When the doorbell rang

He had been waiting, it had been hours. The longest he would have waited. The whole matter was such, it could not have be spoken over the phone, video call or email.

Netra, his sister, was coming home after two years. She had been studying in Australia. In last few conversations with her, he had sensed some upheavals in her life. He was concerned, they were not just twins but best friends too. She kept saying she was okay, she will speak to him when she returns home.

The door bell rang and he rushed to open it. There she was standing, smiling despite being tired. He hugged her, how much he had missed her. She hugged him too wholeheartedly.

From behind her peaked a foreigner girl, smiling she said 'Namaste'.
He smiled and said, 'Namaste, to you too'
Netra looked flushed, 'Bhai, meet Samara my girlfriend.'
Instantly he knew just looking at his sister, what she had been holding up for so long.
Netra was searching his face for reaction. He opened the door wide, smiled his brilliant reassuring smile and said 'Welcome home, girls.'

What if you are not there!

I ask, "What If's or if only's." Always expecting an answer from you. Your answer always lie in the warmth of your eyes.
It just balms over my upheavals of uncertainty about what is going on in my life.
Your ever listening ear to my excitement, woes or frustrations have only led me to be myself without any judgement. Your smile at my smallest achievements have given me strength to strive harder. Your uncanny view of the world has only made me realise the real world around me. You made me understand to live the fullest in the moment and not worry too much.
Not once have I thought about who is that some one for you, like you are to me. I truly hope you do have someone as best as you in your life.

Thank you for everything!

Untold Story of Naal

The water was gurgling and he was pushing his Bullock cart forward in the dousing rain. It was a small stretch of river. The heavy rain made it look dangerous with depths, he had not known before. Parvati was waiting for him at home. He finally had sold his final stock of pulses in the market. He could now handover her the money they have been needing for a very long time.Now that their family was growing, he was desperate to get more income.

He struggled with his cart on the river. He got down to push the bulls ahead. He stepped into the water he realised the force and swept him off his feet. He fell and was pulled away by the force of running water, he struggled to hold the cart and swim afloat. Unfortunately he could not and the water threw him against a rock. He smashed his head and only Parvati's face flashed in front of him before it was dark.

Parvati kept waiting for Ganpatrao, she was now due anytime. He had gone into the closest town to sell their produce. It was pouring and she was worried. She felt restless and as if feeling her emotions, the baby kept moving restlessly inside her. They were going to lose the house if they could not pay the rent. She was worried, with the baby coming how they will manage?

Her aunt was sleeping outside. She soon slept a restless sleep. In the morning, Nana came to their house, she had just woken up. He was crying and she knew something terrible has happened. He told her Ganpatrao had drowned in the river last night in the rain. She broke down crying holding her stomach. A sharp shooting coarsed through her.

Her aunt knew the baby was coming, what a timing she thought? They called the midwife and Parvati delivered a baby boy.
There was no joy in the house, as the funeral was being arranged for his father. Parvati remained weak and unconscious to say goodbye to her husband.

Days passed by and Parvati nursed the child but she couldn't feel the motherly love or joy. The child often cried and she won't even realise. Her aunt watched her drown in depression of her husband's death. They were going to lose the house. She informed Nana. Nana cousin brother of Ganpatrao was childless.
Nana suggested if his wife could take care of the child while Parvati recovered. She could stay with aunt at her place.
Parvati got angry when her aunt suggested that she parts with the child.

"How could you say this, kaki?" She said. "He is all I have of Ganpatrao."
"Parvati, you don't have house anymore, nor do you have family apart from your brother who is jobless." Her aunt said, "how will you take care of the baby, tell me?"
"Nana is good man, his wife is childless and would love to raise your son. He will raise him well, Parvati. Make this sacrifice for your son." Aunt argued.
Parvati was silently crying, knowing this was true. She could not raise her son, and if she kept him any longer she will not be able to give him up. Reluctantly she agreed to her aunt's suggestion.
Nana came the next week with his wife to take the child.
"What have you named him?"Nana asked Parvati.
"Today is the 40th day, dada. I haven't named him. Maybe Taai and you can name him." Parvati said, tears streamed down her face.
Nana's wife cradled the child in her arms and looked at the angelic face.
"We should name him Chaitanya" she said.
"That's a lovely name, Taai. Please take care of him as your own." Parvati said, "I just have one more request."
"What?" Asked Nana.
"Please don't tell him about me. And I don't want to know about him either." Parvati choked while saying this. She left the room, no more able to see her son being taken away.

