Yesterday while walking back home I was on call with my Mother and she narrated me an incident from my childhood which i also do remember with every detail.
' It was my first year in school and it was 14th Nov 1988 Children's Day....
I told my parents that i wont be taking school bag and books for the day, wont wear the uniform and wont take lunch box even... as it was told to us by our class teacher... and i need money as we would have some stalls (what stalls even i didnt knew then) ....
but my parents were not aware of it (i being their first kid to go school) and my teacher had not made any note in my diary for my parents to take care of ..... they didnt get time to confirm even as i didnt tell them the evening before but told the very day before getting ready for school(phone not being very common those days)
so they packed my bag and lunch box , made me wear my uniform and thought i was too young to be given money for anything .....
so off i went to school....
and when i was back early than usual .... i told my parents what happened as a part of celebration , described the stalls with food and goods .... and just added one statement "You didnt give me money..."
i dont remember if i had cried that day or i didnt.... mom says i didnt....
but after that day i was given a pocket money of Rs 2/- a week....
and till day i can remember how it felt to have Rs 2/- in your pocket or school bag...
IT WAS GREAT ......
and what not can a kid buy with that......
toffees.... so many varieties.... orange candies to kisme to sweetended sounf ke dane....
BABA ke paas se Karmanga... Amrud.... Ber.... Kacche Aam... Borkut.... Aamkut... AamSadha/AamPapad....Chatpat.... (students of K V SBP of my age age group can never forget BABA)
In summers .... Cool Candy Bars and Kulfi......
All time favorite AlooMudi (a teekha version of Bhelpuri famous in Orissa) and AlooBadam..... ranging from 50 paise to Rs 2.00 per plate depending upon the amount you want....
School canteen ka CreamRoll and Boiled Egg.....
I was so happy with my Rs 2/- every week....'
And now exactly after 20 years from then..... I have been working for 3 years, associated myself with two big names in IT, earning a good sum to comfortably manage my living.....
But when i think or when am made to think of my expenses, my spendthreft nature.....i still can bet i was more happy when i used to get Rs 2/- then i am today....
time and again i feel it but i have no answer to the question ' Has the Value of Money Increased or it has Decreased ??? '
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