Grandparents' Bag of Stories

by Sudha Murty

  Ajji said, ‘Make several packets of it—you can make extra for yourself and Aditi’s friends.’

  Damu and the two grandmothers soon got busy making snacks and the day went by quickly.

  The next day, Ajji got the children ready in the morning.

  Ajji said, ‘Remember the stories and lessons you have learnt in the last two months and don’t forget them. Keep your word to your friends, be kind and help others. Keep your surroundings clean too! And please bring your friends with you next time.’

  After an early lunch, Kamlu Ajji and the five children would set out to Bangalore with the office manager, who would come and then drive them back to Bangalore. From there, Raghu and Meenu would catch a flight to Mumbai.

  ‘This was a very different holiday,’ said Ajja.

  The children hugged Ajja and Ajji and touched their feet. Ajji said, ‘Study well! Compassion, wisdom, knowledge and courage—these four qualities will make you a good person. It is like a balanced meal—you must have roti, vegetable, dal and rice. You cannot eat only one.’

  Ajji turned to Kamlu Ajji. ‘We have spent more time than we have ever spent together and it has been fantastic! Without your help, I wouldn’t have been able to take care of the children like this and we wouldn’t have been able to share our joys and sorrows.’

  ‘I came for four days and instead, spent the most wonderful sixty days of my life with you. I heard many stories, remembered some of my childhood stories and shared them with the children too. I will cherish this trip forever!’ said Kamlu Ajji, as she held Ajji’s hand tightly.

  ‘We will all meet again,’ said Ajja, ‘but under better circumstances and not with the threat of the coronavirus looming over us.’

  ‘Ajji,’ said Anoushka. ‘Please, tell us one story before we go!’

  The children whooped and yelled in agreement.

  Ajji grinned. ‘Let me tell you one. It is about the blessing I just gave you.’

  Once upon a time, there was a doll maker who was very good at his craft. He had a son named Anil.

  When Anil grew up, he said to his father, ‘I want to see the world. I want to venture out and find my own path. Please bless me.’

  Unfortunately, the doll maker was not a rich man, but he blessed his son with all his heart. When Anil got ready to leave, his father said, ‘I don’t know much about the outside world as I haven’t travelled much and I don’t have any resources to give to you. I only have dolls. So take these four dolls with you. They might be useful to you in your journey. These are special dolls and I have crafted them carefully and dressed them with the best I have.’

  Before Anil could say a word, the doll maker continued, ‘The first doll, dressed like a king, carries wisdom.

  ‘The second doll, dressed like a soldier, carries courage.

  ‘The third doll, dressed like a simple man, carries knowledge.

  ‘The fourth doll, dressed like a hermit, carries compassion.’

  Anil didn’t want to carry the dolls with him everywhere, but he couldn’t refuse his father’s wish, so he put them in his bag.

  ‘My child, knowledge and courage must always work under wisdom and compassion. Only then will life be beautiful,’ said the doll maker and bid his son goodbye.

  Anil walked and walked until he reached a spot; it was already noon. He was tired and wanted to rest. He wondered out loud, ‘Is it wise to rest here? Who can help me out?’

  Suddenly, the doll that was dressed like a king, came to life. It emerged from the bag and said, ‘It is important to have wisdom in unknown lands. The key to wisdom is observation. Look around before making a decision. Otherwise, people will take advantage of you.’

  The doll went back into the bag.

  Anil looked around him and noticed a snakeskin near a tree. He realized that a snake was around somewhere and decided to walk further to find another resting place. He continued his journey for some time.

  By the time he found another spot, it had begun raining. He was about to rest when he remembered the king-doll’s advice. He looked around and saw the footprints of a lion near him. This is also not a safe place to stay, he thought and walked further.

  A few kilometres ahead, he stopped and looked around him again. He didn’t observe anything of concern and rested there for a long time.

  The next day, he decided to walk to the nearest city. When he reached the outskirts, he saw a big mansion with a lot of activity happening around it. He wondered, How can I also become rich and own a mansion?

  The moment he thought so, the soldier of courage emerged from the bag and said, ‘Have courage. If you don’t, you will never be able to fulfil your dreams. A life without courage is never prosperous.’

  ‘What should I do?’ asked Anil.

  ‘I don’t have the knowledge to answer your question truthfully,’ said the doll of courage and went back into the bag.

  A minute later, the doll of knowledge emerged and said, ‘This area looks prosperous because the land is good. Take a piece of land that doesn’t belong to anyone.’ Pointing to an area with boulders, the doll said, ‘Take that. It has a gold mine. Be strong and courageous and begin work there.’

  The doll of knowledge returned to the bag.

  Anil went to the area that the doll had pointed to. He learnt that no one was using the land and found the owner’s address after asking a few people. Anil went directly to the owner’s house and bought the land for a cheap price. Within days, Anil began to rid the land of the boulders. Just as the doll had predicted, there was a gold mine underneath. Very quickly, Anil became one of the richest people in the area.

  The doll of knowledge frequently came alive and advised Anil on how to expand his business and where to buy land. One day, the doll of knowledge pointed Anil to a land whose owner refused to sell it despite Anil offering him an increased market price.

  A month passed. One day, the owner of the land—an old man—fell terribly ill and didn’t have money for his treatment. With a heavy heart, he decided to sell the land. Anil acquired it and began building his mansion. He thought that he had fulfilled his dreams with courage and knowledge.

