Mystery of the Missing Grapes

Pic credit: https://pixabay.com/

Shivamogga was a favourite destination for me ever since my only sister Dr. Veena got married and settled down there in 1964.

It was May 1971. I was on a holiday after my Ninth standard finals in school were over. When I stayed in Shivamogga, it was mostly a lazy relaxed life, eating, sleeping, watching movies or just strolling in Gandhi Park.

My Bhavaji  Dr. Suresh Isloor's(brother in law) nephews and nieces used to visit there as well and we used to play indoor games mostly.

One day, Bhavaji called me and said "Today evening my Bhavaji Madhav Wagle and you are going to Harihar to receive my brother Jayveer Isloor and his family from the railway station. They are arriving from Bombay by the Miraj Bangalore train at 9:30pm. I have booked a taxi which will arrive little after 6:30pm and take you to Harihar."

I agreed. I was delighted to get a chance to see Harihar, a new place. More so the railway station, for railway station always used to be my favourite spot in life. 

The taxi was on time, a Black Ambassador car which looked a bit old. Madhav Bhavaji and I got into the taxi and it zoomed ahead towards Harihar.

Harihar is about 80 Kms from Shivamogga and the journey hardly took 2 hours. However, as we neared Harihar, engine of the car ceased, the driver opened the bonnet and found the radiator steaming hot. He filled it with water and once the engine cooled down, the taxi started, we reached Harihar without further breakdown.

It was 8:30pm, we had much time in hand before the train from Miraj arrived. Near the railway station we saw many push cart vendors selling seasonal fruit mango. Madhav Bhavaji asked me "Do you want to eat mango?"

I was apprehensive about the hygiene and replied, "But they are covered with dust and dirt. Is it possible for us to wash them somewhere and then consume it?"  

He didn't say anything. He walked over to the mango vendor nearby and purchased two Rasapuri Mangoes. They looked very big, colourful, juicy and tempting! Madhav Bhavaji wiped the bottom tip of the mango with his hand kerchief, chewed off a bit of the skin and spit it. Then he squeezed the mango slowly and sucked the juice through the small puncture he had made in the skin. 

"Ingenious indeed", I thought!

I too followed his method and tasted the juice and pulp of mango. We then went for a repeat and felt satisfied. We had to wait until the train arrived at 9:30pm, then travel back to Shivamogga with Jayveer Bhavaji and his family and have dinner late at night. Thus for the time being, our hunger was taken care of.

Then we went around watching vendors, people and passengers moving around when we heard the whistle of the Miraj Bangalore Express loco arriving on the platform. We rushed to the platform and received Jayveer Bhavaji and his family. His family included his wife Durgakka and their two month old son Sujay, who was crying nonstop! When we asked if Sujay was disturbed by getting down from the train, Jayveer Bhavaji said, he was not well since a day, and was on medication. Hence he was crying.

We loaded their luggage and got into the taxi, started from Harihar and came about two miles on the highway. Then trouble started again!

The car engine ceased again and the driver filled the radiator with water. It started, ran a couple of miles and stopped again. The driver looked helpless, he tried to fix the radiator that was rusty and leaky, finally giving up and saying "The radiator needs major repair. Now at this hour I can' find anyone fixing it. Please stop some vehicle and try to reach Shivamogga!"

It was almost 10:30pm when he said that, baby Sujay was crying aloud, both Jayveer Bhavaji and Durgakka were restless, Madhav Bhavaji was cool and he said "At this hour we hardly find any buses going toward Shivamogga, as they all leave by 10:00pm. Can't take chances staying here for the night, as it is risky. Let us see if any lorry can stop and take us."

We tried to stop 2-3 lorries that came our way but they were all full. Finally at 11:00pm a lorry belonging to KSRTC carrying tyres stopped. The driver's cabin had an extra seat on which four passengers were already seated. The cleaner of the lorry vacated his seat for Durgakka and baby Sujay, Jayveer Bhavaji occupied the extra seat along with the other passengers, Madhav Bhavaji looked at me and gave a broad smile!

I suggestively asked him, how do we get in when the driver's cabin is full.

He showed at the back deck of the lorry loaded with tyres. I looked up and before I could wink, he climbed over the rear wheel, got into the lorry back and asked me to pass on the luggage one by one!

I did that and I too climbed like he did, to reach the vacant space at the back behind the stack of loaded tyres. We sat on the tyres that were lying flat, held on to the railing of the back shutter and had a bumpy ride, as the lorry moved towards Shivamogga in the blowing cold wind! I was literally shivering due to the cold breeze, the lorry back ride was my first in life and I was a bit nervous! 

Madhav Bhavaji had a solution for every problem!

He suggested that I should cover my head and ears with the hand kerchief and tie it tightly so that cold wind doesn't get into my ears and make me shiver. I did exactly like he suggested, felt warm and comfortable. It was almost a new moon night and it was dark everywhere. The avenue of trees we passed by, looked like demons leaning over us and trying to engulf us!

Suddenly, a hand touched mine, and Madhav Bhavaji whispered "Take these and start eating them one by one. Good time pass until we reach Shivamogga."

They were seedless grapes from Sangli that Jayveer Bhavaji had brought a boxful with him, maybe purchased on the way. I tasted them and they were very sweet. Madhav Bhavaji fished out more through the gap in the wooden crate that contained the grapes and added "That's it. Don't eat too much. You may give scope for suspicion and we may get caught!"

I nodded but as Madhav Bhavaji started to feel drowsy, stopped talking and closed his eyes, I started to fish out grapes from the box and went on eating them, not knowing how much I had consumed! Then we reached Shivamogga and the lorry stopped near Modern talkies on BH Road for us to get down.

We got down and walked with the luggage to my sister's home behind Modern Talkies.

Next morning I overheard Jayveer Bhavaji telling my Bhavaji "They come packed with two kilos Sureshanna, but I don't know how the quantity is so less! Half of the crate is filled with these purple papers and just about one kilo grapes are remaining! Either that fruit seller must have cheated us, or maybe some co-passengers in the train have whacked half of it!"

The mystery of missing grapes remained unsolved then, and the real culprit remained safe until now!