THE DREAMS NEVER DIE

DREAMS NEVER DIE

As Vedika entered her office her eyes skimmed through all the cubicles of her office, where her staff was busily working. Her eyes lingered, a few seconds on the last corner cubicle, where Rishi was working. He seemed to be engrossed in his work, eyes fixed on his PC, totally committed.
The office boy opened her Cabin door. As she sat on her chair she sighed deeply thinking of Rishi. She mused, “Poor man, whenever I watch him he seemed to be so committed. Then, what is going wrong in his work?’
Time ticked on and after one hour her senior manager Ravi knocked and entered her cabin. As he sat, she looked at his clouded face and asked, “Yes, Ravi, why are you so worried?”
Ravi hesitated a bit and said, “Mam I am so sorry that I had to bring in the same complaint every time. But this time, the work of Rishi is beyond the limits of my patience. Kindly look at this project he had submitted yesterday”
Saying he opened the file he brought with him and opening a page, put it on the table and pushed it gently towards her. She pulled the file and looked. She could not hide the shock on her face. There were red rounded marks of mistakes all over. It seemed that even he had made a mistake in his addition. She bit her lip in helplessness. She pressed the bell and asked the boy to call Rishi,
Rishi knocked and entered. Looking at the manager seated there, he guessed the message. A bit nervous he said, “Yes Mam?”
Vedika looked at him for a few seconds and then pushed the file towards Rishi. As Rishi looked at the file, she tried her best to keep her voice soft, as she asked, “What is this work Rishi? You are working in this office for the past ten years. Not a fresh graduate! These many mistakes? This is the third time, I am calling you for a warning. Don’t compel me to take some strict action. Please put on your best work”
Rishi picked up the file and glanced at the red marks. He answered in a hardly audible voice, “I am extremely sorry Madam and Sir. I will be carefully hereafter Sir, and will not give room for any complaint”
Vedika looked at him and said, “Ok please do it. Now you can go”
Rishi left the cabin. She looked at her manager and said, “Ravi, Our motive should be to get the job done. We are now getting several orders and we cannot waste our time correcting the files. I think Rishi is having some personnel problems. You know the girl Neeta, who sits next to Rishi? I have seen that she is very brilliant and efficient. Why don’t you share some workload of Rishi with her for the time being, so that the work will be done? We can think of Rishi later on.”
Ravi nodded his head and said, “Good idea Mam. I was giving more load to Rishi because he is a senior employee. Surprisingly he was not so bad earlier Mam. I find his work so poor recently only, maybe for the past four months or so. But as you suggested, I will give the job to Neeta. Thank you” He got up and left the cabin.
By half an hour the lunch break started. This IT Company provided good food for its employees in the canteen. So most of the office became vacant except for a few who brought their own lunch.
Vedika’s food tray was brought in by the canteen boy. After five minutes, she got up and opening the cabin door, looked in the direction of Rishi’s table. He had not gone for lunch but was there, working. She went back to the cabin and called the office boy and told him to call Rishi.
The senior man, who sat at the next table of Rishi, was eating his tiffin when he saw Rishi being called again. He thought heart in heart, even in the lunch break poor fellow was getting firing from the boss.
Prabhu knocked and entered and said, “Yes Mam?” Vedika stared at him and asked softly, “Why you did not go for lunch Rishi?”
Rishi swallowed and murmured, “My job was already incomplete. You are also put in these awkward situations, because of me so…”
Vedika smiled and said, “Rishi, come and sit first. An empty stomach cannot solve any problem” As Prabhu sat in the opposite chair, she served some lunch on the plate and handed it over to him. Said with love, “Prabhu now I am not your boss. I cannot eat when you are starving. I will find a solution for your work very fast. Now eat please” With gentle conversation and smiles, the couple ate their lunch. Soon Rishi left.
Vedika, promoted as senior director was posted to this branch only three months back. As she had still retained her maiden name itself, after her marriage, the staff working here were not aware, that Rishi was her husband. Right when she got the transfer with her promotion to this branch, she told Rishi that, she will request the office for some other branch, as it might be awkward for both of them to work in the same office, where she will be his boss
But Rishi insisted that she should not refuse the transfer as she was in the good books of the management and is likely to get more promotions in near future. He added that since she was working in different branches so far, none of the staff knew, that she was his wife. So they can continue to be strangers in the office and that way it will be fine for both of them.
It was 8.30 PM when Vedika left the office. Rishi had left as usual at 5.00 PM sharp. She got into the car. As the car moved her mind was revolving around Rishi, his work and her compulsion, to be stern with him, which hurt her.
Vedika and Rishi were childhood friends and then college mates in Computer engineering. Rishi was always an average student while Vedika was a brilliant one and always was a topper. But their love for each other never got affected because of it. She never told him any time, to be more serious in his studies at all. Completing Engineering Rishi took a job while Vedika went for her MBA. As both their parents were close friends their marriage happened soon. Even before she finished her MBA, she got an offer for a job by Campus placement. The offer was from the same company as Rishi. She joined at a management level and a different branch.
Years rolled by and she continued to get promoted every second year while Rishi just continued in the same post. Just three months back she came to his branch itself as a senior director.
Rishi was a most loving and understanding husband. He took full care of their twin children. Though she had a full-time maid and a cook he made it a point to drop the children in school, take them to the garden for playing, and attended all the parent’s meetings too.
