Raju & His Family visits us in Nov 2009

Gobind gets a Police Badge Oct 2009

Gobind is getting a 'Badge' from San Ramon Police Department's Officer for partcipating in the 'Walk To School'. He will walk, to and back from School, the whole week.

His Grandpa is the byproduct Beneficiary as photographer.

Me and my Toys - Jania 2009

This is me, my home and lots of my Toys - Jania

Gobind playing chess in 2009

Gobind makes a Chess move: A Photo By Shiv

On a Cruise to Alaska Aug 2009

On my 65th birthday we planned first ever cruise travels to Alaska. We took a flight from San Jose to Seattle and reached Cruise embarkation point by a cab.  I got so excited that I got nervous badly and could not remember my personal data and Documents. I felt as the dream to travel on a ship was beyond my imagination and comprehension to undertake.

As usual my better half Harvi immediately took over and got us through the documentation cleared for onward journey. Since it also touched Canadian territory, we needed all immigration clearances.

I took a great sigh of relief after getting into our alloted accommodation. 

There after it was all free world, nothing to spend from your pocket.

Entering the First City of Alaska Ketchikan

Near the edge of a Glacier!

Five Days In Hawaii

5 DAYS IN HAWAII

A View from The Hotel Balcony

Harvinder was so much tied up with the daily chores on account of little Jania and dear Gobind, she had planned a vacation to a far away place so that she was able to switch off her brain circuitry and become a normal person. We tried small local trips that hardly made any virtual effect to reverse the brain clock. Our 10 hour daily help was ineffective in reducing the type of pressure on Harvinder and me.

As Harvinder is an expert in catching fantastic deals from the tel-marketers and it took almost 10 months to effectively materialize the whole trip to Hawaii. So it was finally a win-win situation, we had to shell out a two grands though. We were finally happy that we could make this trip.

We landed at Honolulu international Airport at local 5.30 PM - 3 hours behind California Pacific Time. the airport was not very big and grand but there was warmth of local people all over. They were holding colorful flower circular garlands for their respective guests.

Near the Front Desk of Hotel

Our host was to meet us at the Hotel Aqua Palm at Waikiki. We took a shuttle and reached the Hotel in 30 minutes. We went straight to the front desk and registered our selves and were allotted a suit on 5th floor. We were fresh from the journey. The weather was neither warm nor cold but a little humid.

We quickly washed and changed and were eager to have first hand communication with the locals here. We asked for a good restaurant for having a dinner. We were relieved that we had similar American food available near by. There were Italian, Mexican, Thai and an Indian restaurants available. We had as a supplement got some home made 'Paronthas' also.

Next day we just wanted to have look at the area and the city and planned for various guided trips. We went to the Expedia desk in the corner of our Hotel at an appointed time met one Mr Sean who was very cordial and welcomed us to the island. with in next two hours we had planned the entire trip as per our tastes and requirements.

In the afternoon, we went to the beach near by and went to Hilton Hawaiin Resorts nearby. As we enterd, we became the integral part of the village. This is 22Acre facility just on the Ocean. They were lot of restaurants, Pastry shops, jewellary shops, famous articles of world renown, Antiques and lots of tourists services. It was really a fun to walk along the small lanes among the mixture of various people got together from all over the world. If in a lift, you will never find two people from one place. All people of race, color, religion were seen walking , talking and having fun together. It is amazing to see all this.

Island of Oahu

More than you imagined,more than you expected, Oahu is a rich and rewarding destination. Beyond the turquoise waters, pristine beaches, and razor-edged mountains, you'll discover a legacy rich in history and influences from all corners of the Pacific.

Oahu, the sun and fun capital of the Hawaiian Islands, is awash with as many activities as there are hours in the day. Enjoy hiking through rainforests, biking along mountain ranges and swimming in the azure waters of the Pacific.

Getting AroundGetting around Oahu is fun and easy, whether it's two wheels, four wheels or otherwise. You can circle Oahu in less than three hours by car. Or you can take TheBus, our public transportation system. It's one of the best ways to experience firsthand, the local communities and people.

Taxis are plentiful and easily available. Or, if you prefer, there are a number of two-wheeled options, like motorcycles, mopeds or bicycles.

To get around, There are three major freeways, connecting you to all points of the islands. And just so you know, going east is called Diamond Head direction; west is Ewa direction; Mauka is toward the mountain; and Makai is toward the ocean.

