"These astrologers are imposters. They are kept here for the entertainment purpose only."
Our driver for the Rajasthan tour interrupted while driving the car out from the crowded parking area outside 'Chokhi Dhani' when he heard me telling my wife about the astrologer I met inside and how he had told me several truths about my life.
"A true astrologer who knows stars and planets and has studied astrology doesn't ask for money. A true astrologer would never." He interrupted again when he heard me saying that I had paid him Rs. 100 for telling me my fortune.
"If you want to meet a true astrologer, want to experience what wisdom is, I will take you to one." He said while driving us back to our hotel.
"I don't believe in all these things," I said while checking the unread Whatsapp messages from our 'Atheist Group'.
"That's completely fine. It is up to you but nothing is wrong to listen to someone free of cost. What say, sir?"
I nodded my head for the approval.
"I am not taking you to some other place. We will go to the place that has been mentioned in your itinerary. It is just that there I will introduce you to the astrologer," he said as soon as he dropped us at our hotel.
The next day, we visited some palace and some lake in Jaipur and we were left with some time to visit this place (I don't remember its name now) that is famous for Rajasthani handicrafts. After browsing through various stores of sarees, leather jackets, carpets, shoes and jewellery, I got tired, so I asked my driver about the palmist he was talking about the previous day. He arranged my meet with the palmist. Our shopping was almost done. So, Khushboo and I went inside his cabin.
"So, what do you want to know?" He asked and I didn't have an answer to it.
"Anything," said I.
"Anything?" questioned he.
"Anything means about life, about the future, about problems and," I said.
"Hmm," he said while taking my left hand into his.
"Your life has not been as easy as you always show it on your smiling face. You have faced a lot of family issues. You have converted every adversity into your strengths. You suffered a lot until you got married."
Khushboo got emotional.
"You are an artist. A happy-go-lucky person. You never listen to others' advice but believe in following what your heart says, and that has cost you a lot. You are suitable for professions like a teacher, a singer or a poet." He said.
"Oh shit!" I said in my mind while looking at Khushboo who was sitting next to me. He was telling the truth about me.
"You don't sleep in the night as you keep on thinking about the girl that you had dated before marriage."
Khushboo looked at me with fiery eyes.
"Why the hell are you talking about this? Can't you see a couple living happily?" I said in my mind.
"You have some health issues since a year. It is related to your diet." He said.
"How the hell does he know about my diabetes which got detected a year ago?" I to myself.
"You have been changing jobs a lot. Think of getting settled. It would do you good."
Khushboo and I looked at each other. He just spoke the truth. I had changed eight jobs in the last ten years. Now, it was time for an agnostic Khushboo and an atheist me to believe in his words and the 'supernatural powers of planets and stars', but 'jo aasani se haar maan jaye woh Amit kya."
The next thing I asked, "I just want to know a solution from you. How can I get rid of drinking and smoking?"
(Khushboo knows and everyone who knows me knows that I don't drink and smoke.)
He replied, "This smoking and drinking is the thing that put you into the bad patch of life. It won't go quickly. It will take some time for you to get rid of it."
I saw a smile on Khushboo's face. It wasn't the smile of relief but of the victory of our faith in rationality and in science.
"See, all your planets are doing great except the sun and that is affecting you badly. The only thing you can do to please the sun is to have a ring studded with a ruby stone."
"A ruby stone? How much does it cost?" I asked curiously.
"The range starts from ten thousand rupees." He replied.
Now, it was time for us to pay the bill minus the ruby ring cost. After a two-hour shopping and a half-an-hour palmistry session, we were feeling hungry. We went to the canteen that was exactly opposite to this handicraft building. We ordered tea and snacks and were enjoying the same when we heard the voice,
"Pandit ji, teen mahino se meri udhari nahi chukayi hai. Aaj to nirash mat kijiye," the man at the counter said. (Pandit ji, you have not paid the bills since last three months. At least pay the credit today and don't disappoint us)
"Arey hum kahi bhagkar thodi jane wale hai. Life me thoda bura waqt chal raha hai." said the voice. (Am I running away from this city? I am going through a bad patch in my life.) He was the same palmist we visited sometime back.
Khushboo and I couldn't control our laughter.
