The little geniuses

We sit watching TV as usual , we do almost everything according to the times of our favourite programmes- breakfast , lunch and dinner ,with plates in our hands,plonked in the sofa. Only when children are around,remembering the disciplining we have done in the past,we uncomfortably sit in the dining table and to admit truly, food does not taste as good as it does normally.We miss the good serials and the freedom of eating as we please.

At every step we were monitored,we had to walk a certain way,talk a certain way,not  laugh loudly in public.We resented this control but even when elders were not around ,we could not be otherwise,for we had been indoctrinated and we grew up with unshakeable faith ,that what they taught us would take us into a glorious future.It sure did.And gave us the strength to bring up our own youngsters with the same principles.But slowly, very slowly,we could feel a little defiance creeping into the adolescent minds though they did not openly go against the codes of conduct established by  the seniors,who themselves were still obedient to what they were taught.They might have had their own questions but were too submissive to even seek the answers.Their young ones rebelled once in a while and when we thought that they were not too wrong,we did give in.This was rare, very rare.But we started realising that the way we revered our elders was slowly disappearing.There was respect but with that had come in a thousand doubts and following  the command without thinking twice,was no more going to be the order of the day.

Now when we look around,we see sparks of brightness all around us,all the time.To keep pace, we have to sharpen our thinking capabilities too.The rich experiences our lives gave us,are still not adequate to cope up with the deluge of questions of the budding minds.In this process,we are forced to constantly learn,most of the times from them. Life is not easy but interesting every moment Questions are very,very interesting but not always easy to answer.So when we are alone,not having to face the overwhelming intelligence,we can do what we please-hold the plates in our hands, watch a tear jerker movie and be silly,the ultimate in relaxation! 

Kaspar

There was a time when I was dead set against having pets at home.From far,a neighbour's dog was cute and when they described the antics of their pets,I admired their enthusiasm more than the dog's mischiefs.So on that Sunday afternoon,when the kids and the hubby decided to go on a tour of various dog breeders' places,I joined them just to be with them.They also promised that they would only look around,knowing my reluctance to have a four legged monster at home.

Prior to this  had been many occasions ,when neglected neighbourhood dogs found our home a safe haven.I remember a dog rapping at our door in the middle of the night,knowing well that he definitely would be fed well,given a cosy corner to curl in.And Jahangir our block's watchdog,who followed me everywhere I went,stopping only when his boundary ended.There was Seetalakshmi,who waddled into our compound knowing her mid morning snack awaited her.The names were fondly chosen because we wanted "traditional "names-not just Tommy or Jimmy!

Then ,on this lazy Sunday afternoon,I went out not knowing that my life would  turn upside down,all my past resolutions would fly out of the window and that one darling black ball would roll into my life,change my outlook on pets,why,even my entire perspective of life in general.That was our first stop and as we walked into the sparkling house with white marble tiles,little did I anticipate how my life was about to change.After a few minutes of polite conversation,the breeder brought out this black bundle from inside.This was love at first sight!

My next move puzzled my brood.I did not want to go anywhere else,no more options.My pet had chosen me!Even then,I felt squeamish touching the shiny black  toy.Kids totally handled him.And we brought him home.What followed was chaos!He pooped and peed everywhere,I did wonder what was going inside that so much was coming out.He hid himself in the smallest of niches and to locate him at first was fun and then turned exasperating.Ofcourse the kids disappeared shortly,feigning to finish their "projects" and I was left alone to clean up the mess  little Blackie was creating.Thus was spent the first evening and night,by the end of which I had a splitting headache and a huge question mark in my mind -"have I done right by bringing this hooligan inside my home?"But no,I could not bear to think of returning him to the breeder.

