A misty meeting with a Governor

S Balakrishnan *

Let me make it very clear at the outset itself that I am a lazy bird, particularly in the early mornings, more particularly in a chilly place like Gangtok and further more during Sikkim's winter.

However, during some mornings, with a sudden bout of energy I spring up from the warmth of my bed and go for a walk. This is not necessarily for reducing my tummy. I always compare mine with that of Lord Ganesh and am content with what I had and what I do not have. No, absolutely no envy of Ganesh’s tummy!

Therefore, my walks in Gangtok (1983-88) - whether in the early mornings, evenings or during full moon nights - were for feeding my hunger for photography and love for nature. Has this ‘feeding’ got anything to do with my tummy! Being a level-headed person I preferred level roads to vertically climbing steep roads; besides, the road from my room to the main Paljor Stadium Road was by itself a steep vertical one.

Climbing it up, I would have already spent all my energy, huffing and puffing. So my choice was the Ridge Park Road (from the gate of Palace) and the VIP Road (till the VIP Gate of Raj Bhawan). A road so calm, neat, beautiful and with a view of Mt. Khangchendzonga that you automatically get to 'generate' poetic and philosophical thoughts! It would be more useful if one could generate electricity instead of these trash thoughts.

The idiom goes that the early bird catches the worm. It is altogether another moot point as to who is to be faulted for getting up early - the bird or the worm. During one such rare early walk, I, instead, caught sight of the VVVIP of the State, His Excellency the Governor of Sikkim, Shri T.V. Rajeswar! Unlike me, a lazy bird, he must have been a regular early bird, as he belonged to the Indian Police Service.

The First Lady, Smt. Mahalakshmi Rajeswar, was also along with him. Either he dragged her along for the morning walk or the vice versa. The meeting point was closer to the VIP Gate of Raj Bhawan and a little ahead of Mintokang, the official residence of Sikkim Chief Minister.

Though dumbstruck by this unexpected darshan, I recovered quickly and wished them 'Vanakkam' in the Tamil language. The traditional Vanakkam is equivalent to ‘Tashi Delek’ of Sikkim or Namashkar, and can be used at any time of the day or night, both while meeting and departing. I used 'Vanakkam' as a ploy to indicate to H.E. that I also hailed from Tamil Nadu, his home State.

How cunning of me! As expected, the trick worked and he started conversing in Tamil language. He enquired whether I was a regular early bird walker. I shamefully admitted the truth that I was not. Now and then, just to enjoy nature, I used to venture out in the mornings, I sheepishly admitted to the former IPS officer. Be careful, you can't afford to utter even a silly, jocular lie to a former Director of Intelligence Bureau of the Indian Government!

As he acknowledged my frank statement with an authoritative nod and smile, my hopes and imagination, as is my wont, shot up rather too wildly. I hoped that next he would invite me for a cup o' coffee at the royal Raj Bhawan lawns. After all, it is customary for Tamils to offer at least a cup of coffee to visitors.

As we were closer to his official residence, the Raj Bhawan, he should extend this courtesy; he should be the host and I his pampered guest. My humble, single room was a good 3 kms all the way down near Diesel Power House. Further, H.E. had to only just order, and it would be ready in a jiffy.

Coffee, not the instant variety, but the aromatic filtered decoction variety, is dear to South Indians. Thick & hot milk + first decoction + sugar = degree coffee, we call it! But NO! Having lived outside his home state for so long, he had probably forgotten the customary courtesy. He turned and looked at his wife, probably indicating that the scene was over – ‘Let us make a move’.

So I too turned to the 'motherly' Ms. Rajeswar without losing my hopes. Definitely she would offer me much more than a cup o' coffee that I expected from her hubby, I thought. Puffy idly + crisp dosa + ghee & cashew-dripping Pongal + sambar + a variety of chutney to be washed down finally with a cup of degree filter coffee… WOW, the traditional breakfast of a Tamil household! But again disappointment!

Maybe the idly/dosa barter was not ready, or the chef was on leave. Maybe the IB Officer needed more time to study me before inviting me into the guarded portals of Sikkim’s Raj Bhawan, always a place of intrigue since the British time and particularly during the merger period.

Maybe he wanted to maintain the distance and dignity of his post by not mingling freely with any Ram, Rita and Rahim roaming on the streets (It is time we Indianised "Tom, Dick & Harry" with a quota of feminine touch. Else our womenfolk might get offended).

Maybe they would extend a proper printed invitation for lunch sometime soon; hoping so and wishing them both another 'Vanakkam', I back tracked my steps. You see, you should not show your back to the royals. This is imbibed in our blood since time immemorial. I did not venture up to the VIP Gate of Raj Bhawan, my usual target, fearing that they would mistake me gate-crashing for coffee.

He could even order his sentries to fire at me. Life is precious than a single cup o' Raj Bhawan coffee. You can have any number of and any variety of coffee! There are even hotels slyly named as 'Raaj Bavan'. Why risk life for a cup of coffee worth just 2 or 3 rupees (then in 1985, not now! In the present times a good cup of decoction coffee costs anywhere from 15 rupees upwards).

With this philosophical thought (don't tell me I didn't warn you earlier), I left them continue their morning walk. What more could an ordinary citizen converse with H.E., unless you are asked questions and commanded to answer?

It is better that way because you do not expose your stupidity and you also present yourself as a person of etiquettes. The less you speak the better it is. Don't open your dirty mouth, especially if you have not brushed that early morning.

I do not think I had my camera slung on my shoulder on that particular morning. Maybe I could not afford to buy the rechargeable battery or even a colour roll that cost a huge Rs. 65. Else I would have whipped my camera and shot a picture of them with Mt. Dzonga as the background. Alas, no cell phone then, hence no Selfie that I could show off now.

Shri T.V. Rajeswar (born in 1926 in Salem, Tamil Nadu) was Governor of Sikkim from 21-11-1985 to 01-03-1989, promoted from the junior post of Lt. Governor of Arunachal Pradesh where he was posted immediately after his retirement as Director - IB. He was the first IPS officer to be appointed to a constitutional post. It would also be interesting to note that he had served as an IB officer in the then Kingdoms of Sikkim and Bhutan between 1963 & 67.

For a bachelor living away from his home state, the insatiable craving for home food would show its head now and then. Though I had a few South Indian friends in Gangtok, they would always serve only tea. Maybe it was cheaper; you see, the times were hard then. Maybe they were hoarding the filter coffee for themselves, as it was hard to get by. It had to come all the way from South India.

So, even though they offered Sikkim's Temi tea or the famous Darjeeling Tea, the craving for authentic degree coffee was lingering. In those days there was just one eatery on the MG Marg of Gangtok that served the so-called dosa with so-called sambar and chutney!

It turned out to be a short, sweet-and-sour meeting. Does it remind you of Aesop's fable of the 'Fox and the sour grapes'? But it was all in the hands of the mighty His Excellency to make it sweet or sour; so don't make a disappointed foolish fox out of me. I would like to remember it as a misty morning meeting with a mysterious VIP rather than as longing for a cuppa coffee.