HANDS OF LOVE-14

THE PERFUME SALESMAN

It was in 2000 January- noon, My friend Ranjith yelled from the gate…

“ Sanju…. open the door….”

“Why man at this time? When did u arrive from Mumbai?” opening the main door I asked him….

“ Morning..I came by a train where even I did not get a confirmed tkt”

“ How did u manage”?

“ ie a story , will tell u…Need some water first.”

Entering my bed room, he sat. …..

Renjith Varma was my dearest friend with whom I shared my mind.We both studied together till graduation….But after that, he again did the pre-degree with Science as second group from University of Bhopal and then joined for BAMS at Udupi, near Manipal.He belonged to one of the “astavaidya” families of Kerala for whom ayurveda is more than life.But he realized the need of his dad only after completing graduation in Maths.

“ Am too tired but wished to share an experience with you without any delay” While drinking the water, he brizzled….

“But U told me that u would be coming bk by air? What happened in between?”

“ Man , I got held up in Ludhiyana…which further delayed my whole trip.From Mumbai,I traveled in sleeper class and shared a guy’s birth.Infact the guy had requested the Ticket Examiner to accommodate me.His name is Faiz and belongs to Badagara, North Kerala.He was on his way back to home from Dubai.He reached Mumbay by morning.Seems to be a gem.We had a long discussion about many subjects in the train…”..

Looking at me, he continued….

“ Poor guy..working as a sales man for perfumes in Dubai…Sharing a small room with other 5 people…Erratic salary disbursement and frustrating atmosphere have made his life miserable…But he has no option coz at home huge responsibility awaits him.He has got Four sisters apart from parents.Father is working in a nearby shop but Faiz’s income is the main bread and butter…The guy showed me his S.S.L.C marksheet..with a whooping 92% marks.Wanted to study but poverty denied it…I did not reveal much of my identity…But really he deserves help….and fortunately we are in a position to offer it…Why can’t We?”

He finished the whole glass of water….

“ Yes , we have to ...But we should collect the details about him and family  first…then we can plan”..I replied

“ Correct..next time when you travel to North Kerala,visit his home and make an assessment .I will be leaving to Udupi by tomorrow…but inform me without delay.He will be back to Dubai by March end....”

Sharing Faiz’s address Ranjith left…..

My next travel to North Kerala was on 2000 April.I did not take much time to locate his home…Parked the car near the railway station, I crossed the gate…hearing the sound, an old man opened the door and looked curiously.

“ I am Aditya Das, from Alleppey…friend of Ranjth Varma….whom Faiz had met in the train 3 months back….”

Inviting me to his home, he asked me to sit.

“ I heard of Ranjith..Faiz gave us an elaborate description…I am his father- Abu Baker”

Two girls appeared in between along with another lady….

“ She is his mother and they are sisters” Abu Baker gave a small introduction…Faiz has got two more sisters and they have already gone to school.”..….His father asked the mom to prepare tea..

“ Milk is not available”..mother whispered….

“ Its ok..I already had two cups of tea….pl avoid it”I politely denied.

The house seemed very old…the chair  on which Abu Baker sat was partly broken  …The signs of poverty were visible all over…

“ Sir..Anything special for your arrival”? Abu Baker politely enquired

“ Ranjith wants to help Faiz..my arrival is related to that”

Abu Baker’s face suddenly became gloomy…Standing up, he moved towards the window…Inviting me, he brizzled….” Sir that was the school in which Faiz did his matriculation…He was  one of the intelligent boys  and passed SSLC with 92% marks…He wanted to continue the education..But….” Abu Baker’s lips quivered..Tears gushed out “ The poverty , agony, lack of money..and hardships of life compelled him to discontinue the education and he finally joined as a labour with the nearby coir mat manufacturing company…Every day, after reaching home from the company, my boy stood here, gazed through the window, to the school and nearby college…saw many of his colleagues studying for the next level…Many a times,visibly broken by this scene,his mother hugged him from back to pacify..He tried to hide the emotions and his passion to study…Being the father, my nights were even worsen than the days…I had seen my son looking at the books of the next level with so much of excitement and in deep desperation…”

“When my income itself was not sufficient to pullon,how can I support my unfortunate son? Sir , He never wanted to leave the family coz he was so much attached to us ..So much nostalgic to this place but the escalating responsibilities finally compelled him to leave this place..One of our relatives helped him to reach Dubai.…but the misfortune still continues in the form of erratic salary disbursement, lack of shelter and food….His austere still continues.And ….” Abu Baker mumbled one more line in chocked voice.Standing near the window, the father looked at the school and nearby college, which, usually was done by the son….In his eyes,I envisaged the pain of a father who was unable to muster the needed  support to his brillant son to continue the education.

