Through the columns of this esteemed news paper, it’s a humble trail to haul the attention of the readers towards the children wandering down the streets in seek of a single penny. They use the disguise in the name of the gods and fakirs for collecting the price of the bread.
To give them a coin is not a solution to this; neither can it boost up their traits. By giving up this problem in the files of the government register, as usual would not bring up any change in the picture. In my views, we the people are the one who can bring up the change in the life of these children. The management society of each and every residential colony should make use of the charity from the boxes of the temples to uplift the situation of the street children. The trust should run from the funds of the temples, which should provide the 3 times meals to the children along with the night shelter if required.
The children can also be kept affianced by giving them training of the cleanliness of the temple premises, or maintaining the shoe house or the flower shop in the site.
One more thing which I want to add is that the colony dwellers can also donate old garments and books of their children to the temple. Not only this we, specially the housewives can come forward and can dedicate 3 to 4 hours weekly to provide primary education to those children……..
If each and every colonies come forward with this mission I think, this problem would be sorted out.
I know whatever I have proposed is not as simple as it is written, but this ray of hope would definitely elucidate our society one day.”
-Aaditya pushkar
Tulip greens enclave, Faridabad
The phone rings………………….
“Hello Aadi, I read your article in the readers’ columns of the news paper, wow it’s nice.”
“Thanks aunty!”
Aaditya Pushkar is resident of the tulip green enclave, Faridabad. Working as a sales executive, he dwells here with his family.
He is 26, a single and non- committed man .He has started the job 4 months ago and now he finds himself quite contented with the skills of selling and marketing. Of course he is a family boy and a little bit optimistic. The star forecast column of the news paper happens to be his favorite one. He resolutely believes in the almighty too!
Agitated enough to read out his first ever published sentences in the newspaper, he sits in the balcony with a cup of tea and the paper…..he reads out the passage , closes his eyes and tries to summon up the first day of his job……
He had to reach the office at 9.30 am sharply. As it was the first day, he started a little earlier. With the newer dreams in the eyes he started his bike. Outside the gate no 1 of the colony, the traffic often merge out which sometimes turns out as the jam too. (Particularly at the office hour.).
He too was in the jam. He was quite relaxed, as the jam was not an unexpected one. In the intervening time a lad, might be of 6-7 years, disguised in dress of lord Shiva (Hindu god.) came to him…
“Sir, give one or two rupee in this bag”……
“Go from here, just go..Don’t waste my time…….”
The lad got away from there and the jam got released too.
His first day of the office was quite good. He pleasingly retuned to home in the evening. In the way of his return he went to the colony temple and devoted rupees. 101 into the donation box to show his gratefulness to the almighty….he was glad really very happy.
The office went on successfully, Aaditya was satisfied with his life.. In the midst of his busy scheduled he used to mange at least 15 minutes to visit the temple daily before going to the office.
It was Monday, due a night out on Sunday, Aaditya woke up at 8.00 clock . He was getting late, so he postponed the visit to the temple and took the straight way to the highway. Unfortunately he got in the jam. Being a bit superstitious, he thought that the god has willingly trapped him in the jam as he missed to visit the temple. He was getting agitated. A boy disguised in the lord Shiva again came to him; he for a second time refused to give him the money….adjacent to him a couple was sitting in the rickshaw….the boy cried on them.
“Give a coin to me, lord Shiva will bless both of you”
The couple smiled at each other and gave a coin to him for sake of their love and togetherness.
Aaditya was watching all that, he asked to boy in rage.
“Are you thy lord Shiva? Who will bless us you or lord Shiva.”
“Lord Shiva has sent me to the earth, I am his messenger. If you will give a coin to me, lord Shiva will be pleased.”
The traffic dispersed and Aadi accelerated his bike.
He reached office an hour later and the whole day went into vain. Today neither the boss nor he himself got satisfied with his work. With a bit more annoyance he returned back to the home. In the way of return Aaditya stopped at a small shop to get a cigarette. Aaditya was feeling a bit lonely from inside. He saw that same boy counting pennies in his bag. Just to overcome his frustration aaditya called him.
