A Guest Post by my Hubby Manoj Mohapatra.
Part-1
Rajesh woke up from
his sleep on the call of the bed roll staff. The train had reached Bangalore
city. He had booked a MERU cab to go to his destination. He was joining the
regional headquarters of his company after being trained at the national
headquarters at Mumbai. He was new to south India. But he thought, to start
with, Bangalore is the best place. For a man born and brought up in eastern
part of India, south India, always presents a challenge. The food is different,
weather is different even the culture is somewhat different. Meanwhile he had
boarded the taxi and zoomed on the roads of the IT city. Several random
thoughts were churning in his mind. Why
the hell there are no superfast trains connecting the IT capital and the
business capital of this country? Even a bus journey will take less than 16 hrs
to cover the distance but there are no trains taking less than 24 hrs between
these two mega polis. Though longer than a bus journey, train is always
comfortable, even the so-called super deluxe luxury buses also give you such
bumpy rides that one requires more time to recover from that.
Rajesh was distracted
by the voice of the cab driver. Where in Chamrajpet sir? K.G.nagar-told Rajesh,
here is the complete address-he handed over a chit to the driver. His company
has arranged a fully furnished flat for him near to the office. Rajesh got the
keys from the owner and settled down. It was a Sunday so there was not much to
do, so he just lied down on the bed and fell asleep.
When he got up from
his deep slumber it was 3.30 in the afternoon. Rajesh cursed himself-now where
lunch will be available at this time? He rushed to the nearby street. Wondered
for some time, asked some strangers and somebody told the name of ‘Sarvana
Café’. So he went there and surprised to see so many people having lunch at the
time of siesta. So he thought he is not the only lazy one out there. He
occupied an empty table and ordered plain rice and dal. He didn’t want to take
any risk. It was when Rajesh was taking his first bite, he saw ‘her’. She was
sitting across three tables. Her first glance enchanted Rajesh, he felt like
time had stopped at that point. Actually she was waiting for her bill. She left
in a hurry. Rajesh was still dumbstruck trying to figure out who this angel was
and hoping to see her again.
The next morning Rajesh
woke up early and got dressed. Dal-rice did the job; he did not take any dinner
and got up early, went to the same café hoping to have just a glance of her. He
ordered dosa, because this is a universal breakfast and one can find it even in
his home state, Odisha. While eating his breakfast, he was thinking about her,
she was not sort of a beauty queen but there was something in her that
attracted him. She was far from fair, kind of dusky. Her doe eyes were the most
striking aspect of her face.
Rajesh finished his
breakfast and started to walk towards office. His office was very close by -5
min by walk. That was the most lucrative offer for Rajesh. He didn’t like the
huffle and buffle of Mumbai life. Back in Mumbai he was travelling daily from Chembur
to Andheri by the 8.12 harbour line local train. If by any chance he missed the
local then he had to change two trains to reach the destination. Similarly
while returning also; he always used to rush to catch the 7.10 Panvel local.
For an easy- going guy like Rajesh this was very hectic and he could not cope-up
with it. He often fell sick due to this schedule, he always used to think, how
on earth, these Mumbaikars are managing this!!! Forget about Chembur, people
are coming to Andheri from far off places like Ambernath and Vasai. Even people
are there who are daily commuting in between Pune and Mumbai-a straight 3.5 hr
journey if not more, hoooffff…. Rajesh uttered a long breath remembering the
busy life back in Mumbai.
Life was now very cool
for Rajesh as he is an easy going guy. While wandering between his past thoughts,
Rajesh could not notice that, he had reached his destination, his office
building. As he was just about to enter the office premise, his eyes kept fixed
on the bus stop in front of the gate. There she was standing. Her dream girl,
the same girl he had seen in the café. His heartbeat got faster seeing her; he
tried his best to control his emotions and not to do any silly thing. He just
kept staring at her. She was looking very pretty in a white dress. She was not
wearing any ornaments barring a small bindi. Her hair was waving in the air as
if swinging in tune with the gusty wind. Rajesh thought he would go straight to
the girl and ask her name, but then controlled himself as he was new to the
city.
The day went very
well, as it is said-well begun is half the work done- Rajesh was very happy
that everybody in the office liked him and his work. The next day also Rajesh
saw the same girl on the bus stop in front of his office. This time he thought,
today I will talk to her-he gathered courage-clear his throat and crossed the
road went near the bus stop and stood just behind her. But before he could ask
anything, the girl asked, ‘Excuse me, what is the right time, it seems my watch
has stopped, I might get late for my office’. Rajesh’s heart was now beating at
its top speed. He was numb for a while, he could not figure out what to say. This
was like straight from the bollywood movie. Just at that time a bus came and
the girl boarded that, Rajesh was standing there at the bus stop still thinking
and trying to say that it is now 9.30 am.
