A Short Story , “That great Banyan Tree”.

Kumar’s revelation of “That great banyan Tree”

Hi Kumar, hope everything is fine, they said you have gone to your native village at Naglakanchan. Shravan was inquisitive as usual. Shravan has just been graduated from Ambedkar University at Agra. He is a very helping young chap, studious and emotional by heart. Yes, everything is fine, I replied as if, trying to hide something from him. He neared me, Kumar, you seem to be exhausted, I suppose, henceforth returned early from your Native Village, only just within 2 days, I suppose. He again inquired. No, I replied, as I again, I was trying hard to create a gesture of smile on my face. 

Kumar about her grandmother

We will meet near Lord Shiva’s Temple, I told him in haste and move to my residence, unlocking the lock of my Door. My two angels have left with their mother for their summer vacation at their Grandmothers Place. I was quick to have some packets of Milk from the street shop located at the corner of the street. And started to prepare Tea, a strong one with some Tulsi Leaves and ginger in it. This peculiar style of preparation of the tea was learned by me, by seeing that Old lady, whom, I adore and love much. She is none other than my grandmother (mother of my mother). It hasn’t been yet that, I have lived without remembering her in my thoughts and peculiarly the act of preparation of the Tea draws me closer to her in my present times, also. She left this world, just 2 years back, when, I was away, on one of my business Tours.

Back with a cup of tea, I was busy seeing the sky, changing its color to symbolize the nearing of the evening, while I was sipping the cup of tea, I remember that my heart becoming heavier, as If some act has turmoiled my emotions. Why I was feeling as I have met my one of the irreparable loss, I just wanted to move within my feelings. It was not much time spend until I managed to find that it was somewhere related to, “That Great Banyan Tree”.

Yes Friends, I Kumar, your own is again with a New Inspiring Story, in the name of  “That Great Banyan Tree”.

Kumar’s visit for vacation

I was on for my vacation and principally decided to have my full one week in my native village, Naglkanchan. Located in a remote area in the district of Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh, India. My father still, adores being at the village with his brothers and those Old folks. He retired as Director and now envisions to start with a new entrepreneur to help his Natives, as he did in the Past while making many of the villagers to study and become engineer, during his Prolonged service Period where he was often admired for his intellect and dutiful nature. However, he is still searching for the right time, to deliver afresh. I was busy with the analysis when a Ticket collector ticked his Pad and asked me for a ticket. Drop me down at Jasrana, I told him, with he providing me a Ticket for the said destination in exchange for money.

Buses Only went till Jasrana, 10 Kilometres away from my Native village. You are than to adjust yourself in local transport, be it a tractor, a tempo, or those returning Jeeps with the folks sitting in them. I had not called anyone of my cousin brothers, as I always wanted to enjoy it from the very ground level, I presume.  I moved away from the group of persons lined for the Transport, though it was not easy to move with those heavy luggage’s on my back and one each in my hands. But then this was the destination that always lured me since my adolescence.

Kumar recognizes Shyam

I neared to one of the Handpumps and manged to full my water bottle, when a young man, covered with saffron, neared me, saying, ‘Tinkoo tum aagye ‘ in my native language, Hindi, meaning Tinkoo, my nickname, you have come. His voice was very soft and welcoming, yes, I replied. Shyam, I reckoned him. You have changed altogether. Have you become Sadhu (a Hermit)? I vehemently asked him? No, Tinkoo. Just on Saturday, I join the groups of these Hermit and enjoy Sermons, he further added, we still deliver food to the destitute from here and then those Loud Kirtans (devotional songs) in Night. And same repeats on the following Sunday under the direction of Satyadev Swamiji. He replied.

Come inside the cottage, he was quick to help me free my hands while taking my luggage. And soon we were on one of the neat and clean carpets, on the floor. The smell of the Hawan was like purifying my breadth, as it happens to me since my very childhood. Shyam is a learned young man posted as a Physics lecturer in one of the reputed colleges, at Mainpuri. You are alone, a question again raised by him, while he appeared with a Plate having some seasonal fruits and my favorite Sweet dish, Bessan Ladoo.

Yeah, I replied. All have gone for their vacation, while my parents in Delhi, for their vacation at my sister’s residence. No, Place left for me better than where, I got eyesight even without any medication, before being blind for about 6 months, when I was only two and a half years, I answered with a smile. The earth of this village has magic within, marked Shyam. Of course, it has, I was quick to answer him. It’s possibly because many religious preachers got enlighten here, only and attained salvation, beneath these banyan trees, his hands providing the direction. Yes, I proclaimed. Hence the soil has all the magic, full of medicinal qualities. Yes, the many old aged folks tell your story of how you got your vision on the full moonlight and astonished everybody, Tinkoo, they still remember. His soft and sweet voice was refreshing my old past, I presume.

