9

The END- She smiled and continued with a song on her lips…

The Beginning- She stumbled and fell…

The middle:

Hasya Ras (Laughter) – she stumbled and fell-She looked a sight, sitting there splattered with slush and mud from head to toe, in the middle of the puddle. All around the busy corner, laughter echoed. She managed to stand up clumsily. Turning towards the assembled crowd, she grinned and called out cheerily (much to their amusement), “come again tomorrow for a repeat performance.” The grocery owner rushed to help her up and helped her clean up… He was so much amused at her spirit that he offered her a cold drink and refused to charge her even a penny for it. After resting for a while, she smiled and…

Shringara ras (Romance)- She stumbled and fell- more than hurt, she was embarrassed. The guys from the football team had come to watch the basketball tryouts. It was a nasty fall. He came rushing down from the stands to help her up. He was the captain of the football team. “Does it hurt?” he asked. It didn’t but she still nodded and said, “Its ok …I will manage” and made an act of hobbling, all the while grimacing as if in pain. He was impressed at her show of heroism. “Look here. If you don’t mind, let me drop you home”

“No noo! I…I will manage“, she stammered, but he was adamant and helped her stand up. He looked admiringly as she made her way out leaning slightly on his shoulders. Her friends watched wide eyed, while she smiled…

Karuna Ras (Grief) – she stumbled and fell…Down the stairs. There was no head injury, but she had fractured her spine which injured her spinal cord. The result- she was paralyzed waist down. Her world was shattered. Her surgeon informed her that it might be a long time before she could walk again or maybe…She wept as never before in frustration, helplessness.  Doomed, Left on her own with just her parents, she withdrew onto the virtual world. .She took up blogging with a vengeance, pouring her heart out living her life through her blog, winning friends and fans on the way, until one day she was noticed by a famous publishing house and rest they say is history.

She was on the computer when the phone rang – It was him, the one who had deserted her at the first opportunity. She chatted for awhile and ended the call with the following line-“I forgive you but it’s over”…And then she smiled and …

Raudra Rasa (Fury) – she stumbled and fell… “What happened? Why can’t you walk properly?” Her mother in law called out irritated. “Always running about  …” the old lady grumbled audibly. Her ankle hurt but she could still walk. She could feel the first wave of fury rising inside her. She was fed up of her mother in law completely. Constantly bickering, always finding fault, never happy – always toxic. She kicked the slipper, the cause of her fall, far away and pulling herself up straight, she barged into her mother in law’s room, mentally prepared for a big nasty confrontation. But she stopped dead in her tracks…The old lady was lying on the bed, clutching her abdomen, face contorted with pain. “Indigestion” she mumbled at her daughter in law as explanation.

“obviously, the glutton that you are” she felt like retorting, but instead gently said. “I have some medicines with me. Let me get them… And have khichidi or daliya for lunch. I will prepare it as soon as I finish doing the breakfast dishes.” Her MIL looked up at her gratefully and mumbled “thanks beta”

She smiled …

Viram Rasa (Bravado, Heroism) – she stumbled and fell… She was exhausted with all the running and crying for help. The street was deserted. She could hear her pursuer‘s steps nearby. She laid still, eyes shut. She couldn’t run any more… Moments later she could feel his heavy breathing on her cheeks. Then with a deafening screech and a sudden spurt of energy she kicked out at him and scratched at his face furiously. He had assumed her to be unconscious and so her multifocal attack completely caught him off guard, he caught the kick at his solar plexus and her nails and fingers almost gouged out his eyes. He staggered sideways yelling in pain. She was quickly on her feet and seizing the opportunity kicked on his shins almost snapping them into two. Then picking up the stone lying nearby she hit him on his head with all her might… He lay unconscious…or maybe dead. She didn’t care, She just smiled and…

