Saurav,
I changed the subject title for a reason. If the glass is half empty, I like to call it half full. Darshan Desai wrote the article in that spirit. I expected a different kind of article from the title that you used and was pleasantly surprised as I read more. The essence of the article is caught in the following words from the article, that a violent minority holds the peace loving majority hostage in many parts of India including Assam.
"Not that they were spared the anger of the mad crowds post-Godhra.
Says Kubhrabibi: "We had left our home the day Godhra happened. Half
of my house was burnt down. We learnt later that they pelted stones
and threw bottles filled with acid and chemicals on our house from
the same windows up there." But didnt she just say that her
neighbours were fine people who were her friends? "No, no, not
them," she says, clarifying. "What happened is that a huge crowd of
people from outside came and told the Acharya family to move aside.
They barged into their house and perched on the high terrace to
attack Julywada. My neighbours are not at fault, they were
overpowered. We understand their predicament."
Their cordial relation with the Acharyas is a stray neighbours envy,
but Kubhrabibi is proud of it and doesnt bother about what others
say. "There are some people around who tell us to stop talking with
our Hindu neighbours because they didnt help during the riots. But
we cant do that, it is discourteous. And then, our neighbours were
not involved," she whispers. The Acharyas do not hear this for we
are now inside Kubhrabibis home. When I ask Alka later, she says:
"Yes, their house was attacked. We could not help for we were
ourselves scared by the size of the mob. People came from outside,
they just overpowered us." According to her, they have excellent
relations with their Muslim neighbours. "We give them prasad during
Diwali and they give us kheer during Id." "
Says Kubhrabibi: "We had left our home the day Godhra happened. Half
of my house was burnt down. We learnt later that they pelted stones
and threw bottles filled with acid and chemicals on our house from
the same windows up there." But didnt she just say that her
neighbours were fine people who were her friends? "No, no, not
them," she says, clarifying. "What happened is that a huge crowd of
people from outside came and told the Acharya family to move aside.
They barged into their house and perched on the high terrace to
attack Julywada. My neighbours are not at fault, they were
overpowered. We understand their predicament."
Their cordial relation with the Acharyas is a stray neighbours envy,
but Kubhrabibi is proud of it and doesnt bother about what others
say. "There are some people around who tell us to stop talking with
our Hindu neighbours because they didnt help during the riots. But
we cant do that, it is discourteous. And then, our neighbours were
not involved," she whispers. The Acharyas do not hear this for we
are now inside Kubhrabibis home. When I ask Alka later, she says:
"Yes, their house was attacked. We could not help for we were
ourselves scared by the size of the mob. People came from outside,
they just overpowered us." According to her, they have excellent
relations with their Muslim neighbours. "We give them prasad during
Diwali and they give us kheer during Id." "
Dilipda
P.S. Is Darshanbhai a Modi chela? :)
Saurav Pathak <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Saurav Pathak <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Magazine| Aug 18, 2003
SURVIVING INDIA
Residence On Earth
Harmony peeps out of some friendly windows in Gujarat
DARSHAN DESAI
Irony continues to rediscover itself in Gujarat. While riot victims
still live like fugitives and the National Human Rights Commission
continues its battle with the Gujarat government over the killings
of last year, communal amity has quietly crept back into the
labyrinthine bylanes of hate. All these words, of course, have no
meaning for Kubhrabibi Noormohammed, in her late fifties, who had
never thought there was anything like communal amity for the simple
reason that she had never known any communal hatred to define it
against. "Mujhe to pata bhi nahin ki yeh bhaichara hota hai, hum log
to pehle se saath me hee hain (Id never known this is brotherhood,
for weve always lived in amity),"! she chuckles, when asked about
relations with her Hindu neighbours. She has lived peacefully in
Julywada, which is separated by a huge wall formed by rows of tall,
joint buildings from Vanmali Vanka ni Pol, a Hindu neighbourhood.
Just about seven feet from this wall is Kubhrabibis dingy home. "The
windows up there (on the wall) always remain open. It is the house
of Bharatbhai and Indravadanbhai Acharya and we have always had good
relations with them," says Kubhrabibis daughter-in-law Rashida. Do
they often talk with the neighbours? "Of course," laughs Kubhrabibi,
and immediately calls out to her neighbour loudly, "Bhabhi, please
show up, there are guests here."
A smiling Alka Acharya, the 45-plus wife of Indravadan Acharya,
appears at the window some 10-12 feet above on the wall, "Who has
come?" She laughs out loudly when Kubhrabibi, also smiling, tells
her: "These people have come to ask if we live in peace with each
other.! " Alka asks me: "See how we talk with each other. Do you need
any proof?" Alkas husband has retired from private service and now
offers honorary services as the administrator at the famous Panchdev
Mandir in Gandhinagar.
