The weather was turning colder with every passing day. Sweaters had come out. I could find no better way to spend evenings than sipping by-2 coffee while eating hot, crispy bajjis along with Vishwa at Ramu's. That evening, Vishwa and I decided to visit Murthy. Murthy had married recently and we hadn't met him since.
Murthy's watch showroom - "The TimeTurners" - was at a 10-minute distance from Ramu's.
I don't think I have told you of Murthy, have I?
Murthy belongs to a family who have been watchmakers for at least the past four generations. His great-grandfather had started out as a small watchmaker in the showroom that Murthy now sits in. It is a small 10x20 room with a workroom behind it. The walls of the showroom are filled with all kinds of watches, clocks and timepieces. On some space on the wall that is vacant, there is a framed photograph of Murthy's great-grandfather, Seetaramaiah receiving a certificate from His Majesty "for exemplary services to the state". The truth is, as Murthy had once told, Seetaramaiah had presented an exquisite watch with the royal insignia on it to His Majesty, who was highly overjoyed and presented that certificate to him. That watch is still on display at the State Museum in the city under the name "Timeless Beauty!". There is also a photograph of Murthy's grandfather, Krishnaiah . Under Murthy's father, Srikantaiah, two more air-conditioned showrooms of "The TimeTurners" had been opened in different parts of the city. Yet, Murthy preferred to sit in the original showroom, simply because of the emotions and antiquity attached to it.
Murthy is a short, stout, lively young man with a french beard that perfectly matches his figure. Vishwa and I had met him at Ramu's over by-2 and 2-by-3 coffees some years back. Owing to some personal issues we hadn't been able to attend Murthy's wedding that took place in the bride's city, some hundred miles away.
Murthy was very happy to see us in his showroom. "Oh! The duo! You busy people couldn't attend the wedding and now, you have the courage to show up at my doorstep, eh? Come in" he said, jovially. It was probably the first day that Murthy had come to the showroom after the wedding. Vishwa joked saying he still had the glow of a bridegroom. Murthy offered us sweets. "Don't you worry! These aren't the leftover ones from the wedding. These have been specially bought for customers and friends who come to the showroom" he said, laughing. As we sat there eating, he told us in great detail about the arrangements and ceremonies that had taken place during the wedding.
An old man, with a shawl covering his frame, entered the showroom and we stopped talking. He was around seventy years old. He had a very good build for his age. Though he carried a walking stick, he didn't seem to need it.
"Good evening! Could you help me with this watch of mine? The belt is cut" the old man said, handing over the watch to Murthy. He sat down beside Vishwa.
The watch had a black dial with a steel belt. It looked quite old, even to a layman like me.
"Sir, this watch is no less than fifty years old. The very fact that you've maintained it so long is an achievement. I don't think even the company manufactures these pieces anymore. Why don't you buy a new watch in exchange for this one?" Murthy asked, looking at the watch.
"Young man, ask me to do anything. I will do it. But don't ask me to part with this watch" the old man said, rising to take his watch from Murthy and leave the showroom.
"Sir, wait! What is so special about this watch that you don't want to part with it?" asked Vishwa, giving words to my thoughts.
"That is a long story, son" said the old man, settling back on the bench in the showroom. At the mention of a "story", all of us settled down.
"My name is Vishwanath. I am a retired army colonel. My family is from an agricultural background. We grow sugarcane and supply it to the mills. My father and grandfather were great hypocrites. On the one hand, they were very good to the British personnel. On the other, they funded the freedom struggle. They did not want business to suffer due to national issues. Hence, they were good to both factions. Typical businessmen. My elder brother was of the same mold. I hated them for that. That is one reason why I chose army as my career. I wanted to get away from my family.
Let me get to the main story. When I was in school, there was a girl called Parvati in our class. She was one of the very few girls who attended schools back then. She was very beautiful, with knee-length hair and almond eyes. She had a beautiful voice as well. As was the custom those days, she was trained in music and she sang beautifully. For any festival or function in school, she would be the one the teachers would call upon to sing. I loved her. She probably had feelings for me too. However, we were too scared to express them, lest the matter reached our elders.
