This is a creative work of translation from Hindi language to English language. The story Ghadi written in Hindi by Bhagwandass Morwal, has been translated in English. Bhagwandass Morwal is a renowned Hindi story writer who has many novels and stories to his credit. He has been conferred numerous Literary Awards. The story Ghadi by Bhagwandass Morwal, has been published in his story collection Sidhiyan Maa Aur Uska Devta, published by Rajkamal Prakashan; First edition (2008). This is my original work on translation.
Major Verma did not believe in the dull and time-wasting activity like pilgrimage even before, but he could not succeed before his wife like most of the husbands of the world. He also believed like Saint Kabir that ‘if by worshipping stones, one is able to meet God, then I will worship a mountain’ as a result of which they had to face an incident which innumerable god-fearing devotees usually face. Major Verma was astonished at the mystic and optimistic cool reaction of his wife whose face was without any furrow inspite of such a big loss. As a matter of fact, she should have swooned at such a big loss and her blind faith in God should have been shattered that God even could not take care of the belongings of his devotees, why should one have faith in such a God! In other words, like Major Verma, his wife’s faith should have been shattered like a glass breaking into pieces by dashing to the ground. But his wife’s statement reaffirmed her faith all the more on the God who could not even protect goods of his devotees. When she said, “Please forget; all those were materialistic things. It was good that we had been relieved of those belongings; otherwise, we would not have been able to do pilgrimage in a true sense.”
Hearing his wife’s plea, Major Verma got perplexed, “Why don’t you also donate the few things left with us? Why don’t you do ochre robe?”
“If I could, I would have done it. At least I would be emancipated from these worldly attachments.” Wife replied in a detached manner. Major Verma stopped himself from screaming. While in the army, his moustache which always remained upright like an alert soldier and look at which the knees of even great soldiers used to get wet just remained calm.
“I will just go to police station to lodge an FIR and you take care of the baggage.”
“Leave it; do not take rounds of the police. You do not know about the police as you have been in the army. Whatever things were to go, those had gone. Those things were with us only up to this time. I wish as the thieves have taken away our belongings, let God take me away from this world some way. The things which were ordained for someone else, had gone to them. Might be that those things belonged to them?”
Major Verma could not understand about the sense of asceticism of his wife. It just came to his mind to return to his home then and there. Had he been alone, he would have gone back. But all his desire to go back dashed to the ground because he came there along with his wife.
“But I would go and definitely lodge an FIR. Pilgrims shall be looted and the policemen l sit idle. After all, it is their duty to take care of the belongings of the devotees. They have some duty to perform.” Major Verma just forgot for some time that they had come for pilgrimage.
His wife tried to reason to him a lot but he did not yield. As if decided that he would not rest till he made the police to realize the increasing idleness in the Police Department. Today, such an incident has happened with a retired Army Major and tomorrow, it can happen with other devotees. His wife again tried to reason with him that the time which he would waste with the police, could be utilized in visiting more and more temples. Otherwise also, it would be impossible to get the stolen goods back in view of the slackness of the police of the country. Even the great Rama was not able to manage it. Had the police of this country been industrious, attentive and active, nobody could have dared to steal even a needle.
Now, whatever is lost let us endure it and try to mediate on God. She tried to convince her husband in many ways but instead of listening to her pleas and instead of taking her sage counseling with a smiling face, he got more irritated, he thought this lady did not know that there was law and order in the country. If she had full faith in her God, why He had not stopped the thefts of belongings of his devotees? Major Verma had more faith in the police as compared to the faith of his wife in God. At last, she gave in and went towards her Retired Army Major husband to bid him farewell with tearful eyes wishing him victory in the police station in the matter of theft case. She consoled herself thinking that if they could not visit all the temples due to time constraint but still, they would manage to visit most of them.
When Major Verma reached police station, he saw a large crowd of people gathered there. He just failed to understand why such a large crowd had gathered there?
