It was mid of the day, I had my class 7th results in my hand and I was crying - bauji, I am sorry, I will not do it again, I will study harder, as I escape the beating from his walking stick, which I gave it to him.
Bauji to the world, for me a godfather. He is my paternal grandfather. A father of my family, my mom, and my sisters. Soon after my dad was gone, he came over to our house, took a decision and we moved from an independent house to a multi-family house with bauji. When everybody left our hands, he held them tighter.
Mom was super irritated with the fact that now we are in the smaller house, but she was not understanding the fact that we are not paying the rent anymore, he is already started saving us on monthly basis.
I was 10 years old and haven't even tasted the full benefits of having a father. He was standing there as a pillar.
All he wanted for all four of us was to study hard and get settled and stand on our feet, independently.
His first preference was always mom and will be mom - always always always.
As he fondly calls us engineer aka maharana sanga, chief architect, doc sahib, and teacherji, respectively. Those were the dream roles he already had in his mind.
He got my mom into a teacher's training school. Arranged the scholarship for the tuition fees for our respective professional schools. Managed loans where scholarship was too low or unavailable.
He is not a godfather, he is God send. He is much more than that. I have lived with him more than anybody of my cousins.
He slowly got the assets to build up for my mom, like a smart financial planner setting up a plan for life, not just for a few years but for the rest of her life. He is a genius.
All of us are indebted to him for life. If it was not him, then we would have been somewhere on the streets of Ajmer, begging, fighting for 2 meals a day. He is the angel in our lives.
The most hard-working man I would ever see.
The best recycling man knew how to use the envelope almost three times, before discarding it. His use of Leyi (old native gum).
He taught all of us including mom to go to the bank and do the basics of banking. He taught us to fight. He taught us how to manage the least of the resources. Great Manager.
Those totaling of marks in the answer books in short summer nights. Those long walks to nearby Sabji Mandi on a cycle with him, negotiating with the vendors for 2 counts of green chili and a bunch of cilantro. Negotiator.
His evening walk to Hanuman temple at Madar gate on Tuesdays, and his carrying of fruits from there. Regular exercise.
He ran around to various shops for a copy of bio-data just to save a few paise and get a cleaner copy, consistently. Perfectionist.
End of the day, all he needs is a green chutney and half a piece of lemon in his food. With various vegetables spread on his steel thali with sections. ending with rasgulla.
I remember how he use to carry those small bottles of water with him all the time, as the doctor has asked him to limit the intake of water. His strict routine. Come whatsoever, his daily schedule will not change.
Those meetings for everything, as small as buying stocks in the stock market to as big as marriage decisions.
Bauji, you are un-replaceable. You will leave a big void in our lives.
We will never remember you because we will never be able to forget you.