Bhayankar Rasa (Fear) – She stumbled and fell… inside the silo like thing. The door slammed behind her. As soon her eyes got accustomed to the dim light inside, she stood up. She could see the exit door ahead… and then she suddenly felt something brush past her feet. She looked down and almost screamed in fright. There were cockroaches all over the floor, with rats running along the side of the walls. Some cockroaches had already started scampering up her legs. She curbed an urge to shriek and run. She closed her eyes hut and started shaking but she had to go ahead. She took some deep breaths and started feeling her way ahead. The cockroaches were running all over her body now. She some how managed to keep her face and ears covered. Shaking and trembling, she reached the exit door finally but controlled herself from banging on it though she very much wanted to escape. She waited for it to open patiently. She just could not give up now. And then the door opened to loud cheers – “our new Fear Face Off challenge winner…” Thank God! She smiled and…

Advootam Rasa (Wonder) – she stumbled and fell just near the first bar stool. She was completely amazed at what she saw. She was from a small town and her roommate had brought her to attend a farmhouse rave party. The whole place reeked of sex and drugs. Skimpily clad yet stylish girls were moving about. Some were busy at some odd corners making out with tattooed guys, totally zonked out.  Some were snorting a white powdery substance while few were sharing needles. It was a different world and a different zone… Psychedelic lights, trance music and lots of smoke. Something she had never seen nor imagined. Something dangerous yet alluring.  A guy suddenly appeared by her side and running his hand up her spine ,  offered her a  smoke, “ come on have it“,  she carefully stepped away from him and smiling sweetly she made her way outside as soon as her legs could carry her. With one last parting glance she stepped outside the premises inhaling the fresh air, smiling and….

Bibhatsa Rasa (Disgust)-She stumbled and fell but he caught her just in time… It was her bridal night. She waited with bated breath for him to unveil her. Hers was a traditional wedding where she hadn’t even met him before marriage. Her parents had died when she was just five years old and she had been brought up by her distant relatives. She glanced up at him shyly the moment her veil was removed and she gasped involuntarily eyes portraying her shock, her shock turning into disgust at what she saw- a badly scarred, mutilated, face which was grotesque to say the least. He coiled back at her loathing. “So they did not tell you. Right?”  He asked her softly. She was breathing hard. She simply shook her head, still shocked.  Sitting on the edge of the bed, he looked defeated. Then without saying a word he left her alone in the bedroom.  She didn’t sleep the whole night. The next morning she was tidying up the room, when he came in.

“Tell me when you are ready to leave” he said in a monotone.

“I am not leaving. Scars or no scars, my marriage vows were for you… and moreover I am curious to know the person beneath the scars”. She replied evenly. His eyes betrayed nothing but she could sense promises of happier times ahead in them. She smiled…

Shantam Rasa (Tranquility) – She stumbled and fell … out of the bushes into the clearing which revealed the lake and its surrounding meadows. It was so peaceful and tranquil. She felt one with God here. Far away from her home, her worries, she felt a strange peace engulfing her. If only she could stay here forever, leaving her past behind… Why not? She thought. There was so much peace over here. Then she remembered her baby Gungun! She could not desert her now… She had her responsibilities to fulfill, problems to be faced. No of course not. She could not run away now. She had to fight her battles first and then maybe she would come back here, but till then God had to wait. She smiled ….

Whatever the beginning, whatever may be the rasas or situations, you have the power to turn it your way and give it the ending you want and ofcourse deserve.

FUEL IT, CURB IT, CHANNELIZE IT, CONTROL IT- THE POWER TO CHOOSE LIES IN YOUR HANDS AND ULTIMATELY YOU CAN GIVE IT THE ENDING YOU WANT.

Mani Padma

She is a Doctor by profession , working in Delhi. Loves traveling, mind games and playing with words… And also the chief-co brewer of GingerChai. She is the chief brewer of some of the interesting categories you see in GingerChai.Follow @manishalsam

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Tags: navras, possibilities

This entry was posted on June 8, 2010 at 7:32 am and is filed under Other Stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.