Displacement of the Truth

Dear Reader,

Usually contemplations and my strange observations make me resonant and instable.
I don't know if anyone of us lives life without rises and falls, without being a witness of earthquakes or storms or wars.

My life starts from a small farmer's house where I brought up among peasants and laborers. My father was observed honest and very ordinary man. For him his truth and love to all was utmost asset. He was taking care of a jumbo family of ours and making a bridge among other families of uncles and cousins. He was a member of the social committee in that locality/village. People usually do consultation for any important matters.

We had several spiritual and cultural programs at regular intervals. Festivals were celebrated commonly in a very healthy manner. People used to join without any feelings of caste or creed. Though they were divided into castes. But everybody was having understanding of their positions. Only one serious illness was inequality and suppressiveness against scheduled castes. But I found my Papa, a brahmin, very kind with everybody. He used to work hard alongwith peasants. I used to support him.

Years passed.... I joined college...got education... struggled for career and still fighting to keep up business running. working with officials and also in touch with those peasants.

What I am writing about is the displacement of the truth. When I am nostalgic about the changes. Ok what is the displacement of Truth? I'll tell you later.
I am writing couple of real stories/ my observations here:

Puneet (Bhole) My Friend:
Puneet and I born togther in a small village. We brought up together, got primary education together. We used to go to walk to the canal and sugarcane farms together in the evening, used to sit calm looking into the sun and finding the interesting images in the clouds... and discussing various things including science, fiction, movies...singing songs and bhajans. I wasn't looking very good... I was little introvert and so I was having very less friends. Puneet and I was known as best friends in the village. It was the greatest truth that we were together and a great hope for the village for upcoming future.
We keep in touch always.... still after he's no more physically in this world. Ya..... Now truth has changed for me... I accept it happens... But it's not acceptable. ..

My innocent childhood friend turned a notorious thief:
In my primary school, there was a classmate of mine. He had a tamarind tree at his door and used to bring tamarind fruits (Imali) for me. His smile was so lovely, He used to sit in the back row. He was usually very serious and quiet. It continued for couple of years and we departed. I joined a higher secondary school in a nearby town. He continued in the village only. In the burden of new education we forgot each other. Tens of years passed, After getting job I visited my village and papa sent me to his village for some work. and I became nostalgic about early life. I asked someone "Bhaiya, hiyan ek bado so imali ko ped hatho agar hum sahi hain to" He said with a surprise "Sudhir, moye pehchanat hau". I asked him again with a double surprise "Tum mero nau kaise jaant hau". He said "bu imali ko ped hamao e hatho. kai saal hue gaye ped gir gayo. yaad hai hum log ek saath padat hathe"...
He was so changed. He had joined a local thieves' gang after being unsuccessful in education and being blamed falsely by his neighbours... The whole story....his innocent smile... his selflessness friendship... and now strange look and bad image... what a displacement... no tamarind tree..the truth: his address now changed. He himself was an address; known as a notorious thief. I felt sorry very first time in my life in a peculiar way. I felt why I didn't talk to papa to help him out while departing. Why nobody has supported him to shield against blames......

When I was not given seat in a vehicle because I was belonging to a particular caste:

I was doing graduation those days. My friend Dharam didn't come college for couple of weeks. I enquired and came to know that he is having some mental disease. I decided to meet him. It was the time when telephones were very limited; neither of us was having one. It was general election time. I had no good idea how to reach his place. I just started, I took a bus towards his village and I felt good and just emotional about my friend. I was told to change bus at next town as that was a part of local transportation route/carrier policy. I was hopeful to reach there on time and having a plan to return and teach my students in the evening. But the time was waiting for another tough journey by me.. After moving till certain miles, almost midway, we came to know that bus is having mechanical failures. Anyways there was another hope: If we can walk till that town and get the bus. I didn't think too much and started walking fast and reached in half an hour to that town. But again the same thing, due to general elections and considerations of violence-sensitive region, local bus operators were told by the administration to stop transportation. From this point I had to travel 21 kilometers more. There was another alternative If I can get a local train upto his nearby station and to get train, nearest railway station was 5 kilometers. So..? obviously started walking to the railway station and i reached around in 50 minutes... but again no train before 1.5 hours. and it was only 9 kilometers to travel by train.. so i decided to walk again... and I reached there in 1.5 hours.. but now from that point I had to travel 7 kilometers more... and I was totally worn out. and there was no bus because of the same reason. I was desperate and dried mouth and hungry too.

I was praying to Almighty for some vehicle ..and He listened ..I saw a election-compaign cab coming towards me.. I asked for a ride upto that village... there was 5-6 men inside the cab having a capacity of 10... some guy told me to get in. I was very happy and really thanking Him and those people. But ...next moment some guy asked me where I had to go. I replied.. then next question..if you are belonging to a particular caste?.. I said nothing..since I was going to the village of people belonging to that caste they assumed that I am also of the same caste .. and they just stopped the cab and insulted me to get out....and the most painful was the fact that i was insulted by people of my caste only... :-( anyways i was recharged greatly and just walk faster and reached to see my friend... he was now more important for me.. I felt the pain that my friend and his people might be living a suppressed life... i reached there.. i hugged him... he was better and looking forward to join studies.. i took good food there... those people gave me lots of love and respect... i requested my friend to let me go back after a good rest of around 2 hours... Fortunately there was a train scheduled as per my plan in the evening as they people told me .. My friend arranged me a drop by a bike to the railway station....since he was not feeling well he arranged some guy to drop me. He came with me till the main road...and in the way some other folks joined us... Dharam introduced me as his best friend. they were very haapy to meet and me too... One of those guys asked me if i came by riding on the election compaign cab or how i managed to reach.... I just told him the story and my worries at castism... but that guy started abusing the caste I belong to without knowing the facts.... My friend just smiled looking into my eyes... and I answered him through my eyes only. Dharam just stopped him and said Sudhir is also a brahmin.....

He hugged me tightly this time. and we departed with the understanding that he would join me by next week.... throughout the journey I was thinking the bad face of castism. and again nostalgic about the early days where papa introduced his co-workers to me with proper relations of 'Chacha'(uncle), 'Tau'(big uncle) etc... not like ABC pandit or thakur or kachhi.... I thought it's again a displacement of time...bad one!! and They didn't even consider my faded face after walking too much and my thanks... and that guy who was really insane in feelings of revenge...... Alas!