Funny Story – ” Munni Badnaam Huyi , Darling Tere Liye ! “
“Time and tide waits for no man ” is a very popular proverb. The year starts with first January and ends on 31st December. How one year passes and another year starts with in our country is not hidden from those who live in remote villages with the least ways and means to support their lives so to say their family – even do not get two times adequate food and drink to take and those who live in metro cities with the adequate purchasing power to live and lead their lives lavishly like king and emperor of those days when India was not a democratic country and the common people were living like slaves – did not have right of freedom at all.
We got the independence after great sacrifices of the freedom fighters and thought that there would be “ Ram Rajya – equality in all around ” in whole of the country but what has happened during the six decades is not unknown to us.
Let us forget the sorrow and suffering of the common people living and leading their lives in sheer scarcity like the …?… and let us celebrate the “ New Year’s Day on 31st December at midnight as usual in some big hotels of the city like every year with a difference.
People get themselves engaged in planning how and where and with whom the NEW YEAR that coming after a long waiting of 365 days and nights should be celebrated enthusiastically.
Truly speaking I am not at all interested to celebrate it in a big way, I want to celebrate it with the families of my nearby “ KHATALS ” particularly with the old men and the children but my bosom associate namely Ramkhelawan came one morning washing his mouth with a Neem Datuan ( It is an ancient tooth brush – still some people are using it ) and put a proposal to celebrate the new year in any 4/5 star hotel of the city where especial arrangements are made with pump and show in order to celebrate the new year every year.
He started dancing like a peacock when I agreed to his proposal. He was so mad of pleasure that he sang a few lines of the most popular song , “ Munni Badnam Huyi, Darling Tere Liye. ”
What a nonsense! I uttered to hear it unexpectedly from Ramkhelawan’s mouth.
“Sir ! why are you reacting ? Please see the news paper, the add is there with the title song. In Woodland Hotel there is a grand program on the eve of the NEW YEAR’S DAY. The celebrities are coming from Mumbai and Kolkata. Please arrange tickets, we should also go there and celebrate the NEW YEAR.”- he added
I have no courage to deny his proposal. Let us prepare for it.
We washed our suits lying unused for a long time in a box since the days of our marriage and polished our Pump Shoes purchased long back from Bata Company in its Jharia showroom.
Both the suits and the shoes were shedding tears and cursing us for not using them for a pretty long time. We consoled them with the sweet words that they would also accompany us to witness the auspicious festival of the New Year 2015 at midnight along with us.Only after that they postponed the non – cooperation movement.
Since the morning of 30th December I found Ramkhelawan very anxious about the period that was not passing like other days rather remaining stagnant at one place. He came to me many times and asked me how many hours were left then.
At last after waiting curiously in excitement the day of 31st December of 2014 came in.
In the evening we were ready like bridegrooms (so called in old days) and made a ring to the manager of the hotel who was personally (Here I do not want to disclose the relationship) known to me, as a result of which the moment we reached the hotel gate, the manager himself welcomed us and took us to our table already booked in advance.
All around the tables beautiful pairs of couples, group of young generation, teenagers well – dressed almost in new fashion & design in Jeans and Kameez , Salwar and Kurta, in Suits …?…
Sir ! we are about sixty, not feeling uneasy ?
Not at all.
Why so?
Most of the people even of older age than us at seventy, eighty even much more enjoy such moments with … even ? … what speak of us of merely sixty.
Don’t feel shy of your old age, enjoy your life here as young ones.
We are here in a starred hotel, but how are our …?… with the least ways and means to celebrate the new year?
It is crystal clear. They cut their coats according to their clothes. Any how they manage it to celebrate – some go on picnic with their families or friends to some dams, water falls or streams, some river beech, some in nearby bars or restaurants and so on …
Sir! what happens to those who earn daily and spend daily – daily wages workers?
In fact they are satisfied with whatever they have. They have the least worries. They are better in so many respects than those living in palaces. They celebrate it in their houses by preparing some sweet dishes like Halua – Puri, Khir – Puri, Malpua etc.
The British left our country long back but left here their culture and tradition behind them to adhere to it. And we are following it very sincerely since then.