After this branch posting her workload became so much that many nights she had to work late beyond midnight. The most understanding Rishi told her to work without disturbance and after putting the children to sleep mostly he slept in their room itself.
But, now she found the complaint of his work becoming frequent and the manager Ravi was very annoyed with his work. Ravi himself mentioned today that Rishi’s work was not bad earlier. Then, what could be the reason for the poor performance at his job? She wondered if he is overloaded with the children’s responsibility, taking care of their play, their night dinner and finally putting them to sleep etc. She decided to find a solution to reduce his work at home.
Rishi was surprised when the next morning she told him that she was taking one day off and take some rest at home. He asked with concern if she should go to a doctor for a general check-up of her health. She laughed and said, “Rishi, I just want to chill at home one day, nothing else.” He left for office.
Her office had provided her with a spacious house. There were two guest rooms. She had left one guest room unfurnished as there were already two extra bedrooms. After a long time of thinking, she decided that she will change that second guest room into a regular play area for Table-tennis for the kids and appoint a proper coach for training them. That way some load of Rishi could be reduced. She may also hire one more maid part-time for a night to take care of the kids and put them to sleep.
When she reached the guest room she was surprised to see that it was locked with a lock. None of the rooms in their house was ever locked. As she looked on surprised, the maid volunteered, “Mam this room is used by Sir. He had instructed that no one should enter this room. He keeps it locked”
Vedika was shocked for the first time. She told the maid to look for the duplicate keys bunch. On getting that, she tried various keys and finally opened the room. The room was a bit dark with all its windows closed. She put on the light switch. The sight that met her eyes stunned her and made her breathless,
The whole wall was filled with amazing paintings. They were of all types. Landscape paintings along with lovely girls and babies- all were there. She carefully looked at them, wide-eyed unable to believe her eyes. They were nothing but masterpieces of a seasoned artist. The table nearby was piled with colour mugs and brushes and roll of canvas.
As she turned, the maid said nervously, “Mam, I am really sorry. But Sir had given strict instructions not to inform you and….”
Vedika stopped her in half and asked, “But when did Rishi paint all this? When did he get the time?”
The maid answered, “Mam. After the kids had gone to sleep, he used to come here for painting. I used to make coffee for him. He used to paint until 4.00 AM and then will go to bed”
Vedika said,” It is Ok! Clean this room, and change the drapes” She called her driver and left the house.
Evening when Rishi returned she was waiting for him. He enquired about her health with concern. After their tea, she said, “Rishi I got a surprise for you” She took his hand walked him to his painting room and pushed it open.
Rishi’s eyes popped out as he looked at the neat tidy studio. There was a brand new easel for painting and a table full of fresh paints and brushes. As he looked at her with a confused face she asked, “Rishi, you are such a talented artist and we’re keeping this as a secret from me? How is that right Rishi?”
Rishi stammered, “Vedika, you are not angry with me? You don’t mind me painting?”
Vedika said smiling, “When you are such a wonderful artist, why should I be angry with you. On the other hand, I am so proud that my husband is a great artist. But why were you doing all this secretly?”
He said, “Come and sit. It’s a big story,” He held her hand and both walked to the sofa. Still holding her hand he said, “Vedika, right from school days I was interested in painting, though it was not very serious. While in college, you may remember one friend of ours, Vivek. He was a brilliant artist. I visited his house many times and my passion for painting increased. My father came to know about these visits and one day he gave me a long lecture.
He said,” Rishi, art is all good, but it can belong only to such affluent people. Tomorrow you will be married and you will have a family to take care of. These paintings are not going to earn the bread or a comfortable lifestyle, which you will like to give your family. Instead of such silly ideas concentrate on your studies and try to get good scores like Vedika”
I took the advice seriously and concentrated on my studies. Now a few months back when I was playing with our kids and helping them to draw, with pencils, my dormant desire to paint flared up. Since your posting to this department when I started putting the children to sleep in the night, I started painting. But the desire was so deep that almost throughout the night I painted, but kept it as a secret from you”
Vedika laughed aloud and said, “That is the secret. You remain awake the whole night and was sleeping over your work. How can you function Rishi, without sleeping day after day?”
Rishi laughed sheepishly and said, “Hereafter, I will take care and paint for few hours only and sleep better”
Vedika shook her head strongly and said, “No question! I am not going to allow you to sleep in the kid’s room at all. Hereafter you have to sleep in our bedroom only, so I could keep a watch over you, to see that you sleep properly”
Rishi’s face lost its smile. He said, “But Vedika, how can I not paint at all and …..”
Vedika took out a folder kept on the table and pulled out a Printed sheet, kept ready in the folder and said, “Yes, Rishi sign this. I will hand it over to your manager tomorrow in the office”
As Rishi glanced at the paper, his eyes popped out in surprise and he half screamed, “Resignation? Do you want me to resign from my office job? Why? But then….”
She said smiling, “Yes Rishi, My job is giving us a comfortable income for our family. Hence you can now follow your passion by painting the whole day and taking rest at night by sleeping”
As Rishi looked at her face speechless, she continued, “Your Dad was right at that time. But now you are free to follow your love. Secondly, your paintings are so marvellous, that we might sell them online and who knows, you might become a millionaire!” She burst out laughing.
Rishi moved close to her and hugged her tight and whispered,
“Vedika, you are my angel, God’s precious gift for me”

