One and Half Rupees

Today was one of the lucky days for Granny Pushpa, when all her farm fresh, red and juicy Pomegranates got better value in Kolhapur weekly bazaar. She was delighted and was excited to buy a skirt for her granddaughter and Sev Chiwada(Indian snack) for her grandson. Her large tokari which was full of Pomegranates in the morning was now stuffed with weekly purchasing for the household like sugar, tea, aata, daal, etc. She didn’t realise when sun began to sink behind the horizon. By the time she rushed to bus stop, bus has already left. Now she was worried as her village was 50 KMs from Kolhapur. Those were the times when India was newly anounced a free nation. She asked a young boy if the bus has left. He confirmed. She was tired and hungry after a long day. She opened a box of Besan Ladoos prepared by her daughter in law for her day in Kolhapur weekly bazaar. Granny had one Ladoo and kept couple of ladoos in the box in case has to wait for the next S.T. bus which will be after 2:30 hrs. The only way to get home was to either wait for the touring company bus/car or to catch a S. T. bus after 2:30 hrs. She saw a car coming her way, she got up and waved her hand like a flag. Twenty something years old young driver pressed the breaks hard to stop his full speed car. He asked granny “Mai,kya hua? Gadi kyon roki?” She replied, “Meri bus Chhut gayi, mera ghar yahase 50 KMs hai, Solpur, Agar tum muze Solpur chhod doge to mein tumhe pure Dedh rupaye dungi”. Actually bus used to cost one Rupee but as she wanted to go early, she thought to pay some lucrative amount to convince a touring bus driver to drop her. Driver agreed saying “Jo tu thik samze de dena”. Young man got down from his seat loaded her tokari in the boot of the car and asked her to seat beside him on the front row of the car. One of the man waiting on the bus stop shouted “Are Mai sun toh....”. But now she was in no mood to listen anybody and by this time car started speedily.

                  Today is the first time Granny sat on the front row of the car in her life. She loved the soft feathery covers of the seat. Also she felt relaxed and lucky to travel in the car alone with no other passengers. She thought even though I have to pay aath aana more than bus, this is better. When the stone on the road read “Solpur 0Kms”, driver stopped the car saying “Mai aapaka Solpur aa gaya”. Granny got down from car. Driver also got down, unloaded Granny’s tokari from boot. Granny took out one and half rupees from her pocket and payed to the driver. Opened her Ladoos box and handed over one ladoo to driver saying “Bete, ye lo... khao”. The young man had the ladoo, started his car and left with the speed. Some of the villagers were looking at the Granny asking her which car she boarded and who was the young man? She told it was some touring company car and driver was good so she got a good deal in one and half Rupees. One of the guys asked Granny “Did he take your money?”. She said “Yes”. The guy said “Mai tum to apane Kolhapur ke raja ke gadi mein aur usake bajumein baithake aaye ho”. Now Granny was shocked and overwhelmed. She was touching the sand her Maharaja was standing on, trying to seek his blessings. Also she was bowing down looking at the rear side of her Raja’s dust leaving speedy car.