My bull Gobinda

It is May 1982 in a small village, Perapet, in southern Madhya Pradesh in India. A small 6 year old girl, Cheenu, lives with her elder brother Mahesh and parents in a small house. Her parents are farmers and have a few animals of their own. However, the bull Gobinda, is Cheenu’s favourite and she always calls him “My bull Gobinda” with a lot of love and affection. Gobinda wears a small orange bell around his neck. Cheenu and her family are a low income family but they are very happy. Her aunt (father’s sister) and her family live in a house about a kilometer away.

The village landlord troubles Cheenu’s family from time to time regarding a loan that her dad (Brijesh) had taken a few years ago. However, finally Brijesh had paid off recently so he and the family were feeling jubilant. Cheenu’s mom Radha was very happy as well.

Brijesh: “Tomorrow is Sunday. The village fair will take place about 5 kilometers away. We should all go.”

Cheenu: “Yes, Papa. I love going to these fairs. Let us go.”

Radha: “No, we should not go tomorrow. I don’t feel like going. I am tired from this week’s work and would like to rest.”

Mahesh: “Oh maa, we should go. Please come with us. We will go there for a few hours and then you can back home and rest as much as you would like.”

Radha: “Achcha, achcha. We will go tomorrow.”

Cheenu was overjoyed that they would be going to the local fair the next day.

The family was happy to go the next day. In the evening when everyone was returning from their farms to come home, Mahesh noticed that he could not find the bull Gobinda. He told Cheenu and his parents and panic kicked in. Cheenu started sobbing uncontrollably.

Cheenu: “I want Gobinda back! I want him back! Where is he? It is so late now.”

Soon it was 8 pm. Brijesh pleaded with his daughter and mentioned that they will search for Gobinda the next day. Cheenu was so worried. She could not sleep the entire night.

In the morning Brijesh and Cheenu went to the nearby farms as well as small forest to look for Gobinda.

Brijesh: “Gobinda! Gobinda!”

Cheenu: “Gobinda! Gobinda! Gobinda!!”

Their screams were very loud and they were hoping that Gobinda would make a sound or moo. They kept searching for more than 2 hours and finally saw Gobinda injured lying near a tree.

Brijesh told Cheenu to look after Gobinda and he would go to the local veterinarian to get some help. His clinic was 2 kilometers away. Cheenu stayed with Gobinda and was caressing his injured leg.

Brijesh was rushing on the nearby road (which was a busy one that morning). A car sped on the road and struck him very hard and escaped. He fell down and instantly died due to his immediate injuries to his head. There were some passersby that came to help and would call the police soon.

About 20 feet away Cheenu was aghast. She ran to her dead father and cried a lot. The passersby were helping her and contacting her family so that they could take her back and after the police’s approval/investigation, do his last rites. Her family would arrive there in about 30 minutes. The police were coming there in about 5 minutes.

Cheenu looked at Gobinda and went back to him and gave him a little hug.

Cheenu: “Oh Gobinda. I am happy that we found you. However, Papa is no more!! I don’t what God has in store for us!!”

She continues to cry and rests her little head on the stomach of Gobinda. Gobinda slowly moans.

The police and Cheenu’s family arrive shortly.

Cheenu will never forget this day; her beloved bull was found but her beloved father lost his life. She looked up towards the sky and softly continued to cry. Radha and Mahesh gently embrace Cheenu. They now have to face life without Brijesh.