Nanhi Paree

In my engineering college days, I travelled each day to college in the second class compartment of the Pune-Lonavala local train.Anyone who has had the "opportunity" of this travel will confirm, that this servic shares nothing in common with its Mumbai counterpart other than it's colour!With only one train running every hour,getting a place by the window was possible only if you had come way too early than the departure time of the train and were lucky to find the local train waiting at the platform.

On one such really hot summers day I got lucky .I settled down in my seat by the window ,tried to switch on the ceiling fan,but it would not co-operate.Started fanning myself with a newspaper and noticed the family sitting opposite to my seat. The lady seemed to be quite poor.There was a boy ,I guess he was her son,about 7 years of age and a girl in a shabby frock ,about 4 years old,her daughter.

Each summer ,some vendors sell cucumbers,peeled,split in four with a dash of pepper and salt ,usually for a rupee,on the railway station.It is a welcome treat in the sultry weather.One such vendor passed by.The boy began to pester his Mom to get one of them.The girl joined in too.The lady looked into her purse and then asked the vendor to give two cucumbers.She handed him the money. The vendor gave one of the cucumbers to the boy and the other one to the girl.

The boy ,overjoyed ,immediately began to eat his cucumber.The girl however waited a while.She looked at her cucumber and his, and then realised her Mom had nothing to eat.That small face was deep in thought for a moment.The next moment she split the cucumber equally and handed it to her mom.Her mom took the two pieces and ate them,the girl ate her share

Not a word was spoken.

I kept thinking about that girl.She was younger than the boy.While he ate his treat unaware if his Mom had any ,the girl did not hesitate to give away a portion of her share.It is not like I blame the boy.Poor thing was a small kid and I dont hold it against him that he did not think of his mom, but that moment made me think are girls born with this trait of giving? Or is it learnt?Who taught us this?Is it society?Is it conditions?The lady would have wanted something for herself but she felt spending on herself was not in her budget.

What happened that day is the a reflection of many Indian homes in many ways.The woman gives...and gives all her life.Deciding to not give is not considered womanly enough.

I often think of that girl.She may be about 8 or 9 now.Did good things happen to her?Or did she keep giving?Did she get a childhood?Did she get schooling?

Most importantly did her Mom treat her as well as she might have treated her boy?Or did she keep expecting /teaching her girl child to give away her share.