BUA RAMKALI

 Dina Nath, popularly known as Dinu Tau in the village Ladori, was an old man of 70s, in fifties.  He was an habitual chewer of supari granules and taking Chayvan Prash.  A lean, thin old man of average height, Dinu Tau, as he was  known and addressed by all the children of that time, including me, was  a very good story teller.  He used to tell various tales relating to Raja-Rani, Dido-Pida, Tota-Maina and tales of important happenings concerning the village people of olden times which were used to be  interesting, entertaining and informative.

Dinu Tau was also a very good cook.  His Dal-Chawal and green mango chatni used to be mouthwatering and tempting.  We always wished that Tau gave us some dal-bhat to eat when we went to his house during lunch time!  But, he would, first of all ask one of us to bring a Batau of cool and fresh drinking water from Naun.  Tau was also a religious man and devoted maximum time, in daily morning prayers. Let us now go back to time space.  Dinu Tau and his wife lived in their Ladori house which was situated at the next door to Manjhol House.

Bua Sarvato was in Dadi's lap when Dinu Tau's wife was in family way and Dadi used to visit her twice a day and looked after her well being.  Dadi was very kind at heart.  When time of delivery came, unfortunately, all did not go well as expected and Tau's wife expired after giving birth to a girl child.  Now a grave problem stood before Dinu Tau as to how this child was to be raised alone by him!  Dadi brought that child home and both Sarvato and the adopted girl, named Ramkali, were brought up together, primary educated and married off.

 Ramkali Bua was married to Hans Raj of Nurpur.  He was a Patwari by profession who later retired as Kanoongo.  Fufa Hans Raj was a healthy, tall, handsome and pinkish gora. His heavy and echoing voice was amazingly loud, clear and also decisive.  His stiffened white Turredar Safa with coat-pant attracted people's attention where ever he went on official duty.  This made him 'Odd man out' in the congregation.

Ramkali Bua and Fufa Hans Raj had very happy family, if not quite well off.  Bua was a jolly natured woman.  She was lively, full of all smiles and laughter, her thunderous but enchanting voice like a mardani woman attracted and compelled neighborhood women and children to spend maximum leisure with bua.  She was so nice a lady that we would hardly see the one like her again in our lives! 

She, along with her big family lived in Lambi Gali of Nurpur Town. We the children, used to visit bua every now and then especially on occasions of functions and marriages. We also used to visit Narsingh Devta, our Kul Devta established under a huge Peepal Tree by our ancestors, behind Ramkali Bua's house.

 As luck would have it, a very bad time descended on this happy family stealthily.  Tuberculosis, a dreaded infectious bacterial disease entered into the family.  Father of Fufaji, who was a railway retired official was the first victim. After that slowly, slowly, whole family was taken into its tight grip and as a result,

Fufa, Bua, Shiv, Moksh, Ghatot Kachh, Billu, the little cute girl, all went to their heavenly abode one after the other! Only survived Behan Anjana lives in Chamba with her family and families of Bhai Shiv and Moksh are also living without their heads of families!

                                                          RAJU BHAI - LA KA

          In early fifties and sixties, Manjhol House was an important rendezvous for all due to its famous dug-out angithi in the middle of its one of the varandas facing main entrance (Praul) and a thin track leading down to Hattian.  In winters, this angithi was lit up at 5 O' Clock in the evening, sometimes even earlier, which would remain burning till late night, sometimes up to mid night! All the male family members and children  used to sit around the angithi and enjoyed warmth in the shivering cold nights. 

        All children would sit around the angithi on "Thudde de Phaar aur Taangen Aage Karke aag ke saamne adde lagaker".  This angithi was also an important meeting point for other select local people to come daily and enjoy the company of others, warmth, gossiping and laughter.  

      The whole village was discussed here.  Some got good, some got bad marks while some were categorized even worse! Children like me enjoyed the chit-chat, gossip and critical views  reviews and would not go to sleep even after scolded by Dadi or any other elder.  Hum Gheesde bane rehte thy.

       In the gathering, the most important personality was Dinu Tau, who kept the talking to go long, longer and longest!

       Today, I am going to share with you all my little known 'kisse' or direct connection with Raju Bhai.  Firstly, from Bhai's early childhood.  They say that when Raju was in the stage of learning speaking and walking, it so happened one day that he was playing near the angithi, in the early day time, he slipped and fell into the angithi.  Thank God, there was no fire but the ash was still warmer than normal - Raju Bhai shouted and called his Maa.......Bibi......Bibi mein gil gaya, githi mein gil gaya......hai mele chalja, thoo bai tatti, hai mele chalja thoo bai tatti.  Then someone came and rescued him.  Raju kept crying for a while.

       Once when Chachi was giving bath to Raju Bhai in the open angan, all naked Raju asked his Bibi.....Mein kala kyon?  Bibi mein kala kyon?  Chachi said, "Kun Bolda hai tu kala hai/". Sab bolte hain mein kala hun, repeated Raju.  Raju again complained that " Jab mein bala hounga, soiean jaanga, taan kuiaan bolengi laa Kaa"(Jab mein bara hounga, sasural jaaunga, toh larkian bolengi ki Lara Kaala hai)

Laa kaa : He means to say Lara Kala:! (Black Dhula) From then on Raju became LAKA!

Laka thoda bara hua aur galion me kanche khelne laga.  One evening Raju.....no Laka came home too late.  Bibi asked, "Where were you so long. What happened to-day, you came home too late. Mind you, you must come back home before night falls". "Yes Bibi, I shall", said Laka.  Roti khai aur so gaya Laka.

       In the mid day, next day, a person not known to the ladies of Manjhol family, knocked at the main entrance door.  The man asked, "Where is Panditaniji?".  Dadi came out and asked Bhartho to come and sit.  After a glass of water, Bhartho told Dadi, "Ji mein aapse milne aaya tha".  Dadi said "Haan Bhartho kaho kya baat hai?"  Bhartho took out from his pocket, a Tragdi with 5-6 Chandi ke ghungroos, which were, in those days, used to be tied around the waist of young male children, in order to keep  bad souls away from them.  Bhartho further said, "This Tragdi with Ghungroos was sold by your Pota to my son Nasib for equal number of Kanches". When Nasib showed this Tragdi to his mother in the night, she came running to me.  Then everything was clear. "I have come to return this Tragdi but on one condition.  I want to see Laka first!