Our driver for the Rajasthan tour interrupted while driving the car out from the crowded parking area outside 'Chokhi Dhani' when he heard me telling my wife about the astrologer I met inside and how he had told me several truths about my life.
"A true astrologer who knows stars and planets and has studied astrology doesn't ask for money. A true astrologer would never." He interrupted again when he heard me saying that I had paid him Rs. 100 for telling me my fortune.
"If you want to meet a true astrologer, want to experience what wisdom is, I will take you to one." He said while driving us back to our hotel.
"I don't believe in all these things," I said while checking the unread Whatsapp messages from our 'Atheist Group'.
"That's completely fine. It is up to you but nothing is wrong to listen to someone free of cost. What say, sir?"
I nodded my head for the approval.
"I am not taking you to some other place. We will go to the place that has been mentioned in your itinerary. It is just that there I will introduce you to the astrologer," he said as soon as he dropped us at our hotel.
The next day, we visited some palace and some lake in Jaipur and we were left with some time to visit this place (I don't remember its name now) that is famous for Rajasthani handicrafts. After browsing through various stores of sarees, leather jackets, carpets, shoes and jewellery, I got tired, so I asked my driver about the palmist he was talking about the previous day. He arranged my meet with the palmist. Our shopping was almost done. So, Khushboo and I went inside his cabin.
"So, what do you want to know?" He asked and I didn't have an answer to it.
"Anything," said I.
"Anything?" questioned he.
"Anything means about life, about the future, about problems and," I said.
"Hmm," he said while taking my left hand into his.
"Your life has not been as easy as you always show it on your smiling face. You have faced a lot of family issues. You have converted every adversity into your strengths. You suffered a lot until you got married."
Khushboo got emotional.
"You are an artist. A happy-go-lucky person. You never listen to others' advice but believe in following what your heart says, and that has cost you a lot. You are suitable for professions like a teacher, a singer or a poet." He said.
"Oh shit!" I said in my mind while looking at Khushboo who was sitting next to me. He was telling the truth about me.
"You don't sleep in the night as you keep on thinking about the girl that you had dated before marriage."
Khushboo looked at me with fiery eyes.
"Why the hell are you talking about this? Can't you see a couple living happily?" I said in my mind.
"You have some health issues since a year. It is related to your diet." He said.
"How the hell does he know about my diabetes which got detected a year ago?" I to myself.
"You have been changing jobs a lot. Think of getting settled. It would do you good."
Khushboo and I looked at each other. He just spoke the truth. I had changed eight jobs in the last ten years. Now, it was time for an agnostic Khushboo and an atheist me to believe in his words and the 'supernatural powers of planets and stars', but 'jo aasani se haar maan jaye woh Amit kya."
The next thing I asked, "I just want to know a solution from you. How can I get rid of drinking and smoking?"
(Khushboo knows and everyone who knows me knows that I don't drink and smoke.)
He replied, "This smoking and drinking is the thing that put you into the bad patch of life. It won't go quickly. It will take some time for you to get rid of it."
I saw a smile on Khushboo's face. It wasn't the smile of relief but of the victory of our faith in rationality and in science.
"See, all your planets are doing great except the sun and that is affecting you badly. The only thing you can do to please the sun is to have a ring studded with a ruby stone."
"A ruby stone? How much does it cost?" I asked curiously.
"The range starts from ten thousand rupees." He replied.
Now, it was time for us to pay the bill minus the ruby ring cost. After a two-hour shopping and a half-an-hour palmistry session, we were feeling hungry. We went to the canteen that was exactly opposite to this handicraft building. We ordered tea and snacks and were enjoying the same when we heard the voice,
"Pandit ji, teen mahino se meri udhari nahi chukayi hai. Aaj to nirash mat kijiye," the man at the counter said. (Pandit ji, you have not paid the bills since last three months. At least pay the credit today and don't disappoint us)
"Arey hum kahi bhagkar thodi jane wale hai. Life me thoda bura waqt chal raha hai." said the voice. (Am I running away from this city? I am going through a bad patch in my life.) He was the same palmist we visited sometime back.
Khushboo and I couldn't control our laughter.
(An experience written by Amit Kharat)
Excellent Narration
ReplyDelete