The Lockdown in 1980's: True story from our childhood
Kids saw a man walking toward their home along with a gun hanging in his shoulder. They ran to their father and said “Papa, Papa, Gun! Gun! one man is coming with a gun”
Father was surprised. The whole region was so peaceful that he never heard of any violence even with lathis leave the gun.
He came out to see.
He was relaxed to see his acquittance coming. Man was an ex-service man who was also the village head from a nearby village,
They exchanged pleasantries and sat for chit chat. As he sipped the tea, he said that he was asked by forest department to help capture the tiger which turned man eater recently.
A month ago, Bholu had little fever and father had to go to nearby village for some inspection of development work. Mother asked father to come next day in case it gets late. Since father was not home, kids did not study but played their favourite train game. Right after dinner there was knock on the door. It was father. Mother was angry on him on why he walked in such a dark night. He said that he was worried about Bholu so he came back in the night itself.
Next day, they heard that two people were killed by tiger on the same route where their father walked on the same night. Mother thanked God for saving her husband. But she became hysterical from that day onwards. Father started walking kids to school and then used to go bring them back on foot. Their home was a lonely house so they were in greater danger than others. Kids stopped playing on the road and on their front yard right at sunset. They used to close all their door and stay inside from sunset. It was difficult for kids to stay inside home. They were feeling imprisoned for no fault of theirs.
They played ludo, carrom and snake ladder in the light of kerosene lamp all evenings. They had a philips radio that was their only way to know things happening in other parts of country. Frustration of always being inside was taking a toll on family's atmosphere. Kids started fighting each other over ludo moves. Mother and father started quarrelling over small things such as amount of salt in food. Tiger had become a nightmare for them. Kids were not able to sleep and were getting up in mid-night and were crying out of fear.
They were longing for tiger problem to end so that they can have their life back.
This man with a gun gave them hope.
Kids thought that he will kill the tiger and will bring back the days of freedom and joyful play. He was treated like a saviour. He was given best food their mother could make. And then he started off to jungle as they bid him good luck.
Next day one person came from village and told that the Hunter was in hospital. He encountered the tiger but his bullet missed the tiger. Instead, tiger injured him badly. Kids started crying as their freedom did not come back.
After few weeks, the talk of tiger attacking humans slowed in frequency and in few months the talk fully disappeared.
Tiger seemed to have died a natural death.
As the tiger incidents faded away, kids came to back living their life full of cheer and excitement.
Postscript:
#Mere Aaj Main Mera Bachpan.
#मेरे आज में मेरा बचपन
#The Lockdown in 1980’s: True story from our childhood
#The Hunter: True story from our childhood
#Tiger
#corbet national park
#save the tigers
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