He went near the crowd to know its reason. He saw that a middle-aged person was whining before the police station in charge.
“Saheb, do I look like that? I have come here to have Darshan of gods… How can I molest the girl of my daughter’s age?”
“Are these witnesses liar?” He slapped him again but this time it was not as harsh as previous one.
Major Verma started enquiring from the crowd about the veracity of the incident. Many among the crowd uttering filthy abuses against that man started cursing him, “What a bad time has come. People come here for doing pilgrimage but they indulge in eve teasing.”
Major Verma was a little bit disturbed. “How can it be possible?” That man does not seem like that and how can such an incident happen at the pilgrim places? God is our own and He should protect us. Now the crowd started disbursing and when the police in-charge became a little free, Mr. Verma went and stood before him.
“Yes please “The in-charge asked him without looking at him.
“I have come to lodge an FIR”
“About what”
“My belongings have been stolen yesterday night.”
“Why do you carry such a huge luggage?” Police in-charge said without lifting his head.
“The luggage was not so much. Even then, some things have to be carried for the comfort of a couple?”
“What was the necessity to undertake pilgrimage at this advance age? Otherwise also, you seem to be an educated and from the well to do family.” He lifted his head for the first time.
Mr. Verma just became speechless. What could he say? He thought that the in-charge was not wrong. Instead of giving a suitable reply to him, his heart was full of anger for his wife like most of the husbands.
“Are there any witness for the theft?” The in-charge asked him while pursuing a case lying on the table.
“What are you saying? What does it mean?” Major Verma became furious but he restrained himself, as he knew that he was standing in a police station.
“Are you aware where to and whom you are talking to?” The in-charge lifted his head slowly.
“Yes, I know it very well that I am talking to an ordinary police inspector… But you are forgetting to whom you…?
“Just a minute please. “The in-charge rang the call bill interrupting him. The call bell gave a loud sound.
“Yes Sir.” A constable came there running.
“Niranjan Singh, just see outside whether the buffaloes have again entered the compound?”
“No, Sir, I have just driven them out.” He said in a definite tone.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, Sir,”
“It is O.K.” The in-charge again started studying the case lying on the table.
“Did you not hear what I said?” Mr. Verma returned to his old role.
“Yes, you were saying to whom I was talking to?”
“You heard correctly. You are talking to that Major Verma whose only son laid down his life in the war which was unnecessarily imposed on us due to whims of our uneducated politicians?” His ear lobes became red with rage.
“Why have you not told this before, Major Sahib?” He again rang the call bell. The same Niranjan Singh appeared again. “Niranjan Singh, please escort Major Sahib to the reporting room and tell Malai Ram to lodge his FIR properly.” The police station in-charge sent Major Verma i.e., the father of a Martyr to Mr. Malai Ram in order simply to get rid of him.
After lodging FIR, Major Verma again appeared in the room of the in-charge. This time, the in-charge said in a courteous tone, “Yes Major Verma, have you lodged FIR?”
“Yes.”
“Now, just tell me, what can I do for you?” The mercurial index of police in-charge dropped rapidly.
“When should I enquire about my stolen goods?”
“I will just tell you” He again rang the call bell. Niranjan Singh came again.
“Niranjan Singh, all the hoodlums and thieves of the city should be present here in the evening. All including Bittoo, Baingan, Chamcha, Paltan, Makhan should be present here. Tell Havaldar Pratap Singh that evening means evening.” Major Sahib, you kindly give me a ring at about eight o’clock in the evening. Take my telephone number two… four…six…” The in-charge gave the Major his telephone number, so that he may leave.
When on his way back from the police station, the Major started pitying ignorance of his wife. His view about the police proved to be wrong. The police station in-charge had ordered the presence of all the hoodlums of the city in the police station. Major Verma suddenly was astonished to remember that the in-charge remembered the names of the each of the hoodlums of the city. It would be good if night thieves are among any of these hoodlums. He started walking briskly in anticipation of founding his stolen goods.
