Ajay fetched some water. They all pounce on water.
Ajay's heart trembled with compassion be seeing this. The child entreats, "Babuji (sir), we have been walking for four days running dizzy, craving for food."
Mother shouted at him in that condition also, "Why begging, I am still alive. Do not beg for bread. "
Ajay had seen and tested many. He had seen hundreds of customers and beggars to date. However, his sixth sense reported him as they might belong to some decent family.
Sister also reprimanded in fluent English, "Can't you stay hungry for a day? Let me manage something".
Ajay was shocked at her command of language.
Either his eyes were swindlers, or his ears were cheating. His curiosity about these people, speaking in English increased. What might have happened with this family? What might have gone wrong?
What circumstances push them in such a condition?
The girl struck some water on her face and got fresh.
Her complexion was fair, the water droplets on her black hair were shining like diamonds in the heat of the afternoon. She asked Ajay directly, "Can you offer me any work? Cleaning, washing dishes, cooking ... anything ".
Her voice has a strange pain However, a glimpse of self-esteem.
Ajay fetches lumps of bread and some stale food.
The girl stood up sharply, "We are not beggars.. ". Ajay turned towards Mother and said in a very slow voice, "Mother, I am a businessman too. I am not giving it free. It is a loan from me. When you earn, pay for it with interest ".
The old woman looked at him and smiled faintly, helplessly. At that time, some tears roamed around her cheeks and went into the hot land; which evaporated within a fraction. She took bread and placed it in front of her son. Then she offered one to her daughter.
Ajay knew that stomach hunger makes a person a violent demon.
Offering bread to a hungry person is a great virtue.
All three were deadly mad after food. After finishing, they sat in the shade, on the ground.
They thank Ajay with folded hands. ( An Indian 'thanking' way.) It could read in their eyes, that they have discovered a God.
Ajay pointed out and all three sat on a 'bench'. The old woman gains some confidence.
She started speaking, "You are a very noble and kind-hearted person! God bless you. "
She was lost in her thoughts. Like a machine, she grabbed a rotten pallu (saree cloth) in her right hand and put it on her dry eyes. There was still slight humidity in her eyes. She mumbles herself "His father is no more ..."
"Freaky insane... hanged himself... Before two months ... Always mention… this time cottonseeds planted and if it does not rain then I will die.
We are farmers, we do not have income whole year-round. Urban people are salaried. We the farmers visit moneylenders every month and take fixed loans. To earn both ends meet. Due to compound interest, the amount of debt increases almost ten times.
Then we get a crop, crop gives money ... the whole amount has to be given to a moneylender. Then we have to borrow again... and again and more.
Inflation continues to grow.
We had a diesel pump to lift water from the well. The price of diesel shoots up the sky... sold the pump in scratches.
We put an electric pump… However, no electricity for fourteen hours...
Once it was an insect attack… The manufacturer, immediately, started hoarding. The chemicals disappeared from the drug store… and then the company started to sell it in the black market and earn four times more profit.
Big peasants took deep bore wells for water. In the greed of water, they boar deeper and deeper... Soak the entire water under the land.
The blood-sucking monsters to Mother Earth... they are demon robbers ... ". Her breath was fast as she was upset with anxiety. The girl said consolation voice, "Forget it Mom, and please do not mention it."
Without giving attention to the girl, she said, "Nana Kaka the neighbour warned 'This time the government has got cotton seeds from abroad, which is useless. Plough something else, however, not cotton... My husband did not pay attention to him and sowed the same seed, as it was cheaper than other seeds.
See the fun of God, the rain was better than other seasons. However, the cottonseed turned out to be 'barren'. .. he lost his courage ".
Suddenly she became silent, maybe the movie of her life was flashing through her mind.
Then she continued like paranoid, "One fine morning ... he said... I am going…I thought he must be going to the farm ...However, he has gone far away…". Now she left 'pallu' and caught the head with both hands.
"Nanu ran madly to me. With a lunatic loud voice 'Sister, sister Kisan hanged himself. Hanged .. I pulled down the corpse by my hands…. Cold... like ice!
I was penniless to buy wood to burn his cadaver. I buried him. Why should I cry? "She continued by scratching her head with both hands.
