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"Beating others to get a school form is not enough. One has to pay a donation of Rs 50,000 and that's a problem."

SUMMER days start fast unlike winter days lingering in bed, unwilling to get up and go. Koyals are the first to take to the skies, with their seven-eight-note kooing sounding like an elaboration of some early morning raga. One can spot them on the mast and tamarind trees around Lachman Singh's home in the half-light touched up by the moon.

Usually we meet at around 5 for the two-hour morning walk in Borivili, with none talking much. These days Lachman brings along his granddaughter, Utsav, who generally sits across the back of his shoulders holding his head firmly. When in the mood she walks a bit, teasing the street dogs from sleep with a stick.

For the first time one watched Lachman Singh from near to note down the pleasures of being a grandfather. "Saab, Utsav mera sub kuch hai (Utsav is everything for me). I want her to be an M.A. and then appear on TV screens like the women on BBC and CNN," says Lachman while playing with her or crooning the lady to sleep.

While walking along the various convent schools last week, one saw a long queue of old and young men and women. Seemingly, the public forms a queue early in the night by around 2 and stay put till 9 in the morning when the schools open. We walked past the human lines for two days and on the third day one decided to make some inquiries with the mobile chaiwallas doing brisk business.

Lachman probably knows by the first name every chaiwalla in Borivili and we went over to get some details. The tea vendor welcomed Lachman and me with a "Siya Ramjiki" and we returned the blessing. "Are bhai idhar kya ho raha hai (What's happening here)," asked Lachman and the chaiwalla replied, "Ye log, school form ke liye khade hain (They are standing in the queue to collect the school form)." The poor fellow did not know anything more; he was happy with the long queue as it meant business.

To get more details one went up to an old man who was resting on the road leaning against a lamppost. "Good morning sir, what's this queue for?" one asked him. The old man wished both of us good day before getting down to an explanation. "I am in the queue from 2 in the night while those ahead of me seem to have come in by midnight. I stay in Bikaner. My son works as a stockbroker and wants an admission for his daughter in the best school of Borivili. My granddaughter is just three years old and my son wants her to be placed in a play school. It seems there are two top-class girls schools and distribute forms at Rs 500 per form at 9 in the morning on a first-cum-first-serve and pay basis. My son is in the queue at one school and I am, as you see, standing in the queue of the second school," the old man said, sipping a cup of tea. He offered us tea and asked us to sit with him on the road. "My son tells me that beating others to get a form is not enough. One has to pay a donation of Rs 50,000 and that's a problem for brokers these days," he added when his wife came in a Maruti with some biscuits and homemade tea. It sort of turned into an early morning tea party, with Utsav going for the biscuits.

The old couple were keen to talk. "In our times, we never went to school before the age of 6, if at all. You see, my wife has never seen a school, as her village had none. I went to school for two years and them my father put me up at his kirana shop. I still run that shop. My son is a graduate and is keen on his daughter getting an English education," the old man reflected and his wife added, "Ajeeb duniya hai (It's a funny world)."

The old man was tired sitting up the entire night and left for home with his wife standing in.

We walked back home and made a final stop at the Sree Murari Dairy, which has changed hands. The new owner has painted the place a revolting blue.

Lachman checked out with me the schooling costs for Utsav. One reminded him the cost of special classes for every subject had to be added to the cost of convent schooling. Lachman gave up on convent education for Utsav. At best, it will be a free municipal school without teachers for Utsav.

P. Devarajan

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