EGO
In December 1980, I was living at Doranda in Ranchi. Surendra Pd was also living with me. Our offices were side by side. Atul Purohit talked with one of his friends for a flat on rent for me. Surendra Pd met in the Combined Office campus. Our offices were in the barracks in the south side of COB. Surendra Pd was staying with his relative near Firayalal Chowk. Mine was two-roomed house. One room was sufficient for a bachelor. Another room was surplus. Moreover, the rent was too high. I was eagerly searching a partner to share and lighten my burden. The rent was one hundred and fifty which was too heavy against my net salary, seven hundred only. Surendra Pd talked to take the surplus room and I agreed in a little while. The kitchen was attached but the bath and toilet were separate. Everything was good except water supply. On the road, there was municipal tap. Water was coming in the tap three times but the force was zero. It was falling drop by drop. Moreover, the crowd of the whole mohallah gathered on the very tap. It was very difficult for us to collect water standing in the queue. We preferred to take water from a bhisti (one who brings water from a distant source). We paid Rs 2 per day for ten buckets water. It was used for our cooking, drinking, bathing, washing clothes and cleaning pots and toilets. However, it was not so pure for drinking purpose. Nevertheless, we were bound to use it for the purpose. We were using water very economically and miserly. Chandramohan was a PGT at Ramgarh cantonment school. I occasionally visited cantonment and Chandramohan always came to Ranchi. He was doing PHD under Dr. H.C.Mishra, the HOD of R.U., Chemistry Deptt. Whenever he came to Ranchi, he met me. One day, he stayed at night. In the morning, he felt water problem and went to the nearby well. He washed clothes, took bath and brought two buckets water for me. I felt too much ashamed. From the very day, I used to go to the well and enjoyed bathing and washing. ‘Tyakt lajjaa sukhee bhavet.’ Our water problem was solved. Surendra Pd had more ego. He never went to the tap.
