A love transit

Chapter 1

“Get that tool, please.” Vinay called over to his fellow colleague. The chassis of the bus has reached the final frame work. For the past two days, every one in his team was busy in welding.

Dazzling lights from the welding torch brightened the space. Though Vinay always worked with his protective shield that protected his eyes from the heat evolved from the light, surprisingly he felt tiredness setting in his eyes.

For more than two times he went to the cooler at the corner of the working shed and washed his eyes with the water. For sometime he felt relieved, but after one hour, he started to feel the tiredness in his eyes.

His eyes became red and started to water. Constantly he felt an irritation in the eyes and he could not resist his hands to rub the eyes again and again. Seeing Vinay’s discomfort, his friend Vikram took him immediately to the dispensary at the factory.

The workshop in which Vinay worked is at one corner of the factory. The factory sprawled in a vast land and took more than 30 minutes to go from one block to another. The workers usually ride in their bicycles to get to the place.

The administrative block stood at the entrance to the factory. Vikram took his cycle from the shed and asked Vinay to sit at the backseat.

He, then, rushed him to the dispensary. The medical doctor at the dispensary gave him eye drops as a first-aid and asked Vikram to take Vinay immediately to the eye hospital. The doctor told him that Vinay need immediate medical attention from the eye doctor and things can become worse if he delayed.

Vinay, with his eyes closed, listened to the conversation between Vikram and the doctor. Vikram informed this to their Foremen and took Vinay to the eye hospital. The bus building factory in which Vinay and Vikram worked took more than one hour to travel. Every one came to work by the factory bus and if anyone missed the factory bus, they always missed half-a-day of the work.

The bus shuttled between the city and the factory for more than six trips. Each trip started at a particular time and if anyone wanted to go home or else where, they have to take the bus at the exact time. Until the scheduled time, the bus never started and workers have to wait patiently.

Vikram checked the time for the next bus trip. It showed 12 noon, and they have to wait for more than one hour. Vinay’s eyes started to water more and he could not even close his eyes and rest for a while. Fortunately, Vikram’s uncle also worked at the administrative block. Vikram got the bike from his uncle and took Vinay immediately to the hospital.

It took more than 45 minutes for Vikram to get to the hospital. As they traveled by bike, the direct sun light fell on Vinay and it made his eyes water more. Vinay desperately wished to reach the hospital as soon as possible to escape from the strong sun light. The roads completely occupied by flowing traffic disrupted their travel and at every signal they stopped for more than ten minutes.

Finally, when they reached the hospital, both eyes of Vinay looked swollen and red. The eye lids looked thick and heavy. Vikram after parking the bike at the vehicle stand took Vinay inside the hospital.

For some time, Vikram felt overwhelmed by the procedures at the hospital. Vikram made Vinay to sit at the waiting lounge and rushed to the reception to enquire. The girl at the reception desk asked him to fill in the registration form and asked him to wait.

It took another one hour until Vinay’s turn. The attendant at the hospital gave some clean cotton to Vinay and asked him not to rub his eyes any more. Vinay could hardly open his eyes. Even closing eyes turned to be a discomfort to him, and it made him constantly to open and close his eyes. Vikram held Vinay’s hand within his hand, and asked him not to feel stressed.

Looking at his discomfort, the attendant took him immediately to the Foreman. The foreman could understand the seriousness of the problem, and asked the nurse to give him some eye drops immediately. Then, he asked the nurse to take Vinay to the near-by room and asked him to lie down for a while.

The nurse asked Vinay to open his eyes and applied the eye drops. The eye drops did wonders. Vinay felt cool inside the eyes. Vikram helped him to lie down on the bed.

“Vikram, have you informed my mother?”

“No. Why should you unnecessarily make her feel worried? I will tell her when I drop you at home. Now, lie down and take rest. I will go and get your medicines first.” Vikram moved away from the room to get medicines from the near-by medical shop.

Vinay has joined on duty after a month. One month ago, exactly on the same day, he got married to Saranya. Vinay could not help thinking about Saranya, and started to worry, how she will take it.

After spending moments of romance and love for more than 30 days, he reluctantly returned to work. But, he could not understand why things took a sudden turn within few hours after he joined work.

