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Once an aged bird named Mithoo returned to his village after a long time. There he was warmly greeted by his family and friends. But then he was appearing quite tired and worn out. So, a friend of his asked him, ‘What’s the matter dear friend you’re looking quite drained out? Is everything fine with you?’
Mithoo smirked but remained quiet. Meanwhile, some other prominent members of the bird community came and perched near Mithoo on the branches of the adjacent tree rooted on the banks of the flowing river. They were all too happy to see Mithoo. Mithoo too was equally delighted to meet them.
Soon the bright sun dropped below the horizon and it started getting dark. After a fruity meal, the village birds retired for the day. Mithoo too, after merrily splashing in the river and nibbling some fruits and grains retired for the night. The village birds were rather dejected at the physical and mental condition of Mithoo who was once a very chirpy and lively character.
In the morning Mithoo was up at the crack of dawn. He flew over the village a couple of times and was happy to see children playing, women getting busy with their daily chores and men heading to their farms. He then went to the river and had a dip there. He was feeling revived now. Thrilled, he again flew over the village, celebrating his independence. He soared to the sky and came down and went up again.
Meanwhile, the birds were a little surprised at the sudden surge of energy in Mithoo as compared to the previous evening. They were unable to reconcile to the fact as to how he was soaring to such great heights when only yesterday he was looking chronically ill and fatigued.
Mithoo, in the meanwhile was feeling blessed for a change. He went and perched on the tree, next to the temple. There he could recognise a few human faces. They were the same faces whom he used to notice almost every day before he left for the city but the faces had matured by now. He knew they won’t recognise him because he is a bird. He also recognised the cows in the barn and the mongrels in the narrow lanes of the village. They too had grown old just like him. Mithoo happily continued with his merry routine for a couple of days more.
Meanwhile, the birds in the village were flabbergasted at the jolly behaviour of Mithoo. A friend, one day, hesitatingly asked Mithoo, ‘When are you going back to the city?’
Mithoo’s expression suddenly changed. His complexion paled and he turned gloomy. The friend suddenly realised he had touched Mithoo’s raw nerve. He quickly queried. ‘Did I ask anything that I shouldn’t have asked my dear Mithoo?’
Mithoo appeared lifeless. He said to his friend, I’m not going back to the city anymore.’
‘But I hear the city is full of beautiful things. All the rich and mighty only stay there. There are tall buildings, metros, flyovers, cars, trams, buses and whatnot.’ Said the friend.
That is exactly the reason why I’m not returning to the city anymore because I’m unable to fly in a straight line there, on account of the tall buildings. They obstruct my flight. They are so tall that I neither can fly over them nor can I fly straight because of them so I have to fly in a zig-zag manner between them and that has given me a backache resulting in ill-health. There is a nagging pain in my back because of this zig-zag flying and I’m ageing too. On the contrary, I feel so free here. See, how well, I’ve been flying here in a straight line … and up and down without any obstruction and my pain has also reduced.
The moral of the story: Towering constructions and skyscrapers obstruct the flight of birds. The birds can neither fly over them each time nor can they fly in a straight line because of them so they have to fly around them. It won’t be possible for human beings to do away with such monolithic construction but the narration only highlights how tall buildings obstruct the flight of birds and how conveniently we human beings have encroached on the aerial space of birds without an iota of guilt.
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Story 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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Our Publications
GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE
(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 8 prestigious libraries of the US that includes Harvard College Library; Harvard University Library; Library of Congress; University of Washington, Seattle; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Yale University, New Haven; University of Chicago; University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill University Libraries. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in libraries and archives of Canada, Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida; India. Shoolini University, Yogananda Knowledge Center, Himachal Pradesh and Azim Premzi University, Bangalore).
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; Available for reading in Indian National Bibliography, March 2016, in the literature section, in Central Reference Library, Ministry of Culture, India, Belvedere, Kolkata-700022)
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 characteristic of Lucknow. The book was launched in the Lucknow International Literary Festival of 2014. It is included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K; Herrick District Library, Holland and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, USA; Black Gold Cooperative Library Administration, Arroyo Grande, California).
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 at Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2016)
TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN
(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his way through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February 2018 at Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)
RHYTHM … in poems
(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day-to-day life. A few poems from the book have been published in Shillong Times, Bandra Times and Bhavan’s Journal. The book is available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)
MIRAGE
(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories available in Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)
AWADH ASSAM AND DALAI LAMA … The Kalachakra
(The story of the man who received His Holiness The Dalai Lama and his retinue in 1959 as a GOI representative when he fled Tibet in 1959. The book was launched on 21st November 2022 by His Holiness The Dalai Lama at Dharmshala. The title is archived in the library of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) Government of Tibet, Tibet Policy Institute (TPI) and the personal library of His Holiness. The title is also archived in The Ohio Digital Library, USA).
BHAVANS JOURNAL
Short stories, Book reviews and Articles published in Bhavan’s Journal: 1. Reality and Perception, 15.10.19; 2. Sending the Wrong Message, 31.5.20; 3. Eagle versus Scholars June, 15 & 20 2020; 4. Indica, 15.8.20; 5. The Story of King Chitraketu, August 31 2020; 6. Breaking Through the Chakravyuh, September 30 2020. 7. The Questioning Spouse, October 31, 2020; 8. Happy Days, November 15, 2020; 9. The Karma Cycle of Paddy and Wheat, December 15, 2020; 10. Power Vs Influence, January 31, 2021; 11. Three Refugees, March 15, 2021; 12. Rise and Fall of Ajatashatru, March 31, 2021; 13. Reformed Ruler, May 15, 2021; 14. A Lasting Name, May 31, 2021; 15. Are Animals Better Teachers? June 16, 2021; 16. Book Review: The Gram Swaraj, 1.7.21; 17. Right Age for Achievements, 15.7.21; 18. Big Things Have Small Beginnings, 15.8.21; 19. Where is Gangaridai?, 15.9.21; 20. Confront the Donkey Within You 30.9.21; 21. Know Your Strengths 15.10.21; 22. Poverty 15.11.21; 23. Top View 30.11.21; 24. The Bansuriwala 15.1.22; 25. Sale of Alaska 15.2.22; 26. The Dimasa Kingdom 28.2.22; 27. Buried Treasure 15.4.22; 28. The Kingdom of Pragjyotisha 30.4.22; 29. Who is more useful? 15.5.22; 30. The White Swan from Lake Mansarovar 30.6.22; 31. Bhool Bhulayya 15.9.22; 32. Good Karma 30.9.22; 33. Good Name vs Bad Name 15.10.22; 34. Uttarapath—The Grand Trunk Road 1.12.22; 35. When Gods Get Angry 1.1.23; 36. Holinshed’s Chronicles 15.1.23; 37. Theogony 15.2.23; 38. Poem: Mother 14.5.23; 39. THE NAG MANDIR;
SUNDAY SHILLONG TIMES
ARTICLES & POEMS: 1. POEM: HAPPY NEW YEAR 8.1.23; 2. POEM: SPRING 12.3.23; 3. POEM: RIGHT AND WRONG 20.3.23; 4. THE GUSH OF EMOTION—WRITING, 26.3.23; 5. THE NAG MANDIR, 7.5.23; 6. POEM: MOTHER 7.5.23; 7. POEM: RAIN RAIN;
BANDRA TIMES, MUMBAI
ARTICLES & POEMS: 1. POEM SPRING, 1.4.23; POEM MOTHER, 1.6.23;
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