World at odds (WAO)

Chapter after Death
It was a sad expression, an expression he has worn on his face for the first time. Paki had grieved the most; he has been the one emulating him for most of his life. I had reached the funeral services five minutes ago, and was pleased to see so many familiar faces on the last journey of this man, we had known for all these years. We all have been guessing all these years, when it will happen, as the sign of the inevitable were in plenty. He knew his destiny or I shall say he has screwed his destiny all along. I was imagining it to be a big crowd, but rain has made it a small procession. Old blokes too has reservation, he should have meet the fire, rather than rest with others. Even in his death, he did not miss the chance to mock life; something he had contemplated all these years. His will has clearly stated his last wish; he wanted to be cremated like a Catholic, not like a Hindu which he had been from birth. He wanted to be cremated like a Pharo, I should say. His pit now was having his smoke pipe, his guitar and his favorite pairs of sneakers. He had planned for his other half of journey in advance. I had never made my mind to adore this person or hate him. He had been eccentric sometimes, philosophical on rest of the occasion and unpredictable most of the times. I was today attending the last rites of a man, whom we had known all these years by the name of
Dhroh “the rebel”. He was not in the league of Che or created a cult like Kurt, but he had really touched us all in some way or the other.
I wanted to leave early, but Chika has hold my hand tight. He was standing in the last row and was the one of the few to know this man from his early days. He looked towards the big Deodar tree and I saw few faces from past. I had been given the hint; I cannot leave the town today. He has to be discussed and summarized for once and all. He does not have the right to haunt us, he has to disappear today with answers to all mysterious he has created in these years.
We were sitting in Rony’s bar or I shall say the “Haze”. Rony was the elder brother of Dhroh and had bought this bar 6 months back. He was the only person to knew him from birth. Rony was 7 year elder to him and I consider him to be real force all these years in helping Dhroh leave his live the way he wanted. Rony and Dhroh were born to an American father and an Indian mother, they grew up in Pensulvania. Their mother and father were renowned surgeons. Fate has tested the brothers too early in their life. They lost both of thy parents in a road accident and were forced to come to India to live with their maternal grandparents very next and closed relatives. If I remember correctly Dhorh was 15 when I fisrt met him in school and his brother starts taking care of his grandpa’s timber business. By the way Dhorh was a
name given to him by us, his parents has named him Mukesh and by love they use to call him Mickey. Mukesh Andrew Patton was a strange name for an American; his brother was Rakesh Andrew Patton, another strange name by thy parents.
Let me come back to Rony. Rony was fellow in two contrast color, black or white. Dhroh has once told me, back in states his brother was very lively and free will, but he has never recovered after thy parent’s death. He seems to all of us a sensitive person with all the qualities to make a businessman. He used to help us financially all those years of growing up, not for the reason he had money but for the reason he can always take interest out of our services to him. He was one of the first people to understand Dhroh and was the person who had helped his brother lives his destiny.
We were sitting in Haze and had observed few differences to the last time we had seen this place. Few of the posters have been replaced by one of Dhroh and the music had been the mix of Dhorh’s like with sporadic feeds of his poem recital. I thought this to be a brother’s tribute but even I knew Dhorh was too good to be soul brother of all of us.
We were band of seven brothers who had been part of his short life. Two people were missing, one I suppose was his love of life Kira and the other was Abdul. I had been informed Abdul will be late for the rendezvous. For me it will always be Abdul, one of the main reasons for losing Dhorh at such a fine age. The seven of us were like seven stages of life from Shakespeare’s poem. Other than me there was Paki, I had already introduced him briefly to be the chief mourner. Paki was my first cousin and it was due to me he had got close to Dhorh, I had left him a few years back but my young cousin has the audacity to follow him and choosing him over me, when one day it comes to decision. The third person of this group was Bounty. Bounty was a Bushranger, in the spirit of Ned Kelly. He being there was the greatest proof of Dhroh’s ever infectious personality. I heard they meet up somewhere in Nepal and last time they parted off finally was after two years in some place in Burma. Paki, Ned, me and Chika were sitting across the big room. I forgot to talk about Chika. He was my best friend from the very day I have understood the meaning of friendship. Chika has the gift of being friend and enemy with anyone with ease. I think I will talk about him and Dhroh in chronological order, but for now, It is enough to know, Dhorh has acknowledged him to be part of his soul.
Sonam was also in this room, but he was more comfortable in talking with Rony and were standing away from us. All that I knew about this Tibetian fellow was that once he was a hunter and then with Dhorh he had gone on the Karma spin. But lately I have heard him for being into drugs and all such stuff. Hard to believe, but this too can be true.
Two people were left to join the bunch of chosen ones. I think if Dhroh was ever hurted in his life this people were the one, who would be it. Ahmed was our one year senior to us in school. Our association with him has been a strange one. He was the best guitar player or any kind of musician in our college, till he was displayed by Dhroh, into oblivion. His relation with Dhorh was of hate and jealousy, but Dhroh has his own way of rating people. About Kira,I can only tell you that, she was born to love someone to ruin him. Somewhere even I feel pity for her, but somewhere I feel did her best for him. It is hard for me to relate the life of Dhroh without her involvement.
Coming back to the topic of contention, why we were invited to this place. It was Dhroh’s wish; he knew he can get us under one roof, only when he won’t be around. He was there, I saw Abdul standing next to a tall beautiful gal, wait I know this gal. She was Kira? But what she was doing with Ahmed. Chika pinched me and asked me not to stare like
this. They joined us on the table and once all were settled, Rony and Sonam too joined in.
Rony took out 7 envelopes out of his pocked and placed them on table. Everyone was looking with apprehension, for what will be in these envelopes? Rony has few words to speak here, I thought. He told us “I know you all here today, coz you have loved this man like me. He was my brother and my only kin. You all were part of his planned journey. I had few things to share across with you guys, he had left behind. He made these 7 envelopes for you guys. I do not know the content of this envelope, but he assured me, it will solve the mystery of his journey, make sure to open them in chronological order. Take them with you and come back to this place tomorrow. I still remember the words he once said as this very place when Sam left us; you never come back to life from death, as things there are better. He will not come back, but something will live among us. Other thing which you all wanted to know, about his last few days, I will tell you guys for sure, but as requested by him, It cannot happen till tomorrow. He had a planned death, so we need to give this respect. I am highly obliged to see you all and will arrange for stay of all out of towners”. He was a man of few words; best way of answering him was by nodding and picking your envelope and leaves his inn. Ahmed and Kira were the first to rush out. The four of us had planned to hang out at Chika’s place and talk till
wee. Sonam, I think had his own place and would be leaving on his own. Rony has some kind of relief on his face.
Chapter II (The number one)
We reached Chika’s hut, it was a modest place for a practicing Physician. The way he changed over all these years, has left me astonished. He has always been a man of Zero or One. There has been no other value in between. I think he was a big zero in school days and today he is a one, thanks to Dhroh’s influence. He just moved into the city, after working religiously in Tribal areas and even know he is working out of his stipulated time to nurse the under privileged. Way to go doc, you had made the difference to this world.
I bought two bottles of old monk to commiserate the loss of one young monk. No reason to drink rum, was the best reason to get drunk, I was made to think this way and I was still thinking the same way. We all were there and somewhere restless to see what was inside our envelopes. Bounty made us all few Indian style pegs and we cheered
for the memory of the first monk. We all opened our envelope to find one more envelope inside. On mine, it was written number one and similar numbers were on others envelope. Paki was infuriated for some strange reason, I got it, he thought it was our rating of friendship with him. I asked what his number is and he told 5. Chika replied his was 6 and Kelly had 4 on it. I found no relation to all this. It was by no means a rating; he has obtained a higher level of wisdom at young age. I told them “Rony has asked to keep things in chronology and we need to open our envelope in order and solve this mystery. I was number 1 and we have to find the other number and the content of those envelopes to make a link.
Paki was a restless young boy, just out of his teen; he took no time to open my envelope. He was dumb stuck. The paper in my envelope has something like this written on it
X2 – 4X + 4 = 0
The three of them for sure, were not having a clue what this was all about. I had a silent smile of a monk on my face, I knew what it all wanted us to remind. This was the sign of arrival of Dhroh in India, I should say into our lives. It was all start of his journey, into the
unknown. I think X was hinting towards the unknown and this solution being solvable, meaning we being around him.
Someone patted on my back and asked me “did you have it, what this was?” Yes, I did. But something made to tell me each and everything about him. I was his first friend in India and I think that was one of the reasons for the number 1 envelope. I told them “It has to do with our first meeting, do you want to hear all?” I think they did, they seemed to be focused, and they too have idolized him like me.
