We, humans have three basic needs food, clothing and shelter to live.As a reporter, I have to travel many places and eat local foods if nothing is available.Sometimes, I had to avoid certain types of foods not because of my religion but due to some of my lifelong constraints for that I chose not to eat them. Once I was returning after covering an incident, I saw some people are shouting at someone and beating him up! I rushed there and asked what happened and why they are beating the man?Some of them angrily looked at me and replied why wouldn't they? That man in front of me ate food everyday from local temples, mosques and churches hiding his religious identity! People didn't notice him at first cause noone except him goes to every religious places!I as a reporter got a feeling of an interesting story so I pulled out my reporter card and told them, I would look after the matter. Some of them knew me before,I assured them to reslove the matter and gave them some money for their tea biscuit.They handed him to me after that and before leaving they threatened the man if they saw him again, noone would let him go this easily! Now, I finally saw the man carefully. The man was barely standing, his face was swollen due to beating, short stature still he smiled at me and thanked for saving him.I asked him his name and why he was going to all religious places? He replied that his name is Kaji Christopher Biswas! I was like wait a minute, your name is what? He said yes, that's my name! I asked the reason of this outrageous name,he said what's issue with my name? Noone wanted to give food to people of other religions.I protested not really, there are many charities that provide food to the needy people and if you don't mind why you go to the religious places for food and not to the people serve foods for free? He shrugged with despair, for people like you that's sound really easy and obvious but ask people like me who lost their job in this lockdown and no savings for future. I worked as a labour for a flower merchant in Maharashtra before lockdown. Although,train service stopped, I had to come to west bengal back cause they didn't need me anymore! I came back with many others by walking, sometimes if driver permits by bus, lorry and what not. From then still now,I am jobless.At the beginning, I got supplies from NGOs, I agree but how long they would give me that with their limited power.Then, one day I was walking beside a temple, I saw some people like me were being fed by the authorities, I ate well after a long time.But, they would provide food only after 'sandharati' so I had to find other places to eat. Then, I went to the mosque in my locality, after Azaan(prayer) they gave rotis and teas in the morning.I won't lie to you, at first I was a bit cynical about it cause by birth I was Hindu but the smell of food and hunger in my stomach made me to eat that.That was the beginning, from then I took my breakfast from mosque after doing prayer with others, lunch from a church after thanking lord Jesus for food and dinner from that temple I visited earlier.You might be wondering why I wouldn't go to any other religious place? I smiled and said actually I was about to ask that question. He smiled back and said it's simple cause there is no other places, if there is I would definitely go there too! I survived because of these places God, Allah, Jesus whatever you call them for me they all kept me alive through their disciples, that's why my name is Kaji Christopher Biswas and I am damn proud of it! It's not just a name for me it reminds me everytime how I survived. I was really amused by that man, literally he found the truth that we were seeking for, what's the difference that he started this for his survival, now he truly believed that there is no religion of food, it's same for us all.I gave the man some money whatever I have then, with my surprise the man said,I don't need that money.When,I insisted saying you will need it you can't have food here anymore they won't allow you anymore.He replied pointing towards sky, they will provide my food even though some of their followers try to stop me. That's the last time I met that man, I wrote about that man on the paper and got many backlash due to that news! Many threatened me, many praised me but that didn't matter to me much.That man changed some part inside of me, changed the way my looking towards things we take for granted.I took some days of leave and went on a vacation.I was really hurt when I got the news from another reporter friend of mine, that some people stabbed him to death and they said he was spreading religious hate in the holy places! I knew he would get into trouble but never thought he will be killed. Though his body died, I know his way of seeing things remained inside me.I went to a temple that evening and I saw some people are eating bhogs (offerings to almighty),I also joined them. After talking with them for sometimes, some of them told to me I should visit the church next Sunday, They make some amazing cake, I promised them,I will be there and went back to my hotel. #LifeChangingContest #realwriting
© Soumyadip