When Major Verma reached Dharamshala where they were staying, he did not reply to any of the questions of his wife. He went to the bathroom and enjoyed his bath fully. His wife has already taken her bath and was ready. He took her with him to visit temples.
His wife was really surprised to see the sudden change in her husband. Her husband, who used to think these activities as sanctimonious throughout his whole life was accompanying his wife to temples for Darshan with full faith, concentration and in a meditative mood.
His conformation may be due to austere atmosphere of the pilgrim palace or due to the hope of recovery of the stolen goods. It is well said that everybody remembers God in times of turmoil but forgets him in happy times.
Major Verma was co-operating with his wife in having darshan with full consent-rational and full faith.
It was already seven o’clock in the evening when they reached their place of stay. Major Verma hurriedly took bath and became ready. His wife glanced at him to know that why was he looking at the wall clock and where he was to go?
He got up giving a final glance to the wall clock, “I will be back soon. You also take rest.”
She like an Indian devoted wife did not think it proper to obstruct him and got busy in bathing and meditation.
“Hello…?”
“…..”
“I am Major Verma this side. I want to talk to the police station in-charge.”
“…..”
Yes, yes, I am the same Major Verma.”
“…..”
“Thank you. I will just reach within ten to fifteen minutes.” He kept the receiver and paid a sum of three rupees to the owner of the PCO but all of a sudden, he stopped and thought, how this dishonest PCO owner has fleeced him of rupees three instead of rupees two. Had there been some other occasion, he would have taken a quarrel with PCO owner but the situation did not allow him to do so.
When Major Verma started for the police station, all the roads of the city were bristling with the pilgrims and the devotees. As he entered the police station, he heard loud shrieks coming from the temporary Barracks. He thought that shrieks might be of one of those thieves. Bittoo, Baingan, Paltan, Chamcha etc. Might be that on the order of the in-charge, third degree methods were being used to make the thieves to confess about the theft of his belongings. He just went straight to the room of the in-charge.
“Welcome Major Sahib. Congrats to you. Take your bag.” Informing him about the happy news, the in-charge pushed a bag towards Major Verma.
Major Verma took hold of his bag into his hands as if it was some innocent missing child.
“Is it your bag, Major Verma?” The in-charge stared at him and asked him in a sarcastic tone.
“Yes, it is mine.” Major Verma was so overwhelmed that he could not even utter a word of gratitude.
“Bloody Baingan, you should at least take care as to whose belongings were being stolen? You thieves did not spare even Major Verma.”
Major Verma saw that he was addressing a group of scoundrels (rogues) who were smoking bidies in a corner. He could presume that these were the same hoodlums whom the in-charge ordered in the morning to be present in the police station.
“Sorry, Sir, we will not commit such a mistake in future.” One of the hoodlums named Baingan assured him.
“Major Sir, kindly check the bag whether all the things are intact.”
“It is alright. When you have taken trouble to locate my bag, I understand that all the things might be there.” He lifted the bag and started coming out of his room. When all of a sudden, he turned back to him and said, “Sorry, young man, I doubted your integrity without any reason.”
“It is alright major. We do a thankless job in this department. If there had been anybody else, he would have thought like this only.”
“Thank you.” Major Verma came out of the police station. He was thinking all the way that the shrieks coming from the Barrack were not of the hoodlums standing there. Have some other hoodlum entered the city?”
Coming back, he handed over the bag to his wife and said, “Who says that there is no law and order in this country. We just doubt the integrity of the police without any reason. Just think that these thieves are caught because of the police. If there are no police in the country, the belongings of the people may be looted in broad day light.”
“But our stolen goods have been recovered due to the grace of God and not the police.”
He became suddenly angry with his wife but controlled himself like those husbands who generally lose temper on their wives but within limits.
“It is no use arguing about it. The real thing is that we got our bag back,”
She started making their beds but as if she remembered something, “Please take out my purse from the bag. The Brahmins are to be served food tomorrow. We should keep the money handy… You also take out your clothes from the bag. Be ready after taking bath in the morning. We will visit the Kali temple tomorrow.”
