I wanted to see the floating vegetable market and I had only one opportunity on the morning of 1st November, the day I had my return flight to Delhi. I asked Parvez bhaiya who was taking care of the only guest in the houseboat (me) to take me to the market. Bhaiya asked me to get up at 5 am.
I was writing the account of my day of 30th October on the night of 31st October and it took me a few hours to write that post. I was already late for sleeping. Moreover, as I was just finalizing my impression that people there are so peaceful and soft-spoken, I heard loud abuses outside the houseboat. Unlike cemented houses, even slight disturbance in those wooden houseboats is exaggerated. Some people seemed to be fighting with all dirty abuses and as I was alone on the houseboat. I was afraid and thought what if someone will come and just break open the door. I didn’t get the courage to even call Parvez bhaiya. After an hour or so when the voices stopped, I called bhaiya to say that there seems to be someone outside the houseboat, that some people seem to be fighting. Bhaiya said ‘ kuch nahi hai, aap so jao, ye yahah ke rehne wale hi hain, kuch nahi hai aap so jao’.
In the morning, I got up at 5.15 and waited for bhaiya to call me to go to the floating vegetable market in Dal Lake. When he didn’t call until 5.30am, I called him to remind him that we need to go. Bhaiya said it’s time for Ajaan and he’ll let me know when he’s free. Finally, we started at 6.15am
In dal lake, the vendors sell jewelry, flowers, Kahwa & snacks, showpieces, clothes, etc. etc. to the passengers in Shikaras. They will often gherao the shikara and start talking about their products and will generally be insistent that you buy some from them. I was least interested in any kind of shopping, I would greet them and wanted to look around, soak in that ‘jheel ki awaaz’. As soon as a vendor parks his boat beside our Shikara, I would greet him and tell him that they will waste their time as I am not the customer they are looking for. I appreciate the items they are carrying but I won’t buy at least not when I am having my Shikara ride of one hour. This is my only opportunity and never know when I’ll be able to visit again.
In two days Parvez bhaiya also got to know that I am not that dildar customer who does a lot of shopping or buys many things. As I used to have my back towards him, sometimes he’ll tell them in Kashmiri taunting she’ll not buy (perhaps ਕਿ ਇਹਨਾਂ ਤਿਲਾਂ ‘ਚ ਤੇਲ ਨਹੀਂ that it’s no use trying to convince her to buy). Though I did not understand Kashmiri, but it is not only the words in the language that convey but also how those words are said. Sometimes only the gestures and that tricky laugh can tell what others have said about you.
On the morning of 1st November as soon as I boarded the Shikara, a few vendors tagged their boats along showing their products like jewelry, warm clothes like jackets, showpieces etc. but I told them that they can come after I am back from my ride as it is only an hour-long ride and I want to experience it without being involved in any commercial transaction. I appreciate that it’s your means of livelihood and I’ll surely check your stuff. They agreed and a couple of them came to the houseboat later. But there was one vendor selling flower seeds. I said the same thing to him that I’ll not buy anything now and will not like to waste his time. But in spite of all my humble requests, he tagged along. When I didn’t see him going I asked him to give me any sadabahar flower seeds. He said Rs. 100 for each packet of seeds. They generally tell at least 10-20 times the high price. I asked him to negotiate or come later as he had already hijacked almost a quarter of the ride time. He didn’t negotiate and said subah ka itna waqt kharab kar diya. I was hurt when he said that as it was vice-versa. I gave him Rs 100 and told him that I don’t want any seeds.
I was already upset due to something for a couple of days then and now this sentence of his triggered a heavy flow of tears in my eyes. We reached the vegetable market, and I clicked a few photographs. But whenever a flower Wala boat will come near me, I’ll try to ignore them. But all of those vendors are insistent, and they will not leave you alone. They will talk to you in Hindi but if they are not able to sell something to you or are not happy, then they will start talking in the local language. I am an emotional person and get affected by such gestures by even the unknown. Often the heart aches given by the dear ones trigger a sea of emotional reactions on an outsider’s behavior too and that was exactly what happened that morning.
When we were in the floating vegetable market, this one flower Wale bhaiya parked his boat beside ours and started telling us about flower seeds. But as my hands were burnt already, I was avoiding talking to him. I knew if I uttered a single word, tears would come flowing and won’t stop easily (I know myself). When he didn’t go, I broke my silence and said “aapki bhi subah kharab hogi, Aap please jaayiye” and then came the sailaab of tears and I wept thoroughly. I was so embarrassed and wanted to avoid this. But what was building inside since days came out at the wrong place and it happens often with me. When I cried with hurt, he asked Parvez bhai in Kashmiri what would have happened to me and bhaiya filled him with details perhaps. Then this phoolonwale bhaiya talked to me so nicely, he gave me a bunch of yellow and purple guldaudi (chrysanthemum) flowers and urged me to stop crying and asked me if someone has bothered me. He was talking to Parvez again I couldn’t understand the language, but it seemed like a reprimand for the person who hurt a guest. He didn’t go until I sorted myself. I took a couple of flower seed pouches from him. Yousuf bhai gave me his number and told me to tell him after planting those seeds how they are growing.
I kept the fresh flowers that he gave me in my luggage and kept them in water after reaching home. They are still there on my dining table which is also my work desk. I generally do not buy plucked flowers, but this bouquet is irrigating the dryness in my heart with warmth and joy. I managed to click a photograph of him quickly which I am posting here.
