JAYANTI ASHRAM - IV

Parel, 7th Nov’11: The other two persons here worth mentioning apart from Samir are Ajit and Jagat Narayan jee. Ajit is the brother-in-law of Samir and the septuagenarian Jagat Narayan jee is the cashier of the NGO. Ajit is a married man and a man of his age. Aged in his early forties this man is quite the silent type and believes in being punctual while trying his utmost in taking individual personal care of each boarder. Ajit is equally generous in attitude like Samir but the fact remains that Ajit does not want Samir to mix up with the boarders frequently as he fears that some boarder might not like it. Ajit being much older sometimes scolds Samir but it has no effect. It seems that Samir has a world of his own and that he is very much contented and happy in it. Samir especially feels happy when somebody praises his cooking. Ajit hails from Habra and Samir from Kalyani in West Bengal. Jagat Narayan jee on the other hand hails from Gujarat. He came to Bombay (he prefers Bombay instead of Mumbai) in the year 1959. He is aged 73 as he tells me while narrating endless interesting incidents that centre on his life and this big mega cosmopolitan. There is a joke that prevails in this foundation. It is about the age of Jagat Narayan Jee. I came to this foundation on 22nd Sept 2011. It is then that I first met those persons mentioned. There was one elderly couple Mr. Sushanto Bose (a retired professor in economics from Presidency) and Mrs. Sumitra Bose (a retired Headmistress from a reputed High School) whom I met then. They were an aged and jovial couple. They always found humour in whatever they faced. The elderly couple first came to Mumbai in middle of 2009 when Mr. Bose had to undergo a staggering 11 hours lungs surgery. Mrs. Bose underwent an open heart surgery two years after her retirement from school. They keep each other comfortable and are a source of inspiration for others. Sumitra Bose told me once while chatting and sipping evening tea, that she once asked Jagat Narayan jee his age. To that he replied he was 73 years old. This time, two years later while chatting with Jagat Narayan Jee one evening he on his own told me that he is quite old. He told that he is 73 years now and that he can do all his work alone and is not dependent on anybody. To this I recollected what Sumitra Bose told me 2 months back and laughter gurgled up from deep within me. I somewhat suppressed that giggle and we proceeded on with Jagat Narayan Jee’s conversation in the company of 2 other boarders. Ajit who is also in this foundation right from its inception, tells us that Jagat Narayan Jee for some reason never crosses the limit of ‘magical 73’ - A reason not known to us.

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JAYANTI ASHRAM - III

For some people over here Samir is merely a cook and for some his reputation precedes the etymology of his name. I pity on the senses of those persons who could never look beyond his profession of being a cook. Samir told me two days back during a private conversation that many other big hotels and restaurant in and around Parel have offered him a pretty tempting amount if he renders them this selfsame service. He denied them every time with a shrug of the shoulder and a smile saying, “... that Mr. Dostidar’s father gave him shelter when he had no one to call his own. So, he would never leave Rekha Foundationjust for money...”. It seemed to me that, he is trying to repay something back in return for the good graces of the old samaritan. Well I guess somebody is watching Samir from high above in the heavens and I hope he has a bright future ahead of him. At twenty four years of age, Samir is way apart from the boys of his age group. He is far matured and ahead of his times than one would expect. What would we think of a boy who has been deprived of a home that everyone of us desire and yet still reject the wealth that life has to offer him? His speciality lies in the fact that he clings to some basic principles and never compromised that on grounds that other persons naturally would. Each day he enquires about the patient’s well being on his own. People find solace in conversing with him. Though his life has been a tragic one till date, yet I never found him looking on the darker side of things. He keeps on boosting people and even goes to the extent of cooking some special dishes if someone really so desires. Samir has one thing in which he takes great pride and also needs special mention. His collection of clothes is a sight to watch. He changes clothes at least 4 times a day if not more. When many families are there adding a lot of pressure to his time table he just changes once after his bath. On the contrary when lesser families inhabit this guest house, his changing of clothes like that of the rainbow changing its colours is a treat to watch. He feels somewhat shy when asked about his stockpile of clothes. He visits showrooms and cloth stores atleast 3/4 times a month. Since he does not get ample time to get away from the premises of the NGO, his fascination for stylish clothes neutralises his other desires that he cannot fulfil due to want of time.

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JAYANTI ASHRAM - I

PAREL, 6th Nov’11: This time the Mumbai trip was planned well in advance. It was to be from 1^st Nov to 7^th Nov. I am writing this down as a testament to the fact that, we would perhaps return to our hometown a week later from today. It is 4.45pm now in Parel that I have started to jot down my recollections of the past 5 days. Our flight landed in Mumbai at 9pm instead of 7pm. This was not in our time schedule and thus we fell short of our plans for the evening in Mumbai. We reached an organisation named “Rekha Foundation” where we were supposed to stay for the next one week. This NGO is run by a Bengali named Prithwish Dostidar who works as a CEO in a company in Dubai. It is managed by a lady named Mitali Sarkar, whose Bengali seems more like a mumbaikar than a Bengali from Bengal. This establishment housed in a building aptly named ‘Jayanti Ashram’ can at a time accommodate 8 families. After coming here I came to understand the meaning of the phrase, ‘A home away from home’. My mother is somewhat conservative in her food habits, especially after her surgery earlier this year. I on the other hand being a Bengali though grew up among non-bengali friends right throughout my school and college days. We had the habit of sharing our lunch in the recess period. Doing so year after year made me quite habituated with the food habits prevalent outside West Bengal. Here though common homemade items are available prepared by Bengali cook from our home state! 

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DID YOU FEEL?

Did you in yourself ever feel,
the urge, silence and thrill?
One that creeps up from deep,
a feeling that is yours to keep.


Like a splinter in a bonfire,
filled with love and not ire.
I stay warm in your bosom,
with each throb love blossom.


Your absence from me taunts,
your smile to me haunts.
Like the fragrance of spring,
a freshness it does bring.


Like water drop on dry land,
being together hand in hand.
I count days, you count hours,
like fading fragrance of flowers.
The sky and horizon would meet,
a blissful sight and heavenly treat.


Prasenjit©1997-2011