BAIKENAMA2

                                 

BY

SHRIDHAR    TILVE

TRNSLATED

BY

PRIYANVADA NARVEKAR-PARKAR

CHAPTER 2 : SOCIALLING BIKE (BIKES IN KILLARI)

           

When I had purchased the motor bike I was unaware about its maintenance. The awareness came when I had gone to Killari(Latur, Maharashtra). Killari is a small village which became subject of excitement to me after the big earthquake on 30 september, 1993. I got the news about earthquake in Killari from my friend, Vivek. It was the biggest earthquake in the world so he possessed strange kind of proud about it.  His pride was Hindu pride. He told me this news in a strange way. Numbers of dead bodies were changing by hours and hours. Hundred killed…..thousand killed and after some time figures were increasing. It was difficult to understand exactly how many people are died. At that time Vivek came up with one idea.

“Let’s go to Killari.” Vivek said in a leadership voice.

“What would we do there?”  Bhau said in a shrill voice.

“Salya when would we get the opportunity to see the numbers of dead bodies.” Ramya said psychically and enthusiastically.

 “This experience won’t come except in the war. In near future we won’t experience such thing so better we do visit to Killari.” Professor Bhoite

“Even I would like to go. Thousands of fire pyres at one time would be a great long shot.” Film director Patil said.

“Would we only suppose to watch?” I

“What would we suppose to do? Government will do whatever they want to do.” Bhau.

“What does Government do in our country?” Vivek

“Either Government does anything or not we have to go.” I

“How many bikes do we have?” Anna

“Three.” Ramya

“Who would like to come?” I

No one raised their hands.

“Vivekya it was your idea and you are not coming?” I

“But I have to permission from home.”  Patil

“Patil you inform to your home I am leaving & also you inform my parents.” I said and flew.

It was midnight when I reached to Kilari. What I saw was not surely entertaining. Disintegrated houses, collapsed trees and people were lying dead!! Death had knocked at every door. With the door it had disintegrated whole house. This earthquake was like a set time bomb and it had blast on time. Which terrorist had done this act? Was each one of us responsible for it? Nobody was alive to go in death procession. Earthquake didn’t differentiate between hindu-muslim-maratha-backward……nobody. All were dead. People were starting to gather when I reached there. Some of them came for experiencing the thrill, some want a remembrance of seeing some incredible. Dead people were laid in front and live people were gathering around them to see. I thought I am seeing my death. That man who is lying dead in that house is me. That woman who took the wall in her breast is me. Earthquake is within me and I am dead. Death is within me who has destroyed me. Earth has defeated me and I am dead. Why did this people die? It is because earthquake occurred. Why did this earthquake occur? It occurred because of some movements in the layer of earth. Why did this layers moved? It’s because it was their natural necessity!! Layers moved so earth did moved, earth moved so moved men moved in the unmovable walk. We will move still earth is unmoved and we will remain unmoved when earth will move. We are living on earth’s mercy. Our life is a rebate of this land. (aapal jeevan hi hya jaminiae dilali sut aahe) One night earth refused to give rebates to these people. Could Lord Buddha would be alive if he would be at this place? Could Moses, Jesus, Mohammad would be able to survive? Could Lord RamaKrishna would be able to survive? Could earth give excuse to Saint Tukaram if he would be writing poetry (abhang) at this place? Chanakya, Shivaji might be laid in the same way if they would be here? What would happen to Napoleon and Sikandar? History is dead and people are gathered to see it. Geography of the earth had shaken and thousands of people became a part of the history. Even history is dead here.

One housefly is flying on the dead body but that dead body couldn’t do anything. But how does this housefly survived in this earthquake? How did land rebate her? Which blood is being searched by this mosquito on that woman’s body?  Does it possible to it to get that blood?

People are dead and many people are gathered around them. Live people…

Policeman with his hitting stick roaming everywhere. His attention is towards gold bangle of dead woman. First he saw us then shamelessly he starts removing the bangles. Bangles are stuck in her hand. He becomes more frustrated. He keeps his shoe on the hand of dead woman and tries to remove that bangle. Her hand loosens away and came out to his hand. Now her dead hand is in his live hand. He catches the wrest of dead hand and start pushing the bangle towards the arm. At last bangle falls down and he picked it up. His face is cover with extreme joy. Suddenly he realized my presence and he starts running. No one is saying anything to him because he is a policeman. He got the installment (tip / hapta) from dead woman and he is happy because his senior officer doesn’t get any share out of it.

