Chhota – A cattle herd boy
By pkroutray
- 34 reads
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)
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