by Sudha Murty
That means that the king is more powerful than the rich! he thought. Perhaps I should go back and ask that man on top of the beanstalk to make me powerful.
The next time Anita went out, Jaggu climbed the beanstalk again. He reached the top and followed the trail to the house in the clouds.
The door was closed.
He knocked. Knock-knock-knock.
A man’s voice asked, ‘Who is it? Why have you come here?’
‘Sir, I am Anita’s husband, Jaggu.’
‘What do you want?’
‘I want to become the most powerful king in the land.’
‘Sure,’ said the voice. ‘Now go away, and don’t come here again.’
Jaggu’s wish was granted once again, and he became the most powerful king in the land. Anita, however, refused to become queen and stayed back in her house. She continued growing and selling the beans.
One day, Jaggu asked her, ‘We have so much money that seven generations can live and thrive on it. Why do you still work so hard?’
Anita knew that her husband’s greedy and lazy nature would make him pay a heavy price one day. Out loud, she said, ‘Your status has been earned through magic while mine has been through hard work. Mine will remain with me forever.’
Jaggu shook his head, unable to comprehend the truth in his wife’s words.
One day, Jaggu went to meet the emperor of the land. The minister said, ‘Please wait, he can’t meet you now.’
‘Why? What is he doing?’ demanded Jaggu.
‘He is praying and performing a puja.’
‘Does he do this every day?’ asked Jaggu.
‘Yes, sir, every morning. God is the most powerful of all and everyone must bow down to his divine presence,’ said the minister.
Even the emperor must bow down to God. So why don’t I become God? he thought.
So the next time Anita went out, Jaggu went back to his old house and climbed the beanstalk again. He reached the top and followed the trail to the house in the clouds.
The door was closed.
He knocked. Knock-knock-knock.
A man’s voice asked, ‘Who is it? Why have you come here?’
‘Sir, I am Anita’s husband, Jaggu.’
‘What do you want?’ asked the voice, sounding angry.
‘I promise I won’t come again if you make me God. I want to become God. Please,’ pleaded Jaggu.
The voice laughed heartily.
‘Ha ha ha! God is everywhere in the universe. He is kind and compassionate, and an individual can attain godliness only by doing great work. You are a greedy and lazy fellow and I have had it with your wishes! You deserve nothing!’
Jaggu felt an invisible kick to his rear end and he fell down from the clouds. He landed in the front yard of his small house. There were bruises everywhere on his body. The beanstalk disappeared and only the shrub remained with the beans that Anita had grown. Disappointed and hurt, Jaggu went inside his tiny house.
When Anita came home, she was shocked to see her wounded husband and a small shrub in the front yard. The beanstalk had vanished too! She realized what had happened. Worried that she would run out of beans, she went to the shrub and plucked a bean. To her surprise, this time, the beans had seeds.
‘What happened?’ she demanded.
Jaggu told her the entire story.
‘You deserve this,’ remarked Anita. ‘When you don’t work hard for your living, you don’t value what you receive. You have forgotten that we are farmers. Our duty is to farm and enjoy our produce. God has taught you a good lesson. Now, forget the past and come with me. I will tend to your bruises. Despite everything, God is kind. He has given us seeds so we can replicate them and continue to earn enough money.’
Anita opened her box of savings. She said, ‘This is all that I could save. Let us use this money to work hard and plant more bean shrubs. It is God’s gift to us and as long as we take care of it and use it wisely, we will have enough.’
Thus, Jaggu mended his ways and together, the couple grew a lot of beans and led a healthy and content life.
Even today, beans grow in shrubs and not in beanstalks that reach the sky.
‘Wow, is that really why beans grow in shrubs, Ajji?’ asked Anoushka, wide-eyed.
‘Nobody knows for sure, but I always believed this story to be true,’ said Ajji.
‘Beans are my new favourite vegetable,’ announced Meenu.
Ajji gave her an affectionate look and smiled.
