Continuing to read Ruskin Bond......

Living in the present day world without books has become more difficult than earlier. Especially when you are travelling by train on long routes. Earlier people were more docile and good speak to. Now one has to pick and choose as we do not know if a person would want to speak to the next person or not. Many are hooked to their android phones, some are talking loudly to some one in some other city and some are out right glum. Some people come as groups, all their things will be in place, they have most of the things they want but will speak only with the members of their group totally ignoring those around. If you travel near such a group and if you are alone you would desperately need a friend to talk to and that is where books come in.

These occasions will be wonderful if we have our favourite books as the author will be our companion as long as we want to. I had a book by Ruskin Bond as I related in one of my earlier pieces. The book is named 'Friends in small places' Ruskin Bond wrote touchingly and soothingly in great English prose which any one would like to read and it will touch the reader, no doubt. In the present book of stories he tells about a couple of his uncles in different stories called Uncle Ken and Uncle Bill. Uncle Ken is a great guy who lived mostly as the guest of his many sisters and as the Authors Granny happened to be one of his sisters he turns up there once in a while to enjoy her hospitality and search for suitable employment nearby. Even though he succeeds at times before long he comes back to his unemployed status and continue to live on hospitality. Bonds beautifully puts before us the psychology of the person in front of us but only through their simple actions and speeches or dialogues which enthralls us as this could be any one met in any of the families with whom we are in touch. At times you or I can see someone of the same skin in our own families too.

In another story called Bansi and the Aaya he relates us to the life in Dehra where he spent most of his times writing his books and taking his long walks. As a little boy with cheery eyes and ever observant of his surroundings, he tells us about the everyday life and how a cart man comes in touch with the family and he gives him occasional rides for free butr with the condition he should provide some money for his tea which is agreed upon. This favour he does to the child as he consider him as a 'Angrez'. The Angrez (The English) were held in great respect in those days of far back when the British were in the ruling class. The life of Bansi who keeps his horse cart and the way he gives service for the needy taking a fee and how he keeps his horse clean by giving it an occasional bath in the river etc. Is very neatly etched out for the readers of posterity in touching style. Then in the same story we are related to the Aaya (the maid servant) who is ever envious of Bansi the cart man and in several of his advices to little Bond she narrates all the vices Bansi is indulgent to. A young and jealous woman's mind can't be more clearly put in. Without writing he imparts the underlying feelings to the reader.

To top it all comes the story of Uncle Bill, who worked as a Male Nurse in those days of old, around the time of the Second war. His story is suspense ridden and gripping but soothing in the hands of the author. Uncle Bill is a well behaved and nicely mannered soft spoken person who administers a powder to who so ever is close to him who can be of interest to him and whose porperty and assets can pass on to him after they pass away. Invariably the administration is secret and discreet without any doubt to any one including the taker as it is almost always given in any of the food or drink of the person. The suspense and anxiety would increase when Mr. Bill turns up to take the hospitality of the author as he is his only relative remaining. The story grips any one who are lucky to read his book – friends in small places- which keeps one in great spirits where ever one is. And when it is in a train journey, it is a joy.

By the time people set bed and sleep you would have covered quite a few pages and can go to bed in the lovely hope of reading more the next morning as the benevolent author keeps our soft anxiety on all the time.

Reading Ruskin Bond..! 'Friends in Small Places'

The Gentleman Ruskin Bond (his pen name) is a great writer of English prose which evokes feelings of nostalgia, beauty of English prose and a  feeling of brotherhood among human beings who generally think this life as a gift.

The story of Masterji who taught Hindi and the students thought it was Hind and ultimately it turned out to be Punjabi is enthralling.  Inspector Kismet Lal who was never to be a Police Inspector but was one shows the kindness of human beings to other humans and (almost Godly) and loses his promotions but saves further complications for his fellow beings is  is a must read for todays generations.

The story of Kishen Singh, the Watchman of the Train Tunnel, was an unforgettable lovely friend to the young Ranji who could not forget him when he was leaving for Delhi for further prospects at the command and order of his Dad is one of nostalgia and keep sake thoughts which every one has, who travels out to new boundaries.

To enjoy the feelings one has to go through his book, 'Friends in Small Places' by Ruskin Bond.  I leave it to you my dear readers to go through and enjoy them.
Take a chance and enjoy whenever y\ou can lay your hands on the book.

The Sweetness of a Mother.....!

The Sweetness of a mother..!

Mothers are a different lot altogether. This is appreciated when one is a child and if they keep up that feeling in later life. Generally, such feelings are seen to be lost in many as they grow up. This loss of the childhood feelings are the reason behind many people belittling their mothers at times, even though rarely.

