Once Upon a Time Utsuk got a chance to watch a athletics event in Asian Games. As a Sports benefactor his father was invited to the ongoing Asian Games hosted in India, and was given a few passes to bring friends and family members along. It was an amazing day. The stadium was full of spectators especially because it was the final event for the prestigious 100 meters run. The renowned athletes, all unknown to Utsuk, from various asian countries were going to compete to earn the title of the fastest person in Asia.

After a seemingly long wait, filled with other not to prestigious event, eight runners from eight countries gathered near the starting line for 100 meters dash. Utsuk noticed that they all were wearing colours of their respective countries, and they all seemed very jittery – constantly moving, jumping, stretching – no one was calm or composed. After a few minutes, they all lined up, took their stances for the run. The race finished before Utsuk could complete saying – “Vow they are fast”. Utsuk was impressed though felt a bit sad like everyone else as the Indian runner missed the podium by a blink.

Same night Utsuk watched the Indian runner’s interview on the Doordarshan. He appeared to be very sad, almost in tears, for not finishing on the podium. Full of emotions, he promised vocally that he would come back again to win a medal in next Asian games in four years from then.

As the time passed the day become a faded memory in Utsuk’s mind.

Four years passed by, the Asian games were hosted by Japan. Utsuk, an athlete himself, was following the Athletics event. Though he could go to Japan to watch the games in person, he was following the games through television. When he was watching the 100 meters final, he was happy to see the Indian athlete from the previous Asian games in the lineup. He had performed very well in the heats to qualify for the final run. Utsuk felt some sort of a pride in himself seeing an Indian runner wearing Indian colours; Utsuk hoped and wished that the runner would be able to fulfil the promise he had made to himself after the last Asian Games.

The players lined up, and the race finished before spectators could realise that it had started. It was saddening for Utsuk to see the final result, his favourite had not only missed the podium but he had actually came last among all the runners. “Oh Well. It happens”, Utsuk thought. Later that night, Utsuk watched the runner being interviewed by the Doordarshan. To Utsuk’s surprise, the runner was quite happy, not at all sad about his performance. When the interviewer asked him how he was feeling, he responded that he was feeling great. As surprised as Utsuk, by the answer, the reporter asked – “four years back you had performed a far better than today; you had missed the podium by a slightest margin, and you were in tears. Today your performance is worse than that day, and yet you seem to have no regrets, no sadness, in fact you seem to be delighted. What am I missing?”

The athlete responded –

– Four years back –
I might had performed better than today on the result board but I know it was not my best, I could have done better, I could have prepared better.
– But Today –
I am happy because I am at my best today. I had given my 100%.

Utsuk wondered.

Once Upon a Time two angels, Hope and Courage were flying over a village in India. Hope had just become an angel, and was accompanying Courage, one of the most senior and experienced angels. Hope was hoping to learn by observing how Courage helps beings. It was night time, and the village was silent. All drought stricken villagers had possibly gone to bed, after a day long struggle to find food and water; many possibly hungry and hopefully not thirsty.

As soon as they reached the centre of the village, Courage decided to land down. Hope followed as an obedient student. After a short walk they found themselves standing in front of a house, which seemingly was the biggest in the whole village. It was clear from the imposing structure that the house belong to someone very important or powerful. And indeed it did. Courage told Hope that the house belong to the village’s lord. The richest, the powerful and unfortunately not the nicest person in the village. The Courage entered the home invisibly and led the Hope to the basement where the village lord had hoarded the grains from the last harvest. With all the grains in the basement while many going hungry, it was clear to Hope that the house owner was not someone who she would call a caring person. Hope saw Courage removing some of the sacks of grain, near the back wall, to expose the section of the wall through which water was seeping out. Courage with his angelic prowess instantly patched the leakage, dried up the wall and nearby sack, covered it back. As silently and invisibly they had entered, they left the house.

Hope did not have the courage to ask Courage as to why he did what he did. Hope had hoped for Courage to have the courage to take all the grains in the basement and to give them to those who did not have any.

“We are angels. We are expected to help everyone, even if they are not the most humane?” Hope, though not satisfied, concluded.

They flew back into the sky. Just about when they were going to leave the village, Courage again decided to land down. This time Hope saw herself standing in front of another house. This one was much smaller, it was made up of bricks, wood, hay and pieces of tin sheets. From the location and looks, Hope quickly judged that the house belong to someone who is possibly the poorest in the village.

Courage followed by Hope entered the front yard of the house where a cow was resting. It was a pet, and appeared to be the one helping the house owners to earn some money by selling her milk. Courage gently put his hand on the head of the cow. Hope hopefully looked for some magic to happen. And soon it did, but nothing clsoe to what Hope was hoping for. Hope was shocked when she realised that Courage gentle touch was the last touch the poor cow would ever feel. Hope was going to burst into tears, but Courage signalled her to stay quiet, turn around and leave.

They both left the village. The flight back to the heavens was not as exciting as the flight to the earth. This one was full of despair, confusion, and sadness. Hope gave up her patience and found the courage to ask her mentor – “what was that? That was so not an Angel’s work.” Courage looked back with empathy, smiled and explained.

“Down below the landlord’s house there lied a ancient treasure worth crores. Had I not repaired the wall, the house owner would have surely called for repair. The repair work would have certainly unearthed the treasure and made the house owner richer than he deserve to be.”

Hope took a sigh of relief and uttered – “oh! this makes sense. but what about the cow? I think that was truly uncalled for given how poor that family is, how much dependent they are on the cow. How would you explain that?”

