“THERE IS ANOTHER SIDE OF THE COIN”

A place where many rich people live in Bombay,there was also a boy rolling in that riches. His name is Ajay whose father holds 2 to 3 firms and they make them a lot of money to their family. His mother is a managing director of one those firms. Ajay has a younger sister and they both study in school where children of many rich people study together.Every morning when Ajay wakes up many servants stand in a queue to serve him in every aspect, being surrounding with richness he thinks that every thing can be bought by money, and is very proud of his richness when he looks poor labourers working at roadside constructions he watches them in a hatred manner through his luxurious car window.

Every time when he gets a leisure time arranges a meeting with his friends around in the class room and tells them about valuable gadgets and luxurious life style.

As sports and games competitions are being taken place in the school the students were having a great time participating in the atmosphere. One on that occasion Ajay with his friends Raju,Ravi,Sathish, Kiran,and new friend Vijay who is from other section of the same class settled in and empty classroom and having conversations.

Ajay: You know friends we’ve bought a new 3d LED recently, O my god! its awesome!.

Sathish: Really! Is it that much wonderful?

Ajay: Yes it is, I’m very proud to say that I have that extraordinary thing in my home. You cant even believe  your own eyes if you see it!

Kiran: I’ve also proposed my dad this idea and we’ll also have a 3D LED TV in a week!.

Ravi: How much it costs actually?.

Ajay: It’s about 4 lacks rupees!.

Raju: Is it really that much expensive?.

Ajay: Expensive may be to you, but not to us, we can buy many valuable things on the finger tips.You know we have so much of wealth,so,we can buy anything, even my dads watch costs more than 10 lack rupees.

[Vijay was listening to this conversation and suddenly interrupts them]

Vijay: “Why are you people doing this nonsense?”

Every one stopped and looked at him with astonishment. Anger stared in the face of Ajay.

Ajay: “What are yoiu talking about?” Shan’t we feel proud for having costly things in our lives?

Vijay: I’m sorry if I hurt you!, but I don’t think so.

Ajay: Can you explain why?.

Vijay: My grand father used to say, that we should not be proud for possessing materials. ” A person who shows humanity towards the people who are in poverty and catastrophe when he is rich, and A person who maintains stability and courage when he is considered to be great human being”.

We are talking about all these valuable materials we have today in our live rather than bringing help to suffering humanity, we should understand that there is another side of the coin.

Ajay: You mean we should help those poor people  who are economically lower than us?

Vija: What is needy and richness? rich people may move down in the world, and needy people might win great acclaim and there were so many success stories of needy people getting rich, having richness or poverty doesn’t matter, the right attitude is important!

[Ajay told him to take a hike, and flared up at him. Vijay went out of the room.]

Ajay was so much disappointed by his speech.

 

3 months later the students were given summer holidays. So Ajay and his sister wished to go their grandfathers house in Hyderabad. So their parents made all arrangements and their grandfather received them at airport. they were having great time in Hyderabad, they were watching movies, going parks ,restaurants, museums and every thing they could gain more pleasure by.

One day evening Ajay went to a nearby park with out informing any one at home, and was playing in the park when some kidnappers observed his movements and they knew that he was a millionaires son so they conspired to kidnap him and waited about two hours to get this implemented.

While he was returning home they suddenly grabbed him into the car an gagged him and rushed from the spot , Ajay also made all his efforts in vain. His grand parents got informed and rushed to the spot with some of their men to search but there were no signs of Ajay’s existence in that area,and they informed police of this incident hurriedly, and Ajay’s parents in Bombay as well.

While these happening in Hyderabad on the other hand the kidnappers were taking him north to the city. It was dark by then so the police were facing difficulties to crack down on their move.

On the other hand Ajay was still in shock and was crying constantly as he faced no situation even similar to this one before in his entire life time. by the next morning the kidnappers crossed 2 districts and reached to a small town and tied him up in a remote house to the town, they planned to demand ransom but after one more day, they untied him once and said

” dont worry boy! we don’t kill you! after getting our wish we’ll let you go!”, and served him break fast.

