Medicine: Light in Twilight

By Prof. Vikas Sharma

Professor Vikas Sharma is hailed as a wondrous and astonishing author, ever since his debut novel "Raah Ke Pathar" themed around Hindu-Muslim unity, released in the year 2021 which is now procurable in English translation entitled "Never Together, Never Apart". He is primarily a Poet and a Novelist. There are fifty research papers to his credit, which have been published in national and international journals. He has also published an anthology of short stories and poetry entitled 'Epiphanies' under his name. He has not only guided and supervised but also helped his more than twenty research scholars who have successfully been awarded Ph.D under his able guidance. Prof. Sharma is presently Head of the Department of English at Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut (U.P.). Deeply interested in delivering lectures related to politics, literature, social and cultural issues, he is popular for teaching comparative method of literature to his students. When not writing or teaching, he can be spotted immersed in conferences and seminars, discussing social and literary topics. Being a member of editorial board of three international and national journals, Prof. Vikas Sharma is a very fascinating personality. His aim is to appeal to the hearts of his readers and students. "LOVE'S NOT TIME'S FOOL'is his first English Novel along with 'I AS TODAY', a second novel written by him which is already popular among readers, and '498 A: FEARS & DREAMS' that is third novel to dwell upon. His fourth novel, 'MEDICINE: LIGHT IN TWILIGHT" is a meritorious representation of fiction for a discerning reader.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Diamond Books
• Release date: Jun 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9789355992949

Book preview

1

15th March 1944

In village Badarpur, Lahore, Swami Giri Maharaj delivered his lecture that day before a minor gathering of five disciples — Kunj Behari Lal (18), Ghan Shyam (19), Gopal Das (20), Rajendra Narain (18) and Krishna Prasad (35), and asserted that ‘nobody should be afraid of death. All human beings are victims of death whether they are kings or paupers. Our parents, sisters, sons, and daughters will also die in due course of time. Secondly, all have to suffer agonies whether they are rich or poor. The rich people have terrible lust for more money and hence suffer regularly. The poor feel pain as they fail to fulfil their basic needs of life. Thirdly, every person is alone and dies alone. Even our body is a victim of death and it is unwise to attach too much attention to body because soul is immortal. The whole body is covered with a skin and it is our conscience that suffers pain due to our worldly desires. Soul remains unaffected with most of worldly things. Unfortunately, the worldly people attach importance to body, a bundle of bones, and fail to enter their inner self. It is sad that more than 95 percent people eat and drink and yet suffer due to attachment and jealousy, and fail to analyze the merits of detachment. Only good deeds make our character good as bad deeds will definitely lead us to our doom like Dr Faustus. It is essential to light the lamp of intellectual and spiritual knowledge if we wish to attain the aim of life. Everybody must follow four dictates such as Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha, and liberation is the best stage of life. Without having knowledge of right conduct, right knowledge, and right philosophy human beings are bound to lead a restless life.’

Finally, Swami ji asked them to regularly analyze their deeds so that they may give up their worthless and harmful deeds, and concentrate upon kindness, mercy, righteousness, generosity, fortitude etc. Om Shanti Namah.

When the lecture was over, Kunj Behari Lal stayed and other four listeners left the place. Kunj Behari Lal took Swami ji to his rented ordinary home and offered self prepared Roti, Dal, and Rice to him with all regards.

After Swami ji had eaten food, he asked Kunj Behari Lal to sit by his side and put his right hand on the back of his devotee’s hand and said — ‘Look Kunj Behari. Conditions of Lahore, Islamabad, Rawal Pindi etc. are no more favourable for us. Volunteers of Muslim League and other selfish parties are violent now and it is no more safe to stay here. Plan something new as you have seen the lawlessness and violent deeds after the Quit India Movement of 1942 though many freedom fighters have sacrificed their whole self for the nation. To my mind a new country will be born soon on the basis of Islam here and British rulers have been planning to give a practical shape to their plan of divide and rule.’

Kunj Behari Lal asked him out of anxiety — ‘What to do next as I don’t know anybody outside village Badarpur? Here I have a small rented shop and my monthly income is hardly forty rupees a month.’

‘Well, still there is favourable time to move out of village of Lahore and settle somewhere in Panipat, Haridwar, Meerut, Agra etc. So far as your rented shop is concerned, it may be looted by rigid communal people within an hour or set on fire by the vagabonds. Don’t think of shop and sell the goods in lump sum within two days and accompany me to Meerut, a calm and quiet city where you’ll be able to start this kind of shop easily. No worry.’

‘Who will give me the shop on rent there?’

‘I’m going to Meerut after three days and you can accompany me. My disciple Seth Sukhmal Chand owns a large property there. Don’t worry as your lines forecast a bright future outside this village. Hope for the best.’ Swami ji assured him.