Ok guys, this all started in summer of 94. If I am not wrong it was the year we lost Kurt and Brazil won the WC. We all were back in school, after our vacation. It felt like an accomplishment to be in 10th standard, you feel taller than most people around, you feel lot many other things. New crushes, new heart aches, life was fun with lots of new things coming in your life and head. I had topped the 9th grade and this year again started with a motive to beat the others. 9:00 am after the daily prayer, we were back in our classes. There was one tall young boy, sitting on the last bench of our class. This guy, had English features and something alien about him. Mrs. Sharma was our class teacher and she had the ritual of scolding us, even before we wished her. So there she was in front of the black board, grounding us even before we get time to think. She introduced the young guy sitting on
the last bench. “ Boys and gals, he is Mukesh Andrew Patton and he will be your new classmate, and he is the grandson of Deewan Satyanand ji, so make him comfortable in this place, he was in US till last month, when some unavoidable incidents made him to move to India.” That was the first and last we come to knew about this boy for a month. He was a recluse, lost and totally out of sort. He had not done a single task in this one month and I think he did not talked to a single person in that period. I knew his worst time was near, our teachers can tolerate indiscipline but cannot take we guys not studying.
I think our Maths teacher was in sleeping mode till this time. We use to call him the bearded mouse; his mouth was too small to ever visible in his beard. He had not checked our assignment for a month. Mr. Mouse, not exactly he was called Mr. Rajdan has already counted the note books. One book was missing and he was furious like a bull. I knew where this bull will run and hit. But for the first time this bull was going to have a bad run, he was going to hit the wall. He asked Dhroh to stand up and answer the reason for not doing his assignment. No answer comes from him that was enough to make him more restless. He asked him few simple questions, I think the simplest of them was what is 5 x 5, but he did not get any answer. I always think, he was the grandson of Deewanji, he did not slapped or kicked him, else I knew Mr. Mouse was not the one to teach lesson by tongue.
He had lost the battle to get an answer, I think by now he has even declared him a retard. Same was the feeling across the room. I being the class topper was the first to look down upon him. Mr. Mouse asked him to leave the class and he obediently obliged.
After the recess time, I was called into the Principal chamber. This was my first journey to his chamber and it was going to be the reason for many more journeys to this place in future. I had no clue what this was all about, till I was in the room. I can see Mr. Ganju (Our Headmaster, this is a Kashmiri Sir name), Mr. Mouse and Mr. Mukesh sitting comfortable in the room. Mr. Ganju invited me to join with warmth and complimented me for my consistency and good work. Even before I would have said thank you, they disclosed the conspiracy that has been hatched.
Deewanji, grandpa of Mukesh was college trusty and they all were obliged to make him happy. Informing him, that his grandson is a dud was an unthinkable crime, only thing that can solace was to try to teach him. Mr. Mouse was already convinced he was a retard and same kind of feeling I was having. Mr. Ganju was an optimist person not by nature but by having no choice at hand. He gave me a task to teach him some basic maths after school hours. The rational given to me was, I was living near to Mukesh’s place and I was being
considered for the student of the year award. I think even that young age I was mature enough to know which deals are not to be backed off. Vesse, I did not have a choice at all. I was in and we made a schedule how it worked. Mukesh had no complains and he cooperated in his best way by nodding to all the plan Mr. Ganju and Mr. Mouse made. He was going to come at my place at 5:00 pm every day from today onwards till he learns to write tables till 20. It was ridiculous but Mr. Mouse has convinced Mr. Ganju that here work has to be done from beginning. Meeting was adjourned and we left to our destinations. I give my address on a slip to Mukesh and asked him to be on time.
He was at my place on time. I had a descent place in comparison to his home. I took him to my room and come back to the agenda directly. I was not able to see any book in his hand, so I thought it was a formality running in for 2 to 3 days. I asked him how much he knows about algebra. He did answer for the first time “Quiet a bit”. So my dear Mukesh, knew algebra but he does not know about arithmetic’s. American system of education from movies always seemed to be fun. I did wrote for him an equation to solve. The equation was
X2 – 4X + 4 = 0
Mukesh did answer and answered me correct. X=2. Cool, I said to him. This was a basic equation, so he was not that bad. I thought I need to check him further, I wrote few simultaneous equations, for those who have forgotten maths, you make two equation fight among themselves to decide how much X and Y own. He looked at the equation and after a pause answered me correctly. For next half an hour I checked Mukesh’s mathematic quotient. I think I was getting a feeling, he was better than me. I started to put my effort to find a question, he cannot solve and he was busy messing around my stuff. He played the song “An illegal alien” from Genesis on my 2 in 1, it was enough for me to turn around and we focus changed from maths to music. That was the first out of two times we did some maths together. For next half an hour we listened to few tracks, some of my favorites and some of his favorites and talked music for next 1 hour.
We kept on meeting every evening and our agenda was listening music. He told me about his guitar playing and I all told him that “ I can play a bit”. We were off to his place and he gave me a bass guitar to play. It took me days to play something descent, but we kept our time with music for that whole month. In school, we lived our normal life, I was the class book worm and he was the ghost. We hardly talked in school and at home it was music and nothing else. I told Chika
about this and asked “Were we friends?” Chika was not sure, but it can be also true.
Chika had tears in eye, I think it was a feeling similar to the one you have when you feel nostalgic. I had talked at a single breath till then. Paki my young cousin was right representative of his generation was restless like a crow. He asked that all, can me move to the next fellow. It was at this moment Chika slapped him hard on his head and asked to make one more shot for three of us, no more drinks for him. Chika was authoritative and Paki can be rude and demanding to me, but in front of him, he was like a wet cat. I gave Chika the chance to talk next; I think it was time for his introduction to the gang of three we formed in a month’s time. Kelly had lots of interest and he has revered Dhroh for a long time and Paki was his beloved pupil.
Chika had a strange encounter with Mukesh. Chika was the only bully in school history to do well academically. He seemed to me, very similar to Mukesh, in intelligence. He did not have to put efforts like me; he was effortless and ruthless in scoring numbers. He had his wolf pack and all these wolves were younger to him, they were united by a same code, the code of neighborhood they lived in. They always hunted in pack and it was rarely they have come one on one to any person. Chika enjoyed being the alpha wolf. I did despised them for one thing,
they looted 5th graders lunch or else. I really did not see any need on their part to do this, but now I can get how much feeling of accomplishment one feels when one is crumbled under your feet. It just happened that day, they robbed a 5ht grader of his lunch and the little fellow broke into a high volume cry. They rarely gave any head to the kids cry, until Mukesh show on the scene. Mukesh took the boy to the canteen and bought him lunch. A wolf noticed that and took the information to his pack lead. It was not a violation of the wolfs reign but to keep control over the pack, he needed to do some talking with the infiltrator.
Now let us hear about the scene and than if required I will correct it. Chika started “ It just happened on that summer day, Dhroh was outside the school canteen with some kids, he stepped on my feet and I said to him dekh ke bhai. He took it in bad spirit and punched on my face and broke my teeth. You know how big he was and how short I was. I did not fought with him, as he was Aj’s friend and we shook hand by the end of day when Aj talked me into forgiving him for being a lonely kid”. I was sure Chika, cannot tell these guys what he has done, but I think I need to these two, coz for them Dhorh being a hot head was unbelieavable.
Correction Chika dear “I think it was you and your heard who surrounded and threatened to beat him, when it did not worked your wolves tried to bully the kid. Dhroh lost his cool and he gave a smashing punch. I think you would not have taken this panga, if you would have known he was a black belt in Karate, I think very little was known about him by then. Your wolves run away and you come to me to patch up and show a sign of unity, else you feared your wolves defecting to Dhroh. Dhroh has no qualm and he forgives you at once”.
Chika, hey it was not like that “I just did not want to fight him, as I had all the vibes from him being a good fellow”. Paki cannot resist this moment of getting even with Chika, he spoke with a devilish smile “that’s why you sound like whistling when you talk, Dhroh took your teeth off”. Chika was not furious, he again starting crying “Yes it is a memory I will have it with me till dentist or death took it away from me”.
Bounty was hearing this story with great enjoyment, I know he come into this picture at quiet a late stage, but for now, it was time for few more pegs to keep this show running.
I think Bounty and Paki will be interested in knowing, when lead to the birth of Dhroh. We were the right person. I took a break of 5
minutes and then promised to continue, what has to be long tale in a short span of time.
