THE DIVER…
a short story by Muhammad Din Rajri
which is published in Sindhi named TOBBO
THE DIVER…
a short story by Muhammad Din Rajri
which is published in Sindhi named TOBBO
Cell No. 0332-4177619
Email:md.rajri.dhk@gmail.com
The sun was about to sink in the river Indus. The caravans of birds were flying to their nests….. all the vehicles were setting for destinations…… every one was returning having earned tiredness…… Raban being departed form group of divers, started walking towards his bus stop… all the vehicles had left for village… Raban awaits badly for lift… may I catch any cart!… Raban has got five hundred rupees share today. So, he happily purchased toasts, toys. For his loving son…and also floor, cooking oil, groceries, sugar, tea… today Raban wishes to be praised How much my family members will be pleased to see stuff in my hand…. How much my son will be happy to receive toys in his little hands… O God! I may catch vehicle….. otherwise, I shall leave for village on foot…. It is night now…. I might reach earlier …. , but… corpse was difficult to find today it touched the bed of river being tied with big stone…. How people be cruel in enmity… Bravo to the stamina of Mevo, who took out corpse form the belly of the river Indus… but, how to reach village?..... go on foot?..... but, I may be robbed in way…. as no night is empty form robbery…….. why I chose to be diver….? This profession sometimes….. always takes me away from my family members…….. we run after corpses….. sometimes D.P.O Sahib calls for Feeder canal and sometimes for Nara Canal….
He keeps on thinking,….the people jump into the river Indus to commit suicide…… jobless, lovers, disappointed every one faces to the river…. I shall not take out corpses in future….. neither state employs us nor the issue of stipend to quench fire of poverty……..every one starts crying over corpuses, being handed over how we divers may demand money from crying people over their relative’s demise…. It turns difficult….. what type of our job is?....... I often think to leave this profession; but I always withdraw my decision…. We often search months old smelled corpses……. Even unaffected for their blood relatives….. Every time we go underwater into river to find corpses…. How many divers have themselves been corpses searching other corpses….. !! …..even long- breathed divers sink in the deep ditch…. Which is near barrage gate…. Anwar was still apprentice….. sometimes I may ……..then what will happen of my children? But why I am a diver?..... I think. It is better to stay at inn today shall leave for home at dawn…….
When Raban returned city it seemed as if an innocent child forgot way in dense forest ….. How to defeat poverty?…… it is a great curse….. it seems this night engulfs me…. This might like life of a poor….. being able diver of finding old corpses, I have not been able to cast out the swimming corpse of helplessness, poverty and depravity …. Flows in my deep river of life… How life itself big river is to cross through…….
His mobile rings… Uncle I missed all vehicles….. yes, yes….. okay… shall reach no latter than dawn… mobile phone was allotted to Raban by D.P.O Sahib for his own facility to summon him in no time….. as Raban is leader of his divers’ group…let the night be passed…. I shall leave Sukkur tomorrow….. Every time D.P.O Sahib promises to appoint us as employee… every time he forgets… says…he has written to higher authorities for our job as equal grade of peon even…. We always request D.P.O Sahib….. he emphatically replies that all divers are nearly going to be employed …. Lets see…
In recent flood we took out corpses for months….. from Kashmore to Naushero Feroz….. Raban diver has stationed at an inn …form tomorrow I shall change profession engage myself in farming…. It is no good passing life wandering.. it is no life….. D.P.O Sahib after receiving corpses leave us with no money often.. sometimes we reach home having paid fair from own pockets….But … why we become swimmers….. divers…. Why we learnt this skill??….. I think it is revealed from heaven…… Now we have been habitual….we don’t feel relax and come out from river until corps is not found it is ambivalent situation I have been trapped in …. How to be free? I shall say sorry to D.P.O Sahib tomorrow I no longer be with this profession…. It is difficult to defeat waters…. Lunges come out of the breast while swimming.
We don’t care of day and night to quest for corpses of people in rivers, canals….; but no any one gets ready to dive into our innerself……!! No one peeps to know that our children are clothless. How long five hundred would keep us survive in this relentless age of inflation……. I shall have to wait longer for another corps for other five hundred rupees…..!!
But, we receive share of five hundred occasionally…. Otherwise returning home with personal money….. But, why we pull out corpses?
Last year when a Hi-ace fell down in the river Indus near Guddu Barrage we rescued the life of many people and innocent children….. “ saviuor is mightier than killer”…, but we too are human beings …. Step into water due to sense of pity……. But, I have not signed contract to be diver for entire life…… our children are hungry… they are to be young… how I pull a big cart of life with a little earning…
I shall resign this profession tomorrow…..
Tiresome of all day mantle Raban eyes with sound sleep….
Early in the morning…….
Raban’s mobile bell rings ……. His eyes open…..
Where are you Raban?......... I order S.H.O Sahib to lift you….. contact with divers groups….. and reach at Sukkur barrage…. I have received information of a corpse ….. it is a corps of a young girl….. okay sain …. Please send police mobile…..
Raban with divers group dive deep into the river Indus and vanishes…. The heirs of corps along with police keep waiting for corps on the bank of river……
Translated from Sindhi into English by Mubarak Ali Lashari