The  black ball was the favourite of the area.The speed at which he grew!We pored over books with quaint doggy names-settled for Kaspar which was not in the books.I felt he looked like Casper the friendly ghost!But the spelling had to be unique.Everything centred around him.Everyone doted on him.He commanded attention constantly and we were all too eager to please him.Now I could visibly feel the faithfulness and warmth of this beautiful creature.So handsome,so handsome!He developed tan also and was suitable to go on ramps at dog shows-that is what anyone who saw him said.Not only what we fed him but also the love and attention we gave him ,made him a model, I suppose.Fourteen years of bliss with this delight changed each one of us into better human beings.

He was good and problem free and decided to go the same way he lived.Went for his evening walk,had a small snack  AND THEN after a few hours of agony, he died.When I think about that evening,I choke even now,a decade later.We both sat next to him,could see he was in pain,even after giving him medicines,knew he was slipping but also knew he felt comforted by our presence and sat through the night.Early morning,he was gone.He  gave us a sort of love that no human being,even our own children,gave us.Even through his pain and gasping,his eyes were fixed on his master and we hoped that  he understood the love we had for him ,felt comforted as he was leaving.

Now,I have gone back to my original view " no pets"Why pour your heart's capacity of love and care,knowing that one day,that  wonder  would be snatched away from you?I also can now never think "a dog's life" is thankless.Maybe to be born again as Kaspar is something I would wish.Noble,faithful,selflessly loving.Who would not be willing to be something like that? And to have been loved and cared for like he was.No one, nothing can replace him.Will we,can we think of replacing someone dear to us,another human being? Kaspar ,for us,is irrreplaceable. He lives on in our hearts.

Old is gold

Maybe I have reached an age, when all things old seem gold.Though all we had were very simple,every little piece of plaything was shared.There were not too many toys or books to hold on to.No competition to possess more-the whole neighbourhood was one big home.All of us played together and there was an unwritten code-all of us returned home by dusk.There were no TVs, nobody instructed us to study.But we did settle down with our homework,finished that in a jiffy and maintaining the same postures,shared silly jokes,giggled ,made merry till dinner time.After dinner,we went early to bed,listening to soft music from the huge Radio in one corner of the room.Aah,what days!

Roads wore a deserted look by 7 PM.Most of the 9 to 5 job men would by then have returned home.Children also settled to their day to day routine,  after tiring themselves out running and playing on the roads.Elders went about their chores quietly.Very little traffic on the roads and so the evenings were calm. There were few shops- I remember Chatterji dokan (shop)with all our needs -pencils,erasers sharpeners etc, Lala's shop selling groceries,a bookshop with a grandiose name National Library,the dhobi's shop ever busy.For all other major needs was Lake Market.We were all very contented with these simple outlets,which catered to all our necessities.We did venture a little farther on occasions to Rash Behari Avenue with big shops,Desha priya Park Hawker's corner with its small stalls,fulfilled our desire for "shopping".When I walk up and down malls now,not satisfied the least with the multi various products offered with so much glitter,I remember the thrill the pencils and erasers of  uncle Chatterji's dokan brought  us. The borrowed books at the wayside stall Dakshini,where we deposited a rupee in the morning to take with us four books(!!) ,to stealthily pore over them during the boring classes at college and return them on the way back ,can Kindle hold a candle to that?Many a times Dakshini kaka waved us off without taking that rupee!The poori baaji at the college canteen,the Coke we bought  with students' concession(!!)How we gathered at the lawns of the college,discussed various topics,the laughter and mirth! Film stars and Binaca geetmala were top on our lists.  Nothing can bring all that back.

Times have changed.Everything is available in abundance.People have money to blow.Children are born into an atmosphere of luxury,achieving mastery over electronic products and due to the tremendous challenges they face in life,they are super smart.They cannot be otherwise or else they will be left far behind in the race of life.There are no more  neighbourhood kakas or chachas to protect and pamper them,for they are also running in the race,slightly behind the youngsters because their world was less competitive and so they are now struggling.The golden old timers have been left far behind.They just limp slowly to somehow reach the destination (where is it? how long yet?)But their hearts are filled with gratitude for having been granted a glorious childhood and adolescence,which has now prepared them to trudge along their paths slowly but steadily.