Gagana - Colour White

Gagana sat still. Her eyes were closed and her face looked very peaceful. Nothing around her disturbed her. Of course, the motel was situated in a very serene valley between the huge mountain peaks. Nature was at its best there and the small town was frequented by thousands of tourists all year round. During summer, the normal tourists, who loved to get away from their bustling cities came there to relax and enjoy the peace. Mostly families with young children came there during vacation time. During winter, besides a few families who wanted to experience the biting cold weather for a change, many tourists who loved adventure sports like skiing, mountaineering and trekking, came in groups.

Gagana’s father Biren ran a small motel for tourists. His wife Dharmamma, his son Raju, and nephew Jagan helped him in his business, besides a couple of employees from outside the family. Dharmamma managed the kitchen with a cook, while Biren took care of all other affairs along with Raju and Jagan. His other son Naresh was in the plains, studying hotel management. Raju did not evince interest in studies after his 10th grade, while Gagana, though loved studies, could not progress beyond 10th grade because that town did not have a college. Biren did not want to send Gagana outside because she was blind by birth and he could not live without her. He considered her a blessing from the heavens, as she brought peace, prosperity and happiness with her. She was very sharp and never complained about anything. Though she never had seen the beauty of that town, the mountains and the forests in the valley, she enjoyed the bliss, silence and soothing breeze of the town. She loved the heavenly aroma of nature, the melodious chirps of a variety of birds and the echo of human voices from the distant mountains.

“Gagana, come in and have your breakfast. You have meditated for nearly half an hour now. Get ready soon. Malini Aunty said she would come by 10.30 to talk to you”, called out her mother.

Gagana opened her eyes gently, got off the cement bench in the courtyard, entered the house and walked towards the kitchen slowly. The motel was on the other side of the courtyard. She was very independent inside her house. Her family members ensured that they did not change the layout of the few furniture items that they had. Gagana had spent 17 years in that house. She came into the kitchen and sat along the wall. Her mother served her hot porridge made of some millet. Gagana finished her breakfast and quickly got ready for Malini.

Malini was from an NGO in Delhi and she visited Gagana’s town as an adventure tourist. When she came to Biren’s motel, she was touched by the warm hospitality. She had come with six of her friends, one of whom was an ophthalmologist Dr. Sandesh Phule. They were all amazed by Gagana’s positive attitude, friendly nature and above all the beautiful verses that she had penned. Biren showed the book of verses that Gagana had written. 

“Mem Saab, you will be wondering how she is able to write so vividly about these mountains, rivers, forests and birds when she has seen none of them. Since her childhood, our family members ensured that she never ever felt sad about her disability. We took her on nature walks, described everything we saw in detail, and read out poems and songs written by various writers in our local language and in Hindi. After my son went to the plains for his college studies, he brought English books and read them to her. She is very sharp and grasps all that she hears very quickly. She writes in our local language and Hindi.” Biren spoke about Gagana with pride. 

“Malini, Gagana can gain her eyesight, if we find some donor. I wonder why they did not try all these years”, said Sandesh.

“I asked Biren and he says, nobody told them about that and they hardly go anywhere outside. He thinks such treatments would be very expensive too.”

Malini and Sandesh arrived by 10.30. They were welcomed by Gagana with a broad smile. She looked fresh and beautiful. “Namasthe Gagana. You look so beautiful in this white dress”, said Malini.

“Thank you so much, Aunty. I think someone has come along with you.”

“Yes, my friend Dr Sandesh, who checked your eyes three days ago, is with me. We have some good news. He says we can give you eyesight by implanting the cornea.”

“Where will I get a cornea? That too in this remote town!”

“There is an eye bank and we can find a suitable cornea for you. But you have to come with us to Delhi.”

“Won’t it cost a lot? My father cannot afford it.”

“Don’t worry about the cost. We will find some sponsors. We can publish your poetry and sell the books.”

“What? Really? I am so happy. Pappa, amma, did you hear that? Then I will become famous”, giggled Gagana with excitement.

