No Fear of Flood or Famine

After passing M.A., I got my first job. Joined on 1 Jan, 1977 as Ad Hoc Lecturer, G.M. College, Sambalpur. Basic Salary – 525/-, D.A. – 45/-, Yealy Increment – 25/-

A few months later, I went to Khuntpali to look up grandfather who lived in our ancestral house and managed the agricultural operations. He was happy to see me and briefly stepped out to the house-entrance to holler to all and sundry: Look who is here. He has grown so tall. Has got a job, too, and earns more than his father.

Soon, many people from Upar Para came to ‘see’ me; Nana’s mother, Uma, Kani Dhamna, Jhatku, Bhagbana Mastrey, Ashadhu, and others.

Samaru Majhi, my mahasat (ceremonially sworn friend) Shankar’s father, also came. He was very fond of me. During my childhood days, whenever I visited their home in Majhi Para just across our house, Samaru would give me a palmful of peanuts in shell roasted in paddy straw. Shankar’s mother always gave me something to eat – roasted gram, a piece of gud, chakel, ukhuda, etc.

Samaru asked: Baba, how much do you get in a month? I told him. He was overwhelmed, and said, ‘How wonderful, you’d never have to worry about dhui mardi (flood or famine). At month end, sarkar will give you a bundle of crisp, new notes!’

Whenever I think about the distress of small, marginal farmers, especially holding unirrigated land, I remember Samaru Majhi.

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