The Blessed Curse

….…… “Dadu, if that was the condition of water how did so many people of the family manage to handle daily chores……. ?” asked Rakhi. “Yes, ……..every drop of water had to be pumped out ….. or drawn from the nearby well……Now imagine how it used to be for everyone toiling to get ready for the day’s work…… ” Jagan Babu minced no words……. ……..“And what about toilets, dadu?..…..” asked Pinky abruptly. “Oh my God! …… In cities …..there were toilets …… and every morning a ……. sweeper would come to manually pick up the defecated waste material …… and clean …. with whatever quantity of water could be provided…..,” Jagan Babu explained ……. “……...I don’t want to say, dadu, but we have no words to comment on such a wretched condition that prevailed then and you passed half of your life living under such conditions,” said Rakhi with a touch of genuine sympathy.