What Goes Around Comes Around

Savithri earns a living as a housekeeper. Her husband, Anand, is a construction worker. They live with her aged parents, father-in-law, and her two school-going children, aged 8 and 10. They save every penny to educate their children and look after the elders in the family.

One day, Anand comes back from work, feeling dismayed. The construction work has been paused for at least two months, owing to the lockdown. Savithri, too, has been asked to stay at home by her employer, Nisha.

Savithri and Anand are anxious about feeding the family. They have been waiting for the month-end to buy some essential groceries for the house. They put a bold face upfront. While they are using this time to spend time with family, the anxiety never goes away.

Finally, it’s the end of the month. Savithri, who has never taken debt in her life, is toying with the idea of asking Nisha for help. She has been working there for seven years, and thinks that Nisha will understand her situation.

She calls up Nisha, but as soon as Nisha answers the call, she just inquires about Nisha’s family and well-being, and hangs up the call. She is unable to bring herself to ask for monetary help.

Nisha is sipping coffee with her husband, Rishi. She tells her husband that Savithri called her in the morning.

‘Is she asking for money?’ Rishi asked immediately.

Rishi, who works has a store manager in a supermarket, is strict with all his workers.  He knows the pulse of a worker, and his motto is that servants and workers must be shown their place; otherwise, they may encash our soft corner for them.

Nisha, who works as a manager in a software company, is strict with her team members, too. However, she is empathetic with her colleagues.

She has not answered Rishi.

‘Nisha, why does your heart melt so easily? Don’t you know how these servants are…’

‘She did not ask for money or any kind of help. She just called up inquiring about us.’

Rishi is confused. He does not think that such a thing is possible.

‘However, I suspect that she wanted to ask for help, but hesitated’, says Nisha.

‘There you go – she deliberately did that, and you begin to melt…’

‘Look, Rishi, I still want to help Savithri.

‘Reason 1: She has been working with us for seven years. She has been loyal and hard-working. She has never bunked work.

‘Reason 2: She works only for us and in a school, which is closed now. I am sure her husband cannot work now either. How do you think she’ll feed her family of seven?

‘Reason 3: We are fortunate enough that we need not worry about our basic needs.

‘Reason 4: Think of it as charity. Instead of dropping this amount in a hundi – I am not sure where that money lands, anyways – I am planning to give this away to someone in need. At least I know that 100 percent of the money is in the right hands.

Rishi is speechless. He feels ashamed that it has not struck him how loyal Savithri has been, and this gesture will only gain more loyalty.

Savithri’s phone beeps, indicating a new message. It’s from Google Pay. She has received her full pay although she has worked for only half the days. Also, there’s a message, stating that she’ll receive her next month’s pay as well at the end of next month.

Savithri has tears of joy and gratitude. She heads to an ATM, saying a hundred thanks to Nisha.

Lock down is revoked now. It’s business as usual. Rishi’s attitude towards the workers in his supermarket has changed now, and he notices a change in their attitude towards him too for the better.

The Lottery Ticket

Suresh comes home after a long day, sits on the couch, switches on the TV, and makes himself comfortable by spreading his legs on the coffee table facing him. His wife, Nirmala hands over a cup of coffee to him as a daily ritual, while blabbering about the mundane tasks that he’s supposed to do. “Get onions, tomatoes, and ginger. Withdraw 500 from the ATM….” She goes on. Suresh hears only half of it because he’s engrossed in watching cricket.

“Are you listening to me? Go get all of them now!” Suresh is startled by the voice. He takes a shower after finishing the coffee, and leaves for the market.

Nirmala picks the shirt that Suresh has left carelessly in the living room, and notices a piece of paper in the pocket while placing it in the laundry basket. She flips it and realizes that it’s a lottery ticket. She never believes in ridiculous things, and surely, lottery is one of them. She crumples the paper in disgust, throws it away, and heads into the kitchen to start cooking for dinner. Little does she know how much she would regret it later.

Suresh comes back after a while with the vegetables that Nirmala has ordered. He places them on the dining table, sits on the couch, and switches on the TV. Nirmala sighs in disappointment. She wonders how lucky men are to lead such a relaxing life, while women seem to slog forever.

Suddenly she hears Suresh shout in excitement. “Heyyyyy! Nirmala, Look here!!!” Nirmala wonders what on earth has made him so happy, and looks him puzzled. Suresh lifts her with both his hands, and sings in joy, “We have won the lottery!!! We are going to get 10 lakhs!! Lalalalaa laaalalaa!!” 

Nirmala doesn’t believe her ears. “What???” she asks in disbelief.

Suresh puts her down and says, “Yes, you have heard it right. We are going to get 10 Lakhs. Now go and get the shirt that I removed before leaving for the market. The ticket is in the pocket.”

That’s when it strikes Nirmala that she has thrown “the useless thing” somewhere. She freezes. She heads to the laundry basket praying God that she must find it. She looks in and around the basket for the ticket, but in vain.

“Nirmala, why is it taking so long? Come fast”, he calls out, and seeing no response, he goes to the room to check what’s going on.

“Suresh, I.. I am so sorry. I.. I threw away the ticket thinking that it’s a wa.. waste of money”, she blurts out with a sheepish look and an apologizing tone.

Suresh is red with anger. But before he speaks anything, Nirmala placates him, “But I wonder where it’s gone. It must be somewhere here. Please give me some time.”

“Okay. I’ll help you with the search. If we don’t find the ticket in 30 minutes, you will be out of the house”, he declares. Nirmala becomes nervous.

For 20 minutes they ransack the entire room. They become more desperate with each passing minute. When nothing works, Nirmala finally says, “Suresh, let us first sit down for a couple of minutes and think deeply. We would definitely find it. No doubt about that. But you get better results only when you work with a peaceful mind. Please listen to me.” Both of them sit down on the bed and close their eyes. The two minute retrospection helps them calm down and act wiser.

Suresh realizes how harsh he has been to his wife. If the ticket were so valuable to him, he shouldn’t have stored it in a safe place. He places his palms onto her cheeks, and says, “Look, I am sorry for what I have said to you. It was part of my mistake too that we have lost the ticket.”

Nirmala is moved. She kisses his hand, and they both resume their search. After a few minutes, Suresh notices a piece of paper hanging onto Nirmala’s dupatta. He snatches it, and to his amusement, it is the ticket!!! How come neither of them noticed it all the time? They both rejoice and celebrate.

Sometimes, crazy things happen to us only to show us how crazy we have been. Slowing down for a couple of minutes and rationalizing our behaviour gives inner peace.

