Ichcha, The Wish

[‘Ichcha’, the wish. All of us have many wishes. Some of them are listed in our secret to-do-list. We live for ourselves, adding the wishes one after another in the queue of dreams. But, some people in the world, wish for others, dream for others. They leave a perfect lifestyle to follow their heart’s call. They make people smile, heal their pain and spread a message of peace, love and happiness. They devote their life to fulfill other’s dreams. And all these happened when a sacred wish was born in their hearts. And that wish was, ‘Ichcha’.]

 Akash is a software engineer at a renowned MNC. He is an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur and IIM Kolkata. He got this job on his college placement when he was studying in his final year. Since childhood, Akash was a brilliant student. His academic results were always extraordinary. According to his teachers and professors, Akash is a student with excellent academic results and having a good report with his quiet nature.

But, Akash is also famous for his philanthropic works. He has a golden heart. Both of his parents were very charitable. His father always showed interest in doing social works. Sometimes, he took his son with him to his workplaces. The seed of kindness was planted in little Akash’s heart, in his childhood. Sometimes, it was seen that Akash gave his all belongings for the welfare of street children. Since childhood, he celebrates his birthday with children of orphanages. Cakes, cards, gifts, balloons. All the arrangements Akash does alone. When he sees the precious smiles in those children’s faces, it seems like, Akash embraces the heavenly grace.

After joining his job, he became very happy. A new life, a new beginning. Everything was perfect. It’s been one year Akash is working in this office. One day, he was returning from his office. Meanwhile, his cab got stuck in jam. The sky was covered with a dark cloud. Akash thought it would rain at any moment. He wanted to inhale some fresh air. So he opened the window and put his face at the edge of the glass of the window. The smell of moist in the air was bringing the message of the advancement of rain. Akash loves rain. He smiled and became lost in the amazement of that moment. But soon, he came out of the hangover. He felt like someone pulled his shirt. He looked outside and found, it was a little boy, holding a bunch of newspapers on his right hand. Akash knew him well. It was Vasu.

Every day in the jam, when Akash’s car gets stuck in traffic, he could see Vasu running from car to car, people to people, to sell newspapers. The traffic signal brings earning to such children. Akash had a habit of buying newspapers from him. Every day, Vasu came to his car, with his smiling face. And Akash would buy two or three newspapers from him, daily. But today, for heavy downpour, Akash could not open his window in the morning when he was going to his office. He thought, in the evening, what was Vasu doing with the bunch of newspapers? It seemed like he was unable to sell most of them.

“Hey, Vasu! How are you boy? What happened, you are looking dull today”, Akash asked him.

-“Sir, today I couldn't sell all my newspapers, only managed to sell 10 of them. I’ve earned only 50 rupees today, and I have to pay sixty percent of it to my master. I don’t know what can I do now”, Vasu replied.

Akash didn't know what to say. He told, “Ohhh, okay, no problem. Some days are bad days. Today is one of them. You don’t be sad, I will buy 4 papers today from you. And wait a minute, I have something for you.”

Akash bought the papers and gave him a packet of sandwiches. Vasu became overwhelmed. He smiled, and said, ‘Thank You, Sir”. With a beautiful smile, he left.

But, seeing Vasu in that condition, a thought came in Akash’s mind. He couldn’t come out of it easily. He became upset. After returning home, he started thinking about the words Vasu told him. He didn’t take dinner, he couldn’t sleep well at night.

Next morning, Akash skipped his office. He went to the slum where Vasu lived. There, he found Vasu, he was returning from the newspaper centre. He was happy after selling a good amount of papers that day. He came to Akash. Surprised by his presence, he asked him,

“Sir, you’re here?? What are you doing here Sir? Don’t you have office today??”

-“Yes I have my office today. But I have another urgent work, something much more important than going to my office today”, Akash replied.

Vasu couldn’t understand anything. He asked,

“What is that important work, Sir??”

-“Tell me one thing Vasu, you count the amount of your selling every day very well. Even, you can count your profit, loss and everything in a glimpse of eyes. That means you are good at mathematics. You manage the whole group of your newspaper boys so easily. That means, you have a good IQ. You are sharp. The only thing you need is a proper guide and an academic education. You can do miracle, Vasu. Do you want to study??” Akash asked him.

Vasu couldn't reply for a minute. He never dreamt of school, learning and studying. How could he get admission in school, at the age of ten years?? He replied nothing. He remained silent.

Akash told him to come with him to his house. Vasu came there along with his three friends, Suku, Ravi, and Khushi. They started living with Akash. Every day before going to his office, Akash spent 2 hours to teach them alphabets and numbers. Then he left them with the homework to practice for the whole day. After returning home in the evening, he checked their tasks and taught them further. Within seven days, these three children learned the basics so well.

                                                 *********

Ten years passed from that day. Akash quit his job after some months. Presently, he is running a free school and shelter home for the underprivileged children. He gathered all the orphan and street children from the nearby slums and streets. They live with Akash. He decided to devote the rest of his life to bring them into the light. He named his foundation, “Ichcha”.

When you will go to the school of Ichcha, you will see a board hanging in front of the door of Akash’s room. A beautiful poem is written there. It’s a message Akash wants to spread all over:

My heaven is not there in the sky,

My heaven is here, with you, within you.

My heaven is not there over the rainbow,

My heaven is here, where my colours learn to grow.

My heaven is not there beyond the horizon,

My heaven is here, at the bank of the river,

When I seat alone.

With the whispering breeze, watching the sunset,

Where the sky paints a beautiful portrait,

When the clouds play hide and seek with the last daylight,

When the raindrops are bestowed on my face, with its delight,

That moment, that very moment, I feel I am still alive.

Alive in my own way, alive in my own palace of dreams,

All along the desire of my soul, even in my scariest screams.

My heaven is here when I wake up from a decade long sleep.

When the darkest nightmare stops its play and leaves me awake,

When the peach dark night escapes into splendid daybreak,

When the dawn comes to embrace me with its first sunray,

My heaven is here when I surround the divine grace,

Crowned with the morning glory, I welcome, a new day!

My heaven is not there among the stars on the night sky,

I find some falling stars here, on these grass fields, beneath the bare sky.

They sleep here, they play here, and wait for a loving care,

Whenever I see their precious smile, I surround utmost happiness,

Once again I find, my heaven is here.

My heaven is not there where everyone prays for the supreme,

When I meet a mother waiting for her only son, without knowing his arrival,

I hold her hand, gently, and guide her towards the search of peace.

Her smile makes that place a heavenly abode, and once again,

I find, my heaven is here.

My heaven is not there, where everyone kindles the lamp for the almighty,

My heaven is here, when I bring someone back,

To the light of the truth, from the dark of despair,

I lit a candle, in the heart of that pious one, and once again,

I find, my heaven is here.

My heaven is not there in the sky, over the rainbow,

Beyond the horizon, among the stars,

My heaven is here, where I kindle the lamp of your heart,

In your smile, in your peace, in your truth, in your love.

Author’s note:

A story is not only a collection of words, lines or characters, woven around a planned thought. A story is a sketch that’s worth more than words. The characters here don’t only play certain roles, but, they sketch their own stories as well. Sometimes black and white, sometimes grey, sometimes having hundreds of colours. Each and every character have hundreds of hues to shed, stories to tell, and together, they sketch a beautiful story! Some of them are written with a note of inspiration, a song of motivation. They are stories of people who are dreamers, seekers. They are all warriors. They have faced failures, but, with the power of resilience, they have made it. These stories are always powerful, conveying the message,

“Find the purpose of your life, give it a meaning to sketch a story. A story to inspire millions sending a note of inspiration.”