Aaditya-“come here, the lord Shiva, how was the day today. How many rupees have you managed from the day”.
He didn’t reply.
Aaditya find it very much interesting to pose a taunt on that boy. As in eyes of aadi to use a disguise of lord Shiva or ram, Krishna is a sort of cheating and a indication of disregard to the almighty. He totally discouraged this.
Aaditya-“o my dear friend! who gave you this name. Who told you that you are the envoy of the lord Shiva? Your mom or your dad”?
He didn’t reply..
Aaditya again did the same query grabbing the cigarette in the mouth.
“look, I just want to know on which basis you people has accepted this disguise. gods are made for the temple, not for the street. Answer my question.”
“Who told you that that the stone kept in the temple is lord Shiva.”…..the boy replied and rushed away from there with his friends.
Aaditya too went to his home, took a bath and reached the temple.
He offered Prasad for rs.11 as he had missed to visit the place in the morning. While he was standing in front of the statue of lord Krishna, suddenly the sentence told by that boy echoed in his ears. He ignored and returned back to the home.
From that day he tried his best not to miss his morning visit of the temple.
He was cheerful in his life.
One day in the return, he met the same boy chewing something in his mouth.aaditya too stopped on the shop for the cigerrete.he query done by that boy on the previous meet stroke into his mind he did a taunt to that boy..
“Hello my dear lord Shiva, enjoying the tobacco. I think the stone put in the temple never enjoys the tobacco at least. That’s why, he is the lord to us.”
The boys suddenly looked upwards..They were 4 in numbers, 3 of them were in the name of the gods and one was in the regular outfit.
“The stone in the temple is daily offered sweets and milk, your stone need not to go for this tobacco. Give us those sweets and milk; we will never look upon this.” The boy sitting next to ‘Shiva’ replied this
“You stupid naughty boy, just rush from here, go”.
The boys rushed away.
He rushed away and the stupid nonsense talking of that boy too rushed from Aadi’s mind………………………………
The phone rings and Aaditya hurriedly comes from the web of past.
“hello, mr. aaditya .am resident of the same colony and I firmly support your views. I think we should meet the society president for this.”
“yes , why not”
“okey, then today evening would be the best time for that,”
“yeah, sure, thanks.”
Aaditya wearing a smile on his face goes inside the home.
In the evening with two residents of the society, adyta planned to meet the president of the society. They were walking through the streets; in midst of the conversation Mr. Karla asked him a question.
“don’t you think , to bring those children in the campus temple would be dangerous enough, as they are proficient in theft and snatching chains..”
Aaditya nodded his head as a reply to that question…but there was something in that questin which forcefully made him to peep into the past days.
That was Friday, and aaditya was returning back from office…..again he stopped in front of the cigeraaete shop.
A crowd had accumulated over the rickshaw stand. Aaditya also went to join them. There a lady was shouting on a boy ..actuaaly boy had snatched the bag from that lady’s hand. That boy was too the street boy and was disguised as Hanunam.that lady was beating him with the stick. She was continuously giving him the threat of the police and the jail. The boy was crying very badly.
Aadtiya too went forward and gave two or three slaps to that boy, as aaditya respects ladies and is always ready to help them. In the mean while two small kids came running, ‘shiva’was one of them.
“Madam, take it, this is your bag, that monkey had snatched from your hand, my brother is undone.”
The lady quickly took that bag, sat on the rikshaw and went from there.
“how stupid these boys are, look how smartly they lied in front of that innocent lady. These idiots are criminals too I didn’t know that” aaditya spoke out.
“actuaaly sir, really the monkeys snatch the bags from our hands, and we the selfish people catch one of these boys so that the other one would definitely bring back that bag from monkey, to set free his friends. This is not a new case.”
A rikshaw wala told him that
“ Sir ji, that lady would never bring back her bag from that monkey, so she blamed that boy. And these innocent boys being scared by the names of police get ready even to handle the monkey sitting on the tree,.
