When we shifted to our own house in Aurangabad, a special slot in the new house was reserved for the old radio bought by my father way back in the '60s. It was neither working nor repairable - spare parts were no longer available. Still none of us could think of throwing it away, so many memories were associated with it. I remember as a kid the excitement we had when it was brought first in the house, none of the neighbours had it. It must have been very costly at the time, but Dada would never bother about minor details like cost.
In fact, in the matter of money, Dada was (and still is) an aristocrat, he would never mind the cost of things he had a passion about - like when he used to buy tickets for drama. Drama tickets in the sixties would cost about Rs. 8 to Rs. 10 per head (equivalent to about Rs. 1000.00 in today's terms), yet the entire family would be going for the drama.
And it was not that we were rich. We were not, and even at that age I knew it. That is why I remember once asking him whether we should buy used text-books (which were cheaper) in order to save money, but he would have none of it. Every year, each one of us three brothers would get brand new fresh smelling text-books.
Looking back, I think I have inherited this strand of his character along-with a lot of other things. Like most men, I have always been passionate about gadgets & stuff, and did not think twice before buying one of the first generation of mobiles (it cost Rs. 8500.00 in 1998 - about Rs. 30,000 by today's prices). I am a bit more cautious now, and defer a lot of my purchases- I have been planning to buy a bicycle for about an year, but that is a conditioned response.
In fact, in the matter of money, Dada was (and still is) an aristocrat, he would never mind the cost of things he had a passion about - like when he used to buy tickets for drama. Drama tickets in the sixties would cost about Rs. 8 to Rs. 10 per head (equivalent to about Rs. 1000.00 in today's terms), yet the entire family would be going for the drama.
And it was not that we were rich. We were not, and even at that age I knew it. That is why I remember once asking him whether we should buy used text-books (which were cheaper) in order to save money, but he would have none of it. Every year, each one of us three brothers would get brand new fresh smelling text-books.
Looking back, I think I have inherited this strand of his character along-with a lot of other things. Like most men, I have always been passionate about gadgets & stuff, and did not think twice before buying one of the first generation of mobiles (it cost Rs. 8500.00 in 1998 - about Rs. 30,000 by today's prices). I am a bit more cautious now, and defer a lot of my purchases- I have been planning to buy a bicycle for about an year, but that is a conditioned response.
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