• Nana and his wife left with a little bundle of joy in their arms.

My First Teacher

You have been my first teacher of life and always will be. When I was young, you told stories of mythology, God's and Goddesses. Your own story and the quaint miracles of your life. You told me stories without forcing the lessons on me. You allowed me to ask questions and challenge the ancient logics.

You encouraged my inquisitiveness to learn whatever I liked. I remember I learnt to make jewellery and clothes for God. You taught me how to make garlands and sing hymns. You even taught me your native language, Bengali.

As I grew, you slowly started disseminating the truths about life and relegion. You did this so effortlessly, that I had no trouble grasping the understanding.
You taught me so much my beloved grandma, I have become who I am with your teachings and support. I will carry them all throughout my life and may be I will be able to one day put on your shoes.

Post Master

I never thought that one day I will be standing in the Hindu cemetery which I passed everyday on my way to work. I always admired the pretty garden they had made around the premise. Maybe it was beautified to bid farewell to the dead in their divine journey. I am not sure how one is supposed to feel when someone passed away. I have seen my mother cry all day long and she has seen few deaths in our family but this was my first. My father passed away before I was born and my maternal grandfather when I was just two years old whom I obviously don’t remember. Today my grandfather has passed away.

It was early morning; my mother usually went up to his room to serve him tea. He was unable to move around much in the last few months. She was the one who found him dead. Her scream still resounds in my ears, like in the movies. I was scared and in a complete state of confusion. We immediately called the ambulance and in the hospital doctors declared him dead on arrival. They said he peacefully died in his sleep from an acute heart attack. Now that does not absolutely sound peaceful at all. I was not convinced, how did they know he was peaceful? He could have struggled for breath or gasped and we were all in deep sleep to be able to hear him. But then doctors perhaps were trying to make us feel better by just saying that.

I loved my grandfather a lot, I knew him as my father. My best buddy. But yet here I am doing all the rituals feeling impassive about the whole thing. When I discussed about this later with my friend Bharthi, she described it as being in a state of shock. She is studying clinical psychology and often I am her subject. I could not believe he was gone. I had held my mother’s arm and escorted her to our home. She was weeping silently by the end of the day. But I sat there feeling utterly empty, devoid of any emotions.

A fortnight went by and I had a constant dull pain in my chest. You know it’s a feeling when you have lost something precious. Bharthi tells me, this is how I am grieving for my grandfather. I was at home. I had taken leaves for the thirteenth day ritual and prayer service. The postman arrived at my door step. He delivered two letters, one was from a firm called Joshi & Associates and second one was from Central Insurance. Both the letters were addressed to me, which was the most surprising part, because I don’t usually receive any letters.

I quickly opened the letter from the firm called Joshi & associates as I had never heard of them before. The letter quietly read as:

Dear Sir,

We are named, Joshi & associates, as the legal executer of the will of Mr. Devigada. Upon his death at his request we are to announce his will to you and your family. Kindly request you to inform us of a convenient time for a meeting to announce the will.

We are truly sorry for your loss.

Yours sincerely

Michael Jackson

Solicitor with Joshi & Associates

“Michael Jackson!” I read aloud and laughed. I felt l should write and ask if he is The Michael Jackson. His parents must have been an ardent fan. Anyway the more important matter at hand was that we had to meet with these lawyers. I was curious but did not indulge into any thoughts about this meeting. I spoke with mother and decided to call them and fix an appointment for the next day itself. My uncle had just returned to the village and he asked us to attend the meeting and inform him. I called and spoke with the solicitor with a ridiculous name Michael Jackson. At the end of the conversation I almost expected him to say “Oou”. But containing my imagination I finally indulged in thinking what could he have left behind for us?

As far as I knew my uncle, my dad’s elder brother already had grandfather’s house in the village. My grandfather was a retired post master from Mangalore city. My father had a trust which after his death, me and my mother were the nominees. I remember Grandpa had taken up a job of a librarian in a college for as long as I could remember. He had retired from the librarians post when I had been in twelfth grade. Then he just whiled the time helping out mom in the general store she ran and in book keeping.

The next day we reached the lawyers office. In the corridor we were met by a man who was as tall as six feet, glistening dark complexion and a moustache.

