The thousand rupee note

"The management committee in our Netaji Subhash Chandra Government School, has decided to give a special prize this year. It is called "Special award" and will reward a extraordinary act done by a child. This year the award goes to eight year old Ananya. I would like to call Ananya's teacher to relate to you all what was the special act done by her," said our beautiful short motherly principal madam on the annual day function of our school. Of all the teachers in our school, the principal madam was the kindest.

"I am very happy to share Ananya's story with all of you," said Alka madam, our young, fair, tall class teacher, with a beatific smile on her face. Alka madam was wearing my favorite stiff white saree which had a blue lace on its border and small blue flowers on it. Her straight long hair reached her waist and was neatly combed and tied into a pony with a flowery clip. She looked taller and prettier than usual. She continued, "One fine afternoon Ananya returned from the playground, where she had gone in the Physical education period and came running up to me. She had a shining pink coloured pencil in one of her hands and  a "thousand rupee note" in the other.”

She paused for a second before she continued, “She gave me the note saying, she did not want it to be trampled by students walking and running over it. I was so proud of her honesty. I immediately nominated her for this award."

Alka madam then searched for me in the crowd and once she spotted me gave me a big smile. I smiled back. 

"Ananya's parents - Can you please come on the stage with Ananya?" 

I heard the thunderous applause as I went up the stage with my parents. I definitely seemed to have done something right.

After the function were the snacks. Rasgollas, pasteries and sandwiches lured me from various counters. It was my day. Ma and Babuji were ready to give me anything I asked. All the uncles, aunties and teachers looked at me with amazement as I walked and ran across the school campus. Ma was a sweeper in one of those big IT companies near our house and Babuji, a mechanic.

I looked for Bhaiyya who was eight years elder to me and studied in the twelfth standard. Bhaiyya was my friend, philosopher and guide. He was always cleanly dressed and the silent humility in his nature brought an extra glow on his face. He was the wise one in our house and supported and comforted our parents whenever they were in difficulty. When he was not at school, he was with my dad at his mechanic shop oiling or tinkering a few machines. He was my window into the world I did not understand. When I was not playing with friends, I tagged along with Bhaiyya on his old bicycle.

On some Sundays, Bhaiyya would take me on long rides on his bicycle. Together we would go into the unexplored areas of our city. We would go to the hidden lakes and unexplored forest areas behind our house. On our way back, we would always have a plate of ‘pani puri’.

"Anu! Anu!!" the familiar call of my brother snapped me out of my thoughts. I turned and rushed into my brother's open arms. My brother hugged me a congratulations. And then we made our way back home.

I sat on the pillion seat of Bhaiyya's bicycle as usual. That day Bhaiyya was walking with the bicycle instead of riding it. We were passing through a small road in a small residential area, when he turned towards me and said with a voice chocked with pride, "I am so proud of you Anu...” I continued licking the icecream which we had bought just a minute back.

When he did not hear a response from me, he turned a little more to face me directly and with eyes full of love said, “I am talking about the thousand rupee note incident..."

So many people had wished me by now. And now Bhaiyya too…I did not understand how to react...

So I asked him...."But Bhaiyya...I don't know what is all the excitement about..."

"I did not want a child to get scolded for losing a thousand rupee note the way mom scolded me last time when I lost a hundred rupee note.That was why I returned the note to madam." I paused for a while and lowered my voice and said,

"Honestly if it had been a twenty rupees, I might have taken Sahira with me and bought the both of us a huge bar of Dairy Milk Chocolate."

"What use is a thousand rupee note to me?"


And then I got back to licking my icecream. After I had gulped in a huge lump, I asked Bhaiyya to stop walking.I then turned him with one of my free hands and looked at him curiously and asked,

"Tell me Bhaiyya, what can I do with a thousand rupee note?"

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