Given her penchant for poetry , I thought  It would be appropriate that Kaushalya’s Platinum Birthday Greeting should be  poetry. Trouble is : not many words rhyme with Seventy  (bounty , shanty  , Damyanti  were some that came to mind : none appropriate you’d agree !) When dismayed , parental intervention often comes  to one’s rescue . Taking some liberties & alliterative licences , a few lines were thus couched :

“7 decades ago, of the first month on the second day

A genius was born to Ganga & Kay Bee Kay

A sibling to Mira  , she barely knew

That Kay Bee Kay & Ganga were not quite through

With biennial gaps in which to wallow

There were one two three , nay, four to follow

If I go any further , I might incur the wrath

Of Family elders who might begin to froth

How dare you !! they might begin to shout

Alliteration be damned , I might get thrown out “

Kaushalya showed early  signs of genius as a School Girl . Her Maths teacher Goswami Master ( endearingly referred to by the Kanuga Clan as KHURCHANDOO in a respectful reference to his bald pate which he perennially scratched with the Red Pencil which he seldom needed when checking Kaushalya’s homework ) often  commented , in utter bewilderment , more to himself than to anyone else : “ DIKKAT KAHAAN PAIDAA HOTEE HAI —-“   in an obvious reference to Kaushalya rattling out complex equations of Algebra when all Khurchandoo wanted was a quick proration of his monthly tuition fees after netting the days he couldn’t make it to the Kanuga citadel ( a tough ‘un in itself in those pre-calculator days ) .

Her genius earned her the endearing sobriquet “ Guryaanee” amongst her siblings.

She wrote poetry from a very early age , in a Burgundy Red Diary . One of her poems which I was particularly fond of  was “ Naree “  :  I shall say no more though : the last time I recited a few lines she was quite annoyed !! Admittedly I had made a few unacceptable changes .

Fast forward to her post graduation as M A ( English Hons ) & LLB from Calcutta University . As a student in Calcutta , she was pursuing a lot more than her post graduation & wedding bells were not too far with Ganesh Prasad Singh , G P for short . It was the mother of all weddings , with the groom choosing to arrive on an Elephant . But then that , as I am so very fond of saying , is a tale for another day.

The White Stork soon delivered , in quick succession , two Chota Geniuses , a boy who went on to set  River Liffey on fire , & a girl who continues to set river Thames ablaze . Its wonderful that both are with Kaushalya on this special day , along with their loving spouses 

A warm hearted person in good times & bad , Kaushalya has been sentimentally close to all her siblings.  I often remember with a whole lot of fondness , our days at Mayfair Gardens in Calcutta , when , as a fresh graduate & no pocket money now that I was at home in Flat 303  my Kwality Choco Bars at 3.30 each afternoon were funded by Kaushalya from Flat 304 Belatedly , my heartfelt thanks on behalf of the Ghais & on my own behalf !! . Always the first to come forward to  help & ever the low-profile do-gooder , that’s our  Kaushalya .

 I should have loved to be with you on this special day  

& raise an impromptu Bubbly  toast .

But that wasn’t to be , & the best I can offer

Is this impromptu on-my-Blog post  “

Have loads of fun , because all that matters on this day is love and heartfelt cheer

Happy Birthday !