I was on tour to Suratgarh in the summer of 1994. After spending 2 days in this border town, I had 4 hours to while away as I waited for the night bus for Delhi.
I walked around for some time and settled down under a tree. I felt restless and started walking again.I could see a young girl approaching from a distance. As she got closer, she asked,"Are you a visitor?" I nodded. She repeated her query. I nodded again. She gave me a blank look.
I looked at her face and realised she was blind. To make up for my indifference, I started a conversation with her. Time flew as she spoke incessantly about her life. I took her leave unwillingly only when it was time to board the bus.
She kept me spellbound with her story. She said, "I lost my eyesight when I was 3 and a half years old after an illness. I satrted living in the world of four senses where it was not the flood of sunshine streaming through the window or the colours of the rainbow that mattered, but the feel of the sun against the skin, the slow drizzling sound of the spattering rain. When I was 6 years old, I was sent tot the school for the blind to study."
I left my address with Uttara. During my overnight journey back to Delhi, I could not sleep and kept thinking of the remarkable girl I had met. I was moved by her resolve and the way she viewed her handicap I wondered why she had asked for my address and guilt gnawed at me. "I should have offered her some help. Why did not I?" I asked myself. I could not face my selfishness. I had never prayed, but that night as the bus sped through deserted townships, I felt like stooping to the unknown omnipotence. I mumbled, "Let there be light in Uttara's life. Let her resolve succeed."
I had almost forgotten about Uttara and her reslove till one evening last year, an envelope was waiting for me, when I returned from work. It was from the National School of the Blind. I was curious and opened the envelope quickly. A small typed letter in English took me by surprise.
It read : "It was 12 years ago in the summer of 1994 at Suratgarh. I still remember you. Do you remember how you prayed for me that night? I am grateful ; your prayers have come true. If this letter reaches you, tell me how I can reach you. My story has moved slowly but surely. I am now a research assistant at the National School of the Blind. I am doing my Masters and teaching students."
I slumped in my deck chair and took it in. I wondered how she knew that I had prayed. The only time I did, was in the dead of night, in a moving bus 12 years ago, with my fellow travellers dozing. How did Uttatra know? Did she have a sixth sense? I remained lost in thought the rest of the evening. The night was no better. I remained restless in bed.
I woke up in the morning, looking for an answer. I decided to skip office and meet Uttara.
Please forward this story to any 10 friends......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU!
itz good....
ReplyDeleteYOUR MEMORY SEEMS TO BE SHARPER THAN ABHIMANYU
ReplyDeletePresently you are a student of class X in TATA DAV public school in Sonadih, your age must be around 15/16 years and you write that :- “I was on tour to Suratgarh in the summer of 1994...................”
In 1994 you must be around 2/3 months old !!!