God gave us memories so that we can have roses in December, said a wag. Roses do not bloom in December month, yet we can have them in our memories! Justice M. C. Chagla, former Union Education Minister, borrowed a phrase from this gem of wisdom when he called his autobiography "Roses in December." A most readable book where he has exposed the hypocrisy of Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Nehru. Let it be.
My father – in - law, K. N. Kushalappa, a humble lower primary school teacher and a poor farmer, who later in his middle age became a coffee planter, died at the ripe old age of 94 in the year 2004. Having been trained as a teacher at the Government Basic Training School, Virajpet, Kodagu, in the year 1950 - 52, he had imbibed certain values and disciplines which included meticulous maintaining of accounts and records, attending to jobs properly, if there was a job to be done, etc. Prompt payment of children's fees at school and college too was one among such qualities along with giving donation for noble causes in the place where he lived and worked.
As such, when his only son rummaged the piles of papers and photos from his old antique almirah, among the papers was found a receipt issued by Sri Sharada Ashram of Ponnampet, South Kodagu, dated 29. 01.1937 as his contribution of two annas (6.25 naya paise per anna) towards the centenary celebration of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
See picture below:
Another interesting record my brother – in - law could ferret out was his correspondence with the famous (for those days) West End Watch Co., Bombay. To possess a West End watch was a status symbol like Patek Philippe, for which the price starts from Rs. 6 lakh upwards. I am told our former Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy wears one. Be that as it may, my old man's West End watch one day conked out in the year 1954. So he wrote to the Watch Co., in Bombay from where he had bought it. The West End Watch Co. promptly wrote to my father – in - law acknowledging the enquiry for repair (see post card picture at top). Could we expect the present day watch companies (or for that matter manufacturers of any other product) to respond so promptly and with such detailed information as is found in the letter dated 4.5.54? I doubt. Why? I can say, these days their policy is to "Sell and Run." After - sales service is not their motto like old times.
Later, on 02. 06. 1954, the Watch Co., wrote another letter acknowledging the receipt etc., as seen in the pix above.
The old man, who was so possessive of this treasure of a watch, had it always with him even when bed - ridden during his last days. But sadly about 15 days before he passed away, the watch was found missing only to be found after a thorough search in the garden, smashed and dumped in a flower bed. The work of some domestic hand as retribution for reprimanding him!
For fear that it might further devastate an old, dying man, the fate of his beloved watch was not revealed to him. If he had missed anything in his life at the time of death, probably it was his favourite West End wrist watch!
And finally, a group photograph of the 1950 - 52 batch of teachers, along with my father – in - law and aunt, mother's youngest sister Devaki, trained at the Govt. Basic Training School, Virajpet, Kodagu, is printed at the bottom. While many of them must have passed on to the world unknown from where no journeyman ever returned, howsoever high and mighty he may be, some are still amidst us. Readers with Kodagu connection may try and find out. Good luck.
And if you want to know how the stamp paper used for writing documents and affidavits looked like during the British days, here they are dated 21. 11. 1932.
Tail Piece:
One of the many secrets of happiness is in recalling ONLY happy memories and not the sad or malicious ones, says the wise KBG!
