The candy floss boy .

I was travelling in the local train long before the Corona lockdown  at around 11 in the morning. I was returning from Navi Mumbai .The train was quite empty. I got to sit  as soon as I boarded the train.And then I spotted him. The candy floss boy. He was a kid, with a stick ,on which, were mounted nearly 30-40 long packets of candy floss . And, they were ,in an attractive shade of pink ! And we were, in a ladies compartment.


The kid was dressed in a bluish green tshirt & pair of blue jeans. He also wore an undershirt which had black & white checks.He had almost shaved his head bald.Perhaps, because  it was very hot & humid.

He started selling his wares. He was screaming ," Candy le lo "......He saw that nobody seemed interested in buying. He started approaching the ladies,one by one " Didi,le lo candy." And " Hello ,Didi ,candy lo." All the passengers were amused with his marketing. He went on ,"Ek bar loge, toh bar bar loge ."One didi started bargaining.He quipped ,'Ab bache ki jaan loge kya ? ! "Meaning will you now take away life from the kid ( that is himself ) by demanding candy floss at a throwaway price. "

Then he approached me ,"Didi ( I was on cloud nine ...I mean, I had  hennaed my hair just last night  & that had transformed me into didi from aunty overnight ! ).candy le lo." I was touched for obvious reasons stated before.I told him to stand there with his wares so that I  could click his snap .I did that & brought one packet of candy floss. I put it in my bag & paid him the money.


He proceeded to other buyers. And , many  did buy his candy floss. One woman told him ," The candy floss has melted so much in this packet.Give me the less melted one." He offered her three packets for the price of two ! And needless to add, she was overwhelmed !


And then the candy floss kid started singing a popular song ,'Tera dhyan kidhar hai,tera hero idhar hai....." It means ...'Where are you looking...your hero is here "He sang it to draw attention to himself selling candy floss ! And he succeeded ,as he  sold many more !

My destination had arrived. I alighted & started missing the candy floss kid !

He is like sunshine shining bright .Though he has got so little, he was full of good cheer ! He was enterprising in his own little way. Maybe, poverty teaches survival tricks to even the youngest of kids. Anyway ,he made my day !

And I am sure,if you meet him in the local any day,your day will be made ! And do remember, to buy a packet of candy floss from him . 

Ajnabee, tum kuch jaane pehchane se lagte ho ......

Travel always excites me. I  love meeting people & exploring new places.Of course the bonus is shopping for fabrics,handicrafts & other items to take back home as a reminder of the travel.Such things are like trophies to show off that I had indeed travelled to exotic places.Nowadays ,such trophies are not needed as photographs can be uploaded on to the net & exhibited to the world !

I recall, that my earliest travel was to my paternal Aunt's place at Ukai,Gujarat.I loved the big bunglow & swinging on the jhoola there.I would adorn my hair with flowers like mogras & chamelis.I overdid that & had to give it up as my head would ache .Later ,my aunt shifted base to Vadodara ,Gujarat & we travelled there, during holidays.I loved the toy train in the Kamati bagh & the bhajiyas on the roadside.As I grew up ,I had fallen in love with the textile market there.I would buy reams of cotton cloth for being stiched into salwar kameez & churidaars.I would also visit the Khadi Bhandars & buy numerous items like pillow covers,kurtas,etal.My love for Vadodara is nostalgic &  lingers..

In school,we attended picnics to Agra & Khurja ,a small town in Uttar Pradesh which has a ceramic factory.In Agra ,I saw the white Taj Mahal against the over cast dark clouds & that image stays etched in my memory.From Khurja ,I got a playset consisting of a teacup sets & also a flower vase.Those days are really memorable, as we travelled with our school friends & had lots of fun.We had no worries & all of us were in an age, full of innocence !

In College ,we went on an educational trip to Pune.There were comparisons done about the financial status.The innocence of childhood had given way.In spite of this ,we did bond on the journey, like never before.

After marriage ,we went to visit Ooty .It was off season & we enjoyed visiting the rose garden & other sights.Later,I visited Ahmedabad ,when my hubby was on an official trip there.I travelled alone, looking at the sights of the city.My hubby was working & could not accompany me.I was glad, in a way, as he would not breathe down my neck, when I went shopping !

After my kid was born,we rarely travelled, as travelling with a baby, meant lot of  pre conditions had to be satisfied.After she grew up ,we have resumed our travels.We visited Goa,Himachal Pradesh ,Malyaisa & Singapore to name a few places.I am of the opinion, that we must travel as much as we can, whenever my kid has holidays.This is so, as kids grow up so fast & before we know it,they are in college.Then ,they would dislike travelling with us.We would lose their company.Nowadays ,kids dislike travelling with parents even in their teens.I feel ,we must enjoy our trips in the company of our kid.We bond like friends & the joy of travelling, makes it, so memorable ! Travelling is so educative - my kid recalls whatever she has read in her books & is amazed that she is seeing, whatever, she had  read in her text books & elsewhere.

We meet many people on our travels.We exchange numbers & addresses & then forget all about them, the moment, we are home.One family, has remained in my memory, though we never contacted after the trip.

This was on our trip to Himachal Pradesh.It was a package tour .There were many families like ours- husband,wife & kids.We got along well.I bonded with one housewife, who had come with her hubby & a daughter, who was in kindergarten.They had stayed in USA for quite some time & returned to Pune,India .She had been working before marriage & had left it when she had to accompany her hubby to USA.Her daughter was born, whilst, they were abroad.She yearned to work now, that she was back, in India.She could easily get domestic help to take care of her kid.Still ,she could not garner courage to step out & work.I empathised with her, as I also am a home maker, having left my job to take care of my kid.In both our cases,there was no compulsion to work & yet, we felt left out .We felt that we had become useless -staying at home.Her kid had still to get acclimatised to the weather in India as she was falling sick all too often.During the travel also ,she would throw up on daily basis.I felt, as if my story was being played as I could sense her helplessness in enjoying the travel , as her kid was falling sick.My kid had got so afraid of  the throwing up, that she would constantly sleep with her head on my lap, while we toured.This  irritated me ,just as that kid being unwell, bothered her mom.I woul carry tissues with me & offer her when she had run out of supplies.I could connect with her as she had been an NRI for some time .My brother being an NRI ,I could comprehend her feelings very well.We sometimes sat together on the numerous bus tours & participated as a team, in Antakshari & other games.When it was finally time to bid good bye,we all exchanged addresses & phone numbers.Surprsingly ,she did not have an email .I took her hubby's email id & promised to keep in touch.


I did forward some mails to her .I received no replies -not even an acknowledgement.I thought of calling her up but gave up that urge.I still don't know why.I hope & trust, that she is on a job now, as her kid must be quite grown up , as all this, was about four years back.She was an Human Relations person & many flexi work options are available .Maybe ,they have again left for shores abroad.I will never know.I still feel ,we can chat for hours. She had told me so many interesting things about her HR Stint.

My relatives stay in Pune & maybe if I am lucky ,I may meet her, by chance there, when I go visit Pune. That's a distinct possibilty .Or maybe, I should take a trip abroad with Expedia as she may be abroad now ! Expedia, because, they will plan out everything & I have to just pack my bags & enjoy the  ride ! I can book my trip from the comfort of my home ,online @ http://www.expedia.co.in/ & relax.Expedia will plan all details - stay ,food,travel etc.This is a bliss, which takes out the travel stress ! So that ,I can, discover friends in the midst of strangers in different places !