Salad Ramachandran

 I stayed in Sriniwaspuri a South Delhi Government colony for 10 years from 1974 to 1984. We had a friend called Ramachandran who was staying about 100 meters away. Unlike many other bachelors’ rooms, Ramachandran’s room was always neat and clean. Rooms of many bachelors look like a big astray with hundreds of cigarette buds strewn around.  Ramachandran was a non drinker and non smoker and a very polished person with always smiling face and pleasant look. Every item in the room is kept neat and tidy. Many people could not believe that it is a bachelor’s room. His door always remains open and friends can freely enter his room. He treats friends and guests very well with coffee/tea and snacks. Once when I went to his room, I found the charpoy (Cot made of bamboo stick and coir) dancing. Anybody who believes in ghosts, devils etc (During old days, people used to see Devils in dreams only. However, in these days you can see devils everywhere. In some places devils are in majority. This is a classical example of the popular perception that dreams will become reality one day.  Hence friends are requested not to stop dreaming as your dreams will become reality sooner or later. Whether you want to see good dreams or bad dreams is up to you). would have got frightened. When I looked closely, Ramachandran was dusting under the cot with wet cloth. On another occasion, we found two bed sheets neatly packed and kept on the bed. When one of the friends asked him as to whether he washed it himself or got it dry-cleaned, he replied that he has kept them outside for cleaning. That was the height of his cleaning sense.

He was good in cooking and expert in making salads. People may be wondering as to what expertise is required to prepare salad. This has to be experienced and cannot be explained. Some people when they prepare something will have special taste and the reason can neither be explained nor proved scientifically. (Rationalists may or may not believe it, but if they experience it, they will definitely believe it, at least privately).   I lost in touch with him more than 3 decades ago. He hails from vavanur near Kootanad, Palakkad district Kerala. I shall be grateful, if somebody can help me to me in touch with him. He will be around 63-65 now