The Goddess of Luck
A few days later, Rehmat Chacha called up Ajja and said, ‘Thank you for the food kits. It is all being distributed today and will help a lot of people. I have also received several requests for masks from many people. Will you be able to help with that too? If you can, please let me know. We can pick them up and distribute them in the slums.’
‘I will check and call you back, Rehmat,’ assured Ajja as he kept the phone down. He turned to Ajji, ‘What do you think? Do we have the material to make masks?’
‘Of course. I know how to make them, but I need cloth of a comfortable and breathable material,’ said Ajji. Suddenly, she recalled, ‘I bought a lot of dhotis a few weeks ago to distribute to people during the cart festival. That material is comfortable and easy to wash. I can use that to make masks. We can start doing that today. If they want more, tell Rehmat to bring some more material and keep it outside the house. We’ll leave it in the garden for twenty-four hours. Then I will pick it up and use that as well.’
Kamlu Ajji joined her. Her work had been eased because Damu was helping her with the household chores, even though she was still the main cook. The children were helping, but they still needed a lot of monitoring, which was not always possible. Damu’s presence was of great help to both the Ajjis.
Kamlu Ajji said, ‘Come, let’s work on it together after lunch. I will cut the material and you can stitch. This way, it will be faster.’
‘That’s a wonderful idea,’ said Ajji.
All the children gathered around the sewing machine after lunch, but nobody wanted to ask Ajji to tell a story. Ajja called out from the room next door, ‘Ajji cannot tell a story today because she has to focus on the stitching. So does Kamlu Ajji. So I will tell you a story.’
The children ran to their grandfather’s room, all excited. It was an old room, like him. It had tall ceilings and an ancient fan. Ajja sat on a cosy chair.
‘You? You can tell us a story?’ asked Raghu, slightly astonished. Ajja had never told them a story before.
‘Yes, of course I can, Raghu. After all, I am married to Ajji, am I not? Come, sit!’ winked Ajja.
The room was nice and comfortable and the children sat around him in anticipation.
Ajja began, ‘I am only telling you this story so you realize how important it is to lend a hand. When we help others, things happen the way they should—almost as if someone is helping you too!’
‘What does that mean, Ajja?’ asked Meenu.
Ajja smiled.
Mahesh and his wife lived in a village with their two daughters. Though both husband and wife worked hard, they barely managed to make ends meet. Mahesh was always worried about money for his daughters’ education and their future. He attempted many things to make money, but failed time and again. He thought that luck was not on his side.
One day, Mahesh had a dream. A man came to him and said, ‘Mahesh, pray to the goddess of luck, Adrushtalakshmi. If you pray to her, she will remove all obstacles in your way and help you prosper.’
‘Where do I find her?’ asked Mahesh.
‘You must go deep into the forest, climb a big mountain you’ll find there and meditate. She will come and help you.’
When he woke up the next morning, Mahesh told his wife about the dream and she encouraged him to follow the instructions. The same day, Mahesh set out for the forest.
On his journey, he saw two horses, they were hungry and upset.
Mahesh sat under a tree nearby and ate his lunc
h. He shared whatever he had with the horses. They asked, ‘O young man, where are you going?’
‘I am in search of the goddess of luck. I have been unlucky in many adventures and would like the boon of luck from her,’ replied Mahesh.
‘Will you ask her something for us? We have been here for several years. It is hard to find food and we are tired. Wherever we go, we encounter wild animals and there is barely any grass around. If you meet the goddess, ask her where we can get good grassland so that we can move there. That is all we want.’
Mahesh nodded, saddened by the plight of the horses.
He walked for a long time until he ran into an almost-dead mango tree. Mahesh sat under it and later, slept in its shade for some time. When he was about to resume his journey, the mango tree asked, ‘O young man, where are you going?’
Mahesh explained his mission.