Mothers look after their little ones with great fervour and if necessary, apart from looking after the little ones, they also go for work to find food for the smalees. I saw this when I was a little one. We had a simple life in a small shed house where father used to get food articles and mother used to cook them. Cooking in those days meant all the house hold work from cleaning and washing for all plus cooking. In such a time father fell sick and things stopped abruptly. There was no more food articles at home and that is when mother had to go out for work.

In those days, there were several works availavble which women generally did as a team. One was going to beat the hay which is not fully removed of the paddy in them. This secondary removal of the paddy sticking to the hay was for keeping the hay in future stock and those who do the beating to clear the lect over paddy from the hay, can have the paddy which they beat out of the hay. By the evening everuy wp,am wpi;d jhave nbeat arpimd five to ten measures of paddy. This paddy had to be taken home, fried, agaom neatem om a mill stone to remove the husk and the rice taken out before it is cooked. All these mother did, as if she is doing a simple work which is a natural thing that every body does.

Now, looking back, I can't beleve her perseverence and enthusiasm. She kept on for a while until father recovered from his phyusical illness and startede going to work again. There after, mother did not have to go for such work. When ever we questioned her she had the stock reply : “Working is not a problem for me. I only want to see you people should be properly fed and looked aftger. And of course, when you grow up, you can get enough groceries and things for the house and then, I won't have to go for any work.” As an eager child to help in the household, I used to follow mother to the house where she went for beating up the paddy from the fresh hay. That is when I used to play around and whenever she had a little time free, she used to come to me to talk.

Every mother in our neighbourhood thought the same for their children. When the paddy was brought home, the first thing was to bring water for cooking and house holduse. This was the next immediate necessity. Here too, I accompanied her to the well without any wll protection in a comound much below our house compound. Here, the land lies in different levels one below the other the gradient slowly going down and reaching the paddy fields. The well I distinctly remember as it had a huge tamarind tree on the edge of it. Mother used to lean to the well and pull the water using a long rope which she pulled back folding the coir rope from right hand to left hand from time to time. In the last lap she caught the 'pala' (the water pulling vessel) which she herself used to make from the arecanut leaf stalks. Making a pala into a water pick up, itself was an art using a piece of stick and a measure of cmall coir rope. This equipment is not only beautiful but also very clean. I worked for a season if kept well. It should not be allowed to be in the 'pala' after its use for pulling water., so that the pala remained dry.

Oine of such days she felt dizzy and this gave us very anxious moments. She had put the 'pala' into the well and slowly she kept the rope under one of her feet and turned around to the tamarind tree and held on to the branch with her head down. I asked her what is the matter, but shed did not reply for a while. After a long while she just turned around, picked up the rope, pulled up the water and slowly started walking towards home. On the way, she told me “ I was feeling dizzy. My head was realing and I was not in a position to reply you. That is why I did not reply your questions” “Thank God, I am ok, now” This made me really ill at ease. I was wondering how long she went to look after us all, providing all our needs without any care about herself..!

Use of Cell phone and computers and so on..!

My first cell phone was a Nokia. A small simple phone which had grey crystal letters which was visible in a green lit background, but nothing visible in bright sun light. I had difficulty in using it as many a time I had a call while I was on mky two wheeler on the road. I used to stop on the side of the road and find it difficult to see the screen. On moving to the shade of a tree, there were the last trees standing then, I could make out the call and answer the caller. A long time use of it made it old, and need arose to get a new one.

The new one a Samsung at that, had the added advanbtage of a two speaker radio which couyld be conveniently used in my car while going out in the morniong and returning in the evening. The old little Nokia was conveniently handed over to home use. This new cell phone, the Samsung went on giving good service untile the back button started to falter and there was need for another replacement. This again was another Samsung called a RX 360 with screen and icons with other Jawa facilities on it. I still was not good into using an Android yet. Of course a Computer in the office, and a home computer was by now in vogue and there were used for official and personal uses according to whereever I used to be. Thgere was not much to do on the pc except checking personal mails and at times seeing the face book. Or Orkut by Google.

A television was another screen which we used to relax at home and get some of the news at times useful, and at times only for entertainment, like a movie or an art programme given by the TV Channels. A strong me, who was against any kind of automation or radiation waves from the very beginning, was slowly sucked into using them out of utmost every day necessity. As enybody knows, one had to run when everybody else was running. The old house phone which was being used to make calls and convey informations started becoming obsolete as one would be late to send a piece of information if one did not have a cell phone and when at last at times one reached home to see an out of order ordinary phone.

