Delhi, Enjoy the Paintings, Letters to self, Motivation and Inspiration
Published on 05/06/2021
Comments 54

How I found my self ? And sooner my strength- I

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In the silence of the night, the only sound that started coming was of the rain drops dropping, infrequently from the leaves above. Soaking in as soon as they fell on the road I was walking. The darkness had intruded beyond the trees standing like guards on either side. Their canopies meeting above making a roof, even making the drizzle feel like a poem sailing through the air. Till then I had my phone in my hand. My priced possession, I had bought after two months of work at my first job as a photojournalist. As i neared an approaching lamppost that once looked far, my shadow stretching behind me. Without any sound or intuition a hand caught me by my neck from behind. For a second I really thought it must be somebody known, a friend’s prank yet still unlikely. Within another second I got a strong hit on my back. Falling flat on my chest on the wet road. And realized that I was being hit nowhere but only on my face, a sole hitting the top of my head when someone started snatching the phone from my hand. I tightened my grip but when the shoe hit my forearm and then my fist it fell off from my grip on to the ground. And suddenly it all went quiet again. 

I kind of opened my eyes then; still lying down, my head, abdomen, feet touching the earth seeing the world horizontally, watching few men jogging away, with my phone leaving me, leaving me beaten. 

I slowly stood. The drizzle had become the rain of romance. I was drenched, swollen, and some blood was falling from my nose. There was still no body on either side or far to be seen. Even as I felt heavy, I tried to make sense of what just happened. But as I couldn’t make any I started running too. And I started running fast, after them. The beating had given me a sense of an unknown kind of fearlessness or freedom. I would not know. As I ran, I saw an auto coming from behind, the healthy driver saw me, I saw him. May be we connected. I in next three seconds told him that i am running behind the ones who snatched my phone a while ago. He said sit. I climbed and was about to sit when the healthy driver accelerated at a speed of comet. The world of night and rain had dramatically changed into a window of want and chase. Within a few minutes of looking I saw them walking towards a corner, hanging around, laughing a laugh of a happy world, like innocent men, together turning right to another lane a few hundred feet away, unaware of how things can even backfire for the fireless. My focus multiplied. I wasn’t even angry no more. It was like they keyed me to follow them. It was not actually them. It was my phone I was after. It had become a life game and the one where I already knew its ways or rather even the result. 

I asked the healthy driver to drop me fifty meters ahead of these guys. He did so. I got down. Started walking towards the gang.  All were skinny like wires, not even willowy. They could be even younger to me, may be of my age but I wasn’t the one to care. I took two round pebbles in my hand from the sidewalk and walked on towards them on the footpath. I realised that my healthy driver behind me, accompanying me from far; may be my blood rush or my intent made him leave his work and observe about to happen drama. I wanted to stop the gang at a well-lit place and we were approaching a cigarette vendor, two people smoking, one sitting on his bike. It just happened that I stopped right opposite to the guy who had my phone, in his pocket. I shouted at the top of my voice. Give me my phone back! I had pebbles in my hand and I was ready to hit. They froze, their faces shocked, as if terror of their past stood in front of them. Taken aback, even by their feet. Panic unsettled their spines, they wanted to run amok, but they were kind of choked around the Cigarette shop. They started moving away from me. My healthy driver who was watching me from behind had come to my side almost guarding me. My eyes were on the pocket of that boy where his hand was. I could see my phone there. That small rectangular frame. The one who had it ran backwards and I followed too. Everybody else left each other and ran in different directions. As he ran I threw that pebble on the ground near him as caution just as he took the phone out and threw it there, I slowed down. I saw him going away, I saw others far, looking behind while running away just in case.

There was a moment when I wanted to hit, I wanted to chase and swing at them a punch or two but my phone was there, at last and again in front of me. As I picked my phone, the healthy driver came closer, put his big hand on my shoulder like a pat on the back, more so it felt like an elder brother’s hand as if i was watching; authoritatively asked me to come with him. As I walked, still breathing heavy, I could feel the delight in what i did. Probably it was that joy of doing what i had never done, not that i get a beating daily but backing my intuition without letting mind pollute it and getting the reward from the divine mother. 

