Winter melody

It is around  5 AM. Winter in north but here in Hyderabad not so cold. Checked the temperature on internet. At present temperature is 16 degree Celsius , humidity 52% and wind 11km/h. Yesterday , late night, I talked to my mother. She was sleeping in the room covering her body with two quilts. She revealed that in night, first time in her life she is covering her face too by the quilt.  She feels this year cold is creating a new level of record. Out of curiosity, checking the weather report of Bhagalpur on net. Low clouds and fog. Temperature 6 degree Celsius. Oh!  shivering cold indeed.  Being in Hyderabad, I miss winter season.

I have very sweet childhood memory of winter season. In Bihar, paddy crop is harvested in winter season. In daytime, farm laborers cut  the crop and gather in the field and then they bring it to the farmhouse/ farmer’s house. Generally, in night, the labourers who cut and bring the crops in the farmer’s house, beat the crops against the choky (wooden bed) to remove the grains from the straw. This work usually they start from midnight and try to finish it in the morning. Once this work is finished, grains are measured and share of grains are given to all the laborers. This whole process used to appear a festival for me. My grandfather would take special interest in farming. Even when he was serving Government, that time also he would take leave to look after the paddy harvesting. After retirement, he became a very enthusiastic farmer who loved traditional method of farming. In my house, paddy crop was prepared just outside the house. The country yard was made in such a way that my grandfather could monitor the work from his room. In winter, my grandfather would get the special bed made in his room. He would instruct the workers to spread  atleast 15-20 inch height padding of soft paddy straw in the room. After that, he would tell the workers to put two three carpets  over the straw padding in such a way that not a single piece of staw could be seen through naked eyes. Then he would tell them to put thick mattress, bed sheet and three to four big round pillows (bolster) on it. This was his ‘Winter gaddi (throne bed) and he used to take special pride on it. In evening, other fellow villagers would come and sit in that room. Because the thick layer of straw inside the bed, the bed and room used to be very warm. Whole winter I used to sleep with my grandfather in that ‘gaddi wala room’. It was the duty of my grandfather to tell everyday at least one story. He used to tell many stories from Ramayana, Mahabharata, history, Indian independence struggle.  Sometimes he would tell funny stories of his fellow villagers too. He was a very good storyteller and I used to enjoy his story thoroughly.

In Hyderabad, I have never experienced winter. Even when I was in north India, that time also I could not feel the real essence of winter in the cities.  In my opinion, winter has mellifluous melody and that melody can be felt and experienced optimally in village only.

~~~ Ramanuj Dubey

Assignment --

Former Director General, NIRD &PR , Shri B.K.Sinha    

While searching for one field visit photograph today, I stumbled upon an assignment folder. When I opened it, I found very interesting assignment that was given to us by Director General (DG, NIRD), B.K.Sinha Sir. During our Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Development Management (PGDRDM 2009-10) Course in National Institute of Rural Development (Now NIRD&PR), the Director General Sir used to take our class. He used to teach us ‘Panchayti Raj’ and ‘Rural Development Programmes of GOI’.  His pedagogic technique was very different and engaging. He used to relate theories and principles through case studies, stories, role-plays and his own administrative experiences. Even his informal talk outside classroom used to be very informative and useful. This assignment folder took me almost five years back in classroom. I am looking back nostalgically through this assignment. The assignment and the reply I am sharing here verbatim.

A woman named Ramabai from the weaker section became the sarpanch of a village. Earlier her family used to work in NREGS programme. Now her family is denied to work in NREGS. Government gives her some stipend for being a Sarpanch but it is meagre. To sustain a dignified life she wants 10% commission from each government scheme. Is it justifiable?

Reply -Sarpanch post must have brought some advantage and disadvantage to Ramabai .now we are exploring what are the advantages and disadvantages.

Advantage:-

o   She enjoys position of power.

o    She has a say in local development

o   Her Social contacts have improved.

o   She has become influential.

Disadvantage:-

        Loss of livelihood: - Earlier her family used to work in NREGS programme. But her family is denied to work in NREGS as she is the sarpanch. If her family worked 100 days @ 100 Rs then the she is incurring 10,000 Rs loss per annum.

  §   An improved social contact means more expenditure: - if she spends 50 Rs per day in hospitality (tea, coffee, bidi, tambaku, sorbet etc) then she spends 18,250 Rs per annum.

  §      Time-consuming job:-‘sarpanch’ is not a part time job; instead, it is a full time job.

We do not know being a women of weaker section how much Ramabai enjoys position of power or has say in local development but she is incurring loss of 28,250 Rs at least due to her post. She is getting stipend from government but it is meagre. These steps she may take to ameliorate her conditions.

v  She should write about her grievances to Government and concerned department and ask for a raise in stipend. If it is not possible then ask concerned department to allow her family to work in NREGS programme.

v  If first option does not work then she should look beyond of NREGS.she may take loan from SHG or local bank and start a business so that her family engage themselves in work and earn something.   

v  She should cut down the expenditure on hospitality. Even though it is not easy to do in rural culture, but she should realise that her dedication and Honesty will speak louder than hospitality.

v  If Ramabai’s family do not get work due to her position, she should disassociate herself from family at least on paper. Then she and her family will be two entities and in this condition, her family can get job in NREGS easily. Even though it appears unethical and general sentiment may go against for her but at least her family will not be denied the right to job.

Should she be given 10% commission on government scheme, my answer is big NO. In any circumstances, public fund should not be siphoned off. If she really feel aggrieved being a sarpanch she should leave the job instead restoring malpractice and trying to enjoy public money. 

I remember, after reading my reply, Sir asked me ‘Don’t you think Ramabai’s dissociation from family member on paper will be unethical practice?’

‘But sir, denying her family to work in NREGS is also injustice . Even it is against the spirit of the Act too.’

Sir once again read the reply and smiled. 