After a lot of discussion, Biren agreed to the proposition. He sent Gagana and her mother with Malini and called his son Naresh. He asked Naresh to travel to Delhi from Dehra Dun and help Gagana and Dharmamma. 

The moment Gagana stepped out of the train in Delhi, she was stunned by the noise and hot weather. How could people live in such places? Why so much noise and why are people coming so close to her? Is there no space? 

Gagana, Naresh and their mother were put up in a small room in a hotel near the hospital where Dr Sandesh worked. Luckily, within three days, Sandesh could find a pair of cornea donated by a young man, who died of a massive heart attack. Gagana was very nervous of the surgery, as she had never stepped into a hospital in all her life. But the excitement that she could see this beautiful planet was overwhelming. The surgery went on smoothly. 

“Who or what do you want to see first my child?” asked Dr. Sandesh. 

“I want to see the mountains in my town. But since we cannot go there now, I want to see a picture or painting of the mountains.”

“That can be arranged, my dear”.

“Malini, please arrange to get a couple of paintings of Roerich and good photos of the mountains enlarged to a decent size, by Thursday.”

Dharmamma and Naresh were eager and tense. Beautiful paintings and photographs of the Himalayan peaks and valleys were hung on the wall opposite to Gagana. There was pin-drop silence in the room. The doctor gently opened the bandage and said, “Gagana, now open your eyelids gently. Very gently.” The light in the room was not very bright. Gagana’s heartbeats were loud. She opened her eyes slowly. 

“Mountains! Snowclad peaks! And those pine trees! Oh my God! Amma, come in front of me. All these look exactly as I had imagined from all your descriptions. Thank you, Amma. Thank you, Naresh.” Tears rolled down her eyes and of course the eyes of everybody who was in the room. 

A week after that, Malini had organised a meet in a book club. Gagana went there with her mother and brother. There were just about 30 people. Gagana was introduced to them by Malini and then Gagana was asked to speak and read a few of her lovely odes.

Gagana was very nervous but once she started talking, she overcame that and spoke confidently. 

“My dear friends. Have you seen God? I hadn’t seen God until recently. Now, I spot God in all these good people – my parents, brothers, friends, Malini aunty, Doctor uncle and so many others who shower love on me and of course, God arranged for the donor for me as he dwelled in him or her. They never told me who the donor was. But for me he or she is God. I was born blind and had not seen even my dear mother. However, my family is such an amazing family that not once did I ever repent for being blind. I had 4 pairs of eyes. They described everything so well that today when I gained my eyesight after 17 years, I feel I was never blind! I will read out my poems and then you will understand what I am saying.” Gagana then read four of her poems and all of them gave her a standing ovation. Yes, she had described nature so well that nobody could believe that a blind person had penned those verses. Malini had invited a publisher too. He came to Gagana and sought for her verses that he would be publishing as a book. Gagana was very happy.

“Amma, please let us go back to our town soon. I want to see Pappa, Raju and others. I want to see those mountains and trees that gave me company all these years and kept me happy.”

After thanking Dr Sandesh and Malini, Gagana and Dharmamma went back to their cosy town, while Naresh went back to his college. As soon as she reached home, she embraced her father and Raju and cried out of joy. “Pappa, nature here is so beautiful and soothing. I wonder how people live in that crowded city. What ugly sights and jarring din! I wouldn’t go back even if I am made the queen of that place! Nature could fill even a blind person with so much positivity and joy while even people with all organs right, look so stressed out, tired and depressed in that city.” Gagana ran out to the garden and sat under her favourite Apple tree, filling her eyes with the mountains and forests around her, greedily! She remembered the story of Gandhaari, which Swami Ramananda had narrated during his discourse at the temple. Gandhaari had seen only the beauty of her maternal home situated among the hills, the Gandhaara Desha. She tied a piece of cloth over her eyes just before she wedded King Drithrashtra and went to his kingdom in the plains, but claimed she missed nothing because she always recollected the beauty of nature of her maternal kingdom!