Another rickshaw puller aadedd this.
Aaditya was standing silent as he too got confused in that scene. In his eyes he did a mistake by slapping an innocent boy. he went to that boy and gave 5 rupee to him to get a bandaid on the browse…….
“No no …..Don’t swathe it with Bandaind, people would give more money after seeing the open wound” “
Shiva” suggested “hanuman”.
“What an example of marketing aadi had experienced that day.”
“sir ji, these boys do not steal, they merely pray the god for an accident to happen so that they can collect the scattered purse, watch , pens, coins….”
The shopkeeper discussed with aaditya.
With the completion of the smoke , aaditya went to the home.
“what happened, aadi” kalra asked.
“no no no, you just carry on whatever you want to say…
“yeah , I was saying that…………..”….mr kalra started a new topic…
Although aaditya was walking with him but mentally he was not present there, actually he was thinking of something else….
Aaditya was able to recollect that day clearly when he for the first he became emotional for those kids.
It was raining hardly. Aaditya as usual was enjoying a smoke in the evening.. it was getting darker.Aaditya was in a wait of the rain to stop.5 or 6 people were waiting in the small shade of that shop including those street boys too.
Aaditya-“ok, then lord shiva, what do you say about this rain. Would it stop or not”
Shiva-“I wish it stop in a while.”
Aaditya-“why, don’t you the rain”
Shiva-“the poor don’t like rain sir, we feel better in the sun.
Aaditya-“why don’t you lads call your almighty to kill your poverty”
Hanuman-“we don’t have enough cions to purchase sweets and flowers how can thy almighty…….”
While aadi could reply the hanu , in the meantime shiva took a piece of plastic stiched by joining the small rags of the tobacco and mouth freshener’s wrapper.”
Aaditya- “why are you in so haste shiva, wait , let the raim stop firsts.”
He cannt wait sir, her mother is very sick , he has to go their…
Aaditya-“where do you people live”
“we live at the nearby bus terminal ”
“bus terminal!”
For a while aaditya closed his eye..he took a step forward and gave a coin to shiva.
“take this coin and donate in the temple, lord shiva will surely help you dear.and remember don’t purchase tobacoo or cigeerette from it. Its for the temple. Go and do the offerings for the wellness of your mom ”
Shiva silently took the coin and rushed towars his destination. Aaditya still waited for the clear sky. Ita was a heavy rain really. Just after few moments the same lad came running ti him. He retuned the 5 rupee coin to aaddi and cried.
“take his coin sir. The god easily listen to you people sir, I dnt need this coin. Why don’t your go to the temple and offer this coin to the almighty. Sir you are a nice man , god will definitely listen to you….i know I am the messenger of lord shiva. But you are a nice man, and you have money,he will listem to you and my mumma would be cured.”
Shiva went back to the road.
Aadiya was little touched, he moved to the hanumana and asked him.
“do you people really think that you are the messengers of the god or the god himself.
Hanu-“yes, we are as mightier as the idol in the temple. So what are you thinking, offer that 5 rupee coin to us, mother would be definitely get cured.
Aaditya- “you stupid lad, go from here otherwise I will again give a slap to you.”…………………………………………………………………………………….
“what happened aadi, what are you thinking brother
Nothing.
They reach the presidents office.
Aaditya propsed his idea infront of the desk…………………after going through the whole project the president spoke out.
“As far as my experience is concerned Mr. pushkar., this sort of projects merely looks beautiful on paper. These are a dream which can’t be realized
Sir at least we can try…………
“You mean you want to dump the city’s garbage in te temple.”
Aaditya was silent. He had many things to say but he didn’t want to, as the president was totally unable to understand this.
“The city garbage going to be dumped in the temple premises………….” This sentence is not a strange one to aadi, a sweet and bit bitter memory is enveloped under these words.
05th April, 2010, aadi can never forget this day.
