Deewana V/S Hitler

Mohana Calling

Dewana V/s Hitler

Dewana, my distant cousin was very famous in my very big village.   When he was six, he was sent to school but went there only for three days.   He insisted to sit with me in my class, but the teacher did not permit-I was in class third.   Dewana, now ten, was going to his maternal uncle with his mother.   The journey was by foot.   Dewana walked a mile or so catching the mother’s finger and then he insisted to be carried by the mother.   How far could he be taken?   The mother exhausted, but he declined to be off loaded.   Ultimately the mother had to retrace back.   Now Dewana was fourteen.   He was sent to tender the cattle – two cows and three buffalos.   A neighbour’s boy had three cows and two buffalos.   Dewana insisted, unless same numbers of animals are with him, he would not do the job.   His father gave him a good beating, but he did not relent.   The beating was repeated for a week but he stubbornly declined the job.

As per the village custom, the farmers kept a horse or two.   Dewana’s father had one horse and a mare.   In other part of the village a famous farmer bought a mare for rupees one thousand – an astronomical amount in those days. Even people from neighboring villages came to see the mare.   Dewana saw it and fell for it.   Father must have a comparable mare.   But his father was not so rich.   Dewana left the village.   I was studying in college, hundred miles away, in a city.   When I came to the village in summer vacations, I came to know of the incident.   I took uncle with me and left the village to search Dewana.   A full month and money equal to the cost of the mare which Dewana fancied were spent but no trace of him.   Ultimately, Dewana’s mother went for pilgrimage to Haridwar to solicit her son back to home.   Dewana was there in the company of the Sadhus, but was adamant to come back home unless his wish was fulfilled.   My uncle sold off half of his land and Dewana was taken back, riding the mare of his liking....