It was such a happy surprise to see that the healthy driver had drove me to Mother Diary’s milk Parlour. He asked me to sit and in no time got us two cold milk bottles. Sitting in the dingy setting of his fluorescent-lighted auto i was seeing his face closely for the first time. He had cut marks all over his face, his ears almost invisible. He was looking at me, almost smiling but wasn’t saying something, that i thought he wanted to. I took a sip from the bottle, the coolness of the milk went like light through my chest. I smiled, and said “tell me about yourself?”, he taking his cold sip coolly answered, “main perelman hun/ I am a Wrestler.”   

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by

Hi, I am Narayan Kaudinya. And i welcome you on this journey, the Road to Nara ! I am an Ethnographer and a practicing Indologist. I did my masters in History and further learnt Sanskrit, Yoga and Nerve-therapy. At 24, pushing most academic sounding, office sitting works away, i felt compelled to know and understand the world and my country, Bharat/India. I travelled, and as it happened i took up teaching in Kashmir and further up in the remote villages of Baltistan in the foothills of Karakoram Ranges. For around three years and many states later there came a time when i felt that it was only while teaching i learnt how to laugh, to see, feel, breathe, love and cry -with children, and mostly resource-less parents in the harshest-freezing border conditions. I write, and work as a documentary photographer and Filmmaker, with numerous published, exhibited and some awarded stories. In my travels and life i have let nature lead me, the divine mother, and as a Yogin, my resolve here is to share my experiences and thoughts as honestly, and through them to blossom in everyone the power and possibility in pursuing your breath, that you seek your true nature with courage and curiosity. Here, on this road i will share my spirit, my love for nature, the elements of life that are us. And in doing so, i'll be happy to see you along.

54 Comments

  2. gabychops says

    An interesting story, certainly, not allowing injustice to go unchallenged does empower you. Especially, when odds are against you. The description of the monsoon is so effective that
    I wiped the droplets from my face while writing this in bed. Just as well that I did not join in the chase but I was tempted. This what the power of good writing does to you. The taste of cool milk, I got that too. The mystery of apocalyptic Wrestler? I will have to consult my book on Hindi mythology. Any suggestions, Divine or otherwise?
    Altogether, an educational brilliantly told story to remember and to read to your children.

    Joanna

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
    • Narayan Kaudinya says

      Thank you my dear Joanna. It was more to do the right thing, of how deceitfully my phone was taken. It was to try and confront than to wait and see them go. I never had any doubt when i started running or fear my dear.

      No, he was originally a wrestler but driving an auto. And it is his story which continues in the second part.

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    • Narayan Kaudinya says

      And Thank you. Thank you for everything. We are all praying for you to get out of the hospital soon. Waiting to read magic words again from you, waiting to get inspired 🙂

      Love and Regards
      Nara x

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  5. gabychops says

    A BIT LATE but I GOT THE WRESTLER TOO, QUITE OBVIOUS REALLY, THE HOSPITAL DOES DULS YOUR ABILITY TO REASON, APOLOGIES,
    A BRILLIANT READ.

    JOANNA

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Narayan Kaudinya says

      haha..

      not at all. Your views are regarded as the highest authority.

      With love and many prayers that keep on going inside me.

      Love and Regards.
      Nara x

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  6. Cheryl, Gulf Coast Poet says

    Great post, Narayan! Justice for the underdog. personal empowerment, a mysterious stranger who comes to your aid. The stranger, who is a big, strong athlete. assists you to regain your stolen phone, but allows you to solve the problem for yourself. Wonderful story, brilliantly told! ❤ Enjoy your weekend.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Narayan Kaudinya says

      Dear Ananda. Thank you so much. Its delightful to learn that you enjoyed it. Because now when i wrote it, i could make many connections while living it again and one strong connection was this wrestler, who is the centre of the second part.