Confessions of a Frustrated Student

Writing Prompt: Write a story with these words: College student, crumpled paper, train, laptop

Payal is a college student returning home from her hostel in Rajasthan. It’s Diwali, and she’s all excited about celebrating the occasion with her family. She boards the train in Delhi, and places her luggage in the allotted place. She notices a crumpled paper in the corner. Little does she know that the paper is going to lead to a chain of surprising events.

The train starts, and after a couple of hours, she buys a handful of peanuts for herself. Since she doesn’t like to throw litter all around, she picks up the crumpled paper to serve the purpose. She unfolds the paper. It looks like a page torn from a diary. It goes this way:

Although I have told Dad a million times that I am not interested in becoming an Engineer, he forces me into this rat race. And he wants me to get into a reputed institute like IIT or BITS. Does he realize that there are lakhs of people who take these tests every year, and there are only a few hundreds of seats? How probable is it for me to secure a seat? And he also knows that I do not have a high IQ like those rankers.

Does he realize that for the past four years all he talks to me is only about my education? What happened to the times when he took me out to a movie or an exhibition? Does he even remember the last time he appreciated my efforts?

He has always set very high expectations on me.  I have already told him that my heart is in playing the Guitar. How reasonable is it to think that everyone has to slog for money? I feel very miserable and downtrodden when he complains about my performance. I am tired of fighting with him. So I am leaving the house to lead my own life. I have saved a few bucks from my pocket money.

I, being a professional guitarist, am going to show him that one can always become successful by following one’s heart.

Payal is shocked to read the confession. What is she going to do now? Looks like the guy is still a teenager. He might not be aware of the harsh realities of life. Living on his own might turn out to be a nightmare.

She then opens her laptop and shares the contents of this paper in all the social networking sites, leaving this message at the end:

Dear Frustrated,

I know that your Dad has made your life miserable. But, trust me, life outside your family at this tender age can be more miserable. Please return home, your Dad must be heart-broken by now. He might have realized his mistake too. So, you never know, he might let you chase your dreams too. 

After getting down at her destination, Payal heads to the Police Station to report the incident, hoping that the guy’s parents might have already lodged a missing complaint.

Confessions Of A Drunken Man

Writing Prompt: A drunken man sits next to you in a bar, thinks you are his buddy, and starts confessing the truth. Write about the truth. Here it goes:

I sit at the corner table waiting for my best friend to arrive. The bar is full of people – some tapping their feet to the loud music, some watching the club dancers, and some lost in their worlds. Just when I am about to call my friend to check where she is struck, I see a man in his thirties approaching my table. The way he tries to balance himself while walking tells me that he’s totally drunk. To my surprise, he makes himself comfortable on the chair opposite to me, and starts speaking to me.

“Hey! How come you are here? Have you come searching for me again?”, he asks in a groggy voice. Do I know him? I observe his face and realize that I have never met him before. Before I ask him if he knows me, he speaks again.

“I am sorry for what happened last night, Sanju. I know I was rude. How on earth did you find that old photograph? I hid it…”

“Hello! Excuse me, I think you are mistaken..” I try to interrupt him, but he doesn't let me speak.

“Please don’t stop me. I owe you an explanation. That pretty girl in the photo who I was hugging was my batch-mate in college. Her name is Pooja. I saw her first in our college library, and I fell in love with her. She looked so beautiful. I always wanted to talk to her. Finally, after a few months, we met through a common friend. From then onwards, I followed her very closely. I met her every day making it look like we just happened to cross each other’s paths. I think she too realized that I was interested in her, but since girls enjoy confusing boys, she remained silent. I made the next move, and proposed to her. After making me wait for a week (seven long days!), she said yes. I was over the moon. I was totally enthralled by her. A day without meeting her was a day wasted. As you can imagine, our grades went down. Our parents were worried. But we did not care. After passing out of college, we worked at different locations in different Companies. The long distance between the two cities made it difficult for us to meet even on weekends. Both of us were very much absorbed in work that we hardly had the time or energy to talk to each other. Finally, the distance between us grew bigger. We met only twice in the year after passing out of college. And that was the end. Each of us just moved on in our lives”.

The man seems to be deeply moved by the memorable events in his life. Poor thing, he feels he is confessing to his wife. He would be shocked if he finds out that he has been talking to a stranger.

“Hello, sir”, I pat on his wrist. He holds my hand, and says, “I am really sorry to hide this from you, dear. I always felt that you would suspect me if I told you. But, believe me, it’s a thing in the past. College romances are quite common. Less than 5% of the couples make it to a marriage. What happened in college was just infatuation. Neither I, nor Pooja had the maturity to think about our future. My true love is you and only you”.

After saying this, he drops onto the table. I call out the bartender, who gets the man’s driver, and within minutes they are off. I wonder how mindless people are when in college. What has this person done? Wasted four precious years of his life romancing a girl, and he’s not even serious about the relationship. Wake up, guys! 

Through The Eyes Of A Blind Woman

Writing Prompt: You are in a room full of people, and you are the only blind person there. Describe the room and the people in your mind.

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Naveen and I have come to see my friend's wedding. I hear the sound of the door being opened, and then a lot of noise. Looks like we are going to enter a room that's full of people. Naveen is holding my hand, and is leading me into the room. Since the noise levels are so high, I think it's not just a room, but a hall. There's a whip of fragrance as soon as I step into the room. So, I believe there are flowers around. The ground under my feet feels soft for my slippers, so there must be a carpet laid out in the hall.

Let me now pay attention to what everybody is talking. "Hahahaaa! Stop it", I hear a shrill female voice at my elbow. Probably, somebody very close to her is cracking jokes on her, and she's definitely enjoying them. I feel women love it when people play jokes on them, as far as they are in limits. "Thud!" I feel a kid of about 3 feet tall running into me. That's followed by another "Thud" by a taller one. This one must be chasing the former. We must learn how to entertain ourselves from kids, isn't it?

I hear two (perhaps more) elderly men talking about rituals and customs, a group of young men talking about cricket, a few girls laughing, chatting, and complimenting one another's jewellery, the cries of a toddler for reasons only God knows. "Namaste Uncle, how are you?", my "analysis" is broken by Naveen's voice. Apprently, he is greeting somebody. "I am fine, dear. How are you all? Hi, beta", calls out an elderly person, patting my shoulder. His voice sounds familiar. Let me recollect. "That's our Jagadeesh uncle from Bhuvaneshwar", whispers Naveen, sensing my curiosity. "Ohh! Namaste Uncle, I am fine", I say, joining my hands. Not sure if I am facing him.

