Tale of the Ponytail

Paro, a 29-year-old holding veil in her teeth firmly with a frowning brow walking through the busy streets of Old Delhi lanes while her saree constantly hindering her fast pace footsteps. She approaches a telephone booth and requests the booth owner to let her make a phone call urgently. The owner eyes the long queue outside the phone booth and then the helplessness with the Paro is requesting. He makes a decision while combing his already set hair and comes out of his shop letting everyone hold until Paro makes a call. A lady overheard a money request made by Paro on call and passes the information to others in the queue. There is a commotion outside the booth cabin while the anxious Paro makes a request in a panic to bring five thousand in cash as soon as possible. She puts the phone back with both her hands and exits the booth. The red LED displays twenty-four rupees. Paro opens his small zipper which displays Mahamaya jewellers written on it and she firmly asks unveiling her head- "how a local call can be so expensive?". To which the owner replies- "NCR call? Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad?". She nods and the owner shrugs in confidence. She is two rupees short but eager to leave the place soon for something important and the owner comprehends letting her go. She gallops holding her saree folds from one hand through the same lanes and stops in front of a parked old van with a gang of eunuchs sitting inside. Paro approaches them to ask to hand over his son and let mother and son be under their supervision until his husband arrives with the money.

The leader eunuch claps twice softly on Paro's face and informs her politely that how much she has asked her husband to bring. To which she answers- "three thousand". The leader turns to others and informs everyone that she didn't even consider our request of five thousand. One of the eunuchs shouts- "what sister? money is hand scum. you can't shred even five for your son. I would have given ten if someone would have found my son safe from the stampede of the Ravan Dahan celebrations." Paro just nods in desperation to get her son back. She is even not paying any heed to what these eunuch gangs are commenting on or passersby's are staring at her. A chubby man in his 30's, Binod arrives on a dilapidated scooter and parks in front of the van. Binod takes off his utterly small broken helmet and greets Paro as sister further informing her that he'll take care of the matter since it'll take time for Prateek to reach here. Paro nods and points him towards the van. Binod starts pleading to the eunuchs after spitting the tobacco. They are fed up hearing these pleadings for so many hours already that the eunuch leader announces- "Okay, we'll let you have the child but hand over at least three thousand first." Binod charmingly celebrates this small victory until Paro whispers that she had only twenty-two rupees and that's also spent. Binod assures that he has this under control and soon the Raja will be in their hands.

Paro hopes that he might have some game plan here but on contrary, he just pleads like a child to the leader to at least let them have a look at the boy. Leader assures that after all they are human and they are taking good care of the boy. The kid had ice cream after his lunch and now he is playing in the courtyard inside their house, pointing towards the old house behind. Paro couldn't bear this rudeness anymore, she came forward with moist eyes- "we are not very rich people that you are demanding such a hefty amount from us and holding my son in your custody. It's only that, I don't want any curse from you that's why I'm respecting you." To this, the leader melts down and asks to give whatever cash you have and take your child. Binod hastened to check out all his pocket and handed every single penny he had. The gang member counts scratching their heads off and whispers some information to the leader. The leader- "two hundred thirty-three rupees!". Binod shies- "the real man is on his way, he'll definitely donate more." One of the members walks down the steps of that house with a three-year-old child in hand. Paro jumps to inspect the child as she is herself seeing this creature for the first time.

She is in utter shock and announces-"this is someone else girl, go get my boy from the house". The leader rises to confront her- "there's no godown of children inside and you only told that your son has long hairs. We found this in the carnival crying so we brought it here.” Paro anticipates- "I've been pleading, running, making calls and what not from last two hours in front of you for the wrong kid". A man panting in glasses holding a paper windmill gently takes the child from Paro's arm. A lady in a flower pattern suit joins him and they politely thanks everyone and leaves. Paro asks- "then where is my child?". The leader suggests- "go back to the carnival and make an announcement". Binod all this while eyes for the cash in the hand of the member and dares to ask softly- "can I've my money back". Every member of the gang rises clapping fiercely, displaying how dare he ask for a refund. Paro goes and takes the back seat of the scooter and Binod wears his small helmet starting the scooter avoiding eye contact with the gang and leaves.

Paro with the veil on is describing the middle-aged announcer uncle the look of his son Raja from the small window, while there’s a lot of noise coming in the background of various old songs playing around the rides. The uncle announces- “a three-year-old boy named Raja of dusky complexion, long hairs with a ponytail tied with a pink rubber band, wearing green Nehru jacket over white kurta-pyjama and green shoes that makes pooch-pooch sound while walking is missing. If anybody finds such a boy kindly report at the enquiry desk immediately his mother is looking for him”. Uncle looks towards Paro for approval on the announcement made. Paro nods in approval but Binod adjusting his helmet under his arm reaches from the small window to the uncle- “…his mother Paro and Binod uncle are looking for him”. Uncle stares and looks at Paro, Binod interrupts- “the last announcement was good, please continue.”

Binod and Paro are making their way in the busy lanes asking every passerby about Raja. The announcement of Raja missing keeps playing from the loudspeaker. It is near dusk with the sky growing dark in the distance but due to the dance performances going on the stage crowd is not diminishing. Paro is fierce with moist eyes looking everywhere and but trying to hold herself away from the verge of breaking. Binod prepares another tobacco piece in hurry and carefully positions it in his mouth while enquiring the fast-food vendors. Paro approaches Binod and suggests that one of us should be near the enquiry counter if someone arrives with Raja or even Prateek could arrive looking for them. Binod insists- “sister you are exhausted looking for him and better be at enquiry counter resting, meanwhile I’ll look for him near the rides and all the stalls possible”. Paro is reluctant on being doing the on-field job instead of waiting impatiently. Binod comprehends and makes his way to the enquiry counter.

