Copyright@shravancharitymission

    It is office hours. Rush time and in the morning. The traffic is really heavy. Looks, as if, entire India is on the move and with that, India’s GDP too. Perhaps, it’ll go up substantially today. So will the sensex. But the very first few indications on the mobile say. Sensex is wobbling. Just like the morning hour traffic. It’ll settle and shoot up, maybe, after, traffic hours. Say towards the afternoon. Mind, as usual is filled with a lot of clutter, that keeps fogging me. There is always so much to do and so much to improve. But, where do I begin and where do I end.  

    Thank God, boss is not in town, today. O Jesus! … It’s already nine thirty. He might call anytime, on the office land line. Arrey! where is this idiot Ramesh. He still hasn’t given me the data. Without it, how do I prepare the power-point, for boss’s meeting tomorrow? Mobile rings—it’s a call from home. ‘Hello! Just, thought, of reminding you. Don’t forget, to pull out the cash, for Diwali shopping’—that was my evergreen wife. See the trust. The call is over, even without, my saying a word.

    Mobile beeps. There is a whatsapp message. This could be the routine good morning, from Shashi. Arrey what is so good about the morning. It is the same old, Ram kahani. Sala kuch bhi nahi badalta hai is Hindustan mein. Mobile rings again … O—O boss.

    ‘Good morning, sir!’

    ‘Morning Anand, have you got the data from Ramesh?’

    ‘No sir.’

    ‘Speak to him. Drop my name. I need both the data and the power-point first thing, tomorrow morning.’ the call is over.

    Arrey yaar. I forgot to recite hanuman chalisa today. ‘Jai hanuman gyan gun sagar … Mobile rings, yet again. This time it is Ramesh. ‘Arrey yaar when are you giving me that data? Boss called for it just now.’

  ‘I’m carrying it to the office. It’s nothing great. You can’t prove a thing with it.’

   I restart my hanuman chalisa. Suddenly, the traffic light goes green. The car in front refuses to move. But the rear one is honking full blast. It appears, he has a greater stake in India’s prosperity than anyone of us. He tries to prove it, by honking. I’m about to complete my chalisa.

   O God! What is this life? God retorts, ‘this alone is life.’ I put my car in gear. It slides into motion. When, Lord Hanuman says, ‘bye—bye, see you tomorrow. I’ll take the aerial route. As I need to remind others, too, about their Hanuman chalisa. They are ahead of you and on this very road. Even Durga and Mahadev are doing the same. Bhakts are under a lot of work pressure. No time.’ I remember Mom. Dad can be remembered later. I’m starved of time.

    My stomach churns—‘breakfast!!’ I remember its lying on the seat behind. It’ll now have to wait till I reach office.

    I raise the volume. The RJ is once again there. To tell me how exciting life is. She connects with me every morning like a soul mate. Plays a few peppy numbers for me, to, rev up my mood. By the time I reach office I’m all perked up. When, I’m sucked in for the day. And why only the day, it is day after day.

   And that’s life.  

*

By Kamlesh Tripathi

*

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

*

Share if you like it

*

Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases. Should you wish to donate for the cause the bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

*

Our publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(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

(Archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2014)

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. Book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)

(CAN BE BOUGHT FROM ON LINE BOOK STORES OR WRITE TO US FOR COPIES)

*****