- 12 -
Unless there is some compulsion, Alok tries to be punctual. On 25th January also, he reached Rani’s house and pressed the doorbell exactly at 11 am. Rani opened the door and welcomed him. After having tea, they headed towards the kitchen. Rani had already kept ready onion, garlic, tomato, ginger, coriander for seasoning. Which Subzi to cook, carrot-peas or peas-paneer, was to be decided according to Alok’s choice. Peas were already peeled. It was decided to cook carrot-peas. Rani quickly peeled and chopped the carrots. She took out the pan and placed it on the gas stove. Looking at Alok with a questioning look, she asked , “Now…?”
“Should I tell and you’ll cook or I cook and you’ll watch?”
“Today you cook; I’ll watch you cooking.”
Alok turned on the burner and put cumin seeds in the pan. When the cumin seeds started to turn brown, he added chopped onion, garlic and ginger. He kept stirring the mixture with a ladle. After some time, he poured chopped tomato in the pan. He kept stirring. When all these items became like a paste, he added salt, turmeric, chilli and garam masala as per his estimation and added half a glass of water and a small piece of jaggery and waited till it started to boil. And finally he added chopped carrots and peas in the pan. He waited for some time. Then he covered the pan and put the burner on slow flame and told Rani, “Let’s chat for about fifteen minutes; the Subzi will be ready by that time.”
“You sit in the drawing room; I’ll prepare the salad etc.”
“If you don’t mind, can I stay here?”
“Why would I mind? Rather your proximity gives me extra happiness:
Tum saath hote ho to kuchh lagta hai aisa
Mil jaye kadee dhoop mein bargad ka jo saya”
(When you’re with me, it feels like
Getting shade of banyan tree in scorching sun rays.)
The Subzi was ready in fifteen minutes. While Rani baked chapattis, Alok spread a mat on the bed and placed plates etc. Rani brought chapattis in hot case, bowl of the Subzi and the plate of salad and then they enjoyed the lunch.
Rani, “It was a pleasure to watch you cooking. Subzis cooked in this way are not only tasty but also good for health, especially for guys of our age.”
“Not only of our age but of every age. During seasoning, the health-promoting ingredients of ghee or oil get destroyed. Therefore, if at all, the ghee should be added after cooking. It’ll help retain the nutritional elements as well as enhance the taste.”
After lunch, Rani said, “Alok, you sit in the drawing room for ten minutes and read the newspaper, I’ll get ready quickly.”
When Rani came, she was wearing a blue cardigan over the sky-blue Saree and a folded matching shawl over her shoulder. Alok could not help praising her.
“Your choice of dresses is excellent. You’re looking very beautiful!”
“You’ve a habit of praising everything, every time.”
“No; I definitely praise when I like something otherwise I keep silent. When you like something, you should make it a point to praise. Being stingy in such matters is not good. It doesn’t cost you anything to praise, but the other guy gets invaluable happiness.”
“Who can beat you in discussion?”
“It’s almost half past two, let’s make a move. We’ll reach by the time the programme starts.”
When they reached the convention hall of Haryana Sahitya Academy, Panchkula, many people were already sitting on the chairs. Some of them were known to Alok. After making Rani sit, he went to meet his acquaintances one by one. One of them asked, “Who’s the lady that has come with you? I’ve never seen her before.”
“She’s my friend, she lives in Mohali. She has come as she also has an interest in literature.”
To avoid more questions, Alok returned and sat next to Rani. Soon the special guests and invited poets started arriving. The reception team welcomed and made them sit on the sofas placed in front of the stage. The stage conductor announced that the programme was going to start soon. The chief guest of the event, Shree Radhey Shyam Sharma, a senior journalist and litterateur was welcomed with garlands. The stage conductor requested him and the invited poets to come on the stage. When all these people were seated on the stage, the stage conductor invited the chief guest and the poets to light the lamp and worship Maa Saraswati (Hindu Goddess who represents knowledge & wisdom). Then he sought permission of the chief guest to start the programme and handed over the mike to Dr. Shyam Sakha ‘Shyam’, former director of the Haryana Sahitya Academy and famous litterateur, requesting him to conduct further proceedings.
Dr. ‘Shyam’ gave a brief introduction of the chief guest and enumerated his achievements. While presenting his point of view, he said that whatever the caste-system might have been in the beginning, but we can’t turn a blind eye to the fact that for the last several centuries, humans have been divided into castes and sub-castes and the discrimination of high and low has created animosity and hatred among them and has sowed thorns in the path of the country’s development. He continued that the caste discrimination and narrow-mindedness have disintegrated the society and its roots are being hollowed out like a large tree eaten by termites. He expressed his sentiments beautifully as follows:
“Jitne the din utni Ram ne raat banai
Magar logon ne bina baat ki baat banai
Ek jaisi kokh maa ki, ek jaisa dil
Phir kyon humne itni jaat banai.”
(God has made as many nights as days
But people have created stories out of nothing
Womb and heart of the mother is same for everyone
Then why have we created so many castes.)
After the applause of the audience stopped, Dr. ‘Shyam’ gave mike to the invited poets one by one. They recited ghazals, poems, couplets etc. The audience profusely clapped for each poet.
At the end of the programme, the chief guest greeted and thanked all the poets and the audience and congratulated everyone on the Republic Day. He said, “Poets play an important role in exposing the evils of society. Female foeticide is a burning problem. Kansa (King of Mathura during Mahabharat times) wanted to kill a girl, but couldn’t. Today, countless householders are guilty of killing female foetuses. It’s mentioned in our scriptures that the sin of killing of a hundred cows is equal to killing a Brahmin (Considered at top of the four Hindu castes), the sin of killing a hundred Brahmins is equal to the murder of a saint, and the sin of killing a girl is equal to the murder of a hundred saints. One can imagine what fate awaits those who kill female foetuses! The poets who have given a meaningful expression to this problem deserve praise.” He thanked the organisers for the ‘Kavya Goshthi’. There was arrangement for refreshments after the national anthem but Alok and Rani left for Mohali without having refreshments in view of the fading day.
On the way, Rani praised the poets for raising the issue of female foeticide and said, “The increasing female foeticide is causing a great loss to the society. In the coming times, families will be reduced to ‘single child families’ and many family relationships will cease to exist.” Alok supported her point of view and took the matter further by saying, “China has abandoned the ‘single child family policy’ because it had started creating obstacles in the overall social development. In contrast, in our country, the custom of a ‘single child family’ is increasing day by day.”
“The children do as they please. They don’t listen to elders.”
“When we can’t do anything, it’s better to let the things continue as they’re. Unnecessary interference in the lives of children also creates bitterness in family relations. The unsolicited advice is not appreciated. …. Now that Basant is approaching , what’ve you thought about coming to Patiala?”
“When is Basant?”
“1st February, Wednesday.”
“I may come to Patiala for an hour or two, not more.”
“I would’ve liked to have your company for the whole day.”
“It’s difficult to fulfil this wish inspite of the fact that I, too, wished so. Some wishes take a lifetime to get fulfilled.”
“You’ve uttered a philosophical truth.”
“These are the words of my heart that came tongue.”
On reaching home, Rani invited him inside for tea, but he replied, “Rani, I can’t stay any longer as the darkness is setting in fast.”
The Sun had set. The evening had also passed, but the moon and the stars had not yet appeared. The time between the sunshine and the twinkling of the stars is the period of semi-darkness. The street-lights had not yet been switched on, but the domestic electric lights had started peeping from the windows of the houses. Alok left for Patiala without delay.
*****