“Hello, my name is Michael Jackson. Please accept my condolences.” He introduced with a slight Malayalam accent.

My mother mumbled something and we followed into a small wood paneled room. The musty smell of old files and air condition could not be missed. He cleared his throat and looked at his assistant. The bespectacled assistant cautiously opened the files and handed over the papers. “Here is the will of Mr. Devigada. I will read it out aloud. Please ask me questions if you have not understood anything.” He looked at us and I gave a curt nod for him to continue. My throat was painfully dry but I wanted to hear it out first.

“Mr. Devigada’s will states that all his life insurance money is to be forwarded to the trust fund belonged to your father. All the proceedings would obviously be handled by Mrs. Devigada, your mother. The life insurance money totals up to Rupees ten millions.” My jaw just fell at the mention of the amount. Where did my grandfather get that kind of money for investment? I looked at my mother and she looked equally surprised. Mr. Jackson continued just the same, ignoring the expression of his listeners. He must be accustomed to such reactions day in and day out. “He wishes his grandson, Arya Devigada to continue the use of this trust after his mother’s demise. Meanwhile, his grandson, Arya Devigada has been left with a house in Bhowali Uttrakhand. He would have to take full care to ensure the house is maintained properly. He cannot sell this property but can continue to hand them over to the rightful owners. The clause of “not selling this property” is important and meaningful. The meaning has been explained in a letter which I am to handover after the will has been read.”

I obviously could not concentrate any further. Uttrakhand, my God! I faintly remember studying about this state in Geography. How am I supposed to maintain it? What is the story behind this will and house, I wondered? When my mind was wandering in Bhowali Uttrakhand, he mentioned about some saving which was forwarded to my uncle and few of his items were  to be given to my uncle and me.  He handed a yellowed envelope with my Grandpa’s scrawl on it. I tucked it into the bag along with the copy of the will.

“Thank you Mr. Jackson for all your assistance.” I smiled ruefully.

“Sure, if you need any further service we will be glad to help.” He replied and gave his card to me.

We went home quietly, I was still stunned to know about this will and it’s content. We belonged to middle class family and hardly we talk about properties and will.

I went up to my room, my mother wanted to say something but I told her I will speak to her later. I carefully kept the letter on my desk and kept looking at grandfather's bold handwriting spelling my name.

Gradually I picked it up and slowly unfolded few sheets of paper. I wondered when did my grandfather took the time to write so much. My chest felt heavy when I started to read the salutation, I felt I saw him sitting in my room looking at my reaction. I blinked twice and started reading the letter.

My dear son,

You must be wondering if your grandfather had lost it during his last days to make such an arrangement. One thing you must learn a simple life can be much more complicated than you think.

I won't praise you much, but I know your mother has raised a solid boy. Whom I can entrust this unfulfilled work.

At this juncture I wish to clarify somethings to you. I hope you do remember I was the post master of my town. All incoming letters had to be transferred to proper pin codes under my supervision.

I received a letter which had no pin code but an address. We did not have Google back then to check the exact location. It was addressed to a Mr. Hareendra Pathak living in Mangalore. I checked the envelope for a returning address, it was Bhowali, Utrrakhand. Signed in the name of Malini Sharma. It was written in Hindi and I was the only postmaster in the area who could read that language.

You see my dear, my father was in railway and as a family we often kept shifting our home before we settled in Mangalore our hometown. I learnt Hindi in school while I was is in Varanasi for 5 years we lived there. The Ganges ghat after school are the most memorable time of my childhood.

I read the postcard so as to get an idea how I could deliver this. In that Malini wrote to Hareendra to come back to Bhowali quickly she had to tell something important and it cannot be mentioned in the letter. Their father was not keeping well and he should not delay. I asked my colleagues if they recognised the address. One of them did and gave me directions. Since it was unusual postcard with no PIN number I could not allocate it to any of my postman. It was around ten kilometers away from the city of Mangalore near the ports. Upon reaching the place, a neighbor told me that Hareendra has vacated this house. I asked if he had left any forwarding address. She said he mostly kept to himself, however her husband worked in the same company. She could ask her husband to enquire about him if it was urgent. I gave her my name and post office address and asked her if she finds out to let me know. I thanked her and left from there.

