Glimpses of the Untold History of the Indian Freedom Struggle - Part -5
मराठी हिंदी ગુજરાતી বাংলা తెలుగు മലയാളം ಕನ್ನಡ தமிழ்
As the gajar in the temple drew to an end and the sound of the words ‘Pandharinath Maharaj Ki Jay’ faded out, everybody clearly heard the carriage driver’s loud and frantic cries. Ramchandra Dharpurkar’s poultry and dairy farm were on the other side of the road opposite the temple. The workers who lived there all twenty-four hours had of course rushed to the spot even before the others.
Cautioning the women folk to remain indoors, the men inside the temple dashed out. There was total pandemonium. The wives of both the persons who had died and the other women with them were wailing out loud.
In a little while the police officers and constables of the Dharpur Police station arrived on the scene. Interrogation began in an intimidating manner, typical of the police of the olden times and the crowd automatically began to disperse.
The carriage driver began narrating in detail ‘what had happened and how’. He said, a gang of four or five tall and hefty hulks abruptly appeared before them as soon as the carriage stopped and they demanded all the gold and money from both his masters. But both the masters began resisting, got into a brawl with them and also began shouting loudly. That was perhaps why the thieves stabbed both of them and fled the scene after snatching the gold and all the money they had.
Grabbing him by the neck, the senior police officer asked, “xxx, what were you doing all this while then? How come you escaped unhurt? Tell me the truth! You are hand in glove with them, aren’t you?”
The carriage driver began to plead with the police officer, “Sir! Please don’t beat me. By the time I got down from my seat and came to them, both my masters were already lying in a pool of blood and the thieves were snatching the gold and the money. Seeing that I was petrified. I was left tongue-tied. Worse still, one of the thieves kicked me so hard, I was hurled far from the spot. I just about managed to get up after they had left and still scared, I walked to the carriage and broke down. Look! I am still trembling!”
Two police constables living in the same village, i.e. in Dharpur said, “Sir! Look at him. He has a frail build. The whole village knows him as ‘bhitra Sakhya’ (timid Sakhya). He is a coward of the first order. What is he not scared of? He is scared of mice, he is scared of dogs, he is scared not just of cows and buffaloes with horns but even of big goats. If he so much as sees a snake from a distance, he begins to scream. Would he be capable of helping thieves?
Also, he has no parents. This police officer, who just died, had employed this orphan boy. He lives in their porch. His father also took care of horses and so what he is not scared of is horses.”
Slightly pacified by this information the police officer said, “Sakhya! How long have you been working with your master and could you recognize any of the thieves?
Joining his hands together humbly and going down on his knees Sakhya replied, “Sir! I used to live in the village of my master’s in-laws. It was my master’s father-in-law, who recommended me to my master. Since the last three years I have been taking care of the carriage and also caring for the horses.
Sir! To begin with, it was dark and the thieves had covered their faces with a thick blanket-like sheet. I could not see properly. Moreover, none of them seemed familiar. But the thief who kicked me wore a thick anklet. I have never seen such a thick, chunky anklet ever before.”
Other inquiries followed and the police officers were convinced that the gang of thieves belonged to an outside region. They made notes after examining the dead bodies and also noted down testimonies of elderly persons present on the scene. Nobody seemed to have any clue. Every one of them had heard the loud cries of the carriage driver and had seen the dead bodies after they rushed out of the temple.
The wife of the dead police officer confirmed amid her tears, “Sakhya used to manage horses at my parents’ home. He is loving and trustworthy. He will not betray his master.”
The crowd gradually dispersed completely. The police officers and the constables left the scene. After proper procedural formalities, both the dead bodies were handed over to the respective relatives. Apart from a handful of distinguished and respected persons, only members of the bhajan group who were regular visitors of the temple stayed back in the temple premises.
Malharrao asked the Upadhyay (priest) of the village, “The bloodshed has occurred right here in the yard of our sacred temple. We Vaarkaris do not even eat meat. We will have to purify and sanctify this place, won’t we?” The question had actually cropped up in the mind of all present.
Flipping through the pages of the ‘panchang’ (almanac) in the dim light of the lamp the Upadhyay said, “Malharrao! The muhurta (timing) was not good at all and as for the nakshatra (star), it was extremely inauspicious. So, the place will definitely have to be purified and sanctified. The Shantipath too will have to be done. The arrangements will have to be made right here in this yard. The area will have to be covered on all four sides. To rule out the evil eye, all four sides of the “mandap” may be covered with the thick cloth used for tents and only a select few may be allowed entry inside the covered area.” The Upadhyay handed over a long list of articles required for the ceremony.
Everybody left. It was past two in the morning. Malharrao, Govinddaji, the Upadhyay, Jankibai and Phadke, the principal of the village school, were the only persons in the main hall of the temple. Locking the main door of the temple from inside all of them arrived in the basement of the Shiv temple from the basement of this temple. Fakirbaba i.e. Shivaramrajan sat there, waiting for them. Hugging principal Phadke tight Fakirbaba said, “Nobody recognized you. I was sitting exactly opposite you as you sang the bhajan. There were many who got up halfway through the bhajan, some who left in the interval between two bhajans and others who left at the end of a gajar and before the other began and so there was a lot of movement around you. Despite the fact that you have been working in the school for ten years, nobody recognized you. You are truly a natural actor. And how swiftly you stabbed the trader in the stomach! Amazing!”
Joining both his hands in prayer and recalling God, the school teacher Phadke said, “Only the grace of the SwayamBhagwan can make this possible. Oh but forget me. The moment she learned that ‘both the brothers had arrived’, Jankibai covered herself with a thick blanket (usually used by the shepherds), the agility and speed with which she joined me was incredible and she actually struck that wretched police officer with an axe!”
Glancing at his dear daughter-in-law with affection and admiration Malharrao said, “O my dear daughter! You are truly a fierce and fearless warrior. These two brothers had oppressed many patriots in our district. The one who was a trader provided secret information to the police which led to the arrest of so many freedom fighters. His brother who was a police officer oppressed them cruelly and that too in public. They had managed to instill terror in the people’s minds.”
‘Prabhu Ramchandra ki Jay’, said Fakirbaba and continued very respectfully, “The terror that reigned in this place has been done away with. Janki has begun the mission. Mahadevrao Phadke has helped her. The entire plan was chalked out by Ramchandra. When Ram, Janki and Shiv come together, the evil is bound to be destroyed, certainly and inevitably.”
….to be continued