Stories
9:28 PM
An Escapade to Barpali Vegetables Market
Early next
morning I was served a hot cup of tea
and sent to the market. I left for the sabji bazar in my red Hero cycle with two
empty bags. The daily market is on the southern end of Barpali near to old settlement called Basti. The
approaching road to the daily market is
quite narrow and overflowed with the drain water. As I entered the market I heard
someone shouting “Kiran Babu…….Kiran Babu”. When I looked, it was Sabyaschi
Bhoi the Gahantia (landlord) of Ainlamunda village. Bluntly he told :
“tumhe
jebe dhinda thila ta bate ghate soj kindru thila
iachini biha
hela ta bag muna dharikari bazaar ke
asla”.
Which means,
when I was a bachelor I was roaming on the streets aimlessly. But now when
married I reached the market with the bags. I felt as being ragged by a senior
in the college. I could not revolt knowing myself as a new kid in the block.
Instead I gave a smile in return as I too joined the veteran club of domestic
life, though late at age 41.
Barpali is a
semi-urban area with agriculture as its prime economy. The surrounding villages
have been irrigated by the canal water sourced from the Hirakud Dam. Every year
here we got double crop of paddy. Apart from that all kind of green vegetables
are being grown by the farmers in plenty.
[heaps of vegetables while sold in the market] |
As last night
there was a moderate rain pour the ground of the market was completely drenched
with water. The traders have piled the fresh vegetables on the empty gunny bags
or displayed them in the bhuga, the baskets made of bamboo. Since we
don’t have any cold storage facilities, only the fresh vegetables grown locally are being sold over here.
As I walked
through the mud my eyes caught attention of the bright yellow flowers of
pumpkin. I recalled my Father is fond of the chakel (dosa) made
with these flowers. The man selling it
was very attentive. I guessed him to be a farmer as he chose the best
flowers for me out of his stuff. I paid happily Rs.15 the price that he quoted.
Then I went
to buy the bhaji saag, the green leafs. I traced the stems and
the roots of the saag forms the major portion and would cause loss of weight. I
found the lady selling it was cunning. She did not allowed me to remove the waste
of the plant that are inedible and need
to be thrown. I able to recognise this
lady to be a trader and not a farmer herself from the harsh behavior that she
displayed to this gentleman. As I got up to turn I was shocked to find a
massive beast standing face to face. For a while I was un-moved to see this
black-bull. But it was calm and quite. Slowly I stepped back and made a u-turn
to escape from any untoward event.
I moved to
the next person selling brinjal. I bought a kilo of it and gave Rs.50 to the
seller. Since he did not had the change he called his neighbour as “Oye Kainsiria”
to ask for it. Though I got back the money but was averse to drop at the next
shop even though he put on sale the most lustrous tomatoes that appears red
with patches of green colour at places. In the market people call each other by
the name of the village they belong to, like Bandhpalia, Ainthapalia or
Kadlipalia.
I went to buy
the potatoes and the onions. The man was obviously a trader. He quoted an
exorbitant Rs.70 /- for a kilogram of onions. It gave a few tear drops on my
eye, even when I have not cut them into pieces. While I was shorting the onions, I
heard the spark of a match stick. When I looked the vendor started smoking a
bidi. I said, hello excuse me you can't smoke in my presence, throw it right now. He resented, “why should I”. I put my point, the law has
imposed a ban on the smoking nationwide. He laughed at me saying, "where did you
came from. The law is regulated outside the market". Helplessly I walked away
from this trader. I discovered, it is not only a goon of Mumbai, but every
person on earth creates a kingdom where
he rules.
Now I spotted
bhiden chatu, the mushrooms that grows in meadows and barren lands
during the rainy season. My mouth watered on looking at them. As such I am a
strict vegetarian, but I do eat non-satwik food. I am very much fond of
the curry made with this stuff. At Barpali we don’t get farm-grown packaged
mushrooms. Mushrooms are available only during the rainy season on lightening. The villager quoted Rs.150 for a kilogram. I gathered courage to bargain the way my
insurance policy holders negotiate with me to spare the commission that I earn
on first premium. To my good-luck he agreed to dispose off a kilo of mushroom
for Rs.120 /- when I cracked a joke, you are invited to my home for an
un-affordable lunch.
Two hours
later I returned home with two bags full of vegetables, but with an empty
pocket. By than my sister-in-law bought mushroom on the street by
paying Rs.240/- a kilo. I was relieved to discover, though I may not have
earned any money early in the morning, but definitely saved a lump sum Rs.120 /-
while shopping in the market. In my family circle, I got the notoriety for
being a miser. I do live life strictly on the principle, it is not how much
money one make a month that will count, but how wisely he able to disburse them
to meet the end.
At the end of
the day I was served a sumptuous dinner of rotis with mushroom curry, for a job done well early in the morning.
WhatsApp# +918249314972
E.Kiran Mohan(The Blogger)
C/o.Dr.E.R.Rao(MD)
Tehsil Chowk,
At/PO. BARPALI – 768029
Dist. Bargarh, Orissa, India