THE BRIDGE

The breakfast table was ready. Ganga, Mala and Prabhu the husband of Kavi, were there but Kavi herself was missing. Ganga looked around and said,” Prabhu, where is Kavi? She is generally the first at the breakfast table”
Prabhu answered, “She said she has some urgent call to attend. She will join soon” Though he started his breakfast both Mala and Ganga just waited for Kavi. They saw Kavi coming down the stairs, still busy on her cell phone. She smiled at them and covering the cell with her hands said, “Amma, Nani, please start your breakfast. I will join in a minute”
Still talking on her cell phone, she moved to one of the sofas and sat there. The doorbell rang. Immediately, she got up and opened the door. Half a dozen men, clad in a trim suit, looking every inch as senior officers, walked in. There were two policemen with them. As Ganga and Mala looked up at the visitors a little startled, Kavi invited them with a warm welcome and said, “Please come in Sir. That gentleman there is Mr Prabhu, my husband. Please arrest him”
Now it was Prabhu’s turn to get shocked. He jumped up and blabbered, “What arrest? Kavi what is this? Joke or what? Why should I be arrested? For what crime?”
The officers stepped near him and one of them showed the arrest warrant, and said, “Mr Prabhu we are from National Internal security. We arresting you for passing on some confidential information to our Enemy country”
Prabhu’s face turned all red and he fumbled for words and called out to his wife, “Kavi, what is this? Please stop them. You know I am an innocent man and they were wrongly informed?”
Kavi stepped nearer him and said, “Prabhu for your kind information, it was I who had called them. Here is the video proof of your copying data from my PC in the night” and turning to the officer she handed the camera and his laptop and said “Sir, you will get all the evidence here” The officers collected everything.
“Prabhu for every one of us, our country comes first. Anyone against the country is our enemy. Officers, please take him away”
Prabhu was taken away and she calmly locked the door and came back to the table. She looked at her mother and grandma and said, “I am sorry. I am sure you two will not agree with my action of getting my own husband arrested. He is a criminal and deserved punishment”
Mala asked calmly, “How did you find out about his activities, Kavi?”
Kavi was silent for some time. The betrayal of her own trusted husband, hurt her more than his arrest. She swallowed and said, “Amma for the past few days I was curious that he always used to say he had work to complete and use to work after I went to bed. You know that my job is connected with the Government confidential files, which are classified.
One day I woke up from sleep and found Prabhu trying to crack the password of my PC. Then next day I purposely left my PC open with some fake documents and watched him copying it, thinking that I was asleep. So the next day, I set up the Video camera and recorded his night activity and got him arrested.”
Ganga sighed and said, “It is so hard to believe that such a calm looking man could turn out to be a traitor”
Mala got up and said, “The breakfast had all gone cold. I don’t think any of us could eat it now. I will make some fresh coffee and bring” She left the room.
Kavi moved to a chair very near Ganga and holding her hand tenderly said, “Nani, I know that this arrest had shocked you. Your generation believed that the husband is the one called, “Pathi-Paremeshwar” and we should always toe his line. But I belong to a generation where we girls have, the education and courage, to stand by the truth, and not be weak to cling on to the bonds of relations and associated emotions! I am so sorry, but the generation gap between us is a deep chasm”
Before Nani could answer, Mala came with a tray of coffee mugs and said, “Kavi, generations have nothing to do with women’s courage. You just hear the story of your mother from your Nani to know that even 40 years ago how I stood up bravely and firmly against an entire village and its Panchayat. Amma, will you tell Kavi about that story?”
Ganga said, “Let us all finish our coffee before it gets cold and then I will tell you the story of Mala, your mother”
Kavi bubbling with excitement said, “I will gulp my coffee. A story about my mother which I did not know for so many days? So exciting”
