Own and outsider.
(The third part of Memoir story: UMA)
It was a cool dawn of a late spring in 1990s. Everyone got surprised; Uma was not there, neither her chain. A decade ago, Tipu, our pet dog had vanished in a similar manner. We panicked as Uma always remained wild and attacked humans; specially the women of my family and those of the village. Everyone woke up and went in a search mission. Soon we became aware of the absence of another member, my father's age-old bicycle. Nobody gave importance to the absence of my elder brother Kartikchandra, who had recently retired from Indian army, as it was his drill time. However, we presumed that he might have deviated off his plan and went with Uma for a stroll. Normal activity went on till breakfast. Yet, my brother did not appear. No one, including my Bhaauja(his wife) had a clue. Villagers had not seen them. Mobile phones was not imagined in that period of time.
The day progressed. There was no reason to be worried. He was the second person, after my father, with whom Uma behaved as a pet. All trials to unchain and domesticate her had failed in the past fifteen years. The herd had abandoned her on road as a new-born for some mysterious reason. A human discarding a daughter did not surprise; but monkeys! How a monkey could have behaved so humanly! Some self-claimed experts opined that any newborn not capable of holding her mother, when falls down, is considered unfit and rejected by the herd. Another brother, late Sri Ashok, a Rama-bhakta, working in 120 battalion, Bhubaneswar, had saved her life. She had, since then, always remained wild. And chained; that made her more furious.
Brother did not return for lunch. Silence prevailed till the evening, when he came back with the chain and the cycle. He looked very tired and concerned; did not speak anything to anyone and refreshed himself. After taking a little bit of dinner, he confined himself in his room. But where did he leave Uma? And where did Uma go? The silence prevailed again. I do not remember what exactly was the conversation amongst the family members, the agricultural helps and the neighbors but it looked more ominous than silence. A hostile animal could be as dear as a wicked family member. One of the most significant day in my family. Somehow the night passed!
Next day I woke up late, to know that my brother had gone out with the cycle and Uma's chain. We did not bother; rather became really happy that the menace might be coming back. They returned in the late afternoon, Uma sitting on my brother's head, still as steel. She gulped down, probably, two litres of water before grasping a guava. My brother too was seen eating a happy lunch. The story unpacked.
May be his retirement, from defense service, inspired him with the sense to gift the animal her birth-right; Freedom. He wanted to release Uma in her natural habitat at Mahavinayak, about thirty-five kilometers away from my home. The mission boomeranged. Nearer to the place, hundreds of unfriendly monkeys came attacking. The prudence of mind of a Jawan saved both of their lives. He went in to a nearby water body. Later, a truck driver entered to a safe depth of water and helped them inside the driver's cabin. They moved till a good distance, to a no ape greenery. He was determined to make her free. He adapted some tricks to leave her and come back alone. But as he came back closer and closer to our home, his worries surged up, and up. What should happen to this unfortunate animal, once abandoned by her mother, when she galloped from tree to tree to reach the danger area? And what if she did attack the locals or vice versa?
All these questions made him sleepless. Cycling back to the place, he searched village after village; taking tips from people until he found Uma in the fourth. He was surprised as Uma came and sat on his head without any difficulties. All his attempts to feed her failed. Only after seeing her foster home, the creature could acknowledge her safety to drink and eat.
Her nature did not change and neither we could free her. She lived for several years and went to her heavenly abode in an uneventful death. Her savior, Baba Charushila Saran(late Sri Ashok) also left for his heavenly abode five years back.
(The third part of Memoir story: UMA)
It was a cool dawn of a late spring in 1990s. Everyone got surprised; Uma was not there, neither her chain. A decade ago, Tipu, our pet dog had vanished in a similar manner. We panicked as Uma always remained wild and attacked humans; specially the women of my family and those of the village. Everyone woke up and went in a search mission. Soon we became aware of the absence of another member, my father's age-old bicycle. Nobody gave importance to the absence of my elder brother Kartikchandra, who had recently retired from Indian army, as it was his drill time. However, we presumed that he might have deviated off his plan and went with Uma for a stroll. Normal activity went on till breakfast. Yet, my brother did not appear. No one, including my Bhaauja(his wife) had a clue. Villagers had not seen them. Mobile phones was not imagined in that period of time.
The day progressed. There was no reason to be worried. He was the second person, after my father, with whom Uma behaved as a pet. All trials to unchain and domesticate her had failed in the past fifteen years. The herd had abandoned her on road as a new-born for some mysterious reason. A human discarding a daughter did not surprise; but monkeys! How a monkey could have behaved so humanly! Some self-claimed experts opined that any newborn not capable of holding her mother, when falls down, is considered unfit and rejected by the herd. Another brother, late Sri Ashok, a Rama-bhakta, working in 120 battalion, Bhubaneswar, had saved her life. She had, since then, always remained wild. And chained; that made her more furious.
Brother did not return for lunch. Silence prevailed till the evening, when he came back with the chain and the cycle. He looked very tired and concerned; did not speak anything to anyone and refreshed himself. After taking a little bit of dinner, he confined himself in his room. But where did he leave Uma? And where did Uma go? The silence prevailed again. I do not remember what exactly was the conversation amongst the family members, the agricultural helps and the neighbors but it looked more ominous than silence. A hostile animal could be as dear as a wicked family member. One of the most significant day in my family. Somehow the night passed!
Next day I woke up late, to know that my brother had gone out with the cycle and Uma's chain. We did not bother; rather became really happy that the menace might be coming back. They returned in the late afternoon, Uma sitting on my brother's head, still as steel. She gulped down, probably, two litres of water before grasping a guava. My brother too was seen eating a happy lunch. The story unpacked.
May be his retirement, from defense service, inspired him with the sense to gift the animal her birth-right; Freedom. He wanted to release Uma in her natural habitat at Mahavinayak, about thirty-five kilometers away from my home. The mission boomeranged. Nearer to the place, hundreds of unfriendly monkeys came attacking. The prudence of mind of a Jawan saved both of their lives. He went in to a nearby water body. Later, a truck driver entered to a safe depth of water and helped them inside the driver's cabin. They moved till a good distance, to a no ape greenery. He was determined to make her free. He adapted some tricks to leave her and come back alone. But as he came back closer and closer to our home, his worries surged up, and up. What should happen to this unfortunate animal, once abandoned by her mother, when she galloped from tree to tree to reach the danger area? And what if she did attack the locals or vice versa?
All these questions made him sleepless. Cycling back to the place, he searched village after village; taking tips from people until he found Uma in the fourth. He was surprised as Uma came and sat on his head without any difficulties. All his attempts to feed her failed. Only after seeing her foster home, the creature could acknowledge her safety to drink and eat.
Her nature did not change and neither we could free her. She lived for several years and went to her heavenly abode in an uneventful death. Her savior, Baba Charushila Saran(late Sri Ashok) also left for his heavenly abode five years back.
Keep writing Rabi Sir.It was as if I was listening directly from you!
ReplyDeleteNow edited by Sayam. Hope it is better.
DeleteKeep encouraging. Thanks.