Mean while, Ajay parents came to Hyderabad with sorrow on losing their child and started searching with police.One more day passed, and the kidnappers decided to change location before demanding ransom. So they started their journey on that evening and few hours later they had crossed one more district and almost reached a town, when one of the kidnappers asked to stop the car to buy cigarettes at a small shop beside the road.

2 kidnappers went near to the shop and other 2 remained in the car, few minutes later other 2 also got down the car and warned the boy not to come out and strictly said if he tries to escape the’ll shoot him on the spot, Ajay was terrified on hearing this.these all kidnappers were discussing seriously about the next operation. it was almost 20 minutes over since their conversation.

Ajay thought they would take him so far if he didn’t escape then and the kidnappers were actually not observing him as they were so much intoxicated by the alcohol. Ajay suddenly saw that the door right to him remained open slightly and in no time he’s made a fast move by opening the door and escaped one oft he kidnappers chased in vain.As darkness covers that entire area they are unable to catch him and they’ve almost lost him, ajay was running so fast that he even could not understand how many kilometres he had passed, he entered in the main town, he collapsed onto the floor before a shop which was closed as he was unable to go further distance, all shops were shut down and the entire place is calm due to midnight. He slowly fell asleep.

It’s 5’o clock in the morning. A paper boy was coming through that lane where he found Ajay laying on the ground, immediately, he thrown his cycle and up to him hurriedly as if he saw a dead body. He had gone beside  him and felt happy to found him alive.

He whispered slowly “Hey boy wake up!”

Ajay opened his eyes but couldn’t respond to his questions even couldn’t even get up.The boy repeatedly asking him questions like

“Who are you?” “Where are come from?” “Why are you sleeping here alone?”,

but he could hardly get answers. He touched Ajay’s body and got to know he had fever. Ajay’s body temperature is so high that even this paper boy worried and started to panic.

He said “Hey boy get up!, I’ll take you my home!”,

Ajay understood his intention to help, and slowly got up. The boy helped Ajay sit on the cycle and started riding.

He had taken him to a small village by 6’O clock which is five kilometres to the town. When he reached home he yelled! “Daddy,Mom come out?”.

They had come out and on seeing him they asked “Who is this boy?, What’s happenned to him?”

“I don’t know, he was laying on the floor with extreme fever before one of the shopping malls when I reached there, I thought it was better to get him here as he was very ill”, said to their parents.

“Very good my son!” he’s father said “you’ve done a great job!”, and they took him into the house and laid him on the bed. He was fully unconscious, so they went to call a doctor, meanwhile the  police and Ajay’s parents were unable to find Ajay’s whereabouts.

Few minutes later Ajay came to consciousness when he opened his eyes he witnessed an entire family waiting for his recovery in front of him. He thought he had been saved. The boy who have him asked Ajay where he was from and what happened that night, Ajay said them he was  from Bombay and had come to his grand parents house in Hyderabad where he had been kidnapped by the gang of four thieves.

The boy’s father said “Look boy whatever happened, so happened, you dont worry any more! you can stay here and take rest untill you’ve reached your parents, we’ll also do make all our efforts to make you reach home, my son Raghu who has brought you here will be with you every moment as a friend!” caressing Ajay’s head as if he was a father to him, and all of them went out except Raghu, one who saved his life.

Ajay was observing that house even while resting on the bed, it was tile roofed house, he found no luxurious things in his eye’s premises.

Ajay asked Raghu: “What  your father does?”,

“My father is labourer and my mother is a house wife, and I have a sister we both study in a government school which is in the next village 2 kilometres from here, I’m contributing a little bit to may family by working as a paper delivery boy as we are very poor!”

Ajay: But, how would you go to school, is there any bus facility?

Raghu: How can government schools have bus facility, we go every day walk!

Ajay surprised at this reply, and asked himself silently how would they walk 6 kilometrs every day?

[Raghu told him to take rest as he had and important thing to do and went out]

Now Ajay was recollecting all the circumstances that he had gone through in those 3 days, and assumed  himself to be responsible for whatever happened, going out without informing anyone was a major mistake. 2 hours later a doctor came in and made a check up and assured the family he would be ok as it was a normal fever due to shock or pressure.

