ದೇಶದ ಹೆಮ್ಮೆಯ ಪುತ್ರಿಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಒಂದು ಭೇಟಿ!

ಮಹಾ ಶಿವರಾತ್ರಿ ಶಿವನ ಭಕ್ತಿಗೆ ಮೀಸಲಾಗಿರುವ ದಿನ. ನನ್ನ ಧರ್ಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಇದೊಂದು ದೊಡ್ಡ ಹಬ್ಬ. ನಮ್ಮ ಕುಟುಂಬದ ಸದಸ್ಯರು ಕೂಡ ಈ ಹಬ್ಬವನ್ನು ಆಚರಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಪದ್ದತಿಯ ಪ್ರಕಾರ ನಾವು ಒಗ್ಗೂಡಿ ಉಪವಾಸ ಕೈಗೊಂಡು  ಶಿವ ಪಾರ್ವತಿಯ  ಪೂಜೆ ಮಾಡಿದೆವು . 16 ಶಿವ ಲಿಂಗ ತಯಾರಿಸಿ ಶಿವ ನಾಮ ಪಠಣ ಮಾಡಲಾಯಿತು. ಸಹಜವಾಗಿ, ನಾನು ಕೂಡ ಇದರಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾಗಿಯಾಗಿದ್ದೆ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ವರ್ಕ್ ಫ್ರಮ್ ಹೋಂ ಬದಲಿಗೆ ವರ್ಕ್ ಫ್ರಮ್ ಹುಬ್ಬಳ್ಳಿ ಅಂತ ಆಫೀಸ್ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡ್ತಿದ್ದೆ.

ಇವತ್ತು  ನಾನು ಮರಳಿ ನನ್ನ ಕರ್ಮ ಭೂಮಿ (ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು) ಎಡೆಗೆ ಪ್ರಯಾಣಿಸಬೇಕು. ಮನೆಯಿಂದ ಹೊರಡುವ ಸಮಯ ಸಮಿಪಿಸುತ್ತಿತು, ನಾನು ಇನ್ನೂ ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಓಡಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದೆ.  ನಾನು ನನ್ನ ಅಣ್ಣ ಗಂಭೀರ ಮಾತುಕತೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ತೊಡಗಿದ್ದೆವು. ಮಾತಿನ ನಡುವೆ ಮನೆಯಿಂದ ಬಸ್ ನಿಲ್ದಾಣಕ್ಕೆ ಹೊರಡುವ ಸಮಯವಾದ ಅರಿವೇ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಅದಾಗಲೇ ತಡವಾಗಿತ್ತು, ಆದರು ನಾನು ಬಸ್ ಏರುವ ತನಕ ನಾವು ಮಾತನಾಡಬಹುದು ಅಂದುಕೊಂಡೆ. ಹೀಗೆ ಮಾತನಾಡುವಾಗ ನಮ್ಮ ಸಂಭಾಷಣೆ ನಯವಂಚಕರು ಎಂಬ ವಿಷಯದ ಮೇಲೆ ನಡೆದಿತ್ತು. ನಮ್ಮ ಪರಿಚಯಸ್ಥರ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಮಾತನಾಡುವಾಗ ಎದೆ ಗುಂದಿದ್ದೆ. ನಮ್ಮೆಲ್ಲರ ಮಧ್ಯೆ ಎಂಥೆಂಥಹ ಜನರು ಇರುವರು ಎಂಬ ಯೋಚೆನೆಯಲ್ಲಿದ್ದೆ. ಈ ವಿಷಯದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನಾನು ಪ್ರತಿಕಿಯಸದೆ ಇರಲು  ಸಾಧ್ಯವಾಗಲಿಲ್ಲ.

