Padam And Payal Took A Kadam

His name was Padam. Like a lotus, he was the only bloom amid the gloom of my work. I had taken up a challenging assignment in one of the most difficult states to work. Perhaps the only contribution it had apart from being home to Dhoni was that it had eighteen of the most backward districts in the country. Padam said he was a Marwari. I did not think that Marwaris could run anything other than business, for Padam was an athlete too. Yet again unlike most Marwaris, he did not talk of money but development of the poor in this underdeveloped region of India. He provided good company for the only thing required of you was to listen to him. And I did listen to his stories. Here I am writing one about him now.

He was in-charge of partnerships with other like-minded organizations. Finally, he chose his partner. Her name was Payal. He would wrap Payal around his heart. I am sure his heart would skip a beat when Payal's voice reached him. I wrote the following verse for his wedding.

Wedding bells are ringing

Things to do, engaging

Suit and boot for the sangeet

Benarasi for the fiancée.

Sarees by the scores

Dhotis by the dozens,

For parents and relatives.

Laddu by the thousands

Jalebi, 'sub ka maan ki pasand'

Kachoris for kinship

Google contacts dusted

Wedding cards distributed.

It is 👍in WhatsApp

Likes on Facebook all the way.

When I started writing he was my critique. These days he gives me a thumbs up. I wonder whether he had given up on me or I had improved a lot. Anyway, I was looking forward to his marriage now that I have become a writer. I hoped to meet people and pick up ideas for my stories.

Here they were, Padam and Payal in a new partnership. The 3Ps of all developmental ideas. I am sure their partnership would flourish in a little penthouse along the promenade and there would be a little Piyush and Padma as a preamble. Then further productivity would depend on the project of marriage prolonging or propelling forward. I am not a prophet but this is my prophecy. We will have to wait for a propitious moment to see if my prognosis turns out perfect or perfunctory!