Bussapa's Revenge

In the Nineteenth Century, Bombay had developed into an important trading port. The most important trading item was Cotton which was mostly exported to England as a raw material for its huge textile industries. England being the birth place of industrial revolution, had a huge textile industry base and its requirement for cotton as a raw material was immense. Almost seventy percent of its raw cotton requirement was met by the United States.

During the American Civil War (1861-65), Cotton supplies to British Textile Mills from the United States dwindled. India which had been providing a little under twenty seven percent of the total Cotton imports by Britain in 1859-60, suddenly began supplying over Ninety percent of total Cotton imports in 1862-63. This led to a sudden boom in the cotton prices in India and brought untold riches to cotton farmers in region around Bombay.

In a village not very far from the Bombay port, lived Bussapa Patel. He was a handsome young man and a devoted son. Almost twenty seven years of age, Bussapa was a tall and strongly built young man with a reputation of being fair, frank and intelligent. He was the only son of Yellapa Patel, one of the biggest cotton cultivators of the region. He had lost his mother at a young age but his father Yellapa Patel ensured that Bussapa receive the best possible eduacation money could buy in those days, without steping out of his village. He was married and had a two year old son named Bhau, whom he loved more than anything else in this world. Yellapa, one of the biggest cotton cultivators in the region, was almost retired, having relinquished all his professional responsibilities to his only son, Bussapa and used to spend his days with his grandson, Bhau, and evenings with his friends, drinking. His wife had been dead for several years now and, inspite of his wealth and social status, he had never thought of marrying again.

Following the American Civil War, Bussapa, like all the other cotton growers in the region, benefitted immensely from the sudden jump in cotton prices. It had brought untold prosperity to the region. Silver worth millions of Sterling flew into the region , and cotton cultivators, who had hitherto been hand to mouth, suddenly found themselves possessed of wealth beyond their wildest imagination. But then, wealth often comes with its own share of problems. What to do with this wealth, how to spend this cotton money had become a problem for the cotton cultivators of the region!

Having laden their womenfolk and children with expensive clothes and ornaments, having turned their humble dwellings into impressive buildings and having acquired much land and cattle, most cultivators were still left with enough surplus money to get into indulgences of all sort. Extravagance in matters of bullock carts and trotting bulls were the most common sight. Silver plated yokes and harness studded with silver mountings was the fashion of the day. Some even acquired silver tyres for their bullock carts. Twelve to fifteen hundred rupees was eagerly paid for a pair of fast trotting bullock.

The entire rural population had turned to the unique fashion of colourful umbrellas. Expensive silk umbrellas, made of pure chinese silk and studded with jewellery and precious gemstones became order of the day. The size and colour of umbrella became indicator of social and economic status of the cultivators. Some began collecting umbrellas for pure aesthetic value as well. So much so that a London based British firm set up its offices in Bombay for supply of umbrellas of all colour and variety to gratify the general taste for display

And many took to drinks. Not country liquor, but British brandy, Gin, Rum, Whiskey and even Champagne. The number of shops selling foreign liquor increased three fold in Bombay city. And there sprung a strong black market of foreign liquor through which liquor bottles from Army canteens would find their way to rural areas. And there was no shortage of demand of foreign liquor in the rural areas

Belong to this last category was Yellapa Patel. His evening merry making would start in the afternoon and would go well past midnight. Yellapa Patel was rarely seen sober in the last few months of his life. Excess indulgence ultimately claimed his life and one fine morning, in April 1865, he was finally laid to rest. But this was not before Yellapa Patel had, by his example and by his encouragement, turned Bussapa too into a complete drunkard. And after Yellapa's death, as a true devoted son, Bussapa would follow the footsteps of his deceased father and spend most of his day drinking as his father had done before leaving for the heavenly abode and rest of the day was spent squabbling with his wife.