Naveen takes me further, and introduces me to somebody he calls Aunty. That's followed by a few more greetings from a group of elderly women. They make me sit on a chair, give me a glass of buttermilk, and ask general questions about what's going on in my life. I answer casually, but the conversation is broken by loud music of shehnai and tabla. I startle, but then I enjoy the music. No rock music can substitute our traditional instrumental music played during weddings and other functions. It has a soothing effect, doesn't it?

Naveen tells me that the bride groom and the bride are seated on the dias with the Priest chanting the mantras. He then narrates the process going on there, how sweet of him! After everything is done, we visit the new couple, and wish them good luck. My friend is delighted to see us. We then finish our dinner, and leave the hall. Another moment to treasure.

Cinderella - A twist to the tale

Cinderella is in the kitchen when she hears the voice of a stranger talking to her step mother.

“Madam, I want you to try this glass slipper, and see if it fits you. The Prince has ordered that all the ladies in his kingdom try it. So, I want the other ladies in your home to try it too”, says the stranger.

Cinderella’s heart skips a beat. “Is he talking about the one I lost at the Royal Ball?” she wonders. She peeps through the window, and sure enough, it is her own slipper in the man’s hand.

Her step mother tries the slipper, but it’s too small for her. Her sisters are now summoned over to try the slipper. Cinderella eagerly waits for her turn; she begins to head towards the four of them. She too deserves a chance. She wonders what would happen after the slipper fits her foot. Will the Prince marry her?

Thrilled about the thought, she looks at her second step sister try the slipper, after the first one failed. To her bewilderment, the slipper fits her sister!! What! How can that happen? But she cannot protest since nobody knows about her secret visit to the Royal Ball.

Her step mother and her first step sister are now clapping in excitement. Her second sister is so delighted at her fortune. The stranger looks relieved that his quest has come to an end. He leaves for the royal palace to carry the news. Unable to fight back her tears, Cinderella runs back into the kitchen, and sobs. The others are too occupied to notice her.

That night Cinderella is unable to sleep. She is confused. The Prince is going to marry her sister. How does she stop it? She wants to tell the Prince everything about the story, but how?

The news spreads the kingdom like wild fire. The Prince announces that he would come down to her house to meet his angel. Cinderella waits for a chance to speak to the Prince for a couple of minutes, wishing that he might change his mind. All through the day she is busy dishing out nice recipes for the royal guest, while her step mother and sisters are busy trying to look their best.

Finally, the Prince arrives in his chariot by dawn, as promised. All the three ladies welcome him warmly. The Prince looks at her second sister to say something, but his smile turns into a knitted brow, and he doesn't say anything. He looks at her with a bit of confusion and bewilderment. “Was it the same lady who danced with me that night? She looked divinely that day. How come she has changed so much in just a week?” he wonders.

Cinderella spreads the dining table, and lays down dinner for all four of them. The Prince’s chain of thoughts is broken by the magnificence with which the table has been laid, and the aroma and the taste of the dishes. The four of them relish the food in delight, while Cinderella caters to their needs. Finally, while serving the dessert, Cinderella spills a spoonful of ice cream on the Prince’s clothes.

The ladies shout at Cinderella. Normally, she would have buried herself in embarrassment, but this time she is silently happy. Cinderella offers to help the Prince wash off the ice cream, and he does not seem to mind. She takes him to the kitchen where the ladies cannot see both of them, and closes the door behind the Prince. That’s when the Prince observes the lady who has offered to help him.

The radiant eyes, the rosy lips, the glossy hair, the tall and thin structure feels familiar to him. “Hi, I am Cinderella. I have to tell you something”, says Cinderella in a hurried whisper. “Shh! Let’s dance”, asks the Prince, holding out his hand.

Cinderella cannot believe her eyes. She places her hand into his, looking into his eyes. The moment he holds her, he realizes that she is indeed his angel. They dance and dance, yeah, to music that only they both can hear, until they hear somebody bang on the door. Both of them come back to this world at this, and the Prince opens the door to see Cinderella’s second sister at the door. She looks at both of them in bewilderment since they are still holding their hands.

The Prince realizes that there’s something fishy about the whole affair. He confronts, “Tell me, what did you do so that the slipper fit you? You know that you were not the one who danced with me. Tell me now, otherwise, I shall have you beheaded.”

The lady is shocked that the Prince has found out the truth. She has to confess now. “Well, I am madly in love with you. So, I decided that I would do anything and everything to marry you. With the help of a witch who lives at the end of the city, I got a spell on myself that made the glass slipper fit me”, she said.

Cinderella is shocked, but relieved that the truth has finally come out. The Prince then tells the guilty, “True love and happiness cannot be gained by a spell. It has to come from the heart. And, no matter what you do, truth always makes its way to the right place at the right moment. I am not going to punish you because all is fair in love.”

Cinderella is surprised at his generosity. The Prince then turns to Cinderella, and asks, “Will you marry me, Cinderella?”

Cinderella is filled with tears of joy. She turns pink, and hugs the Prince. The Prince gets the answer. Actions speak louder than words. They both get married and live happily ever after.

PS: Friends, I have written this piece of fiction as part of a writing prompt that asks me to re-write the story of Cinderella with a twist. The prompt says that the glass slipper fits one of Cinderella's sister, and I had to pick from there. Although I was asked to end the story in a sad note, I did not have the heart to do that. We, Indians, are not big fans of sad endings, am I right?

My Dreamland!

For many years, I have been seeing this in my dreams. I guess I would see the same for the rest of my life. That's why I have put it down here in the form of a story with fictional characters:

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Sarat entered the gated community of the Dreamland Township in his Scorpio along with his wife, Keethi.  After filling up his few details in the register at the security desk, he was asked to park his car in the parking lot a few yards away from the gate. It was a tall building with several floors that already had many cars parked inside.

‘Where is the community office?’ enquired Sarat.

‘It’s 2km from here. The next bus arrives in 10min. You can wait at the bus stop or hire bicycles from there’, said the security guard pointing at a cycle shop nearby.

‘Isn’t it possible to take our vehicle?’ asked Sarat, wondering why on earth they had to take a bus or a bicycle.

‘No motor vehicles allowed inside the community, sir. All the cars and bikes have to be parked at the gate itself’, clarified the guard who was used to explaining this to the surprised visitors.