~~~ Ramanuj Dubey

मुक्ति --

मैं

जिंदगी में मौत

ढुढंता हूँ

और

मौत में जिंदगी .

दोनों गड्ड मड्ड हैं

मेरे लिए .

कमरे की चारोँ दीवारें

जो दरअसल

दीवारें ही हैं

छत सी लगती हैं

इन छतों पर

दिखता है

उछलते

फुदकते

कूदते

फांदते

छिपकलियां

मेरे लिए ये दीवारें

कभी छत नहीं बन सकती 

कोशिश कर

गर सर हाथ को झुकाकर

टाँग से मिला भी दूँ

तो भी

छिपकली नहीं बन सकता .

बहुत दूर का सफर

शरीर तय नहीं कर सकता

रूह जा सकती है दूर तक

शरीर को

कमरे की दीवारों में टॉक

रूह बन जाना  चाहता हूँ .

~~~ रामानुज दुबे

Telgu Short Film -"Tankbund"

Recently I received the copy of the short film ‘Tankbund’ from the director.  This is my first telgu short film and I am playing the role of Subbu, the protagonist of the film. The film is in regional language, story is local (from Hyderabad) but the appeal is universal. The film was shot in the last week of April (some patch up work in May) and rough-cut was ready in May. Then this project got delayed due to various unforeseen reasons. Now this short film is ready, hope, very soon this will be in public domain. Sharing some unofficial posters of the film ‘Tankbund’ here:- 

Notice to Pests

One fine morning, I was planning to go market. Baba (my Grandfather) wanted me to bring some articles for him from the market. He prepared the list, handed me over it and he proceeded to temple (part of my house) to worship. I put the list in my pocket, took a carry bag and went outside. The moment I opened the gate, I saw Puran, a fellow villager standing at the door. Before I could say anything, he asked ' Is baba (My Grandfather) in home?'
‘Yes, he is in temple, worshipping God’- I replied.
Still he was standing at the gate. I added- ‘He just went inside the temple, it will take at least one and half hours’
‘No problem. I shall wait for him’
‘But what work you have with Baba. Tell me, if I can do that work for you’-
‘oh! That works only Baba can do in this village.’
I became very curious. What work he is telling that no one but only my grandfather can do in this village. I told him to sit on Charpoy and asked again about the work.
When I persisted then with a faint smile on face, he told –‘I want Baba to write/ issue a notice to pests. Last night I observed many pests in my field. If notice is not given to pests, they will destroy the crops’.
What! Notice to pests- I could not resist laughing, but he was serious.
‘Spray pesticides in the field, that will help your crops’- I advised.
‘That I also will do, but these pests must be given notice first’ – he replied.
‘Ok- but why baba? you can tell anybody to write the notice’-
‘Only Sarkari karamchari ( Government official ) can write notice for this purpose’
‘but there are many government employees in the village’
‘but notice written by other Sarkari karamchari are not  so effective . Moreover, nobody knows ‘kaithy language’ in the village. Notice must be written in kaithy language. Then he kept on telling how such notice helps to keep away pests from the field. What I could fathom from his talk that, my grandfather was an ideal retired Government official for writing the notice. 
I remembered Kaithy was the official language of that area before independence. All land related documents (before independence) used to be written in kaithy only. As my grandfather knew kaithy well, many people used to come to him to understand the documents. He had resolved many land related disputes in the village. Nevertheless, notice to Pests in kaithy – this whole episode was amusing for me. I did not go market immediately, waited for my grandfather too. When his worship was over, he came out of the temple. I informed him about Puran and notice things. He smiled. He told me to bring a writing pad, notebook and pen. He wrote the notice on the paper and handed over to puran.
The content of the notice (written in Kaithy) was -

Shriman Lohtan singh & Party,
It has been observed that since yesterday you and your party have attacked the standing crops in the field belongs to --son of----, village ---, tahsil---. – is an honest farmer and he pays his tax on time. Attacking on field is amount to attacking sarkar bahadur. You and your party, hereby, directed to vacate the field with immediate effect. If you fail to do so, you will be punished severely.
on the behalf of government & farmer
-------------

I laughed when my grandfather read out the content for me. Puran took the notice, stitched that notice to a red cloth and at the end the cloth he made a loop and tied it with a long staff. Then he straightway went to field to put that staff in the field. My grandfather told him ‘this notice is not enough for pests. You should use pesticides or any other alternative for pests’ control’. 

When Puran left, I argued with my grandfather.
‘What do you think this notice will drive away pests from the field’- I asked.
‘I am afraid, they won’t. Not a single pest will be able to read my notice. Illiterate lot’- my grandfather mused. Seeing me serious, he told me –‘see, thousand times I told those who come for such purpose that notice, paper – these are just superstitions. These things do not have power to control pests.  Pests are  controlled by Pesticides  , spraying neem, hot ashes or other scientific methods. Here, many farmers of my generation believe in notice system.  They also understand that without doing scientific method pests will not go away, then also they use notice too. I do not want to be rude or impolite; I do it for free and do not forget to give advice that pests can be killed / controlled through scientific method only’. 

This incident took place almost fifteen years back. My grandfather died in October 2008. Since then, very few times I visited the village. Hope, by now this weird system of sending notice to pests must have stopped in the village.