Raghu’s mother served him break fast with love sitting next to him it wasn’t that much expensive food but that love was obvious to him, as his mother was always busy with her job he had no chances or situations where she served him food sitting next to him. He observed Raghu’s father when passing before him his clothes was so muddy and not expensive, still he had that energy, self respect which Ajay always thought only his father to be possessor  and he realized at that very moment that energy and self respect are not given birth by money but attitude.

He recovered enough to walk on that evening and Raghu joined him to show his entire village, so when Ajay came out of his room he started observing this  particular house, the walls had flaws and faded and the entire house had only three small rooms he wondered how they could adjust in this small house.

They both came out of that place and Raghu started asking Ajay some questions:

Raghu: So, Tell me about you and your family?

This question suddenly reminded him of conversations he had with his friends on that particular day in the past. he was calm sliding into the past, when Raghu stroked him gently.

“What happened? what are you pondering about? my father told you, didn’t he? he’ll make all efforts to make you reach home! don’t worry?”

Ajay: Oh! I’m sorry, not like that, ah! you’ve asked about my family alright, my father is a businessman in Bombay, that’s it!.

Raghu: Which class you are studying in now?

Ajay: I’ve just finished 10th class!.

Raghu: I’ve also finished my 10th class , so I think we are both at the same age!.

Ajay: Really!, Its great, how much percentage have you got in this annual examinations?.

Raghu: It’s 84 percent of marks!.

[Ajay turned to him in astonishment and asked himself the same question how would he have got  that much percentage as he himself didn’t get that much having even studied in a school where highly amount of fees is collected, he realized at that specific moment that even a student who studies In a government school can get good marks with right attitude and talent.]

In those specific moments Ajay was on he journey of self realization, and now he was silent again.

Raghu: What happened you are silent again?

Ajay: Ah! Nothing, what these villagers do for living?

[Now they both sat on a 3 feet wall near a temple.]

Raghu: The people who live here do many things, tailors,farmers,labourers,carpenters,daily wage earners all of them mixed up to make this village!.

Ajay: How much your father earns daily?.

Raghu: 300 rupees a day!.

Ajay: What that much only? how can you lead your life with this small amount?.

Raghu: That too fails to exist some times, there were so many situations where my father staying at home for months without any work, and it happens occasionally!.

Ajay: But how did you live without  proper financial support to your family?.

Raghu: We borrow money from money lenders, but when we fail to repay them, it is like rope around our necks, still we manage to rise up. This journey takes life time!.

Ajay: So, how do you manage?.

Raghu: We painstakingly make a budget every month, But that too fails to work due to rising prices or not getting much wage, still we make do by cutting back on some of our needs to ensure we are well-fed. Still at  some nights our plates hesitate to serve us food!.

Ajay: Don’t worry you can survive these entire circumstances and become rich!.

Raghu: Richnesss ( laughing derisively), my friend! Only few people cross this poverty and  become rich as you have said. I was born with the debt of 2 lack rupees which my grand father gave to my dad, still adding to pile up. If i stop continuing my studies due to these fluctuations I’ll also be a victim of poverty. Actually “We are successors of poverty!”.

You know ! every month we pray to god that any one of us doesn’t fall sick or no unexpected diseases. You know! umm my younger brother died last month due to dengue fever, we could neither afford costly medicines nor travelling expenses.

[ He stopped his conversation as his tears falling down his cheeks]

It hit Ajay’s heart also the hardest and at that very moment he was enlighted by the fact that it was ” another side of the coin” that he hadn’t witnessed this much closer in his life time, said to himself that whatever his friend vijay stated on that day in the past was pure pronunciation. And he was like crying when suddenly interrupts him.

“Hey sorry friend!, I dont know why i’m saying you all of this, I’m very sorry (regaining smile on his face) actually my father said you are a guest to us, so I should not make you cry!, let us go home,” and Ajay followed him..

Meanwhile, Raghu’s father lodged a complaint with the police. Surprisingly, police also got informed about the missing boy from Hyderabad from district head quarters. So without any delay the police followed Raghu’s father to his village on that very evening, and they met Ajay and knew that he was the boy who had been kidnapped from Hyderabad and immediately phoned his parents and informed he was safe. Ajay’s parents heaved a sigh of relief on hearing this, especially his mother wanted to speak to him. on hearing Ajays voice on the phone she started crying.