Things to DoOahu's long-held position as the most popular of all the Hawaiian islands is due in good measure to the incredible variety - and quality - of attractions on this island. There is something exciting fascinating, and fun for every age, every interest, and every budget.

There are historic monuments like Punchbowl National Cemetery and Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor which you can visit on official Navy tours. And there are historic Hawaiian sites like 'Iolani palace, America's only Royal Palace where Kings and Queens of old Hawaii once ruled. Oahu also has Hawaii's largest collection of museums where fascinating exhibits and demonstrations let you learn about everything from how ancient Polynesians navigated the Pacific in outrigger canoes to how Nantucket whalers fashioned harpoons.

The city of Honolulu is a diverse and ongoing attraction itself with distinct and intriguing districts like the thriving downtown/Chinatown business district set alongside busy Honolulu Harbor.

Oahu also boasts dozens of attractions that are simply pure fun vacation experiences. Luaus, Polynesian shows, dancing dolphins, sunset cruises, submarine rides, a world class zoo and aquarium, garden tours, "ghost walks"... the list goes on and on. This is the Hawaiian island that can fill all the days and nights of your vacation with fun and fascinating new experiences.

© preet mohan singh., all rights reserved.

My Dream Girl

MY DREAM GIRL

Harvinder Kapoor

'Till We Do Part At Death'

 On Valentine Day 2010

Reclaiming of Lands

Reclaiming of Maru Land- Part II

Continued from: Reclaiming of Land-part I...

Harvinder With Jania and Preet Mohan Singh on Maru Land as developed today

Harvinder and Jania enjoyng the hard bed

I shall pick up the bi-cycle and immediately ride it to Nehri land and make round of my fields and on the way talk to the neighbors and our cultivators and get all information. Poor people will give me very honestly all the details and their advice which cost me no penny. They will meet me with folded hands. And when an old man also bowed to me with respect, I felt embarrassed and awkward. Some times I shall have a cup of tea or a rural food with them. Believe me that the food was really tasty.

After a flash visit in the Nehri land, I shall pick up my bi-cycle and ride it further one &1/2 a mile on the road and before reaching Hari Garh Canal, I shall make a right turn along a culvert which was formed on the rain-drain. I shall go for another 3/4 th of a mile and reach 'Maru land' all along the side of the drain. While doing so , I shall pass my uncle's land which was now converted to a awfully green patch. I would make a wish here, If I could also develop my piece of land on same or even lesser level.

So, Charanjit Singh was my Chief of operations. He advised me to start grading the land at the top- most point near a grown up tree on the top of hill which I had named it as 'Mount Everest'. When I reached at the site it looked as if Charanjit had done nothing during the past week. I just gave him some encouraging words as a matter of routine and felt he had a whole awesome work to do in leveling the the big hilltop. After discussing a few things for a while, I came back the Badbar bus stand.

I had to take stock of the development work with my other cultivator and spent about one hour with him and promised to come again after a week. I shall take a Haryana Roadways Bus which will go back via Patran, Nirvana, Jind, Rohtak and reach Delhi Inter State Bus Terminus at around 9.00 pm. My help would load some bags of grocery etc at Badbar, and now on return I shall take Auto Rikshaw and pay about Rs 17/- and reach Jangpura Extension home where Our servant Kamal Bahadur 'Kancha' will take care of the same and store it where ever Harvinder would desire. I would also invariably share that grocery with my sisters.

The trip to Badbar was very quick, effective and very successful. Next day I shall take rest or attend some social gathering and was fresh to attend office in time on Monday. So it was a ritual every week for about months.

Quickest Trip.

One day the trip was really short and quick. As usual I left the home with fresh & cold mangoes and food and reached the Delhi Railway Station on time. Jummu Tavi train was parked on the allotted Platform. I just checked it with the ticket collector after saying hello to him and did not need to check the departure time as it always started late. He welcomed me and told me to occupy the sleeper comfortable. As I laid down on the upper deck of the bunk, I went to sleep pretty quickly. I slept really deep. In mean time the train were still shunting and consolidating the buggies. At one stage, as the engine came with a push to connect itself with the rest of the buggies, it made a lot of hard jerk and loud thud. This made me to get out of my slumber. I had presumed the train was running and was almost near to Sangrur as I had slept for over two hours by now. But when I checked from my co-travellers who were resting on the lower berths, they started laughing. They spoke out sarcastically that the train was still at Delhi and had not even steamed off. I checked up my watch and noticed that it was around 5.00 AM.

