YAADEN: KHATTI-MEETHI - BUA SOMA DEVI AND BHAI SUDERSHAN 

       My association with Soma bua's family remained remote. I hardly remember about my first ever visit to Dah Kulada except when I was under five and had gone to bua's house along with my parents. There might be a marriage ceremony of one of my sisters then. I faintly remember that we, and all other family members sat in a room, eating kharbooje that bhai Sudarshan had arranged. 

        After eating kharbooje, dhood-lassi was served in long peetal ke glasson me.  The house then gave an old look of dilapidation.  Outside the house, in the immediate nearest vicinity, there was a forest hillock where many jakals, various types of birds including peacocks lived.  Peacocks could be heard barking intermittently one after the other.

        Fufa Daulat Ram once happened to come to Ladori in connection with his forest contract business.  He was a lean, tall, handsome and well dressed person.  He usually wore white or creami kurta, front buttoned band gala jacket and chooridar with chamba chappal.  His stiffened turredar safa with long tail hanging on the back, always attracted people amazingly!  Urdu knowing fufaji always looked impressive and his voice was loud and clear!

        Being the naughtiest among the then children in the village, I was in primary.  Fufaji stayed in Ladori for about half a week.  One day it so happened that while Fufaji was out until late afternoon, I thought something stupid and entered into his room stealthily.  I had a searching look inside the room and then turned to open the almirah, just to see, out of curiosity, as to what was kept in there.  I saw two empty liquor bottles kept there. 

        My eyes and mouth opened wide and while staring on the bottles, naughtiness in me awoke.  I picked up one of the bottles, opened its cap and tried to peep into it closing my left eye. I observed that a very small quantity of liquor was there at the bottom. But then, another thought came in.  Why not taste it and see what happens.  I took out the bottles one by one and poured the contents on the palm cup of my left hand.

         I was about to raise the hand upwards towards the mouth and also slightly lowered my head downwards in order to smell and lick the liquor, a jordar chanta came at the back of my neck from behind, as a result of which, liquor fell down before getting into my mouth.  At the same moment, when I looked back in dismay, I was further shocked that Bhau Chachu, who had been watching my activities from the beginning doing all this, shouted on me with a tone so harsh, "Ab tu sharab peena bhi seekh raha hai badmash?". 

        I only trembled with fear and abruptly ran out of the room before another thappar came under the ear.  I straightaway ran to Hattian and did not come back home for nearly two hours.  In the night, when I returned and entered the house like thieves, I noticed Chachu narrating the whole episode that happened in the evening to Dadi, Pitaji and Fufaji.  I heard Dadi saying, "Eh Chutt dino-din bigre kada hai, mein ke karan?". Kuchh dino tak sab mujhe sharabi sharabi chirane lage, school me bhi.
    

    From the childhood, Bhai Sudarshan was fond of singing and music.  Since Pitaji was a known 
mucian, tabla and harmonium player of his times, bhai Sudarshan used to come to Ladori every now and then in order to learn music tips from Pitaji.  We had in Ladori an old German make harmonium which Pitaji had brought from Lahore.  Sudarshan bhai always wanted to take this harmonium.  

      His many earlier attempts went unfruitful but later on, he succeeded in his efforts and got the harmonium.  Violin was the passion of Sudarshan bhai.  It was his first love. He became a great violinist later and performed at various functions.  He usually gave performances at radio stations and also before huge gatherings and enthralled people by his mastery over the instrument. He was also awarded by the President of India for his services to the music.

       My marriage was held in July 1973.  In a small and simple ceremony, Sudarshan bhai and bhabiji, who were then newly married couple, opened our marriage ganna at Pathankot house. I was then posted at Pathankot. Bhai Sudarshan was also living at Pathankot after their marriage.  One day, we visited their house.  After having a cup of tea and snacks, Rama inquired about the new knitting machine they had brought home.  

      They praised the characteristics of the machine and the money spent on it, in such a manner and tone, we did not tell them our actual purpose to visit them. However, Rama was then very much interested in knitting, knowing about the machine and also taking lessons.  But she could not try her hand on their machine due to obvious reasons.

        When in Australia, Rama, first of all, bought a Japanese Singer Knitting Machine with Ribber, soon became its master, earned lot of money both in that country and back home.  In Jalandhar Cantt, she was sought after sweater knitter in the woolen market from 1984 to 1986 until we shifted to Panipat.

        In the year September 1999, Tamba behen and Jijaji met us at New Delhi at the marriage of Seema, daughter of Raju Bhai.  Tamba behan and her family had also come to attend the marriage.  While taking refreshments in the gathering under a shamiana, Tamba behan took me aside and told me that both of them, along with other three members, are planning to come to Panipat in order to attend Bapu Asa Ram's programme. 

       She further said that if we could make arrangements for the stay of five people at Panipat for four days.  In my response, then and there, I assured her that all desired arrangements would be made and that they need not to worry about it.  This was conveyed to her seriously. After some days, we received a letter written by Jijaji in which he had stressed upon us about the arrangements.  Actually, he wanted to become doubly sure and needed from us a written assurance.  It did not please us.  However, I wrote a two line letter confirming that the arrangements as desired would be made.

        One day prior to the scheduled programme, I had booked a well furnished room having six beds in NFL Guest House in NFL Township, Panipat.  I and Rama remained busy all day in collecting rajais, bedsheets and cushion pillows from our neighbourer here and to take them to the guest house.  When all the arrangements were complete, we both were totally exhausted, restless and tired. On the day of their coming, evening tea and snacks were ready.  But after waiting till late evening, nobody came.  It was really an embarrassing moment for both of us as well as our children.

         We kept the room with us for three days.  Two weeks later, I sent them NFL Guest House Bill, after having cut the space where the amount was written, by a registered post, as a token of proof to show them that the living arrangements, as asked for, by them for their stay at Panipat made in a posh guest house, went waste! no reply received from them ever after.

        Sorry Tamba behan, iss chhote bhai ko tum apne dono haathon se jab hawa me uchhaal kar thamti thi, tab mujh bachhe ko tum par kitna bharosa tha ki tum mujhe neeche nahi girne dogi but by coming at this stage of life, you did not have faith in him!