As per instructions of his wife, Major Verma started getting ready. First of all, he took out the clothes from the bag and then started searching the purse but it was not there. He put the bag upside down but the purse was not to be found in it. He suddenly remembered that he had kept his wrist watch also in the bag last night but it was also missing.
“Did you remember that you put the purse in the bag itself?” He asked her wife while searching the inner side of the bag.
“Yes, purse was in the bag and you kept the watch also in it.”
“But there is nothing in it except the clothes.” He again thrashed the bag like a flour bag.
Major Verma was disturbed. She could understand the reason for his restlessness.
“O, leave it. The things have gone to whom those belonged.” She tried to reason with him in an ascetic tone…
“Will you now stop talking about this fatalism…?”
“Did you not check the things while taking the bag?”
“It was my foolishness that I believed in that braggart police in-charge? But it was not his mistake. He asked me to check the bag. The gentleman co-operated with me to the best of his capacity. Now all those hoodlums Bittoo, Baingan, Paltan, Chamcha must have left the police station but the in-charge knew them. I will go to the police station just now…”
“Are you in your senses? How you will meet them during this late hour of night? Otherwise, whatever has gone; has gone forever.”
“How those things have been lost. I am not worried about your purse but I am concerned about that watch which our son gifted me.” He said in a choked voice.
“For how many things you will be missing in this age. Otherwise also, when we have lost our son, what is there in that watch? Please, go to sleep. Even if you want to go, go in the morning. Even then there will be no use to go in the morning.”
Major Verma agreed with his wife that there was no idea in visiting the police station at that late hour of night. He kept playing with the needles of the clock gifted by his son for a long time and he did not realize when sleep dawned upon him. But he was hearing the ticking sound of the needles of the clock even in his sleep…
When Major Verma reached police station in the morning, all the persons were trying to come out of drowsiness due to being tired and sleepy previous night. He was just going straight to the room of the in-charge, when someone called him. He turned and looked back.
“How come Major Sir, you are here early in the morning? Have your belongings again been stolen?” He was the same constable Niranjan Singh who had offered him is full co-operation.
He did not reply to his query and asked, “Whether the in-charge is in his room?”
“What Major Sahib, it is only eight o’clock. Sahib does not come before ten.”
“It does not matter. I will wait for him.” Saying so, he sat under a nearby tree.
He felt for the first time that how difficult it was to spend time in case of need.
He did not know when the in-charge came to his room. It was the same constable Niranjan Singh who took the pain to inform him, “The in-charge is sitting in his room.” He just got up and quickly went to his room.
“Please come, Major Sahib. Early in the morning, have your belongings been again stolen during night?” The in-charge bluntly asked him the same question which was asked by Constable Niranjan Singh.
Major Verma was little hesitating to say anything fearing that the in-charge might not create an embarrassing situation for him putting some blame on him. Since he had come, he had to say something.
“I just came by the way to thank you again before going back.” He could not muster courage to tell the purpose of his visit.
“Oh! No Major Verma, there is nothing to thank about it. It is part of our duty. I am very happy that you got your bag back.”
Even now he could not muster courage to say the purpose of his visit.
“Ok, Now I will leave” He stood up from the chair.
“Sir, please sit down. Let us have a cup of tea?” The in-charge urged him.
“Thank you, I will be late. Let that cup of tea be due…” He stretched his hand towards in-charge to shake hands but his hand froze…” What is this? He saw that wrist watch on his wrist, he did not say anything. His stretched hand remained suspended in the air for some time. He left saying, “Thanks for your co-operation.”
When he came out of the Police Station, he remembered that he had to accompany his wife for the darshan of the remaining temples. He started walking fast towards the Dharamshala. He did not tell anything about the wrist watch to his wife after he reached Dharmshala. He was just silently following the commands and directions of his wife.