Colorful Holi ( 2 short stories) ..

Two short stories are about Pinku, the painter who has discovered  his suppressed talent and Dimple, the scooter who received new life during Holi celebration.

Pinku the painter

Pinku(M 26) came to Mumbai from small town of Bihar appx. ten years ago to earn money. His father died at very early age and Pinku, as elder brother had responsibility for his sister’s marriage and Sahukar’s debt, his father has taken to start new business. Unfortunately his father died suddenly before establishing his business. Money had been spent, debt had not been repaid and business terminated without taking off. Pinku had no choice than to travel to Mumbai and earn money for his family.

From childhood, Pinku had talent to paint. Colors charmed him. He saw a character in each color. Whenever he saw cinema, he never interested in Hero, songs or dialog, but keenly watching colors and textures of the movie. When he painted his room with just clay and chalk, entire village had appreciated his work. If he had taken birth to rich parents, he could have been a famous painter. But unfortunately, due to his illiteracy, rural background and lack of knowledge of outer world,   he did not realize the true potential of his talent. To satisfy his need to work with colors, he decided to be a painter .. to color house walls, in fact.

As he arrived at Mumbai, his friend had found him job of assistant painter. He supposed to assist the painter, in color mixing, scrubbing the wall and cleaning up at end. Slowly Pinku started showing his talent in painting.. He liked colors and his job required to be with colors and shades.. He enjoyed his job. Within year, he established himself as painter and need not required to work as assistant any longer.

Pinku had eye for details. He never left smallest corner untouched. When he was painting wall, he was painting as true artist paint their canvass. Each wall he faced, each day, was new canvass for him, alas nobody had noticed his hidden talent. He received few words of  appreciation and few hundreds rupees extra as tip. He was satisfied with that.

Pinku’s reputation grew as passionate painter in his circle and color contractors wanted to hire him for expensive projects. He painted numerous celebrities houses and five star hotel’s ball rooms. In spite of all this success, Pinku had a pain in his heart. He never allowed to paint colors he liked. He had to follow the orders of his masters. Sometimes, house owners select pathetic color schemes and his artist heart used to cry but he remained calm and suffered. He knew his boundaries as small painter, very well. One day..

That day, Pinku was scheduled to paint a well-known painter’s house. That Painter namely Abuzak, was so busy in painting for clients and international art-galleries that he did not had time to paint his own house. When Pinku reached to his house, Abuzak had not purchased any paint or decided color scheme. Abuzak had so many things in his brain that he did not had time to think about this petty thing.. He handed over bundle of cash to  Pinku and told “ you can color whatever you want. It should look nice. I will be back after two days and I wanted painting to be finished by that.. I want everything to be clean, when I return.. “ He handed over entire house to Pinku and left. Pinku was amazed by his weird attitude.  First time Pinku had chance to paint as per his likings. He had been given freedom to express his suppressed talent.  

Abuzak’s house was furnished with very meager furniture and it was not well taken care of.. Pinku felt feeling of sadness, feeling of being ignored, emanating from the house.  House was crying for change and he decided to makeover. He bought colors and brushes as per his color schemes.  He selected colors which brings freshness to the house. He combined various colors and created new colors, which nobody has seen before. He immersed into his painting, pouring his heart on to the walls. That day painter’s house has witnessed another painter with same passion and intensity, the difference is one was internationally known, rich, intellectual painter, while another was just a…..painter. 

During his lunch break, Pinku saw few painting of Abuzak. He could not understand meaning  of it but he felt that those painting had something which drawing him deeper,,,, something which could not be interpreted  but still appealing to him !!!!

Pinku painted for two days constantly day and night. When he finished his artwork, he took final look at his work, painted walls. As any artist, he was not satisfied with his work and he thought about possible improvements but he did not have time. House was beaming with new colors and had become a master piece in itself.

When Abuzak arrived, he was astonished. He was speechless. He saw colors and patterns he has never seen before. He felt like he is moving into an art gallery and enjoying best performances of artists. He never imagined that dull walls also can be canvass for creation. He felt the true potential of Pinku’s talent. He saw Pinku in his colorful shirt and face full of various color drops… He asked “ I am sure you have not slept for two days”..