The couple waited at the bus stop and boarded the bus that arrived after 10min. The greenery, the serenity, the neatness, and the tranquility of the place amazed them. After a 5min ride, they got down at the community office. After stating their purpose of visit to the security guard, they learned that there were other families who had come for the same – that was to hire a flat in the community.

All the 50+ visitors were led to a small room in the building. After 2min a lady in her late twenties, named Sandhya, entered the room, and introduced herself as the proprietor of the community.  She was clad in a cotton sari, and looked decent and well educated.

‘Hello everyone, I am glad to see you all here. I believe you loved the place, and that’s why planned to stay here. Before you decide, I want to introduce you to a few rules and regulations we are ought to follow here’, Sandhya addressed the gathering in an authoritative, yet polite, voice.

‘We have 400 houses in this township spread across a land of 5sq.km. Every house is identical with a carpet area of 1400sq.ft, and is surrounded by a garden of 100sq.ft. Only 50% of the township is covered with living area, 30% with greenery, and the rest is for allied activities. The houses are leased out for tenure of 5 years. The pamphlet that was provided to you during your previous visit contains all the facilities available here.  

We have:

·         A medical center to cater to emergency cases or common ailments

·         A few medical stores

·         A water treatment unit that recycles water for gardening purposes

·         A paper recycling unit

·         Rain water harvesting units

·         A reputed school that takes in pupils from play school till PUC

·         A huge library where you can sell your old books and rent new ones

·         A swimming pool, a sports center, and a gym

·         Children’s play areas

·         Commercial centers to provide groceries, clothes, footwear, stationery, and what not!

·         Community halls to arrange for parties/functions

However, we are very strict in terms of maintaining the sanctity of this place. To do so, we need a little support from the residents. We expect you to adhere to these norms during your stay:

·         Absolutely NO vehicles inside the campus. All motor vehicles are to be parked in the parking lot near the main gate. Buses are available every 15min to take you to any place inside the campus. You might also use bicycles.

·         No littering or spitting allowed in the campus. Security guards are posted everywhere, and if they catch you, you will be fined as much as 1000Rs.

·         No plastic bags. If found carrying one, you will be fined 1000Rs.

·         Water meters are fitted to each house to check your water consumption’

 

There were murmurs among the visitors when they heard about the strange rules. One of them protested, ‘this place has abundant water. And you said you have set up rain water harvesting. Then why do we have a water meter?’ The others were keen to know the same.

Sandhya replied, ‘You are right. This place has abundant water. But, can you imagine what would happen after 10 years? Do you know that most drought areas in India were filled with abundant water a few decades back? If only the people were more conscious about how they utilized water, if only the educated ones started rain water harvesting, the areas might be in a better position now.’

The visitors nodded approvingly. Sandhya continued, ‘the best time to save our natural resources was 20 years back. The next best time is now’.  

Everyone applauded. Sandhya was pleased with herself for conveying the message very clearly. How I wish I were her!

 

 

 

 

The Parrot in the Golden Cage

Chandragupta headed to his favorite place in the palace - the guava tree in his garden. There lived his pet, the talking parrot - Meethi. He named her Meethi because of her exceptionally sweet voice.  He was awed by how quickly she learnt to speak. Every evening he would love to see his Meethi and enjoyed her chanting.

Meethi looked forward to meeting the king every day. She had been pecking a guava for her supper when she saw the king approaching. She flew around him with delight, and rested on his shoulder. Chandragupta’s face lit up on seeing Meethi.

‘Pranam, Maharaja’, chattered the parrot.

‘Heyyyyyy… Meethi’, cajoled the king, stroking her head. He then took out a ripe mango from the bag he had been carrying, and offered it to Meethi. The little bird nibbled on the fruit, and saved the rest of it for her breakfast the next morning.

After spending a few more minutes with Meethi, the king left for his palace. This went on for a few months. The people in the kingdom heard so much about the parrot, and were amazed by her talent.

One fine morning, the king’s brother, Suryagupta, visited him. Suryagupta ruled a nearby town, and occasionally dropped in to see his brother. Chandragupta was pleasantly surprised to see his brother, and received him with a warm welcome. Suryagupta had a sumptuous lunch at the king’s place, and rested for a while since he was tired after the journey. In the evening, the two brothers made a stroll around the palace in the king’s garden. Suryagupta had a sack in his hands. The king wondered what it might be and why his brother was carrying it.

‘How is your Meethi?’ enquired Suryagupta.

‘Oh yes! She’s doing great. She has learnt to say Pranam,Maharaj, you know!’, exclaimed the king.

‘Wow! That’s great. I know she’s very talented. See what I have brought for her’, said Suryagupta. He then took out a frame of metal glittering in gold. Chandragupta soon identified it as a golden cage.

‘Oh my God! You brought a golden cage for Meethi?’ exclaimed the king.

‘Yes. Isn’t it lovely? I have taken special interest in the making. It was made by the best goldsmith in my kingdom. It took him three months to complete this masterpiece, you know?’ Suryagupta looked at the cage in admiration. It had a carving of a golden flower on the periphery. The cage was fitted with a cushion for the bird to rest on. It looked beautiful.

‘Oh yes, of course, it is lovely, but…’

‘But what? I thought you would jump at this one’ said Suryagupta, who had expected an overwhelming response from his brother.

‘Of course, I love it. But, will Meethi be happy in this cage?’ Chandragupta raised his concern.

‘Of course, she will. Which parrot on earth would get such a royal treatment?’ concluded Suryagupta.

‘Okay, let’s see’ said the king.

As they approached the guava tree, Meethi flew on to the king’s shoulder, greeting him. She also recognized Suryagupta who had visited her a month ago.

Suryagupta held the parrot and placed her in the cage. The parrot had never seen a cage before. Nor did she know what a cage was for. She entered the cage, and looked around with curiosity.

‘See, I told you. She would be happy inside this. She would love to rest on the cushion I set inside’, said the king’s brother.

Chandragupta was relieved to find that his Meethi liked to stay there. He took the cage, and the two brothers headed towards the palace.

The crowd in the palace had just diminished after the sunset. So far, thousands of people in and around the kingdom had visited the palace to see the talking parrot and the golden cage. They were awed by the masterpiece.

The first day went on well when Meethi was busy watching the people who had come to see her. She felt excited and proud of herself that people longed to see her. She sang merrily and danced in the cage. Suryagupta was delighted to see such a huge response for his gift, and left for his palace the same day.

But, on the second day, Meethi was bored out of chanting the same things to the countless people flowing in. She was also very tired, having performed endlessly from the previous day. She slept for most of the day, and spoke very little.

