“For every bad Karma you perform in your life there’s an equally bad punishment awaiting you in the Cosmos and for every good Karma, an equally rewarding gift” – Yours obediently
I know what questions are now arising in your mind, after reading my above statement, but I promise that at the end of this story, precisely in the conclusion paragraph, you will be reading some really convincing answers from me.
Please Go Through
Although we all know,”what goes around comes around”, we, however, do not know how exactly it comes around.. This shockingly nerve wrenching true story about a ghastly incident clearly explains you how is that “what goes around in our life comes around exactly the same way it has gone around”.
This unbelievable incident occurred, may be, sometime during the 1960s when the ruthless feudal Lords were ruling the roost in independent India’s largest state, Uttar Prdesh.
In those days of extreme darkness, although there was a legal system with coded laws and a police machinery with absolute powers in the state, Uttar Pradesh would still follow the brutal feudal laws framed by these so called Lords.
These Lords would decide the fate of the state and also would do anything they want to and at anytime they wish to.. In their view, a common man was as worthy or as worthless as their watch Dogs.
Women were objects of desire for them and their men were of slavery.. Their word was law and their deeds were official.. No government machinery nor any official body could dare to question these Lords nor their deeds.
(Some of you may feel that the scenario is still the same in Uttar Pradesh today.. May be, but I do not comment nor would express my views here)
The notable among these Lords, those days, was the young 34 – year old Raja Satya Pratap Singh, who was one of the richest and also one of the most brutal Lords of those days U P sate who would treat men like animals and women like dolls.
He was a scion of a royal U P family and always had a great passion for hunting – not wild animals but beautiful ladies – often.. Although Pratap Singh married a gorgeous lady from a rich Rajput family of Rajasthan, he would always be on the look out for young new girls.
Just like we all will have one special delicacy on our Sunday dinner, Pratap would have one new lady every Sunday night.. It was an open secret, those days, that Pratap Singh literally had at least one unofficial wife in almost every major city of India.
In those days of barbaric feudalism, maintaining as many women as one can afford, outside of his marriage, was considered a status symbol.. It still is today, in many parts of India, but no one talks about them in public as they did in those days.. PERIOD
Just to protect himself from the laws of state government, Pratap Singh would always move closely with ministers and other bureaucrats of the state and would also often throw lavish parties to them at his palatial bungalow, that he had passionately built – exclusively for his ‘Ayaash’ activities – on the outskirts of the historical Lucknow city.
If power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely..
This was true in Pratap Singh’s case as well.. Although with brutal power of money backed up by the legal power of government, Pratap Singh was an unstoppable prince of U P state, he was, however, always an animal on prowl.. PERIOD
All the content you have thus far read may be sounding brutal and also may be stirring up quite a few questions and doubts in your mind.. But do you think God will keep quiet and allow an arrogant Raja like Pratap Singh to forever go the way he would want to..
Never.. Never.. Never..
So What Happened .. ???
Please continue reading and you will understand how God, for sure, interferes when Adharma prevails over Dharma.. Lord Sri Krishna, in Bhagawad Gita had said “Dharma samsthaapa naarthaaya sambhavaami yuge yuge”.. Having said so, He would certainly keep up His word often and forever.
Here at this point, I must introduce you another most crucial character of this story called Ramanand Tripathi, who was a small time farmer in a village near Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.
As fate would have it, both Ramanand and Pratap Singh happened to come across each other during the most unfortunate phases of their life.. Quite tragically, both had become the cause of each other’s death, later .. PERIOD
Although, on one side, U P state is known for it’s notorious feudal Lords and their brutal activities; on the other hand, it is also known for it’s amazing hospitality and well mannered behavior what in native U P language is called “Tehzeeb”.
If Raja Pratap Singh was a brand ambassador to those days brutal feudal system of Uttar Pradesh state, Ramanand was the same for the so called “Tehzeeb” system of the state..
Ramanand has about three acres of fertile farm land on the suburbs of Lucknow city on which land his whole family of his ageing parents, his wife, and his two sons and a daughter would survive.
Unfortunately for Ramanand, his farm land was just adjacent to the main road and was exactly in between Raja Pratap Singh’s palatial bungalow and the main road.
That means, if one has to go to Pratap Singh’s bungalow, he had to take a right turn from the main road; then go a distance and then turn right again and after travelling a distance, would finally reach the bungalow.
