TRANSFORMATION BEGINS…

AUGUST 15, 2008

After the flag hoist as everyone were seated…

Viswa: Ashok, this is the right time you contribute something for the village that laid a foundation for establishing you into a reputed business tycoon.

Ashok: Sorry Viswa, I can’t donate crores of my hard earned cash just like that for the welfare of people. I am not running a funding agency. If you want me to fund them ask them to return the empty land in return for the money I invest

Viswa: Ashok as I said earlier money and people are different aspects; don’t try showcasing your business skills here.

Ashok: Don’t try attracting me with your philosophies. If you want my investment ask them to offer me the land in return else it’s a goodbye from my side for now and ever!

SEPTEMBER 27, 2013

Silence everywhere in the room, it’s complete and utter overbearing silence. Ashok opened his eyes to survey the path that paved him way to this place. Ashok is one of the country’s most distinguished business tycoons, crowd say his name Ashok is justified to him because they never see him practically faced by any shoka’s (problems). Within a very short period and by early forties Ashok became enormously successful. He achieved everything he dreamt – a professional reputation, shares and stocks that are worth crores of rupees, a big bungalow and hundreds of people who work under the signs of his eyebrows. Yet he wasn’t happy. Things weren’t that idyllic as people thought them to appear. Each night the same dream haunted him – the search for happiness. The more he tried to justify it, the less he seemed to recall.

It was 7:30 a.m. on a beautiful crisp Friday morning. On the bed of his lavish bungalow laid Ashok still in search of the dream that preoccupied him last night. The servant came in with the coffee mug in his hand. Ashok held the mug, asked the servant to leave and began watching the last dance of nature. He sipped the coffee, the inside throat felt covered in the blanket of that warm liquid. The sun slanted its rays on his face, illuminating a part of it like a half-moon making him ruminate over life and death; brightness fighting the darkness and illusion masking his reality. He opened the laptop and signed into his Facebook account. There were many personal messages sent to his inbox, the context was different but content was the same. People want him to solve all their problems with the reputation and crores of rupees he congregated all these years. All of his 1546 followers seemed faithful on his wall but showed their true character in his Inbox! He recalled a quote his friend Viswa said five years back “People following you are like tattoos, while some are real & permanent, some are fake & temporary”. He had a heartfelt smile after many days, may be Viswa was right he thought.

He was deeply absorbed in thoughts when his manager arrived with the list of appointments for the day. Somehow he didn’t feel like attending all these meetings today. He wanted to enjoy the inner thoughts and search answer for the haunted question. He asked his manager to cancel all the appointments for the day and moved once again near the window to observe the nature. For him everything except him looked as if it was evolving- be it the wind, the skies or even the trees. The half-decayed flowers and bronze-coloured grass looked like jewels on a slim mannequin whispering to the thin air around. He saw the lukewarm light flowing to the glass windows forming sleek rectangles on his bedroom floor sending him a divine message. People say matter occupies space, but his space was already occupied by materialistic possessions  that didn’t really matter.

The bunch of leaves lying on the ground echoed him with his existence. The trajectory of life takes us from inexperience to wisdom – from upright, green saplings to frail, rust coloured petals. They will depart soon and rest on the ground permanently and something else will take their place. It seems like a regular process, is this what we call cycle of life? If so is it so simple to wave adieu? From the past experiences he knew the two hardest things were saying “hello” for the first time and “goodbye” for the last time! With some reluctance he peeped within to sweep the cobwebs of his fear and to untangle his knotted relationships. He wanted someone to hold hands and guide him with graceful randomness. In such a predicament situation the first name his mind reminded was Viswa!

With no second thoughts he immediately rang up Viswa and said he wanted a relief from the busy schedule he was encountering every day. Viswa didn’t want to disappoint his friend who came down after 5 years. It had been long time since they watched a movie together and they planned to watch Trivikram’s new movie Attarintiki Daaredi in the nearby multiplex theatre. Ashok’s reputation and money fetched two Balcony tickets within 5 minutes and after three hours they came out of theatre fully satisfied with the moments they spent together.

As they departed, Viswa observed Ashok still deeply immersed in his thoughts. On enquiring he said “One day, I will fall as one of the leaves buried in dirt decomposed to nourish the life that has just sprouted. Who will care for me then? Are there any of my well-wishers or people who still remember me? Doesn’t my life resemble the old man’s character shown in the movie?” It started raining outside. The rain falls because the sky can no longer handle its heaviness, similarly tears fall because the heart can no longer handle pain. In that pleasant weather Ashok burst out his feelings hidden within him since years. Viswa understood that Ashok related the dialogs like

బాగుండడం అంటే బాగా ఉండడం కాదు, నలుగురితో ఉండడం, నవ్వుతు ఉండడం

తెగిపోయేటప్పుడే దారం బలం తెలుస్తుంది వెళ్లిపోయేటప్పుడే బంధం విలువ తెలుస్తుంది 

to his daily routine which led to this emotional outburst. Viswa felt happy that Ashok finally realized the importance of people and relationships. He now saw a new Ashok who justified his greatness not in winning arguments but in understanding other’s emotions.

ఎక్కడ నెగ్గాలో కాదు ఎక్కడ తగ్గాలో తెలిసినవాడు గొప్పోడు

The cycle of life always radiates the constant message of change and it is at this point that the true transformation begins. After the entire emotional outburst Ashok felt relieved and turned on the radio in the car. It tuned to some radio station which played the line

శోకాన్నే దాటేసే అశోకుడు వీడురో ! 

There were smiles on both their faces. The rear view mirror reflected the change in Ashok’s eyes that were filled with flickering yet majestic presence. Transcendence brewed in him. He held Viswa’s hand and promised to donate double the amount Viswa asked him five years ago, this time he was truly Ashoka with no practical shokas!!