You would have heard many times that you met someone and then you became friend with him, but for me this friendship is a bit different from that, this man whom I met in Mumbai is actually a security guard at the place where I stay in Mumbai. I travel up and down Mumbai- Delhi many times. I stay there for a about a week or so. I used to see him either reading some book or a newspaper. I was really surprised by his knowledge about Maharashtra, which I think he got after reading all those books. He is a 100% Maratha, he feels running in those bone breaking crowded local trains, living in the scanty and utterly foul smelling slums is the thrill in Mumbai. I sometimes felt that, how does this man live in such a costly city when he earns only Rs 4000 per month in which half of the share goes straight to the KHOLI (the room in slump)?
I don’t know when did I actually start talking to him but after we were in good and frank talking terms I must say I learnt thousands of things which changed my point of view in life. This man actually taught me to laugh in pain and smile after gain. Most of the people around there especially the other guests, look at me as why this boy is talking to a guard for such a long time but seriously when we start conversation I learn many new things from him. I remember a day when he said he earns Rs 4000 and he is working as a security from past 5 years (he is 23 I think). By this time he has saved some Rs. 40,000 including his insurance. He said he has planned every damn thing in life. After 2 years he will marry a girl whom he loves, if none then he will tie-knots with an orphan girl. He said long time back he left his home in village, his mother and elder brother is still there. He has forgotten them as they have never treated him well. Right now he has no relative as such, apart from his fellow security guards. He has planned of having a child regardless of girl or boy as he had seen people getting mad and producing kids which they can’t affords just out of sheer love for BOY and then leave the girls on road to die. He keeps Rs 500 every month to buy books from the junk as he cannot afford the new ones. He does overtime and saves his each penny that he earns for his future wife and for the kid in order that he/she can study which he could not.
He told me many stories about our GOD(s) which I think I have never heard. Some were on the great poets in Maharashtra who are forgotten by locals while others were on SHIVAJI Maharaj. We usually talk on Politics in which he is very interested as well. He said, earlier he was a big time fan of Bala Sahab Thakerey of Shiv Sena but after listening to the speeches of Raj Thakerey he felt that this man can actually work for Mumbai. After talking to him I realize that how these Politicians play with the feeling of the common man who always hopes that they would do something for them and at the end of 5 year term, people realize that he was rather worse than the previous leader. IT MAKES ME FEEL THAT WHOEVER COMES TO POWER “RAM OR RAVAN”, THE COMMON MAN WILL ALWAYS BE SITA. I also realize how necessary Education is in the life to support our ideas and for the survival in this Crafty World. The best part I like about him is his purity and love for his motherland which anyone can make out after talking to him.
I remember at my first visit in Mumbai, my booking at that place was to expire and the in-charge was not extending it. I was finding it difficult to find a place economical around. So, I was very irritated and worried. He then said to me that he could not ask me to come to his house as I can’t live in that condition so he had located an apartment which is vacant right now through his friend who was a clerk there. It was really more than enough ,as by that time I had arranged for a place but it was so very nice about that man who tried his best to help a stranger as we never knew each other that well. Whenever we meet he is ready to tell me something new that he read in some book or some latest funny incident that happened in Mumbai. This is how we became friends.
His life might not be the best but indeed he enjoys every single bit of it. He might not be the richest but he is rich in knowledge which he acquired after reading those many books. The best part of the story finally is that I don’t know his name as I never bothered or remembered to ask. That’s why this friendship is very strange. It is a friendship of thoughts and nothing more.
---
Mukul Gupta
0 comments:
Post a Comment