A Complex Family History

A Complex Family History

By Lokanath Mishra

Naresh, an Assistant Commissioner in the Central Excise Department, had a subordinate named Mandira, who worked as a sepoy. Mandira was the wife of Gopi, a refugee from East Pakistan who had a tumultuous past. During the partition, Gopi lost his wife, three children, and all his properties, documents, and certificates while crossing into India by boat.

Gopi initially settled in a refugee camp and later worked as a tea boy in a central excise office on a daily wage basis. After several years, he was appointed as a sepoy, but he couldn’t submit any documents proving his qualification or date of birth. To overcome this, Gopi procured an affidavit stating his qualification as 7th passed and a lowered date of birth, making him appear 15 years younger.

Gopi, who was actually 73 years old, was officially recorded as 58 years old. He married Mandira, a 25-year-younger widow, and they had a baby girl named Sita . Gopi died while his official age was 58 years ( but actual age was 73 years) and actual age of Mandira was 48 years . After Gopi’s death, Mandira received a compassionate appointment as a sepoy, and Sita received a family pension. Sita completed her education, earning a B.Tech degree, but struggled to find a job despite campus placements. She eventually found work in a call center at a reputable company, working night shifts.

The family members of Naresh ( Assistant Commissioner) were familiar with Mandira, adding a personal dimension to their professional relationships. This complex web of relationships and circumstances highlights the challenges faced by individuals like Gopi and his family, who navigated the consequences of historical events and bureaucratic processes.
Mita, a fourth-year engineering student and daughter of Naresh, had a memorable encounter with Mandira, the widow of Gopi, at a temple waiting room. They struck up a conversation, and Mandira asked about Mita’s college and year. Mita proudly shared that she and her friends were from an engineering college and in their fourth year.
Mandira asked about campus placements, and Mita shared that she and her friends had already secured jobs with top MNCs through campus interviews. Mandira then shared a surprising story about her daughter, Sita, who had completed her B.Tech but couldn’t find a job in an MNC. She innocently mentioned that Sita was working as a “call girl” while continuing to apply for MNC or government jobs.
Mita and her friends were confused and asked for clarification. Mandira explained that Sita worked at night, talking to customers on the phone. Mita and her friends gently corrected her, explaining that Sita was likely a telecaller, not a call girl. Mandira was unfamiliar with the technical terms and thanked them for the clarification.
As the conversation came to a close, Mita realized that Mandira was the wife of Gopi, a sepoy who had worked under her father, Naresh. This unexpected connection added a new layer of meaning to their encounter, highlighting the complexities of relationships and the importance of understanding different perspectives.