With new schedule I had no chance of returning the same day, while I had to attend some thing urgent on Sunday in Delhi. I decided to abandon the trip and return. I returned the ticket and took the bus back to Home. As I knocked the door bell, inquest enquires came from inside, as who the hell it could be so early in the morning.

Harvinder was excited to see me back and asked me how come that I was back so early. I told her that earlier I was making quick back and forth trips and today it was the quickest of them all. I narrated the whole story to Dad and to my sisters and everybody had a hearty laugh of this so called quick trip to Badbar and back, as I might have had a chartered plan to undertake this.

Coming back to my development of land project. Next Saturday, When I reached Badbar bus Stand at around 7.30 AM. To my pleasant surprise, Charanjit Singh was there to receive me with our tractor at the Bus Stand Badbar. That was nice. I felt flattered. I took a comfortable seat near Charanjit, and we started going to the fields on the same tractor. What a Treat. I felt as if I was not sitting on the tractor but on the top of the word. Many known fellow villagers would wish Charanjit Singh and would also turn towards me to offer their wishes. I was a new kid on the block.

Charanjit Singh, on the way, would narrate me report of happenings during the past one week. He told me this time that although he worked very hard, but the progress was very meager. His neighbor had remarked that with such work load, Charanjit was asking early departure to Almighty. with the deployment of one tractor, there was hardly any progress and it will take many many months of exclusive and dedicated use of one tractor.

I asked a solution. To which he said that we will have to deploy 10 tractors all at once for consecutive 30 days to make a little dent on the progress. He had already talked to some owners of the tractors and wanted me to talk to the Sarpanch for helping the project. The Sarpanch will easily manage the arrangements of tractors and Diesel, labor and spare parts. While I was the one to make available the finances. The persons on Job will have to be provided with food and drinks which will be arranged by Charanjit while I shall again fund the expenses. My Dad had already cautioned against provision of manual help for this, as we and our woman folk can not do and manage such huge village cooking. The village woman folk are very capable and do such assistance admirably.

So on our return from the fields, we had decided to see Sarpanch, whom we met at the Bus stand Badbar. He greeted me with a big and tight hug and offered me some cold drink, which was smartly arranged by Charanjit by ordering to the near-by shop. In came the cold drinks, while we talked. The Sarpnach was more than happy to provide his help and services. He would be glad to voluntarily lend his own tractor on exchange basis and our tractor will go for the same period of time for doing Job for the Sarpanch on exchange basis. That was fair and fast. he even postponed his own work for a few days and promised to send the tractor next day in the morning.

Charanjit Singh with the help of Sarpanch arranged ten tractors in all and deployed them from Monday to push up the work. Charanjit Singh's wife along with other woman folks got busy to cook food at the site. The little kids will doing so many chores. In turn, I promised that I shall materially and financially support when his daughters get married. Which I did when his first daughter got married.

When I came back from Badbar that week, my Dad and Harvinder had a lot of questions. Dad would come to my bed room and sit there to ask the progress. He was also very happy to learn that such a large scale development was being undertaken during his life time. It was he who encouraged me to take this bold step. None of my cousins, although who had been solely doing the farming work, would dare to undertake such a huge development work at this level.

My cousins later approved of my action and praised my dad for encouraging me. Dad was a visionary and was passing on the baton. This was risky but I was as usual in my positive state of mind and was pushing ahead with unprecedented thrust shown by my Dad. This is often done by the farming community and not by a landlord.

Charanjit had taken a promise from me that after the development of the land, he will be exclusive contractor for that part for a minimum period of three years. I had also agreed keeping in mind that he deserved even more. As he intended to earn from the wheat crop next year, The present year paddy crop will be hardly produce any thing worth since it being the first ever crop from a new land.

So, we prepared ourselves and laid down lots of gypsum and graded the land, made aqua routes for irrigation of the crops for Paddy. The water from the new well was gushing out and it was thrilling to see Charanjit very happy while showing me the preparations for "paneeree" a process when seeds are sown in a small portion of land. As the seedlings were growing up by 3-4 inches, the spot was visible from a distance as green, lush and vegetating. A special treatment of fertilizer and care made this happen. As the rains start and water is clogged in each Acre, the transplanting of the seedlings are done by expert labor usually from Bihar. It is a treat to see this being done.

