Where is he?

The station clock ticked steadily toward 11 pm as Inspector Asha Rane prepared to leave. The police station was unusually quiet for a Friday night. Most of the constables had already left, but Asha often lingered, preferring the dim office to her empty home. Just as she was about to step out, the phone on her desk rang.

“Inspector Rane speaking,” she answered, her voice professional yet weary.

“Madam, there’s been a serious accident on the highway near Mumbai. A car collided with a tanker. It’s bad. There are fatalities… and a child….” The voice trailed off.

Asha felt a coldness settle over her as she absorbed the details. Without another word, she grabbed the jeep keys and rushed out, her heart pounding not just from the urgency of the situation but from something deeper she couldn’t quite name.

The accident scene was chaotic, the wreckage illuminated by the harsh glow of emergency lights. The smell of burning rubber hung in the air. Asha focused on the task at hand, though something gnawed at her, a discomfort she couldn’t shake.

She approached the crumpled car. The driver was dead, the woman beside him unconscious, her face pale under streaks of blood. Then she saw the little girl lying a few feet away on the grass. Another body that of a man, appeared to be husband of the lady unconscious was lying face down, dead.

Asha’s breath caught as she walked toward the child. The girl was conscious, her eyes wide with shock but alive, seemingly unharmed aside from a few scratches. Asha knelt beside her, speaking softly.

“Hey there, sweetheart. My name is Asha. You’re going to be okay. I’m here to help you.”

The girl didn’t respond, just stared at Asha with large, unblinking eyes. Asha’s heart ached at the sight. This girl had just lost everything, and yet there was no one else here for her, only Asha.

“Get them to the hospital immediately. I’ll bring the child with me she is not hurt.” Asha ordered, her voice firm despite the turmoil in her mind.

As the ambulances pulled away, Asha reached out her hand. After a moment’s hesitation, the girl took it. Together, they walked to Asha’s car. The drive to the hospital was quiet, the only sounds that came was the occasional sniffle from the child and the soft hum of the engine. Asha’s thoughts raced, but she didn’t press the girl to speak, knowing that sometimes silence was the only comfort.

At the hospital, Asha parked the jeep and hesitated. She should go home, but the thought of returning to her empty apartment was unbearable. And now, with this child beside her, memories she had buried deep were threatening to resurface.

She looked at the girl again, her heart clenching with familiar pain. This child had no one now, just like Asha’s own daughter once had no one. But that was a thought she couldn’t afford, not now.

Asha returned to present and led the girl inside to the emergency desk.

Inside, the sterile smell of antiseptic filled the air. Asha moved with purpose, speaking briefly with a nurse who took the child to be examined. Asha waited, her thoughts drifting to places she didn’t want to go.

After some time, the nurse returned. The girl was unharmed but still in shock. Asha sat beside her, offering what comfort she could.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?” Asha asked gently.

“Karishma,” the girl whispered.                     

“That’s a beautiful name. Do you know what it means?” Asha spoke with a small smile.

“Miracle… it means, Miracle” Karishma spoke in a husky voice.

Asha nodded and said “We’re going to stay here for a little while, okay? The doctors are taking care of your mom.”

Karishma nodded but said nothing more. Asha watched her for a moment, then turned her gaze to the window, her own thoughts drifting back to her daughter—the laughter, the bright eyes, the fierce hugs. Her mind raced to that fateful day when she got a call for releasing the most wanted man she had captured in place of her daughter. She tried her best to convince the authorities to release the man but they were adamant. By the time she traced the hideout, it was too late..

The night dragged on. Asha stayed by Karishma’s side, unable to bring herself to leave the hospital. Eventually, Karishma fell asleep, curled up on the chair. A strange protectiveness stirred within Asha as she watched the child. She had seen countless children in distress, but something about this girl tugged at her heart in a way she couldn’t explain.

