Saturday, January 1, 2011

Ijaja khan aka Monu Khan

Secularism is the concept that government or other entities should exist separately from religion and/or religious beliefs which could be inferred as , it refers to the view that human activities and decisions, especially political ones, should be based on evidence and fact unbiased by religious influence . Being a Secular is big positive in present times as i should say add extra charm to one’s overall persona but do we really mean it. Do we really had given that much freedom to others to live the way they want to live . Answer is no.why i don’t know but yes i can narrate you a story which compel me to think about India’s secular status .
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One fine winter morning i was enjoying my allo ka paratha with my father in veranda at my home . it was bright clear day as predicted by weather department ,It was second week of October and air just start giving sensation of coolness but still air had some humidity.sun rays were falling down on my plate from window panes ,as if they were trying to help hot paratha’s to melt big home made butter slice .whole scene was giving me very uneasy feeling as just last night in train i was reading green house gas emission effect on polar ice .In seconds big bundle of butter was gone and it was literally floating on my paratha .i start working on the job which  was in front of Smile.yes it was a work ,being away from home and because of sedentary job now i don’t have same digestive system which i had few years back ,so that's why just simple Punjabi breakfast become a big task me for me. while i was struggling with breakfast , i heard a harsh but loud sound …25 ka ek or 100 kae 5 ,he was selling flower pots . i didn’t bother my self with the voice but i know who so ever is the master of this voice he is not Punjabi (specifically Majih”people from north Punjab “)  .My father respond to his repeated shout .Papa: oye chotu . how many pots do you have today? chotu : sir ji 15 ,how many you want? but price is 25 per pot .papa: no ,we want all 15 but at old price of 20/pot .he was not convinced . i too come out to see what is going on. first time i saw the source of the sound and he was just a kid of around 13-14 year age but he had a confident outlook ,self-respect and business acumen of mature man and same time wide-eyed godliness .a softness which can’t be touched and sensed easily with naked eyes but sensed by internal feelings .once father fixed deal with him ,he asked him to have some breakfast /tea or sweets ,he denied softly but after small persuasion we agreed for tea.i served him hot tea and asked his name. he told his name :Monu .i don’t have habit to ask surname so i didn't bother to adk the same .i asked him about his family and why he is in this job even though at this age he is suppose to be school. For time being he didn't said a word ,then with a tear in eyes he started his story .sahib don’t you ask me ,i am Monu kumar, singh,khan or xyz..i said is it necessary .he said yes sahib ..i am Monu khan but thats not my true name I love to be addressed as Ijaj khan   .My name is Ijaja khan .i hails from Mujafrabad U.P .my parents shifted to Gujarat for employment in 1998 .i was just few year old when a mob of ….killed my parents he was hesitating to say a mob of Hindus.they burnt our house and killed my parents and brothers .just i was left that too because one person in a mob saved me .Then i went to my maternal aunt ,she was in ,Pune . In Pune i started my new life .i worked on tea stalls /cleaning and learnt making earthen pots .Just few days back one of my cousin was coming to Gurdspur   so i accompanied him. Here in Gurdaspur i tried to search job but no one was willing to give job to Ijaja khan so i changed my name to Monu khan and whenever some ask me my name i just tell them Monu as it is a popular hindu name .I asked him do you have any grudge on the people who killed you parents. he said sahib i am a small man ,not educated but still i know that the mob which killed my parents had no religion and how could i grudge from some-one who saved my life then who are giving me food (s my most of customers  are hindu.I have seen many people most of them have sympathy  with me but yes few kicked me too but for that i can’t have grudge on everyone and now i don’t even remember the face of any one who was there that night. now he cheered himself up said sahib i don’t need big home ,car or more money what i need is just food,air and shelter .i was shocked at understanding of a illiterate kid who had tragic life but still how mature he is . i appreciate Ijaja and one question to my self is it really difficult to be secular ?

2 comments:

  1. Thats the "Secular India's" truth. Very touching incident. Thanks for sharing. I hope, reading this, if only one person could change. That would be a start.

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  2. I too wish so Priyanka ,usually a start is difficult .first step ,we are so much shackled by our prejudice that even though we try but still we are not able to take that first step.

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