Some people of the society are so poor that they do not find any difference in between the good days and the bad days. Their children with balloons and toffees only use to play – Happy – Happy New Year among themselves in open sky.
We were gossiping about useless things, by that time the stage was nicely decorated with beautiful flowers, balloons and decorative chains of colorful bulbs in and around the hall.
The waiters came to our table and went back taking the order for food and drink to be served.
The DJ party started setting up their points of speakers. The musicians also started playing on their instruments.
It was about 11 PM.
The food and drink as ordered by the participants was served and the people were enjoying the auspicious occasions sipping hot and cold drink with delicious dishes like chicken chilly, chicken masala, chicken do pyaza, chicken roast, chicken bharta, chicken biryani and over and above tandoori roti, plain roti, fried rice, polav, matar-paneer, paneer butter mashala… and so on – varieties of dishes beyond one’s imagination, even beyond the reach of the common people of our country.
It was announced by the manager of the party that very soon the young dancers would start dancing and singing within a few minutes ( In such an arrangement you can know what few minutes mean )
It was further announced whosoever would collect the pink Dupatta of the last dancing girl in pink dresses at just 12PM, saying good bye to 2014 and welcoming 2015 – the NEW Year, he would be the luckiest man to get one lac rupees in cash and to spend the new year’s night with her at his sweet will.
Sir ! very wonderful prizes !
Amazing!
Sir ! I have never heard of such a wonderful prize, I will try to catch the pink Dupatta at all cost.
As a sort of encouragement I said to him – “ You are the tallest person here in the hall and I am confident you can do it.
Sir ! Kasam Khuda Ki , I will exert my utmost to win the prize – rupees one lac – a very big amount for me ! I can be Lakhpati.
Definitely, you can win. Someone has quoted – “ Impossibility is found in fools’ dictionary.”
One by one young dancers like Menka and Urvashi alike so called of the paradise appeared on the stage in decent dresses and sang and dance one by one.
The stage was closed with a curtain and the manager announced, – “It is 11. 30 PM now and the next dance will be performed by the most beautiful dancer- “Miss Sweet Sixteen” and she will hurl her pink Dupatta at the meeting and departing point of time of 2014 and 2015 and whosoever collects it he must get a cash prize of one lac rupees and also be allowed to spend the HAPPY NEW YEAR Night at his sweet will with the dancer- “ Miss Sweet Sixteen.”
After the announcement was over the stage was got opened up slowly and slowly to enhance the curiosity among the spectators.
The orchestra party was very alert. The DJ party was taking care of the sound and light very attentively.
The dancer appeared all of a sudden and started dancing with the most popular song – “ Munni Badnaam Huyi, Darling Tere Liye ”. The song was presented so melodiously with the dance that the people could not control themselves in excitement and in welcoming “ HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015” stood up, clapped their hands, started dancing in joy.
The dancer while dancing and singing started putting off her dresses as usual one by one and when remained the last one, the pink Dupatta was hurled suddenly by her among the spectators. The light on stage was dimmed traditionally too.
Ramkhelawan was very attentive. He jumped over the flying Dupatta and caught it hard under his strong fingers. He shouted in excitement that he had caught the Dupaata and rushed like Archimedes to the stage in sheer sanity. I also followed him to the stage and asked the manager to pay him one lac rupees in cash as committed in the announcement.
He congratulated Ramkhelawan for winning the grand cash prize.
Happily the manager paid him the amount in front of all the participants.
The manager asked him, “ Now you are allowed to spend the new year night too with the SWEET SIXTEEN at your sweet will.
Not me, Sir! Instead my guruji will spend the night.- hinting to me with his long forefinger.
OK.- the manager gave his consent.
I was standing as a statue on the stage.
“ Munni Badnaam Huyi, Darling Tere Liye ” – singing the song in sheer excitement Ramkhelawan along with the followers repeating the song after him went out of the hall one by one and I … ? … I was standing on the stage with the Sweet Sixteen
My dear friends ! Truly speaking I was at a loss to decide whether to spend the “New Year Night” with the Sweet Sixteen or allow her to go happily – to celebrate the Happy New Year- 2015 with her colleagues enthusiastically like others.
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Writer: Durga Prasad, Gobindpur, Dhanbad ( Jharkhand )
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