THINKING BIG TOO EARLY

Schooling period of 7^th standard of one year ended as replica of my earlier school days. But I thought a bit more enlightened and experienced than other boys of my age due to my adventures in dreamlands! During this period I evolved a separate script for our external correspondence. I laid out its format, alphabets, its meaning and way of writing and described it in detail with my locality boy named Kashiram (real name). The new script was not for postal correspondence. We started exchanging notes in this script and then knew from each other as to whether we could decipher its meaning. And surprisingly it worked more than expected.

Now what next? Was the biggest problem before us. To study further was must. As we all knew message of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar “Educate”. So all members said I must go to school for further study. But how? Nobody had any solution.

Reason to discuss was there was no high school after 7^th standard in our village. And to study further after 7^th standard meant I must go to Khamgaon, a Taluka place or to Shegaon. To go to these towns was like a dream for me and almost insurmountable task for my family.  Raghunath had left 4^th standard and got employed on yearly basis to tend cattle only to enable me to pursue my study in the village. His yearly salary was Rs. 48/- i.e. monthly Rs. 4/-. As I stated earlier he used to send me for his work and remain absent so that I could get his meals at his employer’s home, whenever we had acute food problem and such occasions were more than rare.  My ambition was to become a big man. What and how? For this I had no explanation. My utterances like “If I failed to achieve it and overcome our poverty I will prefer to die” were known to my family. But were they senseless, childish and ridiculous? I did not know! Days after days passed and we could not solve the problem. Helplessness was writ large on the faces of my family members whereas I was nervous! I was not going to any work. My mother was worried to see me so silent. My elder brother was not even talking about my further study as he failed in all his efforts to manage some money for my further education.

  

 Suddenly I started going for work independently. I would go to the

bank of the river, which was full of trees, bushes and creepers. As the

water was available in the river, the honey beehives were always there. I would collect it and sell in our village. None from my family made any inquiry about me due to our pitiable condition.

And again one day I ran away from the house! I got in train at Shegaon to Mumbai. Again the same place, same situation and same nightmares! This time there was a little difference. From my earnings I had saved some money from which I purchased half ticket. Secondly I got the address of Krishna Sawdekar who was staying in Mumbai and importantly I had experience of the previous journey to Mumbai. So I was mentally fully prepared to face the difficulties and since I always gave auto commands to myself that “you have to be a big man and overcome this degraded life”, it was really building my confidence. He rolled down his eyes from my head to toe contemptuously and said – “Do not do it again. Do not consider yourself a child. I will leave you but be careful in future”. The ticket collector saw my half ticket and thrust it into my hand. He encountered me at Bhusawal station. In a way he was right. I was 7^th standard pass and should have purchased full ticket, as I was aware of it. But I had no money.

 This time I had no difficulty to come out from the Boribunder railway station. I had also seen Crawford market and job opportunities there. A fruit seller engaged me to call the customers. The shop owner offered me food in the afternoon, which in fact was much required for me. In the evening he again gave food and four annas. I got some place in front of the shop to sleep in the night. Three-four days passed very well and I thought I got a stepping-stone to climb up. There was one customer coming daily to purchase fruits and after some talk with my employer would leave. One day I heard him saying I was a good boy and educated. I will do a good job. Then he said to me – “You are educated one and this job is not good for you”. He also said that he would give me a better job and more money.

He then said something to my employer and asked me to follow him. He took me to hotel and provided meal. It was tasty and delicious and so much that I had seen first time such food in my life. That reminded me my mother and family. In fact when I realized impossibility of my further education because of my family’s deplorable condition and total

sdark days in my village before me, I said to myself that come what may but I must leave the village and go back to Mumbai which had already shown me its glittering wealthy face. And I must go without talking to my family members, especially my mother who would cry days and nights, who would not allow me to go anywhere and keep watchful eye on my movements.

“Now let us go”, the man said and we walked some distance. He asked me to wait and entered a room. After a few minutes he came out with a woman who looked at me, nodded and disappeared in the room. The man came to me and gave some money telling to stand there only. When I looked around there were only women of all ages everywhere in all the rooms. It took me no time to understand that it was the locality of prostitutes and the man wanted me to work as a pimp. I stood there like a statue.