~~~ Ramanuj Dubey

बालक - एक प्रतिक्रिया -

गांव की एक पतली पगडण्डी पर

लोटता हुआ बालक

मचलता है

लपकता है

माँ की ओर

देखता है

माँ की

धसी हुई छाती

फटी हुई साड़ी

ढीले पड़े शुष्क स्तन

बांहे फैलाये दो बेजान हाथ

बालक

ठिठकता है

रुक जाता है

माँ के कामों में

बिना व्यवधान डाले

अपने खेल में

मग्न हो जाता है

शायद

अपने तौर से

पुरे समाज की

खिल्ली उडाता है .

रामानुज दुबे

Name & Surname

Sometimes amusing discussion brings out interesting truth of our society. Yesterday I had very healthy discussion with one of my friends about ‘Name’ and ‘Surname’. This discussion reminds me two incidents that took place more than ten years back in Bihar.

During our graduation days, we had a good friend Rajesh Yadav. He was very popular among us. We had  given him many informal names .For us he was Raju, Raj, Rajesh, RY, yadav.  When his sister's marriage was fixed, he  invited all of us . We were the group of six and all of them reached to marriage house one day before the marriage ceremony. After reaching to the place, very soon we gelled with the family and took the responsibilities for arrangements of marriage ceremony. Among us, we had a friend Chandan, who used to address Rajesh as Yadav. Chandan was coordinating with labors for decoration. Many times, he needed Rajesh’s instructions for proper decoration of hall for that frequently he would call out ‘Yadav’.  After hearing his shrill voice, Rajesh would respond loudly either from second or third floor of the building. Everyone who was present there noticed this unusal but amusing way of communication. In night, after dinner, Rajesh’s uncle (perhaps he was a senior officer of State commission cadre) called Chandan and reprimanded him for calling Rajesh as ‘Yadav’.
Chandan was aghast. He remonstrated ‘But uncle from the beginning I have been addressing him ‘Yadav’. He never said me anything against it’.
‘ Addressing him Yadav appears very offensive. You may call your friend Rajesh by any names but when you use word ‘Yadav’ for him you should use ‘Yadav ji’ –uncle said this seriously.
‘Ji for friend ?'- chandan made a funny face.
“No – ‘ji’ to give respect his caste, his bloodline, his ancestors, his family. Here Rajesh is not only ‘Yadav’ whole family is .Name can be informal, Surname cannot be. It is better to address friends by his name but if you are using surname, you must give proper respect to Surname.”
Meanwhile Rajesh keeping fingers on his lips gave Chandan signal to keep quite before uncle. Chandan reciprocated accordingly. This discussion was over, but one good outcome of this discussion was that after that Chandan never addressed Rajesh as ‘Yadav’.

Second incident took place after few months of this incident. Bank Manager Mahto uncle had given a party in his house. Mahto uncle’s son Mithilesh is my friend. Mithlesh had invited some of his college friends in the party. His one college friend was constantly addressing him ‘Mahto- mahto’ loudly. One old woman admonished the guy – ‘Will you have to pay money or tax to say Mahto ji or Mahto Babu. You will not become small if you address your friend with respect. What kind of education you are getting in the college?’ his college friend was apologetic. Everybody present in the party agreed with the old woman.

These two incidents made me conscious about surnames. There is no denying the fact that India is a caste based society and a majority of our fellow citizens identify themselves with their own caste. Many people feel offended if their surname that generally denote their caste, not addressed with proper respect. Generally I address my friends by their names only but if I have to address by surname I never forget to add ‘ji or Babu’ suffix.  In my opinion giving respect to the name and the surname of any individual whether s/he is younger one or elder one, educated or illiterate, rich or poor, officer or peon is equivalent to respecting our self and we should respect our self.