By the time Yellapa left for heavenly abode, the tide of prosperity had turned. The American Civil War was over and the price of Indian cotton had crashed. The cost of Indian cotton in 1859 was two Annas and seven Pice per pound which had jumped to Eleven Annas and five Pice in 1864. Proportionately, the cost of living had grown up, including the labour cost. Monthly wage of a coolie rose from five rupees twelve Annas in 1860 to thirteen rupees eight Annas in1865. But as soon as the American Civil war ended in March 1865, the blockade of the southern ports ended and the American cotton was once again freely available for the British Textile 

Mills. The cotton prices in India fell back to the pre-1859 levels. (In terms of purchasing power, a 100 Rupees in 1850 would be approximately 42,000 Rupees in 2018)

The years following the American Civil War were disastrous for the cotton cultivators in the region around Bombay. The prices having gone down, the next couple of seasons experienced bad rainfall culminating into the Great Famine of 1876-77 which was followed by Rat Plague. All kinds of silver extravagance -from silver tyres to umbrellas with silver handles, disappeared. Valuable cattle died due to drought and diseases, or had to be sold for whatever they could fetch. Even big cultivators, including Bussapa Patel found themselves heavily in debt of the local money lenders, the Sahukars. To add to their woes, bad habits of reckless drinking and casual extravagance contracted during the 'Cotton days' could not be easily shaken off

Bussapa went from bad to worse, becoming extremely violent when inebriated, and sullen and morose during sober intervals. His wife, to whom although he was deeply attached to but would spend most of his time squabbling with, died of fatigue and diarrhea, leaving behind young Bhau at the mercy of his drunkard father Bussapa. Little Bhau was the only person, or only thing, Bussapa cared for in this world. He would take particular pride in getting little Bhau dressed in bright colourful jackets, wearing silver anklets and silver bangles and gold chains. He had sold off all the jewellery of his dead wife to buy whiskey but didn't touch any of the silver ornaments of little Bhau.

Bhau was treated as a great pet by other kids in the village.He was treated more like a toy than like playmate by most of the village children. They had an inherent jealousy for this rich kid. But young Bhau didn't seem to mind. May be, he was too young to comprehend this. He didn't carry much airs of the rich kid, nor did he mind getting his expensive clothes soiled or torn while playing. Village women would often give him sweetmeats and other delicacies to eat out of pity for the motherless child.

In a couple of years, Bussapa's affairs had slipped into state of hopelessness. All his land, which was still producing cotton, was mortgaged to the local Sahukar, Devchand Shroff. His wife's illness and his reckless drinking had taken its toll and added to the misery. Only small advances from Devchand Shroff, granted as collateral against future harvest had kept him afloat during these miserable times. Devchand Shroff was not as bad a person as most Sahukars in those days were. He had a special affinity for Bussapa as his own father had worked as an accountant for Yellapa Patel for several years before entering the profession of money lending. He was always courteous and considerate while advancing loan to Bussapa, although for others he would charge exorbitant interests on loans advanced, just like all other Sahukars in those days

But, still, their relationship was only as intimate as that can be between a borrower and a lender. Devchand had a big shop in the middle of the village, just in front of his house. Little Bhau was a regular visitor to his shop and Devchand always treated little Bhau with love and affection. He would almost always be treated with sweetmeats, or candies at Devchand's shops -things that are so dear to every child, rich and poor alike. Little Bhau would spend hours sitting at Devchand's shop or playing in front of it and no one had ever seen Devchand mistreat or speak roughly to the little Bhau. And as for the child, he preferred spending whole day playing

around Devchand's shop to going back home to his drunkard father. His father's drunken violence and rough behaviour frightened him,even though it was never ever directed towards him

Gradually, Devchand's relationship with Bussapa started to strain. Bussapa would keep asking for fresh loan against future harvest while Devchand would lament non-payment of interests on earlier loans. The discussion would almost always end in Bussapa hurling a volley of abuses on Devchand and threatening him in one way or the other. One fine day, Devchand Shroff's patience finally ran out when he learnt from reliable sources that Bussapa had been taking advances on harvest of his upcoming cotton crop from one other money lender in the neighbouring village. On the same harvest, Devchand had already given him advances worth more than twice the amount which existing market rate would fetch for the entire standing cotton crop. A stormy scene ensued between the two with Devchand accusing Bussapa with criminal breach of trust and threatening to go to the Police. Bussapa retorted by vile abuses and threatened Devchand to keep in mind what damage a Patel could do to a Sahukar. He also referred Devchand as son of his father's servant. At last, losing temper altogether, Devchand told Bussapa that if he did not settle his account within three days, he would file a suit against him without further notice.

