A BOON

“Oh supreme Goddess, universal power, protector of deities and sages. Oh! Goddess of kindness we greet you, we sing prayer to you… Please forgive our sins”

Rishikesh used to hear these singing of priest every morning after the Aarti(psalm) of Goddess Durga. In the small shrine of Taaran Harini Devi in his village-Taaran which was located at the outskirts of a poor state of our country.

Village got its name after this temple situated in the middle. It was said that long ago in the historic era when this realm was more of a jungle. A sage found this statue of Goddess Durga here. The sage was wandering through the jungle and was unable to find way to civilization. Where he could quench his thirst and fire of his belly. But when he found this statue in middle of nowhere. He prayed to Goddess that-‘He would stay there in wait of help as he had no modicum strength left to rove any further.’

On seeing him meditated before the statue some passerby greeted him and took him to their place. The sage then thanked Goddess and worshiped her as Taaran Harini for she fulfilled his wish. He worshiped the Goddess and following him people of distributed residing also worshiped her. Since then the place took shape of a small temple and realm mutated into a faraway village.

With uttermost pure devotion eleven year old Rishikesh worshiped Goddess Durga every day. Before embarking for the parlous path to his school. He hoped that one day the Goddess, would be happy on him and would remove all his miseries.

He was a loving boy. He belonged to one of the poor family of the village. People of the realm worked in farms which had seasonal work. Off season or say usually they used to spent time in effect of marijuana at the Choupal of the village. Not all the villagers, men only, women had home and children to take care of.

Women often worked in fields on behalf of men of the house. Gathering tits and bits to sell during off season too for they couldn’t leave their responsibility of nurturing the family. Typical woman life they had who takes charge in her hands when man act insouciant.

Rishikesh’s father too was man of marijuana. And his mother acted on his behalf. They were family of five: parents, him, his younger sister and a year old brother. He had an elder sister too but she was married and lived in another faraway village. For now they were family of five. Marijuana that grew wildly in abundance all around their village was handy in all the seasons. All the men of the village had it in their veins.

And there was no curbing on it from government end. Not because these people or this village had some strong constituent impact on vote bank of regional political parties. But because this was the farthest realm where no government bothered to heed.

In the time and age when children(elsewhere) of Rishikesh’s age were dancing on unfathomable odd songs of Bollywood. There was only one T.V. set in his village. That set belonged to old chief of the village. It was small, black and white screen T.V. and they would exert to turn it ON occasionally. Mostly during the time of election. So they could hear which political party would dwell on their land to pay them.

This was the state of village and its men. As for children there was a school, government school of course. Going there was no easy. Across the wild shrubs. Each day Rishikesh had to dabble his feet into the slippery mud paths of the bridge over the river. This river always had its mouth open for scraggy bodies like him. He had to cross all this. Cause of such difficulties and lack of teaching children avoided school.
The school had only one teacher and a head master. The head master used to visit irregularly. And the solo teacher was solely responsible for school and children.

There were no benches; children sat on sack rugs laid on the floor. With thick layer of mud around his feet. Like every other child there, Rishikesh used to sit on those rugs. God given light through the broken window panes was their only source of light in the classrooms. There was no midday meal either.

He didn’t avoided school despite of these difficulties. For he knew that his father was bad-tempered man. And always accompany lazy and irresponsible at the choupal. His mother had to go to near suburb to sell whatever she gathers from farm. And she had to give half of her earning of the day to the constable there. Or he wouldn’t let her sit there or would ask for sensual pleasure if she refuse him money. He knew all of that for he had accompanied her mother many times to that suburb. He also had beating from that constable for defying his lechery to his mother. But that didn’t stopped him carrying burden for his mother. It was after his baby brother was born mother needed some responsible soul at home with children. Whereby he had to stay at home with siblings. He wished to earn well for his mother, for his little siblings. And for all this education was must for him. He thought if he would learn something he’d bag some remunerative work at some near suburb. Then his mother need not to face lechery.

Thereby he never missed school. Even if the path towards the school was dangerous. Even if the teacher was a devil. That’s right the teacher was no saint either. Being the solo dominater he not only ate school funds. He was children eater too. He sometimes used to take a child to his home in pretext of work.
Children of poor obeyed the devil teacher. For they hoped he might give something in return of their work. If not that then perhaps he would pass them in exams. Getting work from children didn’t made the teacher devil. Hearsay was that he defiles children after taking them home. For children used to take leave for a day or two after the day they visit him. Although nobody ever shared in the class about what happened with them. They all were scared of him. They couldn’t talk to each other about him.

One day it was Rishikesh’s turn. A day ago teacher told him that the next day he would take him to his place. And he dare not take leave cause he would be out of school then. He got scared, really scared. He thought-‘What should he do? Should he tell his father and other marijuana bodies of the choupal? Or should he take his mother along next day with him? But what would mother say to teacher? There was no evidence of his evilness. What could she do?’

Considering all thereof he ran away. He knew his mother would be waiting for him to come back from school. So she could go and earn for the day. Leaving everything behind he ran for his life.
He took the bus and fled away from of his village. When he reached the suburb where his mother used to sell vegetables. It occurred to him that now his whole family might doom. Father would remain insouciant, sink in marijuana. Mother would not be able to earn for the siblings. She would beg in the village. Perhaps out of helplessness she might defiled too. Later on maybe she would send siblings too to the school. Then they can be defiled too. He came back. He thought he wouldn’t let that happen to his family. Even if he has to sacrifice himself for it.