Nowe one has to go to the Department to get it repaired and that was not normally done at night. At times it took more than a day and this was the last push to use a cell phone on the first instance. Now some information if required could be passed on the internet mail too which made the use of

an internet computer a necessity. More over the use of the internet computer was slowly making its was to offices and those who could not cope with it was being considered slightly inferior, if not they were middle level or senior level officers and upwards. Those who kn ew where their bread is buttered had to go for the new trick on the block, the ability to use the internet computer. Or at the minium the use of a computer.

The use of a lap top computer was slowly coming up as travel always needed the internet faciliity for which the Desktop PC could not be carried. Use of a lap top made its up keep a necessity. Cleaning it up and keeping it recharged etc. This also went for all other earlier equipments.

The use of a tablet which will squeeze the use of the lap top into a much simpler activity was some thing which seemed to be a better option. Once it was at hand, the lack of space in it and lack of some of the programmes on them became a bottle neck, especially the inconvenience while using it as a cell phone. One had to keep a large slate to the ear or if this was put on sound, the privacy of the conversation will be lost. And that was the time when the majestic Android walked in with its cell phone capability coupled with its other facilities like, camera, radio, torch light, email, sms, phone banking etc.  I don't know, what all else..!

The old typewriter which was the great grant father and its successors the electric typewriter and the electronic typewriter all with drew with the rise of the other earlier equipments which is on at the time moment. But the users are at a loss to check mate of the time lost on all these equipments and seriously thinking how to reduce the time spent on most of these plus the TV Channels.

The Swimming that wasn't....!

A Swimming in Chennai which did not take place.

The morning had pretences of slight rain but it did not rain but remained cloudy. A son offered his father a swim in a pool connected to his office building if they were allowing it that day. They were road born with their simple swim gear and landed up at a nearby office building with very good gate arrangements. The cloudy atmosphere had changed to sunny and it had become steamy by then. The strong black gates told it was perhaps not possible and the two kept their wish under wraps.

Then the son went over to the little sub gate to enquire, since they had come thus far and found out that it was really open but they keep it closed as the custom was to open it on requirement only. That is good fo the new times. The son said, he would be allowed in as he is working member of the company but the father has to go through another gate. This was undertaken and the father was ushered in by a smiling security youth.

He was usheered to another registry desk where an elderly security lady was reading the day's vernacular daily. The moment she saw the outsider she did not even raise her head, but said simply, “Today no body can go in” . The the security assistant intervened to mention that this is the father of an employee on which the lady kept away her paper reluctantly and came over to make a photo ticket for the outsider. Once that was done, was a regisration and signing, both by father and son. There onwards, they moved to the next room to enter the main area where there was yet another registration and signing. The security arrangements were really good and competitive with the agency's name, resembling a dog's name, dash-hunt or labrador, on the pockets of the guards. It was really funny. Somebody had thought of that great animal who are so helpful in security and saving of humanity from time immemorial..!

After that they walked in the bright sun in very clean atmosphere with flowers on flowering plants arranged on both sidesof tile spread walkway which was sizzling in the bright hot sun shining through the coulds. Two minutes walk brought them to the pool building where they were told that there is no swimming allowed in that pool but only gym was only available but only for the employees which was useless to them.

A look at the pool was heart warming. As the crystal clear water in the shallow blue pool was rejuvenating. It was decided that there is no point in going for a swim in such a shallow pool in any case. On the way to the pool they saw a boy and his team at work with some road laying stuff. The boy started walking in their direction with some material in his hand. His jersy had the following caption on it : “IT IS THE SAME SHIT, A DIFFERENT DAY.” The father son group could not hide their smile while the youth walked away unknowingly what his jersy was blairing.

The father son started back on the 'hard drive' of OMR to return home.

Driving it Again......!

Driving it again

My fiirst thoughts of driiving is learning to drive a much longed for little fiat car (an Italian fiat, which was available in plenty at that point in 1972s in Kerala). At that point teaching was by small driving schools who had a trainer master, who taught his student to drives and those who did not perform well were treated to strong whackings on the head or neck or any other means like pinching or beating on the thigh etc. as the instructor pleased. As the people at that time had not liberated from the old Gurukul mind set where Guru is never questioned, it went on with all except those who categorically took special allowance not to be mistreated.

I was one among those who took special allowance as I took it as a great slight as I was already working in a responsible position in a local office. The Trainer School Manager agreed to this as he knew me and my family and he and my father were friends. When I put forth the suggestion he squirmed a bit at first and after giving it a thought and my difiant position he agreed saying: “Then I shall ask the Junior Master to take you in his sessions”. This was acceptable to me as I was not keen on who was training me and also I knew the Junior Trainer guy. The Senior Trainer cum Manager Owner was quick on his temper and bet up any one who happened to be helpless in front of him, especially in his training sessions.