For the next couple of days, Bussapa drank heavily and hardly stepped outside his room. His servants could hear occasional cries of anguish and loud abuses from his room. They didnot dare to enter his room unless yelled at to do so by Bussapa. Little Bhau, as usual, spent most of the day outside his home, in and around Devchand's shop. There was no visible change in Devchand's behaviour towards little Bhau inspite of the heated altercations he had with Bussapa only a couple of days ago. Bhau still received his daily dose of sweetmeats and candies. Only later it transpired that Devchand had not taken any step whatsoever to carry out his threat. He had always maintained that his utterances against Bussapa was only due to anger and frustration and that it was momentary. He never actually meant to harm Yellapa Patel's family and , for the sake of old familial ties, he was willing to let matters go on as before,only if Bussapa showed some fairness and reasonableness.

On the third night after the quarrel, it was well past midnight. Devchand's shop was still open. He was writing the ledger books of account for the borrowers. Suddenly Bussapa appeared on the shop and politely knocked at the wooden door at the entrance of the shop and requested admittance. Devchand let him in, opened up the wooden door wide and turning around, saw Bussapa sitting in the corner mouthing and muttering to himself. The man's haggard, blazing eyes and suppressed manners frightened Devchand.

Alarmed, he was about to call out to his servants when Bussapa cleared his  throat and spoke politely, “ I have brought your money. I apologize for my rude behaviour the other day. I should not have abused you after all the help you have given me in the last few years and also the love and affection you have shown to my little Bhau. It was wrong on my part to take an advance on my cotton crop from other money lenders when I had already promised it to you. I apologize sincerely. But tonight I settle all accounts. Please take out my receipts.”

Devchand could sense calmness and sincerety in his words. Devchand took out his ledger and began calculating total amount payable, both the principal and the interest. He would pause in between to explain the arithmetic of interest calculation to Bussapa, lest he might accuse him of extorting exorbitant interests. Bussapa would protest mildly in between and Devchand, used to such haggling from every borrower, would simply accomodate Bussapa's protests. Devchand was little surprised at this mild behaviour of Bussapa. At the end, he knocked off a good lumpsum of his interest, for old time's sake, and reached a final amount which was agreeable to Bussapa. Finally agreeing on the amount that needed to be paid, Bussapa requested Devchand to bring out all mortgage deeds and endorse them as discharged. He also requested to write out a receipt and sign it absolving Bussapa of all debts as paid. Devchand demurred to doing this till he had secured, or at least, seen the money.  Bussapa suddenly became very indignant and stood up, exclaiming, “ I am not lying. I have brought the money value. Come and see. I have kept the bag in one of your out houses.” There were few out houses behind Devchand's residence at the back side of his shop right next to his cattle shed. These small dark rooms were used for storing spare

cattle feed.

Surprised and getting much alarmed, Devchand lit a lantern and went into the backyard, Bussapa walking closely behind him. He was not liking this turn of events. His sixth sense was hinting at some foul play. Bussapa was walking right behind him, his head bent down, a little agitated and breathing heavily, his movements much faster than it had been since he had first made his appearance at Devchand's shop a little while earlier. Bussapa pointed at a small room just behind the cow shed, having just onesmall entrance,  no doors or windows. On one corner of the room, there was a heap of sun dried cowdung cakes, the country fuel, which had evidently been disturbed recently. Bussapa suddenly changed his demeanour and seized Devchand by the throat with one hand so that he could not let out a cry, and with the other, forced him onto the ground. In a suppressed tone, Bussapa almost whispered into evchand's ears, “ You Devil...!! Take your payment. I am paying you ... with my son's life...!”. And after a pause, he continued, “ I have sacrificed my little Bhau, and hidden his body in that heap. If you do not agree to what I say, I'll raise alarm and accuse you of having murdered him for the sake of his ornaments! Quick. Raise your right arm if you consent and quietly come back with me to your shop”.

Devchand was stupefied with fear and could not even stand on his feet on his own. He struggled to raise his right arm as a mark of submission to Bussapa's proposal and consented to obey

him. Bussapa let go his throat and he slumped on the ground. He was breathing heavily and was trying to comprehend the full extent of what had just been told to him. “ Let's go to your shop”, growled Bussapa and after a while, seeing Devchand still lying on the floor and not getting back on his feet, kicked him in the abdomen and pulled him up by his hair. Holding him by the hair, Bussapa literally dragged Devchand back to his shop. At the shop, Bussapa again threatened him against making any unwanted noise or letting out a cry and then, released his hold.

