(Recap – In the last episode, I mentioned how I chanced to follow a down ward path track, that begun from the edge of the huge field like lawn of the Ferede village Home Stay. The track led me to a farm house owned by an Englishman. There English man invited me inside his place and offered some drinks. There during that sitting he began with an interesting story. The story was lengthier and still continued.)
English man continued the story
The English man again took the thread of the story in hand and began, ” The major problem that surfaced up was, as per the planned map, the digging of canal was obstructed because of the presence of a small hill in its prescribed way. It was impossible to cut the hill from top to bottom. But a solution was sorted out. At the same place, it was decided to construct the canal under ground by digging a tunnel. Obviously it was man made underground tunnel about the length of hundred meter. This helped to maintain the flow of the canal water level. You see, today, it may sound a minor thing, but at that time it was a miraculous job for every one. I am talking of the era of the first decade of the last century. Further such types of tunnels were too needed to get constructed at two more places.”
English man took a pause for a while and spoke, ” Some other hurdles too surfaced up but removed easily. At some places to maintain the water level of the canal, the siphon system were applied. The road that comes from the main city side too passes over such siphons. Some how, the construction of major canal got finished. Then this major canal got bifurcated into various branches to facilitate the water supply to a much wider region. You won’t believe, this canal helped irrigating hundreds of thousands of acres of land. Still it’s in working condition as usual. From my this place towards the main city, at a distance of five km, now a days a water filter plant is installed to purify the drinking water. No doubt, that is installed by the local administration. It’s just on the side of major canal, visible from the road. That plant supplies the water to a big population.
Servant Roop lal came back
The narration of English man was interrupted by the arrival of servant Roop lal. He seemed to come back after collecting goods from the transporting truck. It was about 4.30 p m when Roop lal made himself appear back from upper side. It’s phenomenal in hill sides that here sun seems to arise late and sets down earlier. The evening darkness we witness about 6.00 p m in plain sides, the same shadow falls here much earlier. This because of the fact, sun arises from behind the hill in the morning and takes some time to rise up. Likely at the evening it sets down behind the hill before the time.
Suddenly, the ferocious bark of the dogs sounded from behind the bungalow side. In an alert mode Roop Lal came out of the bungalow with a gun in hand. I could easily identify the gun. It was a majestic, old timed British made double barrel gun of a renowned ordnance factory. He made some gestures mutely, that could be grasped by his master only.
Mountain Leopard
English man Mr Frederick Viole looked at me and said placidly, ” this is hilly track and mountain leopards often visit the human populated area to hunt the dogs. You know, they are fond of dog flesh.” Now he took hold of the gun and affectionately smoothed his hand over the barrel of gun. That was again the moment that made run a chilled sensation down my spine. Abruptly his half drowsed eyes flashed like a wolf eyes. The xanthic, watery eyes suddenly began to look so ferocious and blood shot. Both they disappeared behind the bungalow side. After some jiffies, the loud bang of gun shot reported. It kept resonating for a long, vibrating the surrounding hills. The sound made an impression, as if, merely an air shot was charged.
Both they appeared in verandah after some minutes. Roop lal took back the gun from the hand of the master and silently moved inside the bungalow as usual. English man again resumed to his seat. He again commanded to fill up the glasses with liquor. It was our third round. To me the spell of drinks was akin to ” high on the sky” category. The truth is, the tipsiness of liquor I happened to enjoyed that day, never again I could reach to that degree of tipsiness in my future life. I still again and again recall the incidence and the fact, that amazes me, is about the entire conversation. Though I felt myself fully inebriated, but every word of narration of English man inscribed in my memory.
Dedication of Canal by the Commissioner
After taking a swig, English man resumed the dropped story, ” at that period of time, to inaugurate and dedicate the canal to public welfare, the British Commissioner was invited. At that time the only commissioner of the region happened to sit in Meerut district of the United province. English man was right to narrate this fact. In those far- off- days, the western side districts of the present Utter Pradesh inclusive of recent born Utterakhand province came under the jurisdiction of Meerut Commissioner.
English man continued, ‘ When the Commissioner arrived and heard about the accomplished project, he inspected the entire length of the net work of the canal on his jeep car. He was highly impressed by this charity. He asked my father if he as a Commissioner can do some favor to my father. Till that time, my father too had been fascinated with the natural beatitude of this location. This made him to request to the Commissioner to grant some landed property here only. In pursuance to the request added with the recommendation of friend, the same retired Civil Engineer, he was granted this entire locality. This entire territory of upper side village and this terrain got leased upon his name. Upon lease being granted to my father’s name, my father brought a good number natives from the neighboring hill sides to be settled here. The upper side village land too was ‘sub- leased” to them by my father. They are well settled now there.”
For a moment English man maintained a silence. The story was very interesting and I was so curious to listen further contents of the story. Again he caught the end of the thread of the story, ” In upper side location, more than two third of the portion of the landed property was gifted to poor natives by my father. You can understand it in the way, when from the main road you meander down, the left side flank of village populated area, I am mentioning about that. But the huge field and the land, upon which the “Home stay” is erected over, is still under my direct domain. Those poor natives of Home Stay living in a misconception. They think how and why English Sahib can come to take back the possession of his land. These natives have forgotten the potency of we Britishers and take us as powerless.” (End of the part 7th of the ghost story) – Penned by — Vinay Pharasi …..