It was Sunday; Aadi had to go to Agra to meet a girl whom he liked from his school days. Actually he had promised that girl after getting a job that he would definitely meet her to know her opinion about him. Megha shukla, her childhood friend have done the schooling together upto st. x. after that her father got transferred to agra.actually meghna happened to be the topper the school and aadi was an ordinary student. There were many more reasons which restricted aadi to narrate her the tale of his heart. In Agra, she joined lectureship and definitely must be earning better than aadi.but with a very positive attitude Aadi determined to meet her.
Early in the morning, he left his home for the bus terminal. Well dressed in orange t shirt and blue jeans, aadi was very happy that day………………
He went to the temple first and offered Prasad worth 51 rupees to the god. He then took hi step forward to the bus stop. ..while he was waiting for the bus to come, he saw that a poor lady standing near a tes stall was giving demonstration to her daughter how to collect money in the bag. The lady gave a small baby in the lap of her daughter and taught her some thing..
Aaditya observed these thing very keenly , he strongly disliked that poignant drama.
Aaditya’s bus came , he sat on the bus to Agra…….
AGRA, the city of Taj…..the city with an immortal love legend. To statrt up a new fresh love story, no other city would be better than agra. He reached there………………….
It was a very beautiful day really. They met in a restaurant, shared a lot of words together and then planned to visit the Taj .A happy day for both of them. After Taj visit, aaditya planed to go tpo a temple. Actually for him, there was no other better place to prose her for being better half of the life.They went to the temple of lord Shiva. Due the hesitation he couldn’t say anything to her, but his eyes were understood to her.
In the return from the temple, two or three children came the couple; Megha picked up coins and started distributing among the children. Suddenly the morning scene came into aadi’s mind and at sudden he cried out
“Don’t give any aid to these guy’s, they are just a stupid one, they are liar, the garbage of the city …don’t try to make them the god of temples.”
“How can be so rude. Don’t show your brutality. What I had thought of you, but you are such a cruel one.I hate you.”
And very unfortunately, a small discussion took the form of dispute…………being short tempered Megha furiously went from there.
Aadi too came to the bus stop……………….
With a sign of despair in his eyes , he tried to call Megha but she didn’t reply to him….
He was sad very sad….but he silently went to his destination again……………………
“So what do you think Mr. Aadi, anything to say more”.The president of the society added.
“Sir we can try it, I am sure, and it will work.”
“Look Mr. Aaditya this is our file,5 project are still pending.we have enough more work to do to , how can we waste”
“but if the residents of this society have not much problem, then why are you taking tour steps back.” Mr. kalra adds.
“how can you three people assure me that the rest 3000 people in this area have no problem with your project. Mr. pushkar dnt be emotional, we are here to just bother about the living creatures inside the gates. On the highway a lots of things happen we can’t take the responsibilities of each and every one. Why r you getting so much concerned of that the highway daily experience an accident , so we should provide a hospital at the highway, is it so .”
Accidents on the highway, not a newer incident. That day Aadi too saw an accident very closely.
As usual the crowdy highway, and Aadarsh was on his bike waiting for the jam to disperse. As usual the beggars were busy in their work…in the mean time the traffic dispersed, all vehicles started in the rush.. For collecting the pennies from every possible corner, some kids as usual were trapped in midst of the car. Very unfortunately, one of the kids came down the wheels of the truck. A shout arouse, but Aadi took the straight road, as he was getting very late for the office….
The pace of long runnindg highways do nit gets much distuted by such incidents…….
The days went on as usuasl…the same senerio as ever. But did change. Aadis life was also going good. He did numerous sms to megha but she never replied. Aadi was really not able to understand the main reason for her bad behavior, but had accepted that calmly.
His heart was broken, really he was hurt. Actually megha also didn’t know the exact reason… but due to that argument , she could not hold control on her nerves.
It was frendiship week, the first week of august,aadi posted a greetingscard to her, but got no reply….but still he waited.
