Blogger Badge

Monday, July 9, 2018

THE FLOATING DIARY (Short Story Journal – 17): PRESSURE COOKER

Every day is new learning… I learnt it from my Baba ever since my childhood. Today I plan to note down one such learning that I received from him many years ago, when I was a child. I must say, that Baba’s practical teachings had been an integral part of my character and today, as I sit and wait to face the ultimate fate of my ailment, I feel the urge to note down this vital learning for my future.

A word that often haunts us in life is “Pressure”! We all face situations of social pressure, economic pressure, romantic pressure, emotional pressure and so many other varieties of this invisible element of a modern lifestyle! As a child, I too was no exception to this.

Every year, after my annual school examinations, Baba used to take us on a vacation. When I was in class nine, I remember, Baba took us to Darjeeling for vacation. Maa, Aunt Padma, Baba and I reached the picturesque hill station with an overburden of luggage and hearts overloaded with excitement for exploring the beautiful mountains girdling this small district town in the eastern part of our country. Darjeeling enthralled me with its scenic beauty, natural bounty and a breathtaking view of the Kanchenjunga!

Baba had rented a “Holiday Home” for us. It was a small but quaint bungalow with a scenic view of the mountains. Located in the outskirts of the town, our place was perfect for a serene getaway into the lap of Mother Nature. The small garden outside the bungalow reflected a colorful vibe with its bouquet of numerous flowers. Soon after we arrived, Maa and Aunt Padma became busy with the cooking as soon as we arrived and I roamed around with Baba to explore the town.

Two days passed and the freshness of the hills rejuvenated our thirsty souls. The pressure of studies during the annual examination had drained me out completely. The mountains cleared much of that cloudy burden. One afternoon, I sat beside Baba and asked, “Baba, I feel so much pressure of studies in school. Why is life becoming so stressful? Why can’t we be stress free always?”

Baba smiled at me and said, “Come with me and I will show you why…”

I followed Baba as he walked up to the kitchen. Maa and Aunt Padma were busy with their cooking chores. Baba asked me, “What is your Maa doing?”

I replied, “She is cooking vegetables in the pressure cooker.”

Baba smiled back again and said, “Do you know why?”

I answered smartly, “Because in a high altitude the vegetables do not get cooked as the boiling point of water changes with the atmospheric pressure!”

Baba took me out to the garden and added, “Pravin, our lives are also girdled with beautiful things all the time and the natural atmospheric pressure differs. Thus, when we face the syllabus of studies or the workload at office, our minds cannot process them!”

I looked at Baba silently while he continued, “Consider your life as a pressure cooker. With the stress of steam you can achieve the unachievable! The vegetables get cooked in no time inside the pressure cooker. Similarly, we accomplish our studies and our workloads inside the pressure cooker named LIFE!”

“But Baba, too much pressure would burst the entire cooker and lead to an accident!” I protested.

“Listen carefully, can you hear something?” asked Baba.

I could hear the whistle of the pressure cooker and said, “Yes, it is the whistling of the pressure cooker.”

“Exactly son! Every pressure cooker needs to have a safety vent! It is this vent that produces the whistle and relieves the stress! Thus your vegetables get cooked properly and the pressure is released too, without an accident!”

I could not hold back a smile at this beautiful example from Baba. He said, “Son, this annual vacation with family is the safety vent! The thrill that we are enjoying in this beautiful surrounding is the whistle of the pressure cooker! Always remember, every PRESSURE COOKER in life needs to have a safety vent and a loud whistle!”

Baba patted on my shoulder as the two of us headed back inside the bungalow. Maa and Aunt Padma served us with freshly made “Lassi” and the four of us sat down for a chat. The vacation got over soon, but the impact of the simple learning remained within me forever.


As I write today, I cannot help but realize how true the learning was! Baba taught me something so important through an example that was so simple. Indeed, life is simple, the whole world is simple, we should not complicate it with the burden of stress. Even when my amnesia erases my mind, I must remember the PRESSURE COOKER and how it can help me achieve great feats. After I finish my writing, I shall go down and give Aunt Padma a big hug! It is a vent; it is the whistle that would keep the pressure cooker safe in my life!

No comments:

Post a Comment

Amazon Books

The Breakfast - A Thriller Short Story (Inspector Kanailal's cases)

  Sub Inspector Rajiv Mukherjee sat on a wooden chair placed at a corner of the large spacious room on the third floor of Lal Bazar headquar...