My Obra Days - Sweet Childhood

VI. MISSION RAM MANDIR

#Author's note: My generous and sweet readers, your constructive comments are heartily awaited. I hope these stories would help you to recall some sweet memories of yours too. Please do comment how do you feel going through these.#

It was raining outside and everyone was busy with his/her part, in the game of ludo, the greatest time-pass those days. No Whatsapp, no videogame, no YouTube and consequently no isolation. We were sitting in the same room enjoying the company. Mother was preparing snacks. Our neighbor cum common friend Sandeep had joined us and all were busy with chasing one another's tokens.

I was running out of luck. My tokens were returning their home yard as soon as they were getting out. I was irritated and annoyed. Actually, this annoyance was an accumulation over the nervousness already swirling in my mind.

The whole of the Sonebhadra was wrapped in the hill ranges of Kaimur and greenery widespread over them. This also accounted for sufficient rain almost every year in Obra.

I was studying in class VI and these were the last few days of the rainy season. Our town was taking showers of rain intermittently for three days. As the rain stops, a paper boat would have been the next though on some other day but this time, I couldn't think of it. This was the time for some trick. It might work, or might not.

As mother came with snacks, the very first thing I did was, ruined the game and ran under her cover. No one could dare now to touch me. Ruining the game was the best option to avoid the defeat. Mother laughed but the players stared at me fiercely. I didn't give a damn. This was the first step to get the caress of the mother.

"Oh come on! Why are you being so rude? This is a game only?" She favored.

"But mom, he always ruins our game." Sister complained.

"Then what else can I do? I am the youngest of you all and you never let me win in any game, be it ludo or anything else."

"But it didn't authorize you to ruin. Improve yourself." Brother growled.

"I am trying my level best." And I picked up the hot fritters.

And our train started once again till the residues of snacks remained in the plate.

"Mom, I require ten rupees to buy me a notebook." Brother asked taking his last bite.

And my nervousness took the concrete shape. I interrupted without any delay.

Mom, "Two days ago, our teacher told us the story of Sri Durga Charan Nag, a disciple of Swami Ramakrishna Paramhansa. He was full of humanity and kindness."

Brother was startled.

"That's great. What more did he tell about him?" Mother asked.

"He told us that once the saint's father, bought him an expensive shawl, but he donated it to a poor who was suffering severely because of winter, without caring for the cost of that shawl."

"A great lesson. I am impressed."

"I was too." I uttered

But my brother wasn't happy with my interruption. Now he intervened.

"Mom, my notebook!"

"Oh yes! I gave a hundred rupees to Krishna yesterday to pay his tuition fee, sixty rupees." And she turned to me, "Forty rupees child?"

Now I let the cat out of the bag, "I donated them."

"Donated!! Forty rupees!! In totality!!" she asked wide-eyed.

I just nodded.

"Are you a fool? How can you do such a mistake? We were already late in paying the tuition fees and you donated them just in a blow!"