tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80487311305877774582024-03-18T10:40:16.490+05:30 random thoughtsKParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.comBlogger979125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-89507669476240244272024-03-16T17:12:00.000+05:302024-03-16T17:12:00.126+05:30The clever trick (960)<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEssr7U8t2nI33b9px6ShlbKzYgAcxKjQ0KKYc84hvEIPjGhiIYmBamgrPOEWWClxl1kAJWI9yaLDGpuf1NEFVbahSXBj5zTNm0TTLBoCdEt6plRodGoynmBsh_qzMyzkWKLC9Uu1eArt8f2aN_8hK3l6HN7Z32Ab6uyWUU-uuuutNLyS-J6S90_u3FisS/s170/burglar%20alrm%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="128" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEssr7U8t2nI33b9px6ShlbKzYgAcxKjQ0KKYc84hvEIPjGhiIYmBamgrPOEWWClxl1kAJWI9yaLDGpuf1NEFVbahSXBj5zTNm0TTLBoCdEt6plRodGoynmBsh_qzMyzkWKLC9Uu1eArt8f2aN_8hK3l6HN7Z32Ab6uyWUU-uuuutNLyS-J6S90_u3FisS/w109-h147/burglar%20alrm%20(1).jpg" width="109" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Renuka was lying in bed after a
hectic morning. Getting up early in the morning, preparing hurriedly breakfast
and lunch, and sending her six-year-old son to school by 8 am was a bugbear. It
was a big ordeal to wake him up, give him a bath, force-feed the breakfast with
milk and send him with his books for the day without forgetting the lunch box. But
she enjoyed doing it though it irritated her sometimes making her raise her
voice. Her hubby would have no time for her in the mornings but he never
troubled her for his things. It was only after 10 am she would be somewhat
relaxed when she would switch on the TV resting on the bed with the day’s paper
and mobile by her side and the laptop on the other.<br />
<br />
It was an independent house with a tiny garden. She loved gardening. As she was
in the bed one afternoon, she heard the buzzer. She saw through the window a
tall young man in his early twenties dressed well in pants and a shirt with a
matching tie standing with a briefcase in his hand. He had curly hair and
looked quite handsome. When he saw her, he bowed his head and said “Madam,
sorry to disturb you at this hour. I have come to introduce to you some burglar
alarms that would ensure total security. I wonder whether you would like to
have a look. It wouldn’t take 15 minutes, madam”<br />
<br />
“I don’t think we would be interested in burglar alarms. Thanks anyway for
checking” Renuka replied.<br />
<br />
“Madam, you must be aware of the spate of thefts and robberies in the vicinity
of late. Almost daily some house is burgled. Much worse is the fact inmates are
attacked and even killed. There is a great demand for our products particularly
from independent houses. You don’t have to buy. It is enough if you make
yourself aware of the foolproof security systems available with us” he pleaded.<br />
<br />
She hesitated for a while He looked decent and harmless. His shoes were glistening
with polish. She said before going in “Please wait. I will ask my husband if he
is interested.”<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Renuka was cautioned to be
careful by her husband though he had no objection to her seeing the stuff and collecting
details of price etc<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">She opened the door and let him
in. He was perspiring a low. She switched on the fan and told him to wait as
she went to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water he desired.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When she returned, she found to
her shock the door which she had left ajar was closed and locked. As he drank
the water with a smirk on his face, she knew she had erred in her judgment. As
he advanced towards her making her recede backwards to a chair, he laughed and
said” Madam, please remember no burglar alarm would be of any avail if you let unknown
strangers into your house. Sit on the chair and don’t make any noise. Hand over
the keys to the almirah. If you comply with my request without demur you would
not get hurt bodily. Some wicked men rape before killing the victims. You seem
intelligent. Please give me the keys” he said in a soft and leering tone.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“Young man, you seem to be new to
this profession. Do you think I would ever open the door without ensuring
adequate precaution? I did not go to telephone my husband as you surmised. I
opened the back door and alerted the three gardeners who were clearing the
weeds and cleaning the garden to come inside with their implements. They are
behind the unlocked closed doors on either side of this drawing hall” she said<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“What do you mean?” blurted the
young chap.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“Nothing but what I told you. I could see that you are educated and speak
English fluently. I have a suspicion you have strayed into this wrong path by
mistake. You must have parents, sisters and brothers. I can spoil your life. I
have two options. I can give a signal to the gardeners behind the doors to
pounce upon you. They are armed with sickles, crowbars and whatnot. I can call
the police and hand you over. The other option is to let you go scot-free if
you promise that you will never indulge in such crimes. I do not want a young
life and the dependent family to come to grief. Tell me quickly before I change
my mind about what you wish to do”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The young man promptly fell at
her feet and clasping her legs said “Sorry madam. This is my first foolish attempt.
I am not getting any job. My family is starving. I hired these clothes for a day.
I promise to turn a new leaf and never dream of such misdoings. Please forgive
me and let me go.”<br />
<br />
She then let him pick up his briefcase and opened the door for him to go out.
Once he left and the door was secured, she sat on the sofa and broke into laughter.
She narrated to her husband about ignoring his caution and the clever trick she
employed with great presence of mind about the imaginary gardeners behind the
doors to scare the young fellow away.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It was then she heard the school
bus approaching from the loud horn. She turned to look at the expensive crystal
clock on the side table to see time. But it was not there to her great shock. Then
she remembered the iPad she had left there when she answered the doorbell of
the young man. It was also missing. Her spirit of joy gave way to gloom at her
foolishness.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-61988592742296955512024-03-10T12:27:00.000+05:302024-03-10T12:27:01.954+05:30A mysterious assignment (1219words)<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvPRt7awypP37z2GM6Sl3j4L6A5XXKlz1PWRM4XTyuu9EwEykQiT7aediuMyVYJA9qQZ_tBrPNz5MaZXg4L7xHPJk3rSmgFKOeAMGx6XFiz96jBVlUvPHbv2pUiCK5nMXeVMFICLT-rfQeNXlsJeY1hALoTMoWFHokDIv0I1GKY3NxHur1lPcYDd1nibU/s630/morning-walk.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></span>
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSYbCgmlbcckxCm01f1jezwTclMMK4zNIWzp-KO1smJum4C-sE-Ae2mS9nL0UEKyp6AvrfSI6bC5iAoST5eDniFJluTs0JIxU_ruYpweX5jyRQJKsmT7WDh3LGpWRc3mbI5DrdzocCv8SoMm4xUSGah3awgME7rtEjPxmi60Vaq1pFVeQWFo5XowmAfRY/s630/morning-walk.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="630" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSYbCgmlbcckxCm01f1jezwTclMMK4zNIWzp-KO1smJum4C-sE-Ae2mS9nL0UEKyp6AvrfSI6bC5iAoST5eDniFJluTs0JIxU_ruYpweX5jyRQJKsmT7WDh3LGpWRc3mbI5DrdzocCv8SoMm4xUSGah3awgME7rtEjPxmi60Vaq1pFVeQWFo5XowmAfRY/s320/morning-walk.png" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">There was a gentle knock at
the door around 9 PM. Who could it be, Vinay wondered? He had neither friends
nor neighbours in this complex ever calling on him. He opened the door to find
a young woman in her late twenties standing. He had seen her many times in the
complex during his morning walks but had never spoken to her. She smiled at him
and asked with a certain hurry in her tone. “I live in one of the adjacent
apartments. My telephone isn’t working. The cell phone is also not usable. Can
I please make an urgent call to my mom who I understand is not well.”</span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">As she was talking to her mom, Vinay pretended to be reading a newspaper
but was overhearing the conversation. She was quite an attractive woman, petite
and had a sweet voice. He could feel her genuine concern for her mom and
learned that she was feeling bad for not being by her side. After she
disconnected, she thanked him profusely. He introduced himself and asked her to
be seated when he went to get her coke. She saw as he opened the fridge, it was
bare except for the small bottle of coke.</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">She could also see, from where she was seated, the kitchen that bore no
evidence of any cooking or vessels. When they were talking, she came to know
that he was single, he was laid off about eight months back and the money he
had saved was spent, a sizable chunk towards his now deceased father’s medical
expenses and the balance on his food and rent. He still owed some rent and was
pressured to vacate. He was frantically looking for a job but nothing was
forthcoming in the present downturn. She expressed her sympathy and her wish
that he would find a job soon. They met each other in the next few days several
times exchanging small talk that gradually became longer.</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">He was turned away wherever he went for a job He was at the end of his
tether. It was at such a critical juncture that she came to him one day and
asked him” Are you willing to do a job for me and if you accomplish this well,
it may open the gate for a brighter future. But there is a condition. You
should not ask much details but simply carry out the work entrusted to you
without any demur. Do you have trust in me? If you trust me fully you must
carry a packet to another city safely with you. This is a secret and important
assignment. You must not discuss it with anyone and you should not carry any
other luggage. The man meeting you at the airport will deliver you a box with
new dresses and other essential things you would need. He will take you to the
place where you are to hand over the packet given by me.”</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“How will I know the man at the airport?” Vinay asked.</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“My man will identify you and utter the password that I would be giving
you. He will take you to the destination. You should not ask any questions
about what the packet contained and whom you were going to meet. Certain
secrecy is necessary. If you trust me, you can agree not otherwise. I will give
you an air ticket and also some money for the help. Be assured that at the end,
you will be happy that you did me this job”’ she said.</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Vinay thought he could not be in any worse situation than he was now and
the lady seemed nice. He had taken a great liking for her and often spent time
thinking of her. She was paying some money too which he badly needed. He
decided to agree notwithstanding a doubt about the possibility of drugs, contraband
or some secret official documents exchanged. </span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">He told her” I need a break from the present depressing situation. I
have full trust in you and am aware that you will not get me into any trouble.
I am ready to start any time.”</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">She replied “You may leave two days later. I will hand over the packet
to you this evening along with the tickets and password. Please do not try to
contact me till the packet is successfully delivered.”</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Vinay carried nothing except the secured packet in a box. It passed
through Xray without problem as he feared. He was thinking of her and her
mysterious ways during the journey. He hoped that this could be the beginning
of a series of such assignments.</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The man who received Vinay at the airport was curt as he gave him a box.
He gave him 15 minutes to change his dress. There was a pair of nice suits with
shirts, other garments and a few things of daily need. He was surprised at the
way money was spent on him when he was a mere courier and a strange fear came
over him whether he would turn to be the sacrificial goat. The car took them to
a posh apartment and the man left after dropping him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">As he was waiting in the drawing room, he started sweating despite the
air conditioners. It took ten minutes and no one appeared. He felt some eyes
were watching him though there was none. He wished she could have been a little
more open. Suddenly he heard a door opening and saw a figure approaching him.
He stood up involuntarily struck in total amazement and surprise when he saw
the person.</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Are you surprised, dear, to see me here to receive you? Please open the
packet yourself and see the contents” said the lady he had met at his place.</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">When he opened it, he found, to his utter surprise and disbelief, it was
stuffed with scraps of waste paper and wondered why all this secrecy and for
what purpose.</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">She laughed and said “The whole assignment is a silly test to see
whether you have implicit faith in me. I am glad you passed it admirably well.
I thought you might develop cold feet and back out. Luckily for me, you did
not.”</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Why this test at all for me? I doubted initially whether you are
romantically inclined towards me but I banished such a thought as I was a
jobless man,” he asked with some naivete.</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“I don’t know really. I had this strange desire to test you for I had
lost my heart to you ever since I set my eyes on you during my daily walks. I
have made inquiries of you. I came that night only to meet you and get to know
you more with the ploy of using your phone. I do not know how you feel towards
me. But I am madly in love with you and want you to marry me and help me in
looking after my vast business interests. If you like me as I do for you, we will
start a new life and spend the rest of our lives together. That is the reason I
planned your discarding symbolically the old dress and everything from that
wretched place,” she said.</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">He extended his arms wide open for her to fall into for a long embrace.</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: 200.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></p></div>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-24598036101777142692024-03-06T16:34:00.000+05:302024-03-06T16:34:41.912+05:30The reconciliation, thanks to Raju (1159 words)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8XKjuT8PdTaHqSPucymfnIXaswzCUZqGR2aj91cDHRrxuSGjysRiAjoRNGlBKYhF16z07ukW9wg4DvVdd5_fPys5WYojmg18ySshbhS9Ehs1I2JlHMAywM9epKSt7m24r9nSNWroP3oArS49dR0N3RuGKy_TNLHdGFnIxpwIQYGyDIzM238J8QZdLo-9f/s293/apartment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="293" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8XKjuT8PdTaHqSPucymfnIXaswzCUZqGR2aj91cDHRrxuSGjysRiAjoRNGlBKYhF16z07ukW9wg4DvVdd5_fPys5WYojmg18ySshbhS9Ehs1I2JlHMAywM9epKSt7m24r9nSNWroP3oArS49dR0N3RuGKy_TNLHdGFnIxpwIQYGyDIzM238J8QZdLo-9f/w128-h95/apartment.jpg" width="128" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">Savitri
was seen pacing anxiously between the living room and the front veranda till
she finally called out to her husband who was watching TV,” Gopal, it is
nearing 8.15 pm and there is no trace of Raju yet. He is usually back by 6 pm
from the playground.”</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Ask his
friend Shankar who lives three apartments away down the corridor,” Gopal
suggested without taking his eyes off the TV.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">” Aunty, Raju
did not come to play today,” was the reply from Shankar<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">He has
not gone to any place other than school and playground without informing. There
were frantic calls to close relatives in the city and a few of his school
friends. They drew blank from everywhere. There was no inkling of where he could
have gone. Like any other day, on return from school, he kept his school bag on
his desk, washed his hands, changed his clothes and had noodles with Horlicks. He
looked normal though he did not speak much to his mom or sister. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
dailies and WhatsApp messages were full of stories, mostly false and some partially
true, of the kidnapping of children for ransom and how in many cases the
children were harmed if demands were not met. Some neighbours added to their
anxiety with thoughtless remarks about children being maimed for begging or
their kidneys being removed for sale.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Savitri panicked and started crying
inconsolably. Gopal, a senior manager in a reputed business firm wished to seek
the help of the police. A couple of neighbours counselled patience and asked
him not to rush to police as they felt such a step could bring harm to the
child. It was already 9-30pm with the sky dark. It was also drizzling making
the gloomy atmosphere sombre. The only redeeming feature was there being no
call for ransom as yet.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Gopal
spoke to one of his friends, who had influence with wide contacts, seeking his
advice on how to proceed in the matter. He suggested that it is always
advisable to seek the help of police as they are trained to nab the culprits
without endangering the lives of the victims. He said that no time should be
lost and that he would speak to a close relative of his in the police
department. After talking to the relative, the friend took Gopal to the
residence of his relative to lodge a complaint. He did not want Gopal to be
seen going to the police station. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Men were
put on the job. Gopal was asked to keep talking without disconnecting if there
were any calls for money. He was advised to keep stalling by requesting the
kidnappers to reduce the ransom amount or plead for time to borrow money
Meanwhile the police would be monitoring the calls to his number.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Gopal and
Savitri were awake the whole of the night. There was no call. The searches
continued and phone calls were made again to Raju’s friends. The day dragged
into the night with no progress. Another day went by with no clue about the
whereabouts of the boy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Raghavan
was a regular caterer supplying lunch and dinner to bachelors or households living
in various parts of the city. He rode a bike specially fitted with several hooks
to carry many bags and covered areas like T Nagar, West Mambalam, Ashok Nagar,
KK Nagar and Vadapalani. He had been supplying in the vast building complex at
T Nagar where Gopal was living and even to his apartment on many occasions. Raghavan
could identify members of the families to whom he supplied by their faces.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">When he
went to supply lunch to a customer in a block of flats in KK Nagar, he found to
his surprise Raju playing alone near the staircase of the ground floor. He knew
the boy lived in a posh apartment complex at TNagar and asked him how he was there
and with whom he was staying. The boy, without replying, hastily ran into the
flat. Raghavan did not take any special note of this as he was not aware of the
boy missing from his home. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The next day
when he went to supply food to someone’s house in Gopal’s complex, at TNagar, the
lady of the house was telling him how a young boy, Raju by name, from one of
the adjacent flats had been kidnapped three days back with no trace of the boy
till then.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Raghavan
immediately told her that he had seen the boy only the previous day at such and
such a place in KK Nagar and how the boy ran inside a flat without replying to him.