Kumar and Shyam in the conversation of their Past.

Shyam, Swamiji, and many of his disciples used to live near the bank of the tributary of our village, you remember, then had they shifted from there and started afresh from here? And what about your lessons of Physics and many of them, which you delivered by standing beneath that Great Banyan Tree to all those young ones of our village? I asked him. Shyam forwarded the Plate and asked me to taste Bessan ladoo, he seemed not forgotten, my taste, I concluded. I picked them one after another, as their taste always provoked me for endless eating. Shyam was gazing at me with a smile, but I was able to realize that as if he was trying much hard to maintain it. Shyam, you have not told me about, your lectures and Shifting of Place of Swamiji, I again asked him.

Kumar and Shyam Framing Past with, That great Banyan Tree

Shyam anxiously told me, you are stating of my delivering the lecture, but you haven’t mentioned, yet of those marriages, hutments, etc. which surrounded that great Banyan tree. The people used to sit underneath it in a row with the bridegroom and his old folks being provided with those old wooden benches to sit on, while we all young ones collected to help them with water, tea, and breakfast on the so-called orders of our Old folks and Swamiji. Everyone seemed to participate in the marriage in his way. Remember all used to say that it was our village’s marriage. We hence were told to deliver the best of services to our guests, Afterall they were our all our Prime guests since they have come from another village and accepted our one of the village Girl as the Bride of their Family.

How deep were the senses of bonding? As if they have been taught or they have learned inheritance of heritage and culture from the roots of that great Banyan Tree? Shyam’s voice was like echoing form the Past, he further added that Let yourself be grounded to the depth and live for providing the shelter is the only way for peace and Harmony. And so, the people though varying in customs and traditions enjoyed deep Bond. Shyam’s eyes were like busy portraying the story of our golden Past while I could easily see, as his eyes sparkling in resonance with his words.

Yes, I added and then the entire village people coming to attend the function with all Joy and Blessings. Shyam do you remember our mothers collecting near the Banyan Tree for offerings to God. Those sermons, they all used to sing with the devotional voice and we all helping them by making the ground works of whether peeling or cutting of vegetables, for the food arrangement of the entire village during those festive seasons. It was like, that Almighty has spread all peace and love in our village and surely people living in Bliss.

Various Cultures, Festive occasions, and That Great Banyan Tree.

our attending of various cultural activities underneath it. Yes, I gasped at him. What a miraculous time we have to spend underneath it. Calling to those Birds, helping our village girls to knot the rope of the swings on the branches of that GREAT Banyan Tree. They even enjoyed it after they came to our village for the first time, after their marriage, for celebrating their First Savan( The bride comes to her parental home for some days during the monsoon season where they have a ritual to enjoy with swing, many songs are sung to celebrate this time) I remember, I was recalling from my past while in conversation with Shyam.

Recall Holi, when we all used to meet under that Great Banyan Tree and then all the whistling, those packages of foods collected from each village house and distributed among the destitute by us in the guidance of our Old folks and Swamiji, I can feel my sound still catching the glimpses of my Past.

Why the people cut Branches of That Great Banyan Tree. And now claim it as Old Banyan Tree.

Shyam, why did some people argued and cut those branches of that great Banyan Tree, I inquired. The villagers were told that cutting off those huge branches was advent for carrying the electrical line. The village was supposed to get electricity for 24 hours, Shyam acknowledged. But was the cutting of those colossal branches being only the solution, I advocated? Shyam told me that he wrote many letters to the District Forest officer and all the higher Posts and met them personally till he recognized that the Place of Banyan Tree was acquired by some near relative of Grampradhan ( The elected leader of the village). He purchased it. Shyam added and permitted the electrical officer to manage to cut of the Branches and Posed himself as the hero of the village for bringing the permanent electrification in the village as was one of the manifestoes of the Grampradhans election.

Then what about those Old folks, they ever opposed to the decision of cutting off the Branches, I enthusiastically inquired? They tried their best to perform and I also managed them to file the complaint but. Alas, the young learned villagers advocated for the cutting of the Branches, as they had their reasons and varying issues, Shyam reciprocated. Some said, who has the time to celebrate under this Old Banyan tree when there are good hotels, restaurants, party halls available in the town. The others told that owing to the large spread of the Banyan tree they were hardly able to call for the building of road due to which they had problems in reaching their house while using Cars, or any four-wheelers. Many of them expressed that now all types of programs are aired on Television, this is a modern-day concept, then why to live with that old patterned celebrations and that Old Banyan Tree. Hence its branches were cut to a minimal.  

Shyam reveals the existence of That Great Banyan Tree.