In the meanwhile the content of the letter stayed on my mind. I felt bad that Malini was trying desperately to reach this Hareendra but he could not be found. Your grandmother saw my dilemma and asked me what was the matter? After discussing the content she insisted I write to this Malini that he could not be found at the given address. The next day I did that.

I looked at the time on my wall clock, it was well past one am in the night. I had to attend work next day. I checked my phone and saw couple of messages from Bharthi asking “how was I holding up and how the meeting with the lawyers was?”

I replied to them “All ok” and then realized how late in the night it was and hoped it did not disturb.

I wanted to read further but decided to do as soon as I was back from work. I put them in the envelope and kept it at the bottom drawer of my desk.

In the morning, my mother fussed around me. I detected she was curious to know about the letter left by grandfather.

“Maa, what happened?” I asked her.

“Did you read the letter?” she asked not able to contain herself anymore.

“Yes partially, it’s a long letter going into few pages.” I answered but I knew her next question so I continued, “I will tell you about it once I completely read it.”

She nodded as she packed my lunch box.

“I will be late from store today, I have to check the stock with Vishwas.” She said, I observed my mother, she looked tired and aged.

Throughout the day I kept thinking why grandpa was telling me story of Malini and Hareendra in the letter. I was intrigued and was sure that they are important part of his life.

I reached home and hurried to my room. I opened the drawer and took out the letter. Took them along with me to kitchen and made some tea.

Along with a cup of tea, I started reading the letter again.

Two months passed by when I got a letter addressing me from Malini. It started with thanking me for taking the effort to find her brother. Their father had passed away and now her husband is taking care of their log business. Hareendra (Hari) needs to know the decision of their father. Her husband Pratap is Hari’s best friend and a local head in a political party. They have been looking for him from the evening of July 23^rd when he left home after a big fight with their father. Her father got her married to Pratap by September and now it was November. She still did not know where Hari was and how he was doing? She had got this address from an investigator Pratap hired to find him. She pleaded him if he could somehow find out where he is living now that would be grateful. I felt very bad for her and we started writing often to each other. In the meanwhile, I again had tried to check with the neighbor I had met earlier. She said she did check with her husband but he told her Hareendra had been promoted and moved to another department. His office was further away by another ten kilometers and he did not know anyone in that office to pass on the message. She told me to check with her again if she can get the address of that office from her husband. Then she enquired why I was so insistent to find this man. I briefly told her how his family was looking for him since last 6 months.

I kept Malini updated of my findings and one such emotional letter she told me she was expecting and that she was in her sixth month. I was a bit confused as she had told me that she was married in September that year. During those days my son, it was highly uncommon women were pregnant before marriage. I suspected that was the case for Malini. Your grandmother was astonished when I told her I had kept in touch with this unknown and unseen woman. Your uncle was then just turning two and she was busy with him all day. I told her what I suspected of Malini’s condition. She advised me not to get myself involved any further in their family problems. I had just nodded in agreement.

Malini had somehow drawn me into this web and I could not ignore it anymore. In one of her letters she had mentioned how unhappy she was with her marriage and Pratap was losing his temper often. Her letter sounded agitated and desperate to find Hareendra. I had got the address from his neighbor of the office where Hareendra was working which was further away. I had to change two busses to reach the destination. When I did reach the office, enquired about him. They told me he was on a merchant ship which is due to be back on January 20. I left a sealed letter with the reception for Hareendra. I mentioned about his sister looking for him and there were some decisions to be finalized once he returns to Bhowali. I signed with my address so that he can get in touch with me or Malini directly.