ನಯವಂಚಕರು ಎಂಬ ವಿಷಯದಿಂದ ಸಂಭಾಷಣೆ ಬದಲಾಯಿಸಲು, ನಾನು ನನ್ನ ತಾಯಿ 'ಮಾತೆ ಮಹಾದೇವಿ (ಪಾರ್ವತಿ ದೇವಿಯ ಇನ್ನೊಂದು ಹೆಸರು)' ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಮಾತನಾಡಲು ಆರಂಭಿಸಿದೇನು.     ನಾವಿಬ್ಬರು ಹಬ್ಬದ ದಿನ ಅಮ್ಮನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿರುವುದು ಅಮ್ಮನಿಗೆ ಖುಷಿ ತಂದಿರುವಂತೆ ಅನಿಸುತ್ತಿದೆ ಅಂದೆ. ಅಣ್ಣನದು ಕೂಡ ಅದೇ  ಅಭಿಪ್ರಾಯವಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಮನೆಯಿಂದ ಹೊರಡುವ ಸಮಯವಾದಾಗ ಅಮ್ಮನ ಜೊತೆ ಇನ್ನು ಏನೋ ಮಾತನಾಡಲು ಇರುವಂತೆ ಭಾಸವಾಯಿತು, ಅದೇನೆಂದು ಅರಿಯದೆ ಮನೆಯಿಂದ ಬಸ್ ಸ್ಟಾಂಡ್ ಗೆ ಹೊರಟೆ.

ಹುಬ್ಬಳ್ಳಿ ಬಸ್ ಸ್ಟಾಂಡ್ ನ ಪ್ರತಿಕ್ಷಣಾ ಕೊಟಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕುಳಿತು ನನ್ನ ಬಸ್ ಗಾಗಿ ಕಾಯುತಿದ್ದೆ. ಮತ್ತೆ ನಾನು ಅಣ್ಣ ಗಂಭೀರ ಮಾತುಕತೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ತೊಡಗಿದೇವು.  ಹಠಾತ್ ನೆ ಮಾತೆ ಮಹಾದೇವಿಯವರು ಕಾಣಿಸಿಕೊಂಡರು. ಈ ಬಾರಿ ಅವರು ನನ್ನ ತಾಯಿ ಮಹಾದೇವಿಯವ್ರು ಆಗಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ, ಒಂದೂವರೆ  ವರುಷದ ಮುದ್ದಾದ ಹೆಣ್ಣು ಮಗುವಿನ ಮುಗ್ದ ತಾಯಿ. ಅವರನ್ನು ಕಂಡ ಒಡನೆ ನಾನು ಅಣ್ಣನ ಎಡೆಗೆ ತಿರುಗಿ ಹೇಳಿದೆ, ಏ ಅಣ್ಣ ಅವರು ನನಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತು ಕಣೋ. ನಮ್ಮಣ್ಣ : ನಿನಗ್ಯಾರು ಗೊತ್ತಿರದೇ ಇರುವವರು ಹೇಳು? ಅಷ್ಟರಲ್ಲಿ ೩೦ರ ಆಸು ಪಾಸಿನ ಯುವಕನೊಬ್ಬ ಅವರ ಕೈಯಿಂದ ಮಗುವನ್ನು ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಂಡರು. ಶ್ರೀಮತಿ ಮಹಾದೇವಿಯವರು ನನ್ನ ಎದುರಿನ ಕುರ್ಚಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕುಳಿತುಕೊಂಡರು. ವಿನು ನನಗವರು ನಿಜವಾಗಲು ಗೊತ್ತು ಎಂದೆ.
ವಿನು: ಯಾರವರು ?
ನಾನು : ಶ್ರೀಮತಿ ಕೊಪ್ಪದ್. ಸಿಯಾಚಿನ್ ಹನುಮಂತಪ್ಪನವರ ಹೆಂಡತಿ. ನೆನಪಿದೆಯಾ?
ವಿನು : Are you sure ?
ನಾನು: ಹೌದು ೧೦೦ %.
ಅಣ್ಣ ತನ್ನ ಫೋನ್ ಪಕ್ಕಕ್ಕೆ ಇಟ್ಟು ಅವರ ಕಡೆ ತಿರುಗಿ ನೋಡಿದ. ಆ ಮಗುವನ್ನು ತೋರಿಸಿ ಹೇಳಿದೆ - ಆ ಪುಟ್ಟಿ ನ ನ್ಯೂಸ್ ಚಾನೆಲ್ ನಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನು ನೋಡಿದ್ದೀನಿ. ಪಕ್ಕಾ ಅವ್ರೆ ಇವರು ಎಂದೆ. ನಾನು ಅವರ ಜೊತೆ ಮಾತನಾಡಬೇಕು ಎಂದಾಗ ನನ್ನ ಅಣ್ಣ ಗಲಿಬಿಲಿಯಾದ. ಅವರ ಭಾವನೆಗಳಿಗೆ ದಕ್ಕೆ ಆಗುವುದು, ಕೋಲಾಹಲಕ್ಕೆ ಎಡೆ ಮಾಡಬೇಡ ಎಂದ. ಸರಿ ಎಂದು ಕೊಟಡಿಯ ಬೇರೆ ದಿಕ್ಕಿನೆಡೆಗೆ ನೋಡುತ್ತಾ ಕುಳಿತೆ. ನನ್ನನ್ನು ನಾನೆ ಸುಮ್ಮನಿರಲು ಮನವರಿಸಿಕೊಂಡೆ. ಅದಾಗಲೇ ಭಾಷ್ಪವೊಂದು ಕೆನ್ನೆಯ ಕೆಳಗೆ ದಾರಿ ಹುಡುಕುತಿತ್ತು. ಮುಂದಿನ ಒಂದು ವಾರ ನಾನು ಇದೆ ಗುಂಗಿನಲ್ಲಿರುವೆ ಎಂದು ನನಗೆ ಖಾತ್ರಿ ಆಗಿತ್ತು.  ನನ್ನ ಎದೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಒಂದು ತರಹದ ನಡುಕ. ಏನೇನೋ ಯೋಚನೆಗಳು. ಮಗುವಿನ ಮುಖ ನೋಡಿ ದುಃಖ ತಡಿಯಲಾಗಲಿಲ್ಲ. ೧೦ ನಿಮಿಷಗಳ ಕಾಲ ಸುಮ್ಮನಿದ್ದೆ. ಯಾವುದೇ ಮೂರ್ಖತನ ಮಾಡಿ ಅವರಿಗೆ ದುಃಖವಾಗದಿರಲಿ ಎಂದು ಮನವರಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತಿದ್ದೆ.