After few minutes he came back and tried to brief me about the job. But as I had already anticipated it, I was inattentive to him, which angered him and he abused in all possible vulgar Marathi and threatened with dire consequences. Moment he moved from there, I availed the opportunity and ran away. I was walking without knowing the direction. Exhausted physically, I stopped a few minutes and found at marine drive where I had been earlier. I just lied and went in a sound sleep.

When I woke up in the morning hearing the sound of the tram, I was mortally afraid to see down the roaring sea waves. Had a slight change in my sleep, I would have met certain death as the width of the shore wall was very narrow. From the Marine Drive I unmindfully walked and reached at Gateway of India. There under the tree I noticed a long queue of young boys standing without shirts and shoes. When I inquired one of them told me that there recruitment for military was being done. I too stood in the queue. When my turn came the R.O. asked me whether I would go to Boys Battalion as I was underage for ‘Sepoy’. He told my salary in BB would be Rs. 12/- monthly and for ‘Sepoy’ it was more Rs. 27/-. Thinking Rs. 12/- would not help my family I declined and moved back to the Marine Drive. Then I got in tram and reached Kings Circle near Arora Cinema Theatre. I started inquiring for job there. Then meaninglessly started walking on the road and reached Victoria Garden.

 I was sitting. “Raoji! How are you here”! Who knows my name in this garden? I looked up and immediately recognized him. He was Pritam

Kumar (real name)! What a coincidence. He was from my village. I narrated him the story. He too was aware of our condition. “Raoji, first eat something, you must be hungry”. He took me to a nearby hotel. He advised me to go back to our village and continue my education. Further he said he had been in Mumbai for the last 20 years but still he was doing some odd jobs and sleeping on the footpath. I put on good dress only when I came to our village. He said he would buy my ticket but I must go back. But I was determined and adamant. He passed some time. Then he said, “Raoji, your brother Gunaji and your family have good relations with my family. Why don’t you go to them?” In fact Pritam Kumar was much closer family wise to the Krishna Sawdekar family. I told him that I had his address but I lost it somewhere.

 He took me to the area. From a distance he showed me Krishna’s room and told me that the name of the locality was ‘Rawali Camp Koliwada’. He did not accompany me and when he saw me talking to a woman whom I too knew, stealthily Pritam Kumar went away. I told her who brought me there. But there was no reaction from her about him. I too could notice that I was not happily welcomed.

After 2 days Krishna Dada’s mother asked me to accompany her for selling vegetables. She was selling it from home to home in that locality which I found was dominated by our caste people. Also I observed that Mr. Krishna Sawdekar – as he was known by his initials K.J. was regarded a very respectable social worker, associated with senior leaders of political parties and worker’s unions.

After 3-4 days their neighbour’s boy took me to Bandra where a taxi dashed me and threw out on the road. The boy ran away but the people around forced the taxi driver, who was really at fault, to take me to the hospital. They put me in the taxi. As I was weeping, he asked me our address and instead of hospital he drove to Rawali Camp Koliwada. There was crowd in front of the room. He took me out, paid some money in the house and hurriedly drove away.

 As it was a big family, K. J. was the only earning member. They were staying in a room of old military barracks and it was a big slum area.

His younger brother was suffering from epilepsy and was married living

with wife and children in the same room, I would take him to hospital for treatment. In short I had become already a burden on the family and now with accident I became a liability. Thank God! I recovered soon as injuries were minor at both the knees.

Mr. K.J. was working in the “Swadeshi Mill” at Kurla as a jobber or some technician. One day I went to his workplace to find out a job. But in the mill there was no job for me due to my age. There was a small hut type hotel near to the gate of the mill. Casually I asked the owner if he could give me a job in his hotel. He looked at me from head to toe and asked if I could start working immediately. He offered me Rs. 4/- monthly, two times meals and a cup of tea. I accepted the offer immediately and joined the boys inside.