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    There was once a young thief who stole some mango seeds of a good variety and sowed it in his backyard and started nourishing them with water and manure. Thereafter, he started making plans, that after some years, when the trees grow up, he’ll sell the mangoes every season, and stop his deceitful business of thievery, and along with that he will also do something respectable. But in the meantime he thought, he’ll continue with his thievery as he had no other option for the present.

    Happy with his plans, every now and then when he came home at odd hours he made it a point to measure the height of the plants in the backyard by standing next to them. The increase in the height of the plants gave him joy. He felt days are not far, when he’ll be out of this treacherous and risky business of thievery. One day when he returned home after a long gap he figured out that the plants had turned into mini trees and had attained his height. He was exuberant at this feeling and the breath taking sight of his mango trees equalling his height.

    Time flew as it would. The thief was now making a lot of money. He soon developed contacts with many politicians and government officials.  He became rich and powerful by committing crimes for them, who in turn, protected him, from getting caught. During this period, the mango trees, had also grown and the backyard had turned into, a small mango orchard. One day when the trees delivered their first crop it reminded the thief of his promise that the time had come to give up thievery but the thief felt it was now impossible for him to return to an honest life.

    With the passage of time the thief only grew taller and taller in the world of crime, and didn’t remain a mere thief.  He had by now become an extortionist, and even a murderer. He now had the political patronage of many politicians and government officers. But then, there remained that strong sense of guilt in him, whenever, he saw the mango orchard—that kept reminding him of his crimes, as he had promised the trees, that he’ll give up thievery as and when the first mango fruit, sprouted out of them. The trees on the other hand were happy, that the time had come, to return favours, to their master. Once or twice, the thief, did have the mangoes from his trees but then he was always loaded with a sense of guilt, that he had not kept up to his promise of leaving thievery. The thief on the contrary, now had, no intention of leaving his dirty business for he was now rolling in power and pelf.

    There came a time when the powerful thief no more enjoyed the sight of the mango trees. They reminded him of his broken promise. They started irritating him. Guiltily, one day he called a wood cutter, and got, all the trees cut, so that they don’t remind him of his guilt anymore, and he dumped the wood in the same backyard that had turned into an orchard.

    Though, the thief had cut the trees and dumped the wood in the backyard he could never forget the sweet mangoes. They kept returning to him in his dreams like a child, reminding him yet about his unfulfilled promise, but unfortunately, the thief by now, was riding a tiger. Finally, one day when the thief had all the money and power to himself he decided to leave the world of crime in the endeavour, to fulfil his promise, but by then, the world of crime was not prepared to leave him and the same politicians and officials who were earlier his friends got him eliminated so that he doesn’t let out, the dark secrets, of the crime world, and the discarded wood of the mango trees lying in his backyard alone, cremated his, crime laden mortal remains.

    Moral of the story: It is very easy to enter the chakravyuh, of the world of crime but extremely difficult to come out of it safe and sound. Nature keeps reminding us of our deeds and misdeeds in the form of ‘mangoes’ and the ‘wood’ in very subtle manners but we only need to catch the subtle signals.

Written by Kamlesh Tripathi

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers that includes both children and adults and it has a huge variety in terms of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate for the cause. The bank details are given below:

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GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 7 prestigious libraries of the US, including, Harvard University and Library of Congress. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in Libraries and archives of Canada and Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai)  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity. That happens to be the undying characteristics of Lucknow. The book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival of 2014. It is included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K.)

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)

TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN

(Is a story of an Indian Salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his ways through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10^th February, 2018 in Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

RHYTHM … in poems

(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day to day life. The book is available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

MIRAGE

(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories. It is available in Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)

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