The doctor advised him to take rest for another one week and told him to resume his welding work after a month. Vikram returned after 15 minutes with the medicine. Dropping Vinay at his home, he informed both his mother and wife about the eye problem.

Vikram told Saranya about eye drops and the prescribed medicines. He asked Vinay to take rest for a while and return to work after his eyes returned to normal. Saranya helped Vinay to change his uniform and made him take his medicines. Saranya’s soft hands made Vinay to feel comfortable.

The cooling effect of eye drops stopped watering of eyes and Vinay closed his eyes and started to sleep. The discomfort that he felt for more than five hours made him go into a deep sleep within a few minutes.

Dreams accompanied Vinay’s sleep, and his sub-conscious mind narrated a poem that expressed his love for Saranya.

Gazing far ahead the clouds on hill tops
Widened eyes search for a way to escape
Flapping wings in a uniform rhythm
Cranes fly high to their homes on tree tops…
Silently lit sparks of fire on the slopes
Slowly brightens the deep dark night.
Reaching for the far lit star
Dreams wade through a deep sleep.
Faintly lit lamps flicker at dawn
Letting cupid to flutter their wings
Satisfied breathing lulls my heart
Cozy hugs are really an art….

Vinay rolled on his side and his hands searched for Saranya. Usually, Saranya snuggled to him and slept with her head on his shoulder. With some struggle, he opened his eyes and looked for Saranya. Vinay found Saranya at the other end of the bed and her calm, serene face showed her sound asleep.

That night Vinay could not sleep peacefully. He felt a sense of irritation in both eyes and could not resist the feeling to rub the eye. He kept on tossing in the bed and he literally struggled to get sleep. The eye lids looked swollen and he felt as though someone placed heavy weight on his eyelids.

Around 3 am in the morning, he called Saranya to give eye drops. Though the redness in both eyes started to subside, he still felt uneasy and disturbed. After taking the prescribed tablet, Vinay felt somewhat relieved and started to sleep as the first rays of sunlight peeped in through the windows.

Chapter 2

It took another four days for Vinay to retain the normal vision. The doctor prescribed three types of eye-drops and asked him to have the eye drops at least four times a day. As doctor insisted that he should refrain from watching television, reading books and working on the computer, Vinay felt bored.

For the first two days it does not matter much. Most of the time, Vinay lied down with his eyes closed and did not strain his eyes. Once the redness of the eyes cleared, and the swelling on the eye-lids subsided, Vinay could not stay inside home.

After his bath in the morning, Saranya helped him to medicate the eye with the eye-drops. He took rest with the eyes closed for a while.

As he started to feel better now, he felt restless. Vinay decided to walk to the nearby park. The park has come up recently and it bustled with activity in the evening times. But, the park looked empty in the mornings.

Except for a few people who sit on the benches and read the newspaper, only crows, pigeons, sparrows, parrots and mynahs occupied the park.

Vinay walked to the stone bench near the fountain in the park and sat down. The cool shades of trees in the park protected him from the hot sunny rays.

Vinay has never been to the park at this time of the day. Only for a few times, at night after having dinner, Vinay has come to the park along with Saranya. He never watched what went on around him, as Saranya captured his attention with her sweet nothing talk. Even if they came for a walk on a full moon day, they loved to walk around the park hand in hand and enjoyed the cool rays of the full moon.

Vinay reclined on the park bench and looked around. Two mynahs got his attention. The two mynahs flew to the fountain and started to take bath in the water. The way they flapped their wings and took bath made him smile.

The male bird took his bath quickly and flew to the grassy area near the entrance to the park. The male bird hopped on the grassy area and started to look for tiny insects. It hopped some distance and with a nod of its head, and with a chirp it called the female bird.

Until Vinay moved over to Chennai, he loved bird watching. His native place, a small village, near the Sirumalai hills, is a haven for birds. All types of birds that lived on the plains, hills and forests, flew down to his village. Vinay has read about bird watching in Chennai also. But, he never got the chance to visit places and watch birds. Vinay felt happy to see so many birds in the park near his house.

Amidst the strayed clouds of sky you little birds fly high! Flapping wings without fear - dive and climb an echo shot with airy waves. Dazzling eyes with swiftness you're seen every where. In misery and sorrow not thinking of tomorrow you ease your heart with songs. Let us learn from you not to murmur a lot but to face with a heart that always beats for more.

