Budget buddies for life

EVERY budget season brings a flood of nostalgia of my budget buddies. Being from a Naval family, sahayak or bhaiyaji was a new concept for me. It  took me some time to get used to, as I was not used to the presence of a stranger — that too a male — in my house. We shifted to Ambala as our first station after marriage. Hubby, like a good and busy Adjutant, was on the go and left me in the care of Bhanwarji, a Rajput sahayak. When hubby returned in the evening(those were pre-mobile days), I was literally in tears and threatened to desert him, for Bhanwarji was behaving like a typical Hindi movie, Lalita Pawar-type of mother-in-law.

Bhanwarji’s response was simple: Memsaheb had not been given basic financial training by parents and needed an urgent capsule, like the one imparted in the Army, on the important subject of domestic budgeting. He built his argument on the fact that Memsaheb ordered all kinds of things in huge quantities without realising  Saheb’s paying capacity and  dues with the regimental bania.  What got his goat was that I was ordering non-seasonal stuff like tomatoes in huge quantities. 

Over the next few months, I understood the protective nature of  Bhanwarji and he became my budgeting buddy. I realise how much I owe to him to become a grounded Army wife. He accompanied us to Staff College at Wellington, where hubby was to be trained to become a good Staff officer. That is the only time he defied his Sahebji. He was mandated to stay with us for 10 days and help us to settle down at Wellington. He deserted us on the fourth day, warning his Saheb that it is better to be a Commander than becoming  a babu.

Contrary to popular perception, at least in our regiment, entitlement of sahayak is not automatic, as you do not get them on courses and staff assignments till the officer commands the regiment. In one such outing at Ahmednagar, Attar became our self-appointed buddy, helping us in his spare time. Later, when KJ wanted to help him and suggested that he should try the JCO test, his answer was brief: ‘I know my limits, let me go on pension, but you should keep working hard for our regiment needs another General.’

As an Army wife, we had a number of sahayaks who regularly ring us up now and are part of our extended family. Our sons, who are in the corporate sector take practical advice from their buddy, Rajesh, our last sahayak, on a number of issues like the registration of vehicle, licence, etc. The newest member of our family, our daughter-in-law, a corporate professional, paid the ultimate tribute and declared Rajesh as the best event organiser and financial juggler as she saw him managing her wedding on a limited budget.