2112) Leisure Time (Memories): The story of our little "Oye", an Adenium Plant (also known as "Desert Rose"):
In 1999-2000, at the turn of the Millennium, we were posted in the Central Office of the State Bank of India (presently Corporate Centre), Mumbai.
We were staying in the Bank's guest house at Mahim, pending allotment of a flat in the Mahim State Bank Officer's Colony - which was a fairly long wait. This gave us an opportunity to explore various places in Mumbai.
We had heard a lot about the annual "Kala Ghoda" ("Black Horse") festival and went to see it. Among the various performances by drama/dance troupes, we also got an opportunity to visit the various stalls displaying their wares. We spotted a plant nursery stall and made a beeline for it. We were particularly taken in by a small pot which contained two plants, which looked like desert plants which we purchased.
When we returned to our room in the guest house, we placed this pot on the fridge and went through a naming ceremony. We had no idea what species the plants belonged to. Since the plants were looking like desert plants, we called the bigger one "Oye" and the smaller one "Sis" (together standing for "Oasis").
Both "Oye" and "Sis" started growing together, but after some time "Sis" began to droop and despite our best efforts, withered away. So "Oye" had the whole pot to itself.
Just about everyone in the guest house knew about "Oye". Even the Guest House Caretaker's staff would take care of it when we were off to office.
The first opportunity that "Oye" got to be without us was when we went for a trip to Lucknow. So we requested our batchmate - Narendra - also staying in the guest house to take care of little "Oye". Like the taking over of a State Bank Branch Manager's keys by an incoming incumbent, Narendra counted the number of leaves he was taking charge of - seven in all.
When we returned after a week, Narendra handed us the pot back, making us count the leaves - seven. We were very happy that he had looked after "Oye" very nicely. But a tragedy was waiting to happen - As soon as we got into our room all of "Oye"s leaves fell off. We surmised that as both he and his room-mate were rum drinkers, "Oye" must have been given Rum, in place of water to drink. We thought that "Oye" will go the way of "Sis".
Nevertheless, Oye proved to be a hardy plant and grew five leaves soon.
We soon went for a trip to Mahabaleshwar and took "Oye" with us. We thought that it was time "Oye" got over its "fright" of Narendra and the two of them become good friends again, it was Narendra's responsibility to take care of little "Oye". "Oye" liked the trip very much and the two of them became good friends again - although Narendra shared that he was on tenterhooks all the time.
"Oye" travelled with us to Hyderabad on our permanent transfer there. Later "Oye" came back with us to Pune, when we took retirement from the Bank. I remember that the then Hyderabad airport SBI Branch Manager requested the airport staff to let "Oye" travel with us on the flight to Pune, which they readily allowed - one of the perks of working with the SBI.
Our other house plants travelled in the Leo Packers truck. I think they would be feeling quite jealous of "Oye".
Present Day:
"Oye" now has the pride of place in our terrace garden. Over time nine more plants have sprouted as Oye's off-springs. They are all called "Oye-Hoye"and are serially numbered - 1 to 9.
If only little "Oye" could tell its story it would make for a great reading.
Links to some other short stories on this Blog by Rajeev Prasad:
1) Leisure Time Short Stories : Friends at the Crossroads
7) Leisure Time Short Stories : Connecting through several lifetimes: The Story of the "Panditji" (Priest) of the Hanuman Temple at Chandrasekhar Azad University, Kanpur
Rajan Trikha has commented:
ReplyDelete"Going down the memory lane and beautiful description of Journey and loyalty of Oye to spend three decades with you ppl."
Thank you so much, Trikha sahab. Today, somehow, I felt like writing about this little plant. It has survived at least three times and stayed with us all along. ๐
DeleteRajan Trikha has further commented:
ReplyDelete"The plant also responding to your wonderful Nursing๐"
Thank you again, Trikha sahab.
DeleteAshok Borate has commented:
ReplyDelete"Very nice detailed information."
Thank you, Ashokji.
DeleteVikram Bhatnagar has commented:
ReplyDelete"What an adventurous tale about a Plant; could never have imagined such a life like write up on Oye! ๐"
Thanks, Vikram. This plant was quite a stress buster for us, particularly as we had a long wait of one and a half years before we got a flat in Mahim.
DeletePoonam Gupta has commented:
ReplyDelete"Very nice."
Thank you, Poonam.
ReplyDeleteSantosh Khanna has commented:
ReplyDelete"Loved this interesting post. Thanks Rajeev for sharing."
Thank you so much, Khanna sahab.
DeleteAnuradha Gupta has commented:
ReplyDelete"That was hilarious, Rajeev".
Thanks, Anuradha.
DeleteSumita Chaudhry has commented:
ReplyDelete"If I remember correctly others too like - Rajan Trikha - had the pleasure of "plant sitting" Oye ๐
Yes, he did too chip in, helping out with Oye.
DeleteRajan Trikha has further commented:
Delete"Sumita Chaudhry - Thanks for acknowledging my little bit contribution in making Oye the long time companion."
Narendra Kapoor has commented:
ReplyDelete"Great to see Oye becoming a grandfather. With a whole family of grandsons, granddaughters, in-laws and outlaws. Looks like a booming family without any family planning" (:-)
Ram Lalingkar has commented:
ReplyDelete"Interesting read ! Is 'oye' a bonsai plant?"
Ram Lalingkar
DeleteInteresting read ! Is 'oye' a bonsai plant?
· Reply · 5 h
Rajeev PrasadThank you, Rambhau. Oye is a regular desert plant, which can survive in extreme conditions.
Ram Lalingkar has further commented:
Delete"But the appearance is like bonsai."
That is because, it is kept in a small pot, Rambhau. In larger pots or in the ground, it will grow to considerable sizes.
DeleteR. Sanker Sharma has commented:
ReplyDelete"Very interesting story about little "Oye".
Thank you, Sharma sahab.
DeleteVineeta Jain has commented:
ReplyDelete"Such a cute story! Rajeev you are a born story teller! It was such fun going through the story, cos I have been to your home in Mumbai and Pune! You must bring Oye to Hyderabad!"
Thank you so much Vineeta for your inspiring comment. "Oye" has now become somewhat of a "huge hulk" with lots of little "Oye-Hoye" plants around. I wonder if it could be in a position to travel again,. ๐
DeleteChoudhary Roy S has commented:
ReplyDelete"Dear Rajiv, I think, you are quite a different person .. ๐
Its so pleasant n interesting to go through your description from memory about a thing which very few people can describe..
Once you wrote about Angels while travelling by car..
That was also very nice..๐"
Thank you so much for your encouraging comment. It was so nice of you to remember the Angel incident. I just somehow felt like writing about the Oye story yesterday.
DeleteVimal Dikshit has commented:
ReplyDelete"เคฒเคुเคเคฅा เคฐूเคช เคฎें เคฏाเคฆों เคा เคธुเคจ्เคฆเคฐ เคตเคฐ्เคฃเคจ। เคฎเคจ เคो เคฌांเคงे เคฐเคนเคคा เคนै เคเคฐ ' Oye ' เคธे เคฒเคाเคต เคชैเคฆा เคเคฐเคคा เคนै। ๐๐"
Thank you so much, Vimal for your wonderful comment
DeleteSatyajit Pratap has commented:
ReplyDelete"Oye Oye .... What an interesting anecdote made specially compelling by our amazzing master teller ... Wow."
Thanks, Satyajit for the wonderful comment.
Delete