Butter pista biscuit

Love this story, wrote it in an email to all the siblings while cherishing memories of my dad...

It has been a month since I got back to the US from my fieldwork in India. I was just having coffee with famous butter pista biscuits from Ellora's that I got when I was in Dehradun. Yes, I still have those biscuits, I have been very measly about them, as I want them to last long! 

Anyhow, the whole reason why I'm writing this is because everytime I eat those biscuits, it reminds me of an incident of Papa ji with my professor (HOD; Head of Dept) at Delhi University. All of you know how frequently Papa used to go to Delhi for work, he always made sure to meet me during his visits. Since I did not have a cell phone then, there were times when I was not even aware that Papa was in Delhi, and some random day I'd just spot somebody from afar looking exactly like papa and then hit myself on the head and say 'silly, that IS Papa'! It was amazing how without any information/plans Papa would just show up on campus and then find me without much stress. There hasn't been a single occasion when he was unsuccessful at finding me in the crowd. I have always been amazed at how he managed to do that--strange city, strange campus, strange people, and on top of that there could always be chances of me being somewhere else-- in class/labs or not on campus, yet he had always been confident of coming all the way to my college to meet me. I remember asking him once, I asked him, "Papa apko kaise pata mein yahan hoon?" (Papa, how did you know I was here'?) Well, I don't remember what he said in reply, don't think I probably knew ever, I would get so excited and happy on seeing him that it would always take a moment to get back into proper senses.

Getting back to the story--on one of his visits, Papa insisted that he wanted to meet my Professors, so, I took him to the department. There were few professors who were chilling out at the HOD's office. I went inside the office and told them that my father was here and he wanted to meet them. The moment I entered the office and introduced Papa to everyone, he immediately started saying Namastay to everyone with a broad smile that he always had on his face. Very soon he started interacting with everyone. Papa looked so comfortable. While I just stood there in one corner all stunned looking at Papa surrounded by all female professors (I went to an all girl's college and usually all girls college have female professors), I'd almost started to think that I was probably not required in the room, and then all of a sudden one of my professors looked at me and asked me to order something for everyone from the college cafe. I went and placed an order for coffee and after a few minutes, the cafe guy came to deliver the coffee. I was still standing in one corner watching the coffee being served to everyone. The moment coffee cups were placed in front of everyone Papa pulled up his little suitcase on his lap and took out a small polythene bag that had, and I still remember- 4 butter pista biscuits.  I felt a bit embarrassed upon seeing papa pulling out that tiny little plastic bag, by that time I was able to sense his intention and whispered into his ears-Papa please keep it away 'Madam ko diabetes hai' (Madam has diabetes). He smiled and said to the professor, 'Madam yeh Dehradun ka famous biscuit hai, aap ek kha lengi toh appki tabyat durust ho jayegi' (Madam, these are famous biscuits from Dehradun, they are divine, you'll know it once you'll eat it). I still remember how embarrassed I felt at that moment. I looked silly and my professors were smiling at me.

After all these years, I don't remember what everyone was talking about, but all I remember is hearing hearty laughs on the balmy December afternoon in Delhi--guess those biscuits did their magic!