Once this issue was settled and a brief introduction to the Junior Trainer we were on the road in the little bundle whose doors opened from the front side and we fell back into our seats. One is given the wheel straight away and the Trainer sitting on the left controlled the pedals but pretended not doing so initially. Once we got the feel of the road and generally started to control the wheel satisfactorily so as to avoid any accidents to self or other road users we were taken to a large tract of land for intensive training in reversing and moving backwards in different angles ultimately making each one take a test in driving forward in the hands of an “H” which shape was made of small iron wires which will stand straight on loose earth and will fall down as soonas a part of the car touched them. The test was to move the vehicle up in the left part of H and then reverse and move on the reverse to cross over to the right of the H through the middle. Then repeat the same through the right hand of the H and come back on reverse to turn and reach back to the left of H.

This was achieved in a matter of a month by which time one learned the beautiful little gear system which was operated through a stick set below the steering wheel, which was lovingly called the steering-gear. It had a steering mounted horn almost the same technique seen now also. There were no mirrors on either side, but a single rear vew mirror in side the cabin. The mechanism was too simple considered to the complex vehicles today.

Once a driving licence was earned, one was on top of the Everest but there was no further driving. Only one entered a car whenever one used a Taxi car. The taxi cars were mostly the old timers like Ambassador and Land Master and a springling of the old Hillmans and Plymouths. The fiat cars were mostly private cars used by well to dos like Doctors or Engineers or Business men. Ordinary millions only saw the cars. At times where there was an emergency they hailed a taxi car and sat through to reach a particular place.

The Ambassadors the ubiquitous of them were almost everywhere. They had the great backward closing doors, additionally mounted side rear views. A light shifting button to be operated by foot, a side indicator to be operated by hand but the button for the same provided in the centre of the steering wheel, a steel or chromium plated little circle above the steering wheen for the horn which was too very convenient. A common seat both in front and back which was supposed to take three each was used in an economy fashion to accommodate four almost all the time and in case of necessity to push five in the front seat and upto seven or eight in the rear a few little children also pushed in to utilise the whole space. Howsoever it was, all enjoyed a journey as the driver of the vehicle was almost always a known fellow and he in return also knew almost all in the village and conversed with them en route all through the journey.

A great part of the ceremonious work which all taxi drivers craved for was a special call to carry a marriage party. It was considered to be an honour to be called for such an errand as the fare collected is a lump sum plus a sumptuous lunch at the marriage venue. The cars in such cases are used for the whole day as it has to be taken early in the morning itself to ornament them with flowers and garlands, at times a smear of kalabham and chandan paste, a little perfume is also applied inside of them and it is taken to the house of the bride or de-groom as is the order and from the house of the caller it will go in an entourage of other cars too called for the same occasion carrying all the near relatives and friends called to grace the occasion. They had to wait at the marriage venue, where they can have their meals and rest and then return with the same group of people whom they carried along with the bride if it is a boy's marriage or with out any body extra but 'less' the bride who remains in the groom's house.

Of course, one of the same or more taxis will get a fare to bring back the bride after a few days according to custom. Except very rich people no body drove a car for pleasure as we see now.

A car, a taxi at that was summoned only on occasions of emergencies like accidents, diseases, exceptional meetings between relatives only.

All the time people were of and on seeing these moving chariots and were mesmerized at the convenience of moving. But a serious thought of such a requirement did not occur as the public transport was pretty good and in the old farming oriented society, people were mostly living in their own places of birth only. The life was in the village only if not in the farm lands and evenings were a time for one and all to assemble at home. With new governments and progress and information explotion that system was being changed. Cities were fast getting two wheelers which started to be considered a necessity by those who can afford them. A few motor cycles like Bullet, Jawa and Rajdoot from Yamaha etc. ruled the roost.

In the eighties, a new urge came to the people in general. Telephone possibilities and long dialling facilities were being increased and improved, news via television were becoming popular, the colour television was making an impact and people who saw them all started to become impatient in using more fast moving objects for their travel. There came a number of little moving equipments called mopeds with fifty cc engines and they were the fore runners of a driving India. As the common man could not afford a good motor cycle or scooter at that time, a little in between vehicle, between a bicycle and a motorbike was quite the thing to introduce. Once people got them they fast lost interest in what they got.

