Sundays on Couch
Typically a Sunday is made lazy, by middle class urbanites, particularly those who are yet to catch up a morning walk or yoga session with a hope to make fit of ever complaining bodies otherwise camouflaged with branded garments for evergreen looks. Lazy talks sourced from the sensual media is a ready-made fodder to pull on for long hours on living room couches. For issues ranging from national to international interests there are solutions or at-least suggestions from Bishu babu.
Bishu babu Style
Bishu babu is the first generation rural migrants who could be taken as successful in contemporary society for his employment tag that hangs around his neck taming him for fat salary while I and may like me have pocketed such tags in traditionally government fed torn purses, Of course, Bishu cracks himself with melancholy codes to jack up old timer creaky systems located elsewhere in Globe. But, Bishu is different – sometimes he asks to self a question, “who am I?” atleast as a Jackie Chan. For listening to his answers I'm usually invited. In a Sunday morning on a soft invitation on my cell I dropped at his place, warmed up with a tea for a lesson on migrants from Bangalpur. I picked up to make the session more involving with the following narration.
Instigating Bishu
In last December, I and Ratanda were chatting in restaurant at Bangalore in prospect of a good food for dinner. With my experience at Hyderabad I bated for Bangalpur migrant there. To my good luck, we spotted a smart boy with a diploma in hotel management. He was with all required etiquette for the evening in a plush hotel. He was better placed than unskilled migrants but certainly not paid enough for his work, I could get it hesitant grumblings. Anyway, he was eager to offer a compliment dinner which we politely denied with thanks. I encouraged him to start a Dhaba-chain along Puri-Balasore national highway and reminded him to invite us for the inaugural dinner. Casted a doubtful smile, and went away discharging all newly acquired modern etiquette – an interesting difference.
By this time Bishu was impatient, his words have started dancing on his lips and alike many desis to other speaking, Bishu raised his voice and tried to catch my hands – indicating that was enough. This is Bishu's intimate style of communication – a stranger (non desis) may find it intimidating. I felt wining ensuring a next round of tea.
Now Bishu got the token to talk and went on saying this
Surge Aheads & GL Seekers
Narrates Bishu, “ Do you know ? Currently there are two types of migrants from Bangalpur to Bangalore (could be Hyderabad, Delhi and Chennai). One is Surge Ahead type- members usually featured with B.Tech/MCA degrees flock to these cities (instead of Varanasi) to realize “I”; start with signing up at SAP/Mainframe etc. training shops. They are assuring, confident and aggressively forward looking.” Bishu summed up “ It's a pan-Indian phenomenon”. I don't know why did he stop with India. He could extended the scope of the statement to SARC countries / Third World Countries. There are times, Bishu misses the points.
Bishu, furher added to his analysis on second category of migrants from Bangalpur. They are mostly unskilled aging 12 onwards. Some of them could be fortunate to finish 10th class. They flock together, maintain social network (thanks to cell phone revolution in India) mostly for horizontal movements from one city to another seeking opportunities. They are underpaid evenafter topiling for streched hours as seurity guards/sales persons/waiters/plumbers etc. Off the workplaces, in a dingy rooms they dumped themselves in a way to make air and light even ashamed to peep in. Impoverished area and unethical associations take heavy tolls on their health – cold hand of end stretches forward to pluck out.
“Agree” I acknowledged to Bishu's narration just to be assured of the second of tea.
Honey's not for You
Aparajeeta entered into living room and cups of teas were there with enough of namkeens to pull safely for usual late Sunday lunch. She is determined as usual for a checkmate to Bishu's verbose. Sometimes I wonder whether the couple has this strategy to make the talks animated. She added,”Do you know why the people leave Bangalpur?”. “Yes, I know – to make their livelihood.” added Bishu. She, ofcourse, didn't take it – as usual. “Yeah, that's one of the reasons. But many of them come for adventures, allured by media visuals on upcoming cities and then get trapped. Looking back for them becomes a prestige issue. Living on village resources is insufficient and for some uninspiring. “
Bishu traditionally sees things magnified as an traditional guy takes up 'malika' to forecast doomsday due to a thud of a huge asteroid on 13th June “amabasya” night. He got charged and told almost blaming Bangalpur migrants, “If everybody leaves countryside, who will grow food for us:”. Seems, a few have right for good life (GL) like Bishu, Aparajeeta and me in city. Though I'm not sure of LG for GL
Missing Points
Now, Aparajeeta reminded of the grim warning of the minister of agriculture on ensuing food shortage in India. And she didn't forget to acknowledge the sincerity o ftheminister for the statement in the midst of his busy schedule with cricket. I agreed to her. I found siding to Aparajeeta is beneficial to instigate Bishu and at the same time to ensure good snacks with teas.
It was getting late. While leaving I heard Bishu murmuring of some names like Swaminathan and Sainath. I know like me Bishu usually late to recollect right facts at the right time being little emotional.
Legends:
1.Bishu babu: 'babu' is a suffix used in Oriya as 'Mr.' in English. 'Babu' also has quite expanding meaning in Oriya.
2.Biswajeet (the conquerer of world) used as a neme here is shortened to 'Bishu'
3.Bangalpur – a typical Indian village in eastern India.
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