“Now you are paid. Give me the papers and the receipts.”, Bussapa said in the same fierce suppressed tone. Catching back his breath, Devchand could only ask, “ What is to be done to the body?”

“ We will take it away and bury it in the nearby dried up nallah (dried watercourse)”, replied Bussapa in a cold, calculated tone.

Devchand promptly gave himall t he papers, duly endorsed, and receipts of having received entire payment from Bussapa in full. He could have,  additionally, given any sum of money to Bussapa had he demanded at that moment. The only thing Devchand wanted at that moment was to dispose off and get rid of the body as quickly as possible and for Bussapa to leave. But no such demands were made by Bussapa. He seemed content with the papers and the receipts.

Devchand, then, followed Bussapa back to the out house behind cow shed, holding lantern high above his face. Once inside, Bussapa immediately took out the dead body of the poor

little boy from the heap of dried cow dung, wrapped in a blanket. No words were said. Devchand, with lantern in his hand, led the way to the dried up nallah and Bussapa followed him carrying the dead little Bhau wrapped in blanket.

“ Take a shovel for digging”, said Bussapa in the same tone and Devchand complied immediately. The nallah was around six hundred metres from Devchand's shop. At the nallah, Bussapa dug a hole as soon as he could and buried the dead body of little Bhau in it. A pile of stones was put on top, a customary precaution against stray dogs and jackals.

By the time the two returned

back, it was nearing daybreak. As they approached the village, the two separated,

Bussapa assuring Devchand for the last time that he need not worry about

anything. Devchand slipped into his house, more dead than alive. He was

trembling with fear, having verylittle  faith

in Bussapa's assurances. Bussapa, on the other hand, got himself drunk as soon

as he reached his house. He was brooding devilishly over the eventsof the

night, speaking to himself and tossing off cup after cup of raw spirit.

“ That devil Sahukar !!...

cannot sue and disgrace me now. I don't owe him anything. He is the son of our servant!.

He is devil!!...”

But soon Bussapa started

howling, “How can I live without my little Bhau. What shall I do? How will I

face his mother in heaven......”?

And after prolonged

lamentations, Bussapa started planning his next course of action. “ I shall

blame those nomad basket makers who have camped outside our village, for the

disappearance of my Bhau. I shall have their tents searched and will easily

slip Bhau's silver ornaments in one of the huts while making the search......

then body can be found..... .” Few more cups of raw spirit and his train of

thoughts took a different track. “Wait a moment... Why should I let that son of

devil Sahukar off the hook so easily. He has made me kill my little Bhau. He

ought to die !! ......”. Bussapa fell into drunken stupor.

He was woken up by the servants

after few hours. They all looked perturbed and exhausted as they could not find

little Bhau anywhere. They claimed to have searched the entire village and to

have also enquired about him everywhere but there was no trace of the young

boy. Bussapa asked them to summon a few of his neighbours, all Patels. He was

already working on his half baked plan.

As soon as six seven Patels

from the neighbourhood assembled in front of his house, Bussapa, appearing

troubled, informed them in a worried voice that his beloved son Bhau was no

where to be found. He asked them if anyone had any idea where Bhau used to

spend most of his day time outside his home everyday. Of course, everyone knew

the answer. It was Devchand's shop. All rushed towards Devchand's shop.

Soon the search party headed

by Bussapa was in front of Devchand's shop. As soon as Devchand saw Bussapa

leading a group of Patels to his shop, he turned pale and sank. The demeanour

on Devchand's face and his terrified mannerisms were enough to raise immediate

suspicion. Devchand could not stand on his feet and fell on ground. Bussapa led

the search party into his house and  horoughly

serached the entire house. Finding nothing, they turned their attention to the

out house, near cowshed. The disturbed heap of cowdung in the room behind the

cow shed, a shovel lying nearby with fresh earth stuck to it was suspicious

enough to the entire search party. Bussapa immediately picked up the shovel and

ran towards the shop. Devchand was still sitting there on the ground with his

head bowed down and face sweating profusely.

