His Superheroes!

He couldn’t find them anywhere. He searched them in the whole temple, every single bench, every tree, each of the small god/goddess in the temple. But it was in vein. They weren’t there.

It was Ansh's evening routine. Daily he used to go to the park, play with his friends and while returning he would spend time with his special friends in the temple. Few of them told him fascinating mythological stories, few taught him songs, fee of them were nerdy who would play "Kaun Banega Karorpati"-(who will be the Billionaire).

They all were really cool. Sometimes there were other children too. Those cool people ask them to make a circle and they would do all fun activities together. So, all in all, he was very happy with his special friends.... Thus he was disappointed because of their absence. Next evening was also the same and next to next as well. Finally he asked Shanaya - his mother about it, she promised him to find out the same.

Shanaya was upset about the happenings, Ansh was disheartened. Shanaya and Dhruv always tried to be the better parents for Ansh each day. He was apple of their eyes. They married against the wish of Shanaya's parents, Dhruv's parents were already dead, when he was a kid. He was an orphan. Her parents didn't support, her marrying a man without any roots as they said. Years passed Dhruv succeeded in his competitive exam and became an IAS officer. They had their son, Ansh. They were educating their son with all values and etiquette. They were trying their best. But still it seemed that Ansh was missing something.

And one fine evening they realized what it was. Ansh was on top of the world when he returned after playing with his cool friends from the nearby temple, as he said. Shanaya and Dhruv felt like, they finally found the missing element in Ansh's life. And then suddenly all that joy vanished. Ansh was missing them terribly. They were all special, to him they were his superheroes. The sad look in his eyes was crushing Shanaya and Dhruv.

Shanaya went to the temple next morning. Usually one could find temple-priest in the mornings. She asked him, "Panditji, where is the group of those people nowadays? I didn't see them since last 2-3 evenings." The priest replied, "Oh those people? The temple owner forbade them to sit in evening in the temple premises. He thinks that because of those people the temple gets crowded which results into fewer devotees and apparently fewer donations. He complained, his revenues from the temple are decreasing. He thinks that, if they are not donating anything, they shouldn't be spending this much time in the temple."

Shanaya was shocked after listening to priest. She always thought, temples are for everyone, god's doors are always open for his devotees. She didn't believe that it had turned into a business.

"Isn’t god's door are open for everyone? Every devotee is same? And what's it about donation?" She replied to the priest.

The old priest replied, "Beta, those days are gone. Now even this temple runs as a business. Sadly, I can't do much on that front."

It was a Saturday evening. Ansh was sitting on the doorsteps of their house. Shanaya asked Ansh to go to park to play, but he didn't budge. She asked him again but he replied that he didn't want to go and went to his room crying. Time passed. Suddenly someone started knocking his door. He asked them to go away. But the knocking continued. He felt irritated, finally he got up from the bed and went to open the door.

His mother was standing there with a tray of tea/coffee mugs while his father was calling him while tidying up the table in the porch. “Hey lazy fellow! Is this a time for sleep?? Go get freshen up, we have guests coming home. Be a good boy.”

“I don’t want to meet anyone. I m not feeling good.” Replied Ansh.

“Oh, by the way those are your guests not ours, so get ready, else they will think how lazy you are!” Dhruv insisted. Ansh was puzzled. His guests?? he didn’t call anyone. But he was curious so he ran into his room to get ready.

Ansh opened the door of his room and started walking towards the porch. He could hear some familiar voices, he ran fast. His mother stopped him to tidy up, he allowed her to do the deed. But he was eager to get away from there to reach to the porch. He ran to the porch.

And... And ... He looked around. His parents were smiling in the corner. The table was full with mischief and laughter. He burst into tears. He couldn’t believe his eyes... They all were there.....At his home!... How did this happen, he checked for his parents, they winked at him. He ran to them and hugged them tight, saying “Thank you”. They’d brought him his superheroes!

Then he moved to the table and greeted his superheroes with a loud greeting of “ I missed you all so much, where were you? Why did you leave me?” They told him that they went on a trip thus weren’t there! And also assured him that they certainly didn’t leave him.

Time passed, Dhruv and Shanaya were standing there watching their son living his missing element of love with those elderly people. Shanaya whispered to Dhruv. “He didn’t experience the love of his own grandparents but now he has more, rather much much more!”