What about my wife and son? How did they spend their time?

It was indeed an onerous task to keep them engaged. There weren’t many friends or children around, no libraries, and no TV. We had only a radio for some entertainment.

With no cooking gas available, cooking itself was a time-consuming task. Our son was still a baby, so he had to be kept entertained and occupied constantly. Even now, when I think back to that period, I feel sorry for my wife and son. For nearly two and a half years, they managed without much company. Weekends were the only times that offered some relief.

During one of our visits to Chennai, I bought a lot of books for my son. With these, we kept him engaged and taught him as much as we could. He was a quick learner and enjoyed his time with the books. Occasionally, a couple of girls from the village would come by and take him to their home to play, but we didn’t allow this very often.

I had a carrom board that I brought along with me. Not only did my wife and I play, but all the staff members would join in too. It was a small source of entertainment for everyone.

Invariably, on Saturday evenings or Sundays, we would go out to the nearby town. It might be for shopping, watching a movie, or just to spend time walking around. A visit to a restaurant became a permanent agenda during these trips. There would always be at least one staff member accompanying us, and sometimes we went out as a group.

Eventually, another official was posted to assist me, and fortunately, he also had a son in the same age group as ours. At last, our son found some company.

We also managed to get a puppy, much to our son’s delight. I’m not sure he fully understood it was a living thing, but he loved it. The puppy would often chase him around the dining table, and both would have a great time.

In the evenings, we would listen to the radio—songs, plays, abridged movie broadcasts, or cricket commentary. That was our entertainment.

Despite the remote location and lack of convenient transport, it’s fascinating to note that many of our relatives, including my brother from the USA, visited us during this period of over two years.

There were many incidents—plenty.

Continued in 101. Pristine or Primitive - Part 3