Sachin Chaudhary
Retired Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhajanlal Singh is popular as ‘Daroga ji’. For all of us in the village he is just our ‘Tauji’ (uncle). In 1962, he was posted as a Daroga in MP Police. He has served in most of the districts of Madhya Pradesh. Especially in three districts of Chambal region that were known worldwide for many decades after Independence for the dreaded dacoits.
This was just 15 years after the country got independence. At that time, the education system in the country was quite rudimentary and there were hardly any proper means of transportation. Schools and colleges used to be miles away from villages. Only those from well-off or prosperous families could go for formal education. Our retired DSP sahab is also a symbol of the prosperity of that era. He used to cycle about 20 miles from the village to study. In those days, having a bicycle meant being rich.
He also tells that as long as he lived in the village, he tried his hand at wrestling. He used to go to the ‘akhada’ (wrestling ring) for wrestling. Then he was posted in the field as a policeman with a great personality (good physique). He thanks ‘Banke Bihari ji’ (the almighty) profusely as he is fit and fine till date.
Tau ji is 85. He says with full strength that he is not suffering from any kind of problem right now. I can do all my work myself and do not need anyone’s support in any way.
It is absolutely true that he is not dependent on anyone. But he lives with a deep pain…the pain of losing his wife, who passed away recently. “I am very sad about it. Firstly, it is the demand of age and secondly, the separation from my life partner. Well… this is the law of destiny”, he adds.
Ever since we have come to Bhopal, we keep meeting him. We can say that we have become good friends. He asks about my well-being in every way and at the end he repeats again. Are you facing any problem here? There is no one in Bhopal who does not know me.
Whenever there is a long gap, he invariably calls up and begins by saying, Where are you brother? Have you gone to the village? Why don’t you come over my friend? Finally, I get the order, “tomorrow is Sunday, come over”.
When we meet, I always observe the glow on his face. He tell me ” when you come Sachin, it feels like I have found my village. Keep coming over my friend, as now I avoid moving out”.
Whenever we meet, we have long conversations. The fact is that I also enjoy being with the elders. Because Tau ji is very spiritual and has good knowledge of scriptures. He keeps reading Geeta and Ramcharitmanas. Whenever I am in his company, I also get to enjoy the verses of Ramcharitmanas.
During one of my meetings with him, I started talking about Chambal and asked him, “Tau ji, were you scared while on duty as Chambal region was known for dacoits. He was prompt in observing: ‘what fear my friend… Raghuvanshis are never afraid of death in battle. He rolled out a ‘chaupai’ from Ramcharitmanas:
छत्रिय तनु धरि समर सकाना। कुल कलंकु तेहिं पावँर आना॥
कहउँ सुभाउ न कुलहि प्रसंसी। कालहु डरहिं न रन रघुबंसी॥
With this he conveyed the message – Someone who is a Kshatriya brings shame to his clan if he runs away from battle due to fear.
I am blessed to have received your love Tauji. If I had not come to Bhopal, I would have missed this priceless love and blessings of yours. Rare people like you are born once in centuries. Jai Hind – Sachin Chaudhary
The author, Sachin Chaudhary is a resident of Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh. After his graduation from Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Agra, Sachin is now doing Masters (Msc New Media Technology) from Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication in Bhopal, the capital of the Central Indian State of Madhya Pradesh.
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