I wrote to Malini the same day and she replied after few days. She was glad to know I was able to track him down. But she had hoped that I would have been able to meet him. Now she had to wait till January. She, in this letter revealed some more about her family. She had started to trust me and would often confide her feelings. She was adopted by her father and Hareendra was his own son. She was the daughter of his partner in log business. Their family had been very close. Her parents had passed away in an accident. Since then he had looked after both the children with help of his elder sister. Hareendra was only a year elder to her. Hareendra’s mother had passed away when she had given him birth. We have been very close growing up and each other’s best friend. Their father adored both the children and often got them gifts from his travels. Meanwhile father’s elder sister whom they called Buaa took care of them. Buaa was widowed and childless, she was their mother, scolding them whenever they fought which was often. Once she remembered how they were running around near the lumber yard which was next to the river. Pratap and few more of Hari’s friend were chasing him and they were jumping over logs near the river. I was hollering Hari to be careful as I ran behind them. I was breathless but I saw Hari slip and fall into the freezing cold river I screamed and saw the water getting red where Hari fell. I instinctively jumped and Pratap after me while the other children ran to call some adults. We pulled Hari out of the river and I saw his forehead was badly cut and blood was oozing out, I was calling him, tears streaming down my face. He did not respond at all and I was shivering from the cold water. Buaa came running and helpers helped Hari into the small truck we owned. The doctor asked buaa to take him to a hospital. The hospital was almost an hour away. Buaa asked me to wait in the house, father was away for some work to Delhi. I would not listen at all and kept holding Hari’s hand. At the hospital he had his forehead stitched and on IV. I was admitted as I had developed uncontrollable high temperature. Poor buaa was torn between two hospitalized children. A telegram was sent to one of our uncle in Delhi where father was staying. My father came after two days by then we were both playing on hospital beds. When we were home we promised each other never to leave one another. Hari has broken his promise. As I read the letter I saw the next few words smudged as a tear would have fell. I could not help but really feel Malini’s anguish. I replied to her not to distress herself so much as it was not good for her condition now. However I always wondered what had happened between Hareendra and his father which led him to abandon his family and place where he grew. I could not ask this question to Malini, what would she think?

Mother came home and tapped on my shoulder, “Are you alright?”

“Yes, Maa I am hungry.” I pleaded. Mother looked at the pile of sheet I completed reading and my face. Without a word she started cooking dinner for us.

Quickly after dinner I continued reading in my room.

It was end of December and it had been almost 20 days I had not received any letter from Malini. I was worried and often thought of her. Then by first week of January I received her letter. Pratap has found out that she has been writing letters to me. He was very furious that she was in touch with a strange man from another corner of the country. She was unable to go out of house much and hence entrusted this letter with one of her helper. If Pratap finds out it would not be good for me or her. I found that uncomfortable, what was Pratap capable of doing? Her next few words explained it. He is very powerful and has all goons working for him. She was being watched at all times and last evening she heard him talk to a lawyer about her father’s will. In the will her father had left all business and properties in the name of Hareendra. Only their ancestral home and her birth father’s home was in her name. Pratap had been furious when the will was disclosed upon their father’s death. He had asked me why her father had done that. Why Hareendra, he had asked her? She told him she was adopted. He fumed and told her he was tricked by her father. She was confused why Pratap was so angry? Since she was upset and grieving she did not pay much attention to these details. Soon she realized Pratap wanted to control the entire log business which would have helped him grow stronger. He was now angry that his missing friend was the owner and not Malini of this business. She heard him last evening talking about this will and in what circumstances Malini can become the owner. She was afraid to even write what the lawyer answered to those questions.

He said that upon Hareendra’s death Malini can become owner of these businesses or if Hareendra himself surrendered it to her. She can even contest in the court for the half of these properties as she is legally adopted child. To which Pratap had replied that she will never contest as far as he knew and Hareendra would not surrender it to her. He would have to do something about this whole matter. The lawyer had soon left and Pratap called in a meeting of his most trusted hands. She could no further eavesdrop on their conversation. She was very disturbed and asked Pratap if she could have her delivery in her father’s home. He did not mind as he can continue with his business without her being around. She was being watched in her own home by his goons guarding the entrance of my father’s home, she dared sending this letter. She wanted him and Hareendra to be careful of Pratap as she felt he had some really vicious ideas. I shuddered reading this. I did not know that in just few months of letter writing could lead to this. I was afraid for Hareendra and thought of leaving another message at his work. In the end of the letter Malini had given a secondary address where I could write. It was I think her helpers home address. I quickly replied to her to be careful and that I was going to drop a message at Hareendra’s office.

Next day your uncle was suffering from high temperature and your grandmother was worried. I could not go to his office. Your uncle was detected with jaundice and we spent next few days visiting the doctors for treatment. I did not realize that January 20 had passed by when I reached the post office. There was a letter from Malini for me waiting at my desk. As soon as I realized that it was 23^rd January I left for Hareendra’s office. I thought I will read her letter on the way. But on the way I met one of my friend and I could not read her letter in private. I reached his office and they informed me that his ship had docked and they delivered my message to him. I asked if I could meet him but they said he was on leave. I then just assumed that he had gone to Bhowali after reading my message. I felt foolish coming all the way. But I asked where he lived and they gave me his address. I took that so that at least I can meet up with the man because of whom he now considered himself a friend of Malini.

