(This is first part of a three part series of the Samey’s version of ’Wont you try before you die?’ written in response to the original story posted here on January 15, 2010 and also at http://successdefinestherule.blogspot.com/ on January 1, 2010. This is what Samey thinks of the story.)
Wakaner (Gujarat). Three brothers – Agni, Jal and Vaayu are going to be awarded ‘Abhimanyu Award’ posthumously on the Republic Day function to be held at New Delhi on January 26, 2010 by the honorable Prime Minister of India. It is learnt that they died while saving lives of their school-mates from the fire that broke at the school’s annual function held on the Christmas Night. The bravery medal will be collected by their widowed mother.
What makes it an interesting story, as the local people recalls, is that they were completely opposite in nature with what their names would suggest.
What makes it an interesting story, as the local people recalls, is that they were completely opposite in nature with what their names would suggest.
Agni was afraid of Fire, Jal of water and Vaayu from wind.
So, was it that they were able to overcome their fear, but only when they were near to the death? The mystery behind the accident, where magically no one was hurt except for the three brothers, continuously remains to be unsolved, as none of the school authorities or school staff could answer. Even the doctors, who performed the post-mortem on the bodies, were unable to arrive at any conclusion to the real reason behind their deaths.
While reading the above news published in The Times of India, I was completely convinced that there is something in the story that could meet an eye. Thought some News Channel would be airing what they term as the inside story. While browsing through various channels, I was amazed as there was nothing but only the mention of their names for the bravery award, no related story about them. What was difficult to understand was that there was not a single statement from eyewitnesses.
It is impossible in country like India, where even a small road side accident would become BREAKING NEWS for the channels, the same stories flashed repeatedly, and different eye-witnesses accounts are beamed for the extra TRPs, how can they miss out on this?
Many questions were bothering me, ‘why there wasn’t any detailed report about the cause of fire, why the media was not able to break the silence of the doctors who performed post-mortem on the bodies, and why the teachers and other school staffs could not give any convincing information?’
I grew restless and could not sleep that night, my mind was continuously thinking about those kids and their sudden death. So, I decided to travel to Wakaner, meet their mother and get the background story.
So, next morning, I started early for the place, which was a good 300 km away from my town. Bad roads and slow public transport prolonged my journey, and hence I was able to reach my destination in only more than 8 hours. When I reached there, I was completely tired and frustrated, so I decided to refresh myself with a cup of tea at the nearby stall. At least, I would be able to inquire more about those kids, my research can start from their onwards. While relishing tea, I heard some people were talking about them, but I did not find the conversation at all interesting, as they were telling the old stories, the same stories circulating in the media.
Frustrating though, the excellent tea make up for it; thought it was worth traveling so long at least for the tea. So, I went to the owner, paid bill and thanked him for such a wonderful tea. But, instead of replying to my greetings, he started mumbling to himself “Those bastards don’t have any other topic to discuss, what about the mother of those kids, for whom they were so much?”
Suddenly I realized, I was about to make a mistake, I traveled so long just to get the story. May be I was acting a little selfish there! Really, what about the mother of those teenagers? Was it the right time to talk with her?
Even though I inquired, “You know their mother?”
‘Yes, I know their mother as well as those kids for many years, they have saved life of my daughter too; they were truly gifted, but when I saw this people talking bullshit, I could not withstand that, so got a bit irritated, I am sorry for that .’
‘Its OK, so you know something more than what is being circulated?’
‘Unfortunately, yes!’
‘So tell me, I am here, as I just wanted to hear the real story. I am not a journalist not a writer, but you see I am interested in this, without any selfish motive. At least I want to know what was so special about those kids.’
‘They never listened to their heart, that’s what was special about those kids.’
Further he refused to share any more details, and got engaged with his work. I was baffled why no one was willing to share something more they know in the story. After several minutes of persuasion, he at least got ready to tell me what he meant by “they never listened to their heart.”
‘I won’t tell you the real story, but I can answer your question with another story!’
‘Another story?’ I was shocked. But, without caring for my expression, he started his story.
‘Once there was a girl, there was nothing special about her; she was normal human as me and my daughter. One day she was playing with a matchbox, suddenly her mother noticed that and warned her never to play with fire ever. The restriction continued as she was growing. Everyone around would tell her not to do this, not to do that, not to play with fire as they fear it may hurt her. So she never tried to touch the fire in her life-time. One day she died in an accident and her body was taken to SMASHAN-BHOOMI, where according to the Hindu custom; she was to be cremated. Everyone were for a shock, when they saw that the girl was really special, as she was gifted with a special skin, skin that doesn’t catches fire!’
I asked almost immediately, ‘So, what about those kids, Sir? They too got that special skin.’
‘No, not all, but one got a special skin that doesn’t catch fire, the other could walk on water, while the third one was able to change the direction of wind.’
Saying this, he stopped and immediately asked me to leave as he doesn’t want to share any more details with me now. May be, he was asked for the same story by many other persons, so was more frustrated. But I still haven’t got the answers to all my questions!
‘When those brothers have these super powers, did they realize it only on the day they died? Did they never try to play with fire, water or wind, because they were told not to do so? And was this the cause for their fear from basic elements? They might have died like a hero, saving lives of their friends, but why were they not able to save themselves when they were so special?’
I still don’t know what exactly happened in that school. I tried to persuade the tea-stall owner to tell me what happened on the mystery night, but he would not budge. Was he hiding something or himself don’t know much either, but his grave face when he was mumbling initially, say some another story.