Now do people, especially those Old Folks visit or stand near it, for their usual gossips, and what about the knotting of the Swings in Savan, I further interrogated? The people are now living with modern-day concepts in our village. The native of Pradhan has eliminated,” That great Banyan tree”, Shyam’s voice dimmed, as if, he was in deep pain while narrating me, I remember. Instead, a multi-storeyed market Place has been Built over there, by that native. While the village seems to be void of any living creatures, those old rituals, everyone is busy with their routine of earning bread and butter and uses his left time to watch the aired Programmes on Television.

The government claims that soon they will be providing a warehouse on the ground floor of the market while Pradhan and his natives are busy with anchoring themselves with the modernization of the village, you may find some old folks walking in destitute for not being able to share those old stories with their contemporaries. AND hence they feel, or they are forced to feel that they are the leftovers, while the world is seemingly progressing, Shyam reverted while turning his back to me. I was convinced of the clouds of thoughts perpetuating as droplets through his eyes, as his voice reverberated, while he was hiding his face from me, I remember.

Kumar is smashed and looted

I was shaken, smashed, and presumably felt being looted away for not only taking away,” That Great Banyan tree” but the glory of my village, the culture of my villagers, our customs, traditions, and all those times, that the Great Banyan Tree had provided through the ages. How would the people collect than, at a commonplace, many will not have money to attend those big restaurants, Hotels, etc. How will they attend the marriage of our Village Girls, why the newly weeded bride will then visit our Village while finding no swings knotted on the Banyan tree, anymore,  How come the younger ones of my village will be handed over the legacy of Culture, tradition, learning from our old folks, our endowed respects to our guests, what about the gatherings of those old Folks, the mothers in the village, their celebration and the Swamiji and his sermons., all have drowned, I suppose. I reverted to Shyam.

Swami’s words influence Kumar. 

My eyes started with a shower while my cheeks became wet, I realized as if someone has landed me in no man’s land, A sudden voice with all calmness penetrated my ears, Om Shanti! Shanti! Shanti! Om! (Live for peace)Swamiji stood near me, I turned my face to just wipe my seemingly unstoppable tears. Let them shed off or else they will fell you heavy, replied Swamiji, his face blistering, as usual looking very cool and composed. I just bent and touched his feet saying, I have lost everything Swamiji. No, my boy, there is nothing to lose or gain here, in this world, replied Swamiji. The time is everchanging. One must adapt to it. Stay here for a day or two he advised or if you want then visit your village Afterall you are back after many years, I suppose, recalled Swamiji. 

Kumar returns back to build back 

I would like to stay here. I replied while Shyam became more than Happy, to listen to me, prolonging my time of Stay, I presume. After having a bath inside Tube well, I was ready with Shyam, working for ground support by peeling and cutting the vegetables. We were running for every help as if leaving no chance to recall our past while serving to the destitute. Followed by those rich sermons sung in, when evening was shaping to Night, I got delighted and Shyam was not indifferent.

While returning, Shyam asked me for the probable time for my next visit, to which, I promised him within a few days, only. I will implant many Banyan trees, we both will, and call our contemporaries, I suggested Shyam, he nodded head, still many will come, I believe, Shyam was Positive.  I saw Shyam, raising his hand till he disappeared while the Bus took a turn.

Now, completing another Tea, again, I am busy packing my bags for my next trip to my village at Naglakanchan. But this time to Build again, by implanting many Banyan Tress, Shravan, and his friends will also be accompanying me. Yes, Youth has also the desire to Build Back, we have just to find the ways to transport our legacy to them, make them believe that True modernization cannot sustain without the inheritance of deep-rooted culture.

A short story of that Great Banyan Tree also reveals that it is the sense of togetherness which is the most important and eminent factor to be recognised by all of us. The way of leaving an isolated style of life will lend us No where. We can away very short span of happiness but not a permanent one. The happiness is the one which requires sharing and money hardly matters for the existence of the happiness. 

Predominately speaking Implanting of those huge trees can only hold us together, as the roots have their expertise in holding those huge trees. So, we have just to grow as many as we can.

I have initiated, But what about you?

Grow more Banyan Tree and travel through the Privileges n legacy of old times. Enjoy togetherness with all. Leave leading an isolated life. 

Do you know the Dead Also Live. Believe me or come with me and read  a thriller , “they say we are dead”

Read- A Short Story Who are you ? Learn more about Love Mother Nature. & Meditate and realise the internal beauty.

Read – A short story – They say we are dead. 

Read – A Short Story – The Secret of Happiness.   

Have a Pleasant time. Take a very good care of yourself, Always try to take deep breath, and water in sips, Enjoy. Every Moment. It is precious than anything of this materialistic world.

Literature to help you . We have provided many options of Purchases of products in our SERVICE TAB. But some helping books for knowing the subject matter are as stated below-                     

• Yoga
• Ayurveda
• Meditation

Namaste.