Posted on: Jun 28, '08
HUMANITY IN WHITE
This is a true story which happened wih me quite some time back.It puts back my faith in the lost humanity .These days when no one is ready to even give a cursory glance to others problems, to go far out of the way to help some one can only thought to be a fiction . But miracles do happen.
My mother-in-law, sister-in-law, with her six months old daughter, my brother-in-law and his wife , all of them had come down to my place to celebrate the new year.The atmosphere was all full of revelry , there was not a single dull moment.It was all fun and fun only.One day we were having lunch together and cracking jokes , pulling legs of each other and all that which is associated with such a gathering.And suddenly my sister in law had to say something very bright.
"Bhai saheb , I have got a very fantastic idea!'
"And what is that Sali Sahiba ?"I quipped
"See this is a very rare get-together.You never know when we will be able to meet again like this. Why not make it a memorable one ?"
"Will you please come out with the bright idea ?"
"Why not go to Kanha-Kisli?"
As all of you must be knowing , Kanha-Kisli is the world famous tiger reserve inMP. It was only about 350kms from my place. The idea was not bad , the only hitch was , we didnt have any prior booking. Everyone was so much overjoyed by this great proposition of my SIL , that the fact of not having a prior booking there , was ignored and the idea to go ahead was agreed unanimously.
Next day early in the morning we started for Kanha-Kisli. Early becomes quite a relative term when there are three beautiful ladies , vying with each other to look more attractive, and so our early was 1030. We had two cars , mine and my BIL's.
The journey was also as enjoyable as the company. We had umpteen no. of stoppages . For paan , for cigarettes(MY BIL is a chain smoker), for tea , and for anything as per the wishes of the ladies and the children.
We had our lunch in a road side dhaba. The dhabawala was a picture of enthusiasm and hospitality.He prepared a delicious lunch of Titar, readily available in that area .
After having a sumptuous lunch we started again. The lunch was good . it was amply proved by the fact that all he ladies started dozing off in the car .It only helped in our reaching the destination early.By 530 in the evening we were able to reach the main entrance of the tiger reserve. Here we committed another mistake. First mistake was our plan to visit this place without prior booking.
Instead of looking for some accomodation right away , we could not resist the temptation to see the wild life and the natural beauty in the fading daylight.We did enjoy the splendour of the jungle beauty.We entered the forest . There were herds of Deer and Sambhars by the road side and their view with setting sun at the background was simply out of the world . It was getting dark and
visibility was getting poorer , so we got back to the main entrance. By the time we reached there it was completely dark , and getting colder and colder.The need to have some accomodation loomed large over our heads .
The search for the accomodation started. We looked at all the hotels , guest houses , dak bungalows , tourist lodges but nothing was available anywhere. Everywhere it was jampacked. People had even put matresses on the verandah. Not an inch of space was available anywhereBecause of the new year the rush was huge.We were very worried. The jungle chill was increasing and with it our apprehensions too. The joy and excitement we got from the wildlife viewing was all washed away. What to do ? Where to go ? Someone suggested that we should got to Baihar a place 10kms from there. There were some private lodges and Dak Bungalow.
We hardly had any choice. We headed towards Baihar. We reached there within 15mnts. The search started here also but with the same results. NO luck. Everyone was very downcast . Here also every single inch of space was occupied.I thought let us have some break in the search , think and then decide further course of action . There was a petrol pump nearby. We went there and asked the pump operator to fill the tanks of both the cars. I got down to stretch my legs. My BIL also joined me, lighted a cigarette . We were looking very worried , and our talks were also centered around the non avaialbility of the accomodation. We two decided that we should go to some bigger place nearby and try there , and if we fail there let us return back .
There was one genteman nearby who was very keenly following our conversation. We didnt take any notice of him. While we were about to get into our car , the man came rushing towards us with a wide grin on his face , He said "It seems you are in search of some accomodation. Where are you from Saheb ?"
We generally dont encourage strangers and wary of them and more so in a jungle area like that.
"What is it to you ?"My BIL said not in a very friendly tone.
The smiling man didnt give up . "Dont get angry saheb , I can arrange something for you ."
Any spoken word in my life so far never sounded as sweet as these words from the smiling man .I lapped up the words and enquired further about his offer. He had a room nearby. He was building a shop. It was near completion. But quite good enough to spend the night on the matress. We accepted his offer. It was just like an oasis in a desert.
He then asked "Do you have matresses and rajai (quilts) ?"
"No " I said. ""DONt worry" , he said . "Come with me "And he and my BIL got into the car . After some time we see them coming back with matresses and rajais loaded on the roof of the car. Our Samaritan sticking out his head from the car window and waving at us with that wide grin on his face , to follow them.,
We stopped at the roadside nearly at the end of the city limits. A shop like structure was visible in the darkness. Nothing else near to it , except a tea shop adjacent to it. The smiling man went to the shop and got the key from the owner. . I followed him to the room. He opened it . I saw the room was big enough to accomodate all of us . What a relief !!! I went back to the car and conveyed the news . The sense of relief which every body felt was to be seen to be believed. As if heaven has been conquered.
The Samaritan in the meantime had even arranged tea for us,.water for washing and general purposes , got the matresses spread on the floor..
I didnt know how to thank this man., But for him we would have been stranded there . I shook his hands vey warmly, and openend my purse to express my gratitude . "Oh leave it Saheb , right now you are tired, have rest , we will see about it tomorrow morning . Lock your room from inside ." And saying all this he vanished in the darkness.
All of us were so tired that as soon as they hit the matress they fell asleep.I was thinking all the time about the man . He was like a providence . How to repay him ? And then I also fell asleep.
The sweet chirping of the birds woke us up . We slept quite well. Got up and were ready to leave for the forest. But our smiling samaritan was nowhere to be seen.We waited for him for another half an hour but still no trace of him . In the meantime we had some breakfast of whatever little was available in the tea shop. There was still no sign of our man. I enquired the tea shop owner about him . He said "Saheb dont wait for him. He very rarely comes here.I look after this room for him. "I was simply overwhelmed by this reply. Means our smiling man knew all the time that he is not going to come in the morning and still he refused in his own smiling way to accept any money . What a selfless man !!!!!
"Do you know where does he live ?"
"No"I didnt know what to do.But we had to go.
I locked the room and left the key with the tea shop owner. All of us got into the cars. We started on our journey to explore the splendour and the marvel of the nature in its utmost natural form in the jungle leaving behind its another splendid creation ...HUMANITY IN WHITE !!!!!!!!
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