‘What about Ghan Shyam, Gopal Das, Rajendra Narain, and Krishna Prasad? Will you be able to arrange for their living too there?’ Kunj Behari Lal asked him with anxiety.

‘Look. It is God who preserves us. Who am I to arrange worldly things? If your four friends also wish to settle in Meerut, there should be no problem. I am told that a big Gurudwara has been planned there, and Hindus and Sikhs are taking keen interest in its construction. I’ll stay in Meerut for two weeks only and then move to Agra. Tell all this to your friends. Of course, take right step before it is too late.’ Kunj Behari Lal had full confidence in his words and then Swami ji left him to take rest in the small Dharmshala.

After the departure of Swami ji, Kunj Behari Lal felt highly tense as he was going to leap in darkness and the future was uncertain. Nobody was there to be consulted as the village had no educated person to guide him. His parents died five years ago due to fever and influenza. No proper medicines could be given to them due to lack of medicine facilities. Of course, he had full faith in Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva, and regarded Lord Rama and Lord Krishna as the incarnations of Lord Vishnu.

Whenever any saint visited nearby village, he used to go there to listen to his lecture. His parents had created faith in Hindu mythology in his mind and heart. In spite of lack of education, he had firm faith in immortality of soul, spiritual enlightenment, offering prayers to God and above all good deeds.

Previous day Swami ji had asked his disciples that ‘earn money by fair means and decide the profit to get. Don’t be dishonest in measurement. Keep account of deals, sales and purchase and avoid adulteration.’

Kunj Behari Lal had good relations with his neighbour Farhat Ali as the latter often sat by his side on the shop and expressed his interest in his business. Second day, Kunj Behari Lal asked him — ‘Will you buy goods of my shop?’

‘With pleasure. How much do you expect for all these things Kunj ji?’

‘Well, I expect three thousand rupees for all this staff.’

‘O.K. Fine. You’ll get the money tomorrow.’

Ghan Shyam lived in a small hut with his wife named Madhu and discussed the plan of shifting to Meerut with her. He could sell his hut and milk dairy for ten thousand rupees to Bhure and packed household things soon.

But Gopal Das had a mad sister who had killed his father only one month ago. As vendor of sweets he had a lot of things to sell and pack for the next destination. His wife Kavita Rani (17) was curious to see a new city far away from the deserted village. The advice of Giri Maharaj appealed both of them and Gopal found no problem in managing a sweets’ shop in Meerut. Political situation had already been analyzed by him with other four friends and he prepared himself for the risk involved.

Rajendra Narain used to take out cream from milk and prepare ghee for the customers of Lahore. His wife Shakuntala (17) told him frankly — ‘You’ve to take the decision about this issue. May be we sell cream/ghee there easily or may not? Well, no gain without pain. Let us see the difference between rural life and urban life. Then it has become a must to leave the village even if we don’t want to.’

He packed his tools and family goods to accompany his friends. When he joined them, he had cash money of one thousand rupees.

Krishna Prasad practised as Vaidya and prepared medicines with natural resources. His father had been famous Vaidya of Badarpur and earned good money. Krishna Prasad’s wife Saroja (32) found no fault in shifting from village to city but the main problem was his fifty bighas of land.

He took address of Seth Sukhmal of Meerut and promised his friends to reach there just after selling his land. Of course, he was fed up with his whimsical and beautiful daughter Kamalnaini (16) who aspired to marry a teacher at every cost as she hated farmer as well as a Vaidya. Families of ten villagers wept on their departure from the village but failed to understand the present need.

Eight people accompanied Swami ji when he left the village on horse cart and reached Lahore railway station. Madhu, Kavita Rani, and Shakuntala were fully surprised to see the schools, colleges, busy markets, buses, big sweet shops, big pucca roads, mosques, temples etc. from the windows and Shakuntala asked her husband to stay in Lahore so as to see the Red Fort there. Since Swami ji’s order prevailed she had to sacrifice her desire. Swami ji told her that she would enjoy seeing the best Asian Church in Sardhana, a town area in Meerut.

There are many big temples, schools and colleges there. After all, they were moving out of secluded village where they had no facilities of hospital, school, sanitation, transport etc. Their pattern of life would change and God willing they would lead a prosperous life there. No need to worry for leaving the backward village and let old memories be buried.

Except Swami ji all of them were enjoying journey by rail for the first time. The train moved at 8 A.M. and the pictures of various stations appeared thrilling to them. Fruits were being sold on most of the stations. Ladies failed to read the names of stations as they were almost illiterate but Swami ji told them a few details about Amritsar’s Golden Temple and narrated the tragedy of massacre of Jallianwala Bagh creating a sense of sympathy in their heart for its victims. Then he told them about a few industries that had so far been established in Jullandhar, Ludhiana, Ambala, Yamuna Nagar, Saharanpur etc. They could see a few sugar mills from the windows of their compartment yet none of them knew anything how sugarcane juice could be converted into sugar. They mostly used Gur in their homes though Kunj Behari Lal could sell some sugar at the rate of four annas per seer. Often they saw a few monkeys on the platforms alongwith some beggars, mostly poor and miserable women, old people and children wearing tattered clothes. Swami ji told them the gap between unemployed and helpless people and self employed people like their husband.

