He loved a game of contract bridge

Here is the twenty seventh unforgettable character in my life …

In those days, there were young men who married by giving information that was not true – it was sad because, after the marriage, it broke many homes. I have seen it happen. Anyway, the person I will now write about did no such thing – he handled the electrical aspects of the fighter aircraft and he got married to a girl who had a wonderful voice. She could render Rabindasangeet like any well-known singer.

He was also a footballer and an acknowledged player of bridge – he and his partner had participated in many national bridge tournaments and rubbed shoulders with the likes of bridge maestro Jimmy Mehta.
The wife was a calm lady, busy in her household activities and came on stage whenever requested to do so to sing Rabindra sangeet – either solo or in a group. In order to assist his wife, my friend learnt how to play the tabla and would accompany his wife on stage. None of them believed in creating problems.
As per traditions of those who live in a place for a very long time, he purchased a plot of land with the intention of building his own house and living there after retirement. The fact that his younger brother also stayed in the city and had a small business of his own added to his desire of staying on here. But, events willed otherwise.
His small family was complete with the only child, a son – he had little or no interest in either games or music. He was a studious boy and moved from one class to the next with honors. He finally became a Doctor and is currently in Pune. There is no certainty of his returning to Nashik. Therefore, my friend has sold off the land and shifted over to Pune to be with his son.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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She sang Rabindrasangeet and organized dance recitals

Here is the eighteenth unforgettable character in my life …

She is a lady who has lived life the hard way. It could have been very much better but things did not work out as she would have liked. She was certainly not at fault but when the dice is stacked against you, you have to accept the consequences.
When I first met her, she and her husband used to organize majority of cultural programs in our township. Some of these were under the banner of the Bengalis, others under the banners of Officers Club or other such agencies. She was like an elder sister and was the ‘didi’ of all Bengali women. A great singer, she had the aptitude of training others to sing like her. Practically no cultural program was complete without her direct involvement. Her husband did the coordinating work and she concentrated on the actual rehearsals – the duo was always in demand and in the limelight.

However, suddenly, her husband fell sick. It was a peculiar skin disease and could not be controlled by any type of medication. There used to be blisters on the exposed portions of the body. The Doctors diagnosed it as an allergy. The illness had disastrous results because he gradually became an invalid and would struggle to walk down to the office. He opted for voluntary retirement and shifted to a rented a flat in the neighborhood. Most of his savings had gone towards his own treatment. Hence, he was in financial difficulties. Ultimately, he passed away and his wife moved over to Bangalore to be with her son and daughter-in-law.
The son had completed his Degree in Engineering and got a job in Bangalore where he met a local girl and married her. But, the mother who spent most of her life making others happy now finds herself at the end of a dark tunnel with only memories for company.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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He sang Rabindra Sangeet and looked after buildings

Here is the sixth unforgettable character in my life …

I met him in the hospital – I had gone for my monthly medical checkup, he had come for some other ailment. He was happy because he would be taking his son the next day to the American visa office – the boy was preparing for his MS in Engineering in an American University. It was good news.
My mind went back to the seventies when he had arrived from Calcutta, ostensibly to escape from the Naxalites. He had a diploma in civil engineering and possessed a wonderful voice, suited to Rabindra Sangeet. He got employed in the Civil engineering department and had to look after the maintenance of buildings.

Within no time, he became a favorite of the Bengalis and assumed a permanent role in the festivals like Rabindra Jayanti, Saraswati puja, and the Durga Puja. He even participated in non-Bengali programs because one who can sing can do so in any language. In due course of time, he married a local girl – she was ambitious, she also could sing and dance. The pair was a made-for-each-other couple. As luck would have it, she got a job on compassionate grounds in the same organization after her father’s premature death.
They had struggled in the initial stages and their son has made them proud now. He has retired from service and, once his son completes his MS from an American University, it would be still more feathers in their caps. My friend is an example of how Lady Luck can shower her blessings, if she wants.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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It was a new day and, while the world was abuzz with speculations, our Didi was calm as always. She knew the answers because she had drawn up strategies that can never fail. She did all the planning and left to her subordinates to give proper shape to the plans.
Moo Cool was with her as were members of the top notch team of Abhi Shake, Dee Wreck, Patro Chatto, Omit Misra, Fear Had, and Bruto Bose. Their eyes were glued on the huge TV set and, as the day progressed, there were sighs of relief - the results had been on expected lines.
‘Get ready for the second innings,’ Didi said as she reached for her phone. It was a congratulatory message from Delhi. ‘Where are the sweets?’ Abhi Shake asked no one in particular.

‘They will come on time,’ Moo Cool said and smiled.
‘Hope they will be suitable for me,’ Omit Misra mumbled. He was suffering from diabetes.
‘Don’t worry,’ Moo Cool assured him. ‘My boys know that. They’ll be here any minute. They are delayed because I have placed the orders only a few hours ago.’
‘But – the orders should have been sent last night,’ Abhi Shake said. ‘That is our tradition.’
‘This time the situation was different,’ Moo Cool said.
‘You mean you had doubts about our performance? You thought we’ll bite dust?’
Moo Cool did not bother to reply. The door opened and Arrah Bull entered with Money Rule - they had with them boxes of sweets. It was a day meant for celebrations and sweets were an integral part of that event. Of course, the sweets were specially prepare with the diabetics in mind.
Suddenly Didi spoke.
‘Dee Wreck, what message have you put up on our site?’
‘I have prepared a draft,’ he said. ‘Once you approve it, I’ll post it.’
‘Remember – our sights must now be on going national,’ Didi said. ‘Let us take our very own Bengali culture to very home in the country.'
‘You mean our variety of unique foods?’
‘Foods and songs.’
‘Songs?’
‘Yes – Rabindrasangeet. Since Hindi is the language of the masses, I want to spread Rabindrasangeet to the villages of Bihar, UP, MP. We want penetration and songs will be the medium. Once they get addicted to those songs, we’ll have them eating from our hands. I want to rope in singers who will deliver the goods.’
‘But we do not have such singers,’ Patro Chatto said.
‘Search and you will find them,’ Didi said. ‘TV reality shows throw up fantastic talents. That could be the starting point. I want Rabindrasangeet to be played at every street crossing. It was a hit in Kolkata, I want it to be a hit in Patna, Lucknow and other cities as well.’
‘I’ll put Arrah Bull and Money Rule on the job,’ Moo Cool said. ‘They have mastered the art of convincing people.’ (to be continued …)


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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