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A Bizarre Sense Of Charity

Monday, January 16th, 2012

I had lost my way in the labyrinthine small lanes of Lake Gardens area, where I had gone on a house-hunting mission and I was extremely anxious to get back to the lodge in time lest I should miss my dinner. My colleague who had recommended this lodge had already warned me that its management was very strict with regard to timings. With much difficulty and part of the distance literally running, I was able to make it with just another 10 minutes to spare. But then the vintage pendulum wall-clock adorning the main hall of the lodge was showing 9-15 pm!
“The rules are very strict here sir”, the old man at the counter said. “But then it is not 9 pm. yet. You may check up the time over phone, if you please. I am prepared to bear the expense”, I offered. “I am sorry. That isn’t possible”, politely he replied. “I would like to talk to the owner of this lodge”, I said. “You are talking to him right now”, was the answer.
I was livid. As a strict vegetarian, I wouldn’t dare visit any other place either, especially after that experience of mine the previous night, when I happened to bite a fish bone while eating idlies. Thus I got back to my room copiously drinking cold water to the brim and calling it a day. The following morning my colleagues who had earlier stayed at this lodge explained that this practice of Mr. Iyer is actually caused by a rare sense of charity! (?) Further inquiries revealed, each night the ‘leftovers’ were being taken to a by-lane just behind the lodge and served to the waiting poor there. Given the fact, rooms were being let out strictly on daily basis that included charges for food also, and everything collected well in advance, I felt it was indeed a bizarre sense of charity!!
But then the practice had stood the test of time and this lodge was a near automatic choice for anyone visiting Calcutta for the first time from Bangalore or Madras. Predictably Mr. Iyer was doing extremely well for himself. He was the owner of a shopping complex on Sarat Bose Road, that included 12 residential flats exclusively for the benefit of Officers of a Nationalized Bank. Yet another shopping complex close-by was known to belong to him.
Ten years later when I chanced to visit Calcutta again I got an update on this lodge that was quite interesting. A few years earlier yet another Iyer from Madras, a strict vegetarian like me who had taken up a room on monthly basis was likewise denied his dinner. He tried his utmost to persuade the lodge-owner to see reason but the latter wouldn’t relent. Finally he got so furious, he left saying, “You have denied a brahmana his meal. You do not know what a starving brahmana is capable of”.
Within 3 days there was an Income-Tax raid and the lodge-owner whose file surprisingly was yet to be opened by Income Tax Department, was forced to cough-up over 28-lacs inclusive of penalties. Mr. Iyer’s son came running to this customer and fell at his feet seeking pardon, when the latter replied, “I was actually 3 minutes late according to that stupid clock of yours and your father denied me my dinner – something that I had paid for. Now you are full 3 days late. Please go away. I cannot help you”. With a great deal of persuasion however finally these Iyers were able to snatch small concessions like time for paying the penalties and deferred payment of the same in a phased manner etc.
That evening I visited this lodge again after over 10 years that is and was shocked to find the pendulum clock in its place, working as usual with utter disregard to IST. Further I was given to understand that the old rules continued to be followed as stringently as ever.

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