As a part of the curriculum in the final year of B.Sc Agriculture; the graduates, in my time, were placed in a rural setting for a period of time. The motto behind this placement was to enable students to interact with the farmers and become aware of the practical issues involved in farming. My batch was placed in Akkialur, which is in Haveri district. We chose to settle down in Hangal as the accommodation and the food was promising there.
We took food in a khanavali run by this guy whom we called as Shivu Anna. He was just a few years older to us. It was easy to get along with him and it didn't take long to become close to him. Late in the evening, his place became a routine hangout place. Sometimes we talked at lengths or watched TV. Usually, pro kabaddi had our interests held. Even we played kabaddi for a brief period of time.
We took food in a khanavali run by this guy whom we called as Shivu Anna. He was just a few years older to us. It was easy to get along with him and it didn't take long to become close to him. Late in the evening, his place became a routine hangout place. Sometimes we talked at lengths or watched TV. Usually, pro kabaddi had our interests held. Even we played kabaddi for a brief period of time.
Sahana, his cute little daughter was around four years old. A talkative, naughty kid whom we teased always. She went to a nearby nursery school. Daily his father would take her to school in the morning and pick her in the noon. Upon Anna's request, once in a while, someone among us picked her up at the lunch hour as that the time he handled customers. As days rolled by and he became bit more close, we started picking her up regularly. Sometimes we would even go to drop her to school.
I loved talking to her. So, I went regularly to school to drop her or pick her up. Sometimes alone, sometimes with one of our guys. Her class teacher had become familiar with two three faces. One day as most of us were away, Akash Chavan- who usually didn't go to pick her up- had to go that noon. Here, I should describe his appearance. He was of average height with a dark complexion. His uncombed shabby hair, unshaven face and clothing style projected a vague sense of suspicion in anyone's mind. Especially when it involves a kid, no one can blame the person at the other end.
The next day noon I went to school. I entered the classroom. I saw her sitting there with a serious face as her shoe was missing. Her teacher was busy finding it. After the shoe was found, she helped Sahana to wear the shoe and before sending her with me she said, "Anna, dina neeva barri. Hosabra yarara bandra kalsaka hedarki. Adragu ninne bandarva jodi kalsod kasta agittu. Sahana avaranna gotta hidididdakka kalasidvi", meaning please you only come to pick her up. It's difficult to send her with an unfamiliar person. Especially the one who came yesterday arouse an element of suspicion. I only sent her with him as Sahana recognized him.
Well, that was not a surprise at all.
I loved talking to her. So, I went regularly to school to drop her or pick her up. Sometimes alone, sometimes with one of our guys. Her class teacher had become familiar with two three faces. One day as most of us were away, Akash Chavan- who usually didn't go to pick her up- had to go that noon. Here, I should describe his appearance. He was of average height with a dark complexion. His uncombed shabby hair, unshaven face and clothing style projected a vague sense of suspicion in anyone's mind. Especially when it involves a kid, no one can blame the person at the other end.
The next day noon I went to school. I entered the classroom. I saw her sitting there with a serious face as her shoe was missing. Her teacher was busy finding it. After the shoe was found, she helped Sahana to wear the shoe and before sending her with me she said, "Anna, dina neeva barri. Hosabra yarara bandra kalsaka hedarki. Adragu ninne bandarva jodi kalsod kasta agittu. Sahana avaranna gotta hidididdakka kalasidvi", meaning please you only come to pick her up. It's difficult to send her with an unfamiliar person. Especially the one who came yesterday arouse an element of suspicion. I only sent her with him as Sahana recognized him.
Well, that was not a surprise at all.
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