Mithai - sweets

My grandpa’s youngest cousin, Dhanilal Kishorilal Srivastava, used to live in Pratapgarh, India. Dhanilal was called DK by everyone. He worked in the post office as a junior finance officer. He lived with his wife Ratna and son Sunil. Nearly every year they would visit us in Lucknow for a few days or we would visit them for a few days.

In 1982 when Sunil was 11 years old, Ratna and him were planning to visit Lucknow for a few days in April. DK wanted to visit as well but he was very busy so could not go on this particular trip. Their train to Lucknow was 10 am on a Saturday. Later that morning DK was attending his good friend Kedar’s son’s engagement party. Ratna and Sunil would not be able to attend the party because they were going to Lucknow the same day.

DK took out his black Hero Honda motorcycle and Ratna and Sunil sat on it as well. They only had one small suitcase which Sunil held on to. The railway station was about 8 km from their house so DK rode carefully and took them to it.

Since the train was to arrive in about 40 minutes DK bid Ratna and Sunil bye so that he could rest at his home for a while before going to the party at about noon.

DK: “Convey my regards to Krishna bhaiya (brother) and his family in Lucknow. I wish I could have accompanied you this time as well. As you know I love visiting Lucknow.”

Ratna: “Yes, I will do so. It is always nice when we go there together.”

Sunil hugged his father and said “Bye Papa.”

DK: “Bye son, come back soon with your mother in a few days. I will miss the both of you.”

Then DK returned to his home as the train was expected to arrive shortly.

He went home and rested and around noon he rode his motorcycle to his friend Kedar’s house. Kedar Bhargava owned 3 clothing stores in Pratapgarh and his son, Anshul, had completed his MBA from Benares University recently. He had started working at a financial consultancy firm, Kumar & Chaudhary Limited, in Calcutta. He was marrying Shivani who he had met when they did their B.Com. at a college in Kanpur a few years ago. Shivani was from Jhansi and she and her family had come to Pratapgarh for the engagement. Shivani’s parents were lecturers in the History department at the University of Jhansi.

About 140 people were attending the engagement party. Everyone was so happy. The party was oustide under a huge tent near Mr. Bhargava's house. Nearby there was a majestic pear tree. DK looked at the pear tree. For some reason he felt happy looking at the tree. It had a few pears on it and was basking in the sunlight.

Someone mentioned that the jalebi (a sweet) to be served after lunch was very good and was from a very famous local shop. DK had heard of the shop and had not been there for months. He was looking forward to having a few pieces of jalebi.

Kedar: “DK, I am so happy you are here!”

DK: “Thanks. Anshul is getting engaged. Of course I would attend his engagement party.”

After the engagement ceremony took place lunch was served. Everyone had a nice lunch. The mithaiwala (owner of the sweets shop) had a tent at the back of the house and he and his employees were making jalebis and serving it to the guests. Kedar made a request to the guests that people should line up so that children, women, etc. would get their sweets first. Everyone formed a line. DK was one of the last people in the line.

After 15 minutes when most people had been served, a fight broke out between two young men on the nearby road. DK rushed to intervene and stop the fight. A few passersby did the same. After nearly 7 or 8 minutes, the fight stopped and the young men apologized to each other and went their separate ways. DK returned to Kedar’s house and went to the line for jalebis. The mithaiwala told him that he was sorry but the jalebis had finished by now as they there was enough demand and if he was there a few minutes before he would have received two pieces.

KD told the mithaiwala that it was okay and that he understands. He greeted Kedar and his family and thanked them for the nice lunch. He gave his blessings to Anshul and Shivani and then went home on his motorcycle.

KD reached home and he was tired. He was a little sad that he could not get a piece of jalebi. He did not want to go to a store because the next day was Sunday and he avoided travel on Sundays. He thought on Monday he would get some jalebi on his way to work.

He opened his house’s door lock with a key and went inside. He was going to his bedroom but he saw a box of jalebis on the table in the living room. He smiled. He looked towards the kitchen and Ratna and Sunil were standing there.

Ratna: “The train eventually was many hours late and after a while it was announced that the train got cancelled. So we decided to take a rickshaw and return home.” She had a separate set of keys so she was able to unlock the door and enter and then locked the door from inside again.

DK: “How come you got some jalebis?”

Sunil: “Papa, I told mom to stop at a mithai store and get some jalebis. We could not attend Anshul Bhaiya’s engagement but we could still celebrate with jalebis, correct?”

DK was more happy now.

Ratna: “Please go to Mr. Arora’s house in the next lane nearby and call Krishna Bhaiya (brother) so he is aware that we are not coming today as the train was cancelled.”

DK: “Yes, I am going to do that now. Also, when I come back I will tell you both what happened at the party and how I did not get even one piece of jalebi there!”

He rushed to the box, took one piece out and ate it quickly. He drank a glass of water and washed his hands and walked towards Mr. Arora’s house.

Ratna and Sunil looked at each other as they seemed puzzled by DK’s words. They patiently waited for him to return so that he could tell them all what happened at the party.