The next morning Rajesh
could not locate her on the bus stop. When he was entering his cabin, the security
guard told him, sir, this lady is waiting for you for 10 min pointing out to
the girl. Rajesh was awestruck. The girl came straight to him and said ‘hi I am
jenny’ with a naughty smile. Do you feel like having a coffee? Asked jenny, Rajesh
had no option but to agree, so they both went to the cafeteria of Rajesh’s
office. Rajesh could not believe that he was actually having coffee with her
dream girl.
While sipping the
coffee, they both were silent, jenny first broke the ice- so-why you were
staring at me-Rajesh was shocked at her straight to the point question, after a
few fumbling words he said I don’t know why but I always wanted to talk to you.
Jenny was listening carefully. She said-then why you did not said it on the
first day you saw me in the café? Rajesh was surprised on hearing this. They
both laughed at this point. It was getting late for office, so they decided to
have lunch together at the same place and continue their conversation.
It was now a sort of
ritual for both Rajesh and jenny to have breakfast and lunch together. They
shared their feelings, their family background with each other. They liked each
other’s company. For both of them during those short conversations time flew
like anything. Jenny-was actually Jennifer Thomas, a catholic from Kerala. Her
father was working in some shipping corporation in the Middle East and she and
her mother were only there now. She came to B'lore after she got the job of a
receptionist. Rajesh- Rajesh Digambar Acharya, a Hindu Brahmin boy from Odisha,
the only son of a temple priest from Puri. Jenny used to tell Rajesh - we are like
two sides of river, never meant to be united through running parallel to each
other. To this, Rajesh used to protest, no jenny, I wil make a bridge across
the river. They did not tell about themselves in their respective family. They
both knew that nobody will understand their feelings. There was a remote chance
that jenny’s parents may agree but Rajesh’s father – forget that.
One day, jenny got a
call from Rajesh at 11 am in the morning. It was very unusual time, they just
had breakfast and left for respective offices, may be an early call for
lunch-jenny thought. Rajesh on the other side of the phone seemed tense and
wanted to meet her immediately at M.G Park, 12th road. At the park, jenny was surprised to see
Rajesh with his bags packed. Rajesh’s
uncle had called, his father was counting his last breath and his wish was to
see his son. Rajesh had already booked the flight ticket for Bhubaneswar. Jenny
felt really bad that Rajesh did not inform her before booking the ticket; she
could have come with him. But then she thought, this is not the time for
complaining, and came with Rajesh up to the airport.
Rajesh could not think
anything during the flight; he just wished that he could see his father for the
last time. When he reached Bhubaneswar airport, his uncle’s son was already
there with the taxi. After reaching his village, he saw some crowd gathering in
front of his house and could sense that, his father is no more. Rajesh rushed inside
home but his worst thought had come true.
After the cremation
and last rites, his uncle, read the will of his father that he had left for
Rajesh. Rajesh was dumbstruck after hearing this; his father had given all the
charges of the temple to him. Rajesh first thought he will delegate the duties
of the temple to his uncle and went ahead with his job. But it was not
possible. According to the rule books, the delegation of the temple duties was
only possible if Rajesh’s father had no son. As Rajesh was the only heir, he
has to take charge of the temple and its properties.
Rajesh could not think
of anything. He was developing a strange kind of hatred for his father now. If
he had to take up the charges of the temple, then what is the use of his study,
he studied hard to clear the tough CA exam in one go. Why did he toil in Mumbai traffic for one
year? Why did he spend sleepless nights going through the tutorial books of
Shah’s CA coaching? Why did he spend a year as intern with salaries like
peanuts? His promotion was due next month, why should he forgot his 11 months
hard work?
He was on a threshold.
On one side, there was his village, the people of the village and the temple. On
the other side there was his job, career and above all Jenny.
-------------***------------
Part-2
Several days passed,
Rajesh thought about everything but could not arrive at any conclusion. He was
lying on the veranda on a mattress made up of coconut leaves with eyes giving
blank look to the roof when his uncle came to him. Rajesh betaa- uncle called- your
father was a man with a far sighted vision, a man truly dedicated to the cause
of the village. Have you ever wondered why he wanted you to become a CA, when
he knew that- after him you have to take care of the temple? See Rajesh, the
temple has a lot of properties, land, ponds, orchards, mangroves, paddy fields.
And your father was a simple man; he never understood the complicacies of
today’s business world. But somehow he managed people with pure faith. But your
father has made you a CA so that you can take care of the estate properly with
a professional touch. With the temple, you have the aspirations, the wishes of
the whole village.
But uncle-Rajesh said
in between- I have my own wishes-how can I suddenly give up on them and leave a
new life- only to serve others? How can I serve others if I can’t serve myself?
Rajesh, you know when your mother died, you were only 6 months old, had your
father wished, he could have done a second marriage, but he did not, you know
why-only because he regarded your happiness more than his personal happiness. Your
father has sowed seed of his trust in you. Now it is your turn. You can give
fruit of the seeds or you can destroy them.
