Champaklal Speaks

A Typical Morning

1960-01-28

You know, Mother's programme never remained the same for long. True, she herself rarely changed it; but things used to happen in such a way that it automatically got changed.

Still, since you want me to narrate the morning programme before Balcony darshan and immediately after, I shall do so.

After my bath at 4 a.m. I go up and wait outside the netted outer door of the Mother's room. After Pranab leaves I go inside. Today he leaves at 4.22 a.m. When I go in, Mother may be there, or she may have already gone to the inner room where she remains for some time, but comes out if there is some work, something to say or do, such as to have a bottle opened.

When she comes out, she hands me two small baskets containing clothes and a plastic bag with her handkerchief for washing. I take them with me when I go down with Mother and leave them in the boudoir (dressing-room) on the first floor, from where Vasudha will take them away after Balcony darshan.

Mother comes out of her room today at 6.05 a.m. to go down to the Balcony. Dyuman is standing in the long corridor near the boudoir with a glass of lithine¹ for her to drink. Then she takes one or two pills of Cachon—a French make, black in colour, something like the Japanese Simsin—and taking out another Cachon from the box, she places it on my palm. It is 6.10 by the time she has come down to the first floor. I follow her through the Salon. Near the small passage she stops to say Bonjour to Kamala who is waiting there. Further on, in the long corridor Mounnou is waiting; Mother tells her Bonjour and gives her a small biscuit tin which is kept ready. Formerly—Mounnou was then ten—Mother used to hold her hand and walk with her up to Pavitra's laboratory.

Abhay Singh and Sujata are waiting near Pavitra's laboratory door; and, a little further, stands Jayandlal. Inside the laboratory are Pavitra, Noren Singh, Sumantra, Suprabha and Sumkra.² Nolini and Amrita are in Pavitra's room.

On the window-side, to the south of the passage, stand Pujalal, Nirod and Biren; in front of the table, Kalyan³ and Mrityunjoy⁴. She greets them all, though not in the same way every day. She may look at them or just glance at them and go straight to the Balcony.

As Mother goes to the Balcony, Sujata and Abhay Singh follow her and wait in Pavitra's laboratory.

After the Balcony, she sees those who are waiting in Pavitra's laboratory. If anyone has any work, she attends to it and gives instructions. Then it is Jayantilal's turn to speak if he has anything to say or ask. She proceeds thereafter to the window where she gives me her veil for keeping in her room. This is where the papier-mache pigeon made at Ganapatram's⁵ cottage industries is kept. Mother had herself selected it and asked for it to be placed there.

In the corner there is Udar⁶ who waits for Mother after the Balcony darshan. Mother says Bonjour. If he has anything urgent to say, she replies to him; otherwise she takes the letters he has brought with her upstairs.

Inside the Salon Dr. Sanyal⁷ is waiting near the cupboard. Mother greets him with a Bonjour. She glances again at the small passage near the staircase door where Kamala, Rassendran⁸, Chandana⁹, Doctor-babu's grandson Tarun and Arpita are waiting. Then Mother goes upstairs, the doctor follows. I go behind them up to the landing. Mother and Dr. Sanyal go into her room. I come down and fetch one tray of breakfast. Dyuman brings up another.