He walks around. In circles. Almost in synchrony to the command he nonchalantly receives from a man standing afar.
“There are new people who have come’. The man seems to say. Our protogonist must commence his walk again. On the beaten path. In the much treaded circle. He walks. He walks the rounds. There are levers at work. Circles of wood that spin. Juice that’s made. Raw. Sweet. And complete.
The visitors sit there. In row of chairs that have been held to a straight line by a rope. Much to the awe of the city siders. Omni present simple solutions stump them.
They havent seen anything like this before in big city Mumbai or wherever they came from. The sugar cane juice disappears from the glass tumblers like money in an inflation prone economy !
And him… Job done. He looks at the visitors. Almost asking if he must walk the path again. For them to soothe parched throats with more juice that was sitting pretty inside the cane !
They nod. He walks again. In that circle ! All for sugar & juice !
Sugar circles ! Ah ! The story of our lives.
The Hard-working to earn daily bread to quench visitors thirst. God Bless.
You know, the sugarcane juice from this tastes a million times nicer than the switchy electric crushing. You still have such guys coming around in Pune, on a hot afternoon, and you rush down with a vessel which he fills up, as you watch the animal in awe. I almost broke into verse seeing this…still might, once I swallow some great memories of this juice of my childhood…
The humble beast….doesnt know its own strength. Someone gives it orders and it circles around….
It wouldn’t even realize what great help it is doing to the mankind….
But the people whoever drinks the juice, would appreciate its sweetness and forget all about that humble beast…
No basic,
No DA,
No arrid earth allowance,
Just a thump on the back,
an occasional
good rubbing down
on the banks of
a river;
and a job profile
that says
round and round you go,
head down,
nodding some,
tail flicking,
stepping
to the
sounds of the bells
that adorn the neck,
along with
the
wooden resposnsibility…
A snort,
a look,
some chewing of the cud,
and he goes faster,
extracting
a sweat here,
a sugarcane juice there,
for a marathoner
on a thanksgiving trip.
Like his old Boss,
the God
with the Flute,
told someone,
“Continue to
do your stuff,
round and round,
without worrying about
appraisals and fruits;
Thats the best work ethic,
and you win.”
He looks up.
The couple’s faces
wreathed in smiles,
enjoying
the nectar,
applauding
this magical moving
in circles….
Marathon.
He has won his own…..
Who works harder here? Man or Beast? While the consumer enjoys the sweet fruits of their labour.
Sugary post! 🙂 Enjoyed it. 🙂
Good observation and I have not seen something like this. Interesting and intriguing. The title further suggests your penchant for sweet things.
Sugar circle indeed..simple life, simple needs and we make it a machine life..they make the bull struggle and we make environment suffer! and sugar circles – our lives – hmmm, something to think about!
Kavi, just curious; I somehow feel i have seen this bull pic (not the same one) on your blog earlier..have you ever posted a similar one? a deja vu and curiosity is killing me..hope to hear from you soon 🙂
@ UK, 🙂
It seems a bit cruel to me, to let an animal walk around in circles just to quench our thirst.
There is another version, where a man spins a wheel and crushes some sugar cane and the juice passes through some huge slabs of ice and pours into your glass. I think that version is tastier. And guilt free.
Haven’t had juice made thus. Intersting and so was Ugich’s comment.:)
I just love sugar cane juice and the nice masala they put on top, i miss it a lot from my pune days, when every summer evening, my kids and I would enjoy a glass each! But really never seen this sight!!
Hobo :Your way of looking at the juice is a ‘another’ way of looking indeed ! 🙂
Ugich Konitari : I have never seen this before ! And this was quite a revelation. When they bring the cows and walk around ! He filled up quite a vessel. That just disappeared into parched throats !
Insignia : Yes. Humble…and am not quite sure if i can call it ‘beast’ ! It was friendly in the juice that flowed and the sweetness of the whole moment ! Although our ‘treatment’ of the animal can be very beastly !
Ugich Konitari : Well, what can i say ! This is just such a wonderful awesome flow to the worse. That can perhaps be best matched by the flow of the sweet sugar cane juice in itself ! 🙂 And ofcourse, what a marathon to win !
Radha : The consumer also fits in ! Either as man ! or the beast ! Doesnt he !
Chandrika : 🙂
NS Iyer : My penchant for sweet is almost world renowned now sir ! 🙂
Neha : This was the first time i posted it here ! The bull from another angle perhaps was posted on FB. I am not sure… and i wonder if i should begin keeping a tab ! 🙂
Our lives are sugar circles indeed ! Think about it ! 🙂
Aparna : Well, it does seem so ! There are many versions of this. This version, i came across for the first time ! So, there was a tremendous amount of intrigue and wonder. As to how for many years, man harnessed animals and science…sucking in the juice. So to speak ! 🙂
The Holy Lama : UK’s comments are always interesting and inpiring ! 🙂
Sujata : I njoy the juice without the masala. Just plain and raw ! I guess different folks are different. But then, this sight being new to both of us…is indeed some commonality. I was completely bowled by this !
The Ox method of cane-crushing – nice! the aligning of chairs using a rope is real neat too.
Sriram
Sweet post and to see the bull survives through circles. I never know this method of squeezing sugarcane. Nice array of chairs!
I just hope Maneka Gandhi doesnt read this blog…
Goes without saying – Sugar cane juice is awesome. Nothing can be more refreshing.
Although i somehow haven’t been able to gather the courage to grab a glass from a road side vendor. Maybe someday soon…