On the third day she felt weak and feverish. She had not eaten much. She had not spoken a word. All she wanted was to leave her alone. She was sick of the crowd watching her.

The king was upset to see his Meethi in such a situation. He felt she needed fresh air. He ordered the crowd to leave the palace. Within minutes, the place was abandoned, leaving the king and his beloved pet. He took the cage to the garden, and let her free. Meethi could not believe her eyes. She leaped to the door, and flew high in the air. The king smiled at Meethi’s excitement, and left the place.

The next day, the king visited the same place to apologize to his beloved. But he could not find the little bird. ‘Meethi…. Meethi, where are you?’ he called out. There was no response. He looked around the tree, but could not spot her. Just when he was about to leave, he spotted her on one of the branches, looking at him.

‘Hey Meethi, come here. Look what I have brought for you’, he said, and took out an apple. He knew that Meethi loved apples. But, to his disappointment, Meethi just sat on the tree, watching him.

‘Hey, what’s the problem? Don’t worry. I will not cage you anymore’, said the king, sensing her fear.

Meethi still sat in the same place. Her heart was beating fast. One part of her brain told her to go ahead and make friends with the king again. But the other part of the brain pulled her back fearing that the king would cage her again. She was not willing to become a showpiece.

The king stood there for few more minutes calling her out, but in vain. He then knew what to do.  He headed to the palace, and called for this goldsmith. The goldsmith arrived in minutes with his kit, and waited for the king’s order.

The king handed over the golden cage to the goldsmith, and ordered him to follow. Together they went to the guava tree in the garden.

‘Meethi, I know you are around. Look what I am doing for you’ said the king to the parrot, and turned to the goldsmith. ‘Cut the cage horizontally into two’ he said.

‘But, Maharaja, the cage would be useless if we cut it’ said the goldsmith.

‘I know. Just do as I say’ the king ordered.

The goldsmith took out his tools from his kit, and cut the cage into two. Meethi was relieved to see this. Her admiration to the king doubled. She flew around him, singing aloud, and rested on his hand. The king knew that this moment was more precious than any golden cage in the world.

 

Why Are Moms Unique?

It was 6 ‘o’ clock in the morning, very dark, and the entire city was asleep. It was difficult for Latha to wake up as it was cozy to lie inside the blanket. Besides, she wakes up at 7 every day. She had a lot of things to do that day, so she couldn’t afford to be lazy.

Finally, she brought herself to wash her face and have a cup of coffee. After cleaning the house, taking a shower, doing pooja, it was 7:30. By that time, her husband, and the guests who had arrived the previous day had woken up. There were four elderly people among the guests. She hurriedly made tea for all of them. They gribbed that they had been waiting for “a long time” for tea, though it was only for 5 minutes. She apologized for keeping them waiting and got back into the kitchen. They were murmuring something; she knew they were talking about her.

Latha headed to the kitchen to make breakfast. It was 9 ‘o’ clock when the breakfast was served. There was idli, sambar, chutney, and seamya. She was busily making arrangements, when she heard a cry from one of the guests. ‘Who the hell uses their left hand to serve food? Is this what your parents have taught you?’ he questioned her. Latha realized that while handing over a plate to him, she had used her left hand. Everybody started blaming Latha for being careless. They also blamed her parents for not bringing her up properly. A big discussion followed as if she had committed a crime. They failed to recognize her efforts in making the recipes all by herself. They failed to relish the taste of the food items. All the time they consumed food, they talked only about the “big crime” that she had done.

Latha was already very hungry for she had not eaten anything after she had woken up. After hearing the elders yell at her, she was reminded of her days before marriage when even a little effort from her side was very well appreciated. Her Mom gave her a thousand blessings when Latha offered to help her. Even if she made a mistake like this one, her parents corrected her patiently. There was no yelling or blaming when she was with her parents. She realized how hard her mother had worked.

Mothers are known for patience. You never realize how much they work, how strong they are to face such comments, how patient they are to teach their kids. You realize all this only after you get married.

Latha regretted the times when she complained about her Mom’s food. She prayed God to make her as strong as her Mom and had her breakfast in silence.

Believe in Yourself

Anu enjoys the journey to her school. She smiles at the flowers on her path, loves the sun shine on the waters of the lake, listens to the songs of the frogs, and greets all the shopkeepers, autowallas, and kids who she’s acquainted with.

One fine day, as she was on her way to school enjoying the breeze of the spring, she came across her friend Jaya, who was also going to school.

‘Hi, Jaya, good morning’, said Anu with a bright smile.

‘Hi, Anu, a very good morning to you’, greeted Jaya. But, instantly, her forehead frowned as she examined Anu. ‘What’s the matter? Why do you look dull today?’ asked Jaya.

Anu was surprised at this remark. ‘I’m the same as I am every day. Anyways, let’s head to school. We might get late. I have to buy a couple of things at the Krishna stores’, answered Anu. Krishna stores is a stationary shop close to their school.

And together they walked for another couple of minutes to reach Krishna stores. It is their usual hangout place.

‘Hi, Uncle, how are you?’ enquired Anu, looking at the shopkeeper.

‘I’m fine, dear, how are you both?’, he replied with a smile.

‘We are fine’, said both of them. ‘Please give me a black pen and a long notebook with white pages’, said Anu.

The shopkeeper handed over the same and collected the amount from Anu. As the girls were about to leave, the shopkeeper remarked ‘Anu, what’s the matter with you? Why do you look dull today? Are you not well?’

Anu was surprised again. ‘No, Uncle, I’m fine. Got to hurry up now. Catch you later. Bye’, said Anu. And they both left for school.

They reached the school gate, and to their relief, they were just in time. The watchman, a grey-haired person with a thick moustache, greeted both of them. To Anu’s surprise, the watchman, too, made the same remark, that Anu was looking dull.

Anu, now, started to believe that she was, indeed, looking dull. The smile on her face faded a little, as she entered the classroom. She was lost in thought, when her mathematics teacher entered. All the students stood up to greet the teacher. When they all sat down, the teacher announced ‘Today I am going to make you solve a few numericals that I taught you yesterday’.

A few students did not like the idea as they were cautious whether they would be able to solve. Few others were excited to show off their talent to the rest of the class. Anu was always interested in mathematics. She would have loved to solve any kind of problem that the teacher might ask. Besides, she was his favorite student. But that day she was lost in thought as to why she looked dull.

When it was Anu’s turn to solve a problem, Anu politely rejected, saying, ‘Sir, I’m not feeling well today. Please let me rest for a while’.

