A FICTION BY THE RENOWNED AUTHOR SWATI CHANDORKAR, UNFOLDS A LIFE-STYLE BEFORE US, GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH IT, FEEL IT AND PONDER OVER IT.THIS STORY TAKES PLACE IN A SMALL VILLAGE WHICH IS AWAY FROM THE PROGRESS OF THIS NEW WORLD. WITH ITS VERY FEW HOMES, THE ATMOSPHERE IN THIS VILLAGE IS QUITE A CONSERVATIVE ONE. THE TYPICAL VILLAGE CULTURE BASED ON THE CASTE SYSTEM IS SKETCHED HERE. DATTU PUJARI IS A YOUNG BRAHMIN WHO LIVES IN THIS VILLAGE WITH HIS MOTHER, WIFE AND THE ONLY SON. A PERSON WITH NOBLE THOUGHTS AND CONCERN FOR ALL TEACHES HIS WIFE THE ASPECTS OF HUMANITY. HE IS THE ONLY PERSON WHO IS ABLE TO PERFORM THE LAST RITUALS WHICH HE CONSIDERS TO BE VERY HOLY. FOR HIM, DEATH IS AS SACRED AND BLESSED AS BIRTH. HENCE, HE PERFORMS THESE RITUALS WHOLE HEARTEDLY. HE IS PAID VERY LESS FOR THESE SERVICES BUT YET PREFERS TO CARRY ON DOING WHAT IS RIGHTFUL ACCORDING TO HIM. THERE IS ONE SMALL TEMPLE OF LORD GANESHA IN THE VILLAGE, AFTER WHICH THE VILLAGE IS NAMED AS GANESHPUR. DATTU PERFORMS THE POOJA IN THIS TEMPLE AS WELL. THE REMAINING 4-5 BRAHMIN FAMILIES DO NOT APPROVE OF DATTU PERFORMING POOJA AS HE IS PERFORMING THE LAST RITUALS FOR ALL DEVOID OF CASTE AND RELIGION. THEY TELL HIM TO STOP OFFERING HIS SERVICES TO THOSE PEOPLE, WHICH HE REFUSES. HE BELIEVES THAT WHEN DEATH DOES NOT DIFFERENTIATE ON THE BASIS OF CASTE THEN WHY SHOULD HUMAN DO SO? THE OTHER BRAHMIN FAMILIES START CRITICIZING HIM AT EVERY CHANCE. THE PATIL OF THE VILLAGE IS A VERY GOOD PERSON AT HEART. THIS CHILDLESS PERSON CONSIDERS HIS VILLAGE AS HIS CHILD AND LOOKS LOVINGLY UPON THE VILLAGE. HE STRIVES HARD FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE VILLAGE. WITH THE HELP OF DATTU HE IMPROVES THE VILLAGE SLOWLY AND STEADILY. ELECTRICITY, SCHOOL, HEALTH CLINIC AND MANY OTHER FACILITIES REACH THE VILLAGE WITH THE JOINT EFFORTS OF THE PATIL AND DATTU. BUT WITH THESE FACILITIES ALSO ENTER MANY PEOPLE IN THE VILLAGE. DATTU’S POOJA IN THE GANESH TEMPLE IS BANNED SYSTEMATICALLY. HE AND HIS FAMILY ARE IGNORED BY ALL. HIS ONLY SON STARTS HATING HIM. YET, DATTU DOES NOT STOP OFFERING HIS SERVICES. HE IS ON THE VERGE OF LOSING HIS ONLY SON. HIS CONSCIENCE DOES NOT LEAVE HIM THOUGH.HOW DOES HE FACE THE HUMILIATION? WHAT MAKES HIM STICK TO HIS PRINCIPLES?‘PAVITRAM’, A FACET OF MANKIND DESCRIBED LIKE NEVER BEFORE.
‘‘सोडून देतो माझं काम. पण जसे जन्म होत राहतात, तसेच मृत्यूही. मग त्या कलेवरांचं काय करायचं? कोण दशक्रिया करणार, अग्नि देणार? कारण ही कलेवरं जर अग्निरहित राहिली तर रोगराई पसरेल. प्रेत खालच्या जातीतलं की वरच्या ह्यानं काय फरक पडणार? सडताना जात दिसत नाही.’’ सगळे स्तब्ध झाले. दत्तू पुजारी शांतपणे उठला.... कालिंदी म्हणाली, ‘‘तुम्ही योग्य तेच केलंत. आत्तापर्यंत प्रत्येक शुभकार्यात मला टाळण्यात आलं. हीन वागणूक देण्यात आली. आता नदीपलीकडच्यांनीही मला टाळावं? शेवंताकडे बारसं होतं. मला नाही बोलावलं. ही एवढीशी होती शेवंता. जेव्हा हिला कावीळ झाली, वैद्यांकडून पानं, पुड्या रोज घेऊन जात होते. वैद्य त्या वस्तीत यायला तयार नव्हते की तिला इथे आणलेलं त्यांना चालत नव्हतं. त्यांनाही आता पवित्र-अपवित्र जाणवू लागलं?’’ दाराआडून ऐकणारा गोिंवदा मात्र दुखावला. जो त्रास वर्गातली मुलं आपल्याला देतात, तसाच त्रास ही मोठी माणसं आईबाबांनाही देतात? मग त्यांच्याजवळ तक्रार ती काय करायची? ही कथा अंत्येष्टिविधी करणाऱ्या दत्तूची, होरपळलेल्या गोिंवदाची आणि समाजमनात वसलेल्या जातिपातींची, अपवित्राची!