A debt of Rs 50 remains unpaid

JBS Nanda 

The tale of my alma mater, Government College, Ludhiana, in which I studied from 1960-66, remains incomplete if I do not touch upon the splendid personality of  my canteen contractor, popularly called ‘Santa  Singh canteenwala’. The canteen was the only place in the adjoining area, known for its delicious sweets, which fulfilled mainly the needs of the students and employees. Moreover, refreshments for the NCC cadets was served from the canteen. For most people residing in the Civil Lines area, it remained the place of choice for relishing the sweets. 

I was a shy, unassuming and ordinary student. I would cherish visiting the canteen for its delicious rasgulla, rasmalai, samosa, barfi, jalebi, etc. Burger, pizza, hot dogs, noodles etc, were unheard of at that time. 

Santa Singh was tall, well-built and well-dressed, always donning a salwar-kameez in the West Punjab style and a white turban. He 

was firm in his conversation but soft in his dealings. He spoke Multani and was ever eager to help his workers in any crisis.

He belonged to that generation which had sad memories of Pakistan. It was said he had lost his young son in the riots. After the Partition, Government College, Lahore, shifted to Ludhiana. Santa Singh, the canteen contractor in Lahore, shifted too. He would become emotional whenever he spoke about Lahore and the students of the college, including Khushwant Singh, actor Balraj Sahni and the brothers — Chetan Anand and Dev Anand — who made a name for themselves in the film world.  

At that time, Government College was known for its literary  and artistic activities. The memories of Sahir Ludhianvi, an alumnus of the college, who was later expelled, were fresh in the minds of the people associated with the college. Participants in seminars, debates and youth festivals would assemble in the canteen after the function. Santa Singh would also join in, if he found that the poets gathered there were well-versed in Urdu.                                                                                                                              

There was a rule then —  in order to get the roll number for the university exams, it was necessary to get a clearance from Santa Singh. When I approached him, he refused to accept the amount of Rs 50 in spite of my  insistence. He hugged me, saying, ‘You are just like my son. You are leaving the college. When you return as a lecturer, pay me the amount.’                                                                                                                                                            

After many years, I got a government job as a lecturer, and subsequently, was transferred to my alma mater. After signing the joining report, I virtually ran to the canteen to meet him, have a cup of tea and pay the Rs 50 I owed him. I was wonder-struck — the whole structure had changed. On enquiring, the new contractor told me that he had died a few years ago in an accident. 

My eyes welled up. I could not stand a minute longer. Without tea, I returned home, the debt I owed him, now a lifelong treasure.