Monday 20 October 2014

Faith and Fate





Raj was listening to the preachings very consciously. Guruji was talking about the behavior of the heart at the time of death. The thumping and then the silence. He was so calm and peaceful. His charisma draw Raj towards him.

“Come here son.” Guruji called Raj after the lecture. He stood perplexed for a moment and then hurried to him, tumbling and managing his things. Guruji don’t talk to anyone much. He tried many times but Guruji never allowed anyone. Death was not something to be talked about like idiots. Guruji was a spiritual teacher but he had a special command when describing death. His followers believed that he has met with death more than once.

“I have seen you here often. They tell me that you are roaming around the Ashram and trying to learn from other people.”

“Guruji, I want to know the truth about death. I am scared of it but don’t want to be.”

“You look from a nice family son, must have a good job also. WHY?”

“Yes, I had a job which others dream of. I got bored of it. I want to understand what a relationship is. Why we are so much attracted and bonded with some people but not with others? Most of all I want to know, if there is an afterlife?”

There was a shine in Guruji’s eyes.

“How long have you been here? Your family knows about it?”

“Yes, they know. They tried a lot to convince me to come back but have left hope now.”

“Ok, go out and wait in the meditation room. Someone will come and tell you, what needs to be done.”

The smile of joy changed into that of victory. Guruji had accepted to teach him. He waited for more than an hour but no one came. His phones had already been taken at the gate of the Ashram so was very bored. But he knew, every great achievement needs a lot of patience.

A man in a saffron cloth wrapped around his body, came to him. He had never seen him before. He took out a straight razor and signaled him to sit straight. His head was shaved and was given a saffron Kurta. It was too wide for him but he didn’t raise a single question. He knew the silence meant that he was not going to be answered. The guy then rolled the carpet and showed a hidden path. He followed him. The dungeon was quite dark and creepy. He was not scared. He had stayed hours in graveyard trying to understand death.

“You are now ready.” The voice of guruji echoed. The guy disappeared.

Guruji came infront of him and started to roam around. The dungeon was dark enough and he was finding it hard to follow Guruji’s movement, standing few feet away from him.

“You wanted to see death right.”

Raj just nodded. He didn’t know he was too excited or scared but he couldn’t turn back now.

“Have a good look then, you are standing with death.”

Raj looked around trying to understand the dungeon for the first time.

A knife swiftly touched his ribs leaving a stream of blood. LED lights flashed in the dungeon.

“Next lecture, I will tell how eyes behave at the time of death.” Guruji said in his calm voice, pleasantly resting Raj’s head in his lap. 

Monday 6 October 2014

Dream - I forgot mine


Raj let his hand drop without any effort. Claps and claps, followed it. What a pleasant voice he had. His hands moved so swiftly over the guitar as if a rider was caressing his horse. Everyone came and praised him. Some suggested him to go for auditions at various competitions. Some just compared him with great singers. He was the star of the party for the next five minutes.

Everyone got busy in themselves and started to talk about their family and how frustrated they were with their job. Raj was packing his guitar in the backpack. 

"Would you mind if I can have a hand at your guitar?"


Mithun, his mentor was standing right infront of him. He got hold of the guitar like it was a baby. His eyes were shining as if he had met a lost friend after decades. Raj had never seen a man in 50’s with such love towards a musical instrument.

“How often you play it?” asked mithun, feeling the guitar strings. He then gave a gentle stroke to it.

“Not much, the office hours are too hectic to spare time for it. I used to play it in my college life.”

“You are good with it. You should spend even more time with it or you would regret it later.”

Raj knew what was going to come next. An old man finding his college love again but he knows they have to part once more. He is now tied to bonds of family, children, worrying about future and everything else.

“You know I always wanted to be a singer. We even started a band and won at many college fest. But money is too important in life. Just a single dream to became a rockstar, but I had to give up mine.”

“You are young kiddo, you would be 25 or something right.”

“26 to be exact.”

“You can make your own band, go play at weekends. Join music enthusiast clubs.”

“I would surely do, but almost every weekend you give some work to do from home. Spare me this week and I will give it a try.”

Raj smirked, he knew it was going to be a tough call for Mithun now.

“Why don’t I give you a leave this Friday?” Mithun raised his eyebrows and then laughed.

Raj stood there confused.

“There is a small club of around 50 members, all IT professionals. They organize a competition every quarter. It’s happening in the Red Clubhouse this Friday. Go and give a shot. The winner gets to perform his piece with one of the reputed bands.”

Raj couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Mithun was a very serious kind of fellow. He was the last person he expected to say these words.

Mithun who had walked few steps away halted and turned back.

“I forgot to tell you, Practise hard. I have still not given up on my dreams.”