THE
SILENT SAVANT
-
Biswanath Kundu (India)
At present when most of the people are seen
busy in getting themselves limlighted with slightest achievement, be it in
local or even district level performance, Sarita wants to remain unexposed even
to her next door neighbours in spite of her huge accolades in literary fields
in both national and international levels. Sarita is a retired professor of
philosophy. She has recently retired from a college in Howrah. In her long
teaching career, she never took up private tuitions though she helped privately
to lots of needy students. She speaks
less but makes others think much for the point she raises amidst the crowds.
She is a silent savant of Literature and Music.
Sarita likes to maintain a low profile. Her
number of friends are few but selective. She believes in quality and not in
quantity. Kashinath feels fortunate to have a space amidst this selective
circle. He now remembers the sweet memories of his attending to some programs
where Sarita also attended. He looks back in a reverie and relishes the quality
time spent over there as the happening of the other day. Once Sarita and Kashinath were invited to an
event specially meant to welcome two distinguished foreign guests in
Belur. When Kashinath reached there
after managing leave from office, he found Sarita already present there and
assisting the host in her usual smiling and cooperative bests. He said to
Sarita, “Didi, when did you come?” In a
very modest tone she said: ‘‘Just half an hour ago.” Her unassuming attitude
endeared her to all. Kashinath too felt it and said in a soliloquy “Her
punctuality and commitment to works are exemplary to all who have once come
into her contact.”
Kashinath is a worshipper of words. He loves
to engage himself busy in the pursuits of literary activities in his free time.
The above meeting at Belur brought them closer to each other. Kashinath’s wife
too enjoyed their literary discussions as well as the melodious Shyama Sangeet
sung by Sarita. They both made courtesy visit to each other’s home a number of
times. Thus there developed a family relationship between them. Sarita, though
a spinster had vast knowledge about the running of a successful family life.
Her invaluable tips of sailing the boat of life often proved infallible to
Kashinath. Kashinath’s wife realized it many a times. Sarita soon became a
friend, philosopher and guide to them in many difficult situations of their
life. Sarita too had deep faith in the
sincerity of Kashinath. Their mutual trust, faith and respect paved the way of
a strong bond between them. This helped them to work together on a few projects
purely through online interactions under the guidance of their revered
teacher.
Sarita who was an able academician got an
offer of translating an English story book written by a famous contemporary Indian
English writer which had already several versions in different languages, into
Bengali. Sarita made a call to Kashinath and said, “Can you give out time to
take up a project of translation work of an English book by two months?”
Kashinath felt honoured by receiving the offer from Sarita to work jointly with
her. He took the generous offer. It was indeed a challenge to him as they both
stayed a few miles apart. He humbly said, “Didi, I am ready to take up the
challenge. But there is a condition.” “What’s that,” quipped Sarita. “The project should start sharp at 9 pm every
day,” Kashinath said with an
appeal. Sarita said, “Okay, I shall also
get ready as proposed.” Thus getting
kind consent from Sarita, Kashinath took up the project with kind sparing from
his beloved at home for one hour up to 10pm daily using phone, laptop and
desktop simultaneously. Kashinath now remembers the days how it happened so
punctually without a fail for a single day.
Sarita is in the habit of honouring the value
of labour of all. Her endearing interactions to people like carpenters,
plumbers, watermen often get stored in their minds as moments of contentment
which are often found missing in the age of speed and greed. Her practical suggestions have proved
effective in finding alternative financial careers of many people with
uncertain income. Despite her social and
financial statue she likes to lead a life of simplicity. ‘Simple living, high
thinking’ looks like the reflection of her daily routine. Kashinath, by virtue
of his already grown up friendship, has witnessed it many times during their
outing together for a day’s trip around the city. Kashinath feels proud to
share one such instance where a middle-aged gentleman suddenly intercepted
their wandering on footpath near Rabindra Sadan, in Kolkata and bowed down
before Sarita and said, “Didi, I am Chottu. Do you recognize me?” Sarita looked
at him amazed and said, “Sorry, no, I cannot recollect.”
He then said, “I worked in your house as a
daily labourer ten years ago. With your practical suggestion and encouragement
I tried my luck with small savings of my wife in the job of painting walls as a
career. It’s you, didi, who instilled in me the faith and confidence in my
ability and passion. Now I am a successful painter and an employer of more than
a dozen of people.”
Sarita now went back to a decade and could
guess him faintly and said, “Perhaps it was during end of December when you
came to me seeking job. We were looking for labourers for constructing our
building on the newly purchased vacant land.”
Chottu nodded his head in confirmation. He
said, “Didi, that time you not only helped me to earn my livelihood but showed
me the way to stand on my own footing.”
Sarita said in her usual humble tone, “I have done nothing big and
great. I have only suggested you to pursue your passion. I believed in your
ability.”
Chottu said, “Today what I am it’s only for
you, didi. You advised me to take challenge. Your inspiration and encouragement
mattered a lot to accept it and thus to earn a new light to our life.”
Kashinath learns from others similar cases where the marginalized people have
found their fates rewritten only due to Sarita’s timely guidance and constant
inspiration with lively examples.
Sarita prefers examples to precepts.
Kashinath knows how true it is! In a reverie he went back to a few months. As a family tour one day Kashinath made an
outing to Nandan and adjacent areas with Sarita accompanied by his wife. They enjoyed a program there. At the end of
the program Kashinath said, “Didi, let’s enter the cafeteria at our right side
and have some snacks together.” Sarita
said, “Okay, I will accompany you and boudi. But I don’t feel any urge to take
snacks right now.” Kashinath understood that although Sarita disliked spicy and
unhygienic outside foods, she agreed to enter into the cafeteria only to honour
his wife’s wish. Sitting in a corner of the room Kashinath took the menue chart
and said,” Didi, kindly select the items for us.” Sarita handed over the chart
to Kashinath’s wife and politely requested her to strike off some delicious
items that were not good for health, especially for obese. Kashinath realized instantly the mystery of
her staying fit at this age, through will power and moderation. Kashinath now
recollects with delight and gratitude the health tips Sarita once gave to his
wife who is obese.
Sarita is an introvert and often remains
noncommittal if she foresees her points likely to be discarded by mere shouts
of the crowds. Seeing her digesting some foolish and worthless arguments,
Kashinath once said to her, “Didi, why didn’t you protest against the baseless
logics and incorrect statistics produced here by the self proclaimed
intelligentsia. She said with a smile, “I prefer reaching out to the conscience
of larger groups of the society through my books to wasting my precious time
with a few obstinate so-called know-alls.” Kashinath is now no more surprised
seeing her mute spectator in some ongoing controversial discussions among a
small gathering. He knows it certain to
find her reactions in her upcoming thoughtful short stories or analytical
research papers where her points will get validated by the readers freed of
prejudices. After having journeyed together a few years on the road of
creativity, Kashinath now feels proud of Sarita’s silent services to the
society through her fight against social chills and ills as well as her
literary movement as a social reformer besides being the provider of a
delightful reading of life.
****