During 80's
As an assorted entertainment during school days there were many inclusions to our basket.
Although seasonal, but important part of student life, beside curriculum.
Many types of trees were part of our school campus, Gul Mohar, Shehtoot, Bel paththar & jungle Jalebi (I don’t know their botanical or English names).
It was our favorite activity to enjoy flower of gul mohar.
We used to pelt stone to take those buds out from the tree to eat,
they were simply delicious due to their tangy taste.
I don’t remember a year without eating flowers during my stay in school.
It was a real beauty to see flourished colorful Gul Mohar tree of green branches with red flowers on them.
Those trees were all over but densely situated on the peripheral way to fine arts department.
Jungle jalebi
I don’t have its English name but those who know it by this name might have their mouth full of water!
Scorching & sizzling summer never be a hurdle for those who likes to enjoy this unique fruit.
Back side of baghbani in middle school & next to Bhopal ground was the location to find jungle jalebi.
Since the branches have thorns, it was damn difficult to climb & pluck the fruit.
Ghulail or good aimers were always having an advantage to get more in less time.
I still remember to collect jungle jalebi along with Kamil Hasan, Mohammed Talib, Shakeel, Muqeed etc in Bhopal ground.
Bel Paththar
These trees were under secured mode & guarded properly due to its fruit & healing benefits.
Few of them situated in Baghbani of middle school, Baghbani of faujdar sahib (in between school field & jamia nursery).
In baghbani, it was Baba din who made it very difficult for us to steal this fruit & it was next to impossible with Faujdar.
A group of four to five people were always ideal to execute this mission.
I think I have mentioned in one of my post earlier of falling bel paththar on one of my friend.
Once ditching baba din & getting at least two pieces of fruit, it used to be a party time.
It was equally dangerous to climb on tree due to all the fruits bearing branches were weak & it was always a risk of fall.
Kammu ka khet
On the way to Jamia College from store, just after Maktaba Jamia, where MCRC is situated now, it was a big piece of land, very fertile & always green with seasonal vegetables & fruit trees.
Barricaded by wired fence & Kammu’s vigilant plus violent approach, it was very difficult to sneak through & try something that violates kammu’s commercial interests.
But, as usual we always broke through his fence to steal Amrood (guava) mainly & some time Gaanth gobhi.
By the time he travel 20-25 meters almost running, we were through with few guava on road.
The calculation proves sometime wrong & few get caught & few get the taste of his batten instead of guava.
Impact of hitting with stick, although bad & painful but controllable while trapped with kammu was very bad as finally one has to bail out on parents request or known person means a lot of humiliation & firing.
Never mind, Kammu’s Amrood were really good so as Gaanth Gobi, Gajar & mooli.
Kammu used to sell fresh vegetables & fruit to Jamia employees & to local market on reasonable rates.
Faujdar Saheb ki Baghbani
It was very difficult of get an access to his farmland for the purpose to steal.
All four sides were properly protected wig barbed wired fence along with branches of babool/keekar.
The only way possible to try was from playground.
Mooli (radish), gaanth gobhi, Gajar (carrot), Amrood (guava), Jamun were big attraction of his orchid & they were very tasty indeed.
Another problem that made our mission more difficult was his two son Gulzar & mukhtar.
In fact Mukhtar was with me & in his presence all the times made it very difficult to avail any fruit.
I have never given up in my life & so my friends were also hungry for those tasty fruits & tried all means to fine a pass hole.
Finally during hockey practice session we found one, properly inspected for operation & then left covered with tree branches for tomorrow.
Next day I sneak inside with kamil to steal Radish, we succeeded too but at the time of returning, Faujdar sb.noticed our unauthorized presence.
He shouted & starts running towards us & we did the same.
He recognized both of us & while escaping through barbed wires, I got my school shirt stuck & finally torn.
I enjoyed mooli with my friends but worried about shirt as what to say at home.
My eyes blinks & I thought of an excuse without knowing that Faujdar Sb already conveyed our activity to our parents.
My mother asked me the reason & I lied to her, knowing the facts, I got some nice imprints on my body & face.
I promised never to steal anything from any where in near future.
It was a promise based temporary on emotions to find an escape route.
I must admit that stealing amrood, mooli, gajar, gaanth gobhi were really a fun & I never get the same taste since after leaving the school.
I don’t know whether Faujdar sb’s. Plantation still exist but kammu’s khet were part of our memories during our school days to give way to MCRC.
As small shehtoot were in abundance in jamia, there fore we found it easy to eat wherever & whenever required, however the bigger version was available only at limited places.
While looking back, I wonder how people become very busy now days!!
We used to have plenty of time after school timings & used to sit in school for multiple activities.
May be those days were more secured & parents have faith in school.
Iam sure many of you reading this have similar past when it comes to sweetness of an AMROOD.
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