Ganga started, “Your Grandfather was a Jamindar owning a large area of fields and crops. Just as you would have read in stories, he was the very limit of cruelty and the whole village was frightened of him. When my son, your father, returned after his good education I thought he will at least be a good man, but sadly he proved me wrong. Though I indirectly heard some gossip about him, no one dared to come and report to me. Then when he did this to your mother, just a 14-year-old girl, she stood up against the village boldly and called for the Panchayat for justice. But the Panchayat was such a fake one and they dismissed the case saying that there was no eyewitness of Mala being dragged by the junior Jamindar and said that she was falsely accusing him.”
Kavi, with anger bursting in her voice, exclaimed, “Oh, God! That dirty fellow was my father?” Ganga now started wiping her tears unable to talk.
Ruku, a maid who lived with them, and was hearing the story so far continued, “You know beta, that day night your Nani pleaded, begged your father and grandfather, to stop these activities and asked your father to marry Mala. The father and son duo unfazed by the shame laughed and said, “Ma in that case half of the village will be your daughter-in-law’s” Your grandmother could not stop crying.
But the next day morning both father and son, going to the next village for some work, met with an accident. Their bullock card upturned, fell into a valley, and both were brought home in a seriously wounded condition. Your Nani told the Panchayat that her son was regretting his deed, had agreed to marry Mala. A letter written with his thumbprint was shown as proof. The next day your mother was married to the wounded man. This marriage was needed as the entire property was willed against Junior. Now Mala became the rightful owner of the entire property. After three days both father and son died. Your Nani sold all the property and moved here to Mumbai.”
Mala continued, “I wrote my SSC externally and passed it by the time you were born. Then I joined college, and later got a job in college itself, all due to the courage of your grandma”.
Kavi went and hugged Ganga and said, “You are great! So actually you are my Dadi. Hats off to both of you and Mama” Ganga turned and looked at Ruku, who was watching them. An eye signal and a silent message were understood by both of them. At night, as Ruku went to bed she thought of the last part of a story that was left untold.
That night Ganga was crying painfully. Ruku knew that both father and son were going to travel the next morning. She waited till midnight. She got up softly and went near the parked bullock cart. Using all her strength, she pulled and unscrewed the axis nail of the cart 80percent out. She was now sure that halfway through the journey, the wheel will come out and there will be an accident.
When she turned to come in, she saw Ganga standing at the steps near the door and watching her action. As she nervously looked up Ganga said softly. “Lock the door softly and go to bed” She turned and went back to her bed. The next day, they got the news of the accident.
Ganga smiled to herself as she thought about Kavi and mused “This secret of the axis of the cart, remained between Ruku and her, till today. Women are not weak at any time and there is no generation gap when they stand up and fight for justice. It was not just for Mala, but so many girls of the village were saved by Ruku’s action.”

THE TINY DROPS OF LIFE

As the rain comes rolling down
Large streams pour out of the clouds
Hugging the whole world with its arms
The Rain quenches the thirst of the earth

Among these huge downpours of water
Some little drops sing along to fall
Jumping out of the clouds, they come
Get scattered all over the wide earth

Some drops fall on the dried rocks
Some fall on the lush green crops
Some swings on the petal of a flower
But alas! Some fall in a dirty gutter

But the drop feels no worry or remorse
As to where it is finally landing today,
If it is Ganges or the dirty, gutter
It just finishes its duty, to fall and move

Drops either from buildings, or mountain
They all rush down, finally on the ground
Every drop knows, their final destination
Is not different, but the same deep ocean

Life puts us in different strata of life
Few riches on top, few poor on the ground
But life is just meant to do your duty sincerely
All our soul merges finally under His embrace