Rabin Prasad Kalita
My father always dressed up neat and tidy. After finishing his daily morning ablution, he had his shave done but kept a sharp pair of striking pyramid like moustache. He maintained this regularity without fail. He tried to shave even while he was sick. He could not expose his dirty beardy face to others, hence he shaved daily. He dissociates the parts of the razor, wipes them out nicely after every use to avoid stains on them.
The most time bound person I ever met who squarely distributed his time in his day long plan of works. In those days, most of the males went out to the barber shops, had the shave done along with their hair cut. They had it in a particular interval when the face looked awkward of the abruptly grown beard but my father disliked having a shave in a barber shop. Rather, he never had it except to have a neatly side parted smart hair cut.
I used to observe him minutely while he was shaving. He used to sit on the floor placing the shaving mirror at a reachable distant to see while shaving and would use a leather shaving round soap to soften his facial hard hair for an easy shave. While applying foam for a shave, very often, he applied fondly some on my face too as I used to gaze at him without a blink. This act of his agility amused us both. I hastily wiped off the foam and ran away for a moment but only to come back again and he would apply some more which he did intentionally as he enjoyed seeing my happiness.
As per his own declaration, the razor he had, bought in 1939 was an original Gillette safety razor made in USA in 1930. A vintage razor of its class, he used it almost forty six years from the date of purchase till his death in 1984. It was made of brass and copper and its gold plated round headed brass handle looks attractive. The upper component of the razor just above the blade is made up of copper. It acts like an anti-microbial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory as per Ayurveda. I salute to the manufacturer to adopt such a scientific concept ninety years ahead.
I kept it in my safe custody in commemoration of his memory though it was not used up to 1986. In the same year, I was selected for Indian Air Force and I didn’t forget to take it along with me to IAF Training Centre because it contained many memories of my childhood. Very second day of my training, I was pointed out by my Ground Training Instructor for shabby small hairs grew haphazardly on my face. He had instructed me to shave and come back to the ground the next day. Thus I had the opportunity to use my father’s razor for the first time. What a unique day for me it was! I still remember the date when I used it for the first time that was on 6th June, 1986.
Every time I pull back the razor on my cheeks while shaving, it’s a kind of tribute to him and I too feel as if he cares on my face lovingly. My heart fills up with mixed emotions sensed me his existence. Since then, am using this invaluable legacy for last 35 years. There are a lot of sweet and sour stories hidden behind this precious piece. I can’t think of using any other razor except this. It’s a priceless property for the rest of my life. Later on my son, if he desires can go with this inheritance and to lit the lamp of third generation. Good news is; he had his first shave with this razor, while I convinced him to give it a try.
It would be fare to share a small story at the back of this razor for which I had to suffer mental and physical commotion. It was my second transfer and was posted out from Nagpur to Gwalior, in 1992 if I am not mistaken. I was to go on leave after reporting at my new unit. Defence personnel are always used to fantasize if there is a possibility of coming home on annual leave. They prepare themselves well before a month or so such as sanctioning of leave application by one’s respective section commander, get issued with free warrant or concession voucher, ticket booking etc. The foremost job prior to the date of departure in defence is to properly hand over the job dealt to one who would be looking after in his absence.
Hence, I had to clear entire obligatory duties within the stipulated time. My luggage and other necessary items were already made ready to move. I had my berth booked from Gwalior to Etawah and from Etawah to Guwahati. As per the scheduled time, I got into the train and proceeded for a moth long leave happily. The journey between Gwalior to Etawah is about four hours. Suddenly, before I reached Etawah, something pricked in my mind. Putting my hands on the head, I kept on thinking about my razor helplessly. It was recalled after sometime that I forgot to collect it from the shared billet bathroom after I had my shave. I was wrapped up in a very dismal situation thinking what could be done then.
Had there been a mobile communication in those days, could have been communicated to my friends easily to keep that in someone’s safe care. I sweated top to bottom in search of an idea, how to mitigate my arising problem until I reached Etawah. My thought process got disabled. Except to come back and collect my razor, I could not think much. Hence, I decided to get down at Etawah and overturn to my unit, dumping my luggage in the cloakroom there, which I did because, I could not afford to lose that anyway. Instead of waiting for the train towards Gwalior, I got into a state transport bus to save my time. I reached Gwalior in three and half hours.
Thank God, it was still in the exact place where I left it in the bathroom. Seeing me once again in the billet, my friends who went to the railway station to see me off got shocked and enquired the cause of my return. I briefed them my distressing narrative and ran off to the bus station with my age old pride along with me. I had to catch a train to Guwahati next day where I didn’t have reservation. I travelled near about ten hours sitting on my luggage in front of the bathroom until I got my berth confirmed. It was all possible because I was quite young and energetic then and everything seemed fun and frolic. I had no regret of losing berth, time and my reservation but at length, I could reset my mental peace once again.
The author is a freelance writer and presently working in Indian Audit and Accounts Department as a Senior Auditor at Maligaon, Guwahati, Assam. He can be reached at
[email protected] and mobile number 8638815722