As dawn approached, Asha knew she needed to check on the woman, Karishma's mother, but she couldn’t leave the girl alone. A nurse offered to watch Karishma for a while, and Asha gratefully accepted, heading toward the ICU.

The doctors’ update was grim. Karishma’s mother was stable but still in a coma. There was no telling when or if she would wake up. Asha listened with a heavy heart, knowing she would eventually have to tell Karishma the truth. But for now, she let the child hold on to whatever hope she could find.

When Asha returned to the waiting room, she found Karishma awake, worry etched on her small face.

“Can I see my mom?” she asked, her voice stronger now.

“Not just yet,” Asha replied gently. “She’s still resting. But I’ll stay with you until she wakes up, okay?”

Karishma nodded, though Asha could see the anxiety in her eyes. She wanted to comfort the girl, to tell her everything would be fine, but she knew better than to make promises she couldn’t keep.

As the hours passed, Asha and Karishma formed a quiet companionship. It was only when a call came from the hospital’s reception that Asha’s attention was diverted. Karishma’s grandfather had arrived.

Asha’s stomach tightened at the thought of facing the man who had refused to accept his son’s inter-cast marriage – as narrated by couple of colleagues of Karishma’s father in the bank. But she had no choice. She walked toward the entrance, leaving girl in the care of a nurse.

The old man’s expression was stern, his posture rigid as he barely acknowledged Asha. When he asked about his son, Asha led him to the morgue, her tone neutral.

The old man refused to look at his daughter-in-law, dismissing her as someone beneath his notice. Karishma was brought in to meet him, and they faced each other, a chasm of belief and generational conflict between them.

“Come with me, child. You have no one here now,” the old man said, his voice a mixture of authority and sorrow.

“I have my mother,” Karishma replied softly looking directly into old man’s eyes.

 “Your father made a mistake.”

 “I will go with you, but if mother comes with us. She needs us both. Please, Grandfather, I don’t want to lose her.”

The old man’s eyes filled with tears he hadn’t allowed himself to shed. He turned his face away and walked out leaving Karishma standing alone but resolute.

While Asha went to complete the formalities of handing over the body to the old man, Karishma went looking for her mother.

She found the ICU and was about to go inside when she heard doctors speaking.

The senior surgeon was talking, shaking his head. “Anil, in my service of 25 years I have come across several cases of patients with head injuries and have operated many of them. You know what is the success rate? Less than 5 percent. I have done everything that as a human I can do. Now only God can save this woman.”

Karishma quietly moved away from ICU.

Asha was looking for Karishma everywhere and when finally found her, she saw the little girl standing near the window with folded hands and closed eyes. She was appeared to be praying silently.

“hey there. Where were you? I have searched the entire hospital for you.” Asha spoke even as Karishma opened her eyes and looked at Asha.

The girl looked at Asha and asked. “Have you seen God?”

Asha was stunned from the sudden question.

She thought for a minute before replying. “Why do you ask? No. I have not seen.”

“Will you help me to find him” The girl her look unfazed spoke holding her gaze.

Asha did not know what to say. After a while she replied, hesitatingly “Where?”

“I don’t know. My father performed puja at home and allowed my mother to say her prayers. We never went to a temple. But, now but I have to find God. Doctor said only he can save my mom.”

Asha stared at the girl. The resolute in the young girl’s eyes made Asha do something that she would never have done, visiting temple. She had never visited a temple after the harrowing incident. Lost all kind of faith once she had. Now that the young girl depended on her, she had no other option but to go.

Asha started walking, teary eyed, leaving the young girl with the nurse as she had to go to the station to attend pending work. She could not concentrate on her work. How do we search for God and where?

The next day, Karishma began her journey to find God, holding Asha’s hand.

Their first stop was a grand sprawling temple near the hospital. It was early morning and did not have many visitors. The girl walked slowly even as a Swamiji clad in saffron robes was seen walking towards her.

The young girl stopped, looked up to the Swamiji and spoke.