Rishikesh went to the temple. And asked “What should one do–on the verge of ruination?

He beseeched Durga to save him. Folded his hands he prayed-“Oh Taaran Harini, you made this world, its people. You protect the one who prostrate to you. Oh Powerful, you have created everything: earth, sky, air, water, creatures and human. But why you have created bad? There are already aplenty of problems hover on the life of poor. And exploitation on top of it is unbearable.
When you have the power. And this whole world is nothing but your wish. Then Why you haven’t made a system that stops people from committing sin. Why don’t you stock-still them, like paralyzed them. When they are about to perform one?” likewise the naïve cried greatly. He spent rest of the day at the temple asking same again and again to Goddess.

He said in his heart-‘I have always worshiped this Goddess with pure heart. Why she cannot rescue me when I need her most. Oh Goddess, if you wouldn’t save your pious then who would worship you? If there would be no devotee then who would devote you?’

Night fell and he fall asleep laid before the statue of Durga.

“Rishikesh, Rishikesh.”

He thought he heard something. He woke up, but saw no one around. He again put his head down before the statue of Durga.

“Rishikesh wake up my son”

A subtle body from his body emerged out. He saw enormous light around the statue of Durga. He again heard.

“I am here my son. Ask for a boon. What do you wish for?”

In no time he recognized that Goddess herself has appeared to give him boon. With tears in his eyes, pain in his heart, hands folded, he said-“Maa Why you have not made this world free from sins and crimes. There should have been a setup of stopping bad as an when it occur. That human shall turn still in his or her frame the moment they are about to perform bad. Temporarily of course. They could see, they could realize their state, people. And world passing around them. But they could do nothing about it except feeling humiliation. For everyone watching them; except feeling affliction for unable to move—until the spell broke out. Only a drop of tear from conscience, of regret should be their cure. This way no evil shall be able to mug; or defile; or murder; or swindle; or hurt anyone. Crossing of sinful thoughts should have no penalty for it is part of frail human propensity. But performing them must be prohibited by You. Oh Goddess–Taaran Harini if you are happy on me then grant me this boon.”

“Rishikesh I grant you this boon. Not just because you prostrated but I am also tired with woes and questions of my devotees—‘Why don’t you stop the bad? Why there are sins in this mortal world? How people can be that bad?’ Etc…etc… I cannot take it anymore: jilting from my devotees; breaking of innocent hearts. Thus finally I would say–no more. And I initiate this new cycle—Go immobile when dare to harm anyone.” Goddess then disappeared after giving this boon. The celestial light gradually diminished the way it rose up.

Blissful with the boon Rishikesh woke up and saw dawn. He believed whatever he witnessed was no dream. Nonetheless to test the truthfulness of Durga’s boon. He went to village. Boy! He saw stock still frame of his neighbor who was out to steal something.
This was not end of shock the more he travelled through his village the more he found still frames. Only children were unaffected with it but they were crying, moaning grandly for not having their elder one able to move. Who would protect them now?
‘Should I tell them that they just need to cry to come out of the spell. No, they’d be angry on me if I divulge them about the boon and it would cause more time in their this state. But how should I take care of these children?’-Rishikesh wondered.

Baffled in his thoughts he ran to his house. But before any immobile frame would cry to come out of spell. Rishikesh cried. He found his mother stock-still cause of the boon. He wondered who she was thinking to harm? ‘My mother who was victim per se, how could she harm anyone.’ His year old brother was crying. Beseeching milk from his mother. On this hapless unfortunate situation his sister too was depressed and was crying ear piercingly.

Now Rishikesh wept and wept. Until he could no longer bear the pain caused by his boon. He rushed to temple again and in full consciousness he screeched-“Oh Mata, Oh Taaran Harini, I was a fool who asked such a boon. How can I stop any one from committing sin when my own people are no pure either. I am no one to tell definition of sin. I only wished to protect myself. You are the supreme power; your cycle of curbing and punishing the bad is perfect, is acceptable. Mine is flawed for I am a naïve. I don’t know anything. I am just a child. Oh Goddess of kindness, please take your boon back. Please take it back this instant. I will do everything that you’d ask me to do but please take this boon back,” he begged more earnestly than before.

“Rishikesh…”

He again heard voice of Durga. “No human require any boon to stop bad. I have empowered all of you equally, to prevent sins, to defy wicked. And as for the exploitation of poor—who said that poor are powerless. Out of all that I have beget human is my superior creation. I have created sapiens with wisdom which always grow and grow; so humans can establish new definitions. All humans are equal to me whereby no human has any right to exploit another one. Contemplate my child how you can defy the bad? How you can tell to wicked ones that a human must treat another human with humanity. My son you are very brave. I take my boon back and bless you wisdom so you shall see all the powers that I have bestowed to you. That lies within you.”

After hearing this from Goddess of the universe, more blissful than ever eleven year old Rishikesh returned home. From an unprecedented expedition of life. He found all his people moving. As for his teacher he decided to tell him that he would not go to his home for work. And if he would try to push him or exploit him anyhow. He would tell teacher that he would tell people of his village that-‘the teacher hate their community and cause of this he wish to exploit its children. This would be enough to prick those at the choupal to gear up for the only task–Fighting–of their forte.’
He believed that with this teacher would be afraid and would quit his idea of taking children home.

__END__

By
Ritu Bajaj