Its end of December, the month of, not only celebrate the famous mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, but also, the first month of the winter, celebration. For some of them, it is a new beginning for snow, rain and cold weather. Furthermore, the most famous for Christmas occasion including music, party, and a lot of shopping. Therefore, we eat a lot, do exercise, trekking (visit the mother nature) and enjoy the every moment of happiness in this month. However, I call it the month of health and happiness.
I was missing Spinach + Dal in my meal since long days. I am the one who eat at least twice a week, and it is one of my favorite foods. Furthermore, the curious thought led me to pick the key of my vehicle and get it immediately. I drove my bike to the nearest market, where many on road vendors seat at the corner of the crowded and polluted streets with an abundance of fresh vegetables.
However, I continue to find the one which I was looking for to cook for today’s dinner. It was Dal Palak which today my hormones released for, one of the favourite Indian food combination. All is fine, even if you give me at daily lunch. I stopped my bike near one of such vendors and asked if I could get a bunch of spinach. A curly and messy hair woman in her 50s said,
“Sir, it’s very costly. If you go to a shop of goldsmith, you won’t find it.(bahot mahangra hai, sonar ki dukan par bhi nahi milenga)”
“WTF! How I could get it at goldsmith?” I thought.
“Is it that much in demand?” I giggled and said.
In fact, she preferred not to say “I do not have.” instead told me a fine joke. Furthermore, saying no words, I shifted the gear of my bike and went to the next shop and turned the engine of my bike to off. Looking at the shop, I was confident that I would get it. All the vegetables covered under the wet sacks made from the coconut shells. However, the corners of the whole slew were visible, from which I could guess that there are leafy vegetables are for selling.
“Hello!”
I asked a man who was chewing a month freshener. He was in his 60 and his lips were red and dripping. He looked at me, cleaned his dripping mouth by his right shoulder and said,
“Yes?”
“Can I get spinach? (Palak milengi kya?)”
“Puchho bhi mat (don’t even ask),” the shopkeeper said hurriedly, pushed one more leaf (mouth freshener) into his mouth.
“Bhosadika barish ne maar di, ek acre land mera kharab ho gaya. Ab sirf pilli palak joki sirf gai or bhai ke liye bachi hai (It was rain who f**ked me, which ruined one acre of spinach. Now there is only what has left is yellow spinach for cows and buffalo).
“I am sorry, I made a big mistake by asking you about the spinach. I really felt bad about it.”
“No, we made a mistake becoming farmers. Who else is here can understand us? The government has no brain (farmers ki koi parvah hai nahi… koi to mara raha hai) and leading that, buyers also have no mercy on farmers.(kharidanewale bhi koi paravah nahi karte… jo ji me aya rate mai mangate hai)”
I nodded and really felt about him. He continued,
“There is no single day that buyers does not negotiate.” he engulfed the rest of the red saliva. I nodded again, saying no word. Further, I felt an instant current passed through my cold spine. There, for a moment, I felt that one of his enemy is me. I also do negotiations while buying vegetables and at the rest of the shop, there is hardly a chance to do. Isn’t that behaving like a badass? The farmers work hard throughout the day, month, and year weaving their bread and butter. However, sometimes butter vanishes due to aggravating nature of the mother earth and only bread left on the hands of the farmers. All we know that all the hard work goes in vain during the farming due to bad weather conditions. In the farm, whether the crops are at the early stage or at the time of harvesting, bad weather is dangerous during the whole process. There is always a knife on the neck of the farmers. It is mother earth how help them win or lose the game of farming.
I quickly made my move before I hear another slang utterance to make my ass hot. I self start my bike in ignorance of my shameless appearance for him and hurried on to another vendor in search…