To be continued and edited...

© preet mohan singh., all rights reserved.

Reclaiming of Maru Land

Reclaiming Of Maru Lands

Shivpreet Singh with Gobind Singh at the Tube-well

S. Preet Mohan Singh, S. Gobind Singh, S. Shivpreet Singh, at vast leveled Maru Land

S. Shivpreet Singh, S. Gobind Singh, Srdn Dashminder Kaur, and Jania Kaur

Maru Land 14+ acres Parcel, As It Looks today

My father had also owned about another 25 Acres of Maru Land (a short name for Marusthal meaning desert). The crops from this part of parcel of land always depend upon the rains. The land was full of hilltops all around and hardly any two acres were at level which is the prime condition of fruitful farming. There were sand and pebbles all around. You will not be able to see a tree for miles. The water level available was very deep and if available it was very salty, sour and of inferior quality. At times when God was pleased, we used to have some crops of ground nuts or corn on a few spots. Most of the times, it will not rain for years, and when it rained, it rained excessively resulting in floods which will create havoc. All the lands around will be seized by water and nothing else.

The Government tried to take measures to control the floods but was not very effective due to paucity of sufficient funds. And even these reforms would never reach to the parcel of land we owned. A brick lined canal was laid down, which did help us a little during the floods. But the sub soil water level raised to a very high level and the land almost converted to marshy conditions. One could easily dig a few feet to reach the water. The irrigation department of the Punjab Government planned a Open Rain drain and constructed the same through our Parcel. Thus about 8+ Acres were on one side of the drain, while 14+ acres came on the other. The drain consumed about 2-3 Acres of our land and we were nominally compensated. to prevent the soil erosion, they planted 'kikkar trees on either side of the drain. We did use this 'kikkar' for brushing our teeth free - another perk for owning lands.

The land of 8+ Acre was better leveled and cultivatable, and a few people got interested to rent the same for cultivation. But we hardly made any money, it was just negligible. While on the other side, the 14 + acres were either hill tops or deep slopes. To make it worst, during the rainy season, the flooding water will bring lot of pebbles and loose soil and sit on our part of land. After the floods, the land will become so hard that no cultivator will dare to plough the land and only a paste of white 'shora/Cullar' will cover the entire land.

I remember my Dad will bring that 'shora' from his lands in a Jute bag from all the way to Panipat and we shall use the same for washing utensils. It was really effective on them. It was in great demand by friends, neighbors and even relatives who will not mind to take the so called 'shora' to Delhi for such a use.

After the death of my Mom in Jan 1985, my Dad started showing less interest in lands and one day handed over the charge to me. But he wanted me to give him Rs 10000/- per crop ( two in a year) from the income of lands. Major part of the job was to pay for the expenses being done during the cultivation process. Our persons will normally take the money from the 'Aarati' while I shall pay back to the 'Aarati'. I shall keep the accounts as being done by my father. That is the way my Dad taught me everything just giving me free hand while supervising me.

I made many visits to this parcel and tried to study to rectify the problem. I found that some cultivators who had migrated from Distt Ludhiana had stared improving their newly purchased lands. That was a good sign. I consulted my cousins who had been doing farming all their lives. I found that the migrant cultivators had sold out their lands in Ludhiana at exorbitant prices and with the same money they had acquired larger parcels here in Badbar and were cash rich. They used that cash on the improvement of lands by way of spending on equipment like tools, tractors, trolleys and fertilizers and labour. The land sold by my uncle Sh Inder Jit Singh was simply converted into lush green crop yielding fields.

On every visit, I was pleasantly surprised by the new environment and tried to mingle with village folks and often praised them for their hard working habits. When asking for an advice, the learned friends and relatives will make a fun of me as they were sure that a white collared bureaucrat like me was only walking in the dark. They remarked that how could I be successful while sitting at a distance of 250 Kms in Delhi. Many times it took me more than 12 hours to reach my village Badbar, besides I had a regular government job to attend to. Now a days, he will only direct me from Delhi and teach me the tricks of the trade. While the people in charge will hardly listen to me and would most of the time pass me off and leave the decision to check from the Dad before really initiating any action.