Rajesh felt like the
whole world’s burden has come on his shoulders. He decided to call jenny. But her number was not giving any answer. He
called jenny’s office; they told jenny had not come to office for last two
days. He felt helpless and threw away the phone. He felt miserable and felt
like running away from everything. His feet moved towards the temple
automatically. He entered the
magnificent old temple of Radha-Damodar jee; looked at the beautiful idol of
Lord Sri Krishna holding the flute in an enchanting manner as if mesmerizing
the whole world with its tune.
Why you are doing this
to me- murmured Rajesh; “BECAUSE IT IS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD”, Rajesh took few
steps back suddenly—did I hear some voice or is it my inner voice-or is it that
you are speaking to me-he kept looking at the idol. There was a faint smile on
Lord Krishna’s face as if telling don’t worry, I am there, go with the wind, and
let the river flow.
-------------***------------
Part-3
Almost one year has
passed now. But within this one year, Rajesh has matured generations. He now
heads a registered trust called- Sri Radha-Damadoar Jee Trust. With his
professional touch the trust has grown into a professional organisation like
any other big temple. He has now a team of priests to take care of the daily
rituals of the temple; cooks for cooking the mahaprasad; gardeners to look
after the gardens and orchards; fully fledged office staff to manage the office
work. Rajesh now oversees all the work personally bit by bit. In this way he
not only managed to generate jobs for the village people but also for his
professionalism, the temple is now a major destination for devotees across the
state.
On a Sunday afternoon
when Rajesh was going through the weeks’ ledger's uncle came to him and said-
Rajesh beta, you father’s first shraadhha is coming the next week. Suddenly,
Rajesh’s memory went back a year-how he could forget this day- this was the
last time she had met jenny. This was day he lost his father.
Jenny- Oh! Yes, Jenny-
Oh! He could still feel her sweet voice in his ears, the smell of her hair, her
large doe eyes, the naughty smile, the Kerala accent. Suddenly all these were
in front of his eyes as a flashback. Rajesh-Rajesh-what you are thinking-Oh!
Nothing- Rajesh was jolted by uncle’s words and came back to his consciousness.
Wednesday is your father’s first death anniversary and we have thought to perform
Anna Dana that day. We will donate food grains to the underprivileged that day.
As you wish-said Rajesh-but see to it that the money is spent my account-not
from the temple account.
The next day
afternoon, however, a worker informed Rajesh that, due to a strike of the truck
transporters, it will not be possible to distribute food grains on Wednesday. Rajesh
was very upset after hearing this, so he decided to donate cash to some NGO’s
working on providing food to the underprivileged. Rajesh did a quick search on
the net and got the information that-an NGO named ‘Akshya Patra Foundation’,
literally meaning never ending food, is engaged in providing food for
underprivileged children. Rajesh decided to donate the amount to the foundation
on the day of the shraadhha. He went to the local head office at Puri with the
cheque next morning. At the office desk a middle aged man welcomed him and
guided him to the cashier in the next cabin. As soon as Rajesh, entered the
cabin, he was awestruck, in front him was his jenny, his own jenny.
Both stood silent for
some time, and along with them time also took a pause. It was again jenny who
started the conversation, Oh, Rajesh, where have you been, I have been looking
for you in every possible temple in and around Puri.
That day Rajesh took
jenny along with her to his village and on the way-jenny told what had happened
to her after he left B’lore. The very next day, news came that the ship
carrying Jenny’s father’s has sunk in the gulf sea near UAE. Both jenny and her
mother went to UAE to receive the body of her father and buried there. Jenny
told her mother everything about him and she encouraged her to find him and be
with him. Jenny tried to call Rajesh after coming from UAE but his phone was
not responding. Jenny had only the idea that, Rajesh might be in some temple as
a priest near Puri in Odisha. And in an endeavour to search him, she joined the
NGO working in Puri and neighbouring areas.
Every day she would go to some nearby temple and enquire about the
temple priest, but could not find him. Now she is with him, going to his
village. Rajesh told his uncle everything and uncle
was very happy to see jenny. Irrespective of her religion, everybody welcomed
her to the Acharya house.
As per today
Rajesh and Jenny are happily married and live in Bhubaneswar. Both have kept
their respective religion. Rajesh is now not involved in the temple management.
He runs his own CA farm. Sri
Radha-Damadoar Jee Trust now elects its office bearers from the common
villagers through voting. Rajesh visits the Radha-Damodar temple every month
just to see the charming smile on the Lord’s face and to feel his presence
around him. The following words kept ringing in his ears- “BECAUSE IT IS FOR
YOUR OWN GOOD”, don't worry, I am there, go with the wind, and let the river
flow.
And yes,
the two sides of the river have met finally and how! Lord Krishna is the bridge
himself joining the two sides.