Pinku shyly replied “Yes”.. Abuzak wondered “How you did this..? How did you.. combined colors ?..” Pinku replied “ I knew.. “.. Abuzak thought at bit and asked him “Will you work for me.. ?” Pinku asked” what should I paint ?” Abuzak pointed to his painting “ These… you just paint for me, fill my canvass with your colors… I will get your painting sold “…

Illiterate painter from Bihar, did not understood world of professional paintings. He simply asked “ Will I earn 6000 Rs. per month ?” Abuzak smiled and put his hand on his shoulder .. “Don’t worry my friend,, you will earn much more than that.. I assure you I will pay you 15,000 per month.. You just paint. Show me your talent,, explore yourself.. I will teach you emotions,, you teach me colors.. “

Even though Pinku could not understand what Abuzak told, but he had calling. He knew that those paintings can be his future, the only future he had..  He agreed and they decided to start his new assignment from tomorrow.

When Pinku left Abuzak’s house, in excitement, he forgot that his cloths and face were filled by various colors. He thought to return and change the cloths.. but he did not because today was HOLI. Whole world is celebrating with colors, thing he loved most…

On the road, people were playing Holi with each other and throwing colors. Nobody touched him since he was already filled by colors, TRUE colors… Amidst the enjoying crowd he spread his arms and looked at sky. He saw various colors, emanating from his arms, are filling the clean blue sky… He felt liberated and his journey to explore his talent has begun. He wished Abuzak, ,” Happy Holi”…

Dimple the Scooter

Her owner used to take care of her pretty well. She used to wash her every day, feed oil and patrol when needed. She used to love her and given her name, Dimple. Dimple had pure white body with flashy lights and loud-mouthed horn. She was proud scooter till one day.

That day her owner suddenly disappeared. She was waited whole day, but her owner did not turn up. From that day, nobody had touched Dimple. She was lying in corner with no hopes. Her white body was littered by garbage, dust and bird droppings. There was time when she was best looking among the scooters but now she has been thrown to the corner just to rot. She cried to God to give her an owner. But who wants to own a shabby, dirty scooter, who has not been used for years !!! Dimple, residing at the corner of society parking, passing her days by awaiting an owner or a scrap dealer !

Bikram and Janvi was newly married couple. They fell in love and got married and marriage ruined their love story. After marriage to pay the EMI and credit card bills, both of them started working and working hard. Bikram started his new side business which was taking up his after-office hours. Because of lake of time for each other, they started drifting away from each other. Physical separation was converting into emotional separation.

That day Bikram came late as usual and Janvi was asleep. When Bikram saw his wife, he thought that “Is this girl I loved and sworn to live together forever ? Where is that girl, who used to wait for me till midnight for dinner ? Where is that girl, who had love in her eyes for me !! Where is the love.? What’s happening to my married life ? “ As he thought more about his ruining married life, he realized  that its’ not only Janvi who, had changed, he also had become static husband. He realized that if he is not able to get his married life back on track now, surely he might lose it forever !!!

Next morning, Janvi was watching other playing Holi from her balcony and as always, Bikram was sleeping. Janvi remembered that how they used to play Holi prior to marriage with their friends ! How Bikram used to throw bucket of water despite her requests and threats… all these romantic moments have confined to memories only.. Life has changed and changed for the worse.

While Janvi was lost in such depressive thoughts, suddenly a hand rubbed her cheek with red color.. Janvi shocked and saw Bikram.. She got angry ..” What are you doing ? You are spoiling my cloths.. It’s brand new dress…”… Bikram got disappointed by her reply.. He turned down his face with sad sorry.. He left the room..

Red-faced Janvi realized that she had chance to revive their lost love.. It was her opportunity to energize their married life.. A spoiled dress can make their life happy once again.. and she lost the chance.. she lost it..

Disappointed Bikram went to take bath.. When he came out and he saw Janvi with full of water bucket waiting for him.. !!! He resisted “ Look Janvi.. don’t be stupid.. you are going to drench TV… “ Suddenly he realized .. “This is the chance stupid.. grab it.. hell with TV.. “.. He rushed into the bathroom and came out with another bucket full of water.. Janvi scremt “NO Bikram.. I don’t like water.. (actually she did.. J) and ran out of house.. Bikram followed her..

At outside Birkam spotted Janvi and threw the water on her… She ducked and gush of water fell on Dimple, the scooter.. Stream of water had washed her.. all the dirt and mess was removed.. Bikram emptied another water bucket, hitting Dimple again.. Two buckets of water had washed Dimple and she regained her elegant white color.. She became graceful again.

After playing the holi with each other, couple regained their lost love. Looking at serene white scooter, Janvi asked Bikram.. “This scooter looks very beautiful… who owns it ?” Bikram replied that scooter belonged to someone who has migrated to Canada. Janvi replied that “ Can we buy this ? I really like this scooter… “ Bikram had no problem with that..

Dimple the scooter was listening to couple’s talk and thanking Holi to make her life again..

Regds

vadan