ಸುಮಾರು ೧೦ ನಿಮಿಷದ ಅವಧಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನನ್ನ ಬಸ್ ಬಂತು. ಹೊರಡಲು ನನ್ನ ಬ್ಯಾಗ್ ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಂಡು ಸಿದ್ದವಾದೆ. ಕೊನೆಗೂ ಮನಸು ತಡಿಯಲಾಗಲಿಲ್ಲ. ವಿನು ನಾನವರ ಜೊತೆ ಮಾತನಾಡಲೇ ಬೇಕು ಎಂದೆ. ಸರಿ ಎಂದು ಒಪ್ಪಿಕೊಂಡ ಅಣ್ಣ.

ನಾನು: ನೀವು ಮಹಾದೇವಿಯವ್ರು  ಅಲ್ಲಾ ?
ಮಹಾದೇವಿಯವ್ರು  : ಹೌದು ರೀ
ನಾನು ಮತ್ತು ಅಣ್ಣ : ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ ರೀ (ಶಿರ ಬಾಗಿ)
ಮಹಾದೇವಿಯವ್ರು  : ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ ರೀ.
ನಾನು : ಅಕ್ಕಾರ ಹೆಂಗದಿರಿ?
ಮಹಾದೇವಿಯವ್ರು  : ನಾನ್ ಆರಾಮ್ ಅದಿನಿ ರೀ.
ನಾನು: ಮಗಳು ಹೆಂಗ್ ಅದಾಳರಿ ?
ಮಹಾದೇವಿಯವ್ರು  : ಅಕಿನು ಆರಾಮ್ ಅದಾಳರಿ .
ನಾನು : ಇವ್ರು ನಿಮ್ ತಾಯಿಯವರು ಏನ್ರಿ ?
ಮಹಾದೇವಿಯವ್ರು  : ಇವ್ರು ನಮ್ಮ ಅಜ್ಜಿ ಅವ್ರು.
ನಾನು: ಊರಿಗೆ ಹೊಂಟಿರೆನು ?
ಮಹಾದೇವಿಯವ್ರು  : ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿಗೆ ಹೊಂಟೆವ್ರಿ ಕೆಲಸದ ಮ್ಯಾಲೆ.
ನಾನು ಮತ್ತು ಅಣ್ಣ: ಓ ಹೌದೆನ್ರಿ.

