LONELY HEART’S FRUIT OF ANGUISH

LONELY HEART’S FRUIT OF ANGUISH 

By Bharat P.Bedi

This is a story of Destiny creating opportunity for a Noble cause from the highly insensitive & irresponsible attitude of one person creating pain, anguish, turmoil in the life of a pious decent person. Please don’t miss the end.

Sushil, a young 27 year old American of Indian parents, was on a business trip to India. He had never been to India & he had no inclination or attachment towards India, his parent’s motherland. Business interest has forced him to come to India to meet a supplier’s manufacturing facility in a far flung area away from the city. It was dark when Sushil finished work & left the manufacturing unit.

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Sushil’s hired cab was the only vehicle on the empty pitch dark desolate stretch of road. Sushil was engrossed in his laptop. Suddenly the driver braked & Sushil was hurled forward. In the still darkness, the sound of screeching tyres was very deafening. When Sushil looked up, apart from the headlights, he saw darkness around him. The driver looked worried as he informed Sushil that the road was blocked by boulders & tree trunks. There seemed to be no help around so Sushil & driver decided to clear the road.

Suddenly 4 to 5 persons emerged from the darkness armed with sticks & knives & surrounded Sushil’s vehicle. Making loud scary noises they started banging on the car with their weapons & gesticulating to Sushil to come out of the car. Terrified, Sushil & driver frantically tried to call police’s emergency no. but with no success as there was no network. Sushil was rueing his decision to visit India in spite of his Mother’s advice. Helpless & terrified, Sushil was about to open the car door when he saw another group of people, armed with lathis/sticks, coming towards the car. Seeing them the looters surrounding the car panicked & fled.

Sushil was amazed to see his rescuers. It was a group of aged persons armed with sticks & rods. They asked the driver to follow them towards a big house. The place was in darkness but looked like a big tenement inhabited by old people. He was greeted in the house by a kurta pyjama clad dignified senior person. He introduced himself as Ajit, Caretaker of Anand Ashram. A nervous & shaken Sushil was escorted by Ajit to a sofa.

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Sushil & his driver were served refreshment. Sushil was getting very intrigued by the surrounding. Ajit guessed Sushil’s uneasiness & informed Sushil that this is an Ashram for old persons & destitute children. He further informed Sushil that they heard the commotion & came to his rescue. Feeling better, Sushil inquired about the existence & operation of the Ashram.

Ajit informed Sushil that this Ashram is the brainchild of his old friend late Hansraj, a retired person. Hansraj was in a very bad mental state after his wife, Rani’s, death. Hansraj’s only son was settled abroad & he had no time to come & perform his mother’s last rites. This irresponsible & selfish behaviour of his son was a shock to Hansraj. Hansraj was very dejected & was slipping into depression. Hansraj was alone & he saw his planned life crumbling in front of his eyes. Hansraj pulled himself up & decided that he will not leave his assets to benefit his son but utilise it to benefit those who really need it. Hansraj thought it was better to live life with a purpose than to live a resigned life waiting for death.

Idea of this Ashram came from observing our group of senior citizens. Most of us were single or living away from our children. To pass time we would gather in our local garden for a walk to keep ourselves fit as well as pass our time. Hansraj’s unique aim was:

1. This ashram was for able senior citizens, male & female, who were for varied reasons living alone in the city.

2. Hansraj conceptualized it as a place where loners can get companion & friends by staying in a gated colony.

3. He further visualized that they should start an orphanage where destitute children should be adopted by the Ashram.

4. Every able individual inhabitant of the Ashram will take care & will be responsible for proper growth of the child as a guardian.

4. This way the loner will get a purpose in life & the child will get proper upbringing.

5. The other purpose of this concept was that the knowledge of senior persons can be gainfully utilised for the benefit of the orphaned child. 

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Interrupting Ajit’s narrative Sushil asked who or how was finance arranged to build such a huge setup. Ajit informed Sushil that Hansraj liquidated all his movable assets to buy a piece of land away from the city to build a multi room residential tenement. It was conceptualised on the old Pagdi/Chawl system but with no ownership right on the property to the tenants/members. Only food & other maintenance charges were collected on monthly basis. Initially it was a small set up & it grew gradually.

