Colour Combination

Rupak was returning home. He had gone to do his internship at a multinational company (MNC). It was a part of his curriculum for which he would get marks that would be added to his final score. The MNC was a good paymaster, and Rupak was very happy with the money he earned during these three months.

He had earned money for the first time in his life. Until now, he depended on the pocket money he got from his parents. Since his pocket money was meager, his needs had not grown beyond what he got.

His father had opened a bank account in his name. To develop his banking habits, his parents transferred money to his bank by online process. Rupak withdrew money by his debit card or sometimes a cheque.

Rupak started developing a liking for different types of colors after his bank account was opened. The bank sent him a cheque book that was very colorful. After he got the cheque book, he sniffed its crispy scent. He immediately liked the fragrance that had come with it, all fresh from the printing press. Then he got more fascinated after his debit card was delivered. He got attached to it instantly. It had colors of various hues, and Rupak loved it.

At his internship, Rupak drew a salary that was credited to his bank account. He sometimes withdrew cash, and the bank gave him new notes. The currency notes were of various color combinations depending on their denomination. Rupak was deeply fascinated.

Then slowly, his life took a turn. After his successful internship, Rupak got a job at a big enterprise. Being enterprising, Rupak earned two back-to-back promotions based on his good work. His salary increased manifold, and his life became more colorful. Rupak started loving the new colors that had come into his life. During his many business meetings with clients on behalf of the company, he came across many men and women. He finely observed the colors they were wearing. The colorful dresses of women fascinated him more. Sometimes he thought of getting into the garments business.

After two years of studying the color combination of women’s garments, he started his own women’s garments company. He was studying deeply the mindset of his clients and found that color played a big role in everyone’s life.

A few years into his women’s garments business, he made a lot of wealth. Time passed, and Rupak continued with his experiments with color. He remained attached to his life in color, so engrossed that he never had the thought of taking a lifelong partner, although he had many friends among both men and women. He had made friendships with some politicians as he had invested in their electoral bonds. When obligations became too much, one political party offered him a seat in Parliament.

Without fighting any election, Rupak became a member of Parliament. Now he had to face the real color of politics.

While taking an active part in politics, Rupak came face to face with power and money. He was wealthy, but now he could get access to unaccounted wealth for which he didn’t have to work. Simultaneously, he also felt he could do a lot of service to humanity.

Serving humanity, Rupak felt a deep sense of satisfaction. He discovered that he could change the destiny of many deprived people.

So, he began taking an active part in politics. He learned and practiced giving speeches.

Then his party gave him the chance to address a big crowd. At the outset, he felt nervous and afraid. Never had he given a speech. However, recently, he had been practicing a lot of speech-giving by standing in front of his bathroom mirror.

So when he was confronted with the duty of giving a speech, Rupak first looked at the crowd facing him. He took notice of the various colors of their dresses. Like in earlier times, he was moved by the color combination of their dresses. This thought removed all his fears and helped him deliver an awakening speech that visibly moved his audience. His political party recognized his potential and made him chief minister.

By becoming very popular, Rupak could discern the power he could wield over his people.

Then came a challenging stretch of his colorful life. He had observed that people loved to take hard drinks and didn’t need any occasion to celebrate. He levied huge excise duties on alcoholic drinks, yielding huge revenue for his ministry.

Unfortunately, the opposition leaders noticed a huge anomaly in the revenue collection. The police started an investigation and raided some godowns on the instruction of the court. A huge holding of unaccounted cash was found. As the buck stopped with the chief minister, Rupak was made answerable. Failing to give a satisfactory reply, he had to face a jail term of three months.

Spending time in jail, Rupak did a lot of introspection of his past deeds. Then one night in jail, Rupak saw a vision.

The next day onwards, he began to think of a different life. His jail term ended, and Rupak came out. He had already resigned from the post of chief minister. He formed a trust representing men and women from various sections of society. They were entrusted to run the garment company of Rupak. The company had now become a blue-chip company with investments by foreigners as well.

The profit was now to be used for the benefit of the socially deprived people.

Rupak now donned ochre-colored clothes and left city life to go to the forests to do penance. His color combination had led him to retire from active society.