I got back after a cigarette break and sit back on the floor to continue the story where I have left it. The next episode in this story was set in monsoon season. For a weak Mukesh went missing from school and our lives. We have got so accustomed to his presence, it was getting quite uncomfortable. I asked Chika about his whereabouts, but he also did not have an answer. What I remembered is he sends his wolves on a search mission and by the end of the day they have found the lost man. He was camping on the Kaliho Hill top. Kalliho Hill was known for camping, it was 5 km from the place where we guys stayed. It was monsoon season and I have hardly seen people going to the top of the hill, it was a landslide prone area, risks were high. Chika grabbed me by my arm and decided to travel to the hill top right now. The rain has stopped and we will be back in 4 hour, before the sunset. I had no other choice but to come along with him. We kept pace and hiked the hill in 30 min. There was one big tree of Maples on the hill top. Strange thing about this tree was that, it was the only maple tree in the whole area. Scientific reason or miracle, it was standing tall on the hill top. I saw Mukesh sitting under the tree. We moved towards him and in few minutes we were sitting next to him. It’s what I call bad luck, rain started pouring in and we took shelter under the tree. Mukesh did not
talk to us and Chika has panicked by now. He asked us to scale down the hill, before the sunset. Mukesh refused and somehow I was not able to leave till I understood why he was there. Poor Chika boy, he has no other choice but to stay with us, till we decided to scale down. This is the first time Mukesh striked us with kind of understanding of things, we did not expected out of 15 year old person. Mukesh took a page from his pocket and give it to me. It was blank and I give to Chika, hoping he found something. Mukesh start speaking “We always expect something out of everything. You expected something to be written on this paper and you should, it is meant to have something written on it. If it is blank, it is incomplete and has no meaning of its own. If is torn apart from the book, then it has even less reason and have all the chances of getting lost in time and space.” It was confusing for me to comprehend, but I cannot say the same about Chika. He come back to Mukesh and asked “What if I was illiterate,I would not have any expectation from it.” Smart point I thought. Mukesh replied “ Still you would have expected someone to read it for you. The meaning of life, is not what you take out of it, but is what it gives you. I did come here to think, if I went lost, will it change the course of action or not. I think it will not, coz I am still not an important cog of a wheel. I had experienced the importance of not losing things. Even the richest and the most powerful man is left helpless in those moments, when he just begs the almighty to return what was rightfully his own.” Chika did
not questioned further and I was too naïve to understand the meaning of this discussion. I did got some part of this speech, but that was latter in the day.
We end up discussing and talking about whatever comes up in our mind. We simply forgot that the sun has set and there are no chances for us going back. I was a worried man, coz now I was assured of never heard scolding from my parents. I had always been a disciplined boy, this would be first time I would have been late for them, I should say did not returned home. Same I was not able to say about the other two folks. Mukesh was already three days away from home and my friend Chika has not even thought on this line.
I noticed something coming towards us from the dark. I got scared and increased my hold on the other two, and made them notice towards the moving body. I can see the flash of a torch in a hand of a person, but who will be coming to this place in this hour of the night. Before I would have even made up mind what is happening, Chika stood up and threatened the moving body to recognize who he is or else get pelted by stones. That was brave, I thought for a minute, and what Mukesh did was even more brave than I could ever imagine. He started moving towards the body and then stopped next to that person. It seemed they were talking and now both were coming
towards us. I too recognized the familiar face, it was Rony, Mukesh elder brother. Thank god, someone come to take us home. Rony has bought some food along with him and gave it to us to eat. Once we were done with eating, he told us that everyone had panicked for you guys gone missing. I knew about Mukesh being here but was not sure where you have gone. One of the wolves from your pack comes to me, that you guys were planning to come here. I had told at your places, that you guys are camping with me and I will take care of you guys.” There was a prompt reply from both of us “Thank you”. But the reply form Rony was not that warming “Never try to emulate a Patton”. It look offending that time but that was true to some extent, they had lineage to the great General Patton , who had been one of the finest Soldier of the century. Anyhow our asses were saved and we did keep on talking for long time. I took a stroll with Rony over the roof top, when on the other hand our dear friends were preparing the camp for the night. I was praying to god for no rain and praying for a good night sleep. Rony was a person who was self assured about all the things he did. I just asked him, why he had worried for us, but not for his own brother. He did not hesitate to tell me, he has to let his brother come here. He was too strong a lad to be taken care of by any one of us. Same time, last year we lost our parents in a car crash.” I was aware of this thing, but not getting what made him to say that he was so tough. I did said “ I feel sorry for all this”. I was not expecting a
reply, but I got one “ He was with them, he did not got a scratch and they died on the spot, he kept on crying and howling for the entire night but no one come to help them, my brother has grown by years in a day”. I did not have a word to say and a really did not have a good night sleep, I was just thinking how tough a man can be.
Chapter intermediate.
Things were very slow and calm for us in the rain season. Things were going to change for next few months; we were going to turn into some fanatics on a mission. The posters were pasted on the wall; the war of bands was going to be organized in a month’s time. We had started thinking of ourselves to be a good band and wanted to compete and prove out metal. Our school has been wining this competition for last
three years and same band has been doing this all these years. It was a band lead by Ahmed, a 12th standard senior. I have heard him and he was good. Rest of the guys was also good. No one has heard us and we were confident of ourselves to do well. We had given hope and had no other plan other than to cheer our band at the fest.
Chika Interpreted me and start telling all of us with enthusiasm, this is the only time, I acted mean and cunning and everybody appreciated me, for my thoughtfulness. Yes, I said for the whole this month you were at your meanest best, let us ask the ladies of our time, they will confess about you being a mean machine. Chika blushed, and I think he should have blushed than for being so mean and wicked. I will also confess, I liked his wickedness on this occasion. Devanji, was a the patron of the fest and he was expected to be the chief guest on the occasion. We asked Mukesh to ask him some amendment to the rules and let us have a chance to play, but he was so upright to take this favor. To my and Mukesh astonishment a day after tomorrow, Chika come to us with the invitation to play at the fest as the wild card entry. We were stuck with instantaneous happiness but also will a degree of disbelief. We asked Chika, what he did to get this done. He was not telling us and was repeating again and again, they changed the rule and gave chance to 3 wild player entries. I happened to be there and so we going to play there on this occasion. We would have bought this
story, if it was told by someone else, but we knew Chika better than anyone else. On his repetitive instance, he did told me, he took our case to Rony and he did get this done for us. I was thinking that this will get Mukesh annoyed but he ignored the stuff and asked us gather in evening for practice. It was one of the several occasion when I was left bewildered by Mukesh’s action, I was not sure what rational he uses in making judgments. I did ask him, why he did not objected to what Chika did. He did explained it to me “we should not mess with the path of destiny always, it was not my destiny but yours, I playing or not will not have mattered to me, but you people playing there will make some difference to your destiny.” Ok, whatever at that moment, I got one thing, he too wanted to play.
We went thru the rules of the War and after lots of deliberation come to the conclusion in the 10 min, we had on the stage, we will play the song “ we will rock you” from Queen. Queen’s music had an everlasting impression on us while growing up and this song was the too close to all of us. We did practiced for a week but something seemed to be missing, Mukesh felt we need to have a key board player to make it feel better. I did not have an idea from where to find one, our eye was on Chika, even he was not aware about it, but awa always he confirmed to get this done in the next 2 hours.
Chika interrupted me, “ It was a hard job, finding a key board player who can play along with us. He or she needed to be someone going to a school and not associated with any other band. I kept on searching with wolves for the entire day to not find a one. It just did happened to me to ask a she friend of mine, who was the best key board player in your school and she said it was Kira, but she is not easily approachable. She rarely speaks with boys whom she did not know and you hardly has a chance”. Bounty asked me “so that was then Kira come into his life?” No, I do not think so, it may have happened quite a few years later. I think they really get close at the time when he was fighting drugs addiction in a rehab.
We had found one key board player but that seemed to out of our reach. Chika tried all his resources to get her playing with us, but he was not even to get the message across. We did left our hope and thought to change the song or vary the arrangements. I think Chika had something in his mind, but was not sure how to put forward. I think it was the wicked, but it was the only way to get into there circle. Chika explained to us that “ One person can help us to intrude the gals circle and that can be no one other than Mukesh.” Mukesh and I were stunned but Chika took the initiative to talk further “ See folks, my wolves did a survey and found out that of we three guys Mukesh was the most famous in gals school. Lots of gals have crush on him and will
do anything to just talk to him. I am sure he is so hot in gals, that this gal Kira will also know about him. She may be reluctant or show some attitude but I am sure, the gals in red school are like what? They never miss a chance to be ahead of others. I will plan a chance where Mukesh can bump into her, rest I will leave it to him to make it out”. Mukesh was not going to do it, but after too much persusasion we were able to convince him into this mission.
Chika has done his homework and the best time to catch her was when she was going to come back from her Maths tution. She was talking tuitions from Mr. Ganju and he being an old school teacher use to teach them on floor. I mean his students were use to sit on floor and not on tables as we people did. Chika plan was simple, he will run away with her shoes and Mukesh will bump into her for help and find her shoes for her. She would think some dog did it and our game will work. I was also convinced that this full proofs plan. It was my mistake; this caused me my best student award and rustication from school for 3 days.