“Are you God?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Swamiji was taken aback and looked at the girl and then at Asha who said nothing. He hesitated, bent down to the young girl’s level and keeping his hand on the slender shoulders spoke. “No, little one, I am not God. I am His servant.”

“Where can I find Him?” Karishma  pressed.

Swamiji contemplated what to say. He recovered and spoke in a firm but kind voice. “What is your name?”

The young girl looked in to Swami’s eyes and spoke. Karishma.”

Swamiji smiled. “Karishma, God is everywhere. He is in the air we breathe, in the light of the sun, in the love of your heart. He built this universe and all of us, including you. One can only see the God inside; you too can see.”

The young girl looked at the deity behind the priest, bowed down and asked the priest. “Is that statue not God?”

“What you see there is indeed God,” Swamiji paused looked at the idol in the sanctum sanctorum, “you can also say, it is his image which we worship by looking and then closing our eyes so that we can see the image of God in our mind’s eye.”

Karishma nodded, but the answer didn’t satisfy her. “But I need to talk to Him. My mother needs Him.” Can I at least speak to him?”

“Sometimes, we speak to God through our prayers, and He listens in ways we do not always understand. When he desires, he will give whatever we ask him. But, we must have faith and belief, little one. Though he is not visible now, I tell you he is listening, right now. Go ahead, kneel in front of him there, and tell him whatever you want to say. I am certain, he will listen to you.”

The young Karishma walked slowly towards the rope barricade, looked at the idol, closed her eyes and spoke in a voice barely audible. “I have never been to temple before and don’t know what do or say. Doctors say only you can save my mother. Will you, please?”

She walked out and Asha, followed; her eyes welling up in tears.

The girl stood outside and looked at Asha. “My mother is Muslim. My father was a Hindu. We never went to any temple but prayed at home. Can you take me to a temple where Muslims pray?”

Asha looked at the young girl, held her hand and led her to the nearby mosque.

The young girl saw lots of people sitting on the floor and offering prayer and walked towards an elderly man who observed the girl and walked towards her.

“Are you God?” Akansha asked.

The Maulvi shook his head, a soft smile on his lips. “No, my child, I am not God. I am but a man who worships Him.”

“Where is He?”

“God is in the prayers of the faithful, in the hearts that seek Him.”

“But my mother needs Him. Doctor said only he can save her.”

The old man knelt, held young girl’s hands in his hands and spoke in a soothing voice. “God is with those who suffer, child. He sees your pain, and He is with your mother now. Trust in His will. He will not let down those who have belief in him. You pray and he will do the rest.”

Karishma kneeled down like others, on the floor, folded her hands and spoke. “I can’t see you but everyone says, you are there. All I want is my mom should get well. You see, only you can help now. I have never prayed nor visited any religious places till now. I don’t know how to pray.”

Her eyes closed, Karishma kneeled on the ground her eyes filled with tears.

Asha, tears in her eyes followed the young girl back to hospital. She made her sit in the waiting room and requested a nurse to take care of her.

She went to ICU and saw doctors were busy and door closed.

When a nurse came out, she grabbed her hand and asked. “what’s happening? Why so many doctors around the patient? Is she alright? The nurse astonishment in her voice, spoke.

“Haven’t you heard? The lady who was in coma has started showing signs of coming back. The surgeon who operated her, who had given up, is encaustic. He called all his colleagues to see.”

Asha was stunned but recovered and the nurse lead her inside. She saw Karishma’s mother slowly trying to open her eyes. Asha sat down on the stool and wept loudly even as the doctor’s around the patient looked at her in astonishment.

When she returned, to take Karishma to her mother, the old man had comeback; he stood there even as Asha explained that his daughter-in-law has come out of coma and her experience with his granddaughter’s search for god.

The old man looked at Asha and spoke, sarcasm in his voice.

“Did you see God”

Asha looked directly in to the old man’s eyes and spoke. “Yes. I did.” 

And she pointed to the young Karishma who was hugging her mother and continued. “in her.”