CHRONIC BACHELORS OF VILLAGE
(ਪਿੰਡ ਦੇ ਛੜੇ)
Recent death of Mohani (Real name could be Mohan Singh) son of late Pritam Singh Gagha ( ਗਾਘਾ ) and brother of Shindi and Geli of Lehindi Patti has prompted me write about chronic bachelors (ਛੜੇ ) of the village. This tradition had been carried over since long – that one or two brothers from the house will marry and rest will stay bachelors. One may recall the episode of Mahabharta – Daropti and Pandavs. In present scenario the reason being that property (land ) should not get further divided since families have small holdings. Usually the smartest of the brothers will marry and rest of them would stay unmarried.
The biggest challenge faced by the household was to keep them from pestering for marriage. Besides the mother and married brothers it was probably left to the bride in the house to keep these bachelors happy in whatever manner she could – by looking after their food, clothes and other needs. Of course the prime reason why she would do that was the lure of property. They would usually stay at
haveli where they had domestic animals (
Dungar) to give them company. Most of them were simple, uneducated and a small mercy like new
kachha (long underwear), new
kurta , an extra spoon of
Desi Ghee or occasional smile from '
Bhabi' would keep them happy. Some of the famous chronic bachelors of Kandhala Jattan that I remember were / are:-
- Jalwa (Bhajinan da) ਭ੍ਜਨੀਆਂ ਦਾ ਜਲਵਾ - A rather colourful character. He used to keep lying throughout the day in his haveli on a charpai and despite stammering, would keep passing comments on village women passing by on the nearby way to fields. Of course no one minded that as by the time he could complete his sentence the lady would have gone well away from the hearing distance.
- Bikar the nambardar ਬਿਕਰ ਲੰਬੜਦਾਰ. He had only few goats to give him company.
- Sundar Singh Ghugga ( ਘੁੱਗਾ )
- Mohani Ghaghiyan da ਮੋਹਣੀ ਗਾਹ੍ਘਿਆਂ ਦਾ. A simpleton.
- Bhola Singh - Uncle of driver Mahinga Singh
- Amar Singh - Uncle of Ajaib Singh
- Karmu hakeem ਕਰਮੂ ਹਕੀਮ - He was often teased by boys for doubting him of giving the wrong medicine.
- Dharma and Kaila – shahan da ਸ਼ਾਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਕੈਲਾ ਤੇ ਧਰਮਾ
- Chooda son of Sumittar ਛਿਤੋ ਦਾ ਚੂੜਾ
- Nimbo kaloo diyan da ਕਾਲੂ ਦਿਆਂ ਦਾ ਨਿਮ੍ਬੋ
- Charandass - Ratan' hattiwala's brother - the Life Insurance Agent - who used to arrange cinema in the village where black and white documentaries about life insurance where shown. He later on became some kind of Sadhu and stayed in three storied chaubara en-route to Rampur.
- Billa Lambran da - A good wrestler and kabaddi player who later on fell to drugs. He could lift a heavy stone (ਵੱਟਾ) weighing about one quintal by holding it in his arms. Of course he would go blast when during village Naklan (ਨਕਲਾਂ ) the dancers would sing on his request -"ਮੈਨੂੰ ਹੀਰੇ ਹੀਰੇ ਆਖੇ ਹਾਏ ਨੀ ਬਿਲਾ ਲੰਬੜਾਂ ਦਾ "
- Jeet son of Takhat Singh A simple soul
- Jeet Chelian da - gadde wala (ਚੇਲਿਆਂ ਦਾ ਜੀਤ ਗੱਡੇ ਵਾਲਾ)
- Amar Singh and Hari Singh -
- Nimbo, Kalu ਕਾਲੂ
- Shiv Singh (ਬੂੜੇ ਦਿਆਂ ਦਾ )
- Jawand Singh Jamila
- Hari Singh
- Mukhtaiyar Musalman
- Kaila brother of Lachha Amli
- Swarna - Bahlian da ਬਾਹਲਿਆਂ ਦਾ
- Channu - Chhappad wal da ਛਪੜ ਦੇ ਨੇੜੇ ਘਰ ਵਾਲਾ
- Lal Singh Jamilian da - ਜਮੀਲਿਆਂ ਦਾ he was some kind of a PT instructor in some school.
- Thekedaran da Jatt
- Mihan Singh - Ghodi wala (?)
- Gian (Harijan)
- Ajit Singh brother of Mahinga Singh Driver
- Chanan Nephew of Taya Kishan Singh
- Nihang Singh ( ਚੜ੍ਹਦੀ ਵਲ ਦਾ)
- Babu - who was mostly seen at Saran ( ਸਰਾਂ )
- There may be many more especially from Harijans - whose names readers can suggest - for the record please .
And there could be many more ......................
I am grateful to Bhupinder Singh (Pindi) from UK for helping me add more names.
Readers may recall and suggest some more names.