"Sarpanch, a village leader insisted me to come to Mumbai. He planned to apply for state government aid of one lakh (a hundred thousand rupees.) I came with both the children. Being a drunkard, he disappeared into the crowd.
Government Officers at the Ministry ruthlessly told every day more than two hundred farmers hang themself.
Everyone comes to us. Why should we listen to you? You beautiful peasant ladies have extramarital affairs and your husband hangs himself… and you try to denigrate the government ".
She looked at Ajay she said, "Babu, every day two hundred farmers are getting hanged and the politicians and bureaucrats... no one cares.
They are earning a handsome salary increase in inflation means an increase in their salary. Bureaucrats never understand our pain"
Her body was trembling due to the excitement. Her grating voice became sharper. Her throat dried due to the extreme heat.
She adds further in a jarring voice, "One bastard officer said my wife is gone for delivery. Send your girl to serve me. I will get all the money for you. Such a Pimp…
The kids' grandfather was a much-respected man in our canton. He was a God-man. He built many temples. For thousands of people in the temple, he used to give food free ... and this pimp is asking a girl to be a mascot. "
The mother's eyes were sparkling with anger. The girl hugged the old woman. The mother started crying with pain and grief... The child came and wiped out the mother's tears. Said, "Don't worry Mom I am here!"
By listening to this, Ajay found his throat choked up with emotions. At this early stage, he was mature, before time.
The girl turned to Ajay and said, "Shall we die after the dead? I explained to my mother ... 'Mother, all Men are very weak, they immediately accept defeat in life.
Why did he commit suicide? Even if, has debt. Does any woman commit suicide due to debt? Never! A woman shows courage after the suicide of her husband. She manages to feed the kids. She pulls life forward ".
Stunned Ajay was listening to the story of an unknown girl.
"I told officer, your stony-hearted government is offering 'prize money' at death, of one lakh Rupees. To get this 'prize' farmer decides to martyr for family. Stop this policy. King of Hell gives a reward for suicide. "
Now Ajay started respecting this unknown girl with her thought procedure. He listened to a scholar girl. It was the first time for him.
"How 'ninny hammers' the farmer is if he is not getting expected compensation from middleman he throws out tomatoes, onions, milk on road.
He believes Mahatma Gandhiji's philosophical path of call for non-cooperation, will be as effective as the British Raj. However, He forgets this government is not British... this government belongs to filthy rich farmers of co-operative movement and businesspersons.
No one here understands the pain of a farmer.
What does He get by throwing farm produce? Nothing. The government has no policy to make compulsion on intermediaries and traders to pay the minimum price to farmers.
I told Father, to forget the government, and forget traders do not throw produce. Let us arrange a tempo, go to town, and sell it ourselves. Who can stop us, no one.. "she stopped suddenly. "Everything ends with death..."
Ajay was thinking something. Said, "Hey old lady, I'm alone in this Metro. I have stumbled much. If you give me support, if you share your labour in the business, then I will also get support.
I will hire a room. I will pay the rent. However, every day you have to prepare food for me. I am tired of the restaurant's food. I forget the taste of home food.
Do not go for the dirty work of 'housekeeping'.
Every day, I will manage vegetables from the Byculla market. Sell it in Bandra on the head. By the evening, two hundred rupees will be four hundred.
I will arrange a job for your girl at Dadar, where I was working previously. For your son, home tuition could be arranged. You people have to toil harder than average.
In two to four months, everything will be ok. What do you think?" There were thousands of questions in the eyes of a Girl.
Ajay continued, "I am helping you, because once upon a time an angel-like good man
helped me too. Tonight you guys sleep here ".
At four o'clock in the morning,
Ajay awakened Kaushalya Bai. At the railway station where the train arrives, what is the up, down, central, western, harbour line, while explaining it they reached Byculla.
He bought a big 'paati' (basket) and bought vegetables at very cheap rates.
Kaushalyabai was a peasant woman. She has a habit of balancing vegetables on the head. Only she had a problem while boarding on the local train.
Around about five o'clock, they catch a train to return to Bandra.
(...What happened next?...)