Wisdom in foolishness

Wisdom in foolishness

At my Alma-mater
as her hostel boarder
over five years
collected I illuminating souvenirs
imparting in life teachings, awesome
beyond the lessons in the curriculum.
Numerous are those.
All are to my heart, very, close.
I remain indebted
to those who contributed.
They taught me finer points of wisdom
when them, I tried to fathom
with exposures in life
observing people torn by strife,
their trials and tribulations,
and their transformations
At our Alma-mater
as a border
students frequent most
the back post
a vending zone
it is the institute’s own
leased to vendors
to meet the need of borders
twenty shops were there
adequate to take boarders’ care
with vendors of varied professions
the back post peacefully runs
with shops of stationaries sellers,
shops of barbers,
shops for betel and cigarette
being some boarders pet,
Bookshops and restaurants
meet the border's earnest wants.
cycle shops to rent and repair
new cycles, sell they, rare
Sitaram’s restaurant
boarders frequent
for snacks coffee and tea
and for a gossiping spree
At times being fed up with hostel food
or for a change as per fancied mood
take there their lunch and dinner
some commit to him to pay later
on receipt of their money orders
Sitaram never regretted their offers.
Batches after batch went out
With Sitaram, none had any bout.
Sitaram was the owner
cook, serving boy, and manager
engaging supports two
Restaurant management he could do
serving dishes, delicious
in hygiene, he was not callous.
For night and midday meal
to all, his Paratas appeal
with its taste and aromatic smell
On appetite, it had a captivating spell
his rate chart did not sway
during our five-year stay.
one parata cost paisa twenty-five
as per numbers, the cost one had to give
but the whole meal with parata and rice
cost one rupee twenty-five paisa as price
it had parata and rice, quantity, unlimited
till borders’ appetite got glutted.
Fool, him, people call
calculating the shortfall
as after taking Paratas ten
a little rice makes a meal, and then
paying less than his set due
it as Sitaram’s foolishness they view,
But he never stopped his restaurant
him these losses did never hunt
Smilingly as if his relation he felt all
His restaurant for a day nothing could stall
As if Mother Alma-mater
on behalf of her
entrusted Sitaram to look after
her alumni making them healthier
and like her to treat all alumni on par
superiority seniority should not be a bar.
Sitaram never bothered about loss and profit
not for rates and transactions on credit
Towering over profit was his loving attitude
but then also never the losses he accrued
neither his restaurant was closed down
nor his health was broken down.
His so-called foolish business ethics
never drove him to doctor’s clinics.
with sound sleep
his family nicely he could upkeep
On my journey in life
seen I have people torn by strife.
Turn, they, into spiritual parlances
to enrich their consciences
with humility, forgiveness, and honesty
giving up hypocrisy and vanity
Those who once engaged brains top
to interpret in rules commas and full-stop
to swell their treasury
driving the creation to misery
are devoid of sleep without pills
negative thoughts, them kill.
search they, ant holes for feeds
and donate for philanthropic deeds.
I see in Sitaram’s business
wisdom in foolishness.
Priceless is Sitaram’s contributions
in grooming the future of the nation.
Over six decades
to him are due my gratitude and accolades
his underlying love for borders
future of the country and her builders
to help them grow hale and hearty
a little his contributions may be
It has touched my heart
his underlying teachings I cannot part.

P K Routray
in the service of the Lord

(Parata is an Indian dish made of flour and ghee. I am a student of REC Rourkela from 1965 to 19710.)