Swami ji cursed the British authorities for ignoring the needs of Indian rural folk as they practised the fundamentals of Individualism i.e. government should perform only a few duties and leave much to be done by people themselves. This is the reason that these new travellers had never seen any hospital, college, bus stand, railway station, cinema hall, industry etc. so far. Swami ji asked himself — ‘What has been done by the British government for the rustics so far? Nothing except charging taxes on crops! Why did they not make farmers free from the clutches of landlords?’

When the train stopped at Ludhiana, Swami ji bought Hindi newspaper Nav Jeevan but his fellow passengers failed to understand its importance. Out of curiosity, Kunj Behari Lal asked him — ‘Why do you read this large printed paper? How does it appeal to you?’

Swami ji politely replied — ‘The newspaper tells us about the events of the world such as — How many people have died in Second World War up to this day? What does America expect in world trade? What are the goods that Great Britain sells in Indian and other markets of the world? What are the expectations of Russian Communist leader Stalin these days? Above all, people read about the names of latest weapons that are manufactured by U.K., U.S.A., Russia, Germany, Italy etc. sold them to poor nations. Moreover, there are articles and columns in it on various socio-political and eco-ethical issues; everyday asking people to ‘awake, arise, and get intellectually awakened. This newspaper serves many purposes and you all will start reading it after a few days in Meerut?’

Words as ‘awake and arise’ were beyond their understanding and Swami ji added — ‘Darkness of night disappears with the rising of sun. The hunger of the body needs bread, fruits and vegetables. Similarly, our minds need ‘new ideas’ to develop mentally. New ideas are very important today and all of you will see a new society soon. Wait and have patience.’

Still his companions failed to understand the word ‘new ideas’ and how are they born? Swami ji added — ‘We live physically, mentally, and spiritually. So far you have satisfied your physical needs only. In near future your children will join schools and colleges, and read newspapers, books and magazines. All of you will worship Lord Rama, Lord Krishna etc. every morning. In future you’ll take English medicines too. Brave new world is going to open its gates for you soon.’

New society, new education, new business, new town, and above all urban facilities and Swami ji promised them a lot.

❒

2

Kunj Behari Lal, Ghan Shyam, Gopal Das, and Rajendra Narain stayed in single room each in Jain Dharmshala in Sadar Meerut, and could hire one shop per male member out of recently constructed twelve shops just in front of the Dharmshala and each one was to pay rupees two for one shop. Kunj Behari Lal bought provisions with two thousand rupees from Veer Provision Store, Sadar and displayed them in begs. Soon he started having customers to buy provisions for a week or so.

Ghan Shyam contacted the milk suppliers from two villages nearby and started selling milk morning and evening earning four rupees a day and his wife helped him selling milk in the evening. Both of them were quite happy with this beginning.

Gopal Das started preparing samosas, jalebi and rasgullas, and sold them on the rates of Badarpur village. As the samosas and other sweets were prepared with pure ghee, he too could earn nearly six rupees as his profit daily with the help of wife for first three days. Then hired a helper for one rupee per day.

Rajendra Narain visited four villages with Ghan Shyam and could get a supply of sixty seers of milk. Then he extracted cream out of that and prepared pure ghee with the cream. He sold one seer ghee at the rate of four rupees and could earn ten rupees per day. Of course, the couple had to work the whole day but they were young and hence didn’t feel tired easily. Kunj Behari Lal purchased ghee from his shop on credit and made weekly payment.

Here there were no racial prejudices and no role of Muslim League. They had business in free atmosphere but needed beds, new clothing etc. But Swami ji advised them — ‘Have patience as Time factor ought to be kept in mind. Do your business honestly and you’ll be prosperous. At least job opportunities are here and with time, number of your customers will definitely double up.’

Kunj Behari Lal and Ghan Shyam offered prayers in the Durga Temple early in the morning and then joined business. Gopal Das and Rajendra Narain attended lectures of Swami ji in Arya Samaj Mandir of Sadar Bazar, Meerut. Swami ji explained the fundaments of Swami Dayanand Saraswati and Vivekananda to small number of audience every afternoon. But he asked them to be alert and awakened citizens of country which was on the verge of dawn. He referred to Indian Renaissance that began in Bengal with the teachings of Bankim Chandra, D.N. Tagore, Lord Bentick, Raja Ram Mohan Roy etc. and advised them to understand