Holiday II

The train was slowly moving out of Delhi. Passengers had settled down in their places, while the corridor was buzzing with waiters running from end to end, bringing in mineral water, towels, bedding etc.

A turbaned orderly had served starters a little while ago - cheese पकोराs (Pakoras, meaning fresh deep fried snacks) for me and chicken पकोराs for Baba with some extra pieces for Budu, the spoilt brat, who by his food likings appears to be more of a human than a canine.

The everyday stress of running the house off my shoulder – it felt so comforting. I decided to take a small nap till dinner which was still one hour away. The rocking motion of the train was quite soothing - stirring memories of holidays, when I was in school. Summer vacations were announced on the last day of the academic year. That day we would not walk, but fly, with report cards in hand… छुट्टी! छुट्टी!! छुट्टी!!! (Holidays! Holidays!! Holidays!!!)

The happiness was not for getting a promotion to the next class but for been given holidays. And what did we do for the entire period of छुट्टी? We played cards. कोट पीस! (Coat Piece) Oh! How exciting it was when all twelve hands were taken - slapping a coat on the opponent, with jeers and boos.

तीन दो पांच (Three-two-five  if literally translated)! What devices were employed to save the ace cards from खींचो (being pulled). The game was so frustrating that it was difficult to sustain for a long time and would invariably end with someone throwing away their cards and disappearing from the site.

And we played twenty nine. What innovative methods were invented for sending secret signals to the partner! How Binadi would get agitated, showing claws and fangs to the cheater! Interesting thing was that she herself never played, but just developed allegiance to someone by standing behind him or her, watching the hand. How the game was massacred at the end by muddling up the cards! But the addiction was such that we would assemble again for the next session.

And how we would forget count of time gossiping with friends in their homes! Our mothers would become happy when we became खट्टी (have a tiff) with each other, as only then we would be available for doing their errands.

My day dreaming was interrupted; someone was knocking on the door.

“क्या है?” (What is it?)

“Soup लाया हूँ” (Have brought soup)

I let him in. There were two trays with two thermoses, bowls, spoons, soup sticks, butter and pepper for seasoning. I poured some in my bowl and gave the sticks to Budu. Baba asked the man as to what time dinner will be served. He said it will take another half hour, as it was being cooked in the pantry car…a special arrangement for the passengers of AC first class. For others it would be supplied by the contractors from outside. It was news to us. So we were getting V.I.P. treatment!

MD had given me a Sidney Sheldon crime thriller for the journey. I took it out, but could not go much ahead as the light was poor. I decided to go back to day dreaming instead.

In the summer season all the families slept out in the open yard in front of our house. We would hear चरर्र मर्र्र चूँ चूँ noise of the bullock carts passing on the main road, loaded with तरबूजा (watermelon), खरबूजा (another kind of melon), ककडी (kind of cucumber), चना हरा भरा (green beans) to the market. The noise could be heard throughout the night. Early morning we girls would collect together as per previous arrangement and take an early morning walk towards Brijendra Swaroop Park chewing the नीम (Neem) stick, spitting all the way, (would it not be called madness in today’s civilized world?) keeping an eye on the सिंगरी hedges for the ripe pinkish fruits.

And those Ice Cream parties, when word would go round that ice cream will be made today at Dadur bari. That day everyone would forget his most important engagement and camp around the wooden ice cream maker. It needed a lot of churning.We all lent our hands turn by turn, with our bowls ready. And when the can was opened, we would jostle like scavengers for a scoop. How heavenly it tasted. Unforgettable!! This treat was repeated – when one passed the board exams with first division.

And the awe inspiring नगाडा of Muharram!! It was terrifying. We would be awakened from our sleep and run towards the gate for watching the procession carrying tajiyas and chanting something like ‘Hassan Hussain Karbala’. In warring tones!

There was a knock on the door.

“Come in, it is open” I said.

A waiter came in with two trays loaded with sealed bowls. Rice, पराठा (fried roti), डाल (dal) सब्जी (vegetable) , chicken or पनीर (cottage cheese) curry दही (curd), रसगुल्ला (Bengali dessert) and a green banana which looked as hard as rock. Baba was getting ready rolling up his sleeves to demolish the fare. Budu was smacking his lips

I am a small eater, with a middle class mentality. Food comes costly these days. Why spoil and waste by pecking from each bowl? I keep the पराठा and the dry सब्जी and rasogolla and return the other bowls untouched so that they would not go to the dust bin. We had one more day in the train, so practicing some restraint was necessary.

Dinner over, now we could go to bed. I was in the lower berth. Baba asked me to put off the light. Budu was with me. Sleep comes easily in a train. Just then I heard a knock on the door.

“अब क्या हुआ?” (What now?) There was irritation in my voice.
Ice cream, madam.

Now who would say no to ice cream, even after having our fill.

He placed three cups on the table, obviously one for Budu. And asked me if I would like one extra as according to him I did not eat enough.

So thoughtful! Such hospitality! I decided to tick ‘excellent’ in the report sheet, which we were given to fill up.

Next day I kept myself busy with Sidney Sheldon. It was quite gripping from the very beginning. By the time our journey ended at Bangalore, I had finished half of it. AD was there on the platform. She got a frenzied hug from Budu, which lasted for too long - attracting people’s gaze. It was early morning. Crowds had not yet spilled on the roads. We passed the state Assembly and more govt. buildings. Very stately! We were in the much heard of Silicon Valley.