On my way home I read Malini’s letter. Pratap had found out that this child is not his and he was murderous. A midwife who visited her informed Pratap that she was due in next month. He was confused and came thundering to her place asking questions. He hit her and then finally she confessed that the child is that of Hareendra. They loved each other, buaa had once caught them lying together in verandah when we were 19 years old. She had warned them both that a brother and sister did not behave like this. Since them they were careful of buaa and their father. They wanted to marry each other. Hareendra had gone to study Marine Engineering so that they could both run away from Bhowali. When he returned and father wanted him to join the business. He tried his best to show some interest in the business but he could not and spent most of his days with her. They planned their escape, he told her in Mangalore there was a huge port being set up. She did not even know where Mangalore was located. She was just happy to be with him. One rainy evening they got passionate and he made love to her for the first time. Their father somehow came to know about them and they fought. Hareendra maintained that she was not his real sister but father was disgusted with both of us. He told us that buaa had warned him but he did not tend to her suspicion. He told us he will disown his son as he was appalled by his behavior. Hareendra was angry and told him he will never come back but in the heat of the moment no one paid any attention to her. As soon as Hari left, father got me engaged to Pratap and she could not even say a word as she did not know where Hareendra was and how she should find him. Pratap just assumed that Hareendra was not interested in the business after their fight with her father.

I was shaking when I read her letter. I did not know what to make of it. I read further. She requested me to come and visit her once. She was hoping Hareendra will come after receiving my message. She was thankful that I had helped her, a stranger out of nowhere and she hoped I would not judge her. She was afraid of her child’ life and that of Hareendra’s. In the next sentence she pleaded if I could help her in case Hareendra does not come. She could only trust him and no one else. I really felt distressed. When I reached home your grandmother asked me if I was okay. I could not hide anything from her ever, so I told her everything. She seemed shocked but surprisingly she did not judge Malini. In fact she felt worried about her. I had renewed respect for your grandmother. She insisted I write to her asking if Hareendra came and what help she required. I did that next day.

There was no reply for another month from Malini. I just hoped that all had gone well but I had a bad intuition. I got telegram from the helper mentioned by Malini. It just said please come soon, all is not well. I told your grandmother and she insisted I visit immediately. She said now we had a relation with this strange woman. I arranged to go. I took me three days to reach Bhowali after change of three trains. The place was beautiful in spite of my tiredness. The mountains were heavenly and the cold chilled my bones even though I was wearing warm clothes. I reached the helpers home, her name was Radha. She served me paranthas for breakfast and informed she will take me to meet Maliniji in some time. She told me she has delivered a son, but she was not keeping good health. I asked her if Hareendra had come, she looked surprised. She replied that he had not come.

I wondered why, the office had told me that they had delivered his message to Hareendra. Then why did he not come to help Malini. He will definitely ask him once he met Hareendra. Radha took him to meet Malini. She was lying on the bed and a baby was sleeping next to her. She was beautiful with long black hair, fair milky skin and big round eyes. She got up as soon as she saw him but she was weak. I motioned her to stay seated. Malini took her time to assess me and smiled weakly.

“Namaste” she said. Her eyes darted around the house. The house in itself was beautiful. It was nestled in between the hills and surrounded by fruit orchards.

Radha told Malini she had an hour before the change of goons at the entrance. I was speaking in Hindi after a long time and sounded strange on my tongue.

“Namaste Malini, how are you?” I asked.

“Shyam, I delivered my son yesterday night. Radha helped me. No one knows.” Tears streamed down her face. “Hareendra did not come, do you know why, did he not get your message?”

“I do not know why Hareeendra did not come, I asked his company and they said they gave him my letter. I intend to ask on my return. I thought he came and that’s why I did not receive any message from you.” He said agitated.

“No he did not, I was not well for last few days. The midwife had told me I will deliver soon but if I had gotten weaker it would have been dangerous for both my son and me. Pratap did not even come to visit me once from the day he found out about the child not being his. He just promised he will kill both child and his father. I believe him as he is capable of doing that. I need a favor from you Shyam. I do not have much time.” She pleaded crying softly.

I already had an idea what was she going to ask. “Tell me Malini, what can I do?”