Soon Elaben Acharya, in her early forties, comes to stand at another
window in the same building, followed by a relative at yet another
window, all talking different subjects with Kubhrabibi, her
daughter-in-law and all those gathered there. "Wheres Ruzda (the
three-year-old daughter of Rashida)? I dont hear the sound of her
laughter?" Ela asks Rashida. The child has gone to a relatives home
to play.
Not that they were spared the anger of the mad crowds post-Godhra.
Says Kubhrabibi: "We had left our home the day Godhra happened. Half
of my house was burnt down. We learnt later that they pelted stones
and threw bottles filled with acid and chemicals on our house from
the same windows up there." But didnt she just! say that her
neighbours were fine people who were her friends? "No, no, not
them," she says, clarifying. "What happened is that a huge crowd of
people from outside came and told the Acharya family to move aside.
They barged into their house and perched on the high terrace to
attack Julywada. My neighbours are not at fault, they were
overpowered. We understand their predicament."
Their cordial relation with the Acharyas is a stray neighbours envy,
but Kubhrabibi is proud of it and doesnt bother about what others
say. "There are some people around who tell us to stop talking with
our Hindu neighbours because they didnt help during the riots. But
we cant do that, it is discourteous. And then, our neighbours were
not involved," she whispers. The Acharyas do not hear this for we
are now inside Kubhrabibis home. When I ask Alka later, she says:
"Yes, their house was attacked. We could not help for we were
ourselves scared by the size of the! mob. People came from outside,
they just overpowered us." According to her, they have excellent
relations with their Muslim neighbours. "We give them prasad during
Diwali and they give us kheer during Id."
"Not only during Diwali, but even otherwise they just lower a thaili
(small cloth bag) containing biscuit packets and chocolates from
that window to distribute among children. They always keep their
windows open, though those open into our area," says Kubhrabibi.
"Bahut soona-soona lagta hai jab ye log nahin hote (We feel very
lonely when these people have gone out)." Says Alkaben Acharya,
quite effusively, "I dont like to leave the house even for a few
minutes. We miss them."
It isnt just these two families which share the bonhomie between
Julywada and Vanmali Vanka ni Pol. People on both sides of the wall
also have economic interactions. Rajubhai Bachubhais is another
window on the same wall that always remains open, for i! t is through
this that people give their laundry to him. They call out and he
emerges at the window with a basket that he lowers with a string.
Rajubhai, in his late twenties, is the resident wash-and-iron man
for people in Julywada and Vanmali Vanka ni Pol. He stays with his
wife and two small sons, Amit and Jasmin. "I have no problems with
them and neither do they. Why would they otherwise give their
clothes to me to wash and iron? This communal riot business, it is
all politics. We have excellent human relations, there is no
problem." One gets the feeling that he doesnt like these questions
about Hindu-Muslim relations. Was he scared during the riots? "I
slept peacefully even on the day Godhra happened and afterwards. I
have never been scared, why should I be?"
He gets irritated when asked if he trusts his Muslim neighbours. "Of
course I trust them, why do you ask such questions? You want to know
more, I will tell you. My fathe! r, Bachubhai, my mother and other
family members stay in Varvali Mehta ni Pol (another area). His is
the only Hindu family in a Muslim locality. We have been staying
there for ages. Nothing has ever happened. And nothing will."
There is yet another instance of economic interaction between the
people of the two localities. While others may appear to be dealing
with neighbours merely through the windows, Rajubhai Chaipattiwala
cycles into Julywada almost every day to sell tea to the residents.
At some places, the lane is too cramped to pedal down and he walks
around with his bicycle in tow, without any fear of the Other. As I
stop him to talk, he says, "Ask whatever you wish to quickly." Is he
scared, and thats why he wants to move quickly? He laughs: "Arey
bhai, dhandha nou time bagde chhe (No, no, you are wasting my
business time)." Then he says, "I will talk but you promise me that
you will click my picture while on business." He ! poses for pictures
and then starts selling tea to Shaikh Mohammed Sharif and others
outside Kubhrabibis house.
"I come here to sell tea daily, I am not scared at all. I have so
many friends in Julywada and I have been coming here for many
years," he says. Raju stays on the Hindu side. Asked about his
relations with Muslims during the riots, he smiles, pointing at
Kohabhai Shaikh, "Ask him how our relations have been." Kohabhai
returns the smile, and puts his arms around Raju. A gesture worth a
million words.
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