‘Will you ask the goddess a favour on my behalf? All my siblings are healthy and give juicy fruits. Humans, animals and birds really enjoy their fruits. I was born with them, but as you can see, I am half-dead and half alive. I have no flowers and no fruits to give, no matter how much I try. I feel that my life has no purpose. Can anything be done for me?’
Mahesh promised to ask the goddess and moved on.
Then he came across the mountain that the man in his dream had mentioned. He climbed and climbed until he reached a pond. Many birds were crying around a dry lake. They asked him, ‘O young man, where are you going?’
Mahesh explained his mission.
The birds said, ‘We always get rain most of the year, and we can all drink water from the lake. But look at it now! It dries up every summer. Somehow, we can manage to get food, but water is very hard to get. Will you ask the goddess if there is any way to get water throughout the year?’
Mahesh promised and continued his journey. At last, he reached the top of the mountain. There, he began to pray sincerely.
After a long time, the goddess of luck appeared. She said, ‘Mahesh, I am happy with your devotion. You have come all the way through the forest and climbed a difficult mountain. I can bless you with three boons. Please ask.’
Suddenly, Mahesh thought of the horses with no grass to eat. He remembered the mango tree and the suffering of the birds. He said, ‘Mother, on this journey to find you, I have come across beings in three difficult situations. Please tell me how to solve their problems.’
She smiled and said, ‘I know.’ She continued, ‘Their problems are simple to solve. In the area where the horses reside, there is a stone under a tree. The stone can only be removed by a person who is pure of heart and who thinks of everyone’s happiness. If such a person removes the stone, the area will be filled with grass that will last the horses a lifetime!’
Mahesh looked at her with love and admiration, wondering how she knew the details of his journey.
‘Below the mango tree,’ she said, ‘there is a box. Remove it and the tree will bear more fruits and flowers than any other tree around it. There is another box near the side of the lake where the birds reside. Dig the box out and the water will remain in the lake throughout the year.’
‘Remember, Mahesh, carry the boxes back to your home and open them in the company of your wife.’
Mahesh was happy to hear the solutions. He thanked the goddess and started on his return journey.
First, he reached the lake. There, he removed the box easily and instantly, and water began flowing into the lake. The birds cheered and thanked him. Mahesh quickly went on his way.
Next, Mahesh went to the mango tree and removed a big box from the ground. The mango tree thanked him and Mahesh continued on his journey back home.
Finally, he met the horses and noticed a big stone under one of the trees nearby. He wondered, Where will I find a virtuous person to remove this big stone? There is nobody here but me. Let me try.
To his surprise, he was able to remove the stone with ease and just as suddenly, he saw the grass begin to sprout. He had never thought of himself as pure of heart, but the goddess of luck knew that he hadn’t asked anything for himself, but for others. Then who could be more virtuous than him?
At last, Mahesh reached home and narrated the events of his journey to his wife.
‘What’s in these boxes?’ she asked, puzzled.
‘I didn’t open them, dear. The goddess wanted us to open them together,’ he said.
When they opened the boxes, they found gold in one box and diamonds in the other. Mahesh cried out with happiness and knew that he would be able to take better care of his daughters and give them an excellent education.
That is how the goddess of luck always knows how to choose a good person.
A Sibling Story
Whenever Ajja put the television on, there were more updates about Covid-19 cases and the lockdown statuses in different states. Things were looking bleaker than before as cases were on the rise.
One morning, Ajja woke up with a pain in one of his legs. Usually, he massaged some oil on his leg by himself. It always helped him feel better. But today, Kamlu Ajji insisted on bringing the oil in a bowl.
‘Put your legs on my lap,’ she ordered him.
Ajja obediently did as told.
Kamlu Ajji began massaging the leg that was hurting. Her face softened. ‘Do you remember how I used to massage you when you had back pain during your younger days?’
Ajja nodded. He looked like a small child with his legs sprawled over his sister’s lap. The children found it amusing. ‘Ajja, you are old, but you look like you are one of us,’ giggled Meenu and made fun of him.
