ROAD-WIDENING

Venky is very happy today. Humming a melodious song, he is busy in doing his daily chores He is basically a happy going person... always serving his customers smilingly. Every customer is very exclusive and he makes it a point to make her/him very special.

Venky started his business of running a tea shop under a banyan tree almost fifty years ago. This banyan tree is in compound of his house. Once planted this tree can live for hundreds of years. It has scientific value because like other trees it emits lots of oxygen needed for living. Traditionally banyan tree symbolising Trimurti representing divine creator and longevity releasing lots of spiritual energy is considered very holy in Hindu mythology. So invariably a small temple is built under it to preserve its sacredness. Venky's family had raised a big cemented platform around its thick trunk and also built a small temple acknowledging the sacredness of the tree. Quite often it served as open family room where the whole family would sit together to enjoy small talks. Many a time the family was joined by neighbours in friendly chitchat sitting on that platform.

Venky loved to climb up the tree and swing along the huge hanging branches. Once while swinging high on the branches he ignored the cautions advised by his family and tried to jump from one branch to another. He couldn't catch the other branch and fell down with big thud on muddy ground beneath. He was unconscious. His family rushed and lifted him. There were some little bruises which were taken care of but he was not gaining consciousness. His family cuddled and consoled him thinking his fear to be responsible for his unconcious condition. A few hours passed and still he was unconscious. Then the family got alarmed and rushed to nearby city hospital where the doctors tried to bring him back to consciousness. The doctors succeeded in making him concious but for Venky it was of no use. His world had become totally dark. Big jolt to his head had a very bad effect resulting in loss of eyesight. He was hardly five year old. The doctors were optimist. They assured the family about recovery of his eyesight as age was on his side and many a time the treatment might take a little longer but the cure was possible.

After initial hiccups of adjustments with his disability, the little boy Venky started managing his life in darkness with the help of his caring family who never lost hope in his cure. They continued to try every possibly available treatment. In between they assisted and encouraged him to be self-reliant. His hearing, touch and smell senses had sharpened. Basically an optimist he too kept undergoing every treatment for restoring his eyesight. Simultaneously he picked up fast and learnt enough for his survival in the dark world. He always felt at ease, secure and sheltered under same familiar banyan tree. His firm belief in the sacred power of banyan tree to bless him to fulfill his wishes never dwindled. 

As a step towards self reliance Venky opened a small tea shop. Soon his shop gained popularity. Taking tasty tea in vicinity of a small temple and open tea shop in cool breeze under thick shadow of banyan appealed to the aesthetics of passerby, cyclists, bikers, motorists etc. It turned out to be like a drive-in tea shop where the customers would pick up their cup of tea in disposable cups and enjoy sitting in their respective vehicles. Many city dwellers from nearby cities started patronizing the shop in their outings. Venky was so smart in his dealings that those who didn't know his disability could never make out that he was blind. Those who knew about his blindness were very well aware that inspite of his outer dark world he was blessed with enlightened inner world. It was not easy to cheat him. He was as perfect in making perfectly delicious cup of tea as in dealing with money matters. Exact amount of money was transacted faultlessly. His happy nature was transparent and infectious. It rubbed on his customers also. He was always humming some popular melodious song or the other keeping his customers also in high spirits. 

Then one day Venky heard some of his customers talking about roade widening taking place all over. It was one of the many development schemes of the government. Good roads mean better approach to the area, better connectivity with the inhabitants and their better mobility. Better mobility increase the chances of better education and employment opportunities which further lead to better standard of living. In nutshell everything was aimed at betterment. Inner enlightenment of Venky agreed to this betterment concept but practical Venky was concerned how dislocation would do any better. The government was acquiring land from the persons whose properties were falling under the scheme. Those persons were adequately compensated. Many trees were also cut in the process.

Many persons known to Venky were dislocated. They had no option but to accept compensation and settle down to the new surroundings. Venky was worried. With much struggle he had adjusted with his disability in hitherto familiar surroundings. It was not going to be easy for him to again adjust and feel settled with his disability in the new surroundings. From different customers' conversation he could make out that his option to stick to the same place, would have no chance if his place also fell under the roadewidening scheme. He couldn't think of moving to any place. Rules are rules. He was to leave that place sooner or later. He requested authorities to let him carry on till the real widening of the road reached his place. The authorities agreed to his request and he continued to run his tea shop under banyan tree whom he hugged again and again in ecstasy. 

Customers still thronged his place. His impeccable behaviour had endeared to one and all. He was worried but his worries never slowed down him.

He was so attached to his banyan tree that he always felt at peace with himself under it. It took many years for the roadewidening scheme to take final implementation and reach Venky and his banyan tree. Venky was now in late fifties. He was still undergoing treatment for restoring his eyesight. He never lost hope in latest technology. Some good samaritan official genuinely felt for Venky's handicap and could see through his problem and struggle. He put up Venky's case on humanitarian grounds before his higher authorities not to dislocate him. They agreed, made permissible modification and Venky was allowed to carry on. Venky didn't have to move his shop. He embraced banyan tree in gratefulness which also remained intact and which meant that the large banyan tree would continue to provide cool breezy shelter to many persons alongwith Venky. 

Understandably Venky is very happily humming melodious song because today the widened road has been officially declared open without disturbing Venky and his banyan tree.

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