VeeraBhadra
“You look tired. Do you want anything to eat?” Bhadra asked his co-passenger on the train.
The co-passenger turned to look at Bhadra with a wide smile, innocent eyes, and a simple demeanour.
“My name is Veera, sir. Very kind of you to ask me.”
“No problem. I have some home-made snacks that I can share with you.”
“Yes! I am hungry but I can’t trouble you.”
Bhadra smiled. “That’s ok, I won’t go hungry if I share some of it with you” He handed a handful of snacks to Veera.
“My name is Bhadra, and I am from Kadapa.” He said as Veera was about to take a bite.
Veera stopped himself and said “Wonderful, sir. My place is a small village near Nandalur town. How come you aren’t carrying any luggage?”
“It was only a few hours work, so didn’t need luggage.” said Bhadra. He continued “You aren’t eating. Eat this for now and once home you can enjoy your wife’s cooking.”
“Wife’s cooking, hmmmmm!” Veera sighed. “I haven’t seen her in 17 years sir. I have been stuck in the middle east since 2007. I have 2 daughters. I thought going to gulf and making money might help me provide for my family. But I did not know I would be stuck there for this long. My passport was held by the employer and I didn’t get any holidays.”
Veera continued, “I didn’t know who to ask for help. I silently suffered. One phone call and one letter every three months has been my only contact with my family. When I left India, my daughters were four and two. Now my wife has arranged for my first daughter’s wedding, and I have been at the feet of my employer for the last 3 months to get two weeks leave. I was given only half of the salary accrued over the years as a guarantee that I would go back.” said Veera crying and holding close his bag which held half his life’s earnings.
Bhadra was lost for words. “Don’t worry. I know powerful people. No one can make you go back. You may lose the money, but life is more important. Stay with your family. I shall find a job for you here. I haven’t heard a story like yours. I need to do something for you. You have become Bhadra’s friend from now” he said with resolve in his voice.
“I am so glad I found a friend here. Thank you.” said Veera and was about to eat the snacks.
Bhadra stopped him and took the snacks from him. “You deserve a better dinner, friend.” he said waving to a vendor on the train and got biriyani for Veera.
Veera held Bhadra’s hand for a long moment with tears in his eyes before opening and eating the biriyani.
As Veera was immersed in eating the biriyani, Bhadra silently threw away the sedative laced snacks out of the window. Was this his Valmiki moment? he wondered.