The teacher did not find anything wrong with Anu’s appearance. So, he replied ‘You look perfectly alright, Anu. However, if you still wish to take rest, you may head to the sick room. Let me know if you need help’.

Anu thanked the teacher and left for the sick room.

 

With that we come to the end of the story. What have we learnt from this?

1. Negative comments on your personality can easily effect you. You underestimate your strengths. In this case, Anu felt that she looked dull, although she started the day as usual.
2. Once you lose confidence in yourself, positive remarks might not help you build your personality. In this case, when the teacher told Anu that she looked alright, Anu did not believe him.

So, a note of caution to all my friends: Do not go by anybody’s words that belittle you, or lower your self-esteem. Just believe in yourself. Impossible is nothing.

The Last Leaf

Bobbie and I have been friends right when were five. He lost his parents, and his granny looked after him. Each day we met in the school, and together we played hide-and-seek, chased cats, gossiped about our classmates, and loved each other’s company. His Granny passed away when we were in college, and he was alone. But the busy college schedule left him no time to brood over the past. He was a happy-go-luck guy, and that was what kept him alive.

We graduated a year ago. I took to painting, as that was my passion. Bobbie was not sure what he wanted to do in his life. He applied for all sorts of jobs that he considered decent, all across the state, but in vain. There was not even a single Organization in the city that he had not tried for. Poor Bobby was depressed, and left with little money.

I was busy looking for opportunities to showcase my talent and earn a penny. My talent was well appreciated, and I could make a living for myself. During this one year I visited many places in the state, as part of my job.

I visited my good old friend only once in 3-4 months, and was worried that he could not stand up for himself.

Finally, it was a couple of days back that I saw him again, and I was taken aback at the condition he landed up in. He was lying on his bed, draped in rags. He looked as if he did not shave for more than a month, and resembled a rag-picker. He had been suffering from a low fever and cough, but he would place faith in a doctor. When I insisted, he visited a doctor in the city, but would not go for a treatment. All he says is ‘These doctors are always like that. I wouldn’t waste the little money that I am left with’. He wouldn’t borrow a penny from me, because that would damage his self respect. His face turned baby pink, and his eyes looked deprived of a proper sleep. ‘I am going to die in a few days’, he blurted, fighting back his tears. Poor Bobbie, what do I do now?

I looked around the house, or rather, the single room that he lived in. It was covered with a layer of dust and cobwebs. His garden was full of dried leaves fallen from the peepul tree. The tree had only a handful of leaves left. Maybe a clean atmosphere might make him feel better, I thought. I picked up the broom lying under the bed, and cleaned the house. Bobbie looked pleased.

Next, I started out to clean the garden as well. The dried leaves scattered on the floor made me feel sick.

‘Hey, dear!’ called out Bobbie in a broken voice. ‘It’s ok, leave the garden. Thank you so much for cleaning my room, I feel slightly better now. But this tree continues to shed leaves every hour and there’s no point cleaning it up. The tree’s condition is similar to mine. It’s deteriorating every day. Once it sheds all the leaves, I too will be gone’, he said, with a bleak smile on his face. I tried to defend, but that didn’t help. So, I hugged him good night, and left for my home.

That night I could hardly sleep. Bobbie’s last words echoed in my brain – “Once it sheds all the leaves, I too will be gone.” The optimist in me woke up… ‘So, that means that if the tree restores to its original state, Bobbie would be back in good health!’ I thought aloud. I remember seeing that the tree was left with only a handful of leaves. Oh my God! What if they fall off by morning? Then I knew what to do.

I sprang up from my bed, picked up my painting kit, and left for Bobbie’s house. I entered his garden stealthily. It was 6 in the morning, and the sky shone with an orange gleam. Bobbie was fast asleep. Maybe the medicine, which I had forced him to administer, worked. I looked at the tree. Good Heavens! Not even a single leaf left! I picked a shiny piece of paper from my painting kit, and painted a leaf on it. I cut out the outline and affixed it to one of the branches. It indeed looked like a real leaf! I couldn’t help but feel proud of myself. Any talent is worth it only when it helps somebody.

The morning birds chirped while leaving their nests for food. Bobbie rolled slightly on his bed while still asleep. I made a quick move out of the house, fearing that he might wake up and spot me.

I visited him every other day after that. I tried my best to keep him happy. Though he never had faith in doctors, I made him take all the medicines that the doctor had prescribed. We talked about our childhood days, our school, and our friends. He looked forward to meeting me every day after I returned from work. He looked better day-by-day. This continued for a couple of months, and he was now able to do all the household chores himself. I felt happy for him.

‘I must now find a job’, he told me one evening, when we were seated at my place, sipping coffee. What a positive change! The guy who felt that he would die in a few days is now ready to work! I was excited. ‘Bobbie, my man, I’m so happy for you. I will do anything to find you a job’, I poured out my heart.

‘I know, dear, I know. You have done so much for me. If only you did not paint a leaf and stuck to the peepul tree, I would have gone…’

There were butterflies in my stomach. ‘How on earth do you know that I painted one?’ I exclaimed.

Bobbie chuckled. ‘I noticed that there was only one leaf that did not fall from the tree. I felt that the day the leaf fell down, I would leave this world, too. One week passed, and then two weeks, and then three, but the leaf would never fall down. Meanwhile, my health improved, and I was able to my daily activities myself. I welcomed this change heartily.
'Yesterday, when I returned home from the market, the so-called leaf fell from the tree into my hands. I was surprised to note that it was just a piece of paper, painted like a leaf. For a few minutes I could not understand why it was stuck to the tree. I then recalled telling you that I had compared my health condition with that of the tree. Remember, I told you that once the last leaf falls from the tree, I too would be gone? So, I realized that you have done this to bring about a positive change in my attitude. And, you know what? IT WORKED! Yes, I no longer compare the condition of my health with that of the tree. But, the last leaf had given me a ray of hope. Every day I felt that I had another day to live.’

He hugged me with tears of joy. ‘You changed my attitude, dude! If I am able to stand up on my feet now, it’s because of the ray of hope you have created. I want to live, I want to work, and I want to do my best’.

I felt pleased with myself for bringing about this change in my fellow mate. I helped him search for a job. Finally, after a week, he was hired as a clerk in a bank close to his home.

As the saying goes ‘Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re right’. Bobbie’s life is a living example of the same.

This story has been published in www.yourstoryclub.com.
 

Watching a Horror Movie

Smitha had always been afraid of horror movies since her childhood. She had goose bumps just by watching the trailer itself, let alone the actual movie.