Many of Pratap Singh’s high profile friends and guests, who would often visit his bungalow for private ‘Mushyiras’ and one night stands, were finding that extra drive, time consuming.. Pratap Singh had also felt the same on many occasions but didn’t pay much attention to that problem.. However,
On One Fine Day Rather On One Bad Night
When all the guests were fully drunk and were indulging in all sorts of immoral acts, one of Pratap Singh’s guests, Dhananjay Singh, who was a civil engineer in a govt. department, told Pratap Singh,
“Raajaa saab.. To reach your bungalow we are almost travelling two kilometers more and then reaching this place.. Instead why don’t you lay a beautiful road straight from the main road bisecting the farm land beside your bungalow.. ?? .. You can as well plan a lovely flower garden on both the sides of the road.. How is the idea..??..”
Raising their liquor glasses and cheering the engineer’s idea, everyone around Pratap Singh had said, “Bahuth khoob.. Bahuth khoob (Very good.. Very good)..”..
Nodding his head, Pratap Singh said, “woh tho theek hain.. Par woh jagah apna nahin hain naa.. Koi kissan ka hain..” (That’s alright but that land is not ours.. It belongs to a farmer).
Brushing off Pratap Singh’s doubt, a high profile police officer, who was in a more inebriated condition that time, had said, ” Apna nahin hain tho kya hua Raajaa saab.. Apna bana lenge” (So what it’s not ours.. We will make it ours).
Endorsing the police officer’s view, another officer said, “Ek paanch hazar vus kissan ke mooh pe phek dijiye gaa Raajaa saab.. Woh khud hi vus jagah ko aap ka naam kar degaa..” (Throw five thousand on that farmer’s face.. On his own he will surrender that land to you).
Slightly nodding his head, Pratap Singh immediately called one of his servants and asked him, “Who is the owner of that farm land”.. With a shrill in his voice, the servant replied, “saab .. Ramanand Tripathi..”
Laughing loudly this time, Dhananjay Singh said, “Lo bhai lo.. Land belongs to a Brahmin.. ??.. Hahahaha .. Raha saab.. Then three thousand would be just enough for him..”..
Looking at his servant, Pratap Singh said, “Go and bring Ramanand here immediately.. I want to talk to him right away..”.. The servant almost went out running and returned in about fifteen minutes, along with Ramanand Tripathi.
After seeing so many huge personalities in Pratap Singh’s hall, the otherwise courageous Ramanand’s whole body involuntarily shivered for a few seconds.. Suddenly his mind started telling him to go away from that place.. Poor fellow, however, could not dare to go back..
With his face profusely sweating, Ramanand first offered his “Namaskar” to Pratap Singh saying, “Namaskar Raajaa Saab.. Saheb ne hukum farmaye tho chalaa aayaa”.. (You ordered me to come so I came).
Laughing loudly, Dhananjay said, “Jab Raajaa saab ne hukum farmaye tho chalaa kyun aaye Panditji.. Daud kar aanaa chahiye thaa aap ko..”.. Everyone in the hall laughed loudly at the silly joke cracked by Dhananjay Singh.
Ramanand became furthermore nervous and stood silently with folded hands staring at Pratap Singh.. The rouges there in the hall did not even had the courtesy to offer chair to a pious Brahman like Ramanand who had graced their house on that dirty night.
Vinaasa Kaale Vipareetha Buddih
Looking at Ramanand, Pratap Singh said, “Voye Pandit ji.. How long you have been owners to this land..”.. In a low tone, Ramanand replied,
” Saab.. We have been owners to this land for more than hundred years now.. Our great grand father Sri Badrukanand Tripathi got this land as gift, sometime during the 1840s, from the fourth Nawab of Oudh, Amjad Ali Shah saab.
When Nawab saab proposed to construct a bridge over River Gomti in Lucknow, it was my great grand father who had fixed the Mahurath for the construction..
Impressed with my great grand father’s knowledge of Hindu dharma sastras, Nawab saab had gifted this land to him.. Ever since our families are surviving solely on the revenue being generated from selling the crop yield of this land.”.. Completed Ramanand..
For a few seconds there was a deafening silence in that hall.. Everyone sat in a frozen state.. Except the sound of the ceiling fan and the gentle sound of the Gold bangles of the ladies, there was no other sound heard in that room during those few seconds..
As though instructed by someone, Pratap Singh’s servant quickly ran to a corner; picked an empty chair from there; silently came running to Ramanand; placed that chair behind him; and then looking at him signaled to him with his eyes requesting him to occupy that chair..
Ramanand quietly sat in that chair.. Even the slightest movement the chair had made when Ramanand occupied it, was heard very loudly in that hall..
