Mysterious Relationships

Sometime in the year 2014, when I was walking on the foot-over bridge of Maninagar Railway Station, I received a call from Ramana twice or thrice. I could not take the call as I was in a hurry and even completely forgot to call back. Within two or three days, I received a call from my father informing me that Ramana died from electrocution. It struck me like a thunderbolt and a feeling of numbness pervaded throughout. Who is he?

Ramana hails from a remote village in Visakhapatnam. He lost his father at a very young age and his mother took up the responsibility of her three children – a widowed daughter and two sons with Ramana being the elder one. He studied up to Grade X and started working along with his mother and sister in cultivating the small amount of land owned by them. The village sarpanch came in contact with my father and requested to take Ramana to the city and help him find a job. My father brought him to our house and I first met him on January 01, 1998, when I was in my final year B.Sc.,

From 1998 to 2014, I have been witness to the events in his life. He began his life as an apprentice for a daily wage of less than Rs 30/- in our colony Panchayat Office. He was given the responsibility of water supply twice, once in the morning and evening to the 1200 houses in our colony. His role is to fill the colony overhead tank and ensure that water is supplied as per the scheduled time as decided by the Panchayat Office. Gradually he made a few friends who work as plumbers, learned the skill and evolved as an independent and full-fledged plumber.

His support for our family is beyond words and in due course of time, he became a significant member of our family. His support during the times of two weddings in my family is invaluable. His traits such as honesty, integrity and hardworking helped him earn the trust and confidence of most of the families in our colony. This has helped him earn a regular job in the Gram Panchayat Office. He got married and was blessed with two sons. Everyone was happy with the way he progressed in his life but happiness did not stay for long. One day while he was on duty, he died from electrocution. Later the Panchayat officials offered a job to his wife and a small house for the family to stay in a weaker section locality. These benefits might have helped his family members lead a comfortable life but the loss can never be replaced.

Today Ramana may not be there physically but he is always alive in the hearts of many and especially members of my family can never forget him. I dedicate this writing to him and wish that his life stands as an inspiration to many young minds striving hard in rural areas of India.

(Note: The actual name of Ramana is Kondala Rao. He hails from Bylapudi, a village in Cheedikada Mandal of Visakhapatnam district).