Just a small continuation of the last post. I forgot to add a few things.
Bablan was born on 9th September, 1971.
Bhumba was born on 22nd July 1972.
Bhumba was always the smarter of the two and Bablan was the good one, as the first borns usually are. Bhumba was terriby naughty and mischievious; he escaped reprimand or punishment easily. You know how? Simple. He would disappear from the "crime" scene and leave Bablan with the evidence of his mischief. Bablan never understood what was happening. Never. He would be the one to get the shouting or scolding, while Bhumba was hiden some place else. Till such time that the naughty one was caught one fine day. He broke the mirror from Bishu mama's bike and was coolly passing it on to Bablan, who would be left standing with the broken pieces. Hahaha! What fun. All kids are the same.
Bumba and Vimto were thick as thieves. Both had the silent, mischievious nature. I remember that day in 1977, before Pussycat was born. It was ladies' day at the centre and Rooma, Swapna and I were inside taking the class. In those days we had curtains at the gate, which opened to the lawn in the middle and one could see straight into Rooma's house. Yoshodhara Behen from Ahemdabad had come to spend her holidays with her guruji and us, as usual. She was a Hindi teacher with St.Xaviers, Ahmedabad. Yashodhara was there on the second floor and had gone to take her evening bath. Baba was either still to go up for his tea or had finished, can't remember. The curtains were fluttering inside the classroom when one lady close to the curtains shouted "fire". All of us turned to her and then looked up to where she was pointing. The green tarpaulin blinds on the second floor were on fire. The first thought was the boys were probably there and so run, run to save them. By the time Rooma, Swapna, I and some other teachers came running, we found Baba laughing and scolding at the same time. Laughing because Yasodhara panicked inside the bathroom and came out "as is" condition. Scolding whom? The two culprits were standing in the extreme corner of the small balcony and I tell you, the expressions on their faces was priceless. Both Bhumba and Vimto had some fascination for fire, don't know why. They had been warned, scolded many a times. Somehow, Bhumba had got hold of the match box from the kitchen and then both of them hid under the long tarpaulin cover to do some testing, if you please. Well rest is history. The blinds was more than half burned. What is amazing is that Bhumba and Vimto had the sense to cower down to the ground to save themselves. Thank God they were unscathed.
The following are two instances of Rooma's punishment method.
Bablan, yes Bablan, must have been about 2-3 yars old and got into some mischief (naturally). Rooma had the freehand to override the elders in most matters and it was the same in this case. She had Bablan locked up in the first floor bathroom without any light for a couple of hours. This was at 4/2 Rammohan Roy Road house, now more popular as the Ghosh Yoga College. Some of you who have gone and stayed there in recent times will be aware of this particular bathroom. Of course, modifications and updations have been done over the years. In those days, this bathroom used to always look like a dark cavernous giant waiting to swallow you. I, myself never went in and always sped by when I had to cross it. I remember it as a terrifying place. There was just a small window outlet on the opposite wall, from where you could understand the difference between night and day. You know those windows you see in stark prison cells? Well once you closed the door and without light even the strongest of hearts would miss a beat or more. Bablan went through that punishment. Whether it left any emotional scars ---??????
This happened in New Alipore. Pussycat was born and more mishcievious, naughty and smarter than her four elder brothers. But she was also a girl and so loved to watch her pishi (Rooma) dress up. It used to be a treat for her if Rooma would let her in the room (first floor) and feast her eyes on all those things laid out on her pishi's dressing table. It so happened one day, the maid Kamini (found her working for Swapna in 1997), took Pussy with her into Rooma's room, when she was not there. Well, how can a girl of 2-3 years let the chance go by! she played with her pishi's bindi set and may have displaced them. When Rooma came back in the late afternoon and checked with the maid, she sent her upstairs to call Pussy down immediately. By this time, of course, all five kids were fast asleep. Having their afternoon nap. I told the maid I will send Pussy down when she gets up. Rooma sent back the maid with the message that Pussy must be awakened right now and sent down. Swapna, who was there with me, said do it or else there will be hell to pay. So a drowsy Pussy was pulled down the stairs to be punished for having touched Rooma's bindi set. When I came down to see what was happening Rooma sternly told me to stay out of it and Pussy would be standing facing a wall corner for one hour as punishment.
I remember Baba telling me once - I know I have to live for another 20 years at least because I have to bring up these monkeys (grandchildren) and put them on track." I too had the same dream that all the four boys would be brought up well and take the yoga institute to the next level. All that was shattered and Rooma became the surveyor of all. Amen.