Courage replied, “since it was your first day, you possibly did not pay attention. When we had reached there, we were not alone. Even a Yamdoot (one who takes a life back to heavens) was also in the house. He had come to take a life from the house. I only convinced him to spare family members but rather take their cow. I felt that it would be far more devastating for them if they lose a human member in their family as compared to their cow”.

Hope had realised

Angels needs to have Courage to be misjudged by people angels Hopes to help.

Once Upon A Time when Utsuk was in primary school. He must be about 7 years old if not younger. Those were not easy times for his parents. Utsuk Nana Ji was ill and was getting treated in one of the Delhi’s hospitals. Utsuk was curious, wanted to know what his nana ji was suffering from, but his parents thought it’s would be best for kids not to know any details. Utsuk never thought of asking more, he trusted his parents and felt that asking would only add pressure to their lives.

Nana Ji’s younger brother, who Utsuk used to call Chhote Nana Ji had also come to Delhi, to take care of his elder brother. It was very heartening for Utsuk to observe how everyone in the family was shouldering the testing times. Chhote Nana Ji would stay in the hospital for as much time as he could. He would come home only to take shower, change and get some sleep. Utsuk’s family could only afford the cheapest of the wards, which implied, sharing a large dorm kind of setup with multiple patients, no bed or chair for the attendant or any visitor. Whosoever stayed in the hospital at night would either sleep on floor in the corridor or would stay awake, walking/sitting around. Utsuk’s father had to go to work everyday, as he was the sole earning member in the family, but he would visit hospital everyday, and meet doctors to meet the physicians and keep an eye on the treatment. Utsuk’s mother would take care of Utsuk and his sister, the house chores, kitchen. Everyday after Utsuk and his sister go to school, she would prepare lunch for Chhote Nana Ji as well as for Nana Ji and then go to the hospital to deliver the same – every day. she would make come back before Utsuk and his sister would come back from the school, and then somedays go back in the evening, with evening tea, snack, and dinner etc.

Anyway, this story is not about the turmoils his family went through during those times. One day Utsuk was at home. As he was too young to be left alone at home, his mother took him to the hospital along with the lunch she had prepared for Chhote Nana Ji. Chhote Nana Ji, took the tiffin box from mother hands, and then went to the corridor outside the patients’ room. He gently sat on the floor, in a corner and open the tiffin box to have his meal. Utsuk could not help noticing that Chhote Nana ji was facing the wall. He did not know why? So he asked –

Nana Ji, why are you facing the wall while eating? Why not look this side, it would be more comfortable? No?

Chhote Nana Ji smiled and explained, as he always did –

One should try to eat in such a way that no one can see what one is eating?

Utsuk, true to his name, wanted to know – but why?

Because, his Chhote Nana Ji replied fondly –

So that someone poorer than you don’t feel bad that he can not afford what you can eat. And someone who richer does not pity you.

Utsuk was satisfied with the explanation. As he understood, this way one could offer respect to poor, to rich and to oneself equally.

Once Upon A Time there lived a young man, Utsuk, in one of the oldest cities on the planet, Banaras. One summer Utsuk decided to travel to Kolkata, the city of Joy. Utsuk had always wondered about the city’s nickname. How can a city which showcases the poverty, suffering so blatantly be called the City of Joy, he had asked himself a few times earlier. Today, the internet would have possibly given a acceptable answer to his question, but those were the times when he had no choice but to visit and experience it for himself. He knew that curiosity does not always kills, sometimes it carries one to distant places.

The train was full but thankfully not crowded. With the customary exchange of pleasantries and queries with fellow passengers, the journey begun far before the train could even start moving. Everyone was hoping to find something common, something which could connect him to the stranger who he had never met before and would never meet ever again, but would become friend enough to be able to exchange home cooked dhoklas and kachoris during half day long journey. Everyone had an identity, everyone had a past, everyone had plans for the future; everyone knew where they were coming from and knew where they were heading to, literally. Among the chaos, and the babbles, a face which caught Utsuk’s attention was of the old lady in white and blue saari, sitting quietly by the window, smiling meditatively.

Utsuk learnt that the old lady ran some sort of an ashram in the City of Joy, where she took care of old people. The strange thing was she was seemingly very selective who she would serve. In her words, she would take care of the poorest among the poor. Utsuk did not know that there were people who were poorer than the poor. He thought there are people who are poor and there are people who are not. He wanted to understand this but he shelved his doubt as he wanted to hear more from her. Her goal was to provide a respectful, a dignified death to all. She and her team would look for old destitute on the streets of Kolkata, who had no home, no money, no family and more than anything no one who loved them enough to take care of them. She would bring such people to her ashram, feed them, clean them, tend to their wounds and more than anything would make them feel that they are still loved. Utsuk could only gasp – “Vow”.

“Aunty,” he asked after a few seconds, possibly minutes of thinking, “how do you do it? I am afraid of doing anything like this.” Her response was not something unexpected – “whats there to be afraid of?”

“Well”, Utsuk said, “I don’t know if I can do it. My fear is – what if I fail to serve well? Say, I meet a person who is hungry and I feed him. What would I do if more people come in hopes that I would be abe to serve them as well? What if the same person comes back the next day, and I could not serve food again? What if I don’t have money to serve more food? How would I able to say no to others? it would be so painful, unfair, wrong – no?”.

The gentle smile on the lady’s face told Utsuk that she did not have to think before answering his question. Surprisingly, her answer was short, sweet and simple, it would be more than good enough if you can –

Do as much good as you can.
Do to as many people as you can.
Do for as long as you can.

This was not enough fro Utsuk though. He asked “but how would I know as to when to stop? How would I know I have done enough? It’s never going to be enough.” And she once again smiled and answered –

Do it till it hurts!

…hmmm. Utsuk started to wonder if he had found the source of city’s joy before evening arriving there.