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Saumya Pathak*
The story is fictional. This story sets on the ghats of Varanasi. The story revolves around an eleven-year-old boy, wheat complexion, normal not so fancy clothes named Kashi and his family. Kashi’s family is from lower cast family who washerman and washerwoman where Kashi runs a small shop where he sells candies, chocolates, and some general groceries.
SCENE :1
Varanasi is a city where cultural, ritual and Hindutva dominance is very high, people with lower background and low casts are not given that equal privilege and importance. Kashi everyday sees brahmin children especially boys who are constantly learning about how to do artis and yajnas and hawans, he aspires the same but due to caste barrier he is not allowed to do that although there is no barrier in worshipping and offering anything to God but Kashi can never become the Mahapandit who do Ganga Arti. Boys of brahmin family who have been taught this since childhood which triggers Kashi to ask his parents why is he born in this family? Every time he questions this, his parents always reply that no one is superior in terms of ‘Jati’ but because of Karmas, everyone us equal in god’s eye. You shall continue doing good karma in order to attain the righteousness of God, like your maa baba does. See we wash tons of clothes daily in ganga river, people from all around the world come here to seek blessings and we help them by purifying the clothes by washing the clothes. God will bless us one day. See how hardworking your baba is! Besides washing the clothes, he clean the ghats too, collet all garbage, put it into the sack and threw so far. These karmas make us superior not our caste. Kashi then asked God,” how will he know god is with him and blessing him”.
SCENE:2
One day a couple visits Kashi’s shop and asked for a packet of matchsticks and diyas, but they said they do not have money. Kashi replied that without money he cannot give them the stuff they wanted; the couple further requested the child. Kashi then remembered her mother’s words to do good deeds, he then humbly handed over the stuff to that unknown couple.
SCENE:3
Kashi’s mother and father are very beloved at ghats as they not only do wash but sometimes, they guide the tourists too. They have amiable behaviour and help everyone. On observing that, boatmen and guide of ghats thought they are trying to take their place and profession. They burst into rebellion and started conspiring how to remove them from the ghats to secure the job. The boatmen then approached the Mahapandit who was meditating at the ghat and complaint that the washerman and washerwoman is doing the river dirty. Mahapandit then decided to warn them that the couple either leave this place or switch to another work. Couple pleaded not to do so harsh and show some mercy because since many years they are residing and doing the same job, they don’t have any shelter elsewhere.
SCENE: 4
Kashi started cursing the god that being so nice to everyone this is what his parents deserve. This is so mean and injustice, the couple who bought matchstick from Kashi’s shop was listening while sitting on the stairs of ghats. They seemed to be bit enigmatic. It was the full moon night when all the silver jewellery of Shiv Parvati were removed from the idols and temple and kept under the flames of ganga arti. Ghat was hugely crowded and everything was lit in exuberant lights and lamps, fairs, delicacies, happiness, Felicity, and joys on everyone’s face. But tears were continuously rolling down the cheeks of Kashi’s family as it was their last day on ghat.
SCENE: 5
Some riots and dacoits crept inside the arena of ghats in disguise of tourists and looted all the silver jewellery. The mahapandit, security and staff allocated started running as soon as the theft happened. The havoc created amidst the ganga arti, everybody was running here and there, whereas Kashi Family was packing their bags to move out of the ghats. That enigmatic couple out of nowhere appeared and went to Kashi’s parents and ask them to wash their clothes with the sacred ganga water, but they refused as they were leaving but still that couple kept on insisting and finally Kashi’s parents agreed to wash, they started washing quickly and hastily which created a lot of foam on the stairs of ghats, in order to get vacant fast before anyone catches them washing. From another corner of the ghats, the dacoits came running after stealing the jewellery, due to loathe they slipped into the river and Mahapandit too fallen into the river while chasing then but unfortunately neither Mahapandit knows swimming nor dacoits, they started drowning, here comes Kashi’s father for Mahapandit’s rescue as he was the nearest to ghats and knows swimming whereas other officials/ policemen caught the thieves. Jewellery was safely recovered and Mahapandit overjealously allowed Kashi’s family to stay here and continue their job, because of which they were forced to move away, saved Mahapandit’s life and treasure of temple too. Kashi was elated to know this.
SCENE:6
Kashi’s parent lately thanked that enigmatic couple as if they would not have asked them to wash clothes, this all would not have happened. Kashi too thanked that couple. That couple told Kashi not to thank them as he has helped them once, they helped his parents the same way. God is with and within everyone Kashi, he just tests everyone but bless them now or later as he did to you and your family. The couple smile at Kashi and Vice versa, as the couple was leaving, they forgot their matchstick, Kashi ran behind them to give them but suddenly they disappeared behind the curtain and as soon as Kashi undraws the curtain, he saw nothing but the idols of God Shiv and Goddess Parvati. Kashi realized they were the god who were helping him and his family. Goods karmas really paid off may be delayed but finally it happened. Kashi knelt and bowed down to gratitude.
(*Student, M A Journalism and Mass Communication)