Both of them rushed to Gopal’s house and soon all of them went in a car to the
place where they saw Raju. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
transpired only then that Gopal’s aged mother was living alone in the flat and
the relations between the old lady and Savitri were so badly strained that the
elderly lady was asked three years back to live separately with no contact
whatsoever with her thereafter. Gopal was also not allowed to meet his mother. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">They saw
the boy hiding below his grandmother’s cot. The old lady past eighty who could
hardly walk without a crutch was greatly surprised to see her son Gopal with
his wife after years. She told him that his son Raju had come three days back
saying it was vacation time for him and that he wished to stay with her. He had
not told her that he had run away from his house without telling anyone. She
was surprised no doubt as no one from his house visited her for years.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Savitri
hugged Raju and was seen crying in joy that he had been at last found. Raju
wrenched himself away from his mom and snuggled around his grandma. Gopal asked
Raju why he left without informing anyone.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The boy
replied amidst sobbing” I felt bad for grandma. She is alone here. She cannot
see properly. We have to shout to her for her to hear. She is not allowed to
stay in our home. You never met her. Mom would also not permit me to meet her.
I felt sorry for her and wanted to give her some company. I know I have caused
you worry but there was no other way.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Raju’s
grandma immediately remonstrated with him saying, “This is not the way to talk
to parents and I disapprove of it. You should not have left the house without
telling them. Apologize to them right
now in my presence,”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">When Gopal
turned towards his wife, he found Savitri falling at the feet of the old lady
pleading for her forgiveness and begging her to come with them to their home
permanently.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">When Raju
saw a trace of a smile on the wrinkled face of his grandma, he let out a shriek
of joy and promptly fell at the feet of his parents.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-30211453392630793712024-03-03T11:06:00.000+05:302024-03-03T11:06:40.093+05:30Man proposes, God disposes (960)<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPEztvrfBamp3MpeGD9eSwsfbaTjXjWAKc_flGbTtIbWj7WgOwqSUHbcbsf2gIttlGfZTzLI_Itpi9TFKoah3Fh_MTBniNFzrCE7dugKo-HNuHuavl4IQck3F3byEc5sZxJ1AgahntxIu41jR0niHwYc6tIQ5YD-pk5pjhJInRs56g624kPSi6t-DLnwi/s800/village-in-himachal-pradesh.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="800" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPEztvrfBamp3MpeGD9eSwsfbaTjXjWAKc_flGbTtIbWj7WgOwqSUHbcbsf2gIttlGfZTzLI_Itpi9TFKoah3Fh_MTBniNFzrCE7dugKo-HNuHuavl4IQck3F3byEc5sZxJ1AgahntxIu41jR0niHwYc6tIQ5YD-pk5pjhJInRs56g624kPSi6t-DLnwi/w162-h108/village-in-himachal-pradesh.webp" width="162" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Vikas
was posted in the 39 Mountain Division under XIV Corps situated in Palampur in Himachal Pradesh. There were occasional skirmishes beyond and soldiers were engaged
in safeguarding the frontiers. The situation was mostly calm. On an off day
every week, Vikas visited the nearby small town. It had nothing to offer except
a small bazaar and some eating joints. There was a temple on a small hillock
nearby.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It
was on one such visit to the temple he came across Rajwanti (Rajvi in short).
As she was climbing down, she tripped and fell. There were none seen around.
She had sprained her leg and was in great pain unable to move. It was getting
dark in the evening. Amidst feeble protests, he lifted her in his arms and
brought her down to the road. He hailed a cart, thrust five rupees in the cart
puller's hand and asked him to take her home. She never took her grateful eyes
off Vikas till the cart turned into a lane.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">He
could not forget her beautiful face with her narrow slit eyes and high
cheekbones. She had a golden complexion and her hair was not entirely black but
darkish brown. She had a small mouth with a permanent pout on her lips. On the
next off day, he came much earlier than usual to the temple looking for her.
She was not seen and it was time to return. Disappointed, he started coming
down the hill. He saw from a distance a petite figure standing at the same
place where she had tripped. It was Rajvi obviously waiting for him. He found a
bandage on her ankle.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"Aren't
you ok? Why the bandage? Do you have pain when walking?" he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">She
nodded her head in affirmative and said "It should become alright in a
week. Thanks immensely for the help. I was shy to talk to you before the cart
puller" she replied.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"No
thanks are needed. I enjoyed carrying you in my arms. You are so light in
weight" he said with a mischievous twinkle. She giggled in turn<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"Sit
down by my side if you are not in a hurry. We can talk for a while"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"Not
here. Let us sit behind the big boulder” she said<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Soon
they fell in love after a few meetings and ended up getting intimate. He
promised to marry her and on every off day, they met. He gave her each month a
good sum to live in comfort with her parents. Life was full of joy for both. He
found her a simple and good-natured girl and wished to take her along with him
once he was transferred to civil station and marry her. Two years passed by in
no time. She confided to him one day that she desired to have a child. He counselled
her patience till they moved to Plains and were married.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Suddenly
he stopped coming and there was no news of him. Rajvi came almost every day to
their haunt but there was no trace of him. She was sure he would not have
deserted her and as weeks passed by her parents seeing her disconsolate
condition advised her that this was common amongst the army men. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Her dad said
“Your man seemed good and was paying you every month as a husband would do to a
wife. The others did not even pay but ditched after being with women as long as
they wished to. Let me go to their camp and find out”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A
week later her dad said “I learned from someone there that one Vikas Pande was
seriously hurt when fighting and was taken away to some distant hospital. He
doesn’t know whether he is alive and discharged from the army or dead now. No
point in crying always. Wait for six months. If he does not come in search of
you, forget him.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Her
mother added “Thank God, he has not burdened you with a child. Many are left
behind with children”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">She
was not reconciled. She knew he was an honest guy and truly loved her talking
about the future of their children and family. She was worried whether the
worst might have happened. It was five years since he had vanished. Much water
had flown under the bridge in the village stream.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Rajvi
was sitting with her two-year-old boy near the boulder that brought back old
and fond memories. She had a bulging tummy being in an advanced stage of
pregnancy. She came here frequently. As it was getting dark, she got up to go
home. The little boy ran ahead of her in the slope. Afraid he may fall she
hurried her steps and fell down. The little boy was crying by her mom’s side.
She could not get up.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It
was then a bearded man with long hair and a crutch approached her and said
“Would you permit me to lift you? You can hold the crutch and get up if you
don’t wish me to touch you.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">She
grasped the cane and got up with difficulty. He held the boy in his hand and
slowly they climbed down to the road.” Can you now go on your own with your boy
or do you want me to accompany you?” he asked her gently.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“No,
I can go on my own. Thanks immensely. You are a godsend” she said thinking of a
similar incident in the past as she trudged her way home limping<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Vikas
in a beard with a wooden leg and a crutch wiped his eyes as he saw her fading
away in the distance. He could make this arduous trip over the hills only after
this long time spurred by a glimmer of hope.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p></p>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-20774231339569667532024-02-28T11:26:00.000+05:302024-02-28T11:26:43.377+05:30The bubbly man with a large heart (1237)<p><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJzzhxU2yLswR9TAGTUi2UQI_wt5o3goq9zpvi9w0gBZAy90QKAdaGbis0OZYulOnT5Xz8BiL3qp7sWGMcfz_ypiHxIEHp1C2KbqtVmW3wgVc9fK_Q3pikTpxVS5VEKieFt_piwV5fbV9dzliKWHoO_tHv7BmSZE1_fm-PKHqrpxkddVyX6piqbu4-5yQ/s276/hospital%20bed.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="276" height="89" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJzzhxU2yLswR9TAGTUi2UQI_wt5o3goq9zpvi9w0gBZAy90QKAdaGbis0OZYulOnT5Xz8BiL3qp7sWGMcfz_ypiHxIEHp1C2KbqtVmW3wgVc9fK_Q3pikTpxVS5VEKieFt_piwV5fbV9dzliKWHoO_tHv7BmSZE1_fm-PKHqrpxkddVyX6piqbu4-5yQ/w111-h89/hospital%20bed.jpg" width="111" /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Basudev Pal, Basu in short, has been in the hospital only for less than a fortnight and it seemed an eternity for him. He had a heart attack in the office and was luckily brought to the hospital immediately. After a week or so in ICU, he was moved to a room with two beds separated by a curtain.</span></span></div><p></p><div class="gmail_default"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Though he was stable, the cardiologist scared his wife that the first three weeks and three months after the attack were crucial and that anything could happen during this period. He told her that Basu needed to rest for three months and get doctors' care for the scar to heal.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Basu was just 45 years old with a small family of a wife and two kids. He was not financially very sound except for the monthly salary from the good job he held. Though the medical expenses would be completely taken care of by the company, this unexpected attack rattled him wondering how it would alter his life.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Scary thoughts often crossed his mind as to what would happen to his wife and children if he were to die suddenly, a possibility that the doctor had not ruled out. He was the sole breadwinner for the family. Although his wife put up a bold face and gave him pep talks that he would be soon normal, he knew she was very worried. He could not also come out of the negative thoughts.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">One afternoon, three days after Basu moved into a private room from the ICU, a new patient was wheeled from the ICU into the other bed in his room. There was a flurry of nurses moving in and out fixing several tubes connected to different monitors and bottles for drip. A senior doctor along with his associates was by his side monitoring the condition of the patient.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Basu wasn’t exactly excited about the arrival of a new patient to give company. The condition of the patient rather depressed him. The curtain, however, hid him from the things going on in the other bed. It was only later that Basu came to know from his wife that the patient’s condition was not good with an enlarged heart with practically little strength to pump the blood. It seemed that he was in ICU for 10 days before being shifted here. Except for the nurses and doctors, no relatives or friends of the patient were seen. Basu learned that he was of the same age. Things became quiet after some time. Around 7.30 pm, the curtain was drawn open at the new patient’s request. Basu slowly turned his head to see a beaming smile from a burly face with a ‘hello, Johnny well met’ attitude.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">He said “I am Anand Sinha. Don’t be scared by all these tubes and bottles. They would remove them after three or four days. I have grown accustomed to them so much. I am fine and happy despite my being here. What is bothering you? Why are you here? You look young and healthy.”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“Thanks, I am Basudev. I suffered a mild heart attack and have been in the hospital for about ten days. “he replied.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“Phew, mild heart attack? That is nothing. The stent they must have fixed will take care of you for decades. You will be fully fit in a month or so and will be your usual self short of jogging. Nothing to worry at all. Every other fellow gets this in this stress-filled competitive world. A little precaution in your diet and a bit of walking will take care of you. You can just forget that you ever entered this hospital.” he said and loudly laughed till his nurse motioned him to stop.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This did not lift Basu’s jaded spirit who was immersed in thoughts of self-pity while this guy in what seemed a critical condition was cracking jokes on himself, at the nurses and making them laugh despite the many attachments all over his body. He had a positive attitude, and cheerful spirit and made no complaint unlike Basu griping to the nurse about a dull pain on the right side of his chest or likely constipation.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">There was no evidence of fear in Anand despite the worried look of the nurses and their constant monitoring of his condition now and then. Poor chap, he was not allowed more than 500 ml of water the whole day. Again, in the night there was an emergency with doctors and nurses making a beeline to his bed. So, it was a surprise when in the morning around 7 am, Basu heard “Hello Basu, how are you? Could you sleep well despite the disturbance from my side last night?”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The nurse cautioned him not to speak loudly and to sleep for a while. This did not deter him from talking about his office and his work. At 7-30 am sharp, my wife came with coffee, sandwiches, fruits etc. Then some relatives and colleagues dropped in with special permission. Basu forgot about Anand and the curtain was drawn by the nurse.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">At dinner time Anand was at his best making Basu laugh with his crazy jokes. He said “You are a lucky bloke as your wife seems very affectionate type and constantly with you. You have so many caring relatives and good friends calling on you while not even one cared to enquire about my well-being."</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: justify;">When Basu smiled weakly, Anand remonstrated him,” Don’t scare your wife by pulling a long face all the time. Cheer up particularly when you are well and on the road to recovery. When we both go home, we will have a binge of beer to celebrate our homecoming.”</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It was then it struck Basu that Anand had no visitors, not even his wife or kids. He must have read his mind and said, “My wife got separated from me a few years back and my daughter is with her. She has cut off all connections with me and even my daughter is not allowed to see me.”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Basu could see his moist eyes and felt bad that he was so wrapped up in himself that he never made any enquiry about Anand and his family till then. But he was amazed at his strong spirit and cheerful disposition despite the sad happenings, Basu decided to share his breakfast, talk to him for a long time the next morning and make amends for his lapse.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Alas, Basu did not get the chance. When he woke up the next day morning, the curtain was pulled closed between their beds. He could hear the nurses with sombre faces whispering to each other in soft voices.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Basu asked one whether anything was amiss but she did not speak but showed her hands heavenward. After 30 minutes, when Anand’s body had been removed, the nurse told Basu “Anand ji was aware that he had less than a week to live. He wished to remain in the hospital till his end. There was nothing that was medically possible to prolong his life. Poor man, he had none to care for him in his last days. He told me last night that he was enjoying his stay in the hospital thanks to his friend on the other bed and was making fun of your imaginary fears.”</span></span></p><h3 style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="color: #212121; font-weight: normal;"><span>“</span><span>The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.” —</span></span></i><span><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">Mark Twain</span></em><i><span style="color: #212121; font-weight: normal;"></span></i></span></span></h3><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="yj6qo"></div><div class="gmail_signature adL" data-smartmail="gmail_signature" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div></div></div></div>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-85881733925657684602024-02-24T06:44:00.000+05:302024-02-24T06:44:17.413+05:30 Beauty is skin deep (1208)<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> <span style="color: #0b5394;"> "</span></span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>I didn't give you the gift of life, life gave me the gift of you"</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1Ebox4On2o7OdkUWFzzohaazj69nbFxbOkhTuHWUCVqs-zrHSiEw0OkoOKL9IMCvkU41rkXHI-VcESCdeC3X2ruGZPHai-NzyJx9E-PVQz-6uIEZhu4_yXa1J8IcxxMNrgpYZxwHG79Jp2t5QKS9jbzpGa-ZovH_hLBmCbAVrUwZJS-KPjktc_WbeNqw/s235/adopted%201.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="235" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1Ebox4On2o7OdkUWFzzohaazj69nbFxbOkhTuHWUCVqs-zrHSiEw0OkoOKL9IMCvkU41rkXHI-VcESCdeC3X2ruGZPHai-NzyJx9E-PVQz-6uIEZhu4_yXa1J8IcxxMNrgpYZxwHG79Jp2t5QKS9jbzpGa-ZovH_hLBmCbAVrUwZJS-KPjktc_WbeNqw/w130-h124/adopted%201.jpg" width="130" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was a sultry day and there were no visitors to the institution. Some
days there used to be even four or five couples and a few days there would be
none. It used to be boring then with nothing but novels to keep me busy. I do
voluntary work in this child adoption centre out of affection for my mom who
was heading this institution till she passed away a few years back. She was
insistent that I give back to society at least a portion of what I have taken
from it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">This adoption centre is a part of the institution that ran a shelter
for orphans and destitute women, a school, vocational training institute
comprising of tailoring, laundry, carpentry, a printing press and a small
machine shop. It is a home for hundreds of children and women where they were cared for until they were rehabilitated into society.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Many social workers give their time and money to this institution. I chose
the adoption centre when I was asked to choose by the head of the organization
as I loved children and playing with them. It was only later that I realized
one needs to have an abiding interest in children and plenty of patience. I had
to minimize my social life and even skip minor family functions. But I always
felt happy with this work when I saw my mother’s photo and remember her total
dedication and the immense satisfaction she derived when she found safe and
secure homes for the children of the centre. The choice of foster parents
required utmost care and gathering of information. One cannot afford to make
mistakes as the future of the babies is dependent on the right homes.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A young couple, Vanita and Varun, one day dropped in. Both of them were
working in a well-known IT company drawing hefty salaries. She was in her early
thirties and was exceptionally beautiful. Varun, a tall and handsome man made a
good partner. When she expressed her desire to adopt a child, I asked her why
she was doing it while still young, she explained that she was not medically
fit to bear a child,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I kept quiet for some time wondering how even advanced medical knowledge is
unable to cure some maladies and asked,<br />
“You both are working and that too for long hours. Who will look after your
baby?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Varun said “My mother is staying with us and we intend to engage an ayah
also to look after the baby during the day”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">” Are you also as much keen on this adoption as your wife is? I asked
Varun.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Yes, keener than her and we are in total agreement on this. We have
discussed this endlessly and have come to choose a baby. We want a baby girl in
particular,” he said with a smile.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was surprised as normally couples prefer boys even in these days when
gender discrimination is frowned upon. They usually seek fair-complexioned boys
with good features. They even try to ferret out information on the biological
parents and their background, if any of the child. As a rule, we never disclose
such information. I asked them to fill up the application form with all the
details and gave them a day to see the children.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> As there was a general tendency to pick fair-complexioned and
good-looking babies leaving behind the dusky and ordinary-looking ones, we show
the latter first. Only when the couples are not happy with them and prefer to
return, that we show them some more. Our objective is that all babies should
get willing ‘parents’ and that those not endowed with looks or colour should
not be left out and be offered first<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the appointed day I had chosen four baby girls between 2 and 4 who have
not been lucky to be adopted so far. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One of them Sumi (3), was very dark but
endowed with very sharp features. She was a quiet girl not given to much
interaction with other children. There was a forlorn and lost look on her face.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lakshmi (4), was fairer but was not attractive with a wide bulbous nose and
big ears for her face. She was, however, a pleasant and outgoing girl.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sweety (2), dusky in colour, had a squint and always cried uncontrollably
on such occasions putting off even those who contemplated to consider her.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Shanthi (2), who was the darkest of the lot. She was
skinny with the ribs showing, and protruding teeth and limped a little looking
awkward when she walked. But she had a smiling twinkle in her eyes. She has
never been in the zone of selection thus far.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I had all of them dressed in good frocks after bath and breakfast and made
them sit in the adjacent room playing with toys.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When Vanita and Varun came, I was not very sanguine of their liking any
of these four. They have been rejected time and again. She had brought plenty
of chocolates. The children looked at me for my approval to accept the toffees.