Bussapa got into the shop, held Devchand by his throat and asked, “ Where is my Bhau ?” A neighbour came forward who had seen Devchand return at daybreak with shovel in his hand. He informed the gathered crowd that he had seen Devchand coming from nallah side early in the morning at day break . All the gathered men immediately rushed towards the nallah. As they reached outside the village, where not many people had trampled upon footprints since morning, the fresh tracks leading upto the nallah could be easily seen. At the nallah, a freshly laid pile of stones raised suspicion. The stones were removed and fresh digging could be seen. Finally, the dead body of little Bhau was

exhumed. Bussapa immediately recognized it to be that of his son.

Devchand was immediately captured and handed over to the Police. No  one ever doubted that he had actually strangled the poor little fellow, taken all his silver ornaments and disposed off the body in the dead of the night. Some attributed the crime to his greed for the little child's ornament

while others attributed it to his enmity with Bussapa and their spat in broad daylight three days ago. But no one ever doubted that Devchand had indeed perpetrated this ghastly crime. His incoherent protestations that Bussapa had himself killed his child was considered by everyone as the ravings of a detected criminal.

Police investigation was quick. Although ornaments of the little boy was never found in Devchand's house when Police had conducted the search there, eye witnesses and circumstantial

evidence left little doubt that Devchand had indeed starngled the little boy. Devchand was sent to jail, chargesheet was submitted against him and trial began before the Magistrate.

The case was so clearly made out against Devchand that no pleader would take up his case. Finally, with great difficulty, a learned pleader from Calcutta, Mr Ishwar Chakraborty was

hired at great expense. But even Mr Chakraborty didn't place much credit to the ghastly story that Devchand had been relating. How could a father kill his own son, and that too when there was no single witness to testify that Bussapa had ever mistreated little Bhau. The whole village would vouch that no matter how useless and drunkard Bussapa had become after the cotton prices had crashed, Bhau was the only thing he ever loved in this world. He could never harm his own

child.

The trial began. All prosecution witnesses were examined and cross examined. All the witnesses stood their ground and gave statements similar to what they had given to the Police. They all blamed Devchand for murder of little Bhau. Mr. Chakraboty had nothing much to prove out of cross examination. His line of defence was merely that Devchand's guilt could not be proved beyond reasonable doubt and was hoping for leniency on technical grounds as his defendant did not have criminal antecedents. But there was not much hope. Murder is one thing but when the

victim was a small innocent boy, the entire jury appeared a little hostile and no leniency be expected.

But, then, a flash of brilliance occured to Mr. Chakraborty. He pleaded before the Magistrate, “ Your Lordship! It appears at this current stage of trial, although it for your Lordship and the respected members of the jury to pronounce the final verdict, that my defendant Mr. Devchand Shroff, the primary accused in this case, is on a very sticky grounds. And, in all likelihood, he is almost certain to go to the gallows. It may be considered by your Lordship as the last wish of a dying man that an order for thorough search of Bussapa Patel's house be ordered”. Mr Chakraborty had appealed to the British sense of justice of the Magistrate. The order was granted.

Immediately, a search party was rushed to Bussapa Patel's house. At his house, in a bundle of his own clothes, few paltry ornaments of little Bhau was found. Bussapa, in his drunken besotted malignity had forgotten to take them with him and plant it in Devchand's house when the alarm was first raised. And after the dead body was found and Devchand arrested, Police had also taken possession of Devchand's house as the venue where crime was believed to have been committed. Bussapa never had the oppurtunity to rectify the omission. He was so assured of his plan and even the trial was so much against Devchand that he never felt the real need to do so anyways.

After the recovery of the ornaments, Bussapa was kept under strict surveillance, and unable to attend liquor, his nerves gave way in a few days. He finally confessed to his crime. Devchand was released, and in due course, Bussapa was arraigned, convicted and hanged. Even till his last breath, his only regret was that Devchand was let off! And, indeed, if had he not forgotten, in his bemuddled excitement, to take the silver ornaments of his son Bhau to Devchand's house on the day of the latter's arrest, Devchand in all probability would be the one going to gallows. Not him.

Bussapa, in his confession, had truthfully asserted that the idea of sacrificing his beloved son had never crossed his mind till the day he had altercation with Devchand. In a state of rage and despair, it suddenly flashed across him what a fine revenge it would be and what an easy release from Devchand's clutches. The boy was sleeping next to him and before he could realise the seriousness of his offence, the boy was dead. Strangulated. Only while carrying his beloved son's dead body to Devchand's house did Bussapa fully realise what he had done. What followed later was a semi-cooked plan that had ultimately brought him to his gallows.