After looking silently at his servant for a few seconds and then at Ramanand for a few more, Pratap Singh said in a low but a slightly respectful tone,
“Panditji.. Am happy to know that your family got this land as gift from nawab saab .. RESPECT.. Also happy to know that for several generations your family is surviving solely on that land.. RESPECT again..
But Panditji.. I need that land.. And at any cost.. Because it is obstructing my bungalow on which I have invested a lot of money.. All these days I didn’t notice this obstruction but today my friends are saying that your land is such a big obstruction to my bungalow.. I think they are right and I agree with them..
So tell me Panditji.. What is your quote and how much should I pay you to take that land from you.. You may quote any price you want.. Am ready to pay”.
Saying so Pratap Singh kept looking at Ramanand who at that moment was in a big shock because he didn’t come there prepared for accepting such an offer.. In fact he could not even guess in his wildest dreams that a day would come in his life that someone would try to snatch away his land from him.
Slowly composing himself, and gathering his usual courage in his voice, Ramanand said,
“Raaja saab.. We never looked at this land as any non living entity.. We consider it our own Mother.. Our God.. Our everything.. Now you are asking me to sell my Mother.. How can I do that Saab.. Which son in this world would sell his Mother, Raajaa saab, even if he’s offered all the money on the Earth.. Please forgive me.. I can’t sell it..”
Coming in between, the ill mannered Dhananjay said, “Lagta hain bade bewakoof hain aap Panditji.. Ghar mein zabardasti Lakshmi aanewaali hain aur aap maa behan ke baaten karte baite hain.. Mauke ka faida uthayiyen Panditji aur Raaja saab se acchaa khaasaa rukam mang lijiye.. Warna Raaja saab ka mood badal jayega tho kaun bhala aap ko bacha saktha hain..”
For a few seconds, the poor Ramanand Tripathi could not understand whether the idiotic Dhananjay was advising him or warning him.. Without caring much for his words, Ramanand mustered great courage in his voice again and with firmness in his tone told Dhananjay,
“Babuji.. Jab bin maange mera Giridhar Gopal ne mujhe sab kuch de raha hain toh main kyun kisi aur se kuch aur maangoo.. Agar maangoo bhi tho vus se maangoon jo mujhe joli bhar ke de saktha hain par vus se nahin jo khud hi ek joli leke khada ho..
Maafi chaahtaa hoon Raajaa saab.. Mujhe ya mera pariwar waalon ko aap ka diya hua soochan manzoor nahin hoga.. Agar aap ka adesh ho tho main vapas ghar jaana chahta hoon.. Meri biwi mera raah dekh rahi hogi..”.. Ramanand concluded.
All those in the hall were so shocked at that moment, they just kept looking at Ramanand without even battling their eyelids.. They were so shocked because whom they all thus far had considered an ordinary timid Brahmin talked in a manner with Pratap Singh none of them could have even dared doing in their dreams.
Pratap Singh just could not withstand the audacity displayed by an ordinary Brahmin in front of so many of his sycophants .. More than the refusal to his offer, the way it was refused by the Brahmin had humiliated Pratap Singh more at that moment.
Still composing himself, he said in a low tone, “Look Pandit ji.. I do not normally arrive at any decision so quickly.. And if I arrive, I shall, vusi Giridhar Gopal ki kasam, stick to it at anu cost.. No matter even if that means giving my life or taking someone else’s life..
For generations our families have great respect for Brahmins whom we consider special children of God.. But that doesn’t mean we would accept whatever they say.. You have every right to refuse my offer but remember I too have the right to force my decision on you.. Because we are rulers and you are the ruled..
I still want to be kind to you because you are not only a Brahmin but an elderly man of my father’s age.. So here’s my final offer to you which I want you to accept.. I shall offer you one lakh rupees for all the three acres of your land..
This is ten times more than the actual value of your land Panditji.. Even if your whole family struggle all your life on this land you will not be able to see so much money.. No urgency.. Go home and discuss with your wife who must be waiting for you and also with your other family members..
Am giving you three days time.. After which time, irrespective of your decision, I shall use all my rights and exercise all my powers to get my work done.. Am not warning you Panditji but advising you to think wisely and arrive at a decision that would benefit both of us..”
Then turning to his servant, Pratap Singh said, “It is very dark outside.. I heard many snakes are freely roaming here during the nights.. So take a torchlight and carefully drop Panditji at his residence and come back..”
Nodding his head, the humble servant of Pratap Singh, slowly approached Ramanand Tripathi..
Please Click Here to read the second part of this story..
Love
Narrenaditya Komaragiri
narrenaditya@tirumalesa.com
To know more about the author please click here
