Bandho

by Abhishek Kumar | Feb 17, 2024 | Fiction

“Get out of here.”

“Please, Babuji, have mercy on me. Where will I go?”

“Get out of here, you thief,” said Laldev, “or I shall break your legs.”

The other retinue were watching helplessly. They could not do anything. Who would dare to even speak up to Laldev?

Bandho got up. Sobbing, with tearful eyes, he started walking towards his quarters.

“Where do you think you are going?”

“To my quarters, master, let me take my clothes.”

“Your clothes? You wretched fool. I gave them for your service.” Laldev said. “I no longer require your service. You cannot take even a thread from here. Now, go away and never come back.”

This was unbearable for Bandho. Yes, he was a pauper, but he had his pride, the pride of service. He could not tolerate any attack on his service attitude. That was all he had. That’s what he had done all his life.

He was twelve years old when he started working as a servant in the household of Kirpal Rai. Laldev, Kirpal’s only son, was two years old then. Bandho’s father, Sunua Pulhar, was a paik and worked for the Zamindar of Manbhum. Historically, Paiks were the aboriginal soldiers who worked for the local kings and zamindars and were given some land for subsistence. When Britishers came to Manbhum in the latter half of the 1760s, they removed the zamindars and kings who opposed them and didn’t accept their rule and placed new zamindars who were merely puppets. They also abolished the paik force and established non-indigenous police. Their lands were usurped and auctioned as the indigenous people were unable to pay the heavy taxes, which kept increasing on the whims of zamindars and their bosses. Sunua belonged to the warrior class of the tribe, and before him, all of his ancestors had worked for the local zamindar. With their lands taken away, they had no place to grow crops.

To maintain his family, Sunua went to the new Zamindar, Kirpal Singh, cousin of the earlier Zamindar and begged him for work. Kirpal knew Sunua to be a valiant but faithful person who wouldn’t dare revolt against his master. Sunua became his most trusted man, as Kirpal often told others about his obedience, “Sunua is my favourite kukur (dog).” Years passed by, and Sunua kept on serving faithfully. One day, Kirpal Rai asked him about his son, and it was decided his son, Bandho, would be employed as a domestic help in Kirpal Rai’s home and especially take care of his only son, Laldev Rai. Kirpal’s elder son had died of cholera, and Laldev had to remain alive to be Kirpal’s successor. Bandho was happy as he could live near his father. He was nine when his mother died giving birth to Sunua’s second child. Neither the infant nor the mother survived. Since then, Bandho’s grandparents had taken care of him. In Kirpal Rai’s home, he could finally live closer to his father. Bandho was ecstatic. He did not like living in the village with his grandparents. He did not like children calling his father a traitor and a coward. He had heard what a foolhardy and adventurous man his father was. Once, his unarmed father had charged against a gang of bandits who had come to loot the old zamindar. He was the unbeaten hunting champion of twelve villages for six consecutive years. How could such a person be a coward? How could a person who was ready to risk his life for a diku like the zamindar betray his own people?

After all, Sunua was the favourite soldier of the new Zamindar. So, what if his father did not participate in the rebellion? So, what if his father did not stand up against the new oppressors? He had given his word to Kirpal Rai that he would never betray his master. How could he then go against his word? For going against one’s word is worse than death. “He can’t be a traitor. He certainly was not a coward.” Bandho concluded. Sunua had just lost his wife and child. “The revolt started at the worst possible time, and no one knows how long it will go, whether the rebels would succeed. Well, how can they? They fought with bows and arrows, and the new sahibs had guns. The rebels don’t stand a chance.” Bandho had thought.

Years flew by, and Bandho served with all his heart. More to please his father than to please his master. But it seemed the divine did not like Bandho’s happiness. Sunua had contracted a disease. Supposedly, the new masters have brought it with them. But they had developed a cure. However, Sunua was neither rich nor important. So, there was no question of treating Sunua. He was left to suffer and die slowly. Sunua died vomiting blood. Bandho was heartbroken. But how long could he be? He was a servant, and a servant must serve his master.  Bandho grew, and so did his master, Laldev. In no time, he was collecting taxes, helping his father, and participating in discussions with the new lords. From time to time, Bandho kept hearing the news of the rebellion. Thirty years had passed since the beginning of the uprising, and finally, the oppressors had accepted the rebels’ demands. Thirty long years and the oppressors with guns and advanced weapons had given up to the chuars with bows and arrows. The paiks would be re-established, given their land back, and the diku police would be withdrawn from Manbhum. But Bandho would not be given any land. He was no paik. Since his teenage years, he has only served his master with all his heart. He would be a servant for the rest of his life. It did not matter for Bandho. Paik or no paik, land or no land. For whom will he earn? He had no time for marriage or family or such worldly affairs. He was a servant, and serving was his duty.

“Was it?”  Bandho thought. “Was serving his only duty?”
“It has to be.” A reply came from within. “It has to be. Otherwise, why would the elders, why would the pahans, the priests, why would the old stories, why would the stories about the lost world, about their glorious past would tell otherwise?”

No. He would have done something wrong. The scriptures, the elders, and the higher class can’t be false. It must be his past karma. It must be. Otherwise…otherwise why would he be abandoned when he had faithfully served all his life? It just did not make sense. It must be the result of some misdeeds he committed during his previous birth. It has to be, and it was nullified now. But Bandho did not know how he should react. Should he be happy that his karma was nullified? Or should he be sad because the master he served all his life has thrown him out of service, accusing him of being a thief?

Bandho went ahead dejected. “What would I do now? Where should I go?” Bandho thought. All his life, he has been a servant. A humble, meek and docile servant. He can’t join the rebellion. Although his information about the Zamindar and the oppressors may greatly benefit the rebels fighting for their jal, jungle, and zamin (water, forest, and land). How could he possibly betray his masters? There was no way his conscience would allow that.

Glossary:

• Paik – the aboriginal police force that existed in the Manbhum region.
• Manbhum – the Manbhum district consisted of the Dhanbad (Jharkhand), Pururlia (W.B.), and Bankura (W.B.) districts. Manbhum was named after Man Singh, Akbar’s military general. Manbhum was part of Bihar until 1947 and after partition, Manbhum was bifurcated and Purulia and Bankura were merged into West Bengal (W.B.). Dhanbad remained a part of Bihar till 2000 and after the formation of Jharkhand on 15th November 2000 it became a part of Jharkhand.
• Diku – one who causes trouble. The indigenous people used to call outsiders diku.
• Kukur – Dog.
• Chuar – The Britishers and outsiders used to call the tribal and local people chuars which means people of low caste and animalistic behaviour.
• Pahan – tribal priest.
• The rebellion – the mentioned rebellion refers to the Chuar/Chuhar revolt (1769-1805) was a series of movements against the Britishers and was led by the tribals and peasants in the Jungle Mahal area. The Kurmi, Bhumij, Munda, Ghatwal, Paik Kol, and Santhal tribes participated in this rebellion. The rebellion also received support from local zamindars who were against the British imposition.