This was one of those days when I used to do morning shift and had got delayed in office, I knew to get a cab at 6:30pm would be tough. Whenever I have left office after 5pm, it has taken me more than a half-hour to get a taxi. I have a daughter to get back to, she starts asking for me after 4:30pm. I reached my office gate in lower Parel, the corporate office hub in Mumbai. But it was probably my lucky day, the first cab that came was ready to take me to Navi Mumbai.
Dawn was meeting dusk, I could feel the fresh sea breeze on my cheeks, the "Kali Peeli" taxi was running faster than I remember they could. We were on the highway to Navi Mumbai, when my driver received a call. He cut the bell twice, but the caller wasn't getting the hint. He kept calling again and again. Courteously he asked me if he could take that call. I said, "Yes, of course, if it's important", having said that I got back to listening to my songs. He quickly finished his call, and we were on the road again.
Just about two-three minute later, the driver looked back, as if trying to gather some courage to ask something. I asked him "Kya Hua Bhaiya? " he immediately said, "App se ek advice leni thi madam." I wasn't too sure why he wanted advice from me, but I decided to listen. So, got my earplugs out and was all ears to him, "Haanji Poochen".
He began by telling me his name, he was Rahim and belonged to eastern UP. He continued and said to me that the man on the phone is asking him to take a loan on his behalf for a car that he wants to buy. He would run it as a Taxi in Mumbai. I asked him, do you know him, is he your relative? Rahim said this person is known to someone in the village, but he doesn't know him so well; also, he was confused if he should go ahead with this or not.
He then went on to tell me his story, Rahim has a daughter who is studying in class 12th and wants to become a doctor. He came to Mumbai when he was 17 as old as his daughter is now. Rahim learnt driving while working as a helper in a garage. At 18 he got his licence and was lucky to get the job of a private driver to a government official.
As he started earning good money, he bought a Kholi in Mumbai. He had two younger brothers, and he wanted them to study and work in the city. He made arrangments for both of them to come to Mumbai. The youngest one went to school, but the middle one would run off from school every now and then. He didn't want to study but was interested in driving. The youngest one did his necessary studies and took to tailoring. He was so good that designers come to him to get their garments stitched. He told me his dream of educating his brothers didn't come through, but he will fulfil his daughter's dream. He is working hard day and night to earn money for her admission in a medical college.
All this brought us back to the fellow on the call who wants him to take a car loan. Listening to him and his dreams, I told him that he should not take this loan. One, because he doesn't need it, two he might need to take a loan for his daughter's admission and three one should be careful because if something happens to the car and this fellow runs away, for example after an accident, then he would be dragged into it.
He seemed to agree with my advice and said something that struck me, "Waise bhi hamare dharm waalon ko phasaane ke bahane dhondte hain aaj kal."
I didn't say a word after that, I did not even reassure him that no its not true, everybody is not the same. I don't know why, but I felt guilty. He believed in me, wanted my advice, and there is this feeling within him that has developed over the past few years, and I can really not do much about it. Over the years, minds have been groomed to think in a particular way, the privileged majority is bragging and basking in their own glory. Anybody who talks about equality and secularism is an anti-national liberal. The counter-arguments of most of the discussions are rooted in history. The history which is not understood with an open mind and heart. All those who came and stayed here this land belongs to them, all of us who live on this land today called India, belong here, irrespective of the religion, caste, creed we follow. Isn't it simple? Can't we just be human?
"Madam, bataiyega kaunsi building," his voice got me back to where I was. I got down from the cab, gave him money, he said "Aapka bahut shukriya meri uljhan door karne ke liye."
Dawn was meeting dusk, I could feel the fresh sea breeze on my cheeks, the "Kali Peeli" taxi was running faster than I remember they could. We were on the highway to Navi Mumbai, when my driver received a call. He cut the bell twice, but the caller wasn't getting the hint. He kept calling again and again. Courteously he asked me if he could take that call. I said, "Yes, of course, if it's important", having said that I got back to listening to my songs. He quickly finished his call, and we were on the road again.
Just about two-three minute later, the driver looked back, as if trying to gather some courage to ask something. I asked him "Kya Hua Bhaiya? " he immediately said, "App se ek advice leni thi madam." I wasn't too sure why he wanted advice from me, but I decided to listen. So, got my earplugs out and was all ears to him, "Haanji Poochen".
He began by telling me his name, he was Rahim and belonged to eastern UP. He continued and said to me that the man on the phone is asking him to take a loan on his behalf for a car that he wants to buy. He would run it as a Taxi in Mumbai. I asked him, do you know him, is he your relative? Rahim said this person is known to someone in the village, but he doesn't know him so well; also, he was confused if he should go ahead with this or not.
He then went on to tell me his story, Rahim has a daughter who is studying in class 12th and wants to become a doctor. He came to Mumbai when he was 17 as old as his daughter is now. Rahim learnt driving while working as a helper in a garage. At 18 he got his licence and was lucky to get the job of a private driver to a government official.
As he started earning good money, he bought a Kholi in Mumbai. He had two younger brothers, and he wanted them to study and work in the city. He made arrangments for both of them to come to Mumbai. The youngest one went to school, but the middle one would run off from school every now and then. He didn't want to study but was interested in driving. The youngest one did his necessary studies and took to tailoring. He was so good that designers come to him to get their garments stitched. He told me his dream of educating his brothers didn't come through, but he will fulfil his daughter's dream. He is working hard day and night to earn money for her admission in a medical college.
All this brought us back to the fellow on the call who wants him to take a car loan. Listening to him and his dreams, I told him that he should not take this loan. One, because he doesn't need it, two he might need to take a loan for his daughter's admission and three one should be careful because if something happens to the car and this fellow runs away, for example after an accident, then he would be dragged into it.
He seemed to agree with my advice and said something that struck me, "Waise bhi hamare dharm waalon ko phasaane ke bahane dhondte hain aaj kal."
I didn't say a word after that, I did not even reassure him that no its not true, everybody is not the same. I don't know why, but I felt guilty. He believed in me, wanted my advice, and there is this feeling within him that has developed over the past few years, and I can really not do much about it. Over the years, minds have been groomed to think in a particular way, the privileged majority is bragging and basking in their own glory. Anybody who talks about equality and secularism is an anti-national liberal. The counter-arguments of most of the discussions are rooted in history. The history which is not understood with an open mind and heart. All those who came and stayed here this land belongs to them, all of us who live on this land today called India, belong here, irrespective of the religion, caste, creed we follow. Isn't it simple? Can't we just be human?
"Madam, bataiyega kaunsi building," his voice got me back to where I was. I got down from the cab, gave him money, he said "Aapka bahut shukriya meri uljhan door karne ke liye."
No comments:
Post a Comment