All the Chapters
Chapter 16
Kelly once said, “Shaan, with the world becoming a global village people seem coming closer to each other when it comes to business and making money. But socially people have remained as backward as they were hundreds of years ago.”
“Yes Kelly, grouping together only on the considerations of race, color, religion, caste, sub-caste etc still remains dominant socially. We cannot deny accepting that these considerations also enter the professional and political domains.”
“You and me and our parents are miniscule minority.”
“Our parents united together despite all these considerations because they were satisfied with only one thing and that one thing is ‘goodness of human beings’ irrespective of these considerations.”
“If two good people like each other they can as well unite together irrespective of their other affiliations. Such an action will be more conducive to make the human race as one single race.”
“But it’s a long shot. It’s a distant dream and one cannot be too sure of it becoming a reality even in next hundreds of years.”
“Shaan, let us not be too philosophical about it nor too pessimistic about it. Let us be happy with the fact that you and me and your parents and my parents form a pretty decent group of human beings of diverse considerations. That’s good start in a good direction.”
“And hope other people learn to do similar things.”
“Shaan, our group members of ‘Humanity Forum’ also are great examples. They have already achieved what we are discussing. So the numbers are increasing.”
By this time Shaan’s parents Yusuf and Alice had visited America and met Kelly and her parents Arun and Yin. They spent some real good time together. Thus Christians, Hindus, Muslims and persons not affiliated to any organized religion from India, China and USA had become closely knit family friends.
Arun and Yin often remembered Christie, Kelly’s real mother. Thus this member, an African American, also became a part of this wonderful fellowship in absentia. They had a special place for Christie in their hearts.
Kelly and Shaan gradually became very good friends in addition to being good colleagues of professional and human activities.
They clicked together because basically they were good human beings though from very diverse backgrounds.
………………….
But Medhavi and Samskara were getting drifted away from each other despite having absolutely identical backgrounds.
On their first marriage anniversary they decided to eat out in some top-notch restaurant of the city.
Medhavi suggested, “Let us go to ‘Thai Fest’. They serve authentic vegetarian Thai food and the ambience of the restaurant is absolutely amazing. I love Thai food; I have not eaten even once after our marriage.”
“I can’t stand any restaurant where they also cook non-vegetarian food. So, let us stick to a pure vegetarian Indian restaurant.”
“But none of the Indian restaurants here provide the kind of ambience I want for our first marriage anniversary. And this Thai restaurant I am suggesting does not mix non-veg stuff into the veg stuff or for that matter any other restaurant too. They must be cooking it separately. Or you suggest where we can have nice ambience as well as good food.”
“Let us not get into any argument. You know my views. Only Indian restaurants and only a few of them cook exclusive veggie stuff. Let us choose one of those. Ambience is secondary.”
Medhavi did not argue. She did not want to make it worse on her first marriage anniversary.
Medhavi’s first marriage anniversary was thus a washout right from the word go. The dissatisfaction lingered on till late that night.
This dissatisfaction remained a permanent scar on Medhavi’s mind then on. She started judging every word, gesture and movement of Samskara with a jaundiced eye.
One day Samskara instructed Medhavi, “Our religious doctrines do not allow consumption of onion and garlic from July to September, the typical rainy season. So avoid using them during this period.”
“I did not know about it that this matter was so important. We knew this kind of restriction but my mom did not follow it strictly. In fact she thought it was always healthy to consume garlic in all the seasons. Now you tell me why this restriction?”
“I don’t know that. But we follow many traditions and regulations prescribed by our respective religions. It is true of every religion, not only of Hindu religion. People of each religion are supposed to follow such prescriptions, rituals and commandments decided by that religion. They are not supposed to ask questions.”
“I was like this before. I never asked any questions on religious rituals earlier. But now I feel like asking questions.”
Medhavi was assertive.
“Don’t do it. It will do more harm than good. It’s almost a sin to argue about the commandments of any religion.”
Medhavi did not utter a word. She preferred silence. Her arguments could have resulted in more flare-ups between them. One or two such weekly discussions bordering on serious disagreements had become a habit between Medhavi and Samskara. If it continued it could become a threat to their marriage. Medhavi wanted to save their marriage.
But soon Samskara’s repeated staunch religious behavior started getting on her nerves. At times she felt humiliated and other times she felt utter frustration. Sticking to too many religious rituals too often was harassing Medhavi beyond her tolerance. She started to think that his behavior was getting more and more weird.
Now she was not willing to overdo the religious rituals as well as look down upon the people of other religions as Samskara normally did.
She thought, “I wish I had married any other decent man but without any religious tie-ups. I can now also imagine the people of other religions who overdo their religions and so are inflexible. I have no opinion of them too.”
In the mood of examination that she was in, it also occurred to her, “Why can’t the people simply concentrate on the good aspects of their religion and shun the retrograde aspects of their own religion? Why can’t they stop doing or overdoing the ritualistic and non-value adding chores after examining their utility as well as futility? Why can’t they appreciate the good aspects of other races, religions and communities and stop hating or looking down on them?”
She wanted to find solution to her problems with Samskara.
Then a little bit of wisdom started dawning on Medhavi under the tyrannical situations created by her husband. She decided to move away from him.
She thought, “A few months separation from Samskara might facilitate getting over their strained relationship.”
She decided to approach her boss in the office to request him to recruit her for the new project that was about to start in Japan. Early next morning before anyone else could step in, she entered the boss’s cabin.
She put up her case to her boss, “The other day you had announced that you needed a few persons from our US office to join the team in Japan for the project there. I wish to volunteer my candidature. I fill the bill pretty well from all the angles. I have the requisite qualifications and skill sets to handle that kind of job. I am sure that I can contribute a lot.”
The boss said, “Let me go through your resume one more time. Prima facie you seem to be the right person. Give me a couple of days to finalize your name. Is that OK?”
“Thanks boss. I will wait to hear from you.”
(Get your copy of the novel "Good People" as an eBook from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009BHH37G only for $ 0.99. You may also like to get its Printed Book from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Good-People-Dream-Boundary-World/dp/1479333085/ref=sr_1_8_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380916602&sr=1-8&keywords=shyam+bhatawdekar%27s+books)
Novels and Stories
Novel "Good People" http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/
Funny (and Not So Funny) Short Stories http://management-anecdotes.blogspot.com/
Stories Children Will Love http://stories-children.blogspot.com/