ಅಣ್ಣ ಗಡಿಬಿಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ತನ್ನ ಬಿಸಿನೆಸ್ ಕಾರ್ಡ್ ಹುಡುಕಾಡ ತೊಡಗಿದ. ಮಹಾದೇವಿ ಅವರಿಗೆ ಏನು ಅರ್ಥ ವಾಗಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಅವ್ರು ಮುಗ್ದವಾಗಿ ನಮ್ಮ ಎಡೆಗೆ ನೋಡುತಿದ್ದರು. ನಾನು ಆ ಕಾರ್ಡ್ ಅನ್ನು ಅವರಿಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟೆ. ಅಣ್ಣ ಹೇಳಿದ " ಅಕ್ಕಾರ ಮಗಳ ಶಿಕ್ಷಣದ ವಿಚಾರವಾಗಿ ಯಾವಾಗಾದ್ರೂ ಫೋನ್ ಮಾಡ್ರಿ, ಬಿಡೆ ಮಾಡ್ಕೊಬ್ಯಾಡ್ರಿ ನಾನ್ ಅಕಿನ್ ಮಾಮಾ ಇದ್ದಂಗ. ಎನರ ವಿಚಾರ ಇರ್ಲಿ ಒಂದ ಫೋನ್ ಮಾಡ್ರಿ." ಮುಗ್ದ ಮುಖದಿಂದ ಮೊದಲ ನಗು ಕಾಣಿಸಿತು. ಅವರು ಥ್ಯಾಂಕ್ಸ್ ರೀ ಅಣ್ಣಾರ ಎಂದಾಗ. ಅಣ್ಣಾ ಮುಂದುವರೆಸಿದ ಇಕಿ ನನ್ ತಂಗಿ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಒಳಗ ಇರ್ತಾಳ. ಅವರಿಗೆ ನಾನ್ ಅಂದೇ ಅಕ್ಕಾರೆ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರ್ ಒಳಗ ನಿಮಗ ಏನ್ ಬೇಕಾದರು ಒಂದ ಫೋನ್ ಮಾಡ್ರಿ, ನಮ್ ಕೈಯೋಳಗ್ ಆಗಿದ್ದು ಮಾಡ್ತ್ಹೇವಿ. ಅಕ್ಕನವರು ಮುಗ್ದತೆಯ ಮಂದಹಾಸ್ ಬೀರಿದರು.

ಅವರು ಭಾವುಕರಗುವಂತೆ ಭಾಸವಾಯಿತು. ನಾನು ಮತ್ತು ಅವರ ಅಜ್ಜಿ ಅದಾಗಲೇ ಕಣ್ಣಿರ ಭಾಷ್ಪ ಹರಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದೆವು. ಅಕ್ಕನವರು  ಪ್ರಭಲವಾಗಿಯೇ ಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿ ಎದುರಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಆದರು ಅವರನ್ನು ದುರ್ಬಲರಾಗಿಸಲು  ನನ್ನ ಮನಸ್ಸು ಒಂಚೂರು ಒಪ್ಪುತಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಸರಿ ನಾನ್ ಇನ್ನು ಹೊರಡುವೆ ಎನ್ನುತಿರಲು  ಮುದ್ದು ಮರಿ ಅವರ ಮಗಳು ಕೈಯಲ್ಲಿ Lays ಪ್ಯಾಕೆಟ್ ಹಿಡಿದುಕೊಂಡು ಒಳಗೆ ಬಂದಳು. ಮಗುವನ್ನು ಮುದ್ದಾಡಿ ಅವಳನ್ನು ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಹೋಗಲು ಒಂಚೂರು ಮನಸಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಆದರು  ಕಾಳಜಿ ತೊಗೊಳ್ರಿ ಅಂತ ಹೇಳಿ ಹೊರಟೆ.