They have been trained that way. I left the couple with the children and came
to my room. It took more than an hour and they had not come out. Curious
to know what was happening I peeped in through the door. All the children
wreathed in smiles were seen playing with total abandon as if the two strangers
had known to them for a long period.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I thought they were a compassionate twosome and played with the kids just
to give these tiny tots some happiness and warmth denied to them. I had seen so
many come out mechanically and express their unhappiness as we do while
selecting saris.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> They came out at last, though reluctantly. and the lady said” I have
taken the snaps of the kids in my mobile without your permission. I hope you
will not mind. We will come tomorrow again to finalise”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I surmised they were being gentle and may not come the next day. I
proffered to say “In case you are not satisfied with this lot, I can show some
more.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pat came the reply,” No need, we will choose one amongst these four”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> The next day they came early in the morning and said in unison the
name “Shanthi”, when I asked whom, they had selected.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Vanita said “We discussed the whole of last night. I could have taken
all of them but we had to choose one. I was drawn to Shanthi by her eyes. We
will make her a healthy child and after some three years, I will have her teeth
aligned and do something about the limp if possible. Don’t worry. We like the
dusky colour that God has given her. She is such a cute little darling.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Varun said” My mom was not fair complexioned after all. Beauty and colour
are skin-deep. What mattered is that Shanthi caught our fancy and both of us
zoomed on her.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He added “Maybe, God willing, we may come again next year and adopt one
more of the other three. Thanks a lot. What wonderful people you are!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thoughts of my mom raced in my mind at the successful conclusion.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(This is fiction to be enjoyed for its spirit though it may or may not
strictly conform to the adoption laws.)</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">
<!--[endif]--><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <br /></span></p></div>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-65371201670963834942024-02-21T07:22:00.000+05:302024-02-21T07:22:58.523+05:30Krishna’s munificence (968)<p><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCC3G-aOb9z1bbwRC4-hGHD3-AxdCBSp0mhXeYmQtGtu4mU1fmALzb21U7KOTaZ56CC0uD4pSeGjQ1UD2hmiRco0fDWsVyodNfT616uI7YS8GtGlLvF0Kvy1jkTJB6xPo-iteaF4mz6Tx-NVrC-9n2E74LA4Xg-_rUce0K1mk9lfkTSCy0OM0aQA1JQb-4/s297/sudama%20and%20krishna.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="297" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCC3G-aOb9z1bbwRC4-hGHD3-AxdCBSp0mhXeYmQtGtu4mU1fmALzb21U7KOTaZ56CC0uD4pSeGjQ1UD2hmiRco0fDWsVyodNfT616uI7YS8GtGlLvF0Kvy1jkTJB6xPo-iteaF4mz6Tx-NVrC-9n2E74LA4Xg-_rUce0K1mk9lfkTSCy0OM0aQA1JQb-4/w166-h123/sudama%20and%20krishna.jpg" width="166" /></span></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Although
Bhama and Gopalan were a loving and smart couple, they struggled to make both
ends meet each month. They had four children. He was a clerk in a private
company with a meagre salary. They could not provide nutritious food and good
schooling to the children. They were pious but their prayers yielded no result.
Gopalan, an honest and hard-working guy, found no way to augment his earnings.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In
such times, the couple went one day to the local Krishna temple as they usually
did, to pray and find peace, and found an upanyasakar, narrating the story of
Sudama’s (Kuchela) visit to Krishna at Dwarka. With nothing much to do at home,
they sat among the crowd and started listening to the story that was narrated
in a moving and gripping manner.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The
gist of the widely known story is as below.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;">Sudama
and Krishna were childhood friends during their study at Sandipani Ashram.
Though Krishna belonged to the royal family and the former from a very poor
family, they were close friends and fond of each other.</span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;">In
due course, Krishna became a powerful ruler in Dwarka, while Sudama was an
impoverished man, facing lots of hardships in raising his several
children. </span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;">Sudama's
wife Susheela reminded him one day of his friendship with Krishna and requested
him to seek his help. Sudama was averse to the idea but yielded to her plea to
visit Dwarka. With nothing worthwhile to carry as a gift, he carried a handful
of flattened rice flakes (Poha) tied to his upper cloth.</span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;">When
Krishna heard that Sudama was at the palace gate, he rushed to the gate with
His consort in tow. Though his boyhood friend was seen looking haggard and
unshaven face after a long walk, Krishna in great jubilation hugged and
embraced Sudama fondly.</span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;">He
sought the gift, Bhabhi had sent for him and ate the flattened rice with much
relish to the amusement of Rukmani. Neither Sudama revealed the purpose of his
visit nor Krishna asked him. After pampering with affection and hospitality for
a couple of days, Krishna sent Sudama in his chariot to his village.</span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;">It
was only when Sudama reached the village, that he could witness how Krishna had
relieved him totally from poverty with a palace-like house, with his wife
Susheela and children decked in finest clothes and jewellery and many other
copious and costly gifts.</span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">With
tears in their eyes on hearing the moving story about the munificence of
Krishna, Bhama and Gopalan came out of the temple to find a very small picture,
of Krishna washing the feet of Sudama, in a stall outside the temple. They
bought it and hung it in their puja place for daily worship hoping He would
bestow likewise His grace on them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Within
a week, an important development took place in Gopalan’s company with the owner
handing over complete responsibility to manage the company to his only son due
to declining health. The new master who was of the same age as Gopalan and had
known him for long for his honesty and hard work, employed him in his
secretariat to assist him giving him a promotion along with a good raise in
salary.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The
joy of the couple knew no bounds and they were certain that the picture of
Krishna with Sudama was the main reason for this unexpected but welcome change.
They started praying more and luckily the company’s operations expanded with
increased profits. Within two years, he was promoted to a higher position with
greater responsibilities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Human
nature being what it is, greed and avarice surpassed devotion and contentment
that Gopalan got the picture enlarged to 2’xI’ from the present 4”x3” hoping
for greater benefits to accrue. He bought more flowers in different varieties
to decorate the god and made Bhama prepare nice and different delicacies for
Prasad. Though Bhama felt unhappy about the change in Gopalan, she remained
quiet.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Six
months passed with nothing big happening at the office. One evening when
Gopalan was resting on the balcony, Bhama came and sat beside him. The children
were away. It seemed to Gopalan that she wished to convey something but looked
hesitant.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“Do
you wish to tell me something? Shoot out without hesitation. By God’s grace, we
are doing well, isn’t it?”, Gopalan said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“I
think you should not have meddled with the size of the picture in your greed.
You employed a cheap human trick thinking that increasing the size of the
picture would fetch you greater riches. I think the Lord is upset. I am now in
the family way and the lady doctor confirmed it and added a bombshell about the
certainty of a twin,” she mumbled with a crestfallen face.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Gopalan’s
face fell and lost its colour. After a long silence, he said,” I fully agree
with you. I repent for what I did and will seek His forgiveness, though the
consequences of my foolishness cannot be changed”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> “Do
not worry. I have a suggestion. Let us hang the big picture on one of the
pillars at the Krishna temple for childless women to go around it. That way you
can atone for your mistake,” Bhama said with a certain finality in her voice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When
he nodded his head in agreement and promised to consult her in future,
Bhama hugged him and said,” I am glad that you realized your mistake and
sincerely repented for it. Please excuse me for pulling a fast one on you. I am
neither pregnant nor did I consult a doctor. It was only to restrain you from
overzealousness to get rich quickly. Let us be content with what God has given
us. Let us return the smaller picture to the puja room and hang the bigger one
at the temple.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-71820094386464101922024-02-17T04:05:00.000+05:302024-02-17T04:05:52.648+05:30The Golden Key to Gates of Heaven (1108)<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBp6WhogbrL0Rg6G6NHbG2BSSCfZwqCbDOpZNl6XNUC6zg9PMjoH3GeJv3CHfVmQ6F9J-1vbZWHewEfmnfBcW5_OR-LrRdKF2XZuYE3CC9bsDJBSylXbRXtQuA3j7vY0JiBQ0X1UCBXsrZE99c6b8cILUvauCPCC9TaJ7iPc3GtS8wuKQfU0NYsiPt30yX/s626/gold-key.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="626" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBp6WhogbrL0Rg6G6NHbG2BSSCfZwqCbDOpZNl6XNUC6zg9PMjoH3GeJv3CHfVmQ6F9J-1vbZWHewEfmnfBcW5_OR-LrRdKF2XZuYE3CC9bsDJBSylXbRXtQuA3j7vY0JiBQ0X1UCBXsrZE99c6b8cILUvauCPCC9TaJ7iPc3GtS8wuKQfU0NYsiPt30yX/w113-h84/gold-key.jpg" width="113" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">“Amma, you should not be lying on
the bed all the 24 hours. You must sit now and then on the chair and keep
moving about a little once in a while,” said, Champaka, her daughter-in-law, a
bit loudly.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">“What can I do? My back pains
when I sit. I cannot walk and this walker is more a nuisance than a help,”
replied Chellamma.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">“At this rate, you would not be
able to even walk to the toilet in a few months,” warned Champaka.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The old woman did not respond. A
frail figure in her late eighties, her vision had gone dim, her hearing
impaired and her limbs so weak that she needed a walker to move about. Of late,
she fell sick frequently with minor ailments like cough, cold or fever making
herself more dependent on others. She lay mostly in her bed watching vacantly
the ceiling fan or the picture of Guruvayurappan on the wall. With her
handicaps, she had no use for a TV or music system that Champaka had
thoughtfully provided in her room. Loneliness enveloped her as the body became
weak with age.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Her only pastime was to revive
old memories of years bygone. She could recollect the old incidents but forgot
the recent happenings. There was a trace of a smile on her face as she thought
of her younger days when she like a queen had ruled her sprawling bungalow
consisting of her soft-natured husband, who was a leading advocate, and their
seven sons and two daughters. Her writ prevailed in the house and none dared to
question her. It was affluent days with no want. She was kind by nature but
never allowed her daughters-in-law to claim intimacy with her. There were many
servants and two cooks in the large house. The front hall was always bristling
with many juniors and clients with a non-stop supply of coffee and
refreshments. She carried herself with dignity and was held in great respect.
There was happiness and harmony in the family with all sons living together
with their wives and children.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">These days she lived in a well-ventilated
room at the rear of a big apartment with her second son Rajappa, as all the
others were living separately, some in the same city and others in different
cities. Both Rajappa and his wife Champaka were caring and dutiful, but were
away at work in the daytime. They had no children. She kept the food and coffee
in a flask on a table adjacent to her. She had employed a reliable girl after
good reference to assist her and keep an eye on her. Nevertheless, it was
silence and monotony for the old woman all through the day.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">When Champaka returned home tired
after a day’s hard work, she invariably entered to caress her amma’s arms and head
warmly. She did not, however, talk to her much, not because of unwillingness
but because there was nothing meaningful to converse. Chellamma mostly rambled incoherently.
Champaka used to frown unseen and mumble sometimes and pull up the girl at the
scattered and spilled food on the bed or amma’s dress. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The boredom and loneliness frustrated
the old woman so much that she would pray to God to take her quickly to Heaven.
The failing health, perceived neglect and emotional stress of being dependent made
her depressed and yearn constantly for deliverance, praying most of the time<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">One Sunday she was telling Champaka,”
I am tired of being tied to bed. I am constantly praying God to take me away. I
hope He will listen to my prayers and take me to Heaven soon,”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> “Amma, how do you think
that the Gates of Heaven would be kept open for you to enter at your will? How
can you be so sure that you will go to Heaven? Do you have the key for it by
any chance? “asked Champaka with a smile in a mocking tone.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">“I don’t know all that. I pray to
Guruvayurappan daily that He should take me to Him. Wherever He is, it must be Heaven”
replied the guileless lady.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Chellamma prayed that night
intensely to God “Guruvayurappa, Narayana, don’t ditch me on any count. I have
been praying all the waking hours. Please take me to your feet soonest I have
nothing against anyone. Rajappa and Champaka are very kind and caring. I depend
on you for deliverance.” She went on praying amidst cries for His grace till
she dozed away to sleep. This went on for three nights pushing the poor woman
to extreme misery.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">It was on the fourth day she had
a dream in which Guruvayurappan appeared and assured her “Chellamma, do not
worry. I have heard your prayers. The gates of Heaven will be open and you will
have the key before long. Trust me and do not cry.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The lady woke up with a start and
was greatly surprised and relieved. Peace and calm descended on her face at
what she believed to be God’s message to her.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> “Amma, what happened during
the night? You seem fresh and happy. Have you got the Key to Heaven’s Gate?”
taunted Champaka the next morning with a broad smile on her face.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Chellamma did not respond but
turned her head and closed her eyes. She was quiet throughout the day.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">It was past 8 am the next morning
and Chellamma had not got up from the bed. It was getting late for the office. Champaka
came to wake her up followed by Rajappa. When she nudged the old woman, her
clutched hand fell on her side. Champaka felt her breath with concern and let
out a shriek when it dawned on her that the old woman was no more. Her puckered
lips looked to her like a faint and mischievous smile. Intrigued by the tightly closed hand, she opened
her fingers to find a shining key golden in colour.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">She stood in utter disbelief
staring at the unfamiliar key and wondering how and where she got it even as she
remembered her taunt about the key for the gates of Heaven. Overcome by extreme
remorse, she fell on Chellamma crying and said “Amma, forgive me. I have seen
the golden key to Heaven you were always talking about in your hand. I am a
wretch making fun of you and never spent time to regale you daily. I implore you to pardon me.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> A confused and crestfallen
Rajappa looking at both of them asked Champaka,” What key are you talking
about? I do not see any in amma’s hand. Are you imagining?” </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">To his
bewilderment, Champaka continued to cry inconsolably.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p></div></span></span>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-4288819433142916462024-02-14T04:06:00.000+05:302024-02-14T04:06:58.027+05:30Not all love stories are smooth (1369)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="clear: left; float: left; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQ_Et_paS4eQE5tqM7gbxXebwKT7_dLS0Feo85eCknQm2MSxkkzN-Spxy5DvuWStYvvGmZvL3-OuRMzevHe0Y0dMY19ZJSnOUDveZvr3WvrElEE8m8xTWqnrGOIjl-0Lq4-BbLlHPZrxH94gLRg6AwBOVzpYQpB50WimEt5IQcred02e3CN370R2Y0Mx9/s738/images.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="738" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQ_Et_paS4eQE5tqM7gbxXebwKT7_dLS0Feo85eCknQm2MSxkkzN-Spxy5DvuWStYvvGmZvL3-OuRMzevHe0Y0dMY19ZJSnOUDveZvr3WvrElEE8m8xTWqnrGOIjl-0Lq4-BbLlHPZrxH94gLRg6AwBOVzpYQpB50WimEt5IQcred02e3CN370R2Y0Mx9/w162-h90/images.jpeg" width="162" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Muthu was learning Desktop publishing in a
private institute as he could not afford a college education. His mom was
working in a private clinic. He visited daily the local government library to
read the various dailies and magazines. There were many books and novels but a
deposit was to be paid to take books home. He read the books in the library
itself as he never liked to sit alone in the house when his mom was away.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: justify;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">He was reading a paper supplement looking
at the ‘Situations Vacant’ column. When he turned his head hearing a rustle of
feet, he saw a young girl of maybe 17 or 18 standing near the table looking at
him. She looked very pretty with a small nose and well-chiselled features. She
was in a much worn-out faded salwar suit that indicated her poor circumstances.
