Keventer's and Thakuma

"Khoka baaere berochhish?",Thakuma piped up from behind the ash colored curtain which needed a wash badly but no one cared to. It was slowly getting dark and more so because it was overcast today. I answered that I was just going to have a walk in the Curzon park and would be back in a while. "please care to bring some jhaal muri for me,khoka.".I smiled and made my way to the main gate.

I didn't forget to take my umbrella with me-the tattered old wellings which Dadu had got as a gift from Mr.Saunderson. It is a priced posession, Dadu used to say. always treasure it.This does not happen everyday that your master gifts you something.It was a big thing for a Sahib to gift an Indian employee something. And Dadu was good in his work,Baba used to say.

As I waited near Chowringhee to cross the road,it started to drizzle.People were scuttering across in their dhotis looking for a nearby shade. The road was washed with the sweet smelling rain and the sky was splashed with dollops of oranges and grey. The wind was howling and two or three bare-bodied street urchins danced in the shower. I waited under the shade of a nearby flower shop as it was raining hard and it would be practically impossible to save my umbrella in the rain.

I was giving some private tuitions and managed to make some kind of income at the end of the month. After Baba's death,our family was in a crisis,emotional and financial. There were no bread winners in the family. And Ma did not agree to seek help from Kaka. It was a mess with the expenses that my higher education required. I was the only hope but getting a job was difficult. Mukul mama did help me by arranging for the job of a clerk but the office was very far away and I couldnt bear the conveyance expenses. So finally i settled for private tuitions in my neighbourhood. I was not paid handsomely but somehow I managed to run my family consisting of 4 members.

Today it was something special.The Mukherjees increased my salary by 5 rupees and I was on cloud nine. it did not matter that Sumonto was not a very sharp student. Money mattered more to me. I had seen a beautiful scarf in a display window of Keventer's last week and how i wished to buy it for her ! It was light blue in colour and had exquisite floral designs on it. The salesman Mr.White educated me that this scarp had recently come from their "home" and that it had become very popular "there". A stong desire gripped me to buy it for her but it was difficult as it was maasher shesh and I did not have enough money.

But now i had been paid by all the seven families and I had enough money to buy the scarf and save some too.

It was drizzling and I thought it proper to cross the road and visit the shop now. The huge double decker buses honked at me as I crossed the road and the traffic surgeon urged me to walk faster. My dhoti was already covered in splashes of mud and my glasses were wet and it disrupted my vision. On the other side of the footpath I gave a beggar a sparkling 2 paisa coin.

There it was ! The scarf was still displayed in the window of Keventer's.Soon I found myself walking with the scarf carefully wrapped with a red paper. It was getting late and I had to rush home. As i walked past Curzon park the thought of having to curtail some expenses in this month because i bought the gift came to my mind but it did not bother me. My steps were quick and I whistled a rabindrasangeet till i reached home.

The first thing that i did was to keep the gift carefully under a blanket in my room. Then i made it sure that I open my umbrella and keep it for drying in the verandah. As I asked Ma to make some tea for me and i began to empty some Muri into a steel bowl, Thakuma entered my room

"ki re khoka? Koi de. Muri ta aanli?"

It had began to rain again.

Prof.Ganguly slapped me on the back and asked "what's the matter,Ghoshal?you have been standing in front of this photograph for more than 20 minutes ! what are you thinking?Give your imagination a rest,proffessor. why don't you enjoy the drinks?".

I smiled wryly.On the special request of Osheema I attended this exhibition of photographs taken in the 1950s Calcutta. This particular photograph showed a rain drenched Chowringhee crossing,lonely and gray. A tram line intersected the road and there were people in white dhoti and kurtas scattered here and there. A group of Memsahibs were about to enter a taxi. It was peaceful,distant yet so near. One look at this photograph transferred me to a different time,a different era, a different setting. i dont know why and how but things just came to me... Slowly i made my way towards the drinks table.

When i came outside we were greeted by a huge rally called by a firebrand woman political leader for the rising inflation in the country. The news stated yesterday that she even threatened to call a bandh if the demands of the common people were not met by the government.Sudeenly the mobile rang. It was Mishti. "Hi dear. when will you come home? Sunny had been asking to go and visit the zoo today. cholo na please. we can call up Sumitra and family too....". I told her about the stuck-up and said that I would reach within an hour or so.

"Oh yes please bring the clothes from the laundry while you come.pay him. it will be around....say..."

"1 second,Mishti,let me check...."

"ki holo?..."

I opened my wallet.It was maasher shesh.My mind wandered back to the chowringhee streets,Keventer's and Thakuma...