So I made a plan to reclaim the land and reluctantly went ahead to discuss it with Dad. I knew he had worked all his life on farming and knew every ins and outs of the industry. I told my Dad that we wanted to dispose off the oxes as we could not maintain them, while the servant's animals were all fed on our lands and our animals were week and died every other year. We had to spend to buy another set of oxen and would continue to lease one acre of land free to the servants. Thus a lot of revenue was bleeding in the process. On the other hand. the cultivators will not undertake to cultivate our lands. We were so much dependent on them.

We, the people from city, will not dirty our hands and dare to plough ourselves. We had never done this ever in my last ten generations. To do physical work was really very difficult and arduous. Hence I felt, we were so much influenced by them that we carried on to do the same way for ages. How can we be slaves to their backward habits for so many ages, I cried again and again. I tried to study the history and found that we were following the same process of farming as being done since the Akbar era. In other words, we had not moved forward at all for hundreds of years.

Now the times had changed, new technologies are being developed and have been proven for progressive farming. First suggestion was to buy a tractor. That is good, my father reacted. Where will you get the money, the driver, maintenance and running expanses and day to day supervision. I had the answers to all of them.

The plan was like this:

• To dispose of a part of land.
• Invest this money on development of land by making two -three overall levels by dividing into various pockets at ONE GO.
• Get rid of the animals, engage sub-contractors for seeding and deploy harvesting combines on hire.
• Buy a Tractor in partnership with the cultivator.
• Give the cultivator more responsibilities.
• Get a deep tube well.
• Get the fruits in three ears.

My Dad reacted, that this was only a plan which will be successful in the dreams. Who was going to buy this rotten land. I immediately replied him that there was a customer who wanted to buy our 8+ acres parcel of land. This was a pleasant surprise for him. Two years back, my uncle Sh InderJit Singh had sold his part of land in the Maru for Rs 13000/-per acre and my father had arranged the customer a cultivator from Ludhiana. He was so thrilled to get that rate and was feeling elevated to have won the lottery. So he allowed me to initiate the negotiations on my next visit.

I pre-poned my visit the following weekend. I had couple of meetings and pressed the customer to offer Rs 27500/- per Acre and promised to close the deal after consulting my Dad next week. My Dad would not believe that the offer was actually there. As promised, I took Rs 1000/- as advance came back happy after clinching the deal of selling of 8+ Acres, the balance money was to be paid at the time of next harvest in April, 1988.

The hectic project of improvement of land started immediately after the Crops harvesting. I bought a Tractor in partnership with one Charanjit singh, a very honest and hardworking ex-army man from Ludhiana. He badly needed a tractor, as he had lost the rights of owning the tractor his brother on distribution of his family assets. He had his own land also besides he worked for us. I asked him to get his1/2 acre mortgaged along mine 1/2 acre. We became the proud owner of new Red Coloured Fergusan tractor after buying it for Rs 140000/-(through loan). He arranged all loan papers and finalized the deal with a Tractor Dealer in Sangrur. He also purchased a trolley and many other associated parts etc.

Charanjit singh was a crack shot for me. after using the tractor for my Nehri land and also lending to others started making money. This money was used in buying some accessories for tractor. Now the need for the animals was eliminated. After the leveling and consolidating the various acres into bigger lots, our tractor worked wonders in the Nehri land. suddenly my status of a farmer was upgraded to a progressive former.

now the plans of developing the Maru land were drawn and we were waiting some rains to start so that the digging and grading works can be smoothly done on a wet land. I decided to visit the land every week end not to check Charanjit singh but to give him moral and financial support. Part of the money received from the sale of land, I purchased a two bed room flat for Rs 145000/ - Sidharth Extension near Bala Sahib Gurdwara and rented the same for Rs 800/ pm.

Normally after dinner on every Friday, I shall take a DTC bus to Delhi Railway Station and catch a Jammu-Tavi express which was scheduled to reach 5.30 AM at Sangrur. This train was typical, it never started on the same date. As the schedule time to start was 11.50 PM, it never ever will stream off that day. Invariably it will start 2-3 hours late. There was hardly any rush, only a few business man with goods from Delhi will use this train.

It was summer time, some times very hot and sultry. But being the mid of night, it was a little consolable. Harvinder will give me some package of lunch and mangoes for my consumption the next day. That was the only luggage besides a inflatable pillow. I shall go to the conductor and take his permission to use one sleeper. He was always glad to accept the offer, meaning that he will wake me up a station called Tiwana and we shall take a cup of tea and I would pay him Rs 5/- for allowing me the luxury of sleeping without booking. The journey was in a way comfortable.

