My Jammu Sojourn

Chachaji's rented house was situated about 300 yards away eastwards from the Canal Road in a newly emerging residential cluster. He used to go to office on foot as the office was situated right on the bank of the canal at canal road. Having a motor vehicle was not Chachaji's liking though he could have easily afforded it being a Manager of RB Jodhamal Kuthiala.

However, cars, bikes and scooters, in those days, were generally limited to upper middle class. But my newly acquired proud possession, a brand new Hero Bicycle was not a small surprise for the mohalla monkey sena!

I used to cycle down to Satwari Industrial Estate everyday morning and reach factory well before 9 AM. After about 15 days of my joining the factory as manager, clerk or peon for that matter, I had been acquainted with most of the engineer, foremen and employees, a few of them by their first names.

Though much of the construction and allied works were still to be completed, every effort was being made to ensure single line 'sample' production of the 'Separators', the final product, on a very limited scale, for approval and quality certificate from an authorized laboratory before taking bulk production into hands at a later date.

Mr. Subhash, who was working as a Supervisor, had become friendly with me by now. He was a local resident of Canal Road, Jammu. His family had their own lime stone business at canal road market. Subhash used to wear all whites, white pant, white shirt, white cardigan and muffler in winters. In summer, he wore pressed matted fiber white felt due to which he gave an attracted and impressive look. Being over six feet in height, white-pinkish complexion with light blue eyes, he looked like 'Odd Man Out' in any gathering!

One day, I manipulated Chachaji, unfairly though, and went out of the house at odd hours in the middle of the sunny hot day. I quickly reached at Shankar Cinema at the canal road where film Ganga Jamuna was showing. I had not much money with me but what I was having, it was less than five rupees. When I approached the window for a ticket, I saw 'Houseful' board hanging in front of the window.

After having wandered here and there for a while, I decided to purchase the ticket in black. At the same time, a person approached me and asked me if I wanted a ticket or a gate pass. Since the ticket was costlier than the pass, I preferred to go in for the gate pass.

At the entrance gate, when I handed over the gate pass to the doorman, he nearly caught hold me from the collar and dragged me aside and asked me to stand there quietly and at the same time kept an eye on me while letting others to get into the hall. When he was finished with his job, he again held me from the forearm and took me to the office of the Cinema Manager and apprised him what the matter was. Now, it was manager's turn.

All hell broke loose on me as the manager shouted at me and also threatened to hand me over to the police. While trembling with the fear of impending insult and humiliation to me and the family, I folded hands and begged for excuse but the manager did not melt. I felt so depressed and shocked, closed my eyes for a second and prayed Vaishno Mata for help. In the meantime, manager's telephone rang up and he got busy with it for a moment.

While I was standing in the office of the manager all numb, helpless and head lowered, I saw through the big window glass outside, Subhash entering into the cinema hall compound and coming straight to the manager's office. I took a sigh of relief! When Subhash entered into the office, he wondered as to why I was there in the Manager's Office. Subhash was good friend of the Manager. All was clear in a while and I was allowed by the Manager to see the film. The same gate man was summoned and asked by the Manager to let me in the hall and give a proper seat. The gate man, however, could not hide is puzzlement.

Next day morning, when I reached the factory, Subhash gave me a smile far away from the office, a smile that conveyed, what all happened, a day before!

Dasmi ka result nikalne wala tha and my fears were overcoming me. Sleeplessness and unknown fears were overpowering me with each passing day. Everyone at Jammu house was amazed to observe phenomenal decrease in my appetite. Many a times, I skipped breakfast giving one reason or the other, quantum of khana which I used to eat few days ago, was decreased to a low level. Only and only one thing was troubling me, that was the matriculation examination result!

I had already given my roll number to Chachaji written on a slip of paper which he kept in his wallet. My day time passed smoothly without any anxiety in the factory. Days and weeks passed by and the most waited day arrived. I went to the factory as usual. Since the English Newspaper could be seen by Chachaji in the office only, the result was not known to anyone till 10 O 'Clock. In the factory I also could not see the result, as in the factory, Hindi Newspaper Punjab Kesri used to come.

However, whole day passed and in the evening, I returned back but instead of going home, I straightaway went to Chachaji' office at Canal Road. I parked my bicycle and was about to climb up the staircase, when Mangat Ram, the office peon was seen descending the stairs.

He was better known to me. He gave me a hand signal and called me. I went to him with a hope of a good news. Instead, with a sad face, he gave me the bad news. With his right hand placed on my left shoulder, he told me with a sorry that I was fail in the matriculation examination! Hearing this, I nearly lost control on my body and sat down on a drum lying in the cycle stand.

All my dreams were shattered in a second. My eyesight became blurred and my thought process almost halted. Only one question arose in my mind, time and again, as to - now what? What to do now? What I will do now? I did not know where Mangat Ram disappeared to. After having spent an hour or so, I also moved from there and went to the park where the canal flowed furiously ending its long journey and ready to fall, as a whole, straight deep down below into a major turbine system, at the bank of river Tawi.

It was 7 in the evening. I did not go home and kept on loitering from one end to another of the canal side park. The gushing sound of ice cold canal water, fluttering dry leaves in the wind storm was blocking my ears and disturbing me. I found myself helpless to find a solution to my immediate problem. Time was passing rapidly. Everyone at home would be waiting for me with great anxiety but by then I had no idea what to do. Time does not wait for anyone.

I too needed to take an immediate decision whether to go home or what next? In that mental tug of war, I had almost reached at the end of the park in the Tawi side near the canal water fall into the turbine system where there was very loud noise and listening to one another was difficult. I stood there undone, undecided and lost in meaningless thoughts.

I felt a cool hand on my right shoulder from behind. I neither panic nor spoke while turning my head backwards. A smiling face showing signs of both happiness and despair brought forward a Mithai-Ka-Dibba, opened it, and with great love and gesture, held out a laddu while trying to put the same in my mouth, embracing with me and congratulating me for my success in the matriculation examination!

Omi tu? I nearly jumped and was curious to know that what it was all about? You are celebrating my success but Mangat Ram clearly told me that......'Forget Mangatu, you have made it. Chachaji himself saw your result and I too made it sure by seeing the Indian Express myself.

Everyone at home is worried about you. and Tell me what you are doing here in a deserted and dangerous place like this? asked Omi with a concern. I told him that nothing much I was to do with this place. I was just lost thinking about my future and strayed up to this place. Omi was the son of our landlord, Shri Banarsi Dass, owner of a very popular confectionery shop in Canal Road Market.

When we both reached home, there were quite a good many people from the neighborhood gathered there. I was obvious that these people had come to know about my being away from home until late night, main reason being my matriculation result was declared in the morning news papers! When we entered the gate, I could notice from the faces of the people with mixed expressions of joy and sorrow. But now all was clear and there were smiles and then laughter and again laughter, clapping, merry making, jump dancing and distribution of laddoos! Soon after we were on dining table and then went to bed.

For next one month, I continued my factory service as usual. Subhash had come more near to me and became my friend in need. At home in Ladori, my Dadi had constantly been putting pressure on my Subhash Chachu, who is son of my Dadi's real brother, and living in Bombay, who was then serving in Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd., as a Purchase Officer, had promised Dadi to take me to Bombay, as and when I complete my matriculation. Soon I left Jammu and reached Bandra.