Chika said “But did not it worked.” Yes it did, but will you tell these guys what you did? Chika can be a good story teller “Well when I reached the door of Mr. Ganju, I got confused; I was not expected this may shoes and sandals at his doorstep. He must be taking lot many
tuitions, so I keeping with the plan, took away all the shoes and dumped in the nearby dustbin. I did ensure she did not find her shoe. So far the plan was good, Kira come out Mr. Ganju’s house and had a sudden attack of anger when her shoes were not there. Mukesh entered, his entry was perfect and aksed Kira what happened? She told about losing her shoes? Mukesh offered to help and went downstairs to find her shoes. Mukesh returned with a pair of shoe, but she refused to acknowledge her as her shoes. My mistake I did not knew which shoes belonged to her. Mukesh come back to me and by 3rd try we got it correct. Mukesh offered to walk her to home and she agreed. I did jump with a feeling of accomplishment and Aj run towards me to hug me, It was this moment of joy, that were captured celebrating from his window. It was enough evidence for him to prosecute us and even Kira testified that she was helped by Mukesh in a very strange fashion. We got dismissed from school for 3 days, with notice going to our home. I got it done courtesy Rony Bhaiya. The best thing to occur was we got what we want, Mukesh was able to befriend Kira and she was ready to jam with us in a week time”.
Paki with a long breath exclaimed “cool dude, I thought you guys to be nerd, never imagined you were cool as Dhroh himself, Hey did those guys stuck it instantaneously or it was a long story?” Patience patience, that’s what Dhroh should have taught this young man. It was
2:00 pm in night and I was feeling dizzy, I had travelled all day along. I gestured to Bounty to open up the next label and give me a 60 ml. I think alcohol can keep you awake till you go dead completely.
I have been never optimistic about a women’s driving and music skill, but Kira was an exception. She jelled with us very fast and we really produced some nice music. Our was a small town and it was not still long way from 2000’s, gals interacting with boys was alien to all of us. She was different; she was more comfortable than three of us. I think Mukesh too was as ease, he had been from a different culture and place. Poor Chika and me were still figuring it out how to be ourselves and do not end up being extra polite. I did noticed something about her, that other had not been able to do it, she has successfully created an enigma about herself and in between she use to give us hint that she was Kira the gal all guys want to talk. Here we were guys who were only interested in our music. Things went going fine, we all enjoyed her presence, in few days we all were good friend. She thought a name for the band, I felt this to be little girly, but it was better than what Chika has suggested. We called ourselves “ the sunshine follower”. Chika did not liked it and he still has reservation for the name he had thought about. Chika shouted back at me “ What was wrong with “ 3 frogs and a princess?” Bounty and Paki has a fit of laughter and even I and Chika can not smiling.
All was going fine and we were two days away from the show, I was an hour late to practice but they were not playing at all. Kira has not joined in, Chika told me, she has left the city and will be not be playing along us. It was disappointment all around, I was also not going to prepare a new piece in such a short time, I was already pathetic with my Bass play. Mukesh asked us, never mind guys we will play the song we wrote on the hill top. But Chika has reservation, it will get us directly disqualified, we had entered another song. Mukesh told us “ Who cares, we are in competition by bending the rule, only thing that will happen to us, is we will not win, but I am sure we will leave our mark?” I think he had a point there and we got into the act.
It was a great evening to play music, we were slated the last band to perform that day. After cheering our school band, we went back stage to get ready for our part. I think it was me who noticed, Kira sitting along with gals from her school in the stands. I made the other two frogs notice that, we had a strange feeling of being duped. I would have slapped her, if she would have been near to me at that time. Mukesh had his composure and we guys were ready to rock on.
For me and Chika, it was our first stage appearance and we were nervous, we cannot say the same about Mukesh. Rony helped us with our arrangements and we were ready to play. Somehow the event took
over us and both of us took a long time to lock the bass. Once we did got it right, it was all Mukesh’s show. I hope you may have heard that song. Paki was quick to bring in the guitar and started strumming the song. It was cult song and it did stick with us for all these years. We were declared the people champion that evening, with the winner prize going to our school band.
I had been so different, when I am one among you!
I had been left in & out, when I am one among you!
Come along and be one among us!
I cannot be like you, but I can get you to be like me,
These were the last few days we people spent together. Things changed a lot with the arrival of winter. My grades slipped and I was back into books and Chika left to his native place, as usual for winter vacation. Mukesh was alone for this first time in this place. He too decided to spend back a fortnight at his Orchard and hunt some rabbits. I did asked him the rational of killing someone for sports, he did told me, it is not for sports, but a ritual one should need to do once. One should have the feeling of killed someone and chance to remorse in this life itself. It is not one life you take, but one life you free. I want to feel the sadness of being so cruel, when I had all the knowledge of this world.”
I never approved of his logic and we want not talking to each other for the next one month, until one day I got the news from wolves that Mukesh is leading a protest for the making of road to the Kaliho Hill
top. They was a temple of deity at the hill top and people of the city had demanded this for long time. Devanji himself has been lobbying the construction of the road and his own construction company was taking this project. I got to know more about his protest; he was against the cutting of trees. Estimated 300 Deodar tree were required to be cut to make way for the road. He got some people to join him and these were Chika’s loyal wolves. By evening it was in the entire town and every person in city was against him. They had been protesting outside the town hall. Devanji was not in the town, he has flown to states for some business work and Rony was running the show. The protest went on for a day or so and then from third day onwards I saw Mukesh with Rony at the road side assisting him. I had started believing him to be eccentric in nature. Thou I come to know by evening from some wolves that Devanji agreed that 1000 more trees will be planted for these 300 trees cut. He had called the truce and Mukesh has taken it. It was a strange family. I always felt these people had no emotions but pure logic and understanding for things.
It was the birth of Dhroh, the wolves started him calling him by this name and even there was a news headline with this name. In few time all wolves has changed alliances and now they were Dhroh’s wolves. The way it happened, made Chika move away from him and I had
already started distancing myself from him. Next two years, we saw each other growing and shaping our destinies.
It was two in the morning and we guys decided to take a power nap for an hour and continue further, We did covered only a year in 4 hours of chatting. We fall down on floor like a peck of cards. I heard someone knocking on the door at 3:00 am in the morning. I woke up to open the door and saw Sonam standing on the door. He was holding his envelope in hand. I let him in and I had guessed he was as restless as other to find about what this envelope thing was all about. He had number 3 on it, so the other 2 numbers were with Kira and Ahmed. I kicked the rest from sleep and made some coffee to keep them awake. I think we need to go thru the whole story and has to share our experience and prospective of Dhroh. In half an hour we all were ready
and I was ready to narrate the next 2 years in life of Dhroh which I followed closely.
He did passed like us, but decided not to continue with science subjects as he think them to be the main reason for making a man dull and unresponsive to nature. No arguments with him on this, I was destined to be an Engineer and Chika to be a doctor. We did not have to jam like old times and were more and more engrossed into study. It was then he struck a chord with Ahmed. Ahmed had now passed out of school and was looking to move to states to study further. I think he was the son of second richest man in city after Devanji. His dad has made sure, his son get spoiled and live a life of a brat. Only good thing about him was his love for music. But his music was engulfed by darkness and gloom. I had heard these guys had taken refuge in drugs and other things to keep themselves kicking.
I rarely heard about him, even wolves have deserted him, all I knew these people were into drugs and music. Music and drugs for long has supposed to be a deadly combination. It does take you to trance. We rarely meet and if we meet we did talked about new labels of music. It was August and rainy season was it prime, when one of the wolves comes to my place to tell, Dhroh was in hospital, he had an overdose of some drugs. I rushed to the hospital and saw him fighting for life and
death. Rony was standing there stunned. I saw Chika and few of his other mates from his new found friend circle. It took 3 days for him to normalize and we did have to meet him on the 4th day. He was still fighting the after effects of heavy drug addiction. I did try to talk to him about music and things of liking but he was not interested. Devanji has not come to the hospital on any of the given day. I did think it was hurting him. It was then, I saw Kira on the door of the Hospital room. I was stunned to see her, but that feeling was not there on Dhroh’s face. He was anticipating them, Chika hinted me to come along with him. When we were out, Chika told me, it was Dhroh who has asked her not to play along with us. I had no expression for this information. I ask Chika but why? He thought we would have look fool, if she would have played along with us. She was good and we two were pathetic. He did not have the guts to see his friends chickened in front of him. I did not took all this very well, I would have loved to confront him but his condition did not let me do that day. I noticed those two talking and it seemed they were two engaged in talking to each other. Silence had an unknown code of conveyance; it was working in front of us. We left for the day, leaving silence behind.