There was some apprehension in her eyes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Do you wish to tell me something?” he asked
her. She was seen hesitating to talk.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">He smiled at her and asked again whether she
wanted to say something.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I am waiting to see the supplement you are
having in your hand. When you have finished it, please give it to me before
others take it “she said softly<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I am sorry I didn’t know. I was just browsing
without any specific purpose. Please have it” he said as he handed over the
paper<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">She smiled and said “Thanks. Someone told me
of an ad that has come today.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">As she returned to her table, I saw her long
hair in plaits falling almost below her hip. She looked graceful in her walk.
Though he was not inclined to read, he brought an astrological magazine from
the shelf and turned inside its pages. Now and then he looked at her side and
noticed she was also glancing at him sideways. After about half an hour, she
stood up and lingered for a moment at his table with a faint smile on her face
before she left.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">That night as he was lying on his bed, he was
dreaming of his future, of a steady job in a publishing company and about the
girl he met in the library. He cursed himself for not asking her name and
whether she visited the library daily.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">He was there the next day in his best T-shirt
and jeans. His heart sank when he found she was not there. He took a couple of
papers with appointment supplements to the same desk and sat there hoping she
would come soon. In about twenty minutes, she came hurriedly and he could see
the expectancy in her face when she looked around and at his table. He smiled
at her and showed the opposite vacant chair.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"> When she sat down, he said “I am Muthu
learning desktop publishing and living next to Ganesh temple on the next
street. What is your name?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I am Saroja” she replied after some time.
When prompted what she did, she said “I stopped school after class 10. I have
joined typewriting classes. “<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Why are you not studying further?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I have no parents. I am living in my uncle’s
house next to the flour mill. He cannot afford my education, though he is
affectionate towards me. I am looking for a job.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I am sorry to hear that,” he said feeling
pity for the girl. They started meeting at the library almost daily except
Sundays. When her birthday came, he wished to give her a small gift. She
refused saying “My aunt is very watchful and if she found any new thing she
would enquire and stop me from going to the library and typing classes.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">They became very fond of each other and wished
to spend time together as much as possible. One week later when he met her, she
smiled at him rather weakly but looked away quickly. He felt she was trying to
hide her face. He turned her face to see tears trickling down and asked her
what bothered her. She did not reply but looked forlorn and lost.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">When prompted, she said, “My uncle has decided
to shift to a village near Salem this Thursday. I do not wish to go out of
Chennai. I want to be here permanently. I feel like crying.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">He was shocked and couldn’t gather words
immediately. “I know Saroja. Don’t worry. We will find a way out We have still
three days” he replied without knowing what else to say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Muthu, I am shy to tell you. Please find some
way to keep me with you,” she said as she hid her face behind her dupatta.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">. “I know. I am also in deep love with you,
Saroja. But you are minor and I cannot take you away to my house,” he said<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">“No, I turned 18 two months back and am a
major,” she said<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Let me check with my mom whether she can keep
you with us till such time you find a job. Give me time to think. I will come
up with some solution before Thursday, “he assured her.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">He discussed it with his mom that night
itself. She was supportive and assured him that she would discuss with the
owner of the clinic to employ that girl as they were already in need of an
assistant. She also said that Saroja could stay with them till she found an
alternative accommodation with the nurses. She asked him not to give her high
hopes till the matter was finalized.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">He did not go to the library the next day. On
Tuesday night when he learnt that his mom had got the approval from the
owner-doctor for Saroja’s appointment, she suggested that they could go to her
house the next day morning and talk to her uncle. Muthu was jubilant and could
not sleep the whole night.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">There was no difficulty in locating the house
when they went the next day to the flour mill. When asked about the whereabouts
of Saroja, an elderly woman sitting nearby showed the locked door and asked who
they were.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">When his mom explained the purpose of their
visit, the woman said “How unlucky the poor girl is. She was crying for the
last two days. She never wanted to leave this place. Her aunt kept her locked
in the house and did not allow her to go out fearing she might run away. They
forcefully took her with them early this morning itself instead of tomorrow as
planned. Are you related to that nice girl?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">His mom replied “, No, but we wanted to get
related to her. Do you have any idea of the place they have gone to?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">“No, they did not leave any address behind
them. They were secretive.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">As Muthu’s mom put her arms gently around him,
he was crestfallen with all his hopes come to naught.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Do not feel sad. We did our best. It is
destiny. The girl seemed intelligent and let us hope she can contact you soon,”
she assured him wiping the tears from his face.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">As they reached their house, Muthu’s mom said,
“Let us pray first at the temple for her wellbeing and her ability to reach you.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">As both of them were praying with their eyes
closed, Muthu felt someone tugging his shirt from behind. When he turned and
saw, he let out a cry of jubilation saying,” Amma, look who is here.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"> It was
Saroja, who fell at the feet of Muthu’s mom sobbing,” Kindly accept me and do
not turn me away. I gave the slip to my uncle unseen just as the bus was about to
leave and came right here waiting for you to come.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">Muthu’s mom wrapped her shoulders with her
arms with much warmth, kissed her forehead and said softly, "Do not fear.
You will be with us forever. You have a job. Your future is safe and
secure with us. Look at Muthu’s face beaming with happiness.” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;">As an afterthought, she added,” Hold his hand
and enter the house with your right foot forward. We will let your uncle know
about the developments in due course.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPV53j48M710uDOjR3BdGmySTApxYQ8kk3n79lEYuofE_HPbEvrPfR805fXbnhJmQgUptlD9KDr8Wv-6P7IglfHN8NObfWLOM3vxKpmgO2bhbRE9Ucrirh4UXjZ205PVIgqHsJzoaxNRMPfEQJuFCZXjLofv5bToW1ZdX5NN0ZCovPZXNFXXhdTJO-xZc/s738/images.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></p></a></div></span></span></div></div></div>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-17484545163838646602024-02-08T21:39:00.000+05:302024-02-08T21:39:26.236+05:30Embracing presence of God (640)<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuk-s5NcAmkjc8Nt2DBidgaw3UzwnWtWT_xG07ZoFIuxEOFByT8PeOiIRalu1q-XBPwXE4aeZk4wWf_5a1f8PxuzrtUbaMfi22w_1IjVuoj3lecf4aDwn1vhFOAWOb4Jh5of_IsIkK6m6n7MAFdWwMGuYs7tFTjlNQ5WaYpQDRlf0xhzTrGMW2g1xN2gs/s120/cross.bmp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="120" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuk-s5NcAmkjc8Nt2DBidgaw3UzwnWtWT_xG07ZoFIuxEOFByT8PeOiIRalu1q-XBPwXE4aeZk4wWf_5a1f8PxuzrtUbaMfi22w_1IjVuoj3lecf4aDwn1vhFOAWOb4Jh5of_IsIkK6m6n7MAFdWwMGuYs7tFTjlNQ5WaYpQDRlf0xhzTrGMW2g1xN2gs/w132-h98/cross.bmp" width="132" /></a><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">Below is a
small and touching story/incident by an unknown author. It speaks of the transformation of an
agnostic into a believer in an unusual circumstance. Maybe I had edited this story but not sure whether this was posted earlier in my blog. Please read on.</span></span></i></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A young man raised as an agnostic was training to be an Olympic diver.
The only religious influence in his life came from his outspoken Christian
friend.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> The young diver never really
paid much attention to his friend's sermons, but he heard them often. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">One night the diver went to the indoor pool at his college. The lights
were all off, but as the pool had big skylights and the moon was bright, there
was plenty of light to practice by. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The young man climbed up to the highest diving board and as he turned
his back to the pool on the edge of the board and extended his arms out, he saw
his shadow on the wall. The shadow of his body was in the shape of a cross.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> Instead of diving, he knelt and
asked God to come into his life. As the young man stood, a maintenance man
walked in and turned the lights on. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-US">The pool had been drained for repairs</span><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-US">.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Normally
he would have dived without making much of the shadow that appeared as a cross
on the wall. But it was nighttime with him being alone and none around the
pool. it was dark and sombre with no lights turned on producing a lonely
feeling. It is only when things are different from normal and when you are
alone that your mind turns towards the unknown god. The shadow of a cross
formed by his body with extended arms was enough to bring a sudden
transformation in his uneasy mind. He looked in the shadow of the presence of
God whom he had been ignoring all the time. It was the personal repentance at
that moment that made him kneel before the shadow and seek God coming into his
life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Many
of us cry out to God when we pass through difficult times in our life
particularly when we feel helpless, weak, abandoned or overwhelmed by daunting
challenges. Even during life-threatening circumstances, we turn to God. When
our ego is less, we are closer to God and once the situation changes for the
better the old ego returns stronger we tend to live in our normal ways away
from Him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It
was for this reason that Kunti, mother of Pandavas in Mahabharata, prayed to Lord
Krishna to keep her always in trouble so that she would remember Him always.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“My Lord, Your Lordship can easily be approached, but only by
those who are materially exhausted. One, who is on the path of [material]
progress, trying to improve by himself with respectable parentage, great opulence,
high education and bodily beauty, cannot approach You with sincere feeling.” (Srimad
Bhagavatam 1.8.26).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The utterance of the Lord’s name no doubt has potency but is very
high only when it is uttered sincerely with total faith in surrender mode. It
is the quality of feeling or yearning that determines the potency. Such sincerity
comes only when one feels helpless and has no material devices to fall upon. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-US">Such a transformation process or change of mind towards God is
preceded by sincere repentance.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN-US">
It is to say to the Lord, “I want to turn towards You and away from the life
I’ve lived independently from You. I am sorry for who I’ve been and what I have
done and I want to permanently change. I wish to receive your forgiveness for
my sins.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The
miraculous appearance of the maintenance man and switching on the lights in the
nick of time to save the young man’s life is indicative that the Lord has forgiven him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-81555775643892088662024-02-05T07:44:00.006+05:302024-02-07T06:52:40.574+05:30Unusual bravery of a good Samaritan (582)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJAaF9Hsc9VlqhFcHhegqUXmkvzQk3EQdZykKdLEkiZWYdb98Yoyy8sn-Q0uyS6htGVz5biejMJwx9NTUtykwSZ3nJI3ydOw2RcQqzPMrIGIOLKg1_xWOA39F2jD6Lz_px9C7fQTAPxRNf9XHGYoAfivhVY65uwb1ozp6guDiRJ2HC6V3snRSYw10v65PH/s293/crowded%20local%20train.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="293" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJAaF9Hsc9VlqhFcHhegqUXmkvzQk3EQdZykKdLEkiZWYdb98Yoyy8sn-Q0uyS6htGVz5biejMJwx9NTUtykwSZ3nJI3ydOw2RcQqzPMrIGIOLKg1_xWOA39F2jD6Lz_px9C7fQTAPxRNf9XHGYoAfivhVY65uwb1ozp6guDiRJ2HC6V3snRSYw10v65PH/w116-h86/crowded%20local%20train.jpg" width="116" /></span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The local train was jam-packed
with passengers returning home after the day’s hard work. There were four
passengers in every seat intended for three. People were standing all along the
aisle suffering in silence the sultry weather and foul-smelling clothes of the others
around.</span></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> It was then the passengers heard a commotion. A
man in his early forties, in a white shirt and pyjama, caught hold of a young
man in blue jeans and a red coloured t-shirt by his collar and told him angrily
pointing to another passenger, “I saw you picked his pocket. Hand over the
wallet to him right now.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The young man instantly whisked
out a small knife and tried to slash the older man who held his collar. The
agile man gave him a whack on his hand and the knife fell on the floor. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The good Samaritan laughed aloud
telling “Don’t ever try your tricks on me. I have seen many like you.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">With the purse retrieved, the
passenger who had lost it was profuse in thanking the brave benefactor. A
couple of other passengers tied the hands of the pickpocket and waited for the
train to stop at the next station. Everyone was in awe of the man as the
passengers usually do not intervene in the activities of pickpockets who travel
in groups and who do not hesitate to harm people when caught. The pickpocket
was pushed out by the irate passengers when the train stopped at the next station.
New passengers both men and women surged in blocking the space at the entrance.
But our good man who stayed on in the train moved towards the exit gate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As the train was proceeding
fast, there was a shrill scream from a young woman caught in the crowd at the
entrance. When people turned towards her, she accused a middle-aged bald man in
his fifties of having groped her at improper places taking advantage of the
crowd and proximity. Our hero who was nearby pounced on the rogue and beat him
hard. The other passengers too joined in what turned out to be a free-for-all
all in meting out instant justice. The culprit was bound with his hands behind and
was pushed out of the train at the next station to hand over to the police by
other passengers who alighted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">While our hero was surveying
triumphantly, the admiring crowd that surrounded him, four men in white uniforms
who had boarded the compartment at the other entrance was seen approaching the
hero of the day. One of the uniformed guys shouted.” Here is our quarry. Come
quick and block the gate before he does something rashly.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Our hero who saw them turned
pale and tried to move away towards the other gate. One passenger who was a
witness to all the happenings since the catching of the pickpocket accosted the
men in uniform and said,” You seem to be going after the wrong man. This gentleman has in a few minutes helped nab a pickpocket and an eve-teasing rogue.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“We know, sir. He is our man and
we have absolutely no doubt. He escaped while we were taking him along with
others from the asylum to the hospital. He believes he is an inspector of
police.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The man started crying when the
uniformed men took him in their custody bringing home the truth that such bravery,
he displayed for public causes comes only when one is insane. The passengers felt
really sad for the man’s plight even as he was dragged away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></p>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-43917026558498681512024-01-31T06:28:00.002+05:302024-01-31T06:33:40.059+05:30The humane side of policemen(972)<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i></i></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFyrnaqhPkiwMZsx1Z8QuGErLA4JRXhp1Y1gBhcLKECyp90Q-ZgMecCLNr55LCOoQguS4An8wnRHyyYkwtUN5TDOscJGjod7XHvvQFoFNJmuAjyuhmmZeqbeqQfEwTUdJNN_FbnYM2KfztONgn9SSCuujhOz1rzKtjJPkz4SWaz6dEryiGwUEVHQ8N4XH/s351/police%20station.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="351" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFyrnaqhPkiwMZsx1Z8QuGErLA4JRXhp1Y1gBhcLKECyp90Q-ZgMecCLNr55LCOoQguS4An8wnRHyyYkwtUN5TDOscJGjod7XHvvQFoFNJmuAjyuhmmZeqbeqQfEwTUdJNN_FbnYM2KfztONgn9SSCuujhOz1rzKtjJPkz4SWaz6dEryiGwUEVHQ8N4XH/w163-h96/police%20station.jpg" width="163" /></a><i style="text-align: justify;">The previous story
had a negative perception of constabulary. In this story, the humane and
compassionate side of policemen has been brought out.</i></i></span></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The inspector of police was about to leave the police station for home.
A constable came in to announce that a young lady wanted to see him urgently.
She soon came behind him, a young lady in her late twenties. She seemed
educated and spoke flawless English. The inspector was an elderly man about to
retire in a year with a daughter of her age and a son well-settled. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Asked what brought her to the station, she said coolly, “I am in the
adjacent complex. I wish to speak to you alone if I am allowed,”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The inspector gestured for the constable to leave the room and said,”
Tell me now.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> “I have poured acid on my
husband’s face when he was asleep. He is writhing in pain at my home.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The inspector could not believe his ears till she assured him that it
was a fact. The inspector asked her to wait and remain silent. He arranged to
send immediately a SI with a constable in a jeep to her home to admit the man
in agony in a hospital.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Once this was taken care of, he asked her to sit down and narrate the
events as they happened. After a glass of water, she said” I am a postgraduate
in Botany and am a lecturer in a college. I made the mistake of falling in love
with this man whom I married later. He was an exceptionally handsome guy, with
an infectious smile, slightly effeminate, suave in manners and an engaging
conversationalist that would sweep any woman off her feet. He is intelligent,
cunning, lazy, fond of good living, easy money and adept in handling girls.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> When I fell in love with him, he
told me he was an MBA and an executive in a big company. He took me around to
places but took care not to take advantage of my mad love for him before
marriage. This made me trust him more. I have no mother. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">My father an old man, who is no more, took a look at him and talked to
him for a few minutes. He later told me “Sunita, he rings fake to me. Something
about him warns me that he is not right, though I cannot pinpoint it. Don’t be
in a hurry to marry him. Have his statements verified thoroughly before you
take this important decision.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Foolish and headstrong as I was then, I ignored his suggestion and went
ahead with the marriage. At the suggestion of my husband, it was a simple
marriage with very few friends of his. It was only later after a few months
that I found out, that he had no job, had no MBA and was a plain loafer. I also
learnt to my utter shock that I was his fifth wife and that he had inveigled
earlier many girls like me and married them, given them children and robbed
them of their money. He went each night to one of the unfortunate women.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The kindly inspector asked “Do you have any child? Have you also parted
with your jewels and money as I see no gold on your neck or hands?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">She replied “Yes, I have lost all. Luckily, I have no child. He made me
abort the one immediately after marriage as he did not have money for the
hospital and I was not aware then of his shenanigans. The immediate provocation
for my drastic step was his latest attempt to cheat a girl of nineteen or
twenty into a marriage. I overheard his conversation when he assumed I was not
at home. His looks were his asset and I decided to take it away from him so
that no girl would ever fall victim any more to his wily moves. I took this
decision consciously and am prepared to suffer punishment for it.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The inspector kept quiet motioning her to remain silent and thought
over the matter for a few minutes. He could see in the agitated young girl a
picture of his daughter. He could visualise her mental torture of having been
cheated by a riffraff. He had no sympathy for the young man who got his just
desserts. What he was worried about was the wrong manner in which the justice
was administered to him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">He coughed
and told her in a quiet voice” Listen carefully, you are like my daughter. I
trust what you have said. But I will make independent enquiries to test the
veracity of your statements. If he is a culprit as you have explained, do not
worry. You said that you poured the acid on his face when he was asleep. I hope
he did not see you. He might have lost his vision by now. You have taken the law
into your own hands. This doesn't seem right and punishable. I suggest you give
me a statement duly signed that on entering the house from the college, you
found your husband writhing in pain and that someone must have assaulted him
with acid out of enmity. Utter no word to anyone that you did it and stick to
this. I will bring this case to a successful conclusion to the great relief of
his earlier five wives and the rescue of his potential sixth victim.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">He stood up,
patted her on her shoulders and said “Don’t worry; you have a dad in me.
