(Recap – In the last episode I mentioned about the Musical inclination of Aatma Ram Mama ji and his stern drive to follow the Gandhian ideology; specifically in prospectus to the increasing evil of drinking habit in village youth. How he maneuvered to check the bad habit of youth.)
At the juncture of the time, when he was about to get retired from the government teaching job, he managed to buy a Tractor for agriculture purpose. This he managed by getting the loan from the bank.The Tractor belonged to the Company, that recently been introduced in the market with this product.At the beginning, this company sold the single cylinder engine Tractor at a quite reasonable rate. At that time, Tractor had a cost of Rupee fifty thousand only. This Tractor helped Aatma Ram Mama to manage his medium scale arable land holding properly. As far as, on today I can ably count on, that Tractor kept on render its services for continuous years. The main reason was, he used it for his own personal use only and never had lent its services to any one in the village.
As I mentioned earlier, Aatma Ram mama and Gandhian ideology seemed to be amalgamated with one another. In his diurnal activities, he insisted on everything, that was Indian by its outlook, tradition and convention. Never he swerved from that.The paradigm of his deep affection with Gandhian Ideology was quite visible in his family wedding function parties. About the year of 1980, in almost all marriage functions in country side, the new trend of serving delicacies to guests, on table and chair sets and in crockery been introduced and was in vogue widely as well. This fashion later on transformed into buffet system.
To provide this kind of modern services, a good number of Tent-houses and Catering service Centers too got opened all around. But whole through his life Aatma Ram mama ji remained glued to the same old tradition of feasting the guests in his all kind of family functions. For that, he ever adopted the old pattern of smoothing out the rolls of jute – strips on the ground to make people sit upon that. The delicacies were served before guests on hand made Pattal ( in vernacular, some sizeable leaves joined to make a big leafy flat type dish.)
In the Menu, he ever insisted for rice and Daal, fried whey and porridge as sweet dish. The favorable thing was, people happened to to regard his Gandhian sentiments, that insisted to promote any thing Indian by culture. In the same year of 1980, the nuptial tie of his youngest son got fixed in a near by country side family. The house of the bride located at the distance of about 8 km by road. Though, at that time every village contained big, vast expanse of agriculture fields stretched all over; through these fields, on taking short cut, the distance on foot diminished to three to four km only. This distance was nominal for villagers to cover on foot.
It was the fashion of that time, whenever the marriage procession of a groom was proceeded to such a long distance, the arrangement of private bus to carry the guests was needed like an essential demand of the occasion. In our Indian culture, whenever a wedding of a boy is solemnized, distinguished (selected) guests are honored with invitation to attend the marriage procession. This special invitation carries a sentiment of “honorable guest,” and such invitees persons felt themselves as highly honored. Besides, at that period of time, attending of a marriage-procession had had an air of great merriment and cheers. All distinguished guests, at the inception of Barat (procession), when happened to board on such private bus, they felt highly elated. It was akin to present time boarding on aeroplane for air trip.
Since, my family being in close affinity with Aatma Ram Mama ji and I was to represent my family as distinguished guest for marriage procession. In that old era, every such marriage procession was scheduled to board at about four to five O’clock of evening time. All guests, with clamor in procession happened to reach at the prospective bride’s village. With all fancy bride groom would proceed to bride’s house accompanied with brass band party. Guests dancing on the tune of the band, after arriving there, guests were received cordially and served the dinner and were bound to have a night halt at some place arranged by the brides family. In common, this place was the community Center of the village.
In total, this entire venture of launching of marriage procession ever had been a thrilling cum joyful mission for distinguished guests. When time of launching of marriage procession of son of Mamaji approached, the eyes of all distinguished guests began searching for the arrival of the private bus to carry them to the destined place. But, there arrived only a “taxi-cab.” Such taxi cab ever needed to carry the bride groom, priest, his maternal uncle and his father separately in every such marriage. All guests were in dilemma, why private bus had not arrived.
Meanwhile, Aatma Ram Mama ji ordained his eldest son to bring the Tractor attached with “trolley” and announced, ” all guests will accompany the procession on being loaded on the trolley. The rugged mattress been smoothed out on the floor of the trolley for old people. rest of young people may travel on standing position. When I already have got Tractor -trolley for transporting the guests, why I should waste money on private bus? Guests, not preferring to go on the trolley,they may take short-cut on foot through and are requested to gather on the”community-center’ of the bride’s village.” This announcement was like explosion of a big bomb to all guests, but the Ora of Aatma Ram Mama ji was so great, no one could dare oppose his dictum.
It was but natural, guests all had come attired in good apparel and well spruced, neither they could board on the trolley nor ignore the dictum of Mama ji. To such well trimmed guests, the order to get loaded on the trolley was akin to putting their position as inferior, as if, they were some laborer and being carried to harvest the crop of some land lord. Some of ageing guests followed the “short-cut’ through the fields on foot in group. Others who were local villagers, they rushed back to home to take possession of the bicycle and rode on that to attend the Baraat (procession.)
Now, the rest of guests, who were like me, they anyhow had to attend the procession. Hence we all loaded ourselves on the trolley. With us the members of the brass-band party to got loaded. One thing was obvious; the distinguished guests of every kind, be that on footer or bicycle rider or us, all had in us a now a strong malice for Aatma Ram Mamaji and his Gandhian ideology germinating inside in our heart. Though young people like me had some “special attraction” to attend this procession, which I will narrate in coming episode. (End of the Part 3). Penned by — Vinay Pharasi —–
