“After breakfast I kept waiting for this mendicant (Darvaish). At about 9 or 10 o’clock, a tall hermit, wearing a long robe with fuming eyes and powerful voice arrived and sat in a corner of the hotel. The owner served him with breakfast. I continued observing this Darvaish.”
Though I had qualified the exam for District Administrator (Tehsildaar) since long, but I had been visiting offices for the appointment for almost a year. Almost all my contemporaries were given appointments but luck was not favoring me. I was the only son of my old parents. Income was meager. It was very difficult to make both ends meet. I went to Lahore in January 2004. When I contacted the concerned clerk, he told me to wait for a few more days. I became discouraged and hopeless by visiting offices again and again.
It was almost night by the time I turned back for home. When I reached KabirWala bus stand, it was 9 PM and the weather conditions had deteriorated. I had to go to Mari Sahoo from KabirWala. All the Tongas (Horse Carts) and Rikshaws had gone from the stand. I started walking along the bank of the canal for my home. After about two miles, cold wind started blowing along with thunder and lightening. It was pitch dark and the path was not clearly visible. I got frightened and worried. Suddenly it started raining heavily. My clothes were all soaked. When I decided to take shelter in a nearbyadobe mosque, electricity went off. All scared, when I took refuge in the mosque, I saw a man leaving the mosque. The man asked me: “Who are you? Where are you going? Which place do you belong to? From where are you coming? ” I told him my name, my father’s name, my caste, the purpose of journey and my story. He said: “I know your family. They are all honourable people.” He introduced himself and said that whenever you go to Lahore next time, do meet me on way. By morning, the rain stopped, sky got cleared and the weather became pleasant. I left the mosque and reached my home. Next day when I told my father about meeting with the gentleman at the mosque, he instructed me to meet him whenever I go to Lahore next time. May be our luck strikes and our days of poverty end. After almost 20 days I planned to go to Lahore again. While my father gave me expenses for the journey, he reminded me to meet the gentleman. At around 10 AM I reached the village of that man and located his house with the guidance of some native person. I knocked the door. After a while the man showed up. I introduced myself with reference to our last encounter. He said “I understand. Just wait here for a while till I come back from my home.” He then went in and came back some moments later. He handed me over a chit and instructed that I should not open and read it. It is a secret. Before going to the concerned office, the chit is to be delivered to a person. He told me the address of a small hotel located at some place where a nympholept (Majzoob) comes at 9 -10 AM. The chit was to be given to him. I took the chit, praised Almighty and left for Lahore. By evening I reached Lahore and went to the shrine of Hazrat Ali Hajveri (RehmatUllahAlỳhe) to spend the night. There I offered Nafil prayers and humbly pryed to Almighy Allah. Early morning after Fajr prayers, I headed for the address I was told by the gentleman. I located the hotel. It was a small simple hotel. I took a seat to have my breakfast. After breakfast I kept waiting for this mendicant (Darvaish). At about 9 or 10 o’clock, a tall hermit, wearing a long robe with fuming eyes and powerful voice arrived and sat in a corner of the hotel. The owner served him with breakfast. I continued observing this Darvaish thinking as to how I can go close to him for I did not have the guts to do so. In the meanwhile the Majzoob got up from his chair. I gathered all my courage, greeted him and handed over the chit to him. He glanced the chit, opened it and read it and smiled. Then he stared me with attention and gazed at me. After that he said: “Come with me.” I accompanied him. After a while we reached the concerned office. I stayed at the gate while the Majzoob went in. After almost 20 minutes he came back and with an authoritative voice said: “Your job has been done.” He also told me: “Tell the man who gave you this chit that he has not done good to me.” And then the Majzoob suddenly disappeared. At the same time I was both upset and happy. On my way back, when I read the chit I saw the designation was for Ahmed PurSiyaal. I reached KabeerWala at 3pm. happily I reached the gentleman’s home to give him this good news. There I found people gathered outside his house. I enquired the matter and was informed that by the will of Almighty, he has expired today around 10 – 11 o’clock. I could not congratulate him. After attending his funeral, I left for my home.
