Memories Of A House -RB-506.Part 1

An  old student(Sangeet Khandait) sent me a photograph of the house I occupied as the Principal of Bal Bharati Public School in Bhopal .It was not the first house that I stayed in when I was the Principal in Bhopal .For a month(when I was alone ) ,I stayed in the Railway Guest House whose  caretaker Sain looked after me well .Once he realized that I liked poories –he made them practically everyday .Once in a while ,I would walk into the kitchen and put “tadka” to the dal he boiled –with lot of tomatoes ,garlic and ginger thrown into “jeera” and “dhania” seeds .I also bought and gave  him a packet of basmati rice –because I was not happy with the rather thick rice he used to cook .But the food was good and the dishes were made on demand,and he served me in my bed in my suite (no 2) .

Once Sangeeta joined me –we shifted into a family accommodation –RB/4 .The railways had a system of classifying houses according to the size .So RB/I was the smallest and RB/5 was the biggest .Usually the numeric denoted the number of rooms that a house had .I was entitled to a RB/5 accomadation ,but the house allotted to me was incomplete because the contractor - Bindra –had stopped work due to delay in payments from the railways .But ,I was more than happy with a 4 bedroomed  house which was double storied .My immediate neighbor was the very amiable  Dr Tandon .He was a Punjabi and we felt comfortable and secure with him next door .Pratique was crawling and cutting his first teeth and was prone to get fever .It was reassuring to have a doctor next door .And he would call us for pakoras and samosas when it rained – his wife made lovely “elaichi” chai to go with it.Sometimes she would send “kadi”!! .It was during one of the  tea get togethers  that Pratique took his first step .Mrs Tandon shouted in glee “Look he is walking”.I still remember that day .And the setting .It was one small step for Pratique –but one huge stride for us –his parents .It is a feeling I cant describe –so I wont try .

We stayed in RB/4 for a year .We were well settled but we were asked to move to RB/5 .Mr Bindras’ payments had been cleared and he completed the project –though not the gate .If you notice the photograph carefully ,the pillars are incomplete .Its amazing that after more than 20 years ,the finishing has not been done .

RB/5 was a big house .4 huge bedrooms and a big drawing cum dining room .It had a big garden in the rear and a decent lawn in the front .But obviously the workmanship was not good enough –it had a huge crack in one of the rooms and it leaked during the monsoons.But Mr Gupta ,JE Maintenance was a fine man  .He always responded whenever we had any problem .Later a student from Rai ,Anand Swaroop joined as the Divisional Engineer in the Railways .And a word from him was like a word from God !!

RB/506  had a garage and a nice outhouse in which Jagdish and his wife Kamala stayed .Jagdish and his wife looked after the kitchen ,the garden ,the washing ,and most importantly Pratique .Jagdish travelled with us everywhere –Ujjain ,Pachmargi,Jabalpur ,Indore ,Sanchi,Sehore ,Raisen ,Delhi ,and even Dehradun and Mussoorie .He was my Jeeves !!

I have many memories of RB/5 .Of regular parties with Mr Puri and his family .We would meet every Saturday –in each others houses alternately for dinner and drinks .Mr Puri was a senior Railway employee and he stayed in the same colony .He was never averse to non vegetarian food and a healthy dose of whiskey!! .He also had a Burma background and we would laugh and talk into the wee hours of the next day .He had a wonderful wife (sadly no more )who hailed from Datia in MP .She was addicted to  Video Games and very good at  Contra and Mario !!And she liked to see Arnold Schwarzenegger films .She had a slightly nasal voice .She was a very lovable human being .  Their sons “rishta” with the Verma family  was finalized in RB/5 .It was a great occasion and we served sumptuous food and good drinks .!!


To be continued .