The Story Teller

Pic: Dadaji n me 2006'

Every one of us …is somehow connected with our childhood story teller. The stories which we hear from our parents, grandparents, teachers or a distant related Uncle/Aunty or a family friend give us the power of imagination !

This entire method of imagining our own character with one's own perspective is very personal. And it also shapes us into someone, who we are today!

It sounds scary but ask yourself this question.

My grandfather narrated his childhood n youth stories of how he was married when he was hardly 14 years old. How his wife died and left him heart broken. The incident of sneaking out from home at midnight to catch a train to Varanasi on his bicycle with his friend. As he was brought up by his eldest brother without parents who left them in their very nascent age. So his eldest brother became like a father figure to him. The journey that midnight with just two rupees in his pocket, cycling towards railway station was caught by his father figure. And later he was given advice and more money to go and give shradhanjali to Mahatma Gandhi in Varanasi. Where millions gathered for father of the nation who left

us forever.

The first position he got for best handwriting in the entire school was the proudest moment while sharing his stories. He single handedly started a business which was not even close to the family business and with time made it big. When the entire joint family of five brothers parted their ways, that was the saddest moment of his story telling.

He was a self-made man, lived on with principles of ethics and believed in never to be dependent on anyone. He was very grounded, and washed his own clothes. Pure cotton, white Dhoti and kurta with Nehru Topi (white cap) always made him look the best!

His stories were his teachings for me. And it has shaped me into what I am today.

His stories has always been my favourite till date!

I miss him, and hence narrating his story today…