Mountain can move

He gets off his black SUV, takes out his goggles. He was standing outside for some time, looking around as if searching for someone. The mountain people who were strolling in the broad day light looked at him.

His eyes were blue and deep as ocean, an appearance that was bright like the eastern Sun. Robust built, yet he had the gentleness of an Indian Sadhu.

Hair was cluttered, naturally rolled locks of hair and thick trimmed beard that was describing his tribute of renunciation. Mystery, however, surrounded this man.  Though he had the resemblance of a saint, he was wearing a white silk kurta and pyjama. There was no mobile in his hand. An unmistakable Ramanandi Tilak on his fore head invokes his graceful statement.

Small children exclaimed in awe – ‘Modern Saint indeed!’

The man started walking towards the banyan tree, some hundred yards away. In the shade of the tree a small Hanuman idol was there and Sarpanch ji was sitting. The man offered his salutation to the Sarpanch, ‘Baba, my name is Chiranjeevi. Your daughter is my boss. She told, you wanted to meet a civil engineer from her organization. She has sent me.’

Baba, with his feeble structure and poor sight, adjusted his eye glasses for a closer look at him. He was unable to see him clearly. The old man took Chiranjeevi’s right hand in his hands and said, ‘Yes, Beta, come with me.’ They walked to a nearby wheat field, which grows sweet corn too.

‘Beta, can you see the field, it is the only earning source of farmers like us. These hills are well known for growing the best of wheat and sweet corn over the year. We villagers have always been less ambitious in thinking about adding any other source of income.’

Baba rued, ‘The cattle of late have difficulty in walking, and they whimper and shiver. Some two months back meteorological department contacted me through an inland letter as mobile connection does not work here.’

‘They said…,’Baba covered his face with both palms, in despair.

Chiranjeevi, almost inaudible, ‘Weather man says, heavy rainfall with landslide is coming in next two months that will wash away the entire village, isn’t it?’

Baba, continued, sobbing, ‘Yes. The thing I fear is, you have reached very late. That two months will be over in two days after Ram Navami, we don’t have time.’

Chiranjeevi said, ‘Time belongs to only present, and we have it Baba, don’t worry.’

Running into the wheat field a kid shouts excitedly, ‘Baba please come home fast, our cow has returned with her calves and they are walking and grazing happily!’

Baba started, almost briskly, Chiranjeevi following. In the way back, Baba felt amazed to see cattle of other villagers roaming happily.

Chiranjeevi entered Baba’s hut and said, ‘I am a civil engineer. I can help in relocation of all the villagers to the downhill place. Before that I would request you Baba, to feed all the villagers with the food grains the wheat field has grown over the time!’

Baba knew very well time is indeed too short, and heavy rains and landslides can come anytime. That means it is almost next to impossible to relocate the village safely. He obliged. After some deep thinking, and meeting with other farmers the entire village was offered bhandara (a religious meal) on the day of Ram Navami.

Chiranjeevi helped others in cooking. However, he took a small bite of food saying, he fasts on this occasion.

As the entire day had passed, the villagers started hearing the shrieking and swirling sound of gusty wind, all over the mountain at night. Those were the signs of the heavy rainfall that as predicted was about to come!

Baba came outside his hut to see Chiranjeevi is standing near the banyan tree, eyes closed. On seeing Baba, he calmly said, ‘Baba, get inside your house, I am coming.’

Baba went inside. Within a short while Baba dozed off!

When Baba opened his eyes, he finds it is a golden morning. He could hear many children and people talking outside his hut.

He came out. All the villagers have collected outside. Yes, though the area was drenched with heavy rainfall, the place was entirely different. They were not living on any mountain now, it is a lush green field, downhill.

Baba could see his daughter coming to meet him. He ran towards her and said, ‘Where is Chiranjeevi?’ She was amazed with his question and said she does not know anybody by this name!

The banyan tree was still standing calm in front of his cottage. The small Hanuman idol, however, was not there under it!

On a banyan leaf beneath the tree it was written, ‘If mount Dronagiri can be moved, can I not come and relocate my children from mountain to land!’

Mountain can move

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