The Missing Man: Part 4 : IntentBlog

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The Missing Man: Part 4

Rahul Pandita - September 27, 2006

There are so many strange things in life. Like the noise that you hear occasionally in your head. Or the fact that the only thing you forget in the pocket of your trousers, most of the times, is movie tickets. Or that very few people use the first urinal in a public toilet. Or that some people sleep so much in a bus that you almost think that they have passed away.

In the street where Srikant lived, there would come, every Thursday, a man whose face was painted to make him look like a monkey. He wore tiny bells in his ankles and carried a whip in his hand. He would be accompanied by a woman, probably his wife, who carried a small drum around her neck. On the beats of the drum, the monkey-man would contrive dance steps and at the same time whip himself. After every whip, he sought alms from people who passed by. Srikant watched this spectacle secretly from behind the muslin curtains of his room.

After he would have gone, Srikant often equated life with the monkey-man’s act. Every moment was a whip, he thought, for which one got one breath in charity. The trick for living life was to remain oblivious to moments, or at least pretend to. When you began to feel every moment, the pain would surface, like the mark of a whiplash, making it difficult to live. The thing with Srikant was that he felt every moment intensely. As a result, he would get flogged with existence.

The bus had been moving for more than six hours and Srikant did not know where it was going. It didn’t matter as long as he could maintain his flight. He knew that somewhere Sneha would be in a similar flight, the wings of which were shaped in mind.

There was some movement beside him and Srikant found that the old man had woken up. He was taking out something from his bag.

‘Where is this bus going?’ Srikant asked him.

The old man turned his head slowly towards Srikant as if he could not believe what he had heard just now.

‘Where are you going, Sir?’, the man asked back.

Srikant let a weak smile and replied, ‘Nowhere in particular. So where is this bus going?’

The old man sighed and said, ‘I am going to Rudraprayag, where the mighty rivers of our land meet, Sir. The bus is also going there. That would be the last stop.’

‘What takes you to Rudraprayag?’, Srikant asked.

The man waited for a moment or two. He felt something in his bag and then replied, ‘Actually, Sir, it was at Rudraprayag, fifty years ago, that I met a girl who would later become my wife. She is no more now and I can feel that my body has also set itself in the mode of an invisible transition. Before the transition is complete, I want to visit those places where my wife and I spent some time together. Before dying she had expressed a desire that her bangles be thrown at the spot where the three rivers met. So I have brought them along.’

He took the bangles partially out of the bag and put them back.

Srikant thought of the first instance when he had met Sneha. That meeting was also strange. Strange like the noise in his head.

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Posted by Rahul Pandita at September 27, 2006 11:07 AM

Comments

Dear Rahul

Your third-to-last paragraph brought tears to my eyes.

love, Heath

1. Posted by heather on September 27, 2006 11:31 AM

Dear Rahul,
Although your story has no fragmentation, this part is my favorite.

Love,
Donatella

2. Posted by Donatella on September 27, 2006 12:59 PM

Your keen observation of life and how you bring the characters to life are uncanny, dear Rahul. I can easily picture the dreamy Srikant, and the old man sitting next to him in one of those buses going to the beautiful Rudraprayag.

You write,"every moment is a whip". It could be a whip, if that is how we look at it. I believe happiness, and unhappiness are how we react to a situation. If we surrender to destiny, understand this world drama, why we are here, what is the purpose of coming to Earth, what is this life all about, we will transcend all the troubles. If we feel everything, if we are super sensitive, then we will be unhappy.

Do you agree with me wise Rahul?? May you always have Durga Matha's blessings.

3. Posted by geetajayaram on September 27, 2006 01:04 PM

Dearest Geeta,
May I answer the questions you ask of Rahul,
with your permission,
With love,
~ Kate

4. Posted by Kate... on September 27, 2006 01:19 PM

Very nice. Can you put in links to the other parts, please?

5. Posted by mhafiiza on September 27, 2006 01:20 PM

Rahul,

"Nowhere in particular...", vagabond news,
wanderin' blues...
sometimes a purposeless vacation
is in order. I somewhat envy Srikant.
.

Geeta, Hello! How are ya?
It sounds like your learning a lot in your
prime years. It never ends, does it?

About that super-sensitive remark...
Having practised yoga/stretching for many years
I do seem to be almost too familiar with my muscles, tendons and nerves.

If all the kewl, really highest experiences are in
the subtle realms, doesn't one need to be super-
sensitive to feel/see/hear/taste/smell them?

Or is it our Sixth sense that needs to be
touchy-feely? Lucky for Me2, the Lord knows I'm
a block-head from the "Show-Me" State. If I get
that "deer in the headlights" look, that means
the subtle carries a big hammer! Got ice?

Kate,

I will lend you my hatchet.
Now hack away at the hacker!
Around here, smokers are hackers.
Don't we have a better word?

6. Posted by Keith on September 27, 2006 03:19 PM

Dear Angel Kate, please answer my question. Love and God bless.

