asked have you qualified for the job. He said, no Sir I couldnt. I tried to comfort him over the phone by saying life is like this, keep on trying no defeat is final until you stop trying.
Following day this fellow came to meat me. He is Ritesh Kumar from Ranchi, Jharkhand. A youngman who migrated from a smaller place to one of the biger metropolies of India, with a dream to build a successful life. With much regard he opened the wallet to pay me Ruppes Five. I said "NO. I cant accept it, until you finds a job and start earning".
Days wentby sometimes I prayed for him, so as he will be blessed with a job. Finaly four to six months later Ritesh called me to ask, " Sir, Its time I should pay the due". I congratulated him for getting the much awaited dream-job. He started to earn good and able to meet his expenses, instead of getting financial-grant from his father. He purchased a new bike by taking a two-wheeler loan. In the mean while, brought his younger brother to Delhi. He made him settle with giving tutions to children, which is a profitable vocation at Delhi.
For these long two years I kept a strict vigil on all the developments of his life, by doing regular STD calls from Orissa. Things started looking positive. Finaly when I reached Delhi this turn ( Sept' 09) he came to meet me with honour. When I asked , " Ruppes Five Please". He said, no Kiran bhaya I am not going to pay. If I pay, you will stop carring for me. After much negotiation, he finaly agreed to pay Ruppes Two instead of Rupees Five. And this is how Kiran Mohan able to recover partialy his advances to this un-known persons. I dont know, how many more sleepless nights I am going to have to recover the balance Rupees Three.

Ritesh is once again jobless. I never got the answer for his question, " why it happens only with me". Could any of you please answer him at 098-185-82636 or ritesh_aap@yahoo.com
kiranbima@gmail.com
E. Kiran Mohan
C\o. Dr.E.R.Rao (M.D.)
Tehsil Chowk,
At\PO - BARPALI - 768 029
Dist - Bargarh, Orissa, India
Cell - 91-99-371-20565

Kecho ( The Tortoise )

" For months together there is no rains. The place where I had taken shelter since birth, got dried. How un-hostful became this planet Earth. When I had taken birth on this planet, I have every right to lead a healthy life in a beautiful environment. Am I responsible for the green-house effects created by the homosapiens. For days together I did not have a drop of water. I should find the new wet-land to survive on this hostile planet. Let me take the bold step. It is night hours, I got another seven or eight hours to find the new abode before the day brakes. Let me cross the state high-way. I am on the edge of the road. Oh my God, there is coming a 18 wheeler bulktainer of Vedanta Aluminum. Its not even blowing the horn. Let me hide inside my cell. Fortunately I survived one more time, but for how long I don’t know. These human beings even didn’t left the moon un-touched. Last week only they have bombarded the surface of the moon with a nuclear weapon. Are they searching water in the moon for me. "
- Kecho ( The Tortoise )
It was early hours of 21st October ' 09, I am being served by my mother a hot-cup of tea. Even before I could have the first sip of it, our attender came to inform there is an un-invited guest at the outer-gate. When I went to receive, it was a tortoise. I was overwhelmed at the sight of it, as if, it brings good fortune early in a morning. I went ahead to lift it, with my both hands saying kecho kecho. The moment I touched it, she withdraw its head inside its hard-shell. For a while I played with it. But soon the fun turned into doubts and fear. The immediate question raised in my mind was about its re-habilitation.
I thought of Tikarpara the nearest breeding center for Gharials (crocodiles) is just 200 kms off in central Orissa in deep jungles . But I cannot afford. The next best option I thought, why not to surrender this natures wealth to God himself. I thought of Gahir Bandh ( pond ) and the Siva temple on its bank at Nuapada. Me and Mr.Kecho in my hands were on a outing. On the way Fadu the young man intercepted. When he saw Kecho in my hands he asked, how about the idea of kecho-soup tonight for dinner. I was horrified on this thought. Though I know restaurants serve tomato-soup, chicken-soup, prawn-soup, but never heard of kecho-soup. We the human beings have got the hunger for one and everything, let it be food, money, image or se_ . The second person was Sunil. He wanted to have it in his well at his backyard. I said "NO". I want my baby to grow in its life. I don’t want it to be confined in a diameter of six-feet’s for the rest of its life.
For the first time in its life Kecho traveled a distance of 200 meters that too in just 15 minutes. By braking all the Hindu norms, I took this poor creature inside the temple to pour lord Siva's blessings. Than I took it to the pond. On seeing the pool of water, even before touching, it started moving its small legs as if wants to take a dip. The moment I released it in water it took a dip and returned back to surface of the water to see me off. With its twinkling eyes, perhaps it said "thanx". Soon it returned back to the depth of the pond and never returned back to the surface of this cruel world.
By the time I am back to home my tea cup was frozen, for which got a shouting from my mother.
http://us.mc511.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=kiranbima@gmail.com
E. KIRAN MOHAN
C\o. Dr. E. R. Rao (M.D.)
Tehsil Chowk,
At\PO - BARPALI - 768 029
Orissa, India
Cell # 91 99 371 20565

