I am so excited to visit home this summer as Gourav will be
visiting home this summer too. It’s been three years we have not been together.
I came to Delhi and he opts for Bangalore for graduation. We used to be buddies
during our school days, we were inseparable. Our parents were sick of our
pranks and others were jealous of our bonding. No one could believe that we
belong to different religion but our friendship was so strong that religion was
far away to destroy the bond of friendship, he belongs to the Brahmin family
and I was a Muslim. He often used to say that, ‘you see Ahmad, one day people
will write stories about our friendship’. When he called me up and told me that
he will be home this summer, I almost dropped my phone in excitement. We made
plans for what and all we are going to do the whole summer and Gourav even
planned to visit Delhi this time. Both of us were so happy for this summer
though there is nothing much to do in our small town, Muzaffarnagar.
Just one more week and then I will be home, roaming every
nook of our town with Gourav. I came to my room late after some shopping for
everyone. Goss! How come women folks can do shopping all the time, after today
I cannot think of shopping for two-three months. When I was entering the main
hall, I noticed that there was huge gathering in the TV room. I wanted to see
what all the hustle was about but I was so tired that I do not have the
strength to go towards the TV room instead of my room. I was unlocking the room
and suddenly I saw Aditya running towards the TV room. I called out his name;
he came to me and said what I was doing here instead of being in the TV room. I
told him that I came back just now. He told me to keep my stuff inside the room
and accompany him to the TV room. I told him that I am very tired and I just
want to be in my bed but he insisted that it is important. I kept all the bags
and followed him to the TV room. All the eyes of the students were fixed into
the TV. I turned my head towards the screen and the ground just snapped away
from my feet.
Riot was at its peak by now and it was between the Hindus and
the Muslims. I was standstill for a moment. I just could not relate to the
reality that something was happening right now in my home town. I could see
similar faces in the screen of my hostel TV and I can identify the dead bodies
being displayed in the news. I was standing right there with my classmates but
my mind travelled to my home town and I could hear the shrieking voice of
people running in every direction to save themselves. I came to my senses when
Aditya shook me up. He told me to call up my parents and tell them to come
here. I tried every possible number but I failed to hear the sound of any
familiar voice. I cried like a small kid. I was not ashamed of my tears but I
was ashamed of myself that I was here and not helping my loved ones who was
fighting for their lives right now at their own home.
It took few moments to compose myself. I got up and went
straight to my room. I took all the cash I have along with the ATM and packed
few clothes. I locked the room and gave the key to Aditya. He was furious that
I was going home right now when the situation is so tense. But my tears were
begging him to let me go and help my family. Finally I took off and went to the
bus depot. But none of the bus was taking me to my home town. The roads were
blocked and people were not allowed to enter the town. I was helpless. I hired
a taxi that emptied my pocket but I just wanted me to take me to my home town.
We took the rough road through the jungle. I guided him through the jungle. We
were just 15-20mins away from the town and there we saw people running towards
the taxi. I got down from the taxi and saw that they were none other than my
neighbors. When they saw me they hugged me but I did not know that they have
already silenced the taxi driver.
They took me inside the town but the place does not resemble
the one where I grew up. It looked like a graveyard to me where bodies are
still awaited to be buried. My nose hurts because of the smell of the blood. I
just don’t know how to explain this scene but this much I know that I am glad
that I am here for my family. I just could not believe that religion can create
such a horror. Suddenly religion remind me of Gourav, I ask the elders about him
and his family and they were like, ‘that bloody Muslim, yeah sure we have heard
that all of them are dead including other Muslim of our town’. I don’t know
from where I got this strength but I punched the person in such a force that he
lost his senses for few second. He stood up to hit me back but everyone stopped
him. I am a thin and sleek boy and this was my first time that I hit someone. I
requested them to take me to my family.
There was not a house for a man but there was a house in
which every single man was forced to live because they feared that if they
scattered then the Hindus will kill them and the same situation was with the
Hindus. When I entered this house, the only thing I could see was pain and
horror and injured people. I passed through everyone to reach my family; I saw
them at the very edge of the room. I can see the vacant eyes of my mother and
my sisters but I could not see my brother and my father. I pushed everyone to
reach to them. I hugged them all at once and cried my hearts feel and when I
asked about my father and Rashid, they just couldn’t say anything and I knew
what has happened to them. I told them that I came here to take them out of all
this but my words were not all assuring to them. I asked them if they have seen
Gourav in all this mess, but suddenly my mother told me to hush down my voice.
She lamented that even after seeing this entire situation how can I be so
concern about a Hindu, she said that she is ashamed of me. I know that right
now I cannot say anything because even a word from me will make the situation
worse.
I went out to configure the situation and look for a way to
get away from here. I went towards the mob of elders and inquire about any
vehicle available which would take me and my family outside of this horror.
Every single person looked at me as if I was the reason for all this. The
Mullah said that how can I be so selfish and leave all my Muslim brother and
sisters in this situation and how can I just not feel the revenge for my own
father and brother. I know that they were right but I cannot just loose
everyone and for that I have to leave Muzzaffarnagar today itself. I excused
myself and went out to look for some other means and somewhere or the other I
wanted to know about Gourav and his family but all I can see was my Muslim
community and the dead bodies of my own people. My mind has stopped working.
The sun was already setting down but I just could not come up with any idea so
I returned to my family.
I was so rigid that I have to leave today or else tomorrow
even my hands will be painted with blood. It was midnight and everyone was in
deep sleep because they were tired of crying and moaning over their lost. I
woke up my mother and my sisters and told them they we are leaving right now.
They looked at me as if I was a traitor. My mother pleaded to erase such
thoughts or else Allah will punish me and every possible word to stop me but I
told them that we are leaving right now and they do not have any other choice.
I don’t know that what have changed my mother’s mind but took my three sisters
silently and followed me. I decided to take the same route through the forest.
It was my good destiny or Allah himself wants me to take my family away, no one
notices us. We have passed almost the half of our journey and the moon was
helping us with his light. I will thank the moon some other day but today for
now I will first take my family to a safe place.
While walking we heard some noise and then I knew that we
will be buried here now. I saw a man walking towards us with a gun. I stand in
front of my family. When the man was at my glance, I recognize that it was none
other than Gourav but I was not sure that whether he will spare us or not. He
jumped and hugged me and cried like a baby. I felt like I found mine own brother.
We were separated by Gourav’s sister and she reminded us that we have to leave.
We gathered our strength and started to walk but then we saw a mob running
towards us. We knew that we would not be able to out pass them but we tried to
run as fast as possible. Gourav stopped me and told me to take everyone and
leave this place as soon as possible and he will try to stop them for a while.
I screamed no and forced him to continue our run but he slapped me and said
that we would not out pass them and they will kill all of us, we do not have
any other option.
He pushed me so hard that I fell over the ground and he ran
towards the mob. He turned his face for the last time and screamed to take
everyone to a safe place and that was the last image I have for him. I got up
and ran towards my mothers and my sisters and hustled them towards the main
road.
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