I had the most wonderful weekend Keith. Thank you for asking. A very wise, Hindu Monk, an ascetic, and a scholar, by the name BRAHMAROOPANANDA gave us discourses on NARADA Bhakti Sutras. (Narada was a great sage. Bhakti means Love and Devotion. Sutra is a string of words, a terse statement.) There are 84 of these sutras. If one studies and understands these, one has understood the devotional path to freedom and liberation. The monk's discourses were like nectar and I was a thirsty sponge. I am sprinkling some of what I learnt on all of you my dear friends at IB. I could listen to this kind of discourse all day every day. I am so fascinated by it.

About the super sensitive remark. I think my reasoning has an error there.Here is a revised comment.

If on the other hand, we resist the situation, we do not understand the purpose of why we are here, and start finding fault with every thing and every one, and start comparing notes with people we come across then we will make ourselves unhappy.

The situation is outside of us , but the happiness and the unhappiness is inside of us. It is our reaction to the situation.

Thank you Keith for the comment. My earlier comment was written in a hurry. Love and God bless.

7. Posted by geetajayaram on September 27, 2006 04:58 PM

Rahul,

I also remember watching the whipping man a few times during my childhood. I used to wonder how he can tolerate such pain.............Thinking about it now.....what was he doing??? taking the pain away of this world......probably people watching him used to think if this man is living and carrying on with life in such horrible pain we are better off!! That is probably how this idea of self whipping alms seeker must have originated. All the watchers by default feel to be better off. Don't see them much these days....at least i did not see anyone since a decade now.

regrds

Amit

8. Posted by Amit Tikoo on September 27, 2006 09:20 PM

Geeta, Thank you!

You no longer may call yourself a "dimwit".

We all know better, as do you!

You made it sound and simple

and easily understandable.

I AM happy for you.

We are lucky to

have you

here!

Me2

9. Posted by Keith on September 28, 2006 03:46 AM

Hi Geeta,
I did not come back to intentblog last evening, and missed writing you sooner, to answer the question in your comment # 3

What my experience has revealed to me, is that happiness and unhappiness - these feelings - are both voluntary, and involuntary.

What has been my great discovery - is that I can allow myself to feel deeply, even to the point of being 'super sensitive'. I am able to feel, to think, to create, to ponder, to laugh, to get frustrated, to be silly, to cry, to walk away, or to stay present - to whatever I am feeling. All of this is part of my being human.

The whole of creation contains the parts. And to unite the fragments, is the journey of a lifetime(s).

What a journey it is!

With love,
~ Kate

Dear Keith,
Luck strikes!
No hatchet needed for
The wooded path.
I find my way
with moon glow.
~ Kate

10. Posted by Kate... on September 28, 2006 05:18 PM

Alas Keith, I am still a dimwit in many subjects!! Thank you for your confidence in me. I am lucky to have a little cyber brother who is so gracious. Love and God bless.

Kate, dear Angel, you do have a way with your words and I love them so much. Your thoughts are crystal clear, and very wise. Love and God bless.

11. Posted by geetajayaram on September 28, 2006 07:47 PM

Dear Rahul,

It was wonderfully written. You've this ability to make people cry. For this, I think you need to get Immersed in the character. Ib is bustling since that aj nuisance has gone. It would be so nice if you can keep blogging with such fine pieces, which so many of us here like to read.

Thanks!

12. Posted by June on September 29, 2006 01:08 PM

Dear June, Many thanks for your remarks.

13. Posted by Rahul Pandita on September 29, 2006 06:57 PM

Rahul, I love your stories and have great respect for you.

"Ib is bustling since that aj nuisance has gone." ~June

Shouldn’t AJ criticize you?

So you agree that AJ is a nuisance? IB has lost a valuable critic and it was due to Sachin and his hacker friend. Do you know that Sachin is Sachin/Observer/SM/Harley/Whiteink/chomsky/walters/rehan and many more?

Do you know that June is Sachin who doesn't even have the courage to use his own name when he attacks AJ even though he has disassociated himself from intentblog.

Point is why do you acknowledge such comments which ridicule a fellow blogger AJ?

You should know that better after what happened with AJ.

Well, you can delete this comment you have the power. I still say this.

14. Posted by nan_d on September 29, 2006 07:14 PM

I am June like the summer weather June.

Dear Rahul, I am sorry for saying that mean thing about AJ.I knew it the moment I hit that post button. I was also surprised by seeing you not mentioning that in your reply to me! If you believe that AJ is a nuisance I can’t agree more by the way.

Thanks!

15. Posted by June on September 29, 2006 07:37 PM

Nan, I had thought that I will not waste my energy on this again, but once more for you and, it is got to be the last time, this time. My thanks to June was not for what she said about AJ but for her complimenting my story. If June is Sachin, (s)he still has the right to receive my thanks.

16. Posted by Rahul Pandita on September 29, 2006 08:57 PM

Rahul, your stories are great. Keep it up.

17. Posted by nan d on October 1, 2006 04:42 PM

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