Chhota – A cattle herd boy

 

 

Chhota – A cattle herd boy

 

Decades back in my village, native

the caste system was active.

There existed a caste

milkman, they are classed.

Deal they, with milk and milk products

adding ingredients to it they also make byproducts

Cattle and cows are their animal’s pet

on their upkeep, they toil and sweat

from their milk to earn their livelihood

they start the services, since, their childhood

Fifteen to twenty cattle are kept in a flock

manage those a family working round the clock

to earn so that their families can sustain

and all on the society to gain.

Need they for cattle grazing ground

and for their safe custody, sheds around

Solve these problems, they, in a novel way

by moving the cattle in the herd during the day

camp when comes darkness with night

with the herd, they stay at a place right

Their family as a whole

takes up a different role

for serving the cattle flock

all working round the clock

from breeding feeding to miking

distributing and marketing

milk and milk byproducts, many

whose preparations make female folk busy

curd, butter, butter milk cheese ghee

suiting to the demands of society, proximity

with this preamble

pen, I on scenes in me joggle

associated with a lame boy

forced to move with the cattle convoy

from the age of ten or so

fading among cattle his teenage glow

exhibiting the reciprocation of love divine

between man and beasts when circumstances design

Upendra was a milkman

pursuing the business of his clan

He belongs to our village

having in-depth knowledge

on milk and milk products

people were captivated by his conduct

Married was he and had a son

and with cattle and family, he had his living fun

but fate frowned at him all of a sudden

polio affected his then only loving son

Lost he his wife in an epidemic

when his son was gravely sick

it affected his son’s leg making him lame

for his bad fortunes on his son people put the blame

His son is a harbinger of Upendra’s misfortune

satire some miscreants at Uprndra with fun

The village had quakes treating patients

average they were successful in attending to the ailments

For ages those quakes served successfully the sick

but in these cases the treatment did not click

his son stayed permanently lame

Cruel people gave him, Chhota as his name

it is too harsh for a child of two

he had to bear the name all through

when Chhota grew up, it must have been too punishing

but for it, the Lord only he must be blaming

Endured he must have with bowed head

this was insignificant compared to his miseries ahead.

To shoulder the burden

both of family and profession

again Upendra married on social persuasion

and got a mother for the lame son

but from the first day his wife as a stepmother

to chhota she had no love but hatred and anger.

At the slightest provocation of the child

punished him she being beastly wild.

As upendra stayed often outdoor

looking after cattle on grazing fields staying at fore

Cchhota was left to her stepmother

who ill-treated him with deeds harsh and bitter

giving him undernourishing food

for a growing child not at all good

Grew Chhota with emaciated physique

continual intimidation making him mild and meek.

After the birth of a son to her

on Chhota more barbaric turned her behavior

amidst ill-treatments and misery Chhota grew

with the acts of his wife Upendra Chhota’s maltreatment never knew

Guided by his second wife’s curtain lectures

Upendra was convinced of Chhota’s bad characters

On Chhota, he turned gradually cruel and violent

Chhota was subject to worse ill-treatment

Upendra was prevailed upon

to graze the cattle to send his eldest son

to make him duty-bound

to have a future career sound.

Thus started Chhota’s teenage story

with the herd of cattle he had to see his youth also flee.

The herd of their cattle was around twenty

their upkeep of those Chhota had to see.

From the age of ten staying with those

enduring rain storms hot sun glows

day and night staying with cattle

he was certain to face for lifelong this battle.

Naturally his love for each cattle developed beyond measure

got reciprocation from each as law of nature.

His dad or his siblings brought him food

with a torn loin cloth to wear, his body stayed nude.

in cold winter with the chilling cold

that endured, Chhota staying with the herd being bold.

Called he each cattle by name or a unique signal of sound

obeys it, the cattle as if it was duty bound.

At night Chhota sleeps in the middle of the cattle all

they rest around Chhota protecting him and waiting for his call.

in busy forest and cremation ground, Chhota felt fearless

as if his cattle are his soldiers to him, in need,, to bless.

castle listens and acts as per his his sound

when he searches for them a grazing ground

his tunning whistles from his curled lip

understand cattle if required grazing they skip

for each cattle, he had a name

on call, they obeyed the same

he and the cattle understood each other

chhota stayed with them happily together.

Searched Chhota a good grazing land

with luxuriant grass where cattle hunger gets fanned

maybe in a patch of land

in river bed, a bed of sand

where flooded water deposits silt

the luxuriant grasses grow on it

He went across the river stream

Initially holding the tail of swimming cattle in the team

later in swimming, he became adept

in the river bed with cattle,e he soundly slept..

He had a palm leaf umbrella large in size

no storm and no rain, it, could incise.

in pitch darkness

Jackals howling on carcasses

the flickering light emanating from the cremation ground

Chhota among his cattle herds have sleep, sound.

Frowning of ill luck and hatred from man

in him, love for his cattle, it did fan.

Chhotta’s torture as a man as envisaged we

in his beastly stay with cattle, I never see.

But when modern cattle farms came up

milk companies with cattle upkeep to top

His lovely cattle were sold out and exited him

Too wretched he felt  “ Bowed he to the Lord’s whim”

 

P K Routray

in the service of the Lotd

 

( N B – Chhota meaning Lame)