One day in the evening aadi was as usual smoke on the shop. They by his aside a disabled child was sitting.. He in a very familiar tone was asking people for the coins.
The child couldn’t walk, both of his legs were cut! A man standing beside him showed pity on that boy and gave him some coins. The boy replied him and gave him loads of blessings.
Aadi looked at that boy; he was the same, the same boy who used to be in the disguise id lord Shiva. Yes, he was Shiva.
“What happened, Shiva, how this happened brother.”
“I met with an accident that day.I came under the truck.”
‘oh, am so sorry dear, am so sorry for you…………….any medical assessment you got.”
Yes in the municipality hospital……”
In the meantime the hame came over there handing a gada on his shoulder.
Aaditya-“so, mr. hanuman now tell me, taking up just the disguise of a god , the people cannt become god. You kids are too merely children, don’t try to be god. Go somewhere and do some labour, beggary is not a good thing.”
Hanu-“ sir, I never compare myself with that stone kept in the temple. My mom says , we the finest creatures of the god. Shiva was very loving to the god, but the people used to entertain the stone kept in the temple.. shiva was nothing for the public.. just imagine a situation, no one visit a temple for 8 years , and one a strom comes and the idol falls down…..the same has haappende with my brother, this iol has broken down…
Aaditya- oh, I can never understand yourv words, just I want to ask one thing what did you get from this disguise?dont live a fa;lse life , understand the reality.
Hanu- the disguise give us a power to face the word. Its like a shield which protect us when we wander in the crowd. We know , we are the garbage for the city but when we put on this disguise, the inner strength of ours gets reinforced. This untrue disguised life has made us understand how the unreal people are in this world. If the same makeup is done to a stone, people will worship that and if we use that as a disguised, we are ignored. We don’t live a untrue life sir, but you the blind people live a very untrue and fake life. One more thing, this disguise have given me a name , hanuman, otherwise no one bothers about the name of the beggers.
Aaditya- you are too small to understand the meaning of life. Its not as easier as you people think.so take my advice, throw this disguise. It will give you nothing except abuses, woes and accidents.
Hanu was busy in mending his gadda, suddenly the poor shiva spoke out.
“this disguise has given me the perfect way of living sir. Lord shiva loves me the most, so he has taken away my legs… I am without legs, I will not have to wander here and there. I will sit down at a side of the road, and people will definitely give me money….for the whole life, I will be paid for it, I know……………………..
But I must say, I really miss that disguise.
Aaditya closed his eyes for a while, but this timev the stupid non sense words spoken by those kids left an ever lasting patch on his mind..
He suddenly escaped from the place, through the whole night he thought of the incident happened to him, those stupid, ugly nonsense words had unwillingly ruled over his mind.
In the mid might he mailed a letter to the editor of the newspaper and the next day the it became the columns of the news paper………..
“so , mr. pushkar, I will defenrtely come to your agenda after completing the pending tasks…thanks.”
The three went out of the office. Mr. kalra and ravi went to the joggers park while aadi moves towards the temple premises……………
He also thinks that whatever he has written in the newspaper, its just a good proposal, it cannt be realized so easily……………
He is upset, very upset, as for the firsty time in his life he has been blown with the breeze of emotions.. he thinks that he has become an emotional fool… a stupid men..
After visiting the temple he goes to the shoe house to get pack his shoe..he sits on the bench to tie up the laces of the foot wear.. .
In the meantime someone keeps hand on his shoulder.
“I donot gurentee the whole locatily, but at least we, our family will definitely take this initiative, I promise.”
He looks up…..meghna with a very preety smile stands in front of him……………
Aadi , has no words to greet her..he just a welcome smile to her.
He again visits the temple, the lord shiva with her her.
“really, the disguise has given me everything”
“sorry, aadi I didn’t get you, which disguise?”
“leave it megha, you will never get it…….love you a lot.”
“love you too!”
From the writers desk!
Whatever aadi has propsed is not a simple one, but to lite a candle is better than abusing the darkness. Thank you.
–END–
Er. Richa.
