Sunday Special-Ramu Bhayya!

 Sunday Special!-Ramu Bhayya!

In the year 1977,I was posted as executive engineer Chandigarh. I had six subdivisions of building,roads,bridges under my charge including Horticulture subdivision. The forest department entrusted the construction of a zoo in the forest reserve(Bir; in Punjabi) near a village 'Chat' known as 'Chatt Bir' as a deposit work to my department. This zoo is located six K. Ms from my village 'Dharmgarh'.During my tenure I got constructed Lion,Tiger,Bear and Elephant enclosures. I used to plan inspection of construction work at the zoo on Saturdays and as added advantage would visit my parents in my village. As and when some new animal arrived the zoo, I would make a multitask pleasure trip taking along my children. The keepers of various enclosures used to entertain my children making them touch the animals and made them privileged visitors. While taking the elephant ride the elephant would wrap H/Her trunk round the waist of the child and make Him/her sit on H/her back. In the Tiger and lion enclosures the keeper would make the child put H/her hand in animal's mouth and make them sit on them.In the Gibbon enclosure the keeper would make him sing territorial song 'Hukko.n-Hukoo.n' and counter calling by neighbour on another tree.

During one of the visits, we noticed a monkey sitting on the moat of gibbon enclosure. I asked the keeper about monkey's presence in gibbon enclosure. The keeper replied," Sir, don't call him monkey, he is cousin of man (having common ancestors)as such we call him 'Bhayya'. This is not an ordinary monkey but a trained bartender and domestic help. His name is Ramu, and he would obey your command. To demonstrate, he shouted, "Ramu Salute."-Ramu saluted like a soldier. He again shouted, "Ramu say Namaste". Ramu obeyed imitating a politician saying Namaste with folded hands. When asked how come he was put in gibbon enclosure. He said there is history behind him. Explained that Ramu was owned by a Sardar landlord and has been  daagonized as suffering from liver and kidney damage. Instead of leaving him in some jungle to die he gifted the ailing animal to the zoo under treatment of the zoo doctor Dr.Sharma.   

Curious about Ramu's history I asked him for the details of Ramu falling sick. He told me that the Sardar lived alone his wife had passed away, had no son, daughters married away, had a big chunk of land and a huge farmhouse ,had nothing to do save getting work from farm labour. He had a group of so-called friends who were chronic alcoholic and would gather daily evening to enjoy drinks and   snacks for free. Sardar ji took pride in in having a monkey as bartender. Monkey named Ramu was purchased and got trained by Sardar ji from a 'Madaari'(Monkey Show man) for evening services.

Ramu would set the table by placing glasses and water jug on the dining table and would sit at the bar waiting for master's signal. As the last man of the group was in and the master winks Ramu would bring the bottle and place the bottle in the centre .Master would open the bottle and wink at Ramu giving signal to pour whiskey in glasses. Ramu was expert in making Patiala pegs and would play his part well. When everybody in the group was 'Tully'(fully drunk) and left for their home Ramu had to do the dishes. He would gulp the left over in glasses and would in the state of well-being(Saroor).With the passage of time Ramu started drinking left over in bottles and emptying the same. At times, the   left over would be quarter to half of the bottle and Ramu would do full justice to his job.  

Excessive drinking affected Ramu's liver and kidneys and he became sick to the extent could no longer serve the master.Sardaar ji was a kind hearted person and appreciating services rendered by Ramu, he did not want to show ingratitude and  instead of abandoning him in the Jungle to die, donated him to the Zoo so that he could be taken care of by the Zoo doctor and may survive. I have no clue about the fate our cousin(From common ancestors) met.

Tejinder Kamboj

                (1940-20??)