Many people were left after this scene. I and one group of five to six people are stay behind. Group got the courage after people left away. They know that I am alone and can’t do anything. All attacked on the dead bodies. They are snatching every precious thing from each dead body. I am stunned. The person who can stop them has already gone with one golden bangle. Group has now become expert. They not even bother about me. They freaked out. Their work has finished. Nothing has left to snatch. Nobody was there to pick up those dead bodies. It is government’s work and government has supposed to do it. It is the work of social organization and government. Would government file a case if we pick up dead bodies without government’s permission? What is the work of government? Earthquake is not created by the government. Could government pick up the dead bodies? Could government sponsor the help? Why, how and to whom does government sponsor the help? Could government provide the treatment to the dead bodies? What does government does?

I am seeing my death and government is not doing anything.

Suddenly, thought of bike has come in my mind. An awareness touched me. Me bhanavar aalo. Had they taken my bike? I became insane and turned back. Bike was there. I was alive so they don’t think to rob my bike. Alive person can retaliate so perhaps they didn’t take my bike. I went to the bike and started to kick it but I heard yelling sound of one woman. I was surprised. Some one was alive in those thousands of dead bodies. I saw here and there. No one was there around me. There were few people but they were far away. I heard her voice again. I got down. May be some one is here near that triangular wall…no one is here. May be here? No one is there. May be some one is there where I was standing? No one. Again I heard the same voice. Yes, there that woman is there lying down under a huge wall on her breast.  Yes, she is alive. We didn’t realize her presence. She is trying to push that wall but it is impossible to her to do so.

She is pressed under the wall. I have tried to pull the wall unfortunately I was not Samson. I realized that it’s not a stone made wall. I couldn’t pull it with hands. I thought about a screw driver which was in the box of bike. I came near the bike and take out the screw driver. I started to dig out the wall. The wall has become hollow due to earthquake so it was easy to dig out. At last I take out that woman. She started screaming. What to do of such live screaming woman? Should I take her on my bike? Or should I carry her on my shoulder like Bhima? But who will take care of my bike? What if that group would appear again? Her yelling sound has increased. I pulled her legs and like a small child I kept her on front seat of my bike. I sat down at the back but I couldn’t reach at the handles. So I pushed that woman in front. Her eyes were suspecting me even in that condition. Would am I going to tease you from back side? I don’t have such thoughts in my mind.  I pushed her in front and started the bike. I reached near the people who gathered to see the site. They saw the poor condition of the woman and showed me the way to the medical camp.

People who reached first were wearing saffron clothes.  Other people came later. There were three medical camps but all were packed. We got the entry in one of them. Doctor said that her body has poisoned.

“Where did you find her?” Doctor asked.

I described the place.

“Oh, that place!!  Our social workers went there for several times but they didn’t saw her. You won’t find crowd there. That place is famous for ghosts. Would you like to drink water? Please have it.”  Doctor

I got up to leave.

“Where are you going? Please don’t leave. I am requesting you to take this lady to Dr. Kulkarni. At least he will save her legs. You know how it is difficult for a woman to live without leg.  You have a bike so I am requesting you. Please take her to Dr. Kulkarni.” Doctor

“Okay” I said.

Again I take her in front and kicked the bike. Doctor had told me to go as fast as possible. He told me name of disease in medical language but I didn’t realize it. I only understood that I have to go to the given address to admit that lady. Dr. Kulkarni will take care of her after that.

I moved forward to know what the lady wants to tell. Bike stopped unexpectedly. I changed the gear and kicked the bike. Bike was not ready to start. Road was quite. Vehicles were passing in between. Again I made a useless try to kick the bike.

“Damn it!! What happened to you?” I

 I got down but how should I start a bike and support the lady? I slowly picked up the lady and kept her on the right hand side of the bike. She thought I am leaving her on the road. I saw fear on her face.

“I will not leave you. There is some problem in the bike.” I screamed.

She heard that and smiled. I got the energy by seeing her to smile. I started to memories the parts of the bike. I opened the dickey for the manual. Unfortunately I didn’t get the manual. Which parts are connected to each other to make this bike? What is the structure of this bike? Compressor, grease, petrol, like a fool I was seeing at the bike. What is the mystery behind this bike? I don’t know how it has made. How could I know what’s wrong in the bike? Mechanic, where are you? I need your help. You are the person who knows the mystery of the bike. I started to look here and there to search the garage. Not a single shop! Some were there but they were closed. Where are the people vanished who were out to see the impact of earthquake?  Woman yelled again. Bike was still. Woman yelled again. Woman yelled again when I was supposed to leave in the search of mechanic. She yelled because may be she thought I am leaving her. Once again I screamed, “We need a mechanic. Garage man !! he will repair the bike.”

