Lofty Gift

Back after a short break. Had been to Delhi last week; as I stepped beyond the air conditioned airport glass door, had a burning sensation. Moved fast to hop into the Innova which I thought should have had an a/c. The driver claimed it was functional, my physical discomfort confronted.
Scorching heat is not new to me – have been brought up in a similar dry town. School usually gave a six weeks holiday with endless homework during summer. I hated all, except solving Algebra problems. In spree of figuring out the value of x, I have often missed seeing the setting sun.

I inherited an edition of K.C.Nag’s Algebra book from my middle uncle. He had a habit of scribing his name on the header of a few pages of any academic book. It is common across all my inherited properties. On each problem that was ticked with royal blue fountain pen ink, I marked the second one with black jotter pen.

Every overridden tick, made me feel I won a competition over him – a game I played alone. That was my best connect with him as we met once in five years. It was a similar stuffy summer, post lunch I had opened up exercise book as a dutiful student to complete the unwanted workload when the door bell buzzed. I peeped thru’ the window to see my maths competitor standing with my aunt.

The lonely afternoon became so lively in a while. They had come down for a few hours and had a train to board in the evening. Like flash of lightening, time passed and we were in good bye mode. As a token of gift I was used to accepting money from relatives who paid such sudden visits. 50 or 100 rupees denomination was common. Being a Bengali a few mentioned having good amount of sweets, some spoke of buying dress material and many kept it open ended, pampering to do whatever you like , while softly pushing the cash gift.

That was the first time I saw a note worth 500 rupees. That is 80’; mind the value of money in those decades. But the real worth was different. They both gave it to me together very openly in front of my parents. He added – “Open a bank account. You are now in high school, should be familiar with banking operations. Banking is mostly the maths you practice every afternoon!”

The following Saturday I saw a branch of State Bank of India for the first time. This gift was not money for me it was new door of learning for me.

When the Innova reached his apartment this time, my cousin was half way thru’ rituals… My competitor was smiling at me from the photo frame with garland and fragrance all around.

Gyan #19 - A simple idea can be a life time gift.

[ My tribute to a man with whom I shared academic books over two generations, debated on many thoughts of life, luck and beyond and one whom I called my uncle.]