‘A brother and sister’s relationship is a very sweet one and celebrated all over India,’ said Ajji, coming to Ajja’s rescue.
‘Yes,’ added Ajja. ‘Every year, Kamlu and I exchange gifts on a certain festival. Do you know which festival I am talking about?’
‘Are you talking about Raksha Bandhan?’ asked Raghu. ‘It is such a big festival and Meenu always takes a big gift from me and gives me a small rakhi.’
Ajja smiled. ‘It is not about a big gift or the small delicate thread of rakhi. The thread is meant to reassure your sister that you will always be with her when she is facing difficult times. Even history recognizes the significance of this festival. It is believed that Rani Karnavati sent a rakhi to the Mughal emperor Humayun when enemies were trying to attack, and Humayun rushed in to protect her. But I am not talking about the thread of rakhi here.’
‘Then what festival are you referring to?’ asked Anoushka.
‘Naga Panchami,’ said Ajja. His eyes twinkled and he turned to Ajji. ‘Come on, tell the children the story behind why we celebrate Naga Panchami in the south and Bhaubeej in Maharashtra.’
Ajji smiled and began narrating the story.
One day, the king of Avanti was travelling on horseback and decided to take a break after hours of riding.
He sat on a big stone that lay on the side of the road and took out his bottle of water to drink. Suddenly, his eyes fell on a stone under his feet—it was in the shape of a snake and was red in colour. It fascinated him because he had never seen anything like it. This looks precious and unique, he thought.
He picked it up and brought it back to the palace. Once he was home, he gave it to his wife and told her to keep it safe.
The next day, he told the queen to open the box that held the stone. To their surprise, a handsome prince with a beautiful turban came out of the box. There was a big red jewel on top of his turban.
The queen, shocked and bewildered, asked, ‘Who are you? Why are you here?’
The prince smiled. ‘Do not ask me questions, Your Highness. Tell me what you want done, and I will make sure it happens.
The king hesitated. However, the queen did not. She said, ‘There is a wretched asura that lives near a mountain in our kingdom. He is the cause of a lot of trouble to our subjects and though we have tried, it seems to be impossible to kill him. Prince, if you can help with this, I will be grateful.’
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‘Give me a horse and a sword,’ said the prince. ‘That is more than enough. I can manage the rest.’
The king agreed but also insisted on sending a few soldiers with him.
When the group reached the bottom of the mountain, the asura appeared, ready to fight. The prince fought him alone and within a few minutes, he managed to slay the terrible asura.
Within hours, the prince and the troupe were back in the king’s palace.
The prince was humble about his victory, but the soldiers accompanying him described the sequence of events and his extraordinary valour.
A month passed and soon the soldiers from a neighbouring land invaded the kingdom. The prince said to the king, ‘Don’t worry, sire. I will take care of this problem.’
Alone, he fought them all and defeated the enemy.
With that, the news about the brave prince spread to different lands and nobody dared to invade the kingdom again.
In the meantime, the king had a beautiful daughter who had fallen in love with the prince. She shared her desire to marry him, but the king refused. He said, ‘No, my child. The prince is handsome and a great warrior, but we know very little about him. How can I give my daughter to an unknown prince?’
The princess insisted, ‘But, Father, I refuse to marry anyone else.’
Time passed and the king realized that his daughter would not change her mind. He gave up and arranged for the wedding of the couple with the prince’s consent.
One day, there was a festival in the kingdom. All the brides wore their best clothing and the finest jewellery and gathered in the palace. A bride said, ‘My mother-in-law has sent me this sari!’ Another one said, ‘I got this bangle from my husband’s sister!’
Suddenly, the princess felt sad. Everything she had or was wearing was given by her father or mother—she hadn’t received a gift from her husband or his parents. She felt so insecure at this sudden discovery that she became disheartened and sad. That night, she asked her husband, ‘Tell me more about yourself. Where are your parents? Do you have any siblings? I would love to meet them. I want to show everyone that you have a family that cares about us!’