He moved to a rehab and in 2 months time he was back to normal life, Devanji has asked to move to his orchard and stay there till winter was over. I think this was there for the first time he meet Sonam.
Sonam “Acknowledged yes. We have meet before and we keep on meeting on some occasion before, but it took us a long time to speak.” He had been accompanying us on quite a few hunting expeditions and I had an impression him to be a keen hunter, but I never see him hunting any animal. He only used to shear their skin with us and give us expression he was into the sport. We had come to know about a den in which Bears were hibernating and decided to torch it. We took him along with us. Before we would have reached the den, I got a chance to hunt a deer. I did hunt a big deer down. He run towards the beast and started crying. Two young mares were hopping near to the dear and he was crying like a baby. I got that moment, he was not a hunter. The dear was not dead; the shot has hit it, near bone. I took my knife and took the bullet out of his body. It was not a big wound and I was sure the beast would make out of it. It was lying on the ground in shock. I woke him up and it galloped into the wild with its kids”.
I and Chika were very excited to hear this “So he was not a hunter, we guys had an impression; he had killed them in plenty?” Sonam told us “No he never killed them; he did come with us and took this part of his Karma theory. He was my first teacher and I think I was also his first teacher. I never killed or shot an animal after this.” Chika “Yes I have heard, that you guys spend a lot of time in wild.” Sonam “ Yes we did,
but it was about the different discussion we had about life, the meaning of Karma and Facts of reality.
He opened his envelope “It has a drawing of a pendant”. We all recognized it, It was on Dhroh’s wrist all these years. Sonam confirmed to gift it to him the next day. It was pendants made from the mountain black stones, protected by evil eye and screened by Devil’s horn.” I had got this pendant from my Guru, whom I deserted years back. But you people won’t know, this kid convinced that he should own this pendant rather than me for rest of his life. I had gained a good amount of wisdom over the years, but to finally change course and took the path of a hunter. He bought me back to my real self. I had a heart cleansing discussion with him that night.” We all were interested to know, I had read some of his works from those years, but I really wanted to hear from the man, who has these iterations with him.
Sonam continued “ We did returned to my hut. It was a small place and it smelled awfull. I had few pics from my hunting expedition across the land. I was proud to display them. Dhorh kept on looking for few minutes and then asked me why do you kill all these animals. Some of them seem to be endangered. I answer him “ I do it for money. It keeps me alive”. But was not the answer he was expecting. He asked me “ you can always make money by some other means and have a
good life.” But I do like to be a hunter away from the civilized world and fending for myself, like they did in ancient times and live my life on daily basis”. He confronted me, but you not killing animal for food, neither it seems it is a sports to you, where you trying your might. You were doing it for money, you doing it for materialistic purpose.” I think he was right and I tried to change the topic and showed him some of the pic, I had taken up with a friend of mine of rare Snow leopard. He had shine in his eyes, watching those pics and he was not convinced I can shoot something with his camera. I told him, I worked with this German fellow and after days of search we tracked a snow leopard. Such assignments rarely come my ways, but It was most fulfilling of all work I ever did. He asked me to that can we two go in search of the snow leopard. I was not sure, going with him would be an ideal thing, he was not aware how treacherous it is, Living days and night out in woods. I that moment I did not agreed, but we two took on a sacred journey few months down the line.”
We stuck an instant friendship, we had something in common, I think we rarely confirmed to the beaten path. He was into disarray when I told him that I was bought up in a monastery that was located in farthest of places. I was not like the others and often end up breaking up rules and peace of the place. I was never going to make up as a monk, that’s what my Guru told me one day. He was right; I had
jealousy, anger, and all other expressions of mortals world. I was asked to leave or I shall tell you I was thrown off the monastery when I was caught smoking cigarettes. I was just 13 and I think by then they were sure I was a misfit. Somehow I was my Guru’s favorite student, he felt I was the brightest of them all and that is one of the reason I am not at peace. It was his decision to send me off, coz he was sure I will come back one day. He gave me that pendant, which I gave it to Dhroh. He had far better understanding of this world, I had found a new teacher outside the monastery. My Guru was right, I had to learn things in the real world and then only I can be at peace.”
For the next three months, we two stuck too each other like brothers. His prospective to watch things was quiet fresh and uncorrupt. Winter was going to end and he has to return to the town and appear in his examination. He asked me what I plan to do, and I told him it was time for me to give my Master one more visit, maybe I am prepared for his teaching and he will take me back. He made up his mind to accompany me. I tried my best to convince that leaving education to pursue such endeavors was not worth for. But by then he has already informed Rony about his plan and he promised to take this up Devanji. We made to make our journey as real and learning as we can make it. Thing was I was short of money and Dhroh even after being from so affluent family was not a one to understand the concept of money. We started
our journey with Rs 500 / in our pocket. I kept them aside for emergency purpose. I come to know about one shepherd who got injured by falling off a mountain trail and now wants help of someone to take his flock back across the mountain. I agreed to do this for him, the agreed cost for this work was 1 sheep. It was worth Rs 500/-. He took a bus to his destination and expected us to reach there in a month’s time.
Chika and I had never known about this journey’s of his. I did remember that year as to be the one, when he left coming to school. I think, Sonam did the right thing of coming in here and sharing across his part of story.
Sonam Continued “We were ready with our flock; it was 267 sheeps and 5 dogs plus we two human beings.” I Asked him “wasn’t it a big flock” “ yes it was and it was tough days for us ahead.” I had previous experience of going around with shepherds but Dhroh was helpless. Sleeping in night and guarding your sheep’s can be a real challenge. We had a bad start to whole of the affair and by the end of week; we have not even covered 1/10 of the whole journey. Shepherds paint there sheep’s to identify them and have different ways to count them. We have not counted our sheep’s by this time and when we did our flock size has been reduced to 250. The 2 dogs stared at us and looked
like saying that for the last one week they were telling us something is going wrong. We were not into this for money but stakes of adventure and I started feeling guilty that we may end up ruining the flock of the poor shepherd. The flock was bigger and we were amateur to make it across the mountain. I think it was then Dhroh come up with an idea to have 2 more dogs to join us in. It does not make sense to me, as dog’s take days to identify thy flock and I was also afraid of these dogs fighting and leaving us in dire strait. But it was for our luck, the two dogs he we bought for Rs 100 / were having good genes and they become part of the flock instantaneeously. Our journey across the valley was smooth.
We travelled for more hours and tried to make up for the days lost. Our last hurdle was to cross the narrow gorge to the next valley and cross the shallow mountain river bed. Pushing those sheep’s through the gorge was a tough job; somehow we did it but made a mistake for the river current. Sheep’s are animals that panic more than anyone. Some of the poor fellows drowned and rest run away from our clutches to the jungle. We tried our best to capture as many sheep’s but all was in vain. We lost 20 sheep’s that day. By the time we reached the shepherd place, we had lost 50 sheep’s and that was not for sure going to confront him. But for our surprise that fellow did not asked us about the numbers and offered his gratitude for helping him
in his bad time. He had recovered very fast and his son has joined him to take the flock further. He did offer the agreed sheep, but we refused. That was not all, next day when I we guys were having our breakfast I noticed Dhroh was not having his gold chain around his neck. I did not asked but he also showed him the same courtesy which he has shown us. There was a silent code of conduct and I think it was a great chapter of learning for me.
Paki had not understood what has happened and even I was not sure why shepherd did not asked for the sheep’s lost, for Dhorh’s giving away his chain to shepherd silently I was able to understand the magnanimity. We asked Sonam for the reason for shepherd’s generosity. Sonam “he was bound by the code of mountain, the code of mountain that was imposed by Dhroh’s guardian angel.” I did got what he said and rests of people were no more interested to understand this mountain crap. Rony had always ensured his brother’s troubles are taken care off. I had seen that gold chain around Dhorh’s neck till the last time I have meet him and I am sure that was duly returned to the angel. I also kept my mouth shut, coz if Sonam wanted he would have told us right now itself.
Sonam continued “we travelled across the mountains for the next 3 days and finally reached the monastery. It was an old monastery.
Legend says it was made some 2000 years back by a king, who accidently had killed a monk when he was hunting. He send his elder son to be a monk here and word spread across the kingdom and it took up as a tradition to send your first born to be a monk. The monastery flourished during the reign of that ruler’s dynasty and then with years it started to fade away from public glare. It has some of most guarded secrets of the mountain and there were no written records of them. All were passed in person from generations to generation. They were 9 in total and never been revealed in all these years.” I had also heard about this monastery on Nat Gen, few days back. Sonam what told us next was a shocking revelation “Dhroh took one secret out of that monastery?” This was now getting full of bewilderment.