On finishing higher secondary, equivalent to today's Class 10, they shifted to another town. Her father who worked as the headmaster in the school had been transferred. Before leaving, she gave me this watch as a present. We lost touch after that.
The story does not end here, even though I wish it did.
After a couple of years I joined the army and went away for training. Everybody in the family was very happy that they had a son serving the country. If they truly cared about service to the country, why would they evade taxes by maintaining a fraudulent account? Hypocrites!
It was close to my first break after joining the army. I received a letter from home, asking me to advance the holidays so that I could be part of my elder brother's wedding. I came back and happily involved myself in all the preparations. There were grand celebrations to mark his wedding and for once, my family was behaving in a genuine way.
Things turned upside down on the day of the wedding. I hadn't seen the bride until then, since I was away on work during the initial stages of the great Indian wedding - vadhupariksha, engagement and others. I was shocked when I found out that Parvati was the bride! She was shocked too.
The girl I loved was to now come home as my sister-in-law! Sister-in-law is second only to the mother and now...! My head started whirring. I probably lost consciousness because I do not remember attending any ceremonies during the marriage. It took me a great deal of time to come to terms with the state of affairs.
Parvati probably found it tough to face the reality. She loved me. Yet, she had married my brother. On the third day, Parvati was found hanging in her room. I lost Parvati forever.
I cried the most that day. Nobody understood why. I felt guilty. To me, it was murder. I had killed Parvati - with my silence! I decided to cut my leave short and report back to work.
The next time I came home, I found out that my brother was happily married to another girl in the village while I was in the war.
Despite my family's repeated and desperate persuasions, I did not marry. I could not marry" the colonel sighed, wiping away the tears that were rolling down his cheeks. "Today, I am a retired colonel staying with my brother's children and grandchildren. I have been posted to several places and have traveled throughout the country but I have made sure that I do not leave this watch behind. It is a treasure trove of loving memories of my Parvati. That is why I do not want to part with it. Now do you realise, son?" he asked.
All of us were too stunned to respond. The old man got up and walked to the door of the showroom.
"Thank you, young men, for listening to my story. It made me feel better" he said and walked away, pocketing the watch.
Murthy's watch showroom - "The TimeTurners" - was at a 10-minute distance from Ramu's.
I don't think I have told you of Murthy, have I?
Murthy belongs to a family who have been watchmakers for at least the past four generations. His great-grandfather had started out as a small watchmaker in the showroom that Murthy now sits in. It is a small 10x20 room with a workroom behind it. The walls of the showroom are filled with all kinds of watches, clocks and timepieces. On some space on the wall that is vacant, there is a framed photograph of Murthy's great-grandfather, Seetaramaiah receiving a certificate from His Majesty "for exemplary services to the state". The truth is, as Murthy had once told, Seetaramaiah had presented an exquisite watch with the royal insignia on it to His Majesty, who was highly overjoyed and presented that certificate to him. That watch is still on display at the State Museum in the city under the name "Timeless Beauty!". There is also a photograph of Murthy's grandfather, Krishnaiah . Under Murthy's father, Srikantaiah, two more air-conditioned showrooms of "The TimeTurners" had been opened in different parts of the city. Yet, Murthy preferred to sit in the original showroom, simply because of the emotions and antiquity attached to it.
Murthy is a short, stout, lively young man with a french beard that perfectly matches his figure. Vishwa and I had met him at Ramu's over by-2 and 2-by-3 coffees some years back. Owing to some personal issues we hadn't been able to attend Murthy's wedding that took place in the bride's city, some hundred miles away.
Murthy was very happy to see us in his showroom. "Oh! The duo! You busy people couldn't attend the wedding and now, you have the courage to show up at my doorstep, eh? Come in" he said, jovially. It was probably the first day that Murthy had come to the showroom after the wedding. Vishwa joked saying he still had the glow of a bridegroom. Murthy offered us sweets. "Don't you worry! These aren't the leftover ones from the wedding. These have been specially bought for customers and friends who come to the showroom" he said, laughing. As we sat there eating, he told us in great detail about the arrangements and ceremonies that had taken place during the wedding.