Policemen aren’t as bad as they are often depicted.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It can, however, be a matter of endless discussion, whether the
inspector acted according to the law. What mattered was that he knew that real justice
sometimes is denied in the name of law.<br /></span>
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></p>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-8014359165249120812024-01-28T18:48:00.016+05:302024-01-30T17:11:08.601+05:30 The clinching evidence (1297)<p><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqCGHyq0ay7Sp99aT_aE2fVuh2DBEfPJ211nCC5OkhZ7OJzBxpcWoiURg7C1XxkcNtXmEU133pQlXoUtqOZr0sbfv8jCjxSKBPB0Er3vkftR1iNmBJ-fiqkAp-fDnWNdNYiFWEnm-DUNFJcR6AXBJQzaTTUul8SZBYnaaXvwHzlcyqQUq_rskYONb3408/s423/lockup.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="423" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqCGHyq0ay7Sp99aT_aE2fVuh2DBEfPJ211nCC5OkhZ7OJzBxpcWoiURg7C1XxkcNtXmEU133pQlXoUtqOZr0sbfv8jCjxSKBPB0Er3vkftR1iNmBJ-fiqkAp-fDnWNdNYiFWEnm-DUNFJcR6AXBJQzaTTUul8SZBYnaaXvwHzlcyqQUq_rskYONb3408/w197-h101/lockup.jpg" width="197" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>This is just a fictional story and there are many cases where police have shown great compassion and extended ready help in</i></span><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> their call of duty.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Ranga was languishing for the last one day in this small lockup
secured by a steel door. When he was asked earlier by a constable to follow
him, he did not know why he was being taken away at 10 pm from his home. He
asked his shocked wife to stay behind and not come to the police station on any
count in the night. His two children, a girl of thirteen and a boy of ten years
were sobbing. Ranga had no history of crime or even minor offences. He was a
quiet person minding his work. His only weakness is for a glass of liquor after
the day’s hard work and no one knew he drank except his wife.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Sub Inspector with his frightening bushy moustache that extended
from one ear to the other asked him in a gruff tone, ‘How long are you working
with Manoj? “<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Which Manoj, Sir?” asked Ranga softly<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">There was an instant slap on his face by the SI followed by a bark “Are
you acting? I will break your bones, mind you, if you dare ask questions again.
I mean the loafer Manoj who lives in the adjacent street of yours.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“Oh, that Manojkumar. He studied with me in the municipal school and I
have known him from my younger days. We are not in contact. What happened to
him, Sir?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“He murdered a man, to whom he had been selling Ganja and who owed him
money and threatened to expose Manoj. We know he has been supplying the stuff
but there is no proof to clinch in the court. If you sign a statement that you
have known Manoj for a long time and are aware of his dealing with Ganja, we
will let you go free. We know you are a good man. We need this cooperation from
you to render justice to the murdered man,” said the SI<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“Sir, I have not seen him for some years. Honestly, upon God, I am not
aware of his dealing with Ganja. Though I have heard that he was threatening
the petty shopkeepers and forcibly collecting money and spending it on liquor
and cheap women, I knew nothing of Ganja. I avoided his company for these
reasons.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“So, you are not willing to cooperate with police to punish a murderer
because he is your close friend. Mind you, fool, you will come to grief if you
do not cooperate with us. I can book you also in the same case. I have enough
people who will give evidence of your partnering with Manoj. It is late. Be a
good man. You have a young wife and a teenage daughter. Tomorrow morning your
wife will come. Talk to her if you wish to. I want the signed statement by 9
am. Don’t say I have not warned you. I know the ways to extract the statement
from you. Don’t push me to that length.” saying this he left.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">He could not sleep that night at all. He was tormented with the thought
if the police fellows foist some false case on him and put him in jail, his
wife and children would come to the street. They have no one to look after
them. There was no money too as they were living hand to mouth. But his
conscience would not allow him to utter a lie against Manoj as he had no
contact with him at all. He did not know how to escape from the clutches of
police without making a false charge on a man who did not harm him.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Early in the morning, the policeman nudged him with his baton. He saw
his wife standing before him with dishevelled hair and eyes that spoke of a
sleepless night. She was crying inconsolably.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Ranga asked her “Why are you crying so much? What happened? Did anyone
trouble you? Tell me quickly.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">She said hitting her head with her hands” I have not seen our daughter
since morning. She went out at 5 am to relieve herself. I dozed away. In the
morning when I woke up, she was not there. I checked hither and thither. She is
not to be seen.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Ranga was shocked beyond words and started crying like a child along
with his wife. The SI entered just then and asked what the commotion was all
about. When the constable explained about the daughter missing, he laughed
loudly.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">He called Ranga by his side, patted him on his shoulder and said in a
very assuring voice “Don’t worry about your daughter. I will trace and fetch
her unharmed within an hour or even less. But you must do your duty to the
country in punishing a murderer by signing this statement. Read carefully. You
have only said that you have seen him having possession of Ganja in the past.
You are not talking of murder or any such thing you have not seen. I will not
ask you to do such wrong things. I am interested in your welfare for the sake
of my sister, your wife. Be good and reasonable.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">He ordered two cups of tea and placed the pen in his hand. He told the
constable to leave them alone.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When Ranga wanted to see the girl first, the SI told him “OK, I will
have her searched immediately and bring her here on the condition you agree to
sign the statement. Tell me in five minutes after talking to your wife.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In ten minutes, the drama ended with the girl safely with Ranga and his
wife and the signed statement in the hands of SI.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Foolproof evidence of Ganja-dealing by Manoj was available to the
police to clinch the murder charge.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“You may go home now but remember you must come here whenever you are
wanted. If you are going out of town, do tell me in advance,” instructed the
SI. It was then his phone on the table rang. As soon as he heard the speaker at
the other end, the SI stood up deferentially saying,” Yes Sir…. Did not know sir...,
Will do Sir…, Sorry Sir.,” even as he was looking at Ranga and his wife now and
then.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When the brief call was over, he wiped his sweating face and asked
Ranga,” Why did you not tell me at the first instance the municipal councillor
is your wife’s brother? Who informed him about your being brought to the
station? Did your wife tell him?"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When she said that she did not, the girl said innocently, that she went
to her uncle early morning and informed him about Dad having been taken away to
the police station and kept there.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Shrugging his shoulders in disgust, the SI said, "Anyway the
damage has been done by your daughter. Never mind, I will allow you all to
go home. I will have called someone else to get the evidence.
But you must do me a favour. Ask your wife to inform her brother that you
were treated well at the station with dignity and were asked some questions
about one Manoj. Please ask her not to mention on any account about the paper
you signed. I will ask the jeep driver to drop you all at your home. I will not
trouble you anymore. We will be friends. If you need any help, you can always
reach me.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Ranga did not reveal that the councillor was only his wife's cousin and
not a brother but assured him,” I will tell her surely, Sir."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Turning the cigarette lighter on, the SI said,” Here is the paper you
had signed. Before you leave, do burn it here itself to rest assured,” and the SI
sighed in relief when it was turned into ashes.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-43480375721682401142024-01-22T18:25:00.000+05:302024-01-22T18:25:27.904+05:30No act of kindness is ever wasted (1248)<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgVg-wr_VXAw3BPwe7ChTIldknklDAQ76J4KwE7pEqOLGcpMSrSuUu88q0my8Hn4o99akmha0Jt1sOMJbmX-ix2ycYyt5psbFIyZ6LQzcJyxHx4ivc6LHOaeAjEkPjrimHti64tq1_D0q4XdQqIFsIlGnh8VhwKUAPN2GkcJACbYymkd9kD3kJfYkoga6/s220/kidney.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" height="85" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgVg-wr_VXAw3BPwe7ChTIldknklDAQ76J4KwE7pEqOLGcpMSrSuUu88q0my8Hn4o99akmha0Jt1sOMJbmX-ix2ycYyt5psbFIyZ6LQzcJyxHx4ivc6LHOaeAjEkPjrimHti64tq1_D0q4XdQqIFsIlGnh8VhwKUAPN2GkcJACbYymkd9kD3kJfYkoga6/w85-h85/kidney.jpg" width="85" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />Kittu, a charming young boy hardly 17, knew very well that he was not a
normal young teen like others of his age but very different from his siblings
and others. He was given to criminal ways even at this young age. He bore no
grudge, however, when people in the locality including his family members spoke
ill of him. He knew they were right in thinking that he had brought shame to
his family and was an unwelcome member of the locality.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> He fell into bad
ways and wrong company from a very young age when he started smoking thrown-away
cigarettes. He stole from his dad’s purse and filched things in the house to
get money from the pawnbroker. He started drinking cheap liquor whenever he had
money from picking pockets and snatching mobile phones/chains.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> He was at the bottom of his
class that he was doing second time. He was severely warned by the school
authorities when he wrote a love letter to his teacher. He was rusticated when he
kissed a girl of his class in the presence of all in the corridor as they were
coming out of the class. Even at that young age, he visited whores much older
than him. He posed as a rich man in stolen cars and duped several girls
promising marriage. He was into drugs too. To make matters worse, he had a deep
scar on his jaw to mar his handsome face somewhat in a scuffle with rowdy
elements <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Little wonder that his parents and siblings disowned him and avoided him
completely, till one day his dad hit him with his belt ordering him to get out
of his sight and the house forever. The memory of his helpless mother with
tears trickling from her eyes was still vivid in his mind.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">He had no regret that he had not made his family proud of him. With the
passage of years, all his siblings settled in life and had nice small families.
His eldest brother Raju had always a soft corner for him being the youngest in
the family. He had often pleaded with him in vain to mend his ways. Even after Kittu
left them, Raju used to give him some money whenever they met on the road and would
tell him that the doors of his house were always open, if only, he changed to
honourable ways. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">However much, Kittu respected and liked him, he could not change himself.
Life was alternating between good and hard times for him depending on his
illegal earnings. There were nights when he splurged in good restaurants and
nights when he had to sleep hungry. He had no decent place to live and kept
changing to nearby towns like a nomad as the police were hounding him. He had already
done some small terms in the prison. Years flew by and he was leading a humdrum
life in an adjacent town.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Kittu came to know one evening from an acquaintance that his brother
Raju was in the hospital in a critical condition. He thought of his good-natured
wife and their three young children. Raju was not well off and his family
depended solely on his monthly salary. Kittu became restless and took the next
bus to his town. Luckily, he had hit pay dirt a week back when he filched with
his nimble fingers a thick wallet from a careless rich man dozing in the mall. Money
was no problem.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It was past 7 pm when he reached the hospital. He saw his parents, Raju’s
wife and other brothers in the lounge with grim faces turned away from him. His
mother was seen weeping. Except for her and Raju’s wife, everyone showed their
scorn for him. Both of them dared not speak to him in the presence of his dad
who had nothing but contempt for him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> His dad came to him and said in a
curt tone “You are not wanted here. Please go away.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> Kittu replied, “This is a public
place and I do not require your leave to stay here.” His dad turned abruptly
and left in a huff.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Kittu went to the nurse sitting in the workstation and told her that he
was Raju’s close friend and that he had come to help him in any manner if only he
knew what his problem was. She thought for a while and said,” The patient is suffering
from chronic renal failure of both kidneys. He has become too weak even for
dialysis. Immediate transplantation of the kidney was the only option to save
him. The one snag was his unusual blood group which posed a problem in getting
donors readily. The blood groups of the willing family members did not match.
The situation has become critical as the patient had fallen into a coma.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It was then the senior surgeon attending to his brother entered. Kittu
accosted him despite protests from the nurse and told him,” Doctor, I am
patient's very close friend and a single. I am a healthy individual and am willing
to donate voluntarily out of my affection for him one of my kidneys
immediately. I would request you to check the compatibility of our blood groups.
I am willing to sign any required form. Kindly do the needful immediately.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> After thinking for a few
moments, the surgeon readily agreed and explained the procedure. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“My only stipulation is that my identity should not be revealed under
any circumstances to the patient or his family,” he pleaded. The surgeon
assured him and asked him to get admitted the next day itself.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Things went smoothly thereafter. With the tests revealing
compatibility, one of his healthy kidneys was removed and successfully transplanted
to him. In a fortnight his brother was discharged and certified as fit. Kittu
too was discharged in a few days.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Kittu learnt from the doctor that the patient’s parent and his family
wanted to know the name and whereabouts of the benefactor for them to thank and
reward him suitably and that he had declined to part with the information.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Raju himself requested the surgeon to give some clues about his
benefactor.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“I am bound by my promise to him not to reveal his name or identity. You
are embarrassing me with this request,” the surgeon replied. When he saw his
patient’s face fall, he said,” I can only tell this much that he had a scar and
I refuse to answer any further questions.” The surgeon did not fail to notice a
faint smile on Raju’s face. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The effects of surgery had left Kittu weak and exhausted. He could not
go out for nearly two months to do the shady work he was accustomed to. As a
result, perhaps, there were no policemen after him to worry about. He observed
his heart was filled with hitherto unknown happiness that he could do one good
turn to his brother who was kind to him and he wondered what magic it could do if
the kindness could reach more deserving people. As a sense of sincere
contrition passed through his heart, Kittu felt an unusual peace and calm
descend on him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: justify;">He decided to meet his brother soonest and confide in him his
resolution to turn a new leaf and seek his help in finding him a suitable
job to lead his own life separately in honourable ways.</span> He could visualise his mother’s face suffused with joy at the return of the prodigal.</span></p></div>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-75632827496488814172024-01-19T17:05:00.024+05:302024-01-22T08:28:41.490+05:30A clever ploy<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTARag-5NX3GBGG0JYJ2xGT7S4JKzOqxXcJljkK76uAVlncxz0rqkMjjLM3k-11EjDBTsBaYalbA9q8sl7pKTYV1Gu7LfvKIMwNL_2V_ex19Tv36bk_IlErE36ZqmVnZwse2CbJyAhQn_oGuz7FbFZ_DARX3yhmdn4pukraXXNaMpRQ3Cjpx4quMVky-x/s220/proposal.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="200" height="78" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTARag-5NX3GBGG0JYJ2xGT7S4JKzOqxXcJljkK76uAVlncxz0rqkMjjLM3k-11EjDBTsBaYalbA9q8sl7pKTYV1Gu7LfvKIMwNL_2V_ex19Tv36bk_IlErE36ZqmVnZwse2CbJyAhQn_oGuz7FbFZ_DARX3yhmdn4pukraXXNaMpRQ3Cjpx4quMVky-x/w71-h78/proposal.jpg" width="71" /></a></div><span style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">A very old story written in jest with no offence to those who have
faith in and swear by astrology</span></i></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Kaushik’s father, a senior lawyer by
profession, spent on his post-retirement days a major part of his time on
astrology. Most of the folks in his locality and nearby places used to approach
him to make horoscopes for their kids, with horoscopes of their grownup offspring for checking compatibility with those of prospective spouses, for choosing an
auspicious date for starting a new venture, building a house or for remedial measures
for defects in horoscopes. Kaushik was the youngest among two sons and a
daughter.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This story is not about Kaushik’s family but
how his dad’s deep faith in astrology and his abiding trust in the predictive
powers of horoscopes affected him. Both the elder brother and sister were
married and happily settled. Kaushik was 30, well qualified and well employed
earning a handsome salary. He was in good health, a tall and handsome man, which
caused female colleagues often to linger around him to have small chats with him.
