The Day
“Non cooperation movement”, yes I still remember, I was
preparing for my 10th class exams, when the short circuit chaos
distracted me, I went out to see what the matter was. GO INSIDE, my father shouts at me, it’s a Fidayeen attack,
all my nerves squeezed and I glued to the place where I was preparing.
It was 2002, ninth day of the cremation of my paternal grand
mother, and my place was stuffed with mourners, as tomorrow is the 10th
day, as per Sikh rites, we observe ten days in the loving memory of deceased,
so for that we had brought Guru Granth Sahib at our place, so every body was
busy listening to last rites in the loving memory of my loving grand mother.
I was busy in preparing for the final exams of my
matriculation as for the whole year; I haven’t touched my books, not only me
but nobody in my home. As this year was the worst of my entire life, whole year
went in confusion.
With due respect to all my subjects, I was very weak in
history, so despite of it being my last paper I went on its intensive
preparation, ‘Khilafat and Non cooperation movement’ was the topic I was
running through, I was disturbed and confused with the disturbances of the
entire year, yet I was making my mind for cooping up, the scene starts and the
disorder was clear outside, In a mean time the chaos with firing sound
reverberate outside unexpected and
unprecedented, it frigid me, I was no more in a condition to think anything.
In haste I went outside to get to know about family and
others present on the spot, it was disgraceful to learn that my first cousin
brother, Lucky was out for playing, which had already created havoc for the family,
in addition to it all the relatives were out side gate waiting for its opening.
For the sake of Lucky all the members of the family had put
their lives on stake, without thinking for another second, it was all mayhem as
at the distance of around 50 – 60 meters, fidayeen was firing indiscrimately,
whereas all my family members were confronting him face to face.
I consider my self the most coward person, one can say the
most pacifist one, I hate this word but I know its true, when all my family was
on stake I was peeping for them from the grid of windows, I was looking for a
chance to get over to Lucky.
The moment went in frictions at our place, don’t know what
was it, kindness of fidayeen or mercy of God, everything was fine at our place,
but unfortunately my dad received some splinters of bullet, which fidayeen
fired aiming wall near my place.
Some thing gloomy is still striking my mind that, I was not
aware with it until dad was brought back with their knees banded with white
bandages, doctor have advised them not to work for three months, and on the
next day it was 10th. Every thing was like scattered and aimless,
somehow dad at that moment stands with the situation and managed to observe the
day.
It was all calm during night as both the ends stopped firing,
neither police was firing nor was fidayeen, shockingly even after using crates
of ammunition police was yet to locate him,,, it was so calm as nothing had happened,
rumors had made its space, some say that fidayeen is hiding in the immediate
next building to ours and some say he has been killed, so all in chaos night
spent.
Sunday, I woke up and went out to get some fresh air, oh I
forgot to mention that I too have very poor memory, same was the situation at
that time I woke up causally and directly went out, as I stood out in veranda,
sound of indiscriminate firing once again hold the momentum, I was thinking at
my own, isn’t is something acquaint. I smiled and went back to my hide out
blanket to take some more timely nap. For my family it was the toughest year as
I say, all went like anything and we did last rites of grand mother under sheer
fear.
After, fidayeen was killed people made their
interpretations, especially our relatives, same old orthodox beliefs, some said
that my grand mother saved us and more interesting part was that when I heard
some women folk talking and saying fidayeen was kind enough.
Till date I still shrugged when ever I listen to any sound
of fire, it reverberates in my ears like some body has fired it near to me.
“I am thankful to almighty God for saving all of us from
that inexplicable day, our family use to talk about that incident but when ever
I thought of it……..
