the wandering fakir
reached a village
and sat under a big tree
on the outskirts!
--
he looked around
and saw fields loaded with crops
swaying with the wind
birds playing in the air
and early morning sun
spraying its warm shine!
--
it was so refreshing...
the fakir was very tired
after walking miles
since his previous abode!
--
he put down his stick
spread his worn out shawl
on the grass under the tree
lied down
and slipped into deep sleep!
--
a boy passing by
saw the fakir sleeping under the tree
and told his mother on reaching home.
the mother told her husband.
the man immediately informed his neighbourer.
both immediately went to the house of the village sarpanch.
soon, over a hundred men, women and children gathered!
the restless gushing river of the villagers
started moving towards the sea of blessing!
--
a fakir had visited
the haunted village
after a long long time!
the village was prosperous
but sans happiness!
everyone in the village was healthy
there was enough water in the village
and
fresh air
food
and milk
but no happiness!!
symbols of well-being
had filled every home.
many youth from the village
had got top jobs
in government and in the corporate world!
wealth was being ploughed back into the village,
but somehow
everyone in the village
young and elderly
men and women
was stung by
unhappiness!
--
the wave of the jinxed villagers
encircled the tree
under which the tired fakir
lay asleep
with face lit with
enlightenment!
--
everyone looked at the sarpanch
who whispered
"let's wait till the great soul rests!"
-
an hour and half passed
everyone kept standing with folded hands
waiting for the good-luck messenger to wake-up!
--
and then
he woke up!
--
when he looked around
he saw the wall
of unhappy faces
standing in front of him
the fakir!
--
he smiled...
and his smile magnetically attracted
the god's sad children!
--
the sarpanch touched the fakir's feet.
fruit and milk were offered to the holy soul!
--
the fakir blessed them all
and asked for the reason of their coming!
--
"o holy soul!
bless this village
for this village is jinxed!
everyone is prosperous
but seems to have lost their happiness
everyone seems to have forgotten the art of being happy!
nobody knows how to be happy
in these times
when everything around is full of stress, falsehood and pain!
o holy soul! pl tell us
where has the happiness vanished!
it is nowhere to be seen around!"
--
the fakir looked carefully at every face in the crowd
picked up his shawl
took his stick in hand
and started to walk towards the fields!
--
the sarpanch started walking briskly after him
followed by the wave of melancholic faces!
--
the fakir entered a big field
loaded with the ripe crops
of vegetables and fruits!
--
everyone behind him stopped
and stood in rapt attention.
they knew
the fakir had a message ready for them
which might put an end to their sorrow!
--
the fakir pointed towards the soil of the field
and asked
"what's that!"
"that's soil, o noble soul!"
"what's its colour?"
"muddy!" replied the perplexed village sarpanch!
"what's that?"
"that's a tomato, o saint!"
"what's its colour?"
"red" the sarpanch got confused further!
"what's that?"
"it is a ladyfinger, o blessed soul!"
"what's its colour?"
"green!"
"what's that?"
"onion, my saviour!"
"how does it taste?"
"bitter!"
"what's over there?"
"mangoes! o great teacher!"
"what's its taste?"
"sweeter than the sugar!"
"have you ever put soil in your mouth? how does it taste?"
the sarpanch was totally blown out!
he couldn't reply.
"what are those?" the fakir continued asking.
"oranges! o great spirit!"
"what's inside them?"
"the oranges are loaded with juice!"
--
the fakir turned his head
and looked staright into the sarpanch's eyes!
and smiled!
the sarpanch was still clueless!
the fakir looked at the mankind behind the sarpanch.
they too were silent like a rock!
--
and then
the fakir asked them all
"if the soil is muddy
where did the tomato get its brilliant red colour from?
if the soil is soiled
where did the ladyfingers get their bright velvet green colour from?
if the soil tastes terrible
where did the mangoes get there sweetness!
if the mangoes got their sweetness from the soil
where from did the onions get their bitterness?
if all the soil has
is muddy water
where did the oranges get their juice from?"
--
two hundred eyes
and one hundred minds
stood shocked
on hearing those words!
--
"o dear villagers
your life and the world around you
is like your soil
and you are like its plants!
joy or sorrow
sweetness or bitterness
tears or smiles
juice or dryness
red or green
all colours
all tastes
good or bad
are always there in it!
it is what you see!
it is what you seek!
it is what you attract!
it is what you accept
that decides
what colour you turn
what taste you become
what juice you carry!"
--
saying these immortal words
the fakeer
turned back
pierced thru the liberated souls
and walked away
into the woods
for the next village!