Bablan was born on 9th September, 1971.
Bhumba was born on 22nd July 1972.
Bhumba was always the smarter of the two and Bablan was the good one, as the first borns usually are. Bhumba was terriby naughty and mischievious; he escaped reprimand or punishment easily. You know how? Simple. He would disappear from the "crime" scene and leave Bablan with the evidence of his mischief. Bablan never understood what was happening. Never. He would be the one to get the shouting or scolding, while Bhumba was hiden some place else. Till such time that the naughty one was caught one fine day. He broke the mirror from Bishu mama's bike and was coolly passing it on to Bablan, who would be left standing with the broken pieces. Hahaha! What fun. All kids are the same.
Bumba and Vimto were thick as thieves. Both had the silent, mischievious nature. I remember that day in 1977, before Pussycat was born. It was ladies' day at the centre and Rooma, Swapna and I were inside taking the class. In those days we had curtains at the gate, which opened to the lawn in the middle and one could see straight into Rooma's house. Yoshodhara Behen from Ahemdabad had come to spend her holidays with her guruji and us, as usual. She was a Hindi teacher with St.Xaviers, Ahmedabad. Yashodhara was there on the second floor and had gone to take her evening bath. Baba was either still to go up for his tea or had finished, can't remember. The curtains were fluttering inside the classroom when one lady close to the curtains shouted "fire". All of us turned to her and then looked up to where she was pointing. The green tarpaulin blinds on the second floor were on fire. The first thought was the boys were probably there and so run, run to save them. By the time Rooma, Swapna, I and some other teachers came running, we found Baba laughing and scolding at the same time. Laughing because Yasodhara panicked inside the bathroom and came out "as is" condition. Scolding whom? The two culprits were standing in the extreme corner of the small balcony and I tell you, the expressions on their faces was priceless. Both Bhumba and Vimto had some fascination for fire, don't know why. They had been warned, scolded many a times. Somehow, Bhumba had got hold of the match box from the kitchen and then both of them hid under the long tarpaulin cover to do some testing, if you please. Well rest is history. The blinds was more than half burned. What is amazing is that Bhumba and Vimto had the sense to cower down to the ground to save themselves. Thank God they were unscathed.
The following are two instances of Rooma's punishment method.
Bablan, yes Bablan, must have been about 2-3 yars old and got into some mischief (naturally). Rooma had the freehand to override the elders in most matters and it was the same in this case. She had Bablan locked up in the first floor bathroom without any light for a couple of hours. This was at 4/2 Rammohan Roy Road house, now more popular as the Ghosh Yoga College. Some of you who have gone and stayed there in recent times will be aware of this particular bathroom. Of course, modifications and updations have been done over the years. In those days, this bathroom used to always look like a dark cavernous giant waiting to swallow you. I, myself never went in and always sped by when I had to cross it. I remember it as a terrifying place. There was just a small window outlet on the opposite wall, from where you could understand the difference between night and day. You know those windows you see in stark prison cells? Well once you closed the door and without light even the strongest of hearts would miss a beat or more. Bablan went through that punishment. Whether it left any emotional scars ---??????
This happened in New Alipore. Pussycat was born and more mishcievious, naughty and smarter than her four elder brothers. But she was also a girl and so loved to watch her pishi (Rooma) dress up. It used to be a treat for her if Rooma would let her in the room (first floor) and feast her eyes on all those things laid out on her pishi's dressing table. It so happened one day, the maid Kamini (found her working for Swapna in 1997), took Pussy with her into Rooma's room, when she was not there. Well, how can a girl of 2-3 years let the chance go by! she played with her pishi's bindi set and may have displaced them. When Rooma came back in the late afternoon and checked with the maid, she sent her upstairs to call Pussy down immediately. By this time, of course, all five kids were fast asleep. Having their afternoon nap. I told the maid I will send Pussy down when she gets up. Rooma sent back the maid with the message that Pussy must be awakened right now and sent down. Swapna, who was there with me, said do it or else there will be hell to pay. So a drowsy Pussy was pulled down the stairs to be punished for having touched Rooma's bindi set. When I came down to see what was happening Rooma sternly told me to stay out of it and Pussy would be standing facing a wall corner for one hour as punishment.
I remember Baba telling me once - I know I have to live for another 20 years at least because I have to bring up these monkeys (grandchildren) and put them on track." I too had the same dream that all the four boys would be brought up well and take the yoga institute to the next level. All that was shattered and Rooma became the surveyor of all. Amen.
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