The diety gazed beningnly at the rich, slightly obese business man, standing barefeet before him. With him, was his daughter in law and son. Heads bowed, garland in hand they stood, waiting for the priest to complete his incantations. After they were over, the man reached out to take the 'thaali ' from his son's hands, and handed it to the priest. On it was a packet, obviously money wrapped in a bright yellow cloth. "She will bear a son, this time, won't she ?" he almost pleaded with the priest. "If the mother goddess is pleased with your offering, then surely yes, she will bless you with an heir. Was not your son born as a result of her benedictions, and your piety ? " replied the priest.
Hand raised, the priest placed it on the lady's head and blessed her. Going down the steps of the temple, they met the couple. In his arms he carried a child, his wife followed close behind, weeping copiously. Unable to restrain herself, the daughter in law asked what was wrong. "He has got pneumonia, madam. The doctors say that he will not survive if we don't admit him, in hospital. We don't have the money for that, so we have brought him before Mataji. He will live, if she blesses him." The impatient business man, having reached the car shouted for her to hurry up. " Maaf karo !" exclaimed her husband brusquely, pulling his wife's hand and hurrying her down the steps.
As the couple entered the temple, they were met by the priest. "Have you brought an offering, ?" he asked, looking down at the almost unconscious child and the delirious mother. "Put it in the thaali, there." His wife, hurriedly emptied the contents of her saree pallav in the thali. In it there were flowers and a coconut. Eleven rupees, all that they could spare, were also put in it. "Bring more the next time," chided the priest." For Mata's darshan and prasad you need much more." All that they were allowed to do was ring the bell hanging at the outer door, and hope that mata had heard their plea. With the clanging of the bell ringing in their ears they retreated. Pushed out by the crowd behind, they sat on the steps, offering a small bottle to the child, when a man came up to them. He had been helping the priest with the aarti.
Surruptiously dropping a small bright yellow bundle in the woman's lap, he was gone, before they even realised it. "Panditji has sent this. Mataji's Prasaad." were his softly spoken, hurried words, before he loped towards the temple. Opening it they found within, a thick wad of notes, wrapped in the same cloth, the business man had given earlier to the priest. Kissing the steps of the temple gratefully, they were gone, hurrying to the nearest hospital as fast as they could go.
A month later, the business man was back at the temple. In his hands, he bore triumphantly the son, the heir he wanted. After the child had been blessed, the offering upped to two lakhs this time, was made. As they prepared to leave, the daughter in law, again sighted the poor couple. Nudging her husband, she indicated that now she would like to give them some money. The business man, having heard her, nodded benignly and strode over to the poor couple. They sat, holding a healthy looking baby, happily watching him play, kicking his little hands and legs in the air, gurgling at his father. The mother looked up to find the business man standing over them, in his hand he held out a wad of notes. Slowly she stood up, folding her hands, she bowed before him, then indicated a hapless mother sitting with three small kids, begging passers by for money to feed her kids. Then she sat down firmly. her back turned to him. "When we needed money, Devi Mata gave it to us, sir," said the father softly. "Now she needs it " he said, also indicating the same beggar.
Hand raised, the priest placed it on the lady's head and blessed her. Going down the steps of the temple, they met the couple. In his arms he carried a child, his wife followed close behind, weeping copiously. Unable to restrain herself, the daughter in law asked what was wrong. "He has got pneumonia, madam. The doctors say that he will not survive if we don't admit him, in hospital. We don't have the money for that, so we have brought him before Mataji. He will live, if she blesses him." The impatient business man, having reached the car shouted for her to hurry up. " Maaf karo !" exclaimed her husband brusquely, pulling his wife's hand and hurrying her down the steps.
As the couple entered the temple, they were met by the priest. "Have you brought an offering, ?" he asked, looking down at the almost unconscious child and the delirious mother. "Put it in the thaali, there." His wife, hurriedly emptied the contents of her saree pallav in the thali. In it there were flowers and a coconut. Eleven rupees, all that they could spare, were also put in it. "Bring more the next time," chided the priest." For Mata's darshan and prasad you need much more." All that they were allowed to do was ring the bell hanging at the outer door, and hope that mata had heard their plea. With the clanging of the bell ringing in their ears they retreated. Pushed out by the crowd behind, they sat on the steps, offering a small bottle to the child, when a man came up to them. He had been helping the priest with the aarti.
Surruptiously dropping a small bright yellow bundle in the woman's lap, he was gone, before they even realised it. "Panditji has sent this. Mataji's Prasaad." were his softly spoken, hurried words, before he loped towards the temple. Opening it they found within, a thick wad of notes, wrapped in the same cloth, the business man had given earlier to the priest. Kissing the steps of the temple gratefully, they were gone, hurrying to the nearest hospital as fast as they could go.
A month later, the business man was back at the temple. In his hands, he bore triumphantly the son, the heir he wanted. After the child had been blessed, the offering upped to two lakhs this time, was made. As they prepared to leave, the daughter in law, again sighted the poor couple. Nudging her husband, she indicated that now she would like to give them some money. The business man, having heard her, nodded benignly and strode over to the poor couple. They sat, holding a healthy looking baby, happily watching him play, kicking his little hands and legs in the air, gurgling at his father. The mother looked up to find the business man standing over them, in his hand he held out a wad of notes. Slowly she stood up, folding her hands, she bowed before him, then indicated a hapless mother sitting with three small kids, begging passers by for money to feed her kids. Then she sat down firmly. her back turned to him. "When we needed money, Devi Mata gave it to us, sir," said the father softly. "Now she needs it " he said, also indicating the same beggar.
nicely weaved..some people will never take money,how self righteous they can be! Only will when urgently required..
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