ಈಗ ಅನಿಸಿತು, ಇನ್ನು ಏನೋ ಮಾತನಾಡಬೇಕು ಅಂದುಕೊಳ್ಳುತಿದ್ದ ಮನಸು ಈಗ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣವೆನಿಸಿತು. ಮಹಾ ಶಿವರಾತ್ರಿಯ ದಿನ ಮಹಾದೇವಿಯವರನ್ನು ಬೆಟ್ಟಿಯಾಗಿದ್ದು ನನ್ನ ಭಾಗ್ಯವೇ ಎನ್ನಬಹುದು. ಅವರೊಬ್ಬ ಕೆಚ್ಚೆದೆಯ ಮಹಿಳೆ. ಮಹಾತಾಯಿ. 'ಮಗಳಲ್ಲ ಮಗನ ಹಾಗೆ ಬೆಳೆಸುವೆ ಇವಳನ್ನ' , 'ನಮ್ಮವರು ಮರಳಿ ಬರುವರು ಎಂದು ಇಡಿ ಊರೇ ಹಬ್ಬ ಮಾಡಿತ್ತು' ಎಂದ ಅವರ ಮಾತುಗಳು ಕಿವಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರತಿಧ್ವನಿಸುತಿದ್ದವು.

ಬಾಗಿಲ ಬಳಿ ಬಂದು ಕೈ ಬಿಸಿ ವಿಧಾಯ ಹೇಳಿದೆ, ಅದಕ್ಕವರು ತಮ್ಮ ದುಃಖದಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಮರಳಿ ಮಂದಹಾಸ್ ಬಿರಿ ವಿಧಾಯ ಹೇಳಿದರು. ನೋವಿನಲ್ಲಿಯು ನಗುವ ಅವರ ನಡುವಳಿಕೆ ಜೀವನವಿಡಿ ನೆನಪಿಟ್ಟುಕೊಳ್ಳುವಂತಹ  ಒಂದು ಪಾಠ. ದೇಶದ ಹೆಮ್ಮೆಯ ಮಗಳು ಇವರು. ದೇಶವು ಇವರೆಡೆಗೆ ತಮ್ಮ ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿ ಅರಿತುಕೊಂಡರೆ ಅದೇ ಹನುಮಂತಪ್ಪನವರಿಗೆ ನಾವು ಕೊಡುವ ಗೌರವ.

ಒಂದು ಚಿಕ್ಕ ಭೇಟಿ ಕೊನೆಯವರೆಗೂ ನೆನಪಿಟ್ಟುಕೊಳ್ಳುವಂತಹ ದಿನ. ಇವರೊಬ್ಬ ಮಹಾನ್ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿ, ಮಗಳನ್ನು ಸೇನೆಗೆ ಕಳಿಸುವ ಕನಸು ಕಟ್ಟಿ ಸಾಗುತ್ತಿರುವ ಮಹಿಳೆ.  ಶ್ರೀ ಹನುಮಂತಪ್ಪನವರಿಗೂ ಮತ್ತು ಮಹಾದೇವಿಯವ್ರಿಗೂ ತಲೆಬಾಗಿ ನನ್ನ ನಮನ, ಪುಟ್ಟ ಕಂದಮ್ಮಳಿಗೆ ನನ್ನ ಸಿಹಿ ಮುತ್ತುಗಳು.

- ವಿಜೇತಾ

Note: This has already been published in English. To bring in the effect of conversations, I have translated this into my mother tongue "Kannada"

A small encounter with Mrs Koppad!

Maha Shivaratri, a day dedicated for devotion towards Lord Shiva. My faith observes this day as a festival of great importance. Our family did it too. We were fasting as one family and performed Shiva Pooja. Made 16 Shiva Lingas and were chanting Shiva Naama. Of course, I was part of all these along with my 'Work from Home'(Hubli) scheme for today.

So tonight is the day,  I have to start back to my karma bhoomi(Bangalore). As the time was nearing to start from home, I was still running around in the home. I sat with my brother for some serious talks. As we started speaking we were late to Bus stand. However, we deemed we can talk until I board the bus. I thought that was a great idea. Our conversation was around Nayavanchakaru (Pecksniff ). I was really disheartened to know about someone from my acquaintances. Today I’m not even comfortable calling that person as a relative of mine.  Ignorance could have been a bliss but I couldn’t resist reacting.

To avoid this topic of Pecksniffs, I started talking about my mother Mathe Mahadevi. Again,  the sibling talks. I was of the opinion, may be today mum was happy as we both were around here on a festival day. But there was something missing, maybe I wanted to talk and I did not know what to talk about. So I rushed to the Bus stand with Anna.

