[Reader-list] Reaching Nangla, Today (04)

[CM@Nangla]

Wednesday, 29th March

Many conversations reached my ear when I walked into Nangla. There was a
restlessness, and there was hope that someone would put in a word in their
favour to “higher authorities”, for them and the dwelling would not
have to be emptied today. But still, they were emptying the houses,
collecting all the samaan in one place outside the house.

I walked on ahead and saw a woman was washing her clothes. How could she
not know? How did she look so relaxed? She did not let her restlessness
become manifest.

A few steps ahead. An old man and two young children were taking all the
samaan out of their house.

Just ahead, I heard the sound of beating drums. Then I saw some rituals
were in progress. A lot of people had gathered. The drums beat loudly. A
man danced to the drum beats, in the middle of the crowd. The face of the
new bride, being sent to her new home, was awash in tears.

I walked on. The lab was around the corner. As I waited outside the lab,
the street was very quiet. There was no activity here like there was in the
lane before. A lot of people had gathered in the house next door to the
lab. The deck was not playing any music today.

We met the aunty, who lives in the house above our lab. She started talking
to me and told me there was another marriage to take place taht night, and
the girl had even been through the haldi-besan ceremony. Aunty was very
sad, she kept saying, "where will we go at such short notice?" We talked
for a while. The lab was still locked.

I started retracing our steps towards the outside.
Someone was removing the roof of his house. Two people were carefully
packing their china and glass utensils.

Everyone was talking. Someone said, “What will we do now?”
Someone said, “Can't the politicians do something?”
Someone said, “It doesn't look like this dwelling will stay any longer.”
Someone cursed the police and someone said, They are only following orders
from above”.
Someone said, “They will carry the curse of the poor with them when they
leave.”

Outside, the road was lined with tempos. A boy stood inside one tempo. He
was putting the heavier samaan at the bottom. Three young girls walked to
the tempo and handed him some more things. The boy took them and quickly
put them in their new place in the tempo.

People sat in the space between the road and the dwelling by their samaan.
Some sat on cots.

A voice from behind me asked, “What are you doing?” I turned around. It
was a police jeep with three policemen inside. I said, “I am waiting for
a friend.”
“What are you doing here?”
I told him we had a lab in NM, and that is where we were going.
Then I asked, “Will Nangla be broken down today?”
He said, “Beta, it will not be broken just yet.”
I looked at him. I thought, he is giving me false hope.
Just then his mobile range and he got busy. I moved on.

Nasreen. 

CM Lab, Nangla Maanchi

http://nangla.freeflux.net
http://nangla-maachi.freeflux.net

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It quenches the thirst of the thirsty, 
Such is Nangla,
It shelters those who come to the city of Delhi, 
Such is Nangla. 
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