In the name of HONOUR - Part-1

'Don't give me such kind of assignments Prat! You know I am not good at this stuff. Besides, at first place, I even wonder why we have to do it, at all' - Rahul screamed at the top of his lungs.

'Look Rahul, this is not in my hands. The decisions have a say of many other people, apart from me. We have to do this cover story for our November issue and you have got full 1 month. Why are you panicking so much? Take it as an unusual vacation. Go to this village, roam around, talk to few people and prepare a write up. Its a chance for you to have a small break from the regular city life.' - Pratham said, emitting the cigarette smoke into the air while scribbling something on a paper.

 'Its a chance for you to have a small break from the regular city life.' - Rahul mimicked angrily.

'Don't be a brat. It will be easy. Here are the contact details of Khemraj. He is our collegue and operates from the district to which this village belongs. He will assist you in your work.  

Pratham handed over the piece of paper to Rahul. Rahul slipped it, deep into his pocket as if he did not want to find it out ever.

Rahul was working as a journalist in a news magazine office at New Delhi. He was assigned to cover a story about the sudden fled-ding of inhabitants of a village named 'Gurupur' in far eastern India. For Rahul, this assignment appeared extremely boring and tasteless. There was nothing to do here. There was scaricity of drinking water in the village and hence people were fleding from it. It was so much straight. He did not want to waste his time and energy, writing about it. Infact, there was nothing to write about, according to him, in this case. It ought to be a maximum 4 lines mention in a small corner on the second-last page of the magazine but his editor was asking to write a cover story on this.

The train stopped at a place that hardly looked like a train station. Rahul stepped down and instantly thought of getting back to Delhi. But comforting thoughts, very seldom, turn into reality. He pulled his suitcase and dragged himself towards the exit.

"Rahul Sir, electricity is a big problem here" - said Khemraj while placing the candle into the niche in wall.

"We will start from tomorrow. I have identified few people who we can interview" - he added.

"Khemraaj, now seriously tell me. What do you think about this? Why are these people are going away from their homes"

"Sir, there is huge scarcity of drinking water in the village. To remain alive they have to find a suitable place"

"Exactly..., then what are we doing here. What story would we cover, whats there to write about...Tell me"

"Sir, I am in this job for about 10 years now. Not everyday, you will get exciting or challenging stuff. Sometimes, you have to live through this kind of work too. I have arranged for some villagers to talk to us tomorrow. Lets talk to them and see what we can report." 

Khemraaj succeeded a little in soothing Rahul's frustration. He pulled the bed sheet over his face to rescue himself from mosquitoes and searched for some sleep.

===========================================================

The morning looked sad and deserted. While, strolling through the muddy village roads, they saw many people travelling along with their belongings and children. It was difficult to distinguish between the baggage and the children as both were being handled almost similarly. Rahul lighted up another cigarette. It was his fourth since morning. They were going to meet Ramdin, one of the Panchs of the village.

Khemraaj greeted Ramdin who was adjusting his hukka, "Hello Ramdinji, we hope you are having a nice morning." Ramdin smiled and replied, "Ram-Ram, come, I was waiting for you."

Ramdin arranged 2 chairs for them and ordered his wife, Kamla, for 2 glasses of water. Kamla disappeared into the kitchen, while Rahul tried to fit himself into the rickety chair. Khemraaj pulled out his recorder and started juggling with its knobs. Ramdin became alert and adjusted his clothes. Rahul smiled sarcastically. Ramdin became conscious and shyly said," You see, this is my first interview!". Meanwhile, Kamla handed over the glasses of water to Rahul and Khemraaj. Ramdin caught Rahul noticing that the glasses were only half-filled and quickly commented, "This is out of the last stock we saved".

"So, you are also planning to leave"

"Yes, we have to. There is not much drinking water left now".

"How did this problem arise. I guess you and other villagers have been living in this village for many years. What has suddenly happened."

"Nothing has suddenly happened, sahab but its quite straight-forward. For 3 years in a row, monsoons have not been good. All the wells in the village have dried up. There is no water to drink."

"But what about the initiatives of government. They have started the constuction of check-dams and deepening of wells. I heard, they have also formed a Village Water and Sanitation Committee here for the management of water-harvesting plants. What about all this?"

"Nothing is happening Sir. The government officials are just filling up their books and pockets."

Rahul asked some more routine questions and gestured Khemraaj to get up. He noticed that Kamla was looking at him, mysteriously, perhaps filled with a little fear.

From Ramdin's place, they went to meet some other people, interviewed them and went back to their place of stay. Ramdin's wife was standing at their door.

"This village is repenting for its sins. This situation is due to a curse on all villagers. Believe me Sahab, this is a curse."

Khemraaj and Rahul looked at each other. They were not sure how to react to Kamla's words.

                                                                                           ---- (To be Continued)