BEHOLDER'S SUPREMACY

In an earlier blog I had introduced you to the eternally hosptiable Shivu's family. The year 1991 saw me befriend his daughter who was yet to turn one. She would eagerly look forward for my visit to her place. I would invariably spend an hour with her and she must be the only one who could be holding the envious record of making me visit a temple everyday. She was fond of the Mahadeva temple in the campus nearby and I would carry her along to the temple and spend sometime at the park there. The little words she mouthed had so much of meaning for her but made me understand that no language is as complete as the one of love and affection. The gestures, the intonations and the clatter of syllables emanating from the little mouth would make an interesting lesson for decoders. From the Mahadeva temple she would make me visit another temple close by and take me around in the pradakshina mode. Little Ranjitha whom I used to call as Chinnu was the veritable Minu for me. I attempted learning her language and her parents would be amused at the fact that I could keep her entertained for long periods of time. On one occasion I was taking a break from my work and was leaving for Bangalore. I visisted Chinnu to bid goodbye and she winced. I asked her in jest whether she would join me. Lo and behold!!! the little one picked a small basket and dumped a few clothes and bid a goodbye to her parents. It took a herculean effort to convince her to stay back. I returned with a huge load of memories. On my return I made it a point to visit her and pacify her. Her birthday was celebrated in great style and balloons became her favourite past time. At the end of my stint at Belgaum, I was happy to return to my home but was filled with remorse that Chinnu would be left behind. Years rolled by and the young one grew into a lass and slowly distanced herself. I became Uncle for her and she merely exchanged pleasantries when I called her father up. Cabuliwallah became a masterpiece for me since every emotion on these pages were felt by me. I eulogised Tagore but my friends felt I was being kiddish. Kids thereafter have held a special place in my heart. Over the years I have met many persons far younger to me and some find me amusing while others do not understand as to why I vibe with them. Natural instincts are best left unexplored and unexplained. The smile on a child's face is as good as a sunny day.

I was walking past a traffic signal when I noticed a young woman dragging a child along and could not stop myself from reprimanding her. I was amazed at the inhumanity displayed. Ruminating over the incident I found that my behaviour was no less odd since there were a good many people walking past the woman and the child without as much as raising an eyebrow. True the world is full of diversities. I recalled the famed adage that while all think that the other is a mad man, the mad man in the mad house wonders at the inanities of the world around. Is there anything called normal or abnormal? Is anything right or wrong? Beauty, Keats said, lies in the eyes of the beholder. May I add that the rights or wrongs, normalcy or abnormalities, sanity and inanities all too lie in the eyes of the beholder.