Binod shies away from the announcer uncle and avoids eye contact but his huge figure makes it impossible for him to hide and their eyes meet. Announcer uncle stares at him while the announcement of Raja missing is still playing on repeat and gestures to him through his hand what happened. The miserable Binod makes a poor face informing that Paro is looking in the carnival and his reason for standing here. Uncle looks at him with hatred and seeing him sweating badly passes a small glass of water to drink. Binod hesitantly takes the glass wiping sweat from his forehead and takes a big sip from the glass. Then gargles in his mouth and about to spit out but looks at the uncle, who was staring at him. Poor Binod gulps the tobacco inside and empties the whole glass in a second. On the other hand, the crowd is starting to concentrate near the performance stage and the food stalls have also started to pack after selling their items.

Paro weeps but holding herself asks every possible human about her son. She stands still for a minute and bursts into shedding tears and yelling if someone has seen her Raja. Paro lost her firmness and all the bad thoughts compilation starts running through her mind that the worst could happen has happened. She contemplates what if Raja is being kidnapped or picked by some beggar or already on a train to Bangalore or could be dead or might be dead already. A 70-year-old Sardar in turban and formals offers a bottle of water to Paro. She wipes her tears from her veil and didn’t accept the bottle. Sardar smiles at her saying- “it’s a hot day and what better than cold water”. She takes the bottle and gulps two small sips while Sardar caresses her by dapping on her head. Paro cries like a baby for a minute and then sits down on a nearby bench. Sardar asks that this announcement is happening for your child only, to which she nods. Sardar in his wise tone assures Paro that he’ll not leave Paro’s company until his son is not found. He also says- “don’t worry a small kid at his age enjoys carnival like this and must be hovering around only”. Paro is back with an optimistic approach and Sardar leads her to the stage where the dance performance is going.

Sardar waits for the ongoing performance to end while Paro couldn’t figure out why they are standing near the stage. The performance ends, Sardar holds Paro's hands and take her to the stage. The host recognises the Sardar and touches his feet in respect, as he is a respectable figure. Sardar whispers to the host while there’s a tremendous amount of hooting and whistling coming from the spectators. Sardar takes the mic and announces- “this lady is Paro and her child is missing since the Ravan Dahan. The kid name is Raja, 3 years old with a ponytail wearing a green Nehru jacket over white kurta-pyjama. I humbly request all of you to kindly look around, any kind of lead would be highly appreciated as this lady needs our help.” A man yells from the crowd as soon after hearing this- “a small kid with a similar description was sitting on a golgappas cart and eating it too an hour ago”. Sardar and Paro meet this fancy man in his 20’s in a shiny party shirt with his girlfriend near the stage with hope while the team of next dancers occupies the stage in the background.

Sardar and Paro start tracing down every fast food vendor asking about the golgappa vendor with a child. One ice cream vendor standing on his cart trying to get a glimpse of the dance performance informs- “Bhura just left from the back gate, yes a small girl in kurta-pyjama was sitting on his cart for a while but afterwards there wasn’t any child around. Bhura was busy selling his customers.” Sardar points the direction of the back gate and both briskly walks in the direction. Paro’s charm has come back in the hope her son would be in her arms soon. They reach the back gate and asks the gatekeeper about the golgappa vendor passing through this gate. He contemplates- “ooh yes, I just asked him to leave from the main gate as it got very chaotic a while ago.” Paro holding her saree through one hand and holding the hand of Sardar from the other makes her way to the main gate. As they approach the main gate, Prateek in formals carrying a dairy with Binod walks up to them.

Prateek holds Paro from the side and wiped her forehead sweat and started thanking the Sardar for helping them out. Sardar- “thank me when you get your child, tell me, have you seen any golgappa vendor passing through this gate.” To which Binod jumpingly answers in excitement, a cart passed them two minutes ago. Paro hearing this made a quick run in anticipation and everyone follows her. She finds a handcart being pushed in the direction away from them through the light and shadow effect of the street lights, she yells- “Bhura?”. The cart stops and Bhura looks back to find a woman and a few men are racing towards him. Bhura freezes then and there squats in anticipation as he is about to be beaten down. They all stand encircling Bhura and he starts pleading for his life informing them that he is just a poor man with a family and who sells golgappas. Paro eyes the whole cart and finds no trace of Raja, she loses her cool and starts weeping that she lost their child. Bhura hearing this, swiftly moves beneath the cart and pulls out a sleeping kid from the hammock made from the gunny sack.

Paro takes Raja in her arms, crying and smiling in joy simultaneously. She thanked Sardar with folding hands, while Bhura explained- “this kid was playing near my stall with few other kids of my customers, initially I thought he is one of theirs but everyone left and he stayed. I enquired nearby passerby’s and every one possible while managing my stall. Then he got hungry, so I made him eat the golgappas and then he slept on the cart itself. Since it was the peak time of the business I shifted him to the hammock where I keep my stocks.” Prateek thanked him and insisted Bhura keep two hundred rupees as a thanking gesture but Bhura being a man of integrity refused. Binod intervene and asked Prateek to give him the money he’ll make sure that Bhura takes this money. Prateek handed over the money and took the sleeping Raja in his arms while side hugging Paro to compensate for her turmoil of emotions that she went through the whole day. Sardar left them smiling while Bhura wished them with blessings and went his way. Binod cutely whispered- “Don’t take me wrong but I settled him with hundred and the rest hundred I kept myself.” Paro and Prateek laughed in unison and Binod tried to explain that he is not left with any cash to buy fuel for the scooter since he emptied his pocket for the eunuchs. To which Paro laughed more remembering that scenario and Binod felt pride knowing he is the reason for her laugh.

(c) Suman Saurabh- SWA: 3726 Mem No. 46910

(14^th May. 2021)