Many young women had shown romantic inclinations that he would have gladly
reciprocated but for the injunction against marriage put by his dad on
planetary considerations. He would not reveal what exactly the planets foretold
except the vague reply that they were hostile to his wellbeing if he got
married before 33. His prodding to be more specific yielded no response. His
timid mother with a worried face would constantly be visiting temples and
offering prayers for his wellbeing. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Kaushik, busy moving up in the career with an
eye for a position in the US, was also not keen on marriage till he was
recently drawn to a colleague, Kavya. They met almost daily and very often went
out to restaurants and movies. With no progress in their romance except these
daily meetings, she obliquely pointed one day to his single status and asked him
with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes whether he was waiting for the right
woman to come across to propose.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“No, I have found her already and spend quite
some time with her daily in the office and restaurants,” he said with a wink<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“Then what holds you in proposing to her? Maybe
she is waiting for you to take the first step” she said with a smile. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It was then Kaushik confided to her his dad’s
objection on astrological grounds to his getting married before he crossed 33 and
hence his hesitancy to commit to the lady whom he loved.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“My God, do you believe and decide on
important matters of your life from the 16 squares in a horoscope? I thought
you were modern and just cannot believe you are a superstitious old hat,” she
said in disappointment with a scowl on her face.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“Not like that, dear I just do not wish to
displease my dad or make fun of his beliefs and more importantly I had not met
my lady till recently,” he said with a twinkle.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“Now that you have found your ladylove, you
should have no difficulty in taking things forward”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“True, but I must also confide in you that my
brother one day in a moment of weakness confided that there were strong
indications in my Kundli that my life would come to an abrupt end before I was
33 and that was the reason dad was not inclined to jeopardize some young
woman’s life. I also saw the logic in it.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“What nonsense? Do you believe in all this
balderdash?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“Okay, let me ask you a question. Would you
marry someone who is predicted though unscientifically and irrationally to die
in three years? Would you not fear every moment? You are no Savitri of
mythology to bring back the dead alive,” he countered her<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“You are mistaken. I would willingly and
enthusiastically jump at the offer. I have no faith in all these hokum. Even if
something happens, I would not attribute it to the horoscope.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“Wow, would you marry me then?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“Where did I say I would marry you? Ask me
directly and propose formally” she said with a beaming smile<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As Kaushik made a formal gesture by bending his
knee and extending his arm, both broke into laughter and hugged each other to
the amusement of many in the restaurant.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> “Tell
me seriously how to go about it. Frankly, I cannot wait for three years. But no
matter my strong disbelief in the system. there is a lurking fear what if the
prediction came true?” Kaushik said<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“Okay, I have a spark. What if I ask my dad to
take my horoscope to your dad for reading my future, and specifically the
longevity of my would-be spouse? I am free with my dad and have already told
him obliquely that our love is in the initial stages. Luckily, he does not set
much store by astrology. He would certainly not talk about you to your dad or
where I work.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A week later Kavya showed her thumbs up when
she entered my cabin and said “As per your dad’s reading of my horoscope that he
has written in his hand that I would be happily married for long with four
children. Shed your fear. If you marry me, you should live to a minimum of
42 to get four kids even at the earliest and in quick succession!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“What shall we do now?” he asked wondering at
her ability to checkmate his dad.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“Let us fix a convenient day, get our
marriage registered and conducted in a temple in a simple style and present a fait accompli. We
will take a transfer to our head office. You can break the news quite later. What do you say?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Forgetting it was an office, he hugged her
tightly and she smothered him with smooches.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">According to the latest report, it is reliably learnt that Kaushik and Kavya have been working in Minneapolis, US for the last five years and have two kids aged five and three.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></p>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-12545753093291743702024-01-15T04:35:00.003+05:302024-01-15T04:58:06.832+05:30When kindness touches the heart<p><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: times;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: times;"><i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyQMFu7XBK9EFKN0z-7TmV6bliCGyLk-PTp2EETOTFVzrirTTaAxxSySeiTcMx2ZBigqTDXG8Z1ni7qEX3k-VfT2DUcdiRknJSaskf71IhekoK55x1btBzSVAqyeOmxHZ_dduU_rwUxxF-FlRrO9m8YKzibOw97WuJJKfNywNN-yIaLRPQb4DEF1YUSlCn/s200/Howrah%20station.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="200" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyQMFu7XBK9EFKN0z-7TmV6bliCGyLk-PTp2EETOTFVzrirTTaAxxSySeiTcMx2ZBigqTDXG8Z1ni7qEX3k-VfT2DUcdiRknJSaskf71IhekoK55x1btBzSVAqyeOmxHZ_dduU_rwUxxF-FlRrO9m8YKzibOw97WuJJKfNywNN-yIaLRPQb4DEF1YUSlCn/s1600/Howrah%20station.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The world is still not bereft of extremely honest and compassionate
people even when they are themselves in trying circumstances. Here is one touching story written long back that I wish to share.</span></i></span></i></div><i><o:p></o:p></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hiralal was leaning on his yellow-coloured Ambassador cab at Howrah
station waiting for the last train. It was past 11 pm. The train from Delhi it
seemed was running late. He could not say he had a good day and most of his
rides were for short distances that did not fetch him much. As a principle, he
never asked for more than the metered fare for he considered it a form of
begging. Scrupulously honest he never tampered with the meter. He had some self-made
rules. He never refused to take a pregnant woman however short or long the
distance may be. He avoided drunken men, gangs of troublesome-looking
youngsters or shady-looking couples. He would be happy if he got a foreign
tourist or an occasional rich man. The latter type has their cars.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In the morning, his wife Meena reminded him that there was no stock of groceries
and unless he fetched some money, the children would go hungry. She had also said
the youngest girl was suffering from a fever for two days and had to be taken
to a doctor. His elder son told him that the last date for school fees was over
ten days back. His mom’s request for a blanket to protect herself from
chillness was remaining unattended to for a month. His immediate concern was to
earn some money to buy food for his family.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">He wiped his old car clean and took care of it as if it were his child.
He put a lighted joss stick in front of Ma Kali’s picture on the dashboard and
said a quick prayer. He saw some quick movement amongst the other drivers
towards the station to solicit passengers. The prepaid taxi counter had closed
by 10 pm. Hiralal heard the hoot of the train and there was a scramble for a
vantage position amongst the cabbies to catch the attention of arriving
passengers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hiralal stood a little away from others on the opposite side. The other
drivers managed to get passengers and started driving away one by one. When the
arriving passengers became a trickle, he got worried and the starving family
came to mind. He quickly prayed again Ma Kali when an elderly gentleman with a
suitcase and a bag approached him. He looked tired and unable to pull the box.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">” Baba, let me take your box and bag. I will take you wherever you want
to go. Please come with me and get into the car.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">He opened the door and made him sit comfortably. He kept the box and
bag in the boot of the car. As he sat at the wheel and started the car, he
asked the elderly passenger “Where am I supposed to take you?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Lake market. Once you reach there, I will direct you further. I have
never seen anyone taking a passenger without asking for the destination. You
seem a good person”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Thanks, Baba. I don’t ask normally and today wherever you wished to go
I would have taken you” he replied<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“What is special today?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Since morning I have had only a few rides mostly minimum fare. I need
to take some money home. My wife has asked me not to come home without money to
buy groceries for the kitchen”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Oh, oh I am sorry to hear about it. Don’t worry. I will pay you two
hundred rupees more than the fare. I have no family or children and tomorrow is
Makar Sankranti. Are you in the Lake Market area and in which case I can use
your cab regularly?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“No, Baba. Pay me the due fare. I don’t wish to take more”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“I am not feeling well. Let me rest for a while.” he said and took a
five hundred rupee note from his pocket.” Keep this with you. You can return me
the balance if any after taking the extra two hundred rupees” he said and
dropped the note in front seat by the side of the driver.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Why now itself? What is the hurry? “Hiralal protested mildly but found
the elderly man resting with closed eyes. He did not disturb him as he said he
was tired. He tried to pick up some conversation near the Victoria Memorial.
But he seemed to be asleep. Again, as he crossed Bhowanipore and was nearing Hazra
Road he asked “Baba, we are nearing Kalighat and will soon be at Lake Market.
Wake up to give me directions”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There was again no reply. Worried he stopped the car near the tram
depot and nudged him. The man fell on his sides. He quickly got out of the car
and. nudged him repeatedly calling “Baba, Baba.” When there was no response, he
quickly turned the car to take him to Ramakrishna Mission Hospital nearby. The
doctors there pronounced him dead on arrival after a massive cardiac arrest.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Hiralal told them of the
circumstances and gave them his address and the taxi number. He left the bag
and the box with hospital authorities. The fare including the extra Rs.200 was
only 360 rupees. He inserted Rs.140 in the dead man’s pocket to the amused
stare of those around and left the hospital in tears after paying obeisance to
the departed soul.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-57705317584365067342024-01-12T21:57:00.002+05:302024-01-12T21:57:55.898+05:30Quo Vadis<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTw0eim3AIEsGj5rWIC80X6TQ9vmzdXLmdNa_w1tzP8AX_ad23FvyLvQDqwXld9AOGIDpE91k8vv6I7_noy6wIXCQd7n35ujdDVMt5MZWRPyxCbTm48XjNErEUtDt-75jikd2LOPpDF7uBVH3VMziNUYiC9KDoQ72ZUmqlcvaJ443a9h5C1pbao7TK7Zy/s293/small%20railway%20station.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="293" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTw0eim3AIEsGj5rWIC80X6TQ9vmzdXLmdNa_w1tzP8AX_ad23FvyLvQDqwXld9AOGIDpE91k8vv6I7_noy6wIXCQd7n35ujdDVMt5MZWRPyxCbTm48XjNErEUtDt-75jikd2LOPpDF7uBVH3VMziNUYiC9KDoQ72ZUmqlcvaJ443a9h5C1pbao7TK7Zy/w132-h98/small%20railway%20station.jpg" width="132" /></span></a></div><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">Umapathi alighted at the nondescript railway station in the early hours of the morning. It was still dark outside and he preferred to rest in the tinned shed that did the duty of a waiting hall. After the train had left, the station was empty except for a couple of cows chewing the cud and a stray dog with its legs raised under a tree. A strong-built man, Umapathi looked around fifty-five years old, tall and muscular and with a few days bristle on his face.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">At the break of dawn with some light emerging, he got up and started walking out of the station. There was some urgency in his stride as he walked briskly towards the distant village of his younger days. It was about nine kilometres away. With eager expectation of a reunion with his family and at the same time assailed by doubts about their well-being during his long absence, he was virtually running.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> It seemed to him that he left the village only the other day despite the intervening thirty long years. He had joined the army without letting know the family when he was just twenty-five fearing they may prevent him and soon went to the front to fight a war. One day he was not to be seen. None in the army knew what happened to him. The authorities presumed he must have been captured by enemy forces or killed. They were also not sure about it. The nearest kin were informed that he was untraceable and his things were sent to them. Umapathi had left behind a young wife of twenty-two with two young children. There was no way of communicating his capture by the enemy forces to the Indian army. He was not allowed to write. He was interned in a cell for prisoners condemned to death in a prison in a remote part of the country.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There were talks repeatedly of his being sent to the gallows but nothing happened. He behaved well and assisted the jail authorities in several small ways. He gave up hopes of being set free that he nursed in the initial years. He reconciled himself to his misery. He had no inkling that he would be released suddenly one fine morning. He was not aware of the tremendous efforts of human rights activists outside the prison walls to save prisoners like him.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When at last he reached his village, he found it had changed into a small town. There were modern buildings, a bazaar, and two and three-wheelers crisscrossing with people busily engaged in different activities. There was not a single known face. Only the temple and the small tank opposite it were familiar and served him as a landmark to his small house. When he saw in its place, a two-storied building, he was surprised.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">With a gnawing but unknown worry deep in his heart, he asked an old man on the steps of the tank whether he was aware of the whereabouts of Umapathi’s family. The old man did not know whom Umapathi was talking about.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> He told him,” One Umapathi was living in a small house decades back at the place where the two-storeyed house stood, who had joined the army secretively three decades back and left his young wife Valli with two children behind. Have you any idea about his family and their well-being?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The old man scratched his head and asked him” Are you talking about the Sepoy Uma as we used to call him? Don’t you know he died in the war a long time back? Who are you anyway?”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Umapathi replied,” I am his friend and interested in meeting his family.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Uma’s wife and her children are living in that big building constructed after demolishing the old one. She waited for him for ten years and her parents had died in the meanwhile. She was leading a very difficult life. It was then the owner of the provision store in the village who had lost his wife took pity on her and married her. They have two children of their own too,” replied the old man</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> “Did she agree to marry him readily?” asked Umapathi.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“She was not willing initially as she still nursed a hope Uma may return someday. It was only after the elders in the village persuaded her to marry him for the sake of her children convincing her that there was no prospect of her husband ever returning, that she relented.” and added,” Her second husband is a nice person, owner of a big supermarket and very affectionate to her and her children through Umapathi,”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Umapathi just said Hmm and looked vacantly at the big building unsure of what to do.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> The old man continued,” The children are all studying in colleges and schools. She is very happy now after leading a miserable and uncertain life for several years. Are you meeting them now? Her husband would leave for the store after lunch and should be available now.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Umapathi replied, “I would meet them soon after buying some sweets. Thank you very much.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">He quietly returned to the station with a heavy heart. He didn’t know what to do. He sat on a bench at the empty station for hours till the station master nudged him telling him that the train was expected any moment and asked him,” Where are you going?” for him to issue the ticket.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Umapathi kept quiet for a long time and when nudged again replied with vacant eyes” Anywhere”.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The station master looked at him quizzically, unable to comprehend but did not stop him when he entered a compartment in the train without a ticket..</span></p>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-39481468154033750622023-12-28T17:55:00.000+05:302023-12-28T17:55:34.485+05:30A victory in defeat<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmas8PkmdHgfORrak3NSUuuaHTcw9f4cJJdrDGuYNgD0HpmYHthF94L6S3nK5TQd_-llP9ou_cSEP8Suv1X1YS1fqIHIFoCGUUhtysdEC_1v0zp8kPa_8c8qhQ3YTFrDgmxLc56TQcLJuv1VTbtrOQZFdvAvXl9WryQk1sNX4fbKV8Oz2E6kQtMphy2V_/s330/classroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="330" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmas8PkmdHgfORrak3NSUuuaHTcw9f4cJJdrDGuYNgD0HpmYHthF94L6S3nK5TQd_-llP9ou_cSEP8Suv1X1YS1fqIHIFoCGUUhtysdEC_1v0zp8kPa_8c8qhQ3YTFrDgmxLc56TQcLJuv1VTbtrOQZFdvAvXl9WryQk1sNX4fbKV8Oz2E6kQtMphy2V_/w149-h99/classroom.jpg" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="text-align: justify;">I was a teacher in a Matricu</span><span style="text-align: justify;">lation school in a small town. As a teacher,
I strived hard to impart knowledge to my pupils sincerely and to the best of my
ability. I tried to kindle their interest in the subjects taught in different
ways. I spent more time on the slow, admonished the laggards and encouraged the
bright. My mission was to ensure that the gap between the best and the weak boy
was abridged by raising the latter's level. It was a tough job but I never gave
up on my objective.</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I felt good knowledge of lessons alone is not adequate for students to
learn at the school. I tried hard to inculcate in the children that the richness
of life is not measured only by the high marks scored, degrees acquired, the wealth
owned or the positions held but largely by the moments spent in wiping the tears
and touching the hearts of the needy, in helping the aged and disadvantaged, in
sharing the knowledge and in making the world a better and safer place to live
in. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In one particular class, I had a challenge in the form of Karthick. A
well-built boy of about 15 years, gruff in tone but pleasant by disposition and
endowed with high stamina, he excelled as much in sports as he failed in his
studies. All my special attention on this young boy was unsuccessful as he
continued to get poor grades. I used all methods in vain to kindle his interest
in studies by cajoling, threatening and even punishing him. I could not accept
defeat but knew no way to resolve the matter.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In desperation, I talked to a colleague of mine who was teaching that
class earlier and mentioned how Karthik posed a great challenge to me. She laughed and
comforted me saying that I was not alone in such a predicament. She added that
the boy’s father was an alcoholic and his mother an illiterate woman. There
were daily quarrels and beatings at home in the evenings between the parents in
the presence of their only boy. The conditions at home were far from salutary
and it was a wonder the boy had not turned into a vagabond and wrong ways in
that uncongenial atmosphere.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> I sympathised with the boy and
doubled my efforts to make him a better student by coaching him freely in the
evenings. But no matter how much I struggled, he stood at the bottom of the
class.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It was recess time one day. There was a sense of defeat in me. I was
cursing myself for my inadequacy in motivating him to succeed and felt that I
too along with his parents should share the responsibility if he failed to come
up in life. It was then I heard a commotion outside in the veranda by the side
of the staircase. When I came out, I saw a crowd of students around someone on
the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One boy came running to me and said “Vignesh fell while he was walking
on the parapet wall and has broken his leg and arm. He is writhing in pain. “
Even as he was narrating what happened, I saw Karthick rushing towards the
crowd and coming out with the boy, who had hurt himself, in his strong arms and
walking towards the gate. He had run to hail an auto before he came to lift the
boy. That he took the boy to the nearest clinic is not so important for me to
relate as the singular point that amongst all the brighter boys who stood
curiously watching Vignesh in pain, it was only Karthick who came to his
assistance on his own and acted as a leader with compassion. It struck me that
he may not be bright in his studies but he excelled himself as a compassionate
and helping person in times of need, unlike the others of his age.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There was another instance about Karthick that I came to know very
soon. There was a big school function where all the parents and students
participated. The dais was a little away from the gate and involved walking two
hundred feet. There was a big crowd as was expected. Some of the boys chosen to
help the invitees as volunteers in white uniforms with a big coloured ribbon to
distinguish them were seen standing at the gate guiding the visitors. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One frail old lady past eighty with a hunch back came in a rickshaw
with her grandson. With a walker in hand, she struggled to move even a short
distance and was seen pleading with her grandson that they better return home.