In no time,  I saw Mathe Mahadevi ( another name for Matha Parvathi) at KSRTC waiting lounge. This time, it wasn’t my mother. But she was a mother to a one and half-year-old child. I told Vinu,  look I know her. He immediately responded, who do you don’t know? Mrs Mahadevi was about to sit on one of the chairs opposite to us in the waiting lounge.  A man in his 30s took the child from her hand and allowed the lady to sit.  I said,  look I really know her. He asked who is she, as he had not seen the lady yet. I said, she is Mrs Koppad. You remember the Siachen hero?  Now Vinu kept his phone aside and turned to the other side. He asked me,  are you sure?  I said Yes. I even showed the little cute baby girl and said,  look I remember that child very well from the news footage.

I told him,  I want to speak. He said you are going to remind her of a lot of things girl. Why do you want to stir her emotions?  I convinced myself not to speak by now. I was entering the mode,  wherein,  the next one week I would mentally be absent where ever I would go. I was getting shivers. I couldn’t gulp the spit in my throat. I sat blankly looking at the lady. And there comes the first tear. 10 minutes passed and I was convincing myself not to do anything stupid. My bus arrived. I took my bags. I stood still and said,  I want to speak now. He said ok.
'Mahadevi ji' I addressed her,  she lifted her head up. 'Mahadevi ji'? With a questioning tone. She said yes.
Me and Anna: Namaskara ri (we bowed our head with our hands folded)
Madam: Namaskara ri.
Me: How are you, madam?
Madam: I am fine.
Me: How is your daughter?
Madam: She is fine.
Me: Is that your mother?
Madam: She is my Grandmother.
Me: Okay. Traveling to your place?
Madam: We are traveling to Bangalore.
Me and Anna: Ohh!
Anna hurriedly opened his wallet. Lady was surprised as to know,  what was happening. Anna got his Business card. We handed it to the lady. Anna said,  akka avre anything regarding your baby’s education please contact us without any hesitation. Be it her admission or any information you would want to know. Lady smiled and said Thanks Anna avre. I added,  akka avre, anything if you need in Bangalore please call us.

Mother Mahadevi, a brave woman was now almost getting emotional. That’s the point which I did not want to bring her to. I said, take care, madam. She said thanks ri.  I said,  I’ll take your leave madam and left. The baby just entered the lounge with a packet of Lays with her uncle. Now I had reached a point, which I did not want to. I wanted to hug the baby so long,  that I did not want to leave her and go.

Now there was nothing incomplete for the day,  I met a brave woman who must be barely of my age. But she is no less than a hero to me. A small encounter but a lifetime memory. As I was walking out of the lounge I turned and waved my hand. Madam acknowledged with a smile. Now that’s what I call a Strong Woman, who smiles through her pain. Her words still echo in my mind - "I'll raise my daughter like a son and send her to Indian Army" and "Our entire village celebrated his rebirth and we awaited his return"
A day to remember! My respect and salute to both Late Hanumanthappa sir and Mahadevi madam. Lots of love to the little girl.

My head bowed with my hands folded,
V

Octopus, as I call him!

This person is an inescapable part of my life. Siblings may not be by blood but by choice and he takes undue advantage of the same.

I have always been a victim of his embarrassing acts in the public. So imagine we are going somewhere, he notices a group of girls and he shouts out loudly "Shweta". He is so certain that, there is at least one Shweta in it, even if there is none someone will turn back for sure. Now I'm the pillion rider who should take this. To my nightmares it such transpired that the girls turned out to be my own friends on several occasions and I did not know where to duck my face.

He annoys the hell out of me every single time we see each other. He never wastes any potential opportunity to insult me, as a result of which he went up to calling me Angru on Social Media. He thinks it's a Sunday when Angru smiles! Just hold your index finger at an angle of 45 degrees to your nose. This is what he always does and thinks that really looks like the red angry bird. Am I so ugly?

Image Source: Google

If you are a trouble and so much trouble then you should hang out with him. Frequency matches for sure you know! I’m more inclined to be annoyed that it’s basically a timepass trick to make me feel annoyed about myself, and perhaps by extension, he thinks I’m a cute little devil. You know, so I buy all the stories from him.

