Vada Pav Speaks....

I was having my second Vada Pav at Howrah station, which I love eating mostly because it costs just Rs.5. By the way, I was there because I had nothing to do here at Kgp and Kolkata is the best place for someone who has “NOTHING” to do.

While I was in my own, my Vada Pav became a victim of something very unusual. A lady suddenly snatched it from my hand. I was dumbstruck and I am still not so normal, that is why I am mentioning it in this blog. I was dumbstruck but I was not ignorant. I saw the happiness and content in her eyes because of that 5 rupee Vada Pav. May be it was needed more by her than me.

You must be wondering if Vada Pav is so scrumptious. Actually it is, and if someday MNS happen to be liberal enough, I would go to Mumbai (not Bombay) to have one from there.

Before that incident she had actually asked me for it, but I denied as most of us do. “These beggars, they have nothing to do”. They don't actually . And as a citizen of this very nation, or more importantly as a human being I must have given my favorite Vada Pav to her, as it would have done good for both of us. But that would have been far too noble. Isn’t it?

“Idiot” I yelled but for none. Having witnessed the combative part of a poverty struck, hungry lady, which is arguably the face of 30% of Indian population, that was the first word that I uttered typically because it was my Vada Pav and not Keshav’s. And I’ve used the word ‘arguably’ as it is government stats which conducts the population survey skipping one house after two. In 2001 survey I was lucky, in 2007 I wasn’t.

Idiot didn’t seem suitable but it didn’t seem out of place either. May be it en suited on me but definitely not on her. I was idiot indeed because it was already 5.35 and we were running late by 15 minutes for our local to Kgp, or to be true, because I was ashamed of my own ignoble act. Seeing her so cheerful, reminded me how cruel I was not to offer a 5 rupee Vada Pav but at the same time it made me feel fortunate that she snatched it from me.

We were somehow able to board the train, thanks to Indian Railways which has maintained its habit irrespective of the changing railway ministers. I took my seat proving myself against the fellow passengers, more like ‘Survival of the Fittest’ theory. I was pleased to get on the train in order to get out of the miserable feeling I was having of myself. But the real scene was still not over. I would have eaten a dozen of those Vada Pavs myself, but this lady was so great to share it with three more of her companions!! She was definitely not mentally retarded as I supposed her to be, she was far better human being than me, truly combative.

May be I required a self realisation, may be I was wrong....