Only Vimal to Blame!

Hilu's Brother, Bhabi and Moi
Hilu, care to fill in the name blank ? :-}


When Daddy was alive we did have our family conversations. And although we heard him we actually never cared to listen. That was the reason that when I wrote my book I got most of the information not from his living lips but from lifeless sheets of interviews and letters. Of course Mummy and the endless relations filled in the blanks and I also had my memories to bank upon but that didn’t stop my conscience from having endless regrets. Which is the reason I have learnt to squeeze out every drop from life, whether from the past or present and live every moment as if it were the last.

Interestingly, now this exercise has become a lot easier. Especially performing the excavations of recall. And we have Only Vimal to blame! Incidents, anecdotes and even the flavours of the past are being so beautifully recollected here that it feels like a sin not to be a part of this Postcard. Long forgotten relationships are so tenderly being brought to the fore that at times it almost feels like the threads were never broken.

Last time when Faiyaz and I went to Berhampur we had visited our School. Although the entire atmosphere spelt change with a capital C, we realised with a pang that the emotions had remained unchanged. The old pictures flashed by, a fond recognition of a painful pleasure that was not merely an intangible feeling but also a tangible one- something like the delightful soreness one feels after a bout of heavy exercise. In fact after we came home Faiyaz also had plans to visit Hilu’s Mom but time was a constraint.

This time I insisted on going. I had met Gadgill Auntie (Alps and Ashs’ mom) in Mumbai and very recently I also met Patro Uncle and Auntie (Sarita and Chumki’s parents). When I suggested meeting Rath Auntie, I could see that Nigar was a bit hesitant. It never occurred to me that her hesitation was not because she did not want to go but because she was unsure of something. You see, death is a delicate issue and my sister certainly did not want to pronounce any sentence on anyone without a certainty. I don’t know but perhaps she also felt a little guilty and shameful for not remembering something as important as whether an old family acquaintance of ours was alive or dead.

By the way, all these qualms and assumptions took place entirely in her mind. Not a word to me was spoken. So imagine my shock when I arrived and asked for ‘Auntie’ and was greeted with a stunned expression from Hilu’s brother and Bhabi. Only then does Madame Nigar agree with them and say something like…’That’s what…muh bhi bhaabu thili je kintu I was not sure’. Goodness, couldn’t she have given a hint of her ‘doubt’ to me? But then that’s Nigar for you :-}

Anyway, we were greeted warmly by the couple and believe it or not it felt like we were among family. Nigar in her own loquacious way kept the conversation flowing and we carried on talking about they and them and this and that. Some sweet moments followed with us being served (hold your breath and your salivary glands) Chenna Podo Pitha. Needless to say it was so fresh and so yummmmmilious! Soon it was time to go.

Hilu’s brother was anxious to read my first book. Nigar promised to send it across from her IMS library since there are no more copies of the first edition. Just as well, I thought. It is better it adorns the shelves of friends who value Daddy, rather than of those that do not have the time to read. The only problem was when I was about to sign the next day, I realized I did not know Hilu’s brother’s name. I pestered Nigar to think and think and think but to no avail. This time guilt and shame prevented me from ringing up and finding out. We tried rhyming every name with Omkar. But then assumptions and presumptions can be dealt with other things. Not names! I did n ot know what to do. I could not very well write ‘To Hilu’s Brother’ ;-} Then I remembered that Hilu’s brother had mentioned that meeting us felt like meeting family. So I ended up signing ‘To Bhaina’.

What more can I say folks? I know rewind is only an option in a CD player but with such visits maybe we can try to upload a few memories now and then. And keep refreshing them. So how about that much talked about REUNION?