It was very much heart rending..After spending another half an hour,I came out of his home,did a final enquiry with the nearby tailoring shop and left Badagara…

The whole episode urged Ranjth to take action without any delay..I knew pretty well about his dad’s contact with bigwigs in Dubai…

Things turned around fast.My dearest friend Ranjth Varma, who shared the most meaningful relation with me, died in an accident at Udupi during the  month of May…Man proposed and GOD disposed…With eyes closed , movements stopped, his body reached Alleppey….

“ Sanju…Take care of Faiz”..His body seemed telling to me….

Months moved fast…but Faiz lived in my heart…It was in November 2001 , I got a call from my Cousin Sister who joined as the HRD-Head with a multinational company at Dubai.During the chat, I shared the story of Faiz and she had agreed  to help him..With ineffable joy, I went to Bdagara again.Bought some fruits for the family and parked the car again near the railway station. But shockingly, the house was replaced with a supermarket.I rushed to the tailoring shop.

“ They were staying here for rent and the owner asked them to vacate the house because of defaulting it.In between Abu Baker died.Though one girl got married,she was divorced the very next month for not paying the balance amount of dowry.I dont know where they had gone…You can very well check with the Juma Masjid”.

I entered the Juma Masjid.Some people were seen chitchatting…

“ We really don’t know.Abu Baker and family belonged to Khadiyanis which is a rare sect.So they never came here for prayers…We heard that they had moved to Mangalore where Abu's sister is staying..But exact location is unknown..Better you check with the post office….”

I drove fast to reach the post office….

“ We don’t know to which place he had shifted.Better meet our old post man Raghavan Nair at Muzhapillangad…If you could wait for half and hour, I will send a person along with you”The postmaster offered the help.

My heart beat doubled….Rushed to Muzhapillangad along with a peon….and located the house of old post man Raghavan Nair.

“Aditya, They had shifted to Mangalore..where?, I don’t know” Raghavan Nair too expressed his inability….

I came back.Parked the car again near the railway station…Mind was too tired and body felt nippy..Tried to rest my head on the stirring….after some time, decided to invigorate by a walk….Came out of the car and locked it…Legs automatically moved towards the supermarket.Standing on the road, I had a look at it..Somebody touched my back with fingers..It was begger..I gave the packet of fruits to him and started walking.After taking a u turn, I went inside a small street…Two ladies in Parda were seen walking down…The whole air was filled with the smell of perfume.They crossed me and left.For the first time in life, I realized , pain, agony and missing behind the fragrance.One friend who wanted to help the other had left the world for ever.Other friend , where is he? where is his family? Are they staying like orphants with a relative?.I am sure, somewhere in this world , a boy walks with a bunch of perfumes.He meets each shopkeeper to sell it… avoids to drink even a glass of water coz water is costlier than petrol in gulf…He carries the buried bundles of shattered hopes and nostalgic feelings..For him, life is nothing but to make each penny for a bowl of food for his family…..He too realizes that the dreams about the school and college never ever materialize..Yet he dreams….But where is he? Even after six years,am still inexorably searching for an answer…..The task of finding him is almost onerous now .But whenever I  visit North Kerala, I park the car near the Badagara railway station,roam over there to get an iota of information coz I have a duty to fulfill to my dearest friend who still lives in the form of an “ astral body ”.

For sure, Insha Allah, Aditya Das Menon will find Faiz Abu Baker in this life..when and where , I don’t know…Till then the feeble prayers will continue to reach the heaven in search of an answer…..Till then….

Khuda Haffiz – aditya das menon……………..

adityadasmenon@gmail.com