Cheemi

"heemi will be on my side."

"No, I asked her first, she'll be in my group."

Neither Radha nor Vimal would give in.

Cheemi was very good at langdi-tang, the hopping 

game. Every one wanted Cheemi to be on their side.

She was in a fix. She did not want to annoy anyone. 

Cheemi was a poor orphan. Nobody knew where

she had come from. Yet everyone accepted the frail

little girl and named her Cheemi—the little sparrow.

She obliged one and all by doing odd jobs for them.

Fetched vegetables from the corner shop or looked

after babies when their mothers went shopping. If the

maid didn't turn up, Cheemi was there to help, cleaning

vessels, sweeping the floor and so on. 

Cheemi lived on left-overs women in the neighbourhood

gave her. The girls of her age gave her their

discarded clothes. Everybody liked Cheemi, except Parvati Kaki*

She considered herself to be a pious and aristocratic woman.

She had a big house with a beautiful garden full of jasmines 

and roses. But nobody was ever allowed in. The flowers were meant  for puja** only. Little girls who loved flowers

envied her but were too scared to go to her garden.

Cheemi, according to Parvati Kaki belonged to a

low caste. Therefore, she looked down on the girls who

played with her. She would not allow Cheemi into her

house even on Ganesh Chaturthi, the day of the big 

puja.

Parvati Kaki's house was almost like a mansion 

built in traditional style with big wooden carved doors,

huge halls and chandeliers. Full sized mirrors and

paintings decorated the walls. Even the pillars had 

beautiful pictures painted on them.

Surprisingly, the windows especially of the rooms, 

were very small. They were decorated with beads and

zari* curtains and hangings. It was said that Parvati 

Kaki's ancestors were related to the great Peshwas who

had ruled Maharashtra during the 18th and 19th 

centuries.

The outhouses and surrounding houses, which also 

belonged to Parvati Kaki, were rented out. In the big

house Parvati Kaki lived with her son, Vinayak, his 

wife Gauri, and her chubby little grandson, Chotu.

Chotu was a great favourite with the girls. Gauri 

Bhabhi,** as Chotu's mother was called, was a very

nice, educated lady and didn't mind Chotu being

carried by others. Parvati Kaki, however, kept vigil like 

a watchdog and never allowed Cheemi to touch Chotu.

Cheemi had to be satisfied with cooing to Chotu from a 

distance. How she wished she could play with him.

Every year, during the monsoons, the river Mutha, 

near Pune, gets flooded. People gathered to watch the

flood waters. That year, when the level of the water 

rose, no one bothered. It was a Saturday and the

children had gone to school. The women folk were

busy in the kitchen making special dishes for the 

weekend. The men were in their offices and factories.

Suddenly, news came that Panshet Dam had given 

way and the waters of the Mutha river had entered the

city. Children were asked to rush home. 

Shanwar Peth, where Cheemi and her friends lived,

and other areas on the river banks were in danger of

being flooded. 

At first the water was just knee-deep, but it rose

fast. People living on the ground floors were shifted to

places of safety. Those who lived in two or threestoried

flats climbed to the top. There was confusion everywhere.

Police vans were trying to help.

Vinayak, Parvati Kaki's son, had gone to Bombay

on business. Parvati Kaki and Gauri Bhabhi were on

the ground floor. When water entered their house,

Parvati Kaki was in the puja room and Gauri Bhabhi

in the kitchen. Within seconds the water rose. The

police persuaded Parvati Kaki and Gauri Bhabhi to

climb to the top floor. In the hurry and confusion, they

forgot that Chotu was sleeping on the first floor! 

The staircases were flooded. It was impossible to

get to the bedroom on the first floor. Though the door

to the room was closed, it was not bolted. Any moment

the water could rush in. 

The women were panicky. "Chotu!" they wailed.

"What'll happen to our Chotu!" 

Suddenly the police discovered that one of the bedroom

windows was open, but it was too small for an

adult to crawl in. Only a child could. But no one was

willing to let their children take the risk.

Out of nowhere, Cheemi emerged. "Let me help. I

can easily crawl in and get Chotu out," she offered. 

There was no time to waste. The policemen lowered

Cheemi to the window. "Jump!" they told her. "We

will drop you a rope ladder through the window." 

Without a moment's hesitation Cheemi jumped

through the window. Chotu was sleeping soundly,

picking him up, Cheemi put him on her back and tied 

him tight to herself with a bedsheet.

Slowly she climbed the ladder and peeped through 

the window. Carefully she undid the bedsheet and

handed it, with the child, to a policeman. Then she

crawled out of the window. 

Both Cheemi and Chotu were taken to the second

floor where Parvati Kaki, Gauri Bhabhi and others 

were watching. Chotu, who was up by now, saw so

many people around that he burst out crying. 

Cheers greeted Cheemi.

Gauri Bhabhi hugged Cheemi while Parvati Kaki 

fondled her grandson. Cheemi did not know what the

fuss was all about. 

"Come here, Cheemi," Parvati Kaki called her.

Cheemi hesitated. But Parvati Kaki almost dragged 

Cheemi to her and hugged her. "Beti Cheemi," she

said, "you have shown that it is courage and humanity

that counts, not your caste or position." 

After two days the flood water began to recede. As

soon as life returned to normal in Pune, the Police

Inspector of the locality met Cheemi and asked her

what reward she would like to have for her bravery. 

The entire neighbourhood was there. To everyone's

surprise, Cheemi said, "I have already got the reward—

an opportunity to play with Chotu." She paused for a

while and added, "I should like to go to school if you

can help me." 

The Inspector was helpless. But Vinayak Bhai came

forward and said, "We'll bear the expenses of Cheemi's

schooling. She can stay with us as long as she wants." 

Cheemi was delighted. At last she had a place to

stay and little Chotu to play with. 

Radha and Vimal were still fighting.

"Cheemi comes to my school," cried Radha.

"Oh, that dilapidated third-rate school of yours," 

retorted Vimal. "She should be admitted to my school,

the best in Pune." 

But Cheemi couldn't be bothered. Any school was

good enough for her. She had Chotu all to herself and

was busy playing with him.