“Please take my son, I don’t want Pratap to kill him. Please take him to Hareendra. Ask him to take good care of our son. Please ask him to leave and go to some new place where he will be safe from Pratap. I need not know anything I have surrendered to my fate.” She held her son wrapped in a soft silk cloth for me to take.

“Malini, please take care of yourself. You are one of the strongest woman I know. This decision is not easy. But I want to let you know what happens when I return.” He said taking her son from her.

“No Shyam, you promise me you will not communicate any further with me. I do not want to endanger you, Hareendra and my child in anyway. I trust you will make the right decisions. You are present here at this moment is a prayer God has answered for me. I have been talking to my father’s lawyer and I have arranged a trust fund anonymously which will help you or Hareendra with my son. Here take the papers, there will be no questions asked whenever there is money withdrawn.”

“I don’t know what to say, seems like you have planned this well. Wishing you good health my dear friend.”

Radha led him out the back door and same afternoon he was on his way to Mangalore with a new born child. Radha had packed all amenities required by new born and told me to feed the child every few hours. I was missing your grandmother, she would have known what to do. But we both managed to reach Mangalore. I took the child home and your grandmother took over immediately. I narrated her the story of my travel.

Then she told me that police had come over to our house asking about Mr. Hareendra Pathak as they found a letter in his house with our home address. They want to meet you as soon as you come.

“Did they tell you what happened?” I asked dreading the answer. She had asked but police said they will talk to you.

I reached the police station next day with all the letters received by Malini as a proof. I waited for Inspector Rao who had called me.

As soon as he came he beckoned me, “You are Shyam Devigada?” I nodded.

“How do you know Mr. Hareendra Pathak? And where were you on 28^th February?”

“But sir what is the matter? Is Hareendra ok?” I asked cautiously.

“He is dead. His neighbor called our station and when we reached his home we found his throat slit. On his desk we found your letter and you were one of our suspects.” He said as a matter of fact.

I narrated him the entire story and showed him all the letters and the telegram I had received. I was in train on 28^th February traveling to Bhowali. This could be even verified by the Ticket Collector.

 “I wish I’d been there earlier. It might have made all the difference. So all I can tell you is why he was murdered.” I told Mr. Rao.

They took his statement but were not able to identify the murderer. Pratap had a strong alibi on the day Hareendra died. This is all Inspector Rao was able to reveal to me. It remained as one of the unsolved cases with Police.

I took transfer to main city of Mangalore where we raised your uncle and your father.

I stopped reading as I was shocked. My father is son of Malini and Hareendra Pathak. I was not sure if my mother knew or even if my father did. I never met my father but I wished I did. Grandpa had really kept his promise and none of us ever knew.

Trembling I read the last page of the letter.

You will visit Bhowali where your father was born and meet Malini your real grandmother. Tell her everything, ask her to forgive me I could not keep one of her promises. I could not take keep her son alive, I wish it was him along with you visiting her.

Till my last breath I will not forget the day your father passed away in front of my eyes. Your uncle never understood why I always looked after your father more. On his passing away I had invested some of the money from trust fund in life insurance. I had received a notification by Joshi & Associates that Mrs. Malini Sharma has nominated Mr. Shyam Devigada as the rightful owner of the house in Bhowali with a clause that he cannot sell it to anyone but pass it on to rightful owners. I had been surprised to receive it and realized she kept track of me. I used the same lawyers to further make my will.

You will take care of the matters henceforth and love your mother. I am very proud of you son.

Yours always loving,

Grandpa

I knew what I had to do. In the end of the letter there was a address of Malini Sharma who now resided in Delhi.

He told his mother everything, she cried out aloud. How could your grandpa keep this hidden from us she asked?

She decided to accompany me to meet my grandmother. We booked a flight to Delhi.

We were greeted by helper and asked to wait in a spacious room filled with antiques. Slowly they wheeled an old elegant lady into the room. She peered at me by adjusting her spectacles.

“Who are you young man?” she asked shakily. My mother urged me and I touched my grandmother’s feet.

She was taken aback. I told her I was Arya Devigada, her grandson. She gasped and asked me to sit down. I introduced my mother and she touched her grandmother’s feet in respect.

“Where is my son?” she asked looking around, my mother started to softly cry. I told her what I read in grandfather’s letter.

She had tears in her eyes, “your grandfather is truly a great man, Arya. Truly worthy of my respect always. I always remembered him in my prayers. May God bless his soul.” She said and called them closer to embrace her.