On that day, Vinay watched sparrows, mynahs, and some crows. To his surprise, he can see some hawk sparrows also. Hawk sparrows are usually found in large numbers only during the later part of the day when the dusk starts to set in. Vinay has watched hawk sparrows near the well at the backyard of his house.

Hawk sparrows usually avoided human beings, and they usually flock the backyard after residents of homes locked the door at the backyard and moved to the front portion of the house. The hawk sparrows hopping here and there eating scattered food waste or rice.

“Hi, Vinay.” Someone called him. Vinay turned around to see who called him.

“Hi, Vel, How are you?” Vinay replied with a cheer. Vinay and Vel are classmates right from the school to the college. After graduation, Vinay went to do his diploma course in automobile engineering and Vel started to hunt for government jobs.

When Vinay joined the famous bus building factor as an apprentice, Vel joined the metro transport corporation as a trainee. Their jobs occupied most of their time and they met rarely. Both of them to gether in the park at that time happened to be mere coincidence. Yet, both of them felt happy to meet after a long gap. Vinay hugged Vel and patted on his back with a laugh.

“Hi, young man, you are here at this time”? Vel questioned Vinay with a twinkle in his eyes.

“The same question to you. How come you are here at this time?” Vinay asked him with a cheer. Their laughter filled the place and made some mynahs to fly away from the place.

“Fine. How is your married life?” Vel asked Vinay with a naughty smile.

“Good. When are you getting married?” Vel replied back.

“Not yet. I have not met my angel.” Vel answered him back.

“Oh, you still believe in that?” Vinay could not control his laugh. Both of them remembered their conversation they exchanged during their college days. While talking with Vinay, Vel noticed his slightly swollen, reddened eyes.

“What happened?” Vel sounded with care. Vinay explained what happened and told him that he is back to recovery.

After talking for a while, Vel and Vinay moved toward the entrance of the park. Vel promised to keep in touch with Vinay. Yet, unaware of one fact, the bus that Vinay has been assembling will be playing a main role in Vel’s life.

Chapter 3

Vinay returned to work after one week. When he reached the shed, the chassis has been built completely and his colleagues were busy attaching all accessories. The completed chassis with the attached engine along with the petrol tank has cleared the test ride and it waited for the attachment of seats, doors and windows. Vinay started to attach the front seats from the morning he joined duty.

“Hi, Vinay, Are you back to work?” Vikram called him.

“Yes.” Vinay replied back with a cheer in his tone. “This bus looks great. Isn’t it?” With admiration in his voice, Vinay looked at Vikram.

“This is the tenth bus you are working after you joined as an apprentice. What is there to admire.” Vikram replied back Vinay with a chuckle.

Without replying Vikram, Vinay continued with his work. After fixing the front seats, Vinay joined Vikram to check if the floors are joined together properly. In the next ten days, they finished attaching seats, windows and doors.

In the next week, the painting session started. As the doctor advised Vinay not to work in the welding section at least for six months, he started to work along with Vikram in the assembling section.

Every day before he started to work, Vinay fondly touched all the seats in the bus. He will sit at the steps of the bus and would touch the doors with love. His entire heart filled with love for Saranya sent its vibration all around him.

Vinay will go into a deep trance of love and feel that he lived in the floors of the bus along with Saranya, and every space inside the bus has watched his vibrant love for Saranya.

Vinay started to work on the chassis of the bus just two months before his marriage. Before starting to build the chassis, the management people at his factory checked for some auspicious day to begin the work. After conducting the usual poojas, they commenced their work. Whatever it may be, they all strongly believed that the building work must start after a New Moon day.

Vinay’s native town has weavers as the maximum population. Every house had a handloom weaver that can be operated manually. Vinay had seen people preparing the thread for weaving the sarees and other materials. Every New Moon day, they will not run the handloom.

One day when Vinay asked his friend’s father why it is so, he replied to him that it is not auspicious to weave a cloth on a New Moon day.

The thread that is used to weave a cloth on a New Moon day will not be blessed and it is not auspicious to wear the clothes woven on that day. They followed this practice with much attention and also believed they should never start a work on New Moon day also.

