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Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Life is Warm!

Yesterdays' episode.I was as on my way home. I was supposed to attend a con call at 7 pm. The call was expected on my cell. At 6:15, the weather gods conspired and soon the clouds turned mean. In a matter of few seconds, it was raining cats and dogs.

I was on the bike. Soon i took refuge under a small hut close to the hinjewadi flyover. The rain gods were making a defeaning noise.Would the participants of the call be able to hear me? And in that noise, could I hear them??

I knocked on the door. A middle aged woman peeped through a small hole in the door. She waited for a while. I held my breath. She didnt open it. I cursed myself for still wearing the helmet. Took it off and tried my luck again. Again, a peep and this time, the door creaked open.

Somehow my marathi vocab did not let me down this time. 'Maaza ata phone yenaar aahe. Baher khoob awaaz aahe. Mee aat ye ooo kaa? Phakt 15 minute laagnar.(I will be getting a call now. Its too noisy outside.Can I come inside. It would take not more than 15 mins).

She seemed to be in two minds and at the same time my phone started humming. I answered the call. 'You have been invited in a conference call with id 93251. To join, please dial 1.....'. I did and at the same time entered the hut, uninvited. The incessant rain outside made it impossible for me to hear. The lady obliged. I was standing in one corner of the hut, all wet. Just beside me was a bucket placed to hold the dripping water from the roof.

The greetings began. 'Hi Folks, Prakash here'.' Hey Prakash, wats that sound?'. 'Its raining cats and dogs here', I said. At the same time, I scanned the dwelling that had sheltered me from the rain.It was 15 feet * 10 feet. A charpai at one corner, a chula at the other. Next to the chula a rack holding utensils. But the largest portion of the humble abode was devoted to the lords. All possible Hindu god posters adorned close to 50 % of the hut. A lamp was brightly light, giving warmth to the dwellers. A trishul was placed next to the lamp. Maybe the lady could use it for her self defence, if the stranger in her home turns into a beast. The beast had no such intention. Happens only in movies, I thought.

After the initial greetings in the conference call, we started our discussion. MY mind was on it. But some part of it was also wondering on how people who worshipped the lord so whole heartedly could be so poor? Tiny kids who were asleep all along suddenly woke up and started howling! The lady immediately took them in her arms and consoled them. Thanks to her, I could quickly calculate the overall cost of the project and blurt it out. It was correct with a 5 % error margin.

My cell phone was holding on strong. It was supposed to get discharged a long time ago. With a few beeps, it finally went off. I hadnt missed much, I was told this morning. I quickly looked outside the door and saw the sky had opened up and only a drizzle separated me from home. I hoped that the drizzle was not in disguise, waiting for me to take the road and then without alarm turn into a thick shower.

All this time, the lady and her kids were watching me. As I put my phone back into my pocket, she asked me if I am done with the call. I said yes and thanked her for letting me in. She offered to make me a cup of tea. True Indian tradition, 'Athithee Devo Bhava'. I was touched, thanked her but declined the offer as I wanted to reach home as soon as possible.

As I took the Mumbai - Pune highway, I thanked GOD for the position I am in. For the health, wealth and hope that exists in my life. I wanted nothing more from the lord and specifically no more rain........

~Adios.

7 Comments:

Blogger Praveen said...

I know how you feel. There are few instances in life which tell us how lucky we really are and I guess you went through one of them.

12:29 PM  
Blogger Kaps said...

Pal, u certainly brought a smile on my face.
:-)

5:43 PM  
Blogger wacky-weird-woman said...

Take every person you meet, every place you go and every breath you take as an experience...try and ponder over it sometimes...in hindsight, you will realize that (seemingly) the most futile of the places and people also left their mark on you..

3:22 PM  
Blogger just pk said...

hey, you know while i was reading, same thought came to my mind as well, one who is devoted so much to God, how can he be so poor, and the fact that he is so poor, does it now shake his faith somewhere? i guess this is the learning for us from the likes of the old lady...how to keep the faith.

i can understand when you say how thankful you are to God for giving you so much, i feel the same all the time when i see a begger on the roads or a handicap...

also just a question...did u ever visit her again? i would have.

if you do .. please do let us know about it.

1:49 PM  
Blogger just pk said...

why have u stopped writing?

8:14 PM  
Blogger just pk said...

hey...was wanting to read ur other post...could u give access unless it is personal...i loved this piece that u wrote long ago...and i have bookmarked it...since then check for updates but u do none...so wonder if u update on the other blog :)

prerna

2:30 PM  
Blogger Buccaneer said...

Try kashencounters.blogspot.com

Its more latest than this blog

4:28 PM  

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