But she had made up her mind to face it. Being a science student, she knew that devils never existed. Yet, watching a horror movie was so terrifying. She had to come out of it. Hence, she decided to watch a new horror movie that had just arrived in the city.

She was doing it for the first time. She did not even know who the actors were. She did not hear any reviews about the movie from any of her friends as nobody had watched it either. On the top of it, she went alone. This meant that there was no shoulder to tug at, when she was afraid.

It being a morning show, and that too, a weekday, there were hardly thirty people at the theatre. The huge door to the hall opened and everybody moved in, pushing one another. Smitha entered the hall slowly after almost everyone entered, searched for her seat in the darkness, and sat there. The movie would begin anytime now. She prayed in silence.

The movie started with a sheer dark background, casting an abandoned bungalow in a deserted area. The sky was storming and pouring heavily. Smitha had already imagined herself in the situation, and had a tickling feeling in her stomach. The sound effects added to her feeling. And then there was a sudden noise as if a huge building had collapsed. And, everyone in the theatre sat up. Smitha let out a small shriek. She had promised herself that she wouldn’t shriek or run away while watching the movie.

The movie went on for another couple of hours. It had moments of darkness, bloodshed, whimpering, and what not! Smitha was successful in not screaming, but her insides felt like her nerves would explode any moment. Whenever there was utter silence, she could even feel her heartbeat. And finally it was over. She liked the climax because the devil perished, and everything ended up in a favorable way. She let out a deep sigh and left the theatre feeling good about herself. She had finally made it! She proved to herself that she could face it.

If you think of it again, this incident is similar to our lives. Sometimes we choose to face our challenges, and most of the times we are forced to do so. We don’t get to watch a trailer of our lives, meaning we do not know what is to come. What lies ahead of us can be horrifying or threatening. Not always do we end up in a happy note. The difference between a movie and a real life is that in a real life, we are the actors.

Walking on Eggs

It was a pleasant morning with the orange gleam of the sun shining on the waves of the sea. What a lovely sight! I was jogging on the sea shore like many others. Few people were capturing the morning beauty (not me, the sun… Ahem! Ahem!) in their cameras. A camera can capture only the picture, but not how you felt when you were there.

After jogging for a few minutes, I found a flowery path nearby. I had never seen that before. I noticed that many more people were entering the garden. And so I approached it. It was picture perfect! There was a central path and a variety of flowers and bushes on either side. I entered the garden and jogged for a few more minutes capturing the smiles of the cute little flowers.

After a while I felt something crack under my foot. I looked down to find a broken egg. I had been too engrossed in enjoying the moment that I did not notice the people around me, or the path ahead. I was taken aback to find that the path had hundreds, or perhaps, thousands of eggs. They lay quite close to one another that it would be difficult to avoid stamping them. I found that many others ahead of me were struggling to walk on the path. I looked around for exit.

I caught hold of a passerby and asked her what on earth was all this. She explained ‘This is the path for the break-no-eggs game. Once you are here, there’s no getting out unless you complete the 1km path.’ I looked around for exit. Oh my God! No exit! I was trapped there. She continued, ‘if you break any egg, you would be punished by the authorities. The more eggs you break, the heavier is the punishment. There are hidden cameras in the bushes to track the number of eggs you have broken’.

I took three more steps and broke another egg. I heard a click from the bushes. Oops! Counted! I waded my way through the path of eggs and ended up breaking a few more. What a stupid game! How on earth can somebody come out of it without damaging the eggs? Why did I get here, in the first place? Why should I be lured by the cute flowers and put myself in danger? I could not enjoy their presence. All I wanted was to get out of the place.

I opened my eyes. I was in my bedroom, lying on my bed. It was dark except for the bed light. My husband was in his slumber. Huh! I was dreaming. Thank God! I drank a glass of water and slept peacefully after realizing that I need not worry about breaking any eggs. A few dreams are much closer to reality.

The Man with the Horns

This is an old story I heard from my roomie. Presenting it to you after making many changes and adding masala:

Lakshmi was busy preparing meals in the kitchen when she heard a scream from her bedroom. She was startled and hurried to the bedroom, wondering what on earth made her husband, Raju, scream so loudly.

Meanwhile, Raju rushed to the kitchen to tell his wife about the disaster. Both of them almost ran into each other at the door.

Lakshmi looked at her husband, and it was her turn to scream. She shrieked like a little girl watching a horror movie.'What the hell is this? How on earth do you have horns?’, Lakshmi asked him in a shrill voice.
‘I have absolutely no idea how this bizarre thing has landed on my head. After the shower I went to the dressing table to comb my hair, and and …’, Raju gulped to fight back his tears.
‘Hey! You are not fooling me, are you?’, Lakshmi wondered aloud, touching his horns and trying to pull them away. But, they wouldn’t come.
‘Shut up! I am breaking my head wondering what might have caused this, and you think I am fooling you?’, Raju cried out, pushing his wife away. Lakshmi understood that it was something serious.
The couple sat on the bed thinking hard, but nothing would strike them. Lakshmi tried to console him by saying that the horns would disappear the way they had appeared. She said that she would love him the same way she had always loved him. Raju was comforted by her words. He wondered why he had never realized her love towards him. It is only during tough times that you realize who really cares for you, and who tries to wash off their hands.Suddenly Lakshmi straightened and her eyes lit up. ‘What happened?’, asked Raju, genuinely surprised. He always feels there's a child hidden inside Lakshmi. She never loses hope. That’s what he likes about her.
‘Let’s talk to the Pandit. He’s the head of the village. He might come up with a solution’, said Lakshmi, breaking his chain of thoughts.
Raju did not really appreciate the idea. The thought of everybody looking at him weirdly embarrassed him. How was he going to show up in public?
‘I’ll get the Pandit here’, said Lakshmi. Raju wondered if she had a see-through vision with which she could read his mind. He smiled bleakly.

That evening Lakshmi visited the Pandit’s house located close to the temple. It was a small house surrounded by a huge garden and a fencing wall. She, being from a low caste family, was not entitled to enter the Pandit’s house. So she sent a ‘gate call’ to him through the Pandit’s daughter, who was gardening at that moment. The little girl ran into the house calling after her father.
A middle-aged man clad in a saffron-colored dhoti emerged from the main door. He had a clean-shaved head, except for a pig tail in the center of the scalp. His forehead had several layers of sandal wood and kumkum. As he approached the gate, Lakshmi bowed politely, joining her hands. He nodded.
‘Ha, Lakshmi, what’s the matter? What made you come here at this time?’ enquired the Pandit.

