when earth and sun met

I wonder who is the person playing flute so well. Such a sweet music. It has been coming from past few day. I ll find out today for sure.

Making up her mind to know the person behind the pleasant music dhara went to the park which was right in front of her house.
She sat on the bench next to the person behind the music without him noticing her. Minutes passed by but the sweet sound coming out of the flute did not stop.

Finally after sometime the sound stopped. Dhara had drifted to a different world. Her ears were filled by the music. It took some time for her to realize that it was over.

The person had just left. She wanted to know who it was, but she also wanted to listen to it for some more time. So she called "please do not leave. You play so well. Please play for some more time"

But he had not turned back. He was just heading his way. She wanted to catch up with him and talk to him. She got up in haste, tripped and fell down.

Soon she was assisted by a warm rough hand. "are you hurt?" came a rough voice
"no i am fine, but where is the person who was playing flute?" asked dhara searching something on the ground and soon she found it.
"please take me to him i want to know who is the person who was playing it so well." said she picking up her stick, her only trust worthy guide in this cruel 'black' world.

"it was me playing the flute." said the rough voice again. "i am sorry, i did not turn back when you called.
"thats alright. I am dhara"
"i am Tejaswi"

"you play flute so well. There was something in that music. So soothing. Yet so touching. It was something different. I got drifted to a different world. It was like you wanted to tell something thought your music.
You really meant what you played. I dont think it is just music. It has more to do with your feelings. There s lot of emotion in your music. Your music says a story. Something sad. Am i true?"

"what are you?" asked Tejaswi in a blunt voice.

"what do you mean by 'what are you' ?"

"you can say all this by just listening to my music? What are you?"

"so i am right. What is it that is troubling you so much? If it is something sad share it with someone, you ll feel better. Agreed that I am a total stranger. But that must be your + point. See I don’t know you, and I cant see you so even if you come across me somewhere you wont get embarrassed."

Tejaswi did not want to talk to anyone, but something made him feel comfortable talking to her. so he told her his sad story of how he was ditched by his girlfriend because he could not live up to her standards…

On hearing this Dhara began to laugh. Tejaswi became furious. Why on earth did he have to open his mouth to some stranger. There was not way anyone could understand his feelings. There was no way anyone could know pathetic his condition was…

“I am sorry Tejaswi. I didn’t mean to hurt you. But if this is all that happened I do not see any reason why you have to be sad.”

There was a long pause and then Dhara continued again “People feel sad when they have lost something valuable. I do not see what valuable thing you have lost. She didn’t have anything for you which you could have lost. You are better of without her. Where as her… She has lost something very valuable. Something which I guess no one can replace. She has lost you. So if anyone should be sad it is her and not you.”

Tejaswi was not yet convinced “you wont understand. Forget it. It is not easy for me to be how I was before. Everything has changed”

“yes everything has changed. But it is up to you to make best of the change…”

Again a long pause…

“Tejaswi do you see these plans?” asked Dhara pointing to a piece of land

“yes” said Tejaswi “the flowers they bear are very beautiful.”

“yes people say so. You know something? These plants were not here at all. They were small saplings in our garden when my grandpa and me planted them here. If they thought that ‘everything has changed and it is difficult to for us to grow…’ then you would not have seen the beautiful flowers”

“Ok they were just saplings. If you transplant a tree it ll die”

“Tejaswi actually the mango tree under which you are sitting was not here few years ago. It was in a different layout apparently in the middle of an upcoming road. People were about to chop it down. But my grandpa protested and made them transplant it here. Him and me took care of it for weeks. And now it bears most tasty mangoes I have ever eaten”

Long silence again…

“thank you Dhara. I got your point. I ll get back to my normal life. Someone better than her must be waiting for me.”

“That’s the spirit” she said trying to get up.

“Listen. When you came and sat inform of me I didn’t know that you could not see. In fact I had not noticed you for a long time. And when I did notice you, I thought you were staring at me that was the reason why I got up from here. I am sorry”

With a smile Dhara said “Funny is it not… I saw right through you in spite of you trying to conceal your feelings still you say that I cannot see….”

Those words pierced him. Very true… she had seen right through him.

Days passed and Tejaswi began to lead a normal to good life. Every evening he played flute in the park. People around were so used to it that they found something missing if they did not listen to his music for a day. Dhara and Tejaswi were good friends.

One day after the music Tejaswi noticed that Dhara was very happy.

“Anything special today Dhara? You look very happy?”

“yes. I ll be getting engaged next week.”

“oh! That’s great. Who s the lucky guy?”

Dhara was not very sure to answer the question. After some time she made up her mind and told him about her fiancé. Again was silent for a while and said.

“This is his second marriage actually.”

“Dhara. Are you sure about this engagement. He was already married. And according to what you say he is much older than you are. Why do you want to marry him?”

“But he must be a good person. Else why would anyone want to marry me. I am blind. I don’t want to be a burden to my grandpa. He s getting old now. If ll be difficult to look after me now. And how does it matter how this person looks or how old he is. For me both the ugliest and smartest man are alike.”

Tejaswi broke the silence this time “are you really happy?”

“yes I am” said she with a genuine smile.

Tejaswi said “You know what he ll do? He will blindfold himself like Gandhari did.”

“you think he ll love me so much?”

“are you kidding? He ll get scared of your face. So he ll blindfold himself”

“tejaswi you would have been dead had I not liked your music. Am I really so bad to look at? I ll never know how I really look. People say I look decent but I think they say it out of pity.”

Just then Dhara s neighbour, a small 5 year kid came and sat on her lap. Dhara started playing with her. And when the kid left she asked Tejaswi “she is so cute isn’t she?”

“how do you know? I say she is not cute.”

“now shut up ok. All kids are cute and beautiful” Dhara was really furious now.

“yes I was just kidding. She really is very cute and beautiful. And coming back to your fiancé he wont have to blindfold himself. You are as cute and beautiful as that kid.”

Dhara didn’t have anything to say.

On the day of engagement…. Everyone was waiting for the ‘would be’ groom to come. But Mr fate had something else in-store for Dhara. The ‘would be’ groom did not turn up. Only they got a phone call.

They ‘would be’ groom had a heart attack that morning was declared dead when he was taken to the hospital.

One of dhara s aunts (an evil aunt) began cursing Dhara. “I knew something like this was in to happen. She is an omen. Soon after she was born her mother died and within few years her father died and now this. I am sure something evil is in store for all of us”

“Shut up!! Do not speak evil about Dhara. It is not her fault that he died. She is no omen. She is source of life.” Said Tejaswi. Now turning to Dhara s grandfather “I was like a zombie. My state when I cam here, was worse that the mango tree which you had transplanted. She filled life into me. Today if I am really alive that is because of her. And you call her an omen.”

“we do not want your sweet words. She might be and angel to her grandfather but she is nothing but burden to us. Who will marry her? We will have to look after her through out our life.” Said the evil aunt.

“Sir, I want to marry your grand daughter, with your permission.”

“she is blind. Do you not understand. BLIND” said the aunt.

“no she is not. Her sight is better than yours. She saw right through me”

Wondering what happened then?

Poor guy tejaswi… lost his Bachelor degree and Dhara got Master s degree