Vinay has read in books about ship building. While building a ship also, they took care to start the work on an auspicious day. The ship that started or completed building on an inauspicious day carry the curse with it and it will never cross the waters safely.

Vinay has also read about ill fated ships that met with accidents or disappeared in the middle of the sea. People believed that it was due to the curse incurred by starting to build on an inauspicious day.

Vinay has developed a liking for the bus. Even after it went for registration, he kept on checking where it went and in which bus depot it got deployed. Curiously, he checked every thing and felt happy to know details about his favorite bus. One day when he learned that his friend Vel has been deputed for that bus on the first day, he felt cheerful and happy.

Vinay went to meet Vel and see him working on his favorite bus. So, Vinay went to the bus depot to greet him.

“Hi, Vinay, You are here at this time. No work today.” Vel asked his friend with surprise.

“I came to meet you only.” Vinay climbed into the bus and looked around. Vinay can feel a rise in his emotional level and his eyes brimmed with tears of happiness.

Where are those thoughts which would link you with me! Where are those dreams which would link you with me! Where is the link which would link you with me! where are those twilight rays far above the bright horizon which would link you with me! The link which linked you with me Has it lost its identity? Every hour dies that link and resurrects itself in another - A link with the nature's link may strengthen your link with me for that link lingers for ever.

Vinay can link everything to something that is destined. Seeing Vinay in such a state, Vel exclaimed.

“Hi, what happened? Why are you so emotional?” Vinay did not answer his question. Shaking Vel’s right hand, he added, “All the best.” When Vinay narrated the whole thing about the bus and how he got attached to it, Vel could not reply back.

Vinay has been like this right from his school days. Small things that escaped from the eyes of other people, mattered much to him, and he gave importance to such things only.

Vinay always use to tell Vel that in life only small things count much than bigger things. Vel can relate that to the present situation and his heart softened towards Vinay wondering how he can be like this at a young age.

Even during college days Vinay wrote and recited beautiful Tamil poems in all cultural gatherings. Some times Vel has helped Vinay by reciting and recording the poems in a cassette. Without any background music, Vel brought life to Vinay’s poems. His voice mesmerized the listeners and made them to ask once more.

Chapter 4

Vinay reached home early on that day. Saranya wanted him to come along with her to the nearby temple. Vinay rarely goes to temple. On special days, when his mother compels him to go, he will go to the temple.

As that day turned out to be one month after their marriage, Saranya wanted him to accompany her to the temple and then take her to some good restaurant at their place. Vinay wanted to take her to one of the best restaurants in the city.

Both of them reached the temple around 5 p.m. in the evening. Kasi Viswanathar temple is one of the famous Shiva temples in the area and it was built in the year 1860. The temple was built with the lingam brought from Kasi by two Gujarathi women.

The temple stood on a sprawling area full of trees. Whoever visited the temple felt the ambience and beauty of the temple surrounded with green trees. As the temple stood away from the city, one could breathe in fresh air and enjoy the fresh breeze from the trees. The four walls that enclosed the temple stood tall and protected the people who believed in Sri Kasi Viswanathar. Goddess Visalakshi reigned there along with the God to bless the people who came with their belief.

As it is away from the sea shore, one may not be able to enjoy the sea breeze. But, the area being located in the outskirts of the city does not have the ill effects of city pollution and with pure air to breathe. During his college days, Vinay met all his friends in this temple only. They will sit there and talk for hours about their dreams, aspirations and every kind of stuff on this earth. Now he has come to this temple after a long interval of more than five years along with his newly married wife.

Saranya asked him to wait at the sanctum and went to get the ticket for doing archanai to the local deity. The cool breeze that blew from the nearby trees made Vinay feel happy and relieved.

That is the charm of temples which were built more than one century ago. So many religions may be there for the people to follow. But a very few has the charm to bring peace and prosperity into the lives of people. And Vinay believed that temple to be the one.

During his school days, Vinay will always play there with his friends and he loved to watch the fish in the temple tank. Every one will buy rice flakes to feed the fish. Vinay and his friends will sit on the steps of the temple and will talk for hours. Vinay has seen so many colorful birds at that time. But now things are different.