Sushil inquired how a single person could manage to get people interested to this concept. Ajit said that Hansraj would regularly take few of us to the site to see how the work was progressing. This became a regular affair & we would eagerly wait for a visit as it was like a paid picnic. Our regular visits had helped in getting us very attached to the place. During this period we got the tragic news that one of our friend, who stayed alone, had expired. The most disturbing part was our friend’s death was discovered by their neighbours 3 days after his death. This incident jolted us & brought us face to face with reality of our life. This helped some of us getting favourably inclined towards Hansraj’s concept.

Sushil was getting very interested in the concept. He asked Ajit about the day to day finance of the ashram & its affairs. Ajit informed Sushil that Hansraj had financed the construction. Those who intended to reside in the Ashram would have to pay for their food & upkeep. Every resident had to pay Rs.15,000/- pm for food, maintenance of residential premises, laundry & other basic necessity like regular medical check-up. This amount of Rs.15,000/- pm was much cheaper than the cost of living alone in the City. We were assured of constant companionship, care & a life of dignity with a purpose.

Sushil was amazed how everything could be managed in just Rs.15,000/- pm per individual. Ajit explained that this concept was based on good aspects of Joint Family system. It worked on benefits & economy of:  

1. Income coming from all capable members.

2. One common kitchen catering to all the members. This helps in lesser wastage.

3. Optimisation of resources by having common laundry & house- keeping facility.

4. Better mental health leads to better physical wellbeing. This is the result of living in an atmosphere where we are assured of love & attention of fellow members.

5. There is a sense of assurance that someone will take care of others health & short comings or take care of unfinished work.

6. This system also helped Orphans/destitute children to get a senior citizen as grandparent to inculcate in them the real values of life.

7. Most of daily requirement of vegetables & dairy products was  fulfilled by in house product cultivation.

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In awed tone Ajit told Sushil that all this planning & execution was worked out by a very disturbed & agitated mind of Hansraj. All this was possible thanks to selfish, self-centred & irresponsible son of Hansraj. Hansraj & Rani’s life revolved around their only son. They struggled, strived & saved for their son’s future. All their hopes were dashed when their son never bothered about them after he settled abroad. Final straw was when Hnasraj’s son could not come to perform last rites of his mother. Hansraj then decided to utilize his assets for helping needy as he felt that his son did not deserve to inherit his hard earned accumulated assets. 

Ajit said that the day this project got completed there was a serene glow of satisfaction on the face of Hansraj. Hansraj looked relaxed & relieved for the first time since the death of his wife Rani. It seemed that he had achieved purpose to a disturbed wasteful existence in this life. 

Discussion was so engrossing that Sushil & Ajit realised that it was dawn when sunlight brightened the room they were sitting in. In the sunlight, an old couple’s framed photograph was visible to Sushil. Sushil got up to have a closer look at the photograph. Sushil was astonished to read the name on the frame. Seeing Sushil’s reaction Ajit informed Sushil that the person in the photograph is the Patron of this setup. In a surprised tone Sushil informs Ajit that he shares the same surname as that of Hansraj & Rani. In an inquiring tone, Sushil asks Ajit the name of Hansraj’s son. Ajit informs him that  Hansraj’s son’s name is Vishwas.

Hearing this Sushil covers his face in astonishment & staggers back to take a seat. Worried, Ajit tries to guide Sushil to a seat & inquires about his health. Sushil assures Ajit & asks for permission to make a video call. Sushil calls his father & shows him the photograph of Hansraj & Rani. Sushil questions his father about the identity of Hansraj & Rani. Sushil is shocked to hear from his father that Hansraj & Rani are his grandparents.

After regaining his composure, Sushil informs Ajit that destiny has played a crucial role in leading him to this place. Ajit looks at Sushil in bewilderment. Sushil informs Ajit that he is the grandson of Hansraj & Rani. Sushil says that it seems that his trip to India, being attacked near this Ashram & rescued by Ashram’s inmates was all predestined to bring him to his grandparents presence.

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Ajit was amazed at the turn of events & informed Sushil that when his grandparents got the news of his birth they were very happy but simultaneously they were sad that they could only see you through video call & not hold you in their hands & play with you. Ajit sighs & says that today your grandparents would be very happy to see you in front of them. Looking at his grandparent’s photo, Sushil gave a wistful smile as if in a silent dialogue with them.

 Click the link below to read all Poems in Prose n Poems blog  https://prosenpoems30.blogspot.com/search/label/Poems

Click the link below to read Pictorial Book of Poems "MOOD N MUSINGS" in Prose n Poems https://prosenpoems30.blogspot.com/search/label/MOODS%2