~Binaya Kasajoo~
Translation : Deepak Thapa
This is a tale of a development centre. The centre is a tall, five-storeyed building surrounded by ponds of various sizes. The pond is home of a lot of fish, some frogs, some crabs and other water life.
In the building live people, who are known as “civil servants” in official-speak. Among them are those who barely earn two hundred while there is even someone who makes tow thousand. All of them love the fish very much and make sure that they are lacking neither in food nor in water.
One day the centre sees the arrival of two important guests – people so important that even Mr. Two-Thousand has to wait upon them. These two gentlemen inspect the fish during the day and in the evening a grand feast is laid out in their honour. The assortment of luscious fish dishes prepared by the Bengali cook is loved by the guests who burp out at the end of the meal – “The fish out here is really great. This is a great achievement for the centre!”
The next day there are rumours that the centre’s chief has received a promotion. What an honour! The fish development centre has certainly lived up to its name.
But, wait a minute. Whose development are we talking about here? Prepared by Brngali hands, fried in imported rapseed oil, flavoured with Indian masala, arrayed on a Chinese plate, scooped up with German cutlery and washed down with Scotch, the poor fish would have got a full taste of the finer things of life only deep inside the honoured guests’ bellies. Or, will do so only in their next incarnation, which will hopefully be as humans.
(Published in “Face to Face” magazine for development, No.15. April – June 1998.)
(Source : Writer’s Blog)
