By Savitri Narayan
Karan went to the Bright Kids Primary School in south Goa. The final exam results had just been announced and, as expected, he had passed with good marks. The very thought of moving on to the high school in Rajnagar, that too in the school bus was very exciting!
But that was two months away, when the schools reopen to start the new academic year! What about the summer vacation? Two months of fun time, do nothing but play and have fun with friends! Could go trekking, spend hours watching TV, roam around the beach, even learn swimming in the sea! Karan did know swimming but what was interesting was swimming in the Arabian Sea! Arun had mentioned that his uncle was planning to get a coach to guide him and his friends. Maybe they could join the class too! Karan did know swimming, had even gone for the inter-school swimming competition but imagine swimming in the Arabian Sea! If only papa and mummy agreed and talked to the instructor.
But over dinner, everything changed!
“Have a passport but have never have gone abroad!” said mummy. “Here’s our chance to go to France!”
“Sounds good, let’s go!” said papa. He’d travelled to different countries as part of his career as a project engineer but was quite encouraged and interested in mummy’s idea. The conversation shifted to some organisation arranging a week-long trip to France. Karan lost interest and looked around.
“What about Karan! The trip is only for grown-ups!” said mummy. They lowered their voice and continued to talk. Soon papa pulled Karan into the conversation.
“Karan, as we explore Europe, would you like to spend your summer vacation with Dadaji in Mussoorie?”
Karan agreed instantly so they went on with their plans, mummy’s first trip abroad.
‘The summer vacation in Mussoorie, how exciting!’ thought Karan as he went to bed.
It must have been a few years since Karan had been to Mussoorie. A few years ago they all had been there for some family get-together. There was something warm and beautiful about Dadaji’s bungalow! Large lawns and open sky all around and the Himalayas gracefully blessing you!
“Papa, book my ticket to Mussoorie and you both have a good time abroad!” said Karan at breakfast time. A few days later he was in the bungalow’s lawn, admiring the Himalayas!
******
‘Life’s very different here!’ thought Karan as he came out onto the lawn. Since Dadiji passed away a year ago, Dadaji opted to live all by himself. Papa and mummy wanted him in Goa, but Dadaji refused to relocate.
“This is home,” he said, “Don’t worry, there are good people around!”
Kaalu kaka and Laxmi aunty were trust-worthy helpers who had been around decades, may be since papa was a baby! Laxmi aunty arrived at sunrise, cooked lovely food and went home only after Dadaji’s dinner.
Once in the bungalow, Karan realised how different life was in Mussoorie from his south Goa flat.
Dadaji spent a lot of time watching TV, whereas in Goa, Karan hardly ever watched TV! Dadaji watched old English movies and some sports programmes. In the evenings, a friend of his came over to play chess. How much they enjoyed playing chess! Some evenings a friend or two came over, had a drink or walked on the lawn. Often, they stayed on for dinner and Laxmi aunty ensured delicious food ready on the table!
Dadaji had changed the room next to his reading room into a playroom for Karan. It had so many toys! Building blocks, bats, balls, aeroplanes, cars and even a pair of binoculars! He also had placed a small bookshelf with some story books on it. Obviously Dadaji wanted his grandson to be happy!
What Karan was looking for was company of other children to play with! How long can one play alone with toys? Of course, Kalu kaka was around to make sure that Karan was comfortable and looked after. When Karan sat down on the carpet with the toys, very often Kalu kaka would also try to play with him or make conversation.
One morning as he was building a tower, Karan asked, “Kalu kaka, you stay here the whole day in this bungalow and so does Laxmi aunty, who looks after your house? Who is there at home?”
“At home, I have my family, betey,” said Kalu kaka.
“Who’s your family? Who are all there?”
“My brother and a cousin with their wives and children and, of course, my wife and children!”
“How interesting, so many of you in the family!”
“We’ve rented a room in Kushgaon, about two kilometres away!”
“You all stay in ONE room!”
“What to do betey! We’re from a village in UP near Farookabad, we go to different places looking for work. Places like Dehradun and Mussoorie are where rich people like your Dadaji build large bungalows and people like me get to work in the garden or in the kitchen. We clean or drive cars, mop floors, cook food, take care of babies or dogs – anything to fill our hungry stomachs!”
“You said you have children at home, how old are they? Who cooks for them?”
“The government school that they go to gives them food too!”
“How old are they? Which class are they in?”
‘I might get some playmates,’ was Karan’s thought.
“I don’t know who goes to which class but they all do their homework, sometimes till late at night!”
“Do they have toys to play with?”
“We don’t think of toys, betey, we need to have food and also save some money to build a home back in the village! Thanks to kind people like your Dadaji, we survive!”
“It’s time to eat, come,” Laxmi aunty appeared at the door, “Dadaji is waiting!”
‘How to help?’ was Karan’s thought as he went to bed.
***
“Missing Goa and your parents?” asked Dadaji at breakfast.
“No dadaji, so much fun out here!”
“Papa called, they are missing you!” Dadaji laughed aloud, “They’ll be back home tomorrow evening and you’ll be flying back by day after tomorrow’s flight!”
“I’ll be back next vacation, Dadaji, it’s so good to be here!” said Karan, “I have a request!”
“Go ahead!”
Karan continued, “You’ve purchased so many toys and story books for me and I have so many in Goa too; so with your permission, shall we pass on these to those children?”
Dadaji put down his teacup, looked fondly at Karan and called out, “Kalu, Laxmi see how caring my grandson is! Before he goes to the airport, will handover the toys and books to you for the children of your family!”
There were tears of joy in every eye and a smile on every lip.
(Savitri Narayanan is a retired educationist at present in Goa. A mother and grandmother, loves readig, writing and travelling.)