Lakshmi was nervous. She did not know how to put it, although she had rehearsed a thousand times in her mind. Finally, she had brought herself to speak up. ‘I have encountered a very weird scene. I am at my wits end. I am in need of help. Only you can save me’, she wailed, with a tensed expression on her face.
'Go ahead, and tell me what your problem is. I’ll see if I can help you’, said the Pandit, somewhat irritated that his time was being wasted.
‘My husband, Raju, has horns on his head. I have no clue why that happened…’

‘What!!!!! Raju has horns???!!!!!!’ exclaimed the Pandit so loudly that a few passersby gathered to follow the conversation. After all, it would be a great news to gossip. This unsettled Lakshmi a little. She wanted them to get away. She tried to ignore them, but she couldn’t. She could hear their whispers.

‘Hey Bhagavan! Why did such a thing happen to Raju?’, the Pandit continued. He was lost in a deep thought for a while, and finally made a very offensive statement. ‘Looks like Raju must have committed a great sin. The Almighty has chosen to punish him this way. We can’t forgive him. I’ll arrange for a panchayat tomorrow. Bring him there, and we’ll decide what needs to be done’, said the Pandit and turned to leave.
Lakshmi couldn’t believe her ears. She clasped her hands to her mouth, awestruck. Tears were rolling out of her eyes. The villagers protested behind her, saying ‘We can’t forgive Raju’, ‘He had to be slaughtered to death’, and so on.
‘Please don’t do this to him. He was always very kind to everyone. He never committed any sins…’ Lakshmi pleaded, but the Pandit had already left.
Lakshmi turned to face the curious audience who were still passing comments and giggling. She hurried home to meet her poor husband.

Raju was watching the Television to kill time or to divert himself from the disaster he had landed up in, but in vain. He avoided the mirror. When he heard Lakshmi approaching the house, he sprang up with an air of hope.
Lakshmi cried like a baby and hugged him. She narrated the whole story, and spread the tension to him. Raju loathed the Pandit and the villagers. ‘What’s the use of education when you can’t apply logic? What’s the use of chanting mantras or listening to the Gita all the day when it doesn’t snap some sense into your being?’, he wondered.
Panic is the worst disease, and it’s contagious too. After a couple of hours, the couple composed themselves. It dawned upon them that they had to get away from that hellhole. The couple made a living in the village with a small pawn shop in the market. They were left with little money. They wouldn’t survive if they ran away. But do they have an option? Yes! The best way to solve a problem is to face it.
So they planned to attend the Panchayat the next day. The news had spread like wild fire and everybody opined with the Pandit that Raju had to be severely punished. A huge crowd gathered at the mentioned place when the couple entered. There were exclamations, giggles, gossips, murmurs, and what not. But Raju was not intimidated. He was determined to fight.
The Pandit observed Raju from head to toes, and fixed his gaze on the horns. After a few seconds, the Pandit looked at the crowd and spoke, ‘Dear villagers, you have been asked to assemble here to witness how the Almighty punishes the sinful’. There was a pin-drop silence. The Pandit looked at Raju and asked, ‘Tell me, what have you done that you have landed up in this situation? If you accept your mistakes, the severity of the punishment can be reduced. I will give you 5 minutes, and if you fail to answer by that time, you will be hanged’.
Lakshmi shrieked in horror. She clung to her husband and cried out aloud. She was so shocked at the hostility of the villagers, and the so-called Pandit, that she couldn’t utter a word. Raju comforted her, and turned to the Pandit. ‘As per my knowledge, I have never done anything sinful. If the Almighty thinks I need to be punished, he will punish me. If he thinks I deserve a beautiful life like the rest of you, he will save me’, said Raju in a saintly voice.
At the end of the 5 minutes, the Pandit declared, ‘Raju will be hanged. This should be a lesson for all of us to be free of all sins, and devote one’s life to the Almighty’. He turned to Raju and asked, ‘Do you have a last wish?’ Raju shook his head. The Pandit signaled to a few of the villagers to make arrangements for hanging the culprit.
Raju turned to Lakshmi who looked half-dead. She was weaning and held him tight. He lifted her face with his fingers, and whispered, ‘I love you, dear. You were such an asset to me. I could never imagine a life without you. Be the same cheery-looking girl even after my death. Be bold, and stay away from these morons’.
‘How… how can I.. be… be the same… wi… without you?’ was all Lakshmi could say.Meanwhile, arrangements were made for the heinous act and Raju was summoned on to the stage. Lakshmi collapsed on the ground, half dead. The Pandit’s crew covered Raju’s face with a black cloth and…. FLICKKKKK…. To everyone’s astonishment, Raju’s horns vanished!!!
If you think that was a miracle, it was nothing compared to what happened after that. All the villagers who gathered there, including the Pandit, developed horns!!!! Only Lakshmi did not. There were a lot of cries, shrieks, and protests. At this point, Lakshmi got up and was back to life. She couldn’t believe her eyes. She looked at Raju with a broad smile.
Raju uncovered his face and witnessed the miracle. He knew that the Almighty would rescue him. He touched his scalp to check that his horns had vanished, and ran to his wife in excitement. Both of them tried to escape before anybody noticed them.
The Pandit had to save his face before the villagers. It was only a few minutes before that he had declared that developing horns is a reflection of one’s sins. And now, he himself has developed horns. What would he answer now? He thought for a while, and finally announced, ‘Dear villagers, it’s not our fault that we have horns. Since all of us have them, it is not possible that all of us have committed sins. I am the noblest person in this village, as all of you know. I have devoted my entire life to the Almighty. Hence, developing horns is the Almighty’s way of rewarding noble people like me. I see that all of you fall into the same category. The only ones who don’t have horns are Raju and Lakshmi. So, we have to hang both of them. Are you with me?’

The villagers liked the Pandit’s decision, partly because that gave them protection, and partly because they were afraid of him. They unanimously agreed to his decision.

The Pandit ordered his crew to catch Raju and Lakshmi and summon them. Little did they know that the couple was already on their way to leave the hellhole. They ran for hours together to catch a bus to a city far away from this place. They knew that the Pandit would make a decision in his favor, and convince the stupid villagers into believing it. They started a new life in the new place and worked hard to make a living. All is well that ends well.
Moral of the story:

People always try to save their skin, and blame others.

The society always blames the odd-man-out, even if whatever he does is correct. If everybody does a wrong thing, it becomes acceptable. One beautiful example for this is asking for dowry. Everybody does it, and so everybody thinks it is correct.