The boy was reluctant and refused to go back even as the uniformed boys in
ribbons were watching them with amusement.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> I learnt Karthick appeared from
nowhere asked her to get into the rickshaw and himself pulled it close
to the dais. He lifted her bodily and made her sit in a comfortable seat. This
was beyond the call of his duty as he was not one of the uniformed boys. What
impelled him to act as he did was his compassion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> From that day onwards, I stopped
worrying about the poor grades of Karthick. He may not become even a graduate and
may not even be the type of boy that the school would expect of its students to
come up with high marks in the final board examination. But he stood tall in
comparison to others in his class in compassion and kind ways.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> None of my teaching the
prescribed lessons would have given him these God-endowed gifts. No university
degree would announce these sterling qualities that Karthik had in immense
measure. He might not have scored a centum in mathematics or high marks in
physics but he had scored an A plus from my heart. I felt my heart swell with
pride and the sense of defeat had vanished. I was determined to make him the
class leader from the next day.</span><o:p></o:p></p>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-34576049109679609972023-12-24T05:28:00.000+05:302023-12-24T05:31:49.057+05:30Christmas is a time for giving and sharing<p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: arial;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWewJnWTV1Fjs389M5M97M1ivp4qBzWjSEpfM5qWKc373KSABqNtZMSHztzYWbLegib55-da5LaTojX09ZuBLiKDHw0NLIJeeaN-Rtr9MBe1AZT7HnMmDwlFiM2T-1WR7ay9_wXGvBzv50S-3QCx_gAkpUHw5y3ozyVWMYpnNYdRS9kArTGSGtKn_QQHJx/s188/merry%20xmas.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="108" data-original-width="188" height="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWewJnWTV1Fjs389M5M97M1ivp4qBzWjSEpfM5qWKc373KSABqNtZMSHztzYWbLegib55-da5LaTojX09ZuBLiKDHw0NLIJeeaN-Rtr9MBe1AZT7HnMmDwlFiM2T-1WR7ay9_wXGvBzv50S-3QCx_gAkpUHw5y3ozyVWMYpnNYdRS9kArTGSGtKn_QQHJx/w121-h69/merry%20xmas.gif" width="121" /></a></span></i></div><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: arial;">I usually write a story about the Christmas spirit on this day. Here is a very old story written more than a decade back repeated </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> for the benefit of my many new readers and the pleasure of my regular motivators</span></i><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #191919;">The teller in the bank was surprised when he saw a tiny hand proffering a few soiled notes in denominations of one, five and ten. He looked at the figure. A young boy of ten years in much worn and tattered shirt held together by a safety pin was looking at the teller with some anxiety. “Sir, can you please give me 20 five rupee coins instead of that”’ the small voice squeaked.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: arial;">“Why do you need the five rupee coins. They are in short supply you know” said the teller curious to know the purpose.</span></p><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: justify;">“Tomorrow is Christmas. I want to give to the poor who assemble before the church” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“You don’t yourself look well provided for. A new shirt would do good for you” said the teller and continued, ”How did you get this money, by the way?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />“Sir, this money was actually saved by me over the year for getting me a new shirt. But there are many needy even without a shirt. My teacher told me yesterday that Christmas is for giving and sharing,” he answered.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">The teller was overcome with emotion at the lofty young mind before him. He wiped his eyes and said “I will add 20 more coins to your 20 as my share. Please distribute to the needy tomorrow at the church and elsewhere.One more thing, do meet me after lunch today here at the bank. I have a small Christmas gift for you. I am impressed with you. What is your name?”</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />“Thank you, Sir. Santosh is my name. I will surely come after lunch” he replied as he left after collecting 40 glistening new five rupee coins.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />In the afternoon the boy was surprised to see the teller telling him, “Though young, you taught me the true message of Christmas. Thank you very much” and handed him a packet containing a new shirt and shorts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><em>May the miracle of Christmas fill your heart with warmth and love. Christmas is a time of giving and sharing. It is the time of loving and forgiving. Merry Christmas to Everyone!</em></div></span></span>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-41984256009706636742023-12-14T18:25:00.000+05:302023-12-14T18:25:15.896+05:30Rajadurai's compassion<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcf7dmqaf1E9U5hx1DsIRxVLenzyoL8PBfzZjSxYwmB1MUcK6V4S_403VmOWDZrozDLTq6ZVQ8ZQn4rl463TaOzLnXa_Rf6b3FQA2HLMqjU_mXdPoCmin40LxdJQjmaa2kxjK2fi2krsvovbYRUsjIi0B7oT_YnLGHx1U30JzokqmEUzBJ9UPOl2ojYLT/s390/teacher%20rajadurai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="390" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcf7dmqaf1E9U5hx1DsIRxVLenzyoL8PBfzZjSxYwmB1MUcK6V4S_403VmOWDZrozDLTq6ZVQ8ZQn4rl463TaOzLnXa_Rf6b3FQA2HLMqjU_mXdPoCmin40LxdJQjmaa2kxjK2fi2krsvovbYRUsjIi0B7oT_YnLGHx1U30JzokqmEUzBJ9UPOl2ojYLT/w158-h90/teacher%20rajadurai.jpg" width="158" /></a> <span style="text-align: justify;">“Venkatesan,
I welcome you to our department. Savitri Madam has gone on maternity leave for
six months. You can handle the classes she was taking. I know it is for a short
duration. Let us hope something comes up in six months as we are expanding”
said Rajadurai, the head of the department for Mathematics</span></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Thank
you, Sir. I pray that I will be able to continue here as a regular teacher. I
need the job as I have a large family to support” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">“I
know, Venkatesan, you have your mother and four siblings to care for. Six
months is a long time. Things can change for the better. Do not worry. God will
find a way for you” he spoke in a comforting tone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Thanks
again, Sir. I need your blessings. I will give my heart and soul to the job” I
added<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">Though
the salary for a temporary teacher was paltry, the new income would help me greatly
in keeping the hearth at my home warm. Rajadurai, who was nearing 60 took a
paternal interest in me and frequently enquired about my work and the support
needed. He also complimented me that the feedback he got from the students and
some of the parents was flattering and added that he had mentioned about my
good work to both the headmaster and the correspondent.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">My
brothers were still in school with my sister learning typing. My mother fell
sick often needing treatment. I was struggling to make both ends meet with my meagre
income. One day Rajadurai told me that he was coaching a few boys from another school
and found it a burden. He asked me whether I could help him by taking tuition
for these boys. I knew inwardly he was doing this to help me being aware of my
difficult circumstances but made it appear as if I was doing him a favour. I
was touched by his kindness and could do nothing but hold his hands on my chest
in gratitude as tears swelled in my eyes. The added income made things easy for
me though the sense of guilt that I was depriving him of his income was
pricking me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">The
six-month tenure was drawing to a close. It was then Rajadurai paid a surprise
visit to my house and took a glance on all sides. It was a small portion with a
hall, two rooms and a kitchen My sick mom lay curled on a bed in one corner of the
hall. She was coughing continuously and I had to take her to a doctor. Poverty
was writ large on our faces and the house. The prospect of loss of my job soon and
the regular income was staring at me. The school fees of my siblings had to be
paid. I was at my wit's end. There was nothing to offer to my benefactor except
a glass of water. He sized up the situation in no time. He did not speak much
and left in a few minutes after exchanging pleasantries.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">Three
days later I was called by the headmaster as soon as the school hours started.
That was the last day. I knew I had been
called to be informed that my tenure was over and that my services were no
longer necessary. I found the school correspondent also seated with him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Good
morning, Venkatesan. We are sorry your tenure will be over from today. Savitri
will be joining us tomorrow. We are very happy at the sincerity and devotion
you have shown in your work. Parents keep telling me how pleased their children
are with you and your teaching. What is your plan for the future?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">Attempting
to restrain the tears, I said “I have no idea. I need this job most but I am
aware my term has ended. I dread the forthcoming days.” Choked with emotion I could
continue no more. The headmaster stood up and came near me. Patting me on my
shoulders he said “Do not worry. You will continue to work with us hopefully regularly.
Please attend the school as usual.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bewildered
at the turn of events I looked at him in utter disbelief. The headmaster smiled
at me and said “Go to your benefactor and prostrate before him. Rajadurai Sir has
applied for voluntary retirement on personal grounds effective from tomorrow. I
asked him for reasons. He did not say anything except that he was comfortable
financially with his well employed sons and that he could hang his boots
without any inconvenience. He specifically requested me to employ you on a regular
basis. I strongly feel that he took this decision impelled by a wish to help
you. He used to come to me frequently pleading for one more regular teacher for
his department to accommodate you. When I told him last week that the
management had turned down the proposal, he submitted his papers two days later.
He refused to withdraw despite our persuasion.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">I
rushed to his house the same evening only to be told by his son “Dad had left
with Mom on a long pilgrimage. He wished that I should convey his felicitations
to you on your regular appointment in case I visited the house. I had never
seen him happier than when he took his retirement.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>"Blessed are those who can give
without remembering and take without forgetting."<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></p>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span lang="EN-US"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span></i>
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></i></p>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-82592600787132914162023-12-11T10:14:00.000+05:302023-12-11T10:14:20.050+05:30Was it a faint signal?<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdmnhfbp_LUgRXezqqjAxfamdNoMfW1h8tuHOipNwMyHkYHfij_E_Bm7anDV2D_YLpFRjoZERzzu4ipBe-2ZfuY8WLd4Nujw8ai-q66TKUZc2I-mqzYQBlBwWcT1MaMnbmvottlfbGmQWufM8lcmHlq9L8scSvmMsre4NjPdxYrkHvEZnJLCNU-1f8W9V/s270/waitress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="259" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdmnhfbp_LUgRXezqqjAxfamdNoMfW1h8tuHOipNwMyHkYHfij_E_Bm7anDV2D_YLpFRjoZERzzu4ipBe-2ZfuY8WLd4Nujw8ai-q66TKUZc2I-mqzYQBlBwWcT1MaMnbmvottlfbGmQWufM8lcmHlq9L8scSvmMsre4NjPdxYrkHvEZnJLCNU-1f8W9V/w104-h109/waitress.jpg" width="104" /></a></span></span></div><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sushil
had beer almost daily in the evenings after office hours with his friends at
the local restaurant. They occupied the same corner table and shared the bill
equally. For the last fortnight, It was the same waitress who served them
daily. Her large blue eyes, smiling face and swaying hips did something to Sushil
that can hardly be explained and he knew he was in love with her. He tried many
times to pick some conversation with her but she never spoke one unnecessary
word with him though courteous. There was a certain professionalism in her that
forbade any overtures to her from him. Sushil was not defeated and his visits
continued hoping someday she would relent.</span></span><a name="_Hlk153089045"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></a><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One day as she was bringing the tray with bottles,
glasses and ice, she accidentally dropped the napkin. Sushil immediately pounced
on it and gave it to her with a flourish. Impressed with his chivalry. she took
it from him with thanks, a smile, and what he presumed was a faint wink unseen
by others. </span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">Sushil was astounded by this gesture and announced
with great joy and gusto to his friends,” Hey, today’s beer binge will be on
me. Drink as much as you wish.” His puzzled buddies were surprised at his
generosity and wondered what went wrong with their usually tight-fisted friend.</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">He could not sleep the whole night and was tossing on
his bed thinking about her and her secret wink.
He fantasized about what if she were unmarried and looking for a male
friend. He expected that she would respond favourably if he approached her
tactfully as he was well employed, good looking and free from any encumbrance.
