Salt Lake area of Calcutta sprang in 1970s as a method to solve the housing problem. A brackish waterbody was being landfilled to make a reclamed land and most early settlers were those working class middle/low. In forty years, the prices appreciated and all first generation settlers were in their 70s or eighties. The second generation of these settlers went away, some quite far and some within Indian subcontinent. Most of the older houses contain old man and woman – connected to their sons and daughters via email, telephone and occasional bank transfers. This segment does not have any contribution to the commerce, art, culture and spiritual practices of the city. They were middle class, now in quite a better station of life (due to time and not because of their efforts) and leading a peaceful if not a boring life with a perpetual irritation varying from mild to intense.
I met an old officer of Indian Navy, now in his mid seventies, a pensioner and commanding a total fixed income of approximately 70k per annum including rent. He and his wife stay in the 2 storied house and then greatest event of their daily life is coming (or absence) of the working maid.
In one of the city parks where I go for my editorial work, I became a listener. He continued telling various achievements of his life which for a Bengali is well-placed children, good money, solvency, travel stories and the ‘problems’ that he face here.
During this discussion, I found out that the reason of his great care for money and concern about rising inflation and interest rate etc has to do with his medical bills, nothing else. His all pettiness of mind and purposeless thereof arise from a fear of his body not remaining well. The primal, the root fear is Death.
Even materally speaking, he should not have any economic concern. But he is in fear – fear of losing all his wealth to regain health. His body will go one day, whether treated by a quack or a INR 5000 / hour doctor. But he is too much concerned on the marginal erosion of his wealth due to inflation.
This is Maya. What else can be ?
All our pettiness and delusion arise from this primal weakness : Attachment to body and its extension
All major teachers of humanity and those from Bengal taught the same : You are not this body only. You are a spirit soul. It is the soul that is moving the matter we call body. It is always dead. It seems to be living because of the presence of the soul there. As soon as the soul leaves the body or even shows sign of leaving, no amount of money can remove the fear from us.
Time Rich Cash Poor Gentleman Speaking 
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