Sonam was the center of attraction now. Paki was making for tea for all of us. He left the kettle behind to hear this part of his journey. Sonam continued “The monastery was designed at three level, access to first level was provided to tourists & Outsiders. At level two, access was provided to monks and scholars who were still not confirmed to be part of the inner echelon. Level 3, was the final level, accessed by the monks and scholar who have been confirmed to be permanent part of the monastery. In my earlier stay, I was at level 3 and generally it took years to reach the level 3. We were provided accommodation at
level one, by the recommendation of my Guru. We started working with monks and few foreigners who were considering a longer stay in the monastery. We went for woods in the jungle and bought fresh water from the river for daily use. Kitchen was at level 2, so whatever things fall outside the level 2, we started working sincerely. In evening we joined the others in to listen the discourse of the lama himself. He was an ocean of wisdom and every word he spoke has a deep meaning and understating. But every day he suggested us to leave the place and go back to the lives we have left behind. I had been his pupil before and he was right on this front. A man can do must justice to his Karma journey, if he lives on the track he identifies. He always felt people coming to him at this place were confused and more in search of adventure and recognition then the meaning of life. For the past two decades thousands of people had come to this place and left it eventually after not getting enough of worldly pleasure. People tried best to know from outside world who won the NBL or what’s the hottest flick going around these days. They rarely have left the life they lived behind and there was always danger of corrupting the place that has maintained its sanctity over this period of time.”
We worked at level 3 and eventually moved to level 2. Such fast movements rarely happen. I wanted to meet my Guru once and wanted to convince him that I am done with materialistic world and
want to be part of this discipline. I was not sure what Dhorh was up to. We were now part of the regular routine of the monastery and were given place to stay with monks. To maintain decorum of the place, we got some robes to wear and instruction to follow. It went like this for next 2 months. I was already not sure, that I wanted to be Monastory at this moment of time. You cannot gossip and you cannot complain, what all you can do it meditate and absorb the teaching and take them with you into your grave. Dhroh was at peace and it seemed he was enjoying his stay at the place. I had seen some of the seniors Gurus went on to have long discussions with him. For moments I felt jealous, but then I knew this guy has better understanding of things around him. I was still not ease with whole of things happening there, when it was supposed to be my second home coming. The highest lama called Dhroh to meet him at level 3. I think it was a big honor to happen to someone and I was not even provided audience when I have requested this several time. For the next two months, the eldest of lama, had an hour session with Dhroh. I asked him what his session was all about. He always told me Lama wanted to know more about our world, what makes people happy, people sad, angry, what makes them restless and have fear in mind. He asked me about ambition, importance of power and interpretation of dreams in our world. The lama has not left the moanstary in all these years and his wisdom has still grown. I felt awkward when all this was happening, I was the one who was
returning to this place and he was enquiring about all these experience from a 17 year old, who will leave this place soon. I thought it was supposed to be me, I had been sent to the real world to find all these answers.
My patience was running off very fast and I decided to come back. I did send a message to the lama that I am leaving tomorrow; I still did not have an audience. When I told Dhroh about my decision, he was not amazed but reacted like he knew this was coming his way. He told me that Lama has told me, I be leaving soon. He has asked me to accompany you back to the real world. We guys started off, but this time it was a plain bus journey back to Dhroh’s farm. I left him at his place and went to my place. The moment I grabbed my cottage, I was nabbed by some plain clothed policeman for poaching wild life. It was kind of surprise for me. For my bad luck, they have found some leopard nail’s under my bed, it was enough to nail me down for months in prison. Before I would have started my journey to the prison, I was handed over a note “ I had taken out a secret out of monastery, and I will hand it over back to oyu when you come back, so that you take it back to where it belong.”
Four of us have dropped our jaws, Bounty who was the silent of the lots opened his mouth “ so were you framed by Dhroh?” Sonam “ No
my friend, it seemed same to me also at that moment, but when I sat that night in prison cell, I understood the meaning of that note.” Paki “ Common dude, this time you better explain this stuff, no more half baked stuff.” Sonam “I still have to balance for all the sins I have done out here in this real world. I have to come back and pay for them. My conscience did not let me cheat any longer. My Guru wanted me back, that’s why he let a secret out of the monastery and he has all the hopes that it will return back to monastery one day.” I asked “So did you got the secret from Dhroh?” Sonam “I spent months in jail, thinking about the secret and how it will take me back to monastery. I hardly remorse about the action I had committed. When I come out of the jail, I did not found Dhroh around and I again got caught in the web of the materialistic world.” So you don’t have the secret with you? Sonam “ Yes I have the secret with me all along, I just realized it yesterday night.” Paki “ Bro, can you keep thing simple for my brain.” Sonam “The secret of the monastery were taught to all the monks, but they did not realize it, the one who do move to level 3. Dhroh got these secrets faster than any other and took one of the secrets out of the wisdom of monastery and used it in our real world. In literal terms it says, YOU DONOT DO IT RIGHT, TILL YOU DO IT WRONG. I had done wrong and I had to do it right. He helped me in getting started, but I did it all wrong once again, to realize the secret myself yesterday night.”
It was amazing to learn this part of story, wish Dhroh to be an ordinary sinner like us and gossiped all this with us. It was not 7 in the morning and we decided to take a nap till 9 and start afresh.
I have seen it happen many a times, the idol you adore, may not even a worth of recognition for others. Our hero was someone who never tried to bank on his greatness and we were never able to recognize his greatness to that proportion, till he left us. The account of things mentioned till this time is very ordinary and simple for even us to hear, but that’s how one can be, living his life on highest term of freedom without enforcing anything on any other person.
The year 1996, was a very important one for us, it was the year Cricket world cup was going to be staged in the sub continent. Dhroh was back into the town and he was also infected by our craze for the sports. It took lots of effort from him to understand cricket, for him it was too lengthy a game to be played and watched. Dhroh has left
school, so he had ample time on his hand. His spread was no spread over playing guitar, some writing, watching cricket along with us, supervising the construction sites of his grandpa and last having those enchantment session with Lotus creed.
Sonam was the only one listening to me, but when I spilled Lotus creed, I saw Chika spring up like an Ostrich. He has lots of interest in lotus creed and he was the one who took Dhroh to their session. Chika had finely taken into his stride the fact of wolves pack leaving him and he has no options to call truce with himself. Lotus Creed was something I call I sect of ultra modern town socialists, who come in sessions to enchant some Buddhist mantra’s and call for peace. It has some enigma about it, in our small town. Most of the young gals and guys were fascinated to this creed and Chika wanted to be part of this creed for the same reason. In our small town, there was hardly any excuse to interact with gals, so this creed has been an instant hit. It was run, I say formed by a Lady called Zora and If I am wrong she was maternal aunt of Kira.
Chika “ Yes, dude you are right. This lady has been gone places and now she had come up with this cool version of searching god. I took Dhroh along with me to their session; it was a unique band of people gathered. Most of the people were young and rest who were there
were the kind of people who will listen to rock music without understanding than listen to ghazals. We saw Kira there, she was also there. I saw a smile on Dhroh’s face.” Paki “ Oh! So was same kind of reaction from Kira.” Chika “ Not sure, I was too much looking at Tina.” Chika blushed when he took her name. It was the nth time he was in love and I have been witness to many more of his crushes. Chika “Well there were two circles formed by holding hands. The inner one enchanted the matras and the for the time being the second one listened. I got chance to hold hands of two guys, may be they new intentions and lucky Dhroh he got a chance to hold one hand. Kira was in the inner circle and enchanting mantra with those folks. People have closes eyes and were some sort of trace. I think I was the only one with open eyes, observing people. I was not the only one, Dhorh and Kira were looking into each other eyes, it was then I decided to close my eye. After the enchantment session was over, one guy started strumming a guitar and they sang some songs, It was some kind of modern Bhajans. I was looking to run off that place, when Chika asked me to sit down and listen the song. Kira and Dhorh still had constant contact of eyes. It is strange when whole world is watching you; you still make yourself believe you are not being watched. It was first and last session of mine, but Dhroh continued going to these session. May be he was close to Buddha or may be was trying to get close to someone. I saw Kira and Dhroh meeting outside in cafes after this and
sometimes they were also accompanied by the creed people. I did asked Dhorh what you getting out of these sessions, he just said this to me BHUDDHA BHALE KARE, keep watching things will happen soon.”
Bounty was also awake and he too was curious like others to know was this time these people fall in love.” I think even we can never be sure, they were ever in love, but they must be in love, 13 – 14 years is a long time to convince your heart.
