COL SAAB KA PAUDHA

 COL SAAB KA PAUDHA

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

30/IX/2022

 

            There is a creeper which spreads like the ‘forest fire’ if it gets the right environment to flourish. When we moved to our new house, this came along in one of the pots.

 

            It kept surviving in the shadows of the hibiscus pots, hidden from our eyes. The extreme climate drew our attention to other plants which needed more care. This one disappeared without us noticing, only to resurface on its own.

 

            I thanked the Almighty and told myself, how could we leave it to fend for itself. Just because most of the plants in hanging pots did not survive, this too was considered gone.

 

            This wine waited for the rains and then started to spread. It creeped its way up looking for sunlight. I just let it be. From one pot, it hopped to another and soon it was spreading like no one’s business, almost turning into a bush.

 

            The creeper started covering other plants and depriving them of sunlight. It was time to clip its wings. I did not want to throw the trimmed shoots away. We thought of spreading happiness.

 

            An idea came to my mind that why not plant them in vacant flower beds across the road. One could look after them when needed and it will spread in no time. So, the first set was planted. There was hardly any wilting, so one assumed that it had taken roots and would thrive.

 

            Lo and behold, the horticulture people also found that same spot for ‘gap filling.’ A creeper, which has survived the harsh weather here was being transplanted. One approached them to leave this creeper, but alas it was a little too late. The creeper had already heaped on the road to be thrown away.

 

            I had a conversation with the supervisor, that look, nothing has grown at this spot, not even the creeper they were planting. He did not want to temper with the uniformity, so did not agree. I left it at that. One ‘Bai ji’, on quite replanted them. She picked them up from the wheelbarrow and showed me that she had disguised it with the other cuttings. I smiled and thanked her.

 

            The next day, I found that very patch dug up. There were paw marks, which meant that strays had found something interesting there. I had more vine to spare, so I planted another runner of that creeper. This time a little deeper and securely. I did an ‘Andalio-Gondalio’, like we did to our favourite toffee, so that no one else would take it.

 

            It was a Sunday morning. The Messi’s and Ronaldo’s of the colony gathered to play football in the lawns. Other boys and girls were also playing imaginary Ghar-Ghar games in the adjacent lawn.

 

            ‘Dekh, mujhe kitne sunder patte mile’. ‘Ye hum drawing room main sajayenge’. Before I could blink my eye, in one jerk, prrrrrrr, the vine was ripped out. What do you tell these little children? I convinced myself that this creeper was not destined to grow there.

 

            However, his creeper was rejuvenating fast in our pots. This time I decided to empty out one complete pot of this creeper and replant it in that vacant space again. With a prayer on my lip, it was buried in the soil. Three people had to be kept in mind, Horticulture people, children, and stray dogs.

 

            Next morning, the new cluster was gone again. It had to be insider of this colony. People keep a keen eye on every pot in our garden. They may not see eye to eye but they keep a watch on everything which grows here. Their furtive glances say it all. 

 

Most of such people would not even know the name of this creeper. I would have happily shared it if someone would have just asked as there was plenty. Whoever has whacked it, we shall catch him when he or she will ask for its name. I still have not given up and replanted some more. This action will be repeated till the time people get fed up of doing what they do.

 

True to its name this creeper is called the ‘Wandering Jew.’ Jews just could not be eradicated from the face of the earth. They survived the German Holocaust and their Gas Chambers. So will this creeper. If the ‘petty thief’ does not know its name, she or he can call it ‘Colonel Saab Ka Paudha’.

 

            Isn’t it an apt name for this creeper? I wonder!!!!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

© NOEL ELLIS