Ruki and Khairun
Hamma
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A COW.
in Hati series.
It was half past mid night in the windy
showers of unseasonal rain when nature was playing its own song; Dr Hati got
the time to come back from labour room ending the day’s heavy work. Some
unusual sound he heard that was difficult to tell whether to be a new born
baby’s cry dragged by the wind with some Doppler effect that changed its pitch
or the wind some where whistling a bottle neck. It was a real sound appeared
to be a call to him only, so he moved towards its direction.
He had to travel through the corridor to avoid the rain.He moved towards the sound in the process stepped on heapes
of cow dung in two occasions. The innocent destitute cattles self rehabilitated
in Abantipur hospital have packed the corridor. They also had no chance to withstand the weather in the open space as was their usual practice. He saw a relatively healthy cow in the middle was weeping with audible sound as if in her better time some body taught him to express like her master.
Not only had she weeped she could speak
even that Dr Hati halted to listen. She spoke with semi human accent but the
language was not Odia, it was Urdu.
Salaam walekum daktar sahib!
Walekum..
Walekum..
Rukeya, the weeping cow introduced herself, the daughter of her ex-owner Khairun (H)amma. Hati had no chance
to guess her stuffiness of nose was because of hours of weeping or as she
caught cold in the bad weather. Rukeya cleared her air way with a sneeze
followed by a short bout of cough.
Can you not find me my Khairun Hamma’s house?
Where and why asked Hati!
Where I can’t say as I travelled some
miles on vehicle. But you have to listen to my story and decide.
Hati was stunned and obliged to stop
there to hear her autobiography.
All Hati listened till the end, and
then from some cues he drew a thread to do a research on it that finally might
lead him to find out her foster house.
Khairun Nisha was leading a very
pleasant family life till the death of her husband Gaffur who was an automobile
mechanic with enough income, enough for his village level living style. He was
a nice man that never did forbid Allah to endear him.
Khairun’s passion for cows now became
her means to survive. Her father was a live stock inspector who had chosen for
her the best possible cows to keep. Khairun had three cows to start with which
doubled in usual time. Gaffur was planning to have an extension of the cow shed
when he met the fatal accident.
Things changed dramatically. Difficult
time comes with intensity as Khairun’s father was diagnosed to have a cancer.
The last hope remained Rajaram,
Gaffur’s very close friend who also was his co-worker. Rajaram is the man who
used to take their weekly offer of milk in the local Shiva temple. There was no
problem as human can have a water tight compartment of religion, caste and class
but cows never enter to this controversy so also the milk. Rajaram also
channelized the entire yield to OMFED the most trusted milkman so that there
should be no marketing problem. However as it seemed there was no chance to
save enough money to extend the shed having a maximum capacity for five. They
had to sell one for this reason explained Khairun. Money was needed for elder
daughter Guddi’s form fill up for the board examination. How can she tell
Rajaram about the monetary need! So instead she pointed the crowding problem.
She selected Rukeya to bear the burnt
as it was her most favorite and healthy cow. She felt Rukeya can withstand any
kind of lack of care. Rukeya never fell sick, ate whatever was given to her,
and was the most docile one to Khairun’s children. She felt sorry for choosing her to sell. She cried.
But what else can be done? They are now
poor. Poverty forced to change her priority.
So Ruki had to go.
She felt Rajaram was the right person
to do this job. She knew no fool would sell it to a butcher. Khairun herself
never cooked beef because of her fond association with cows. She wanted to be
sure that in future too when Ruki will be old there should be absolutely no
such chance for Ruki to be sold to a Kasai. In this regard naturally her
husband’s trusted Hindu friend was to be relied.
She told not to sell it to any Muslim
or a cow trader Hindu even.
Rajaram took it to the weekly cattle
market. He kept a good price for Ruki. Anyone who came for a bargain was asked
about his details. The trader lobey was not much interested seeing the price.
Rajaram like a very expert salesman described the milk yield Ruki had for her
first calf. So many customers discussed and left for its price and the price he
hiked when there was a little doubt on the customer’s purpose of purchasing the
cow.
Finally he got a customer. The man
Pintu believed if he donates the best of the cow to a Brahmin his father in
death bed should directly go to heaven. He was ready to give the demanded cost
without any bargain.
All formalities of the cattle market
was done and Rajaram left back Ruki for a good amount of money. Ruki did not
like the happenings. What was within her hand?
There was a rope around her neck and
tag of being docile on her back.
This had to be the attire of one who suffered man or pet.
This had to be the attire of one who suffered man or pet.
Moreover the transaction was over. Rajaram
left the place with a heavy heart. Ruki didn’t know how to react as she was
being sold for the first time in her life being born and brought up at
Khairun’s house.
Soon she could know she was dragged to
a different village with a new master Pintu.
Pundarkshaya Panda was the only Brahmin
in the entire Panchayat who received the donation of cow. It was his family tradition which he was committed to continue. All other stoped taking cow as a donation.
Who could take their care? It was a problem for him too. He was staying alone in
village. Both of his sons were now employed in the city. Agricultural helps were
not available. Cheap rice scheme made labour class people reluctant to work, he
cursed. He knew he was unable to take care of the animals however he was
reluctant to stop the tradition. He had some responsibility for the common
people in the society. How could he stop sailing someone’s boat towards the entry
gate of heaven? It was his inner feeling not greed. Had he any right? Our
forefathers did it. He was in no mood to stop taking this difficult donation.
It was a big responsibility.
So he prescribed Pintu the time method
and logistics for the small ritual.
Now Ruki was gifted to Pundarikshaya.
Pundarikshya had a method. He any how
kept the new animal for some period.He delegated the work of disposing the
animal to needy people at a nominal price to one Pabitra who was trustworthy.
Pabitra played a villain without
Pundarikakshaya’s knowledge. He sold all such animals in a distant market and
to traders supplying to slaughter houses at Kolkata. He deceived
Pundarikakshaya in a very fine manner. to Pundarikakshaya who now felt relieved.
Ruki was taken to a different market where
Pabitra sold her to the traders after doing all lawful formalities.
That was a very successful market day
for the one trader group as their rival group for some reason did not come to
the market.
Transport facilitators who charged some money
from the traders to facilitate smooth passage till they reach Kolkata. They were
a kind of Mafias. That day because of their cheap purchase the mafia group
demanded more which the traders declined to give.
A conflict started when the mafias
telephoned to the cow savior unit of the circle in secret. Now they allowed the
transport without taking their price.
Ruki was packed in side the carrier of
the truck that was packed up to its full capacity. None liked to hear Ruki
crying Khairun Hamma! Khairun Hamma! Khairun Hamma as the truck moved some
miles to reach Abantipur where the cow savoir unit was ready to snatch these
animals to set them free in front of camera.
Ruki didn’t know where to move. Wherever she went someone drove her out. No one was ready to keep such a healthy and productive cow free of cost! Ruki now joined the group of above
fifty destitute cows staying in the government hospital’s open space. No
shelter, no protection from rain and sun. No social status. Whenever the moods
of the staff made them remember the cows’ existence the only thing they did was
to drive them out of the campus to some distance from where they returned back
as soon as the staff returned.
When someone succumbed to death no one
was interested for its cremation. After taking a heavy amount two sweepers came
and carried them to the village cow field to throw the caracass.
Ruki only cried at her top Khairun
Hamma, Khairun Hamma, and Khairun Hamma!
Where was Khairun Hamma? Possibly this
thread would help Hati to reach the noble lady that made Ruki’s journey a full
circle and she got back her right place right care.
(Dedicated to those golden time of two
months in 1983 when the author
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