E-BUAAA

It was May 2008 scorching tropical summer in India. It was a festive time at my little town Barpali for Sitalsasthi, the annual wedding cerimony of Lord Siva and Godess Parvati. One morning in the market I met a white-skined youngman whom I asked, hey are you a Nepali. He said, no I am Charlie from Chicago. I was awstruck, who have granted him visa to enter Barpali without the knowledge of Kiran Mohan. I wanted to know, if he is a tourist and came to witness Sitalsasthi. He said, my wife Jillian is learning IKAT ( tie and dye) at Kusanpuri. To put some humour into my questioning, I asked how far would be Chicago from Kusanpuri. He said, are you mad, I am talking of US. This single question of mine grabed all his attention. I enquied if he met any of the Sambalpuri cloath-weavers at Barpali. He said no, its just a couple of days since they have reached Barpali.
I able to judge, their limitations on exploring this territory of the world. They dont know my language i.e. Oriya, on the other hand my weavers community are alien to the English language. As a responsble citizen of India, every evening I started taking them on a ride to different master-weavers, like Bhagavana Meher, Surendra Meher and so on. No sooner we entered any cloath stores, we were being greeted with a smile and offered chairs to seat, followed by cups of tea. Fabulous, so much attention and courtesy, Kiran able to get for the first time, because he is escorting two foreigners.
One day we had been to Santoshi Cloath Store. While checking Sambalpuri sarees, Jillian wanted to know the different designs, mottifs and patterns it carry. The store boy wanted to explain about the designs with utmost sincerity, but failed as he got no knowledge of English. I went to her aid. I started interpreting sankha means shell; chakra means whell; phulla means flower and so on. Jillian started to appreciate with her English as " Wow, wow". I said Jillian when you were in US you used to have pizzas, but over here you have barra pukdi, so express your thoughts in Oriya as " a buaa". When the shop keeper retuned to take-out the next saree, Jillian said " a buaa". With this expression of her, the shopkeeper got surprised and looked at my face, to know if she understads Oriya.
Every evening Jillian would return from Kusanpuri and Charlie would join us at my store. One evening while we were talking about their life in US, Jillian started hiccups. While I kept them busy wih my talks, I lifted my right-hand and striked on her head without a precaution. At one go Jillian got shocked and looked at her husband Mr.Charlie. Instantly Chrlie got angered, " how could you hit my wife". As a husband it was his duty to safeguard his wife. He patted his wife, "are you OK, are you OK". She had no words in her stomach for a while. May be for ten seconds I kept quite, than started smiling at them. Charlie said, this fellow has gon mad. I asked, where is your hiccups. This is how, we the Indians treat the involuntary contraction of the diaphragm while the glottis is spasmodically closed. At that moment, I didnt hit her head, rather I had supressed the hiccup
So when you liason with Kiran Mohan be alert, as he do things without telling the reasons. Give yourself enough time to understand his activities. Charlie is a youngman of 26 and Jillian is 22 years old. Though from a developed nation they were soft spoken, their clothing was simple. Jillian used to be a saree-clad woman. They were always truthful. Respected the common man on street. They admire my Indian culture more than I do. Before they returned to US, they spent one night with the weavers community at Kusanpuri village. And at morning went to attend the natures call to the open field, as their host have got no toilet at home.
"a buaa"
They have promised me, they will be back to India-Barpali-Kusanpuri in four years time. And when they return, they will have a baby with them.
May God Bless them.
kiranbima@gmail.com
E. KIRAN MOHAN
C\o. Dr.E.R.Rao (M.D.)
Tehsilchowk,
At\PO - BARPALI - 768 029.
Orissa, India
Cell # 91 - 99 371 20565