Story
Dr. Mangat Badal
Value of Water
As soon as Ramnarayana coughingly entered the gate of his house, suddenly the rope of the ox, slipped from his daughter-in-law’s (wife of his son) hand. She veiled her face quickly and went away inside the courtyard. Her husband Durgalal was pushing the ox from backside. They both were trying to get in the ox in the tractor trolley forcibly. But the ox did not want to get in the trolley and it was pushing itself backside. Suddenly the rope of the ox slipped and it fell down. Durgalal also fell down with it. Ramnarayana saw that his old aged cows had already been got in the trolley. When he stood there to take the crutch of the trolley one cow started licking his hand. Ramnarayan asked, “What are you doing Durgalal?” But Durgalal spoke nothing. He was looking towards the earth only. Few moments ago he has got his two old aged cows in the trolley with the help of his wife near the heap of the sand and then he was trying to get in his two ox but abruptly his father reached there. However he had gone for roaming towards the fields yet reached there at the spot.
When he did not get reply from Durgalal, he angered and said to him again in loud voice, “I ask you, what is going on? Why are you not replying?”
It seemed that the entire planning of Durgalal had been failed. He thought that so long his father would come back, he would go out to take the animals. So it was difficult to reply for him. “Nothing.... nothing...don’t worry. He spoke hasitatingly. “Father! It is difficult to feed them now...we have not enough fodder in the field so I was going to let off these animals. Neither these ox can plough nor can be used for carrying the bull-cart. These can stand very difficulty. What will we do of these unable oxen? When we have not enough fodder for those animals, which are milking then how can we arrange fodder for such unable cows & oxen? I shall let them off near the city in the night where they can remove their appetite itself roaming here and there.”
“Oh yes! There is too fodder for them in the city. Only we need to let them off there.” Said Father pantingly in loud voice.
“Birbal, Ramjas & Mamraj have also come to let off their animals near the city. We are only person in the village, who are feeding them. Have all these religions and rituals been made for us?” Durgalal said to him in anger and started looking towards the earth. “They all have lost their shame. Will you do that as the people do? They will fall in the well.... will you also fall? Think before do always. After all you are a human.” Panting the father sat down on the cot lying in front of the courtyard premises. He took off his turban from his head and kept it on the cot and started murmuring,” What type of the farmer is you, who feel burden keeping the animals? Do you know there is a relation of love among these unspeakable animals & human? And you accept yourself a peasant. When a peasant ploughs in the field and sow seeds he prayers to Sayavar Mata (Indian farmers’ Goddess of food & grains). First he demands for his sisters, daughters, guests, beggars, beasts, and birds and later for himself. So he is called as Food-provider. When the crops ripen, he makes efforts to give their shares also. And today.... today the farmer himself making them helplessness and letting them off after growing old from whose labours he gets prosperity in his life. Oh! What humanity! What type of harms are these giving you? Only from their urine & dung you get so much that the cost of your fodder is received.”
Ramnarayan saw that the ox was panting. He stood from his cot, went to near the ox, and started petting his forehead. Ox kept his neck on the ground as it was saying, “My owner! I am ready for dieing! Kill me! But don’t abandon, don’t make me houseless in this old age! I have passed my entire life working with you in your field. Where will we live in this old age?” Ramnarayan saw the tears rolling down from its eyes & felt that the ox was weeping so he started speaking again,” When they were hale & hearty they would stand up with your one voice. When you said only “Joo..Joo..” they made their neck down for keeping the yoke. You think that they do not feel. What happens if they cannot speak but they have a good sensation of feeling. You say to speak but these understand everything by your activities. But what they speak on your selfishness!”
“What happened? At last where can we use these animals? If you start once, you do not be silent.” Durgalal also spoke in anger.
“Oh! If they have grown old make them houseless so the people beat them with sticks and they roam from door to door. Feel shame. Create sympathy in your heart! After all you are a human...human…. not a selfish worm. If you take such steps, these animals are better than you lacs times which work & services you only for fodder! But remember one day you will also become useless. You are also to be grown old. It is law of the nature! Then! Saying it Ramnarayan started looking towards the face of Durgalal.
“You are making the mountain of a small hill! Who desire to talk to you?” Saying it Durgalal went away towards courtyard in anger.
“I am making the mountain of a small hill! And you! You have not so sympathy and pity that at least you should think once that what are you going to do. The passion of money has made you too greedy. I had hardly a little piece of land to bring up my family and started farming with the help of these animals. By that way I earned too and made you the owner of two-murbba land. Having purchased a tractor to take the loan from Bank, you think yourself all in all. The meaning of farming with modern equipments is not it that you start hate from animals. You say that it saves the time but what do you do in extra time? You shirk from labour. When a peasant and an animal both works hard in field than such earn makes an affluence in life!” Said Ramnarayan emphasizing on his words.
“Why are you threatening the boy? You have started your absurd language as soon as enter the house.” Ramanarayan’s wife said to reach there.
“Oh! He is doing so on your sport. He has bought the tractor to take the loan but how will he deposit the installments? Have you heard that the Bank has declared confiscation of Ramlal’s land?” Saying it Ramnarayan started panting. “I can not plough two murbba land by the help of oxen! It was old time when you do it. Labourers would also get in cheap rates. But now the time has changed. If we want to earn more, we shall have to do according to the modern time.” Durgalal was speaking to stand near his mother.
“Who does stop you earn? But for that will you keep all the religions & rituals at a side?”
“Where does the religion & rituals makes the obstruction in this way? I am going to leave them only not for selling the butcher.”
“You are doing very well! You do not feel shame to speak such words. You do not sell the cows & oxen to the butcher due to afraid of religion. You want to avoid from the charge of cow killing and its sin. This buffalo is also grown old but you will not leave it for roaming from door to door. Surely you will sell it to the butcher.”
“Father! The famine is continued from two years. I have paid rupees two thousand to Shyamlal for using the water of his tubewell & have irrigated two Bighas wheat. So how can I pay for growing the fodder and removing the appetite of these spare animals?”
“Oh Son! What sort of education and culture I have given you? I bow before your education and cultures. You have told me the value of water, but the milk, which is flowing in your veins to change into the form of blood, what is the value of that? Have you ever calculated the value of perspiration, which has been produced by these oxen in your field? The grain (which you eat) produced by their labour is flowing in your veins as flash, marrow & blood, have you ever calculated its value? I am grateful to you my son & bow before your views, who calculates the profit & loss before beginning any work.”“Oh! Durga’s mother! You also come here! Sit down in the trolley! We have also become useless!” Saying it Ramnarayan went to the trolley and started petting the cows.