Irritated with myself for having left my important work for that day, just to satisfy my inner hunger for getting the real story, I sat on the footpath near the stall, wondering what might have happened on the unfortunate night, when they have this amazing power, how can they just could not save themselves?
“I am willing to tell you the entire story behind the kids, their mother, their passion, their dreams, but what will you do with it? How will it satisfy you? You, not a journalist or author just a common man!”
(Who is going to help Samey in unlocking the secrets of the Christmas tragedy night? Catch more in the next part of the story.)
It is impossible in country like India, where even a small road side accident would become BREAKING NEWS for the channels, the same stories flashed repeatedly, and different eye-witnesses accounts are beamed for the extra TRPs, how can they miss out on this?
Many questions were bothering me, ‘why there wasn’t any detailed report about the cause of fire, why the media was not able to break the silence of the doctors who performed post-mortem on the bodies, and why the teachers and other school staffs could not give any convincing information?’
I grew restless and could not sleep that night, my mind was continuously thinking about those kids and their sudden death. So, I decided to travel to Wakaner, meet their mother and get the background story.
So, next morning, I started early for the place, which was a good 300 km away from my town. Bad roads and slow public transport prolonged my journey, and hence I was able to reach my destination in only more than 8 hours. When I reached there, I was completely tired and frustrated, so I decided to refresh myself with a cup of tea at the nearby stall. At least, I would be able to inquire more about those kids, my research can start from their onwards. While relishing tea, I heard some people were talking about them, but I did not find the conversation at all interesting, as they were telling the old stories, the same stories circulating in the media.
Frustrating though, the excellent tea make up for it; thought it was worth traveling so long at least for the tea. So, I went to the owner, paid bill and thanked him for such a wonderful tea. But, instead of replying to my greetings, he started mumbling to himself “Those bastards don’t have any other topic to discuss, what about the mother of those kids, for whom they were so much?”
Suddenly I realized, I was about to make a mistake, I traveled so long just to get the story. May be I was acting a little selfish there! Really, what about the mother of those teenagers? Was it the right time to talk with her?
Even though I inquired, “You know their mother?”
‘Yes, I know their mother as well as those kids for many years, they have saved life of my daughter too; they were truly gifted, but when I saw this people talking bullshit, I could not withstand that, so got a bit irritated, I am sorry for that .’
‘Its OK, so you know something more than what is being circulated?’
‘Unfortunately, yes!’
‘So tell me, I am here, as I just wanted to hear the real story. I am not a journalist not a writer, but you see I am interested in this, without any selfish motive. At least I want to know what was so special about those kids.’
‘They never listened to their heart, that’s what was special about those kids.’
Further he refused to share any more details, and got engaged with his work. I was baffled why no one was willing to share something more they know in the story. After several minutes of persuasion, he at least got ready to tell me what he meant by “they never listened to their heart.”
‘I won’t tell you the real story, but I can answer your question with another story!’
‘Another story?’ I was shocked. But, without caring for my expression, he started his story.
‘Once there was a girl, there was nothing special about her; she was normal human as me and my daughter. One day she was playing with a matchbox, suddenly her mother noticed that and warned her never to play with fire ever. The restriction continued as she was growing. Everyone around would tell her not to do this, not to do that, not to play with fire as they fear it may hurt her. So she never tried to touch the fire in her life-time. One day she died in an accident and her body was taken to SMASHAN-BHOOMI, where according to the Hindu custom; she was to be cremated. Everyone were for a shock, when they saw that the girl was really special, as she was gifted with a special skin, skin that doesn’t catches fire!’
I asked almost immediately, ‘So, what about those kids, Sir? They too got that special skin.’
‘No, not all, but one got a special skin that doesn’t catch fire, the other could walk on water, while the third one was able to change the direction of wind.’
Saying this, he stopped and immediately asked me to leave as he doesn’t want to share any more details with me now. May be, he was asked for the same story by many other persons, so was more frustrated. But I still haven’t got the answers to all my questions!
‘When those brothers have these super powers, did they realize it only on the day they died? Did they never try to play with fire, water or wind, because they were told not to do so? And was this the cause for their fear from basic elements? They might have died like a hero, saving lives of their friends, but why were they not able to save themselves when they were so special?’
I still don’t know what exactly happened in that school. I tried to persuade the tea-stall owner to tell me what happened on the mystery night, but he would not budge. Was he hiding something or himself don’t know much either, but his grave face when he was mumbling initially, say some another story.
Irritated with myself for having left my important work for that day, just to satisfy my inner hunger for getting the real story, I sat on the footpath near the stall, wondering what might have happened on the unfortunate night, when they have this amazing power, how can they just could not save themselves?
“I am willing to tell you the entire story behind the kids, their mother, their passion, their dreams, but what will you do with it? How will it satisfy you? You, not a journalist or author just a common man!”
(Who is going to help Samey in unlocking the secrets of the Christmas tragedy night? Catch more in the next part of the story.)
2 comments:
I really appreciate your efforts. Thank you for trying. After all there is someone who understood the message.
However, i am bit disappoined because i thought you will write something different. You put some expensive cloths on my poor story :)
Thats the reason why I asked you to post it once again here, I told you that while making changes to your original version (so that I can add my views) I thought your simplicity was getting lost ! Posting other parts shortly !
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