‘Aethea vuhur bhoie te sheithea verish beni’

(Eight year old brother owes his services and care to his sixty year old sister is an age-old Kashmiri saying)

Tribvan, Chaman Lal, Rattan Lal and Krishan Lal were four brothers in descending order. Their age difference was three years. Their mother, Poshea Kuej longed for a female child but destiny evaded. In absence of a female child, she used to attire Chaman Lal and Krishan Lal in   female dress with long plaited hair and also clip the same to give them a girl’s look until each celebrated his fifth birthday.

1947, Poshea Kuej as per her natural calendar conceived again. One day hermit Sodhea Kak stepped in. All the four brothers surrounded him with expectant eyes for his prophecy. He asked the group of four for their choice for a sister or a brother. All in unison said: “Beni beni beni (Sister sister sister). God finally listened to their prayer and Poshea Kuej, gave birth to a female child.

Happiness was short lived. It was at a heavy price. Poshea Kuej did not survive the day when she could see her daughter crawl and plait her long hair.  Poshea Kuej breathed her last in 1948 when her daughter was yet to celebrate her first birthday.

Her mother’s cherished desire to name the new born baby unlike common names was fulfilled and she was named as Shakuntala. Additionally she assumed the family name as Sabhea. Diaper was not yet invented. In early years, Rattan Lal used to club his feet together to make comfortable commode for the infant. Any statement in the family was to be believed if it was supported by the oath ‘Sabenie drie’ (Swear by Sabha).

Mid seventies, Sabea got married to Mahraj Krishen to the entire satisfaction of her bedridden father. 1974, all the four brothers and their sister Sabea became orphans with the expiry of their father.

Those were the days when there was quota system for Chetek Scooter and other automobile two wheelers. The beneficiaries would generally avail of the quota and sell it on premium for Rs.15000, at a margin of Rs.12, 000. One under Secretary appointed a driver to drive his scooter to drop him at the Secretariat and get him back.    Special quota and priority was for Secretariat and Police employees. One Secretary to the Government and Chairman J&K Bank after his retirement was taken to and fro from the Secretariat by one of his relations.

Father of Mahraj Krishen was an employee of the Police Department. From the reserved quota for the Police Department, he got an allotment of Chetek scooter and the delivery was subject to payment of Rs.3000. One day Sabea approached her brother Rattan Lal and told him that her father-in-law for want of Rs.3000 would like to pass it on to his son Mahraj Krishan if he could afford ready cash. Rattan Lal gave her a cheque for 3000 and also transferred the account in her name.

1990 migration scattered all the well knitted families throughout the length and breadth of the Northern India. Sabea got settled at Bahadur Garh.

Post 1990, Rattan Lal did not mind the indifferent treatment from others. Sabea was more than a daughter to him. On his any stopover at or around Delhi, Rattan Lal would religiously visit his sister-cum daughter Sabea.

1994 on the day of Raksha Bandan, by dint of coincidence Rattan Lal was somewhere around Delhi. He took the opportunity of the auspicious day, purchased a ‘rakhi’ and landed at Balab Garh to get the rakhi tied o his wrist by his sister Sabea. To his utter disgust, he was welcomed by derogatory comments. Rattan Lal was shocked when Mahraj Krishen said to him: “You are a cheat”. Disgusted, Rattan Lal pleaded against such a derogatory remark and asked him when he was cheated by him. He said: “You purchased and sold some land at Karan Nagar. In the bargain you made a profit of rupees eighty-two thousand and did not share the profit with us.”Rattan Lal totally broken, pleaded that in case of any loss in the bargain, would he ask him to share the burden of loss. How he cheated him. Mahraj Krishan pointed to Sabea and said that she told him that he cheated them.

Since then Rattan Lal sobs whenever due to slip of tongue he swears by Sabea and says Sabenie Drie. Thus narrated the event by Rattan in sobs. Each Rakhsah Bandan day thereafter reminds him of the sordid saga of 1994 and is not less than a doom’s day for him.