The tank is there but it is not without water. Several people took steps to clean the tank and make it was before. But things did not happen, and whoever came to the temple looked at the sorry sight of the temple and murmured to each other.

Vinay wanted to do something to uplift the look of the temple. He decided to ask his colleagues to spare some time and money to do that job. Every year around Diwali celebration, one took the responsibility to collect the money and donate it to some orphanage or get some school books and uniform for the needy children.

This year, Vinay planned to do it at the temple. Suddenly, he got a brilliant idea. He can gather all the school kids who lived near his house. He can also take the help of little kids who came to play in the vast grounds of the temple.

When Saranya came back with the flowers and the archanai things, Vinay has come out with a detailed plan to clean the temple and the surroundings along with the tank. Vinay closed his eyes and visualized for a while.

His inner eyes can see the big Kasi Viswanathar temple shining beautiful with lights lit all around. Even the tall walls looked bright with colorful lights and flags of different colors.

Chapter 5

Vinay and Saranya came out of the temple after attending the special evening pooja. Vinay wanted to take Saranya to a good restaurant. When both of them came out of the temple, Vinay saw Vel in his usual bus, ‘AYI2135’ that entered the terminus. The famous Kasi Viswanathar temple stood near the bus terminus. Vinay waved his hand to Vel.

“Hi, wait, I will join you” Vel shouted back. Usually, there will be at least ten minutes interval before the bus started the next trip. Vinay and Saranya entered the terminus to meet Vel.

Meeting the couple together after a while made Vel feel happy. With his usual brilliant smile, he asked Vinay, ‘What a surprise, you are here at this time?’

‘I must ask this question to you’ Vinay asked Vel with a smile.

‘Today we are late by half-an-hour. Are you on your way to somewhere?’ Vel asked Vinay.

‘Just now we went to the temple. I thought of taking her to some restaurant,’ Vinay replied him.

‘Why don’t you take her to Hotel Sangeetha at Adyar,’ Vel questioned Vinay.

‘Yes, that is a good idea. Saranya, shall we go there?’ Vinay enquired Saranya.

‘Come with me. I am going there only.’ Vel invited Vinay.

‘No, problem, we will go in bike.’ When Vinay replied so, Vel insisted that they should come in the bus only that day. ‘Oh, Are you going to show me your angel,’ Vinay whispered to Vel.

‘Hmm. That may be also the reason’ with a laugh, Vel replied back to Vinay.

‘Saranya, leave the things at home and come. I will wait for you here.’

‘No need, leave the things in my locker.’ Vel got the bag from Saranya and left them in his locker in the cloak room.

Though all the seats in the bus looked filled, no crowd clogged the bus.

The drama started once a bunch of college girls got into the bus. Vinay can see Vel’ eyes fervently searching for someone in the crowd, and his eyes brightly lit on spotting a dark eyed beauty. Vinay could not help smiling and showed Saranya the entire drama. Vel’s tone went down and he is not the usual self at the place. This made Vinay chuckle softly.

The bus could not move faster and has to inch through the traffic. The entire city well lit with bright lights to welcome the New Year, looked like a heaven to Vel. He felt the entire world reflected his happiness to the world. The beaming face of Dora showed Vel, the emotional attachment toward him.

When the bus reached the hotel at Adyar, Vel asked the driver to stop the bus, so that Vinay and Saranya can get down from the bus and go easily to the hotel. Along with Vinay, a few more people got down from the bus. At that time, a Christmas choir climbed into the bus.

The group started to sing 'Jingle bells' in the bus itself. One person who led the team dressed like a Santa Claus started to bless little kids in the bus with some gifts. Vel smiled at the sudden change in the bus. How it is true, when you are happy, the entire world also bubble with laughter and happiness.

For the next five minutes, the bus vibrated with beautiful songs of the blessed Christmas Eve. The entire group left the bus in the next stop. Santa Claus thanked Vel for letting them sing and blessed him. 'May your wishes come true' Santa Claus blessed him with a mesmerizing tone. 'You will get the hands of your lady love.'

Vel smiled and looked at Dora sitting in the the front seat. She smiled back and her smile showed that she has also accepted his love and the smile also assured him that she will be his forever.

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 14.01.2010

Alle Rechte vorbehalten

Widmung:
World is a better place when we are in love.