Chika “ I think one more thing happened that time Dhorh breaking his hand while defending that Kashmiri youth.” I too forgot that incident to share. “Yes, I was there that evening, it was emotions running high.” “ It was India Vs Pakistan in the quarterfinal of the the World Cup 96, India has scored a mammoth score of 280 something in that match, Pakistan in reply was equally apt. They smashed run all around the park. We were watching this match in a roadside Dhaba outside Rony’s office. It happened then, that Aamir Sohail, the Pakistani opener went after the Indian Bowler, I think his name was Venkestesh. A Kashmiri youth may be 18 like us working as a porter at Rony’s timber mill. Started clapping as he was supporting Pakistan. The whole place was already silent with India on backfoot. It was impossible to see that joy on a face and hear that clapping of hands. I seemed something going to happen here, but people kept silent. 2
bowls latter Sohail was out and people jumped from their seats in joy. It was then someone made this remark – “ ab maro saale ko.” And in seconds dozen of people were over him. I was not sure what to do, and before I had made my hand Dhroh was in the wrestling mania. As expecting he was trying to save that boy from the beating, but the mob had overpowered them. In a minute it was all down, the boys were bleeding from nose and Dhorh was also in extreme pain holding his hand. Lucky for that boy, he had no broken bones, but some bruises and swollen body. Rony reached the place and closed the TV and asked everybody to go away from that place. We took Dhroh home and that boy was taken care of by his porters.”
Chika “ I did asked him next day, why he did it? HE told me that he did it coz he had done a sporting gesture, and does not deserve to be beaten up. When I told him that he was a Kashmiri youth and has done because of his separatist intention and hatred for India. He made up his mind to meet him up at once.”
We two went to that Kashmiri youth place, he has identified as and he run in touch Dhroh’s feet in gratitude. I hold him before he did that.We asked how he was feeling. His reply was coated in naked truth. He told us that this beating was nowhere near the beating he has got from the Fauji’s. For us it was a shock and for him the truth. We asked him why
they beat him up. He told us that two years back his eldest of brother went missing from the village. Army suspected him of being one of the extremist who had hit the army post. They kept on beating me and my family to know about his whereabouts, which we had never known. A year back we found his body pumped with bullets dumped near our village well. Army come and beat us, asking questions how it happened. Separatist come and beat us, telling he was a mole of army. Nobody knew why he got killed. Separatist made me and my brother to join them for making up for our brother. We had no choice and a week time we were on the other side of the border. We went through training in arms and survival technique and were being made ready to leave to fight somewhere in Afganistan, when we decided to run from that place. We reached back our village where Army and separatist were both looking for us and then a village elder arranged escape for us to this place. We been hiding here till things settle down and be back to our village.” Dhroh asked him more question about beauty of his place, how much snow fall and how big our the hills in that part. I was still wanted to ask “ Why did he clapped for Pakistan but did not got a chance.” We were ready to leave the place, when I observed a tall image observing us from the shadow. In times to come he was one of the angel eye who stood by our friend Dhroh. I did asked Dhroh on our back, why he clapped. Dhroh told me “It was nothing more than a sporting gesture one makes, when someone play’s good. I would have
done it, those people would have ignored, he being a Kashmiri did it, and they nearly beat him to death. Some people like him and me just LOVE the GAME, we can never love the TEAM that plays it.”
Next day it happened, Rony got a TV installed in the barracks of his porters. Bounty was not able to hold his remark “So in India you people have the concept of Employee Satisfaction?” We all some ignore this question as we felt it was more than that. Paki “What happened to the Lotus creed and Kira?” Chika “Things took a fast turn in that chapter.” I could not hold to narrate the story “more and more people joined in, now people did not know about the creed outside the city. Soon foreign tourists also joined in the enchantment sessions. They got a big place to organize their sessions. It was somewhere here things started to turn up. Madam Zoya started asking few people to leave the creed; these were the people who now cannot afford the newly introduced joining fees. Dhroh was also not willing to pay the fee, as he felt this to be commercialization of thing and it seemed nothing to do with Buddha and his teaching. In days time the creed was broken into two halves, one who was ready to pay and continue and the other who moved out.”
Paki “Did Kira come along with Dhroh.” I “ No, she decided to stay back. Dhroh took this on him to organize the sect that was left out. It
was group of young guys and gal like him. Most of them have nothing to do with religion or Buddha, they just joined this creed as a symbol of identity. Dhroh was thinking hard to make this creed people know they wasting time. I asked him to arrange a session of the people who have asked to leave and ask them why the wanted to be part of creed in first place. He liked the idea and we got ready ourselves to question the focus group. The meeting or the so called session was arranged at Rony’s warehouse on the outskirt of town. There were was a gathering of 40 plus young boys and gals, some of them were the thrown out people from the creed and the rest were the wolves from different generation. I addressed the group and told why were and here today and what made us join the creed. All kind of replies were hurled at us, some went there for chicks, some went coz it was a talked about thing in the town, some did for curiosity, some of them did it for the mystery and enigma created around, some of the went there for Buddha and most of them went there to be recognized by all. It was then our over excited Chika, who was there for Ms Tina, come up with his quick gun thinking.”
Chika “yes it was spontaneous, I asked them all to found a new creed with things to be done and followed as we like.” He coined the name, Wolves 12 for the creed. It was a strange name for sure, wolves 12 was picked up from Brad Pitt movie, twelve monkey and wolves was there
coz that was the animal already in our lives symbolizing the brotherhood. All of us liked us, as most of us have known about the movie and the wolves’ brotherhood. Chika seemed to be very happy, as people have agreed with him. Chika with his habit of making blunder proposed Dhorh to give the first sermon of the creed. Dhroh has not stilled zeroed on with the purpose of any sect or creed to be formed and now he was in awkward situation to address 50 people. A long silent followed, going into minutes, all looking towards Dhroh’s face with anxiety. It was then someone farted very loudly in the group, but there was no reaction as we were in middle of a serious matter. It was then Dhroh gave the first sermon “We should not fart loudly, in such a case half of our soul escapes through that route and diffuses in air to be never caught back again.” The silent continued for few seconds, people tried to understand it, some did some did not, all that followed was a laugh riot running into hours.”
Guys in the room were also laughing loud by now, it become a joke then a sermon and everyone had heard about it before. Paki was confused and asked me “what does it means?” I think it meant we are young and that the only thing which has bought has together, we do not need any excuse to get together and change our ways. Wisdom and meaning of life comes our way with time, there can be no crash course for such things. And last you do not have the freedom to fart
aloud anywhere, need to exercise restraint and control.” Again people had a round of laughter.
Chika “it really hit hard the creed and loads of people started joining in Wolves 12. Sessions were eagerly awaited and people expressed freedom in the way they recognized, People strummed guitars, talked about life, ambition and whatever that was there in for the people of that age group. It becomes an openhouse for all and great place for interaction. Kira too come to one of these session, from her expression it looked are these people nuts that are coming here. She did not talked with Dhroh or any of us and left that place. Lotus creed got closed in a month time and enchantments also become part of Wolves 12 sessions. Number keep in growing till, Dhroh told us, we cannot continue at the warehouse. When I asked him why, he told me that one nuisance should not be followed by another.
I think it was right, we all took time to understand this, but in a short time life was back to normal. Chika and I got engrossed in our study and Dhroh started spending most of his time at the timber mill.
Next few months passed on very quietly. Provincial elections were going to be held towards the end of the year and the town was buzzing with the news of Devanji and Ahmed’s dad running head to head this
time. They were business rival for years and this was the first time they were going to come face to face in political arena. I saw Ahmed back in town, he was already hip for this small town and his year stint in US has made him more English. He was dressed like Bodhi from the movie Point Break and looked like going to a beach party. He being in town changed the mood in the youth circle. He was famous and charismatic; his arrival meant more and more parties with loads of style and attitude in air. In few days time, we started seeing Kira as his constant companion. She was herself with lots of attitude and style. They’re coming of together was no surprise for me. We use to see them often hanging out at Haze. Haze was the hippest place in town and it was owned by Ahmed’s dad. A live played there very often and Ahmed being in town meant he was a constant fixture. I will acknowledge with all the distaste I had for him, he was a wonderful musician. He had invited Dhroh to Haze to listen to him perform on a Friday evening. Dhroh asked me to accompany him. The thing which stuck more than anything that day was to see Kira on the keyboards and playing along with her. For me It was still the same feeling, that gal has ditched us. The music kept on flowing like a mountain river, it was calm and soothing, and nothing like the music Ahmed played all along till date. He jester to Dhroh to jam with him and Dhroh like a true sports accepted it. For Dhroh it was a musical harmony and for Ahmed it seems to be a duel to prove who the best is. It was one of the best
musical display I ever saw, two players playing in contrast and still producing a deafening performance. It went on for half an hour, when Dhroh gave up and asked to leave. Ahmed had smile on his face, it seemed his purpose was served, he had his opinion, for him Dhroh has given up in front of him. Dhroh had no such reaction all he wanted to be back home and get ready to leave to his orchard early morning.
