Quirky Indians 16-20

Kashvi reorganized the Kochi Public Library everyday in wrong sequence while Johar lal never went out in the morning without his four donkeys.

Day 16

Mr. Iyer climbed Tirupati every month since he could remember till it happened.

It was easier when they lived in the city. But he had to move to Chennai for his son.

In his youth, he ran a flower shop near the temple. Just like his father had, and his grandfather before him.

He loved to talk with the regulars, guide the tourists on what to do and speak with foreigners in his broken English.

If it wasn’t for Covid, he would have never shut his shop. His son had secured a position as Sub Inspector and wouldn’t leave his parents alone to move away. The three of them had packed their things to move hours away from home.

Yet the moment they opened the temple for visitors again, Mr. Iyer came back for darshan and continued every month. Till the time he fell and broke his leg. It took him three months to recover enough to hobble. Scared to even ask his son to take him to the temple, he moped around the whole house, sighing loudly to his family’s amusement.

He was shocked to find them ready and waiting for him at the door when he woke up on a Sunday after half a year,

“Come on, Papa, get ready for Tirupati Ji.”

Day 17

Nanda went quiet for a week if she was disturbed during her meditation.

Everyone in her family knew not to interrupt her in the morning when she went to her yoga room. Her husband had built it for her shortly after their marriage. It was the best spot in their house with sun shining through the windows. It was airy with high ceilings and was on the corner of the house, away from the main area. They had set it up for her use with minimal things.

She did yoga for the first thirty minutes and then meditated for the other half of hour.

As someone who had a traumatic childhood, it was her set schedule that kept her together and mentally healthy. So, everyone had strict instructions not to disturb the lady of the house unless it was burning down.

Children knew not to create a ruckus in the morning hours, staff was not to ask anything of her in the morning till she came out, and guests were politely asked not to go into the area altogether.

She had also taught her babies how to calm their minds and relax their bodies in the evening. Sometimes, her husband joined her too. But only after she was done with her daily routine like today. He loved it when she guided him through meditation and a few asanas that he could do.

He knocked on the door before opening it slightly and peeking in, “May I join you, darling?”

“Of course.” She smiled and made space for him on the mat.

Day 18

Kashvi reorganized the Kochi Public Library everyday in wrong sequence.

She didn’t work there. She was a daily visitor. Her mother had her library card made when she was ten, thinking she would get into the habit of reading. Kashvi checked out a book every week to keep her mother’s heart but the words never fascinated her.

The colors did. Of the books. Hardbound. Soft covers. Old. New. English. Hindi. Tamil. Telugu. Kannada. Malayalam. The library had every type sorted in wooden almirahs with glass paneled doors.

Kashvi did not like the mismatched colors. Why did it matter if books from one author were on different shelves? One shelf should only have books of one color, if possible the whole almirah. But she didn’t go that far because of the old librarian.

She just placed the books here and there to please the eyes. Yet, she found them back in place the next day so she moved to another spot.

Kashvi never found out who did that. It was hardly likely that the librarian did it.

So, she continued her routine till she missed a few weeks because of a work trip.

When she went back for the sight and smell of her books, she heard the voice.

“Ah! The color coder is back.”

Day 19

Johar lal never went out in the morning without his four donkeys.

The animals were the first thing he bought when he started earning at the age of sixteen. He was the richest man in neighboring ten villages now.

Everyone around him asked the old man to buy goats, sheep or even cows, but he never let go of his animals. He always shushed them with a wave of his hand and a smile on his face.

If one died from his group, he gave the being a proper burial and bought another one the same night.

He had a routine. He would take them out from their space by opening the barely held together wooden door, pet them and then herd them towards his farms through the market.

The villagers were used to it now. He was respected so no one dared to call him, “donkey man” but his friends.

As they sat around on charpay in front of his house one night, one of them finally asked why he always kept four, nor three neither five. Just four.

Johar lal passed the chillum to another friend, “The landlord once said to me that I would never be able to buy even four donkeys if I worked my whole life. In front of his son to teach him a lesson.”

All the men around him laughed. The fat man’s house was in the middle of the market.

Day 20

Piya loved alta on her feet. But only if Romesh did it.

She had started learning Bharatnatyam at the age of seven. Yet refused to wear the red liquid even if her mother chased her around the house before performances.

One such day, her mother had warned her to apply it before they leave for the auditorium. Piya was sitting outside the door, pouting at the bottle when Romesh came to pick them up in his car.

He took it from her and ran the brush over her heels smoothly, giving her a shy smile.

Her mother saw the scene with a grin on her face. She knew it! She cleared her throat to get their attention making them blush bright like their alta.

He did the same for her till the accident one year after their marriage. She broke her left knee and had to stop her practice.

Six months went in her rehabilitation. They went to their village home for a month to take her mind off everything.

She was sitting in her favorite place in Verandah when Romesh sat by her feet and took one on his lap, “May I, jaan?”

She gulped to keep her tears at bay and gave him a nod, “Please.”

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