Uncle with the wrist watch…..

How the time changes, and with the lapse of time, the changed scenario of the bygone era flashes back, into the memory and it fills us with a nostalgic feeling.  Man by nature is given to remain unsatisfied with his “present status.”  He ever looks onward to the class of people, who are at an advanced stage of “living standard”,  and enjoying the amenities not with in the reach of other people in general. If a man is a denizen of a village, he ever lives with  a fantasy to become an urban (ize) citizen.  And, intends to enjoy all the urban facilities which people in city enjoy. If with the passing of time, his rural life metamorphoses into a “town ship life”  or “city life,” then, up to a long period of time he enjoys that.

But a time comes, when he again begins to recall, his that “bygone period of life” with an anguish, “Alas! if that bygone era would be back again!” In fact, hardly that could be materialized in any sense. Since, everything got changed, and he feels, “cheated on by the time” in the way, “what is done can not be undone.” The anguish in recalling of that bygone era, can not be imagined by the present generation, who is born and brought up in the urban culture. This anguish as a suffering, can be felt traumatically only by the old generation. The generation, who has traveled the journey of this metamorphoses of shaping up, into a new culture in the transit phase.

                                                Reminiscences

  In the same ambiance, the reminiscences of that era of childhood hover like clouds. These clouds, take formation in far high sky, but, man finds unable to catch them. In context to that, I still remember an anecdote of childhood. I was a little child, perhaps the student of primary school in village, and chanced to attend a wedding ceremony. In that function, along with father, I attended  the marriage procession. At that period of time, it was like a bonanza for a little child, to become a part and parcel of a marriage procession in our Indian society. Since, guests who accompanied the marriage procession with groom, were given a special treatment. Although, the same treatment is still imparted, but pomp and show off and artificiality has overtaken everything.

Though, rest of other major ceremonies and rituals of marriage function, I am unable to recount. But, the anecdote of ” wrist watch of my real uncle”, I vividly enjoy till this day. That was the time, when to be in possession of a “wrist watch,” considered a ” status symbol.” You may say, even on today, to be the owner of a costly wrist watch like Rolex watch is still a status symbol. You just imagine of the era of the decade of 1960 or 1970 of India. When an ordinary wrist watch was a rare thing, and was out of the financial reach  of people.  All the same, it had much more significance than having a Rolex watch as on today. Though, the ordinary wrist watch, at that period of time hardly had a cost of about rupees fifty or something more. But, at that time, a person in government clerical service, hardly had a salary of  rupees fifty per month or rather less than that.

                                      Maze of reading the time

Not only this, somehow a person in this or that way could afford to buy a “wrist watch” that was worth appreciable. But more than that, “to read the time in the wrist watch” was considered, a most complicated thing. For common man, to read the time in the wrist watch seemed like to solve a tough theorem of math.  In total, the wrist was a complicated machine that could be put on by educated and intelligent people only.

It was not so, at that time people of good financial capacity were not there! Of course, good number of big land owners in shape of land lords existed there. They could easily afford to buy the wrist watch. But, such person in general were illiterate and to them, wrist watch was an awesome machine, which they were unable to read.  The reason being, either dials of wrist watch were in English numbering or in Roman signs. Another problem, that ever remained unsolved, the “hand of second” which incessantly ran faster made them confused. Further, which “hand” of the wrist watch actually revealed the time, whether hand of minutes or hour or seconds.

                                            Eventful function

 I vividly recall that timely our marriage procession approached at the place of stay at about 4 O, clock at evening in the locality of bride’s village. It was an old building of a government primary school. There, arrangements to receive the marriage procession were made, before the initiation of other major ceremonies. In India such arrangements are made at some appointed place, where marriage procession is received and make to halt there.  This was the place, where the night stay facility too were supposed to be provided for the guests after having dinner. There only,  all guests were to recollect and take night sleep. So in such sort of hustle, guests of marriage procession were received and served tea and some snacks in customary way.

At that period of time, in every such marriage procession at least one old, aged and renowned person, from the side of the groom was must to company the people. And, under his surveillance and guidance entire marriage ceremonies were to be performed. But natural, such person would be well versed about the customs and liabilities of the marriage function. In our entire kinship, the husband of the elder sister of my father,  were always entrusted with such huge liabilities. He was also the “village headman,” and his this status also enabled him to lead all such marriage functions of the village.  Whether that marriage be, in “relations” or “out of relations.” He was properly efficient in carrying such liabilities, and, ever enjoyed  this renowned status whole through the life.

                            The V I P treatment endowed to uncle

 The marriage function, I am mentioning about was, with in the family . All the close relations, in the capacity of uncles, maternal uncles and elders etc, were there to enhance the grandeur of the ceremony. We all guests set cross legs upon the mat smoothed out on the floor, and enjoying the tea and snacks. Meanwhile, our head man ( the husband of elder sister of father), whom we with due respect addressed as “fufaji.”   He asked my real uncle, (who was a teacher in a city school and was wearing a wrist watch) , ” Well! brother  Raj kishore ji, just tell us, what is the time by your watch?”

This was the moment, perhaps uncle was  waiting eagerly to be asked. He very staidly but with coquettings bent his hand. He brought the bent hand closed to his face, and said with a busy tone, “brother in law, it’s thirty five minutes past four p.m.” Upon that Fufaji responded in an assured tone, and commanded, ” at exact five p.m. the brass band party will begin to play  on their trumpets and drums and on sharp 5.30 pm the marriage procession again  from here will initiate for bride,s house. Raj kishore ji, you are the only person amidst us guests with wrist watch, so it’s your duty now to follow the schedule.”  Uncle with an alacrity assented to the command, and chose some responsible men for the purpose and entrusted them with liability.

The rest of other guests in the group were now looking at uncle, as only person with wrist watch and that too with a respect and a concealed desire. Not only this, during the entire marriage ceremonial function, Fufa ji, again and again, on various occasions  confirmed the time from uncle. And eventually commanded him, “be aware of, at mid night about 2.00 a m, the auspicious time for circumambulation of seven steps is fixed. You make it sure that the main ceremony be initiated on the fixed auspicious time.” In this way Fufa ji succeeded  to affirm the importance of the Uncle, on account of his being the sole proprietor of the wrist watch, in the entire marriage procession guests.

                                   It looks ridiculous today

As on today, can you imagine the ” social status” endowed upon a person merely by his being the sole proprietor  of a wrist watch!!! No! The present generation can not !!  At that time to be the owner of a wrist watch was of great importance. Apart from this, some houses in the society had had table clock . Those house owners earned some unique respect. All children of such a house, were taught to read the time of the clock meticulously.

And when some guest would visit the house.  In between the chitchat, the lady of the house at least once in a certitude, would call the children, “Son…. just tell us the time by watching in the clock, so I can place the tea pot on the hearth.”  And all children, would rush inside the room to watch the time, and, one after another  appear in person before the lady of the house and announce the time accordingly. It remembered me of the fashion in later period of time when parents, as in an essential ceremony would force the kids for recital of English poem before  guests.  This was a gesture, to generate an impression with an attitude that this kid is studying in  an English medium  school. Penned by– Vinay Pharasi…..