Do thy work: work is worship

Whenever my students and cadets ask me for truly some serious advice, I advice, “Learn to do your work, specially prepare your own bed to sleep. “ My immature students go away laughing at me, saying, “Sir is still hundred years back and will never change…“ However, I am very serious. Doing one’s own work is a mark of personality, a testimonial about being a name different in the crowd, a distinctive face of one’s individuality. Do not leave it to your mother, sister or the house help; it will become their manner of work or bed, and you will have to change your persona to suit theirs. Apart from that, it is a theme of self-cultivation.
Good enough years back, I went to Naogaon, Assam, to participate in a National Integration Camp with ten cadets. We were put up in an incomplete hospital near the forest. The hospital was abandoned by the authorities due to the terrorist of ULFA. As I was Associated NCC Officer, so a separate room was allotted to me for the next eleven days.
After completing all the paper formalities, I went to my room for some rest. My bed was smartly made. Too good for my taste. I opened the bed cover and found a small black cobra welcoming me with funnel upraised. As, I am a Brahmin, so I cannot kill any one of God’s creations without necessary grounds, and so, I called the PI staff of the NCC. They, using a can (they use it in many ways), they tipped the snake into a large plastic bucket, opened a window, and threw the snake out of the room.
Returning to the room, I decided upon to re-arrange of the bed, and on lifting the mattress, found an entire family of snakes. Disturbed by my intrusion, scores of small snakes were soon scuttling about the bed. I again shouted. The PI staff room was near to my room and they took me to the guest room. I spent the night in the guest room. Better a guest room bug than a forest snake!
Doing my own work, specially making my own bed was very important for me, something NCC taught me when, as a cadet, you were at the mercy of seniors, PI staff, NCOs, ANOs, and frequent pranksters. You were trained made your own bed, washed and iron your own uniform and clothes, polished your own shoes and clean your camp area.
Occasionally a dirt would infiltrate some hurtful annoy between your sheets and you would hide it artistically, preferably with a neat towel. “English“style was popular. You reorganized the sheets in such a shrewd way that the intruder, resting on the bed, found himself in an inextricable dirt. All this meant that NCC taught you had to be very caring of your bed and work.
I became so rigid about my habits and making of my bed that when I went to Meerut as a young student and stayed with the aunt of my friend to take care of her in the absence of her family who was also a motherly lady to me. I had an expected clash with her over I had the right to make my bed. She persisted that I was her guest, with a right to take care of me; she had a right to do my work including arranging my bedroom, plus the bed. I would arrange the bed. She would rearrange it. I did it again. At times she won; at times I. We reached a truce. She would fold and make in the morning, so I would be on time to my class. And in the night, I would make it, so that she could prepare the dinner comfortably.
During winter, my aunt prepared a hot-water bottle, to keep my feet and legs warm all night. It was very useful. As a result of her affection and care, I surrendered all my work and bed making right to my gracious aunt first time in my life. A good breakfast, good dinner and warm bed, what more can an immature student can have?
Food is not a problem to me because I like simple vegetarian food but it is the beds and toilets which always trouble me. There are pillows and pillows. I threw away before I go to bed. They give me the impression as if a Psycho is lying shrunken. I always loosen the sheet and mattress, as these are always tucked into the mattress very tightly. In some cases, mattresses are too soft; throw you towards the sky if you drop on to them abruptly. At times I prefer to sleep on the floor, using a thick carpet, sheet, pillow and blanket from the bed.
Once, a very unusual thing happened with me due to my typical nature. Always remember your hotel room number because rooms are very similar to each other. Once, I was standing in the balcony of my room, leaving the door unlocked to see the city. I am very fond to see the city. On returning to the room, I found my bed occupied by lady in a saree. She was in the wrong room? Fortunately, the lady remained cool and she apologized generously.
She seemed to recognize me, even though she failed to recollect my name.
“Aren’t you that writer-bed tidy? She asked in smilingly. “Come on in and have a drink. “
She was my friend of college days.