An old man, with a shawl covering his frame, entered the showroom and we stopped talking. He was around seventy years old. He had a very good build for his age. Though he carried a walking stick, he didn't seem to need it.
"Good evening! Could you help me with this watch of mine? The belt is cut" the old man said, handing over the watch to Murthy. He sat down beside Vishwa.
The watch had a black dial with a steel belt. It looked quite old, even to a layman like me.
"Sir, this watch is no less than fifty years old. The very fact that you've maintained it so long is an achievement. I don't think even the company manufactures these pieces anymore. Why don't you buy a new watch in exchange for this one?" Murthy asked, looking at the watch.
"Young man, ask me to do anything. I will do it. But don't ask me to part with this watch" the old man said, rising to take his watch from Murthy and leave the showroom.
"Sir, wait! What is so special about this watch that you don't want to part with it?" asked Vishwa, giving words to my thoughts.
"That is a long story, son" said the old man, settling back on the bench in the showroom. At the mention of a "story", all of us settled down.
"My name is Vishwanath. I am a retired army colonel. My family is from an agricultural background. We grow sugarcane and supply it to the mills. My father and grandfather were great hypocrites. On the one hand, they were very good to the British personnel. On the other, they funded the freedom struggle. They did not want business to suffer due to national issues. Hence, they were good to both factions. Typical businessmen. My elder brother was of the same mold. I hated them for that. That is one reason why I chose army as my career. I wanted to get away from my family.
Let me get to the main story. When I was in school, there was a girl called Parvati in our class. She was one of the very few girls who attended schools back then. She was very beautiful, with knee-length hair and almond eyes. She had a beautiful voice as well. As was the custom those days, she was trained in music and she sang beautifully. For any festival or function in school, she would be the one the teachers would call upon to sing. I loved her. She probably had feelings for me too. However, we were too scared to express them, lest the matter reached our elders.
On finishing higher secondary, equivalent to today's Class 10, they shifted to another town. Her father who worked as the headmaster in the school had been transferred. Before leaving, she gave me this watch as a present. We lost touch after that.
The story does not end here, even though I wish it did.
After a couple of years I joined the army and went away for training. Everybody in the family was very happy that they had a son serving the country. If they truly cared about service to the country, why would they evade taxes by maintaining a fraudulent account? Hypocrites!
It was close to my first break after joining the army. I received a letter from home, asking me to advance the holidays so that I could be part of my elder brother's wedding. I came back and happily involved myself in all the preparations. There were grand celebrations to mark his wedding and for once, my family was behaving in a genuine way.
Things turned upside down on the day of the wedding. I hadn't seen the bride until then, since I was away on work during the initial stages of the great Indian wedding - vadhupariksha, engagement and others. I was shocked when I found out that Parvati was the bride! She was shocked too.
The girl I loved was to now come home as my sister-in-law! Sister-in-law is second only to the mother and now...! My head started whirring. I probably lost consciousness because I do not remember attending any ceremonies during the marriage. It took me a great deal of time to come to terms with the state of affairs.
Parvati probably found it tough to face the reality. She loved me. Yet, she had married my brother. On the third day, Parvati was found hanging in her room. I lost Parvati forever.
I cried the most that day. Nobody understood why. I felt guilty. To me, it was murder. I had killed Parvati - with my silence! I decided to cut my leave short and report back to work.
The next time I came home, I found out that my brother was happily married to another girl in the village while I was in the war.
Despite my family's repeated and desperate persuasions, I did not marry. I could not marry" the colonel sighed, wiping away the tears that were rolling down his cheeks. "Today, I am a retired colonel staying with my brother's children and grandchildren. I have been posted to several places and have traveled throughout the country but I have made sure that I do not leave this watch behind. It is a treasure trove of loving memories of my Parvati. That is why I do not want to part with it. Now do you realise, son?" he asked.
All of us were too stunned to respond. The old man got up and walked to the door of the showroom.
"Thank you, young men, for listening to my story. It made me feel better" he said and walked away, pocketing the watch.
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