“Sorry I was listening to this story.. My name is Rahul”
He was that same boy who was listening music by his phone.
“You know batteries of these smart phone how soon get dry” Rahul said “ I find this story very interesting”
“Who is this Mangla” Rahul puzzled
I and Sharma ji started laughing.
“I never realized that there is another listener too” Sharma ji told
“Me too… I was thinking that I was only person who was enjoying this story” I told
“This is not a story… My dear son it was a real experience” Sharma ji told
“Sorry sir ji.. Your experience” I was smiling and exhale too
Now I can listen some more sounds.. I was coming from where…?
Is there is some more hidden listener…? No … no
It was some vendors.. Outside I watch through window.
“It is Moradabad station” Sharma ji told to us.
“Delhi is just 3 hours away from here” he added
“This is nice I completed more than half of my journey while talking to you” I said
“But who was Mangla ” I was still devoted to know..?
YES… Sharma je again started to dip both of us in to flash back and narrated his experience.
He told “who is this Mangla..?”
Grand uncle told “Son Mangla was a Gareriya (shepherd) of nearby village”
It was 30-40 years ago .Mangla was a nice person and big, tall guy and, he bring his cattle nearby our village. He was tall; handsome young boy and elder son in his family. He was very humble and polite person, he was that person who ready to help other.
As being a gareriya he uses to travel village to village to bring his cattle and he travel all nearby places .as you know when you are a young traveler and you see world around you; you also meet the different type of person in your life. In case of Mangla it was the same.
He was young, handsome nomadic and during his daily commuting he , meet a girl , she was from nearby village; each day when Mangla use to go near by her village she use to see her, and this thing keep on happening. You know son when two young people come closer than they travels in journey of love. Sharma ji said.
“Who was that girl” I ask
“That girls was Manjari , a beautiful young girl from some upper caste.” Sharma ji told,
“So what does it means by upper cast….” I said
Son 50-60 years ago our society was strictly divided by different caste and some of them where upper cast , meaning rich, famous and elite class people in society, and some group of people who were poor they consider as lower class people, and this partition was very prominent that time; our society was differentiated in so many parts. And love between two different casts was not acceptable in society. Not to family of Mangla and not family of Manjari. “Sharma ji concluded.
“It means mixing of two-part of society was not allowed they how their love story started..?.” Rahul, that boy on upper; asked question to Sharma ji.
“Well no one know that how their love story began…but as I know by other that there was a love between them; maybe we can assume that Mangla was roaming all around village to village and might be somewhere they see each other and fall in love ” Sharma ji said.
I ask suddenly “I understand that there was a person Managal some time back and he loved a girl Manjari. This entire thing is nice and normal, but how Mangal became a haunted spirit from a love spirit…?”
“This I very nice and obvious question that how a normal boy became a haunted and revenge seeking spirit, I will tell you my dear son” Sharma ji “as I told you that both of these love birds were from different parts of society and seeking each other was not acceptable to their family, not to family of Manjari nor even family of Mangla. It was a big social taboo at that time. First family of girl warned their daughter to stop seeing that lower caste boy and they also warn Mangal to stop seeing girl Majari otherwise he should be ready to face hard consequences. This thing was warning for Mangla ” Sharma ji said
“Than what happened to him” Rahul told
“You know when you are in love then you do not care about world and people who are running this world. Like any other couple they both did not stopped looking each other and slowly slowly their love became stronger bond between them. And later they became inseparable.”
“This love story was not acceptable to family of Manjari and thus they try to show Mangla the consequences; dare to love an upper class girl, on day when it was evening and Magla was coming back to his home. Family members of girl stopped him near that pond area and started beating him and keep on beating him” Sharma ji said
“Then what Mangla did to protect himself “ Rahul said
“What he was able to so son….!!, they where so many and Mangla was alone; unprepared for any such attack; he was just going back to his home after his daily work and suddenly this assault happen with him. He might be alone or unprepared for this assault. Those goons who strike him very badly and one of goon strike with blade and stab in his chest and killed him on that place.”Sharma ji concluded.
“Those goons killed Mangal….just because that he was in love girl of their family…? How this could be possible” I am surprise for this
“I understand boy this is unacceptable for you… Now a day’s differences between caste and religion in our society are not such prominent as it was 50-60 years ago. Now you can see young people going out and hanging out with each other and it is acceptable in society now a day.” Sharma ji said.
“So how Mangla became haunted spirit and what Manjari did after this…?” Rahul is very curious to know more.
“as I told you that Mangal was slaughtered by relatives of Manjari and his body was hanged on that Neem tree to be crumble and that why that Neem tree became a hunted place; because his body was hang up their and his soul roving all around that area, whom so ever was going to there or nearby place, his soul attack that person might be to protect himself or take revenge whom so ever there and slowly, that neem tree became notorious as HAUNTED NEEM TREE ” Sharma ji said.
“His body was hanging there to be crumble that might be reason; he was stinking like rotten meat, as you told me.” I told by guessing.
“Yes…!! You might me right and those goons stabbed in his chest that might be a reason I also noted there was a mark… You might me right” Sharma ji acknowledged my point.
“What happened with Manjari..???” Rahul again forced on this.
“Haha… sure I will tell you as much I know .. Like any other girl she was forced to marry with a rich man far away to another city”. Sharma ji told
“This is not good, that poor boy stabbed and hanged on tree and girl married to rich man,it is not fair”. Rahul said it with disappointment.
“No my dear son… What I know that her married life was also not good, her husband died soon in a road accident and she became the widow. That much I know” Sharma ji told
“Is it was revenge of Mangla..?” I ask
“Cannot say anything on this” Sharma ji said.
Suddenly we are listing sound of tea vendors. Again I am looking out and ask.
“Bhai.. Which station is it?”
“Gaziabad sir ji” vendor said
We reached to Gaziabad just listening this story… this is amazing I completed approximately my entire journey by listening to this amazing story.
I said “Sharma ji wow this is amazing that we about to complete this journey by listening to your story and it was amazing… bit is it is true story or like any other story”.
“Haha.. ha ” he started laughing profoundly and raised his hands and while raising his hands , sleeves of his kurta dropped down till his shoulders and I was amazed to saw nail marks by three figures dragged down on right shoulder it was looking like that someone taken out a bit of flash from there, oh my god he is right.
“It is up to you whether you are going to trust me or not, my experience is not going to be change what you are going to think about it” Sharma ji said.
“But I would like to say you that you should remember one thing you should be happy that you are living in that time where you can get anything what so ever you want to get, and no one is going to kill you to love someone of something” he said
And I am also thinking that he is right, today I am free to do anything what so ever I want to do there is no social restrictions, not taboo by society and no one is going to check me like free person. Person like me could think to do anything or can say anything to anyone this is one type of freedom which is around me and should be thankful to all those person who provided this type of freedom, thanks god I born in this time where there is not social barrio, no caste partition, no segregation of society on basis of financial status. And most important of all I can love anyone … anyone by my choice and no one going to stab me… Thanks God I am not going to me next Mangla.
End of Story
image source www.google.com
Free Spirit-Abhishek 