A few years ago something terrifying happened, and it was ought to happen with him being around. Looking back on that day, I can say that it happened only because of him. At times, it appears that mishaps happen when you get exposed to dangerous situations or you venture out to some odd places and people. You don't really have to go to Syria or Pakistan or walk on a lonely road at 12 AM on a New Moon Day. Calamity could strike to you with Octopus's presence and as simple as that. That day, I went out with my childhood best buddy for her shopping. It was that day we were terribly late and we rushed home in an autorickshaw. When it was almost home but 7-8 minutes more, the auto driver denied to take that road as it was dug in all possible routes. He did not want to put his auto into an emotional athyachar. So we had to walk from there onwards on a dark road. We saw a bike approaching at full speed, I was little scared. She was terribly upset thinking it were those guys who bother her every alternate day on her way to college. And, then I hear Shweta! Shweta! Shweta!. And the pillion rider burrows his face laughing out loud. Abruptly there is pin drop silence. I hear "Pinky le Pinky". And then bike fled in extraordinary speed and disappeared. My friend was completely shattered. But I could not confess to her who it was. As I reach home, I see people laughing like crazy narrating what had just happened. My mom was standing there yelling at Octopus and another friend of ours.

Once, Octopus and his friend were riding back from Dharwad to Hubli and it was a midnight. Humor as it over flows out of him, something interesting can be expected out of him every single time. So coming back to that dark night, they were almost half the way and somewhere near Navanagar. There was an innocent man walking along the road side. They stopped the bike and asked him 'which way is Navrang?' the man answered - 'Sir this is Navanagar'. They still insisted him to guide the way to Navarang. The man said, sir Navarang is in Bangalore and this is Navanagar. A little suspicious as it turned out to be, the man asked where did you come from? The 2 gentlemen showed their hand towards the dark hill, towards which there is not even a road that exists. The terrified man started running at his max speed. These 2 started laughing at their highest and followed him. The scared poor man vanished in no time.

Crazy? Yes, he is. This is very little about him. When he used to travel to Dharwad for his first job on a daily basis there were numerous incidents of him putting everyone into good laughter. And Sir ji used to tie a hand kerchief around his mouth and laugh. So that nobody get to know he is laughing all alone. Oh man! After relocating to Bangalore, that every conductor he met, he asked them if the bus goes to Jamestic! Heights, ain't it? Who would ever call Majestic as Jamestic ! At times, the conductors were so confused they used the same word, while others were courteous and tried to correct him thinking he is a new person in the town.

During my graduation time, a lot of my friends joined the college where he was studying. Errr! Most of them were victims of his pranks. He stood near the staircase and screamt "Pishub" and "Dishkyaon" and what not with his hands folded like a Gun! He once ragged my bestie and asked her to salute him each time she saw him. Only as a matter of fact, he had not recognized her as my friend and he continued to rag her. While my bestie enjoyed the drama, knowing who he was. Crazy :)

Octopus is a big time CID fan. He makes his 73 years old father to dance on Sundara Sundara and calls his mother Meenu Amma as Sundari Kutty:) He is my primary line of defence. Careful, Octopus is my brother! He might kill you with his PJs. He is a self-proclaimed Living Legend! He prefers to add Sir as a prefix to his name. He aims to have a statue of him at the busiest roads of Hubli! Lol who thinks of something like this? But this man does.

I know, as crazy as it sounds this man is a Legend in his own ways :) People when secretly peek into my phone when it rings with the name as Octopus, might really wonder who the hell is this person? Well, I don't remember that day, when I named him as Octopus!

Image Source: Google

Luv,

V

Hota reth hai par lagta pani!

Disclaimer: It is highly unlikely that any sentiments expressed in this short story in any way coincide with those of any other person in any way associated with me :) . It is purely my work of fiction. My Mind is full of nonsense :P 

She resisted change, even when she knew it was a source for her growth. She was in a deep grief over something. She sobbed and only the pillows could know what was befalling deep within her. She wanted to get out of it and she had no clue what to do. She thought it was time to end all the pain. She fell deep asleep. 

She woke up when the sun rays were really harsh and she could feel them on her face. She tried to pull the blanket on, to only apprehend that, she was feeling paralyzed. No touch responsiveness. She was appalled. She instantly looked around to check where she was. She was in the living room and her family was around. She was relieved for a minute. She closed her eyes to doze all over again. And this time, she woke up with the disturbance around. She yelled at everyone to allow her sleep. But nobody could hear her.