She smiled again.

I screamed in her ear,

“I am going to search him.”

She hard it and whispered something. I pretended to get her.

“I am going to search him” again I screamed in her ear.

She smiled.

I am walking. There are no shops but still I am walking. One, two, three and on the fourth step I turned to the left. It is very narrow lane. I turned a little aside. Not a single shop I got! Suddenly I heard the loud noise of truck and I realized something. Something very horrible!! I start to run. I came out of the lane. I start to run towards the bike. One truck has passed away. One tier of the truck has passed between the two legs of the woman. Finished! It’s all over! The end of the life! Nothing was happened to my bike but he didn’t saw the woman or he didn’t want to stop the truck? Woman was crushed. Oh my God! I should keep her on the left side. Why did I keep her on the right side? I had to give her the protection of bike. I didn’t give it and she crashed like sugarcane.

She wanted to tell me something. Whom was she talking? Did she talk about herself? Did she talk about her husband? Did she talk about her children? I couldn’t get what she wanted to talk. She died before saying anything.

Tears are rolling down on my cheek. I realized that I am crying.

I let me cry. Woman is dead and I am crying. After a long time I paid attention to the bike. I saw few drops of blood on it. I got up. I took the cloth out of the dickey and wiped on the drops. As if I am the murder of the woman and I don’t want let any kind of witness.

Sun was rising slowly. People were coming near to me but nobody wants to stop. I could not understand what to speak. After some time police inspector got down from the police van.

“What happen?” Inspector

“An accident” said somebody

“Who did this?” Inspector

“Sir, we don’t know. Ask this boy. He is here from the beginning.” Somebody

 Anxiously inspector came near to me and said,  

“You rascal, have you drove the bike on her?”

To hear this question I freeze.

“Hey hero, what am I asked?” inspector

Police constable had observe the body and while observing the area he said,

“Sir, wheels are not seemed to be bike. These wheels are of huge vehicles. It is may be Truck or bus.”

Then Inspector has inspected the area and body. He agreed with the police constable.

“You should open your mouth scoundrel. Constable, do the postmortem.” , Said the Inspector.

“Were you present when accident was taking place?” Inspector

  

“No” I

“Then why are you near this bike?” Inspector

I narrated the whole incident to him. His tone has changed.

“Death was in her fate. Her life had saved in the earthquake but she had lost her life in the truck accident.”  Inspector

“Okay, let’s go. Yes, young man, come with us. Get the bike inside the van.” He continued.

I sat down in the police van. Now van is running towards Kilari.

This incident taught me a lesson. Owning and driving a bike is not enough you should also have knowledge about how to repair a bike. I decided to learn it at least for two months from Ramya.         

Crowd was enormous when we reached to Kilari. Everybody was coming ahead for providing help. One good thing was my bike group was also reached there expect film-director Patil. He has  gone to direct a realistic movie at Matheran.

Three days we have devoted for work. We were away from all the isms and colors of the clothes. Here I had change my opinion about saffron color. These people were helping the victims with devotion. Red color arrived lately but later they were totally engrossed in the work.

We argued a lot when we have decided to return. But many of us told that they will be returning within two days. So we decided to return to home.

It is said that man lives lonely and dies lonely. But here many men had been dead together. Many had been injured together. I became suspected about the loneliness of man. In fact, everybody became suspected about it.

 Radha said, “My trust on existence has gone. Man live lonely is really a useless thought.” 

Vivek said, “Man lives alone and dies alone. When he is living he lives along with the others. Here who are dead are died alone. No one can die for others death.”

I said, “It is clear that we live along with others but we are not alone even at the time of our birth. When we take a birth we are sons for our mothers, heir for fathers, nephew for uncle, grandson for grandfather, future citizen for government but all these relations dies when we die. All the relations were died when these people breathe out their lives. We are not lonely.” ?

“Again you are thinking only about male.” Radha said furiously.

“You say it in feminine manner. When boys speak in masculine it also consist feminine gender.

When woman will speak in the feminine gender we will consider it even in masculine gender.” I replied

“Damn it!! Hell with your argument. Isn’t it great that we are alive? To burry the dead we have to be alive so start your bike. Lets go” Ramya said.

We started the bikes and flew.