Sharmaji Is A Sage

A romantic poem written at the back page of his tender aged son's notebook made Sharma Ji furious. His temper was so high that it would have easily cracked his spectacles. In order to save his spectacles he averted his attention from the notebook and shouted,"aji sunti ho?" Do you hear me?"

He heard the voice of his wife,"Do you call me or some other wife living in the neighborhood"?

Sharma Ji told angrily "I am calling you. I do not have the capacity to keep more wives."

Sharma Ji’s, only wife, Lovlina ,wiped off her hands with her pallu and presented herself near the door. Casting a glance with an indifference she said, “Could you not have called me in a softer voice"

Sharma Ji was in no mood to argue now. He was waiting like a venomous cobra to put more questions. Suppressing his fury Sharma Ji told, "Please see the exploits of your dear son", saying this he placed the notebook before his wife. Lovlina held the notebook and started reading. Happiness was evident from her face. She said," “I shall offer Prasad to Lord Kanha today itself".

Sharma Ji was surprised to hear her statement." Hope you have not gone mad. During study your son is getting involved in romance and you want to offer Prasad".Lovlina asserted once more"I shall definitely offer Prasad.Right from the day he was born, I was worrying myself that he should not turn himself into another Vairagi Prasad Sharma, like you. I am relieved today of my worries."

Hearing her speak like this Sharma Ji's anger and fury reached the next level.Controlling his emotions, he asked," What is wrong with Vairagi Prasad Sharma?"I reiterate, "What is wrong?" You always taunt me. Although Lovlina had given answers to this question several times before, still she took this special request of her husband, once more.

Sharma Ji became furious at Lovlina but she looked at him as if he, with his smattering knowledge ,had asked a childish question.

She replied calmly,"All shortcomings are in your name - Vairagi. When your name was Vairagi ,you should not have married. Why did you try to spoil someone's life?"

Sharma Ji raised his fingers and told in a cautioning note," Please don't bring my name. My parents had kept that name for me which I like. As far as marriage is concerned, I would like to know what disaster has it brought to you which make me hear your taunts, now and then. You eat well, dress well then what do you miss?"

Lovlina was in a taunting mood even when she was calm, “Leave it , you may not know what I miss.

"Before his wife could give an answer,Sharma Ji told, "At least you make me clear today. Agreed that you are very intelligent , but don't think that I am a silly idiot".

Anger overtook Lovlina's calm disposition," How many times should I have to tell you? Do you mean eating ,drinking , clothing are everything in life? I am a human and need some loving words too. Have you ever told me" I love you " in 17 years of our married life ".

Sharma Ji said, "Shiva Shiva. Have I to hear this , from now on,in this house? This is the reason for your son turning a Romeo. When a mother herself gives indulgence to the son who else can save him".

Lovlina's anger had crossed the limit by hearing his statement. She said," You say Shiva , Shiva as if he has produced the son for us. You did nothing. You also knew nothing."

Sharma Ji got irritated and told," you cross the limit and take the subject off tract".

Lovlina's sense of humor was intact."You do not take me anywhere so I thought of taking the subject off tract.”

Remembering something, Sharma Ji told suddenly," Who takes you to Vaishno Devi every year? Tell me". Sharma Ji felt as if he was winning the battle. But did he really win?

Before he could gain the winning smile after using the weapon of Vaisno Devi,Lovlina said,”What else can be expected from a recluse , like you,other than Vaisno Devi.You had taken me to Vaisno Devi on our honeymoon with all family members".

Sharma Ji had decided not to accept defeat so easily and trying to use a little sarcasm he said," I could not afford to take you to Switzerland.”

Lovlina said sarcastically ,"Had I wanted to go to Switzerland, I would not have married you.You could have taken me to Ranikhet , Mussoorie".

Instead of giving a direct reply , Sharma Ji told in a confused way," What is the difference between Ranikhet and Vaisnov Devi? You have mountains at both the places. Also it snows at both the places. What is the specialty of Raniketh or Musoorie then?"

Lovlina took a long breath and said," You claim yourself not an idiot.”, saying this she went towards the kitchen. But Sharma Ji was not ready to leave the battlefield. He asked her in a loud voice, "Where are you going? You leave because you have no answer. To cover up the mischief of your son, you talked irrelevantly and side tracked the main issue. To talk logically in this house is probably considered as a sin.

Lovlina had lost her patience and so she turned back from the kitchen and replied," You take a 19 year old bride to Vaisno Devi, on her honeymoon, along with the entire family, and still feel that there was nothing wrong. Probably you were born with an old age. But you should have realized that I was still young then. I am a simple human, craving for a little love and affection. I wish to spend some time with my husband ,which needs no money. But you could not spare any time for me so far nor you would be able to do it ever, in future."

Sharma Ji listened to Lovlina’s grievances patiently while she added further ,"Still to save our marriage I had compromised with you at every step and now it is about my son. I will not compromise on this issue even if he writes thousand romantic poems. Don't accuse him anymore". Tears came into the eyes of Lovlina.