He decided to pursue the matter by visiting the restaurant alone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">The next evening, he left the office early, dressed
himself well with a liberal spray of cologne and was at the usual table sharp
by 4 pm. The hall was almost empty as it was a bit early. He was eagerly waiting
for her to appear. There was no sign of her for nearly 15 minutes when another
young lady came to take orders.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Disappointed,
he kept quiet for a while but summoned the courage to ask,” Where is the other
lady who usually served this table? I was expecting her here."<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Are you asking about Sushri? She has just come. I
will send her presently if you are very particular about her,” she said with a
mischievous smile.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Not like that. Please send her if you do not
mind. She has been very professional, well-mannered and served us well when I
was with my friends here last evening. Just wanted to thank her."<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">It took some time before he heard a voice from behind,
"Good evening, Sir, I am Sushri. My colleague told me that you wanted me
specifically to thank me for serving you yesterday. Yes, I remember your kind gesture
yesterday and wish to thank you myself. What would you like to have?" she
said as she got ready with the small notebook for his order.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I wanted to thank you not only for the very good
service you always render but also for your sweet acknowledgement when I
procured the fallen napkin. I was thinking about that last night and wished to
meet you today," Sushil said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">“What sweet acknowledgement you are referring to?” she
asked with surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">“I saw the faint twinkle yesterday at the corner of
your left eye when I gave you the fallen napkin," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Oh, no, It could be an involuntary twitch of the
muscle that happens once or twice a month. What did you take it for, a wink or
what? goodness gracious" she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Yes, I took it for a subtle wink and wished to talk to you,”
he replied greatly disappointed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Gosh!, I am sorry, I get this involuntary twitch
of the eye muscle once or twice a fortnight. Please do not mind. I will come
presently with your order,” she left<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">As he was sitting morose, she came with a tray in her
hand and said as she placed it on the table, “Here is what you wished for. I hope
it pleases you,’ she said with a smile when Sushil saw the faint wink again for a tad longer in her
eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sushil sat bemused thinking whether it was a twitch or a real wink hoodwinking him saying it was involuntary even as she went inside
giggling all the way.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div></div>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-28096819982179499922023-12-04T11:31:00.113+05:302023-12-05T07:17:40.062+05:30A fitting finale <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-lMnbKFGgWGBenZDJbC9Vxct89Gktoitvp4e6vNBdS34Bhfb9plo-d2yVyUhEmX_zAC6jNawrGIx2IDqclbPj6_E6FtABODeBz-dU9VxTQ-Jlma6_I4G5JaEWp7D98iCtzCPMAbgPJJXI8zYK-x35NdZp6tj1uZGTGXDYyWQUUjbKAOMxT54YRqT9rUI/s553/tennis%20court%20international.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="311" data-original-width="553" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-lMnbKFGgWGBenZDJbC9Vxct89Gktoitvp4e6vNBdS34Bhfb9plo-d2yVyUhEmX_zAC6jNawrGIx2IDqclbPj6_E6FtABODeBz-dU9VxTQ-Jlma6_I4G5JaEWp7D98iCtzCPMAbgPJJXI8zYK-x35NdZp6tj1uZGTGXDYyWQUUjbKAOMxT54YRqT9rUI/w166-h92/tennis%20court%20international.jpg" width="166" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Three days hence, the greatest and much-awaited final was to be played. It was considered the acme amongst tennis tournaments played across the world. A win in this hallowed place was considered a high-water mark and much longed for by all professional tennis players.</span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Alfred and Benson, the two top-ranked </span><span style="font-family: arial;">players have been engaged in the rivalry to establish their individual supremacy over the other. They have held the top two rankings for the last three years continuously. Alfred led the overall head-to-head series at 10-5. Alfred, being senior in age by seven</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> years to Benson, has been dominant all these years with none to come anywhere near him. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">It was only after the advent of Benson that Alfred met a true match to test his skill to the utmost. He had been hitherto winning in all the tournaments so effortlessly that the final always appeared a tame one-man show.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> It was no longer so.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">These two had contrasting styles. Benson in mid-twenties has raw muscular power with amazing stamina, a bewildering variety of strokes and the agility of a cunning feline on the court. Alfred, with his rich and long experience at the top position, had the answer to every player. Quick-footed, calm and collected and with a courtcraft that never took him by surprise, Alfred had of course the age to contend with.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">He wished to end his career with a convincing win in this tournament over his arch-rival. He had been working towards this end ceaselessly. But Benson is no easy pushover and in the last two final encounters, he had won easily over Alfred with his stronger physical endurance capability. Benson had a high regard for Alfred whom he deemed as his role model when he was young. He wished Alfred to make an exit in all glory and honours. But once he entered the court, the professional pride ruled, giving no room for sentiment. Though Benson felt sorry for the ageing Alfred, he tried to make him run across the field and tire himself to clinch the match.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Benson sincerely wanted Alfred to get all the honours in what was his last final. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">That he felt would be a fitting tribute to his friendly rival and a measure of regard he had for him. He, however, wished it to happen </span><span style="font-family: arial;">without himself having to lose, an impossible outcome with a tiebreaker. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As luck would have it, Benson developed a temperature two days before the date of the match and the antibiotic injections did not help in bringing the viral fever down. He was feeling weak but felt inwardly happy that all the efforts of his physicians to make him fit for the final event did not fructify. The media was all agog on Benson’s fitness and speculating on an easy walkover for Alfred bringing him fittingly the championship in his last tournament.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Alfred was not happy at this denouement. He did not wish for a walkover. He wanted to fight and win a manly game over his rival to claim the championship by his prowess and not by default. He sincerely prayed that Benson would recover to give him a chance to snatch an hono</span><span style="font-family: arial;">urable victory on the court in front of the adulating crowd that he was accustomed to. His mood was swinging between hope and despair.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It was on the morning of the final that an unexpected development took place when Alfred sprained his ankle when doing a workout. Not all the efforts of the physio and the doctor could give him any relief, as he was hardly able to walk, let alone run.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The tournament committee, in the absence of any rule or precedent where both players could not play in the finals on medical grounds, unanimously decided to declare both players winners and award the championship to both of them in what was considered an unprecedented step in the annals of the tournament. Benson breathed a sigh of relief that God had answered his prayers through this happy ending.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Perhaps there is a time to decide for persons at their peak, especially in sports, to quit gracefully when they can and not when they must.</span></p>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-50421366588318555052023-11-30T11:24:00.002+05:302023-11-30T11:24:39.744+05:30Bringing cheer to a lonely heart<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGFC2DkAUlysTbT6-O8gC8YiZ6cYrLArxqlZGrJpT2Q_FVdVo2zNjCPNUs_KcyF-PrqJEyCjrv09OcWOH348c_QhJkTEJZ95yh2LMALqUyVM5KAbEnrvc_zO5rvoUjqJpwhj8B44agxKsF7lmy0T_Wqr-F5dyOU9SJ8LpzHGNuBSnWg2MMc46Aous2Dq7/s256/porch%20(1).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="256" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGFC2DkAUlysTbT6-O8gC8YiZ6cYrLArxqlZGrJpT2Q_FVdVo2zNjCPNUs_KcyF-PrqJEyCjrv09OcWOH348c_QhJkTEJZ95yh2LMALqUyVM5KAbEnrvc_zO5rvoUjqJpwhj8B44agxKsF7lmy0T_Wqr-F5dyOU9SJ8LpzHGNuBSnWg2MMc46Aous2Dq7/w170-h131/porch%20(1).jpg" width="170" /></span></a></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-align: justify;">From the veranda of my
house, I saw an old lady of the opposite house reclined on an easy chair on the front porch. The sun’s rays were seen falling directly on her face. She
covered her eyes with her hand. With the summer having come, it was hot even at 8 am. It looked like she needed help to get up and move inside her
house. But there seemed none nearby. I was in two minds whether to go
personally and help the old woman go inside the house. But I was a newcomer here
and had not met them. I do not know who lived in that rather big house. I
was hesitant lest someone charged me with trespass or intrusion in their
affairs.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">It was then my servant
maid Sathya entered. She saw me staring at the old woman in the opposite t house.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">“Amma, what are you
looking at?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">“I have been watching the lady in
that chair for nearly 30 minutes with the sun hitting her directly on her face
and it is pretty hot. The poor woman is possibly unable to get up on her own
and go inside. Is there no one else in the house?” I asked her,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">“Amma, the old woman has a
son. His wife, who was much younger than him, was with him for less than a year and
left him permanently. People say that she eloped with her lover. The son has
employed a part-time cook and a full-time maid to take care of his mom. The
cook comes around 9 am. The maid should be there possibly flirting with the
gardener. She is a lazy woman and I think she is not taking proper care of the
old woman. She is a bully and picks up a fight with the cook and even the old
lady at the slightest pretext. The old woman cannot get up or walk without her
assistance. Her condition is pathetic. The son goes to work early in the
morning and comes late in the night leaving his mom under the care of this
virago” she said. But I knew that Sathya is given to exaggeration and
half-truths.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">That night when I was
mentioning this to my husband. He said, “You have been working in several
social organizations earlier and were visiting old age homes and hospitals.
After you have come here you are confined to home. Why don’t you visit the old
lady and provide her the comfort that you can give”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">The next day I went to her
house around 9 am. She was still seated on the easy chair with the sun’s rays
falling on her face. She was not very old as I suspected but she was badly
affected by what seemed arthritis. She must have been charming, in her younger
days but now her eyes looked distant, her face wrinkled and her speech halted.
Frail in her build, she still had a smile writ constantly on her face.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">I went near her and said
“Aunty, I am Veena and live in the opposite house. I have moved here
recently. I see you sitting here daily in the mornings. I just wished to
introduce myself.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">There was a long silence
before she asked “What did you say your name is?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">Surprised at her short
memory, I repeated my name.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">She was quiet for a long
time before asking “Do you have a daughter? I wish I had one.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">“No, I have no daughter or
even a son. Why do you wish you had a daughter? Not many in our parts want girl
children” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">“Foolish people. I have no one to care of me. My son is busy with his work and has his own problems too.
I am dependent on others employed to assist me. There is no lack of physical comfort as my son has
provided everything I need. But I feel lonely and long for the love of a daughter.
My vision is impaired and I cannot read or watch TV. I have no one to talk to, I
am also having this wretched arthritis. Servants after all work for money and
they do not bond even after years of association” she replied.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">“Can I help you to go
inside? It is hot here” I said<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">“Will be grateful. I am
actually waiting for the maid. But she must be somewhere in the house and comes
to me whenever it pleases her. My words have no effect on her” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">I gently put my arms
around her and lifted her. I led her carefully to her bed. As I made her sit on
the bed, she hugged me and would not leave me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">“You seem such a kind
girl. For a moment I felt I had my dream of a daughter fulfilled” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">I had not thought of her as my mom. But, as she hugged me tight, unwilling to let me go, I realized that my heart was
getting filled with love. “Aunty, please consider me as your daughter. I got a
feeling that it was my own mother putting her arm around me. Be assured that I will come daily and spend some time with you.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">Her eyes became moist and
as she rubbed her eyes with her sari, I knew I could give her what she needed
most, a piece of my heart to bring some sunshine into her life, a companionship
to hear her bright past, the fears of future and the concerns of the present
and above all some loving care. Why should I go to a faraway old age home when
I can make my neighbour’s life one of joy and peace?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">“Aunty, what do you like
to eat most? I can make it for you. What music do you like to hear? I can sing
for you” I said. I could see a certain disbelief initially in her eyes but soon
they shone brightly. I have now found a reason to be happy and busy.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">"I need nothing except your company," she said with a puckered smile.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">As I got up to walk back to my
house I glanced inside the house, to see the old lady's maid giggling and holding the hands of the gardener near the kitchen. I felt slight remorse that I had doubted Satya's words.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"> </span></p>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-70868887534677665332023-11-27T21:25:00.000+05:302023-12-04T11:33:38.615+05:30Woman’s week at gym<p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNTzU6eJUvvPR-qCD8CtK0m__5AumusCc-uHAYbYUZQAfQnPACnBiYTEM5AxuHLmKUzqrOWZM2gJi8TxJA4rTOKg1GjZRLzsjWaadp0NfG0S5hH0ssXzL7rU2cbmUHF50-BCdwTvw71ahgICLAXi2T-ICVmHY8-atkgE7sR6Ng7VPnZmIM6uXnmraN7knE/s700/woman%20in%20gym.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="700" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNTzU6eJUvvPR-qCD8CtK0m__5AumusCc-uHAYbYUZQAfQnPACnBiYTEM5AxuHLmKUzqrOWZM2gJi8TxJA4rTOKg1GjZRLzsjWaadp0NfG0S5hH0ssXzL7rU2cbmUHF50-BCdwTvw71ahgICLAXi2T-ICVmHY8-atkgE7sR6Ng7VPnZmIM6uXnmraN7knE/w156-h120/woman%20in%20gym.jpg" width="156" /></a><i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><u>This is not mine. I found this in
my mailbox. I have no idea who wrote this wonderful but hysterical piece:)).
I wish I knew for giving credit to the lady. I am in splits and couldn't
stop laughing for a full minute!!</u></span></i></span></i></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dear Diary: For my birthday this
year, my husband got me a week of personal training at the local health club.
Although I am still in great shape since being a high school football
cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and
give it a try. I called the club and made my reservations with a personal
trainer named Christo, who identified himself as a 26-year-old aerobics
instructor and model for athletic clothing and swimwear. Friends seemed pleased
with my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to
chart my progress. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">MONDAY: Started my day at 6:00 a.m.
Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the
health club to find Christo waiting for me. He is something of a Greek god—with
blond hair, dancing eyes, and a dazzling white smile. Woo hoo!! Christo gave me
a tour and showed me the machines... I enjoyed watching the skillful way in
which he conducted his aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring!
Christo was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching
from holding it in the whole time he was around. This is going to be a
FANTASTIC week!!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">TUESDAY: I drank a whole pot of
coffee, but I finally made it out the door. Christo made me lie on my back and
push a heavy iron bar into the air then he put weights on it! My legs were a
little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. His rewarding smile
made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT! It's a whole new life for me. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">WEDNESDAY: The only way I can brush
my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back
and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK
as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club
parking lot. Christo was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered
other club members.. His voice is a little too perky for that early in the
morning and when he scolds, he gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying. My
chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Christo put me on the stair monster.
Why would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by
elevators? Christo told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. He
said some other crap too. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">THURSDAY: Butthole was waiting for
me with his vampire-like teeth exposed as his thin, cruel lips were pulled back
in a full snarl. I couldn't help being a half an hour late—it took me that long
to tie my shoes. He took me to work out with dumbbells. When he was not
looking, I ran and hid in the restroom. He sent some skinny witch to find me.
Then, as punishment, he put me on the rowing machine—which I sank.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">FRIDAY: I hate that jackass Christo
more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history
of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic, anorexic, little aerobic instructor. If
there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat
him with it. Christo wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps!
And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the darn barbells or
anything that weighs more than a sandwich. The treadmill flung me off and I
landed on a health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn't it have been someone
softer, like the drama coach or the choir director? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">SATURDAY: Satan left a message on
my answering machine in his grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show
up today. Just hearing his voice made me want to smash the machine with my
planner; however, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up
catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">SUNDAY: I'm having the Church van
pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over.
I will also pray that next year my husband will choose a gift for me that is
fun—like a root canal or a hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to
bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048731130587777458.post-69741430685112825532023-11-27T05:22:00.000+05:302023-11-27T05:22:08.077+05:30A stranger's gift<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbyqJ9o-eN4gH5O2HzxIs_HRxydqOjSyDweuYRxmy3YcNwFpiTKlaX9YdXuoSVeXLjGma_iqNg3cqyciIr_Xd6xS1bDJYHay5eM5e-HqhWEct8x14VsxZzM_lcgj73iBHiwmGdWk5Q6Qihfsq5y8bsuKWIQtG3JenzXn25yqqKYxt1PW5VUHKHUia9YRi/s235/ruby1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="235" data-original-width="214" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbyqJ9o-eN4gH5O2HzxIs_HRxydqOjSyDweuYRxmy3YcNwFpiTKlaX9YdXuoSVeXLjGma_iqNg3cqyciIr_Xd6xS1bDJYHay5eM5e-HqhWEct8x14VsxZzM_lcgj73iBHiwmGdWk5Q6Qihfsq5y8bsuKWIQtG3JenzXn25yqqKYxt1PW5VUHKHUia9YRi/w107-h118/ruby1.jpg" width="107" /></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-align: justify;">Once in two or three
months, Shanmugam visited a small temple dedicated to Lord Shiva situated
inside a mini forest. Apart from the usual Linga, there was the idol of
Mahadeva with his hair piled up, a crescent moon tucked in it and Ganga flowing
down symbolically. With a coiled serpent around his neck and a trident on the left
hand with a damroo tied to it, He was smeared with ashes and sported a
Rudraksha mala. It was believed He was powerful and granted boons if sincerely
prayed. Shanmugam’s sole purpose was to seek His blessings to save him from the
morass of poverty. It was believed serpents moved about freely in the area but
never harmed anybody,</span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">As the sky was cloudy, Shanmugam
wished to reach home before it got dark. He chose instead of a proper road, a shortcut
from the temple through the mini forest that saved his walk by two kilometres.
As he walked hurriedly through a narrow winding path amidst bushes, he found it
very lonely with not a soul visible. He increased the pace to get out of the
forest soonest. Luckily the sun had not yet set and it was not dark as yet.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">When he turned on a bend, he
saw to his relief a little away on this desolate stretch a man
standing at the edge of the pathway looking at him. As he neared the man, he
found him to be tall, lean and dark and also appeared somewhat strange. His
face was elongated horizontally between the ears and the head above narrowed at
the top reminding of an inverted rhombus. His eyes were narrow but flitting
brightly from one side to the other.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">Shanmugam felt uneasy but
still welcomed company in this deserted area.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">The man saw a flask
hanging on Shanmugam’s shoulders and requested him for water. The flask
contained toddy, an intoxicating local liquor, that Shanmugam was habituated
to. He readily gave a cup. The man drank with gusto. Shanmugam became less
apprehensive of the guy and prodded him to walk faster. But he could not keep pace with Shanmugam as
he walked rather wobbly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">When they came out of the forest,
they both sat down on the mud to rest and finish the remaining drink. Both soon
became inebriated and lay on the ground prattling loudly. It was then the
strange man gave Shanmugam a marble-sized stone saying,” You have been very nice
and friendly. Keep the thing carefully for it is very precious.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">Shanmugam accepted the elliptical
stone that was covered with mud and said,” Thank you very much for the gift. My
house is nearby. Do come with me and have your dinner,” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">“I will come with you up
to your place but will leave immediately without having dinner,” the man
replied.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">“You must have something
to drink at least if you are not ready for dinner. What about coffee, tea or juice?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">“I will have a small
quantity of cold milk. Preserve the precious stone very carefully and you will soon
be rich,” he replied.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">When they reached the small
tiled building, Shanmugam’s wife saw him drunk in a dishevelled condition with
mud all over his body. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"> ” How many times should I tell you not to
drink outside our home and drink whatever you wish to while at home? I do not
want you to fall on the road and create a scene,” she yelled at her husband
without noticing the stranger’s presence near the door.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">Handing her the precious gift,
he pleaded with her, “We have a kind guest. Do not get angry and I promise not
to drink outside in future. I met him on the way from the temple and he has
given me this valuable stone that will make us rich. As it is covered with mud,
polish it gently with your sari and you will see it shining in red. Please get
him a glass of cold milk. He declined to have dinner with us.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">She hurriedly swiped the stone
with her sari and found to her amazement a gem shining a shade that was a mix
of pink and red. She rushed inside to the kitchen followed by Shanmugam to get
the milk. When they came out with a glass of milk, the stranger was not to be
seen. Wondering at his mysterious disappearance, they moved towards the front
door when they saw to their horror a long cobra slithering out through the door.
When they gasped in fear, it raised its hood and stared at them for a few
seconds before disappearing into the bushes outside.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">Looking at the pinkish-red
ruby (manik) shining stone in her hand, the mysterious disappearance of the odd-looking
stranger and the appearance of a cobra with its raised hood for a brief moment at the front door,
made Shanmugam wonder aloud whether the Lord has, at last, answered his prayers. Inscrutable
are the ways of God, his wife conceded.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><o:p></o:p><p></p>KParthasarathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189924874350906456noreply@blogger.com13