Cost of Happiness Rs 1: Here is how?

When we were kids and we used to go to our native place in Rajasthan. It was amazing. Every day we used to wait, for a man in afternoon to come. A Long 6 feet man with chicken pox scars on his face. He was not scary at all, Infact Kids simply loved him. Kids waited for him whole day and whole night. He used to make every kid in village happy. Damn Happy…

A big man with moustache used to come on his cycle, kids running around and making huge noises. I was front runner, eager for him to stop. He had a big bhonpu, a air operated horn tied on left of his cycle handle.  A big person with no expression on his face.  He had something with him which made us happy. Damn Happy…

He rode his cycle whole day I guess and covered at least 10 villages in a day came in summer only, two bags attached to both sides of his cycle and a big colored wooden box with small opening on top. Around four sides were lines written beautiful lines written in hindi, Since we were learning to read, we read them everday and those magical lines made us happy. Damn Happy…

He was our Kulfi Wala, The Candy Man, he brought kulfi or we said it Bhate ki Icecream (means stone like icecream),  We used to run after him waiting for him to stop, imagine 20 small children running without slippers in hot summer after him, just for one small icecream, making lots of noise. Hooooooooo, hooooooooooo. Childhood  was amazing.  It was when we were happy. Damn Happy…

The points written on his magical box were as I can recall

• Ek Bhaat Khoge to baar baar khaoge (You Just can’t eat it once.)
• Lajawaab (Delicious)
• Khusboodaar (Every candy has its own smell, orange, black, red)
• Khas (Special)
• Behtreen (The best)
• Mazedaar (Tasty)
• Anokhi (unique)
• Khati Meethi (sweet and sour)

Can’t Recall many points, but when we read all these we knew we were going to be happy, damn happy…

We used to do lobbying since morning in front of my great grandmother who was 85 years old then to give us 25 paise, or used to ask my mom for money, asking dad was toughest part, he would say that it’s not good to eat these, who cared, the aim was 2 get 25 paise so that we could get the money. If some day the misson to get money failed, the kulfi wala was eager to do barter in terms of 1 cup of wheet or 2 cups of maize, which we had in plenty in store room. They two white linen bags on each side of his cycle were used for grains. Anywhich ways we were happy. Damn Happy…

He used to stop in chowk of the village, request kids to stay in queue and come one by one. He has all sizes of candy’s he just put his hand and took whatever it came. He took money after giving it and his pocket was full of change, the sound of coins was very pleasing.  I doubt his pockets were made of leather. No cloth could carry that much change.  He gave candy to all kids and we could see people behind the line waiting. The one who got were happy. Damn Happy

The problem with ice candy is that it melts the moment it comes out of that box. So the rule was to lick it from bottom and go to top and do it again. And it melts in your mouth slowly. If you are late the drops trickle down your hands leaving the strong orange or red color. If you bite it the ice in your mouth makes your teeth go numb. So to eat is a art. I was a born learner, I learned the tricks and everytime I ate it I was happy. Damn Happy.

Sometimes  we used to get for our mom or grandmother, I doubt why they didn’t like it much or they must have liked in their childhood or my dad must have run like this behind him screaming and letting whole village know that the man of happiness has come. For two months till we had our vacation he came every day. For two months we were happy. Damn Happy.

Recently I went to my village and it was hot summer afternoon. I was sitting on chowk, the day just passed, i saw no children running, no ho halla, just silence, then i recalled the kulfi wala, a senior person told me he had died several years back due to some disease and since then there was no other kulfi wala.  I was just stunned. I knew now in my village there would child would we happy as we were happy. Damn Happy

Now we have grown up, we earn money in tons, have all facilities, eat sizzling brownies in big restaurants, spend money on Naturals like idiots, eat two three scoops or take family packs at home to be stuffed in three door refrigerators, but are we happy. A bit happy?

Note : Today Again I was lucky to get the Candy, I thought It would be costly by now, but it still costs 1Rs. Ate it with my eyes closed with the same trick learned in childhood and relished child hood days.