Destination

Anjanna was waiting for the bus  since 2 hours. He had got two bags with him. The bus would be late today. He was worried and nervous about his void future. He touched his children's heads gently and warmly.  While he was bargaining to buy two bananas for his children, the bus came and  nearly 100 people thronged onto the 52 seater bus through windows, much before it could reach the bus platform. He rushed towards the bus door only to find a suitable place to stand. He looked around for am empty seat. All the 3 seater and 2 seater were already filled with extra persons. He confirmed with his children whether they have money for seven seater auto to get back to their village. The bus started . His children bid him good bye, but not cheerfully. Of course, they were eager to have the bananas(after months). The bus moved at increasing pace and he waved to his children until the bus took the main route, diagonally. When the bus crossed the town's outskirts and about to reach the Krishna river bridge, he lost into thoughts  of the events happened in the last two days of his life.........

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As like any other farmer in the developing India, it was tough time for him. The draught hit the land of Krishna river for the 4th consecutive year. He could not repay the loan taken to invest in bore wells that do not work because the water table and the power voltage was always  low. He was left with no other option than selling his two bulls. He loved them a lot. They were part of his family. He was reluctant to sell them and tried many ways to convince his landlord regarding the debt. His starving children, ailing wife and mounted debt made him to succumb to the pressure . His prayers and rituals to God didn't turn into miracles and, finally, he sold them at a nominal price. The parting was tough. He took the money from the buyer and left the place with a feeling of guilty and despair. He had never imagined and could not digest the fact that his bulls would be butchered at a slaughter house. He had never experienced such kind of emotional pain in his entire life. It was more than a sin for him.

After walking few steps he turned around. He came back to the bulls and touched their feet with reverence and submission. He left for ever  and never turned back.....

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He is still standing in the bus. He came back to the senses when the bus conductor shouted at him for ticket and asked him wryly, "Where?". He said dryly, "Mumbai". He was prepared to stand for 18 more hours in the "Bus to Mumbai", the route to survival.  He had two choices, one the Mumbai Call and the other, the Suicide call. Of course, it's quite common trivial to mention that his bag contained a pesticide bottle too. Anyway, he was destined to join the infamous, unknown and much neglected social group, "The Palamoor Coolies", informally labelled as 'Palamoor Labour'.
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Anjanna returned home from Mumbai for Sankranthi festival, not to celebrate, but to repay only small portion of the loan. The drought intensity and the threats from the local money-lender added to his misery, forcing him to take his life, leaving his wife and two children. Thanks to the pesticides manufacturer, it worked.

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PS : 

1. Palamoor is the original name of Mahabubnagar district of AP which is notorious for mass migrations(10-15 lakh) and suicides of farmers (in-spite of Krishna river flowing through its heart). It is the largest migration in the world, from a district, in search of work and survival.

2. Palamoor has the record for having 53 buses, weekly, to Mumbai to accommodate the increasing migrations.

3. Nearly, 1/3 rd of the district's population is in migration and the irony is that two rivers Krishna and Tungabhadra along with 12 other rivulets are just mere spectators.

4. Most  Mahabubnagar politicians began life as labour contractors and were involved in labour export.

5. Villages of Mahabubnagar are just show pieces to exhibit in front of World Bank Officers to get  World Bank loans for Andhra Pradesh

6.  Solution?. No no no.....dont say that. We are not suppose to complain or urge for justice. The slogans 'One nation, one state, brotherhood, blah blah......' will fill our drying empty stomachs.

7. I am a native of Mahabubnagar district  :(