I saw Dhroh and Ahmed together on few occasions, but was never able to make what kind of relationship they are having. One day, Wolves bought us the news that Ahmed has bought some kind of powder with him, which he calls as Blue sand, which provides a strange kind of hallucinating effect. People who have tried it are carving for more and more. It seemed to be an addictive stuff and looks more of a mixture of several other things. Dhroh said he want to try it out, I was shocked. Here was a man who had fought death due to an overdose of a drug and now he again wanted to try such stuff. I protested but he was still persistent. The wolf took out a small packet from his pocket. Dhroh sniffed it and for minutes he did not responded to us. Dhroh exclaimed, “It is evil, it will destroy many.” I asked why he wanted to try it. He told me that “you cannot tell a pan is hot, till you touched it.”We guys made our plan to get this out of equation but how was a question.
Dhroh went to Haze to talk about this, but Ahmed refused to meet him. Ahmed started throwing parties on his farm house. Wolves had got the accounts of these parties and with foreigners joining in, these had turned into full moon parties. We tried to make Dhroh calm, that it is none of our business to be thinking about what Ahmed and his friends are doing around. For us, it was most important to know what is right and wrong and we are well aware of it. He was not convinced by our logic, but give up his quest for the moment. It was on Friday evening, when a wolf come running to us and told he saw Kira heading with Ahmed to his farm, they having a Full moon party tonight. What I knew about Kira was she was one person who believed in living her life on her own terms and there was no bandish from her parents. Full moon parties were started in the region by foreign tourists and were prohibited for the locals. These were open parties with loads of drugs and music, there were no rules and you had all the freedom. With Ahmed starting his version of such parties, it was corrupting the youth of our place. Dhroh decided tonight we will bust his place and see for ourselves what was going on.
We all entered the farm from his orchard, I, Dhroh and 6 or 7 seven of wolves. We had planned to observe their activities and leave silently. As expected the party was like the one, we had been told for. People were drinking dancing and I guess were even making up. It seemed
people had a way to go insane and enjoy insanity. I think we were convinced beyond doubt, we need to do something to confront Ahmed and his way, but today was not the day we had planned. We were ready to leave, when one of the Wolf noticed Kira sitting stoned at one corner. I hold Dhorh’s hand and asked him to come, when it happened. A guy sitting next to Kira seemed to kiss her. We all saw it and my grip on his hand have loosened. Before I had blinked my eye Dhroh was in the party and in a fraction he was holding Kira by her shoulder and bringing her out. I had a late reaction to whole thing. Wolves were standing next to Dhroh and they were walking out of the party. It was at that moment, Ahmed confronted the pack, he was not even aware what was happening, only thing he was able to figure out with the amount of alcohol and substance in his body was Dhroh. He started abusing him and in few seconds the pack of wolves was surrounded by Ahmed and his friends. I was still standing where I was. It seemed to me my feet have frozen. I saw few of Ahmed’s guy holding wooden rods and sticks in hand, I had judged what was going to happen next. Wolves and Dhroh had shown by then lots of perseverance and they just requested for way out. Ahmed was at his abusive best, he hurled the best of words he could have invented.
I still not remember what run through my body, I picked up an empty bottle of moved toward the gathering. Ahmed was going on and on,
tension has reached the flash point, before anyone had done anything I ended up smashing the bottle on Ahmed’s head. He was knocked off and all his people had gone into black out.
Paki “ bro, you never told me this, did you really did that?” Chika “yes it happened, unfortunately I was not there.” I think what happened at that moment was not in my control, the current that went thru my body had never flown again. The knocking down of Ahmed had confused everyone in that party and we got time to slip off. Kira was stoned like hell, we do not have any other options but to take her to hospital and call her home. Dhroh was the first person to meet his dad that day and I still don’t what he might have explained to him, but her old man was in control and thanked us for helping them out. Only thing that come out of that party next day was, Dhroh crashed in and smashed a bottle on Ahmed’s head.
Paki “ So was it the end or something more happened after that?” Chika “ It took an ugly turn for sure.” I “ Yes, it become a political issue.”Chika “ two days from then, Ahmed and his fellow person confronted Dhroh outside his timber mill. No words were spoken and the six or seven of these guys started beating Dhroh with hockey stick. He was down and was having no chance to defend himself. It happened at this moment that some one kicked Ahmed’s boy and
throw these guys away from Dhroh. It was Naved, elder brother of the kashimiri youth Dhroh as defended a few months back. Naved was tall and with a strong built, with the amount of training he had gone in those camps; he was a tough match for Ahmed and his boy. Dhroh was on his feet and now it seemed 2 Vs 6.” “ I think it was one of those days, which Ahmed will not forget, in few more second it turned out to be 3 Vs 6. Rony was standing next to Naved and Dhroh. Like our poor chika even Ahmed was not aware of Patton brother’s martial arts knowledge. They were from a warrior family and they were never going to run form a battle. The two gangs had a showoff which went on for next 5 to 10 min, Ahmed’s accomplice run away and he got caught in hand of those 3. Ahmed got a good beating that day and he end up breaking his leg and one arm. Rony took him to the hospital and called his dad.”
The next day headlines of the lacal daily were “Devan’s boy beat Ahmed Sr. son in political conflict.” Sonam “Guys I was not aware that Rony and Dhroh were good in kicking some butts.” “ Yes they were, even Devanji kicked some serious butts, we come to know in a week time.”“ For a week, the newspapers were full of news with Devanji grandson acting as bully and bashing Ahmed Sr. son. It has really given Devanji a bad press before the coming elections and it seemed Ahmed Sr. was not going to miss this chance to leverage in some
advantage.No one come in and out of the Devanji mansion for that period of time, till Kira’s dad visited Devanji to thanks his grandson for helping her daughter out on that frightful night. Devanji was not that kind of grandfather who would ask his grandsons there version of story, his aides were out and bring me and Naved to his office. It was first time I was in front of Devanji, I have seen him in portraits, as Chief Guest in functions, but today I was standing in front of him. He was tall and looked royal in all aspects. Everything about him looked regal and kind of fitness he had, nobody can tell he was a grandfather. I was sure he going to ask what all has happened so far, but the way he started the conversation it seemed he has already been briefed about it.” Devanji asked both of us “ what if your friend or your guys had broken bones out of that fight.” Before I would have formulated an answer Naved shoot back “We would lived for another day to broke all his bones.” Devanji did not asked anything further from us and asked his aides to take care of us and drop us back at the city square. Naved did not thought much about and even I did not thought about it, till the next 3 days passed.” Paki “ looked like the old man was in some dilemma.” “ Not exactly, he was sure what he wanted to do, but he wanted to gauge the heart of an 18 year old how he feel about such things, and I regret it was not the heart that mattered the most.”
Next 3 days newspaper were refreshing than the previous week one. Day 1 headlines, Ahmed Sr. apologized in press for all the charges and allegations he had made against Devanji’s family. He said his son has no idea about the assailant and it was a wild guess based on altercations with Devanji’s grandson. Day 2, newspaper headlines were even bigger, Ahmed Sr. has taken back his nomination from the provincial elections. It seemed to me Devanji was not a guy to be messed up with. Day 3, was another big surprise, newspaper read Haze the city hot spot has been sold by Ahmed Sr. to Devanji’s grandson Rony for an undisclosed amount of money. Ahmed’s were crushed to defeat in 3 days time. No noise was created after that and town was back to normal. Election come and Devanji won by a hefty margin against a handpicked opponent.”
Sonam “ Why did Devanji stuck so bad against Ahmed’s, was it in love for his grandson or was it the power he has at disposal.” “ I feel it was mixture of both, he was a reasonable man and all those years he had acted in a way very few people would have done it. He was the lone shark in timber business in the province and if he wanted he would not have let any other start of his business, but he never did this. He was not affiliated with any political parties, whatever he did, he did it on his own instance. He was a man who had always been burdened by the deeds of his forefather. They had a place in the royal court for 4
centuries, which come into no existence after the independence. He did everything that week after calculating each good and bad involved. He still let have Ahmed Sr. had his timber business and did not charge criminal charges against his son for the new moon parties. It was the last of such parties to take in the region, police cracked them very badly. It would not have noticed by the people in higher echelon if this incident had not taken place.”
Bounty and Paki had fallen asleep again and I too went out to arrange for some breakfast. There was not much to be told from the fall of that year, Dhroh and Kira keep on meeting a lot, I and Chika did well and got admission in good medical and engineering college. Even Kira was leaving to join some college in Delhi. It would be Dhroh on his own for next few years. I think it was during this time, he break all the shackles and started his journey to the end…..