His full name was Sukhnandan Paathak. We called him Sukhee Bhai. He dealt in so many trades; such as, making cream from milk by centrifugal machine, mango business, selling of daily usage materials in his shop. But, the main business was preparation of raw sugar from sugarcane. Though he was dealing in raw sugar, I never found sugariness in his voice. He was straight forward and that is why he was not successful businessman. ‘Aadau namrah tatasteebrah kaaryakaale tu tatprah, kaaryan kritwaa punarnamrah sa eb safalam banik.’ He is successful businessman who is initially very polite, then fast, at the time of dealing very prompt and after finishing work again very polite. Sukhee had none of these characteristics. He was always in reluctant mood. If you purchased or not, his behavior never changed. He was always busy in his own thoughts. Perhaps he was remembering The Almighty or cursing his poverty or thinking about his new business.
Sukhee bhai had three sons and two daughters. The first daughter Urmee is the eldest. She is my sister’s friend and both are married in the same village. Whenever I go to meet my sister, I go to see her also. In my childhood, I always visited my sister’s house. Specially in Durgaa-pooja, I stayed there for all the ten days. Once, Chandoo bhai and Nandoo were also with me. Their mother’s sister (mausee) was there. We three went to see Urmee. She is very gentle and loves me like her own brother. Ladies have natural weakness towards their mother’s-side persons. Seeing us, Urmee became very pleased and spoke loudly, ‘Hey Chandoo-Nandoo! You too have come? Hearing her voice, her sister-in-law commented, ‘Chand baabaa Nand baabaa tesar ke bhaujee jaldee sa kahoo, taruaa tarkaaree tilkoro taroo’. Sukhee’s eldest son is four classes senior to me. Rest two sons are junior to me. The youngest daughter is very small.
Sukhee bhai was economically poor and was maintaining his family by the business and by farming other’s fields on half yield. In my childhood I never knew this and always thought him rich, due to his raw-sugar business and daily usage shop. We purchased a few material and raw-sugar according to our purchasing capacity and requirement, but there was huge quantity there for which we children were always greedy. I am remembering Vimaljee. He was six year old and liked cold drink too much. He always wanted to purchase the cold drink shop.
Down trodden children always surrounded his raw sugar machine to steal sugarcane and raw-sugar. He took a stick and chased the children. Again they gathered and he chased. This gathering and chasing were continued from morning to evening.
One day, I was passing through the way beside Sukhee’s shop at about 4 PM. He was sitting on the ground keeping his right hand on his head. He was alone and thinking something in a very sad mood. I greeted him good afternoon and asked about his sadness. He uttered, ‘All children have gone to school. A very tough and cruel head-master has joined in the school. He sends senior boys to catch these children and keeps them in the school from morning to evening. He gives Villanyatee (imported) milk in the morning and midday-meal in the school. New school dresses are being given. Bigger children get bicycles. No child comes here now . I have become very alone and charmless. I will not remain alive for long.’
To-day, early in the morning, one very sad news spread in the whole village. Sukhee-bhai died in the night. He was sleeping in the outside verandah of the shop alone. No one knew about his health in the night. In the morning, family members saw him dead and started to cry. I have come to see his dead body. I am standing in his courtyard. Seeing his dead body, I have gone in the past. I remember the meeting with him a few months earlier when he was very sad and abusing the headmaster. People thought him very cruel towards the poor children, seeing his action chasing them. But, he had inner love for them. Remembering his internal affection towards the down trodden children, my eyes are wet. I salute his inner love. May God bless eternal peace to his soul! -------Ohm Namo Bhagvate Shree Ramanaay.
Sukhee bhai had three sons and two daughters. The first daughter Urmee is the eldest. She is my sister’s friend and both are married in the same village. Whenever I go to meet my sister, I go to see her also. In my childhood, I always visited my sister’s house. Specially in Durgaa-pooja, I stayed there for all the ten days. Once, Chandoo bhai and Nandoo were also with me. Their mother’s sister (mausee) was there. We three went to see Urmee. She is very gentle and loves me like her own brother. Ladies have natural weakness towards their mother’s-side persons. Seeing us, Urmee became very pleased and spoke loudly, ‘Hey Chandoo-Nandoo! You too have come? Hearing her voice, her sister-in-law commented, ‘Chand baabaa Nand baabaa tesar ke bhaujee jaldee sa kahoo, taruaa tarkaaree tilkoro taroo’. Sukhee’s eldest son is four classes senior to me. Rest two sons are junior to me. The youngest daughter is very small.
Sukhee bhai was economically poor and was maintaining his family by the business and by farming other’s fields on half yield. In my childhood I never knew this and always thought him rich, due to his raw-sugar business and daily usage shop. We purchased a few material and raw-sugar according to our purchasing capacity and requirement, but there was huge quantity there for which we children were always greedy. I am remembering Vimaljee. He was six year old and liked cold drink too much. He always wanted to purchase the cold drink shop.
Down trodden children always surrounded his raw sugar machine to steal sugarcane and raw-sugar. He took a stick and chased the children. Again they gathered and he chased. This gathering and chasing were continued from morning to evening.
One day, I was passing through the way beside Sukhee’s shop at about 4 PM. He was sitting on the ground keeping his right hand on his head. He was alone and thinking something in a very sad mood. I greeted him good afternoon and asked about his sadness. He uttered, ‘All children have gone to school. A very tough and cruel head-master has joined in the school. He sends senior boys to catch these children and keeps them in the school from morning to evening. He gives Villanyatee (imported) milk in the morning and midday-meal in the school. New school dresses are being given. Bigger children get bicycles. No child comes here now . I have become very alone and charmless. I will not remain alive for long.’
To-day, early in the morning, one very sad news spread in the whole village. Sukhee-bhai died in the night. He was sleeping in the outside verandah of the shop alone. No one knew about his health in the night. In the morning, family members saw him dead and started to cry. I have come to see his dead body. I am standing in his courtyard. Seeing his dead body, I have gone in the past. I remember the meeting with him a few months earlier when he was very sad and abusing the headmaster. People thought him very cruel towards the poor children, seeing his action chasing them. But, he had inner love for them. Remembering his internal affection towards the down trodden children, my eyes are wet. I salute his inner love. May God bless eternal peace to his soul! -------Ohm Namo Bhagvate Shree Ramanaay.
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