The Old man & a young storyteller

Though it was Darjeeling, Still that day in mid-Summer was not pleasant at-all in “Darjeeling-mall” if we consider weather. Angry sun was pouring streams of hot rays throughout the day. I was tired after walking since more than one hour in the ups & downs of the winter-city, while reached  “mall” area, the Meeting, chatting & sharing point of Darjeeling. I placed my presence in a wooden-bench with a comfortable distance with a lady, aged about more than sixty may be, engrossed in caressing her bushy white dog. I called for a tea. Ah. Its Darjeeling Tea! May be that “ah” feeling, more came our from psychological believe than from my taste buds! But suddenly I heard a voice, “please give me a seat!”. I looked up. A Man, aged more than seventy may be with a mouthful of white cladding beard, unfashionable spectacles, is smiling with a eye-to-eye looks. He was wearing a white Dhoti, rapped with a Shawl  & the most attractive accessories was his big old-fashioned umbrella.

“Yes. Pls seat” I pushed off myself.

“Thank you my child. you are from?”

“Kolkata”

“You?”

“Benaras”.

And the communication started.

I came to know his life's brief from him. I felt, He is a remarkable man! Before 30 years, his only Son's accidental death made him utterly depressed & he was ready for suicide too, to close the chapter of this dark-tunneled phase! But suddenly he felt about the price-less value of this journey called 'life'  from a book & changed his mind. He got interest in spirituality & day after day became a spiritual man from a typical high aspirating business man! He mixed this spiritual  wisdom in his ornament business and thus  he got new insight with a new outlook. While he came to know, I write & love to write, & I have published stories & book, he threw me a question, “So you write “Kahani”?

“Everything in this world is “Kahani” sir. I just try to articulate” I chuckled.

“But don't you think, those 'kahani's are trash, where the story of cow climbs a tree! Have you seen the crap mega-serials! How silly & trash! I astonish how my semi-illiterate wife finds amusements in those daily operas!'

“Hold on sir. You are putting 'story' in a generic bucket. Its like putting all streams of science in a same bracket & say “science is curse to the civilization' !”

“But don't you think there is very little 'truth' in story?”

“Again a 'generic' comment sir”

“why? Prove me I am wrong!”

“No sir, I am not here to debate, but let me share my thought please”

“carry on young man”

“See, Story is a bunch of words, right? Which portrays few characters, few events mainly. Now it depends upon author, whether he will choose a logical truthful story to make the reader 'think' or  to share a fully 'entertaining' story like bollywood commercial movies to make the readers entertained”

“Ok, but can you deep-down more thoughts on this?”

“See, till Cinema, Television was not in pace in lifestyle,  most of the common readers used to go to a book, to be entertained, what they get from cinema or Television. So literature was a entertainment factor to a common people.  Even there was  & are series of writers who wrote "kahani"s on this  entertainment factor of readers only. Even, most of the script writers concentrates on viewers week-end enjoyment. Because finally there are commercial calculations. But...”

“But?”

“But, there were & are also series of writers, who were not writing for 'money' or 'popularity' only. Writing is their way to express their thoughts, philosophy, ethics, integrities, idealism. You can Consider Tagore, Premchand,Hemingway, kamu, kafka, Arundhati Roy, Mirza Galib, K.R.Narayanan and many many ... series of writer in queue. Even if you see, today's cinema trend, there are huge number of directors and script writers, who are on parallel movies. Those are not just on commercial viability, but a combination of commerce & arts. There is entertainment but at a core value, there is something bigger than just time pass entertainment. Even producers are putting money in this trend now a days. So writers/Director's passion is matching with a niche audience & this niche audiences are increasing in number, who love to brain storm”

“ok!... carry on”

“So there are plates of options, If a reader  wants entertainment only, writers are there! If a reader  wants motivation, philosophy , adventure ...whatever, writers are there! Even if a reader wants fiction, unique brain storming ideas, historical truths in fictional wrap... then also writers are there. Its only matter of words, expressing thougts, pouring creativity & motions '

“But Why Story needed then? I will read article! I donot believe superficial truths. I love core truths”

“Sir, you are right. there is not hard-n-fast rule to read  a story! Again, there is no pressure to see a movie. Movie is also a piece of literature, script writers are main engineers for any sensible movie"
"Then why fiction is important to you young man?"
" Because I am meant for that! See, to me 'fiction' is a way to help readers to enter into the deep level of thoughts. There are readers who love to think, brainstorm life's puzzles, philosophy of journey, But while reading the “Facts only” books, shared by philosophers, Historians, Social scientists... They get Bored! Here come the Writers. They Reap a plot, a story-line, create characters, tells a story and finally gives a jerk of sensibility or outstanding punchline what reader may not have been expected! But all these roads are only way to the treasure of truth!”

“ So Young man, what's your path? only Entertainment? Only Facts?  something meaningful?” The old man stroked me now! I stumbled & then continued,

“Actually Writing is a way to communicate with my soul, my existence, my real 'I'. There are lot of words which I cannot share with my friends, wife, child even parents, those words are only can be understood by me. And this is truth for everyone, right?”

“Yes, everyone have their own words, own thoughts and may be there are very few persons can be found, one can really share his inner feelings! Those words are unuttered, sometimes just wiped out in air in the advent of time!” The Old man expressed.

“Yes, absolutely sir. Writing is communicating those words to myself. May be the only way through which I feel relaxed, I release my frustrations, anxiety, I inhale positive energy, I feel connected to my soul”

“Really?”

“Yes sir.

A Dark evening covered Darjeeling during this time of conversation. The Hoarse-riders, who rent horse to the tourist, were in busy mood to take their horses in nearby stable. From the deep Dark Himalayas, twinkling of lights of little homes was looking like starry sky on the earth! I was feeling 'chilling' breeze. 

The Old man stood up, held the stick of umbrella & said, “bye young man, nice to have some quality time, now its time for me to chant, meditate. This is the way, I am  talking to myself. Its  like your writing”.

I smiled,”ok sir, phir milenge”.

The Old man walked few steps & disappeared in the darkness of Darjeeling.