      My wishes. I hope everyone’s well and safe at home.

      Regards
      Nara x

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
    • Narayan Kaudinya says

      Thank you Rosa. I hope you and family are doing well. That is the truest most thing. If one does with all his heart whatever, love, help arrives however the circumstances are.

      Thank you again for your words Rosa.
      Regards
      Nara x

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  10. Deb says

    This is an inspiring tale Narayan. I was happily following your exuberant walk through the beautiful rain and didn’t expect the sudden turn off events.
    Unfortunate turn of things, but that helped you to break through the glass ceiling of personal courage and mental strength.
    I also find very intersting the comrade you gained, the wrestler. how he wanted to help your and yet silently helped you gain your self esteem while he could easily have taken things in his own hands. I wait to read the next part of this.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    • Narayan Kaudinya says

      Deb thank you for writing.

      It definitely changed the way i saw myself from there onwards. I grew many a years that night, there is no doubt deb. But i also felt that it was only the act that told me about the change, intact i must transformed already inside for it all to take up, may be i am just saying it right now making it sound philosophical o sorts.

      But yes the comrade became a window to world i was unaware about. The story goes into exploring his world once he let me in. Let see how it will be.

      Regards my friend
      I hope family is safe from even the sad news floating around freely these months.

      Nara x

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  11. neelstoria says

    That’s an engrossing story. The auto guy being there for you demonstrate stories of hope where we are all humans end of the day. Being there for a stranger is commendable. We do come across such situations in our lives where people are like God-send. Though he didn’t have to do anything, you did your job by yourself.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
    • Narayan Kaudinya says

      Neel. Good morning. How have you been and your tooth now?
      I imagine being a wrestler it came to him as second nature to see what is unfolding right in front of him. Very true. God-send he was as that is what i concluded, you may see in the second part.

      Have a lovely day dear Neel.
      Nara x

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
    • Narayan Kaudinya says

      Thank you dear Usfman. Guess i needed divine powers that day to not let me think and change my decision. But it lead to something which made me explore a world which will be the central idea for the next post.

      Thank you for being around.
      Nara x

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  14. Gibberish says

    Such an interesting read, I read in one of the comments above , did this really happen to you for real? And you actually went back to get your phone? Whoa..you’re one brave heart 👍🏻👍🏻

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    • Narayan Kaudinya says

      Haha. Yes, ofcourse. Written as it happened. And yes i did go and got my first phone back. But trust me it was not me who did it, just some force.

      Thanks dear friend for yours words. Lovely to have you.
      Nara x

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  15. The Wheelchair Teen says

    I’m so sorry that this happened to you, but I’m also really happy that you stood up for yourself and were able to retrieve your phone in the end. Good for you! Also, your writing skill is amazing and kept me captivated until the very end. You’re a great writer!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    • Narayan Kaudinya says

      And well Simone i imagine all great things happen at the whim of a moment. Without realising something just pushes you outside our own limitations. That day was such, and as the story went made me meet, learn and know about so many things in life.

      Thank you again. You are most welcome.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
    • Narayan Kaudinya says

      Thanks Arun for these words of encouragement. Yes, whole idea is to devour within us to awaken oneself and others around us, through anything we do.

      Namaskar Ji 🙂
      Narayan x

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  18. Crystal Byers says

    Good for you, Narayan! I love your storytelling. Nothing like this has happened to me, but someone snatched my daughter’s purse in a parking lot, and she ran the person down (wearing heels and a dress). When my daughter caught the person, she said, “What’s wrong? Why are you doing this?”

    The thief said she was going through a really hard time.

    My daughter said, “We all go through hard times, and I’m crazy, too, but I would never snatch anyone’s purse.”

    True story my daughter gave the thief a hug and a ride and got her purse back (phone inside). This happened on Christmas Eve. We had just attended a candlelight church service.

    I look forward to part two.

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