प्रभात भाई की पटियाली यात्रा

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शाहिद ने उन पर की गयी टिपण्णी को गंभीरता से लेते हुए तत्काल ही पटियाली चलने का programme भी बना डाला। ये अलग बात है कि उसमें प्रभात भाई का initiative हम सब लोगों से कहीं अधिक था।

चार जनवरी को हम लोग प्रात : काल सात बजे पटियाली के लिए निकल पड़े। कड़ाके की ठण्ड और कोहरे के बीच अपने वादे के अनुसार प्रभात भाई एक बैग लटकाकर Dabur के पास खड़े मिले तो हम अभिभूत हो गए। बुलंदशहर के पास से जब प्रभात भाई ने शाहिद को फ़ोन किया तो शाहिद अलीगढ़ में गहरी नींद में थे। उन्हें जगाया गया। वे जागे और नए बस स्टैंड के सामने मिल भी गए। अलीगढ़ से एटा की यात्रा ठीक ही रही। बड़ी इच्छा थी कि शाहिद का ये claim कि उनकी सड़क यात्रा में कुछ न कुछ गड़बड़ ज़रूर होता है इस बार गलत साबित हो जाये लेकिन वैसा हो न सका। शाहिद इतनी बड़ी Innova पर भी भारी पड़े और नील गाय शायद उनको सही साबित करने के लिए ही उनकी गाडी से आ टकराई। सौभाग्य से किसी को कोई चोट नहीं आयी। On the lighter side जब शाहिद इस घटना का ज़िक्र कर रहे थे तो जहाँ हम सबको उनकी और प्रभात भाई की सलामती की फ़िक्र हो रही थी तब हमारी राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष को नील गाय के स्वास्थ्य की चिंता सता रही थी।

इस घटना को pretext बना कर और गाडी को थोड़े से damage की वजह से driver ने एक typical taxi driver की तरह दिल्ली वापस लौटने की अपनी demand place कर हमारे माथों पर परेशानी की लकीरें खींच दीं। और आप argument तो सुनिए। गाडी heat पकड़ लेगी तो फिर ठीक नहीं हो पायेगी। we had almost fallen for it when we realised that it was getting colder by every minute and the question of heating did not arise. We survived those anxious moments and thanx to the intervention Karunendra made from Delhi we were able to retain the vehicle and the driver.

Without losing any further time we reached Patiyali. And from then on it was a Prabhat bhai show. Vimal and Saajid were there. We were not heading any where until Prabhat bhai took over. He opened a new world to us. He shook us and woke us up to new ways of thinking and working with the community. He has put upon us the onus of compiling पटियाली के ज्ञानी and this is a totally new concept for us. He gave us a new meaning of the term ज्ञानी। He did not leave things at the discussion level. We went to the field and learnt how to work.

As the evening descended and fog began to thicken we returned to Etah and had dinner at Sameer's place. And before we retired we very seriously resolved important issues like as to who would switch off the lights and who would take which quilt. Prabhat bhai was given the honour of sleeping on a separate bed.

On 5th jan we began with a sumptuous breakfast and then visited the Tingals who were more than warm in these cold times. Tingals are a very reputed family of Patiyali and are now settled at Etah. Sanjayji is DGC at Etah and Siddhartha bhai looks after Patiyali properties. Siddhartha bhai accompanied us to Patiyali and showed us their farms, shops, temple and land. And it was a great gesture from him to have offered us all these if we needed them for Anubhuti. Their ancestral temple was such a surprise as it had Lord Vardaraj as its presiding diety quite uncommon in northern India.

Another session at the office with Prabhat Bhai opened new challenges for us. He has promised us a facelift for what has till now been more of a store room than an office. We think we will measure up to his expectations and deliver.

On our return we took a walk to the Bus Stand Etah and experimented with the South Indian cuisine at Rameshwaram restaurent. It was not very disappointing in the end. On the way, we also found CDs on sale for आल्हा whose loss we were rueing in our discussions with Dr Ram Singh the previous day. It remains to be seen what those CDs actually contain and whether they are doing any justice to the traditional recital of आल्हा in the rural areas. That should also make us think if something can be done to revive that tradition atleast in the Patiyali area.

And then came the moment when Shahid and Prabhat bhai left for Delhi. On his return Prabhat Bhai must have mused मैखाने में बैठे थे और मय को तरसते थे। The worst is when you travel with a companion like Shahid ,you go hungry and can't even complain। We will take remedial measures next time Prabhat bhai and not leave you at the mercy of Shahid.

We are following up on the problem, the tobacco farmers of the area , are facing. We shall also be doing the repeat heath camp at Chiraula very soon. Till then and hoping to hear from you.

ANUBHUTI Team