I shall reach Sangrur early morning depending upon the mood of the driver, guard or the system. From Railway station Sangrur, I shall avail a morning walk for about half a mile and reach the Bus stand to catch a Punjab Transport Bus for going to Badbar at a distance of 10 miles. Most of the time I could take the very first Bus starting at 7.00 AM and was there in Badbar by 7.30 AM. On the way came important mile stones like Badrukhan. Badrukhan is about 5 km from Sangrur, the district heaquarters, on Sangrur-Barnala road. There are two versions about the nomenclature of the village. One is that it was named after Badru, a pandit of this village, by Raja Gajpat Singh. Another version, which is more believable is that when Raja Gajpat Singh took control of these villges,(Vada Agwarh, Vichla Agwarh, Dalamwal, Dhaliwas and Thagan wali Patti) at that time very big trees Rukh were standing here on the basis of which it came to be called Badrukhan.

The present village Badrukhan consists of five small villages, which, daring the times of Raja Gajpat Singh, were amalgamated and came to be known as Badrukhan. Prior to it, these villages were in Badbar thana and were being ruled by Nawab of Malerkotla. The residents of these villages were feeling insecure on account of the dacoities committed by Muslims. The leaders of these five villages, under the leadership of Pandit Badru, approached Gajpat Singh, the Maharaja of Jind, for their security and gave him 1700 bighas of land. Maharaja Gajpat Singh amalgamated these villages and named it Badrukhan. In 1763, when Gajpat Singh captured the town of Jind, Badrukhan was made the capital of Jind State. He also built the fort here.

Badrukhan is believed to be the birth place of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Raj Kaur,daughter of Gajpat Singh gave birth of Maharaja Ranjit Singh on 13 November 1780 here. Maharaja Hira Singh of Nabha was also born here, Lieutenant General (Retd.) Harbaksh Singh (Vir Chakra). Major General Gurbaksh Singh (DSO and OBE)-and Major Rajnit Singh also belong to this village.
In the village, there exists a smadh of Baba Guddar Shah who is said to have taken out the body of Raj Kaur, daughter of Maharaja Gajpat Singh buried in the large earthen vessel. Maharaja Gajpat Singh distributed large sweet thick cake of bread. Every year on the anniversary of Baba Guddar Shah, large sweet thick bread is baked and distributed as prasad.. Then comes a a very famous place called 'Mastuana sahib' which has been developed a great place of learning for college going students of the area. Mastuana Sahib, established in 1923, by Sant Attar Singh, is not a historical shrine as such hut a prestigious institution for training young scholars in the theory and practice of the Sikh faith. It is a vast complex comprising dormitories, rows of cubicles, a dining hall, an agricultural farm and a magnificent Gurdwara with a large assembly hall. All these shrines, other then Mastuana Sahib, are under the management of the Sh - Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee, which took over control in 1963 from the family of the - Captain Ranjit Singh of Shahzadpur. My dad and my grandmother will visit once every year in April and present the first harvest to the Gurdwara Saheb.
I used to pray here to the 'Waheguru' while sitting in the Bus for giving me strength and vision to be successful for this project. I would love the view on both sides of the road. The air was cooler and fresh and scent of wheat smelling all around. In late fall, it was all smelling rice, as if the almighty was cooking the rice in His kitchen for feeding his subjects. The views had various rainbow colors at various part of the year. It was a wheat green in January, dull brown in march and glittering gold on the ground and deep blue in the sky in April, dark grounding black in May/June with some patches of soft green and red blood sun set in the evening, lush green in August/ September and smoggy purple & green in winter. My grand mother and my Dad and my uncle will inhale in this fresh and unpolluted air and at times, I would smell them in the same air and at times, I would also smell of their bodies cutting across the fresh breeze which passed, jumped and crisscrossed through the fields laden with various crops at all the times. I thanked Almighty for the fresh air, developed in these fields, which kept my Dad and his mom and his brother safe and healthy. I myself felt invigorated with this scented air while thinking all this. By the time it was 7.30 am and I would reach Badbar. What a change from a polluted air, contaminated atmosphere, and foul environment of a city called Delhi.

Somebody had pushed me into a heaven called Badbar.

to be continued and edited...

© preet mohan singh., all rights reserved.

When Harjeet Mehndi sings on Gobind 5th BD