Sharma Ji was a tough person but not romantic. Still he was easily moved to see the tears in the eyes of Lovlina . Keeping down his son's notebook in one corner he went to console her. He said "Lovlina, please don't cry.Why should you cry for a simple issue like this?"

Before he could tell more, Lovlina said,"Yes , for you it may be a simple issue".

Sharma Ji said , " I do not mean it. My heart sinks seeing you cry. I promise to take you to your choicest place" .

Lovlina said bluntly ,"You give false promises only to pacify me. Every year you promised like this but you know well how it ended. At the end we were found chanting Jai Mata Di, Jay Mata Di every year. My parents named me Lovlina. They could have got a Prem Kumar for me as well."

The marriage of Sharma Ji had reached a stage when names like Prem Kumar were not creating any more problem for him. Now his focus was on the tears of Lovlina. He took her to the room and placed her on a chair. He assured her that they would spend their next marriage anniversary in a place of her choice.

But Lovlina was not ready for any compromise this time. She said, "I know what will happen this year.Forgetting everything you did to me, I would ask you not to mistake our son. For him, this is the age of romance .If he cannot do now, when will he do it? take him to task if he fails in studies".

In order to console his wife Sharma Ji told with a heavy heart,"OK, darling, I will not find fault with your son.This time we shall go to some better place. You stop crying".Before Sharma Ji could complete his consoling words their son Anurag came to the room .

Sharma Ji had almost succeeded in pacifying his wife when Anurag told ,” Papa, please don't talk ill of me at my back.Y ou should discuss family problems not in my presence, but only after I leave for school. Why don't you take the name of the lord early in the morning, instead of my name?"

Sharma Ji totally forgot that his target had shifted from his son to his wife. After hearing Anurag, his anger took a U turn to reach the earlier level." See the behaviour of your son”, he said pointing at Lovlina. He is in 10 th standard ,but has the nerve to act smart with father. He is teaching the parents to worship the lord while merrily indulging himself in romance. Before Lovlina could say something to save her son, confused Anurag asked Sharma Ji , "Who is in romance?”

Sharma Ji said sarcastically," How do you pose yourself to be so innocent? I am after all your father Don't try to be smart .I have read your notebook".

Before Sharma Ji could complete, Lovlina got up from her chair and said,"Dear son , have your bath.I shall keep your breakfast ready. You are getting late for school".

Then looking at Sharma Ji she remarked," You have no work to do.

"Before Lovlina could leave the room , Sharma Ji told , "Taunt your husband a thousand times but ,keep your eyes closed,don't question your son as to what he does, where he goes, whom he entices? Everything is written in the notebook but still he acts as if he knows nothing.

Lovlina kept her hands on her head and said ," Please use your words carefully. Our son has grown up".

But Sharma Ji was in no mood for a compromise. He told bluntly, "Probably your son has matured enough for romance, but not me ".

Lovlina reminded her son that he was getting late for school. But Anurag was in no mood to leave that place as he was in turmoil. He was unable to understand his father's taunts. So he asked his mother," Which notebook? What is written in the notebook?"

Sharma Ji took out that notebook opened the last page and started reading the romantic poem.

Idle dream

In idle dreams of long ago, I imagined my true love; a perfect match, a soulmate, an angel from above.

Poem :- From website

"I expect a reply from you" said Sharma Ji looking at his son, Anurag and Lovlina.

Anurag was still confused but Lovlina was looking happy. Anurag asked "What is this?"

Sharma Ji was irritated to see the adamancy of his son.He asked Anurag," Don't you see what it is?"May be that you write a lot of romantic poems forgetting a few". Getting more confused ,Anurag asked," Written by me?"Who told you the nonsense that it was written by me?

Hearing the word "nonsense" from her son Sharma Ji and Lovlina got a jolt of their life.Sharma Ji was getting more angry to see his son telling a lie right at his face. It was beyond the capacity of Sharma Ji to swallow. He asked tauntingly ,'" If these are not your writings whose writings they are ? Are they of Chacha Ghalib or Kamdeva?"

Taking the notebook in hand Anurag told, " Papa please see the name on the notebook. It is the notebook of Rahul.I had borrowed it for taking down notes from it". He was just about to leave the room after saying this but he stood right at the entrance and said, I had forgotten to tell you something yesterday.W e had filled up the forms for the Board examination. As I was not happy with my name Anurag, I got it changed. Both Sharma Ji and Lovlina were confused. Seeing them confused Anurag asked,"Could you not get a better name for me?A part from me, there are three more Anurag in my class. So I changed my name. He waited for a moment but before his parents could put any question to him, he replied,'My new name is Vairag which is the name of my choice.

Anurag means love, Vairag means lack of love or a detached person from life.

Original Story:- https://storymirror.com/read/story/hindi/2rc26pb5/shrmaa-jii-bairaagii-hain by Tripty Shukla