“Don’t cry mom I’m ok now, I’m with a family which saved my life, I’m safe now!” told his mother over the phone, now he himself was also very happy to hear his mother’s voice after all these days.

Ajay’s parents spoke to the police to know the directions to recover their son. the police told them to hit the road early morning on the next day, since it would take several hours to reach there, Ajay’s parents wished to start immediately but the police denied as night journey is unsafe.

The police officer asked Raghu’s father to let them take the possession of Ajay. But Raghu’s father requested them to permit to keep Ajay that night in their  home, Ajay also insisted, so the police officer agreed to let Ajay stay there.

It was 8’O clock in the night, Raghu,his sister and their parents gathered in a circle around Ajay in a sitting position. Raghu’s sister started asking Ajay some questions.

“Brother are you leaving tomarrow?”.

“Yes ” said Ajay

.”Wont you come back here again to see us!” asked raghu’s sister curiously.

“I’ll definitely come back to see you again, I promise!” said Ajay assuring them.

“How can’t he come here again, he’ll definitely come here in the  future again for us!, wont you Ajay?”, asked Raghu’s mother with love.

“Definitely, I’ll come back , I promise”, said Ajay.

“This time when you come back inform everybody before you come!”, said Raghu’s father with laughing, and now every body was laughing at this joke, including Ajay. Now Raghu’s mother was serving food each one one of them, they all had sat on the floor this was new to Ajay but some how he managed to do so. Ajay was eating but really was shying at the moment, then Raghu’s mother came near him, sat down next to him and started to feed by her own hands saying

” Today I’ll feed yoiu with my own hand, why do you shy when you eat, am not I like your mother?, as you are like my son!”.

He could’nt prevent his eyes from delivering tears, when he was chewing each grain made of love , listening to the words that made of love…

The next day morning Ajays parents and grand parents arrived there and they altogether came near Ajay, they hold him affectionately.

“You’ve people saved my son! How can we express our gratitude to you!” said Ajays father to RAghu’s father.

“Don’t thank us!, we are human beings, helping nature is in our blood, you would have also saved Ajfay if you had been in my position.”

The police, and some locals of  that area and every one gathered there, each one of Raghu’s family was about to send him off, when Raghu’s sister said

“Brother this is from me, keep it as a reminder that you have another sister here in this village, far away from your native place” tying a band around Ajay’s wrist.

Ajay and every one of his family got into the car.

“Dont forget me my friend!” said Raghu to Ajay.

” I’ll never forget you!” said Ajay. Ajay’s father took his wallet out from his pocket and offered money to Ragh’s father.

“We didn’t keep him for money, he is like our son!” said Raghu’s father denying the offer.

“Look , even though he is very poor he is denying money, how honest he is!” Ajay whispered in his heart.

Car was slowly moving and every one of that family was waving hands towards Ajay until the car was vanished from the spot.

 

Now Ajay arrived in Bombay, but he never forgot the circumstances he had gone through especially that poor family which taught him lessons. He thanked god for teaching him a good lesson in the proper age. That very day he called each one of his friends, including Vijay who argued with him in the class room in the past. He revealed them all the circumstances he had gone through, he also said sorry to Vijay. Vijay accepted at that very moment.

“Friends, we are rich people we have money and everything, but many across India suffering in poverty, when we wish to watch a movie the ticket cost makes a family 2 days income, even when we pour money for enjoyment in a day, that amount makes a family monthly income, that amount makes a family monthly income. So , in my opinion why don’t we, here after, help those who are in poverty!”. Every one accepted it and applauded him a lot.

He was writing a letter to Raghu’s family that night with sending an amount of 30,00 rupees, saying “This is not for saving me this is my contribution to those who are in trouble”.

Now, he leaned on to the bed staring towards ceiling as still tears from his eyes were sliding down onto the pillow ” Save my beautiful India, relieve her of poverty” said silently and closed his eyes………

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