She was alarmed by the changes. At first, she felt numb and now that nobody bothers to hear her. Mystified yet trying to convince herself she murmured "Stop Stressing, everything will be fine". Then it was the freaking revelation that when she last slept she was in her flat at Mysore. Now she was in her hometown. Whoa! What's happening? It did not take her much time to realize that there was something really freaky. But she was too stressed to do anything at that point. She overlooked the circumstances. 

After a while, she heard her mother cry in intense sorrows. She finally decided to wake up and know what happened. She noticed a grave silence once again. Meanwhile, her mother was grieving in pain. She did not understand why. Her sister was in an unrecoverable shock, brother was banging his head. And the father was the only man who was taking care of all despite all the heart-wrenching thing that befell to the family. She went to each one and asked what happened. Nobody responded and she felt ignored by each one of them. 

She thought I was already enough ignored by the rest of the world and now that my family too! She looked at the centre of the living room in aghast. Who was that? She thought she was sleeping there and now she still finds someone lay in deep sleep. She was double puzzled and went nearer to watch closely. She jumped and turned away. "Is that me? Is that really me?", she asked everyone in the room.

Image Source: Google

It was beyond all her imaginations. She stood in front of her mother to tell her - "I'm right here, don't cry *Amma". She looked at her father, the reality had hit him so hard that he could hardly bear it. Her siblings did not understand how to embark on this long sad journey. She wanted to wipe each one of their tears. She wanted to yell out loudly that she is there and right there. Nothing seemed to work. Her voice did not seem to reach anyone. She recalled the grief she was in last night. "That wasn't anything at all, I could easily sail through it. I somehow could have sustained all that, I could bounce back to a better life if not in a day but at least in a year's time. But! What went so wrong? So wrong that I do not have another chance?"

She shifted her focus to others in the room. She saw her friends grieving. She looked at her grandparents who kept telling everyone why are we so unfortunate to have lived up to this day? Relatives were trying hard to console her family. She started looking for her best female friend who stayed abroad. She wondered, will I be here at least until she comes to see me? Or I shall be moved out of my own home? She was saddened to not find her best male friend, she remembered the fight they had a few months back. She asked herself, am I so bad that he did not even come when I lay here lifeless? 

It was a series of flashbacks she was presented with - An argument with Amma, which she should not have taken beyond a point. The last time she hugged *Appa. Her twin siblings and their birthday celebration that she personally arranged as a surprise. A long walk with grandparents early in the morning. Her long talks with her best friends. 

She said - I never told Amma and Appa how much I loved them. I never told Ayush and Arya they were not only my siblings but my god gifted treasures and I loved them. Even though Grandma and Grandpa would not get fascinated with 'I love you' but I could have told them they are my favourite. I could have told Anu, my best friend that she is the best one that ever happened to me. Mum couldn't have handled us as sisters so she was sent as my best friend, I was hoping to see her once and tell her that I love her. I could have said Dhruv, even though we fought every day and he stopped talking to me, he was the best pal always and my 'go to person' anytime and anywhere. If he had spoken once, for now, I could tell him how much I love him. 

There in the corner is the little Ginger, he always licked on the face just to show his love. I always punished him for biting my footwear but the next time I visited he poured all his love on me. Now he is sad and is weeping too. I wanted to go back and undo all the punishments I gave to Ginger. I wanted to tell everyone in that room that they mean a lot to me. 

********************************************

She suddenly felt a jerk and a scream. Khushiiiiiii! It's 12 noon. Go freshen up and you can have your brunch yelled Ruthu. Khushi opened her eyes to see Ruthu in front of her. Khushi cried in joy. She immediately hugged Ruthu and told her "You are the most terrific roomie and yet I love you". She called up home and spoke to Amma, Appa, Ayu and Arya. She told each of them that she loves them, they asked if she was alright. She sent a WhatsApp message to Anu that she loves her. She dropped a text message to her long lost friend Dhruv that she was sorry and he was her most lovable friend. 

She woke up with a new lesson of life. She learnt the epiphany of life. The past will always be behind you, it's your choice to look back or not. Be anything but Happy. Tell your loved ones how much they mean to you. 

She said to herself - *"Hota reth hai par lagta pani"!

Image Source: Google


Note: *Amma - Mother, *Appa - Father and *Hota reth hai par lagta pani - A Mirage!

-Luv
V