She then narrated that she had separated from Pratap with the help of her father’s lawyers. It was painful process but she did. “The police had got in touch with her and informed her of Hareendra’s death, I had broken down.” She said, “During those weak moments she had thought of getting in touch with Shyam but she had promised never to be in touch again. She often wondered how her son must be doing. She had great trust in Shyam that he would have raised him as his own. She always wondered how Shyam’s wife took in all this matter. She tracked their whereabouts without getting too close. Pratap was on lose and she was then still afraid of him. She moved to Delhi to be further way from Pratap. She sold the business to a good buyer and kept some percent of the holding. The business has grown over the years and now expanded upto Assam.

I was taking in as much as I could. I remembered grandpa had told me to take everything in my hands. I learnt from Grandma as much as I could during my stay. We stayed for few days and returned home with a promise to meet often.

Six Toed Monster

It’s five in the morning and it had been raining all night. The cab had just dropped me of near my house. I landed on the puddle while walking and my shoes got wet. The wet road glistened from the light of a street light. I walked listening to ‘Locked out of heaven’ by Bruno Mars.

I looked down at my shadow and saw another one right behind me, I looked behind to acknowledge but I did not see anyone there. Bemused I continued walking. I entered a building where I lived and realised that there was no electricity. I look down as I walked upstairs, a trail of wet footsteps I have left behind. I gasped because right next to my footsteps there is a pair of wet foot mark right beside mine. I looked frantically but there is no one but just me and a small street light.

I laughed I was just imagining things and cautiously walked couple of more steps. There still was a pair of wet foot mark just beside mine.

While the exercise is definitely good, climbing creepy dark stairs are surely not. I tried fumbling in my bag to get out my new phone with flash light. The thing about handbags which no one mentions is that is a black hole and you can rely at any given point you will not find the most important thing you need.

"Uuugghhh damn!" I cursed, "Now I need a new flash light to find my phone in the dark". After minutes of grumbling and fumbling I finally pulled out the phone and looked up.

"aaaaggggghhhh" I let out a blood curdling scream hoping someone would hear me. The flash light shining on the wet foot mark next to mine had 6 toes on each feet. The 6 toed footprints continued all the way to the top. I clutched on to my bag and tried to hold on to the walls for support. My heart was beating louder than Navratri beats in the Goregaon sports complex. Ghontu the building cat appeared from the other end of the stairway. She was staring at me with a ferocious look, her eyes sparkling in the dark. The white fluid dripping from her mouth made the entire experience even more terrifying. "Is she sick or am I in the middle of a Spielberg thriller?" suddenly the deafening sound of my heartbeat was drowned by footsteps. They were getting louder and coming towards me, or rather was running towards me.

In a flash of white the 6 toed monster appeared at the top of the stairway. I almost turned around and jumped off the 13 stairs I managed to climb, when the 6 toed monster called out my name. I knew it, the building was cursed.

Ghontu made a dash down the stairs and I followed Ghontu as well. Now the 6 toed monster started chasing both of us. I was going to almost trip down the entire flight of stairs when the 6 toed monster grabbed my shoulder and said, "Madam, mai doodhwala. Aap ka billi ne aaj phir se mera doodh pee liya."

Translation: Madam I am the milkman and again your cat has drank my milk.

Make From Waste

Make From Waste

Well, I have been thinking from a very long time to create something for the pen stand which Rakesh had made out of some cylinder he found while fixing our fan. Since then it had just been a piece of cardboard with pens and pencils stacked with. So here I took out the time really, got all the materials together and made a cute owl out of the waste cardboard cylinder.

So how did I make it. Here are few tips you can use to make one of your own. Well I sure did get inspired by a picture I had seen. So here it is I am attaching that picture as well for you to see.

Step 1 use a single colour paper to wrap. You can use tissue paper roll cardboard to make this.

Step 2 use any matching colored paper to make its feathers. Either you can manually cut this or use cutters available in market. Stick them to the main body one by one to give it a feathery look.

Step 3 cut out large portions of white eyes and black portion in it. you can stick easily available sequence or even cut small circular white paper to make the pupils.

Step 4 use the same colour paper to make wings. 

Step 5 just use your imagination and create something of your own.

The final product of my imagination looked something like this.

Keep waiting I am already starting another project from waste. Love recycling and decorating.