Then came the 'Marutii' from Suzuki which taught most of the people to use a personal vehicle. There after the interest in cars and their models have not looked back until this day when those who are too much used with all of them are starting to think if they can get from the world of all these vehicles to a vehicle-less period to avoid pollution and save the earth.

The old times..!

Times were of old and the boy lived in his big family. Their difficulty to meet both ends were common among all their neighbours too. The place did not have electricity and electricity was considered to be a luxury of the rich living in city towns or those who lived on either side of the important roads of the village angadii roads.

Those who lived in the inner lanes and bye lanes were used to the non electricity life. Rain and sun shine was plenty. The boy's house was a cutcha house with walls made of mud bricks and a tiled roof. The roof frame was entire built with bamboo stems and the whole structure gave a lot of fresh air. The little house stood on the side boundary of a largbe cashew orchard and it was the duty of the house hold to lok after the orchard. It gave them plenty of unripe cashew which was used to grind chutneys for morning break fast recipes like iddly, dosa or plain ice pudding called kanji.

The land did not belong to the boy's family house hold but to a rich land owner who came once in an year to collect an amount as due, for the usufructs of his land. He was a generous man as he did not insist on a huge amount and this made the life of the boy's family a bit easier compared to the tough land lords who meted out high charges to their lands entrusted to others.

The boys along with his brother roamed around the cashew trees, played there, at times made swings on the branches of the trees and enjoyed themselves. At times their sisters also joined them in these activities and it made the time all the more enjoyable. The father and mother looked after the house hold, father with his meagre incomes from a technical job he was doing in a leather business house and the mother doing all the house hold chores. She was a simple soul whose life revolved round her husand and her children. There was no other division of labour except all the chhildren were free to assist the mother all the time depending on their availability at home.

Mostly there were available as the only out side activity was to go to school which was from ten to four on six days a week. The school was nearby within a two kilometres of the house and all of them walked to school bare foot along with all other children who were also of the same predicament. The children (two girls, if one remembered correctly) from a rich Ayurvdea household came in a black ambasssador car and one child from another rich merchant's house hold came in a colourful single bullock cart in blue colour and the bullock having a bell at its neck. The bell jingled from time to time the cart ran and children made way for it automatically. The car also rarely made a horn, as the children on the road knew almost by heart when the black ambassador will pass.

The children had the aroma and smell of rose flowers which emanated in the gardens of the Christian Convent sister's school. The boys liked the school building as it had, apart from the smell of roses, a first floor with a wooden stair case which once in a while the boys got to climb. Small children were not allowed on the upstairs as the classes of the little ones were always below on the ground floor. The higher classes girls went upstairs to their classes. The boys' elder sisters studied in the first floor and that is how the tiny brothers could enjoy a climb to the first floor and see the little flower garden from upstairs. The boys were surprised to see that the garden had, apart from the roses, chrysanthamums, sun flowers, the yellow scented golden yellow chetti flowers and the purple ten o' clock flowers which opened up at ten o' clock every day.

All these made the school a little heaven from ten to five and the holiday on Sundays they could enjoy the breeze and quiet of the cashew orchard. The schooling of the boys and girls parted ways when the boys passed out of class three as boys above class three were not allowed in a girls school. The school was a girls school and the boys parents were to find other school for the boys. They got a far away school for an year for class four and another Government school after class four. The far away school was good in fresh air and so so in studies which suited both the boys and once they pushed that, were urceremoniously put to the Governent school whhich was also far away in the exactly opposite direction. Putting them to school was simple in those days as the only thing needed was to take them to the new school, give their head count and get their names written in the register for the particular class to which they are to be enrolled. The age etc. was what ever is told to the teachers by the parents or those sent by the parents who accompanied the children. The rest was according to the common sense of the registering teachers. The teachers carried a lot of weight and respect in those days and they also in return gave a lot of honour to the parents or the elders of the children.

Once studies upto Class ten was over, the elder boy went to study a trade in photo graphy and the younger one went to pre college. Both went to the local town, one to a photography studio and the other to the college. The one who went to college had to give a monthly fee to the college where as the one who went to the studio got little sums at times for doing extra work on holidays. The week day works were considered to be apprenticeship and hence the studio owner excused himself. This was fashion in the days of old.

Whatever holiday wages the elder got he brought home and it made their holidays a little posh..in their extreme poverty. Another thing he brought at times were the little batteries which were used up for flash photography. Their parents and all the children w ere surprised to see the small cells as the only cells they used to see were the big torch light cells used in the jeep torch when the elders had to carry at night for being safe from tropical snakes which were abundant and they crossed the roads and rivulets many times at night and one had to be careful as some were extremely poisnous.

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