  When the old man was handing over the land to Anil, his beautiful daughter Pushpa approached Anil with tears. She said, ‘This is no less than cheating. You are rich and we are poor. Helpless people like us are forced to sell our ancestral land due to genuine reasons. I am horrified that we had to sell our land.’

  Anil fell silent and Pushpa left with her father.

  Though the girl had spoken harshly, Anil liked her. I should marry a straightforward girl like her, he thought and sent a marriage proposal to her.

  The girl declined his proposal.

  The doll of knowledge advised, ‘Tell the girl that you will return the land to her father if she marries you.’

  Still, Pushpa refused to marry him.

  Anil became despondent. He was rich and had a big mansion and yet, the girl he liked was rejecting him.

  Suddenly, he remembered the hermit doll. When he did, the doll came alive and looked at him questioningly.

  Anil said, ‘I have so much money and yet, I am unhappy. Tell me the reason.’

  The hermit replied, ‘You cannot win everyone with money. People will pretend to listen to you for the sake of it. The day the money is gone, nobody will talk to you. Instead, try compassion. If you genuinely care for people, then they will care for you too.’

  Saying this, the hermit doll returned to the bag.

  Next, Anil asked the doll of knowledge, ‘What should I do to make people happy? How do I take care of their needs?’

  ‘Build roads, ponds and hospitals for the poor. Look after the animals in shelters and care for the living more than you do for the money. That is the best way you can help people,’ said the doll of knowledge.

  Anil took the advice of both the dolls and started doing good work to address the needs of the people and the society. The poor had to walk less with better roads, they had easier access to
water with the ponds he built and free medical treatment. It made them very happy.’

  A few years went by.

  One day, Pushpa came to his mansion with her father.

  Anil was happy to see her, but he wondered about the reason for her visit. ‘I’m sorry I took your land. You may take it back with the mansion if you wish. It doesn’t matter to me any more, as long as you are the one who owns it.’

  ‘No, we haven’t come back to ask you for our property,’ said the old man. ‘I have received free treatment from the hospital you built and that is why Pushpa and I decided to come here. She has reconsidered the proposal seeing the work you have done for people like us. I have come to give my daughter’s hand in marriage to you, if you still want to be with her.’

  Anil felt ecstatic. He had failed to win Pushpa’s heart with gold and money, but his good deeds had accomplished his desire anyway.

  Soon, the two were wed and Anil invited Pushpa’s and his father to come and stay with them. He thanked his father for giving him the right dolls at the right time.

  Anil lived the rest of his happy life being rich, wise, courageous, knowledgeable and compassionate.

  ‘What a story,’ said Anoushka and heaved a huge sigh as she thought that it was the last story she would hear on this trip.

  The Greatest Medicine of All

  With their bags all packed, it was almost time for the kids and Kamlu Ajji to leave when Ajja’s phone rang. It was from the office manager who they had been waiting for, to come pick them up and take them to Bangalore. He spoke from the other end of the line a bit apologetically, ‘I am delayed as I am awaiting police clearance to travel to the village.’

  Anoushka asked, ‘Why does he need a police clearance? We didn’t take it when we came here. Why do we need clearance to come to our grandparents’ home? It has never happened before.’

  Ajja pacified Anoushka, ‘Child, things have changed. If people with infection travel, they will spread it. That is why there is a restriction on travel. When you came, the spread of Covid was not as bad as it is now. Let us wait. Patience is a virtue often missing in your generation. You want everything as early as possible. You don’t like to wait. Remember, waiting is also good at times. It is the first lesson of patience.’

  ‘Oh, Ajji, will you tell us one last story while we wait?’ pleaded Meenu.

  ‘I think you all are always hungry for stories. I’ll tell you one that I heard from my grandmother. A long time ago, there was a similar infection in 1918. It was called the Spanish flu or influenza. Those who were children at the time heard this story,’ said Ajji.

  ‘That must be your grandma!’ yelled Raghu. ‘And our great-great-grandma! I want to hear her story, Ajji!’

  ‘That must be such a long time ago,’ added Aditi.

  Ajji nodded and began her story.

  Veenu, a teenage boy, lived with his parents in a village. His father was the village doctor and his mother a housewife. They had a small house in the outskirts and had a beautiful herb garden. In those days, herbal medicines were very popular and often given to patients. Veenu’s mother grew herbs and took care of them as if they were her children.

  Every morning, Veenu’s father went to the village and helped the sick patients. He would come back home in the afternoon and first have a bath. Then he would eat lunch, rest and study in the evenings.

  Abhay, Veenu’s best friend, was the son of the village headman. Life was calm, peaceful and content.

  One day, a stranger came to the village. He was short, thin and had unusual features. In the middle of the town, he made a loud announcement, ‘I am a merchant and have brought my merchandise here. I am closing my shop in the city and want to sell all my wares before I go to my hometown. My prices are throwaway and I will be here for only two days. Please come and see what I am selling.’

  He opened a temporary shop and people gathered around it. His wares were beautiful—teapots, silk, handmade fans, candles, mirrors, paintings and much more. The price, too, was low. These would be much more expensive in the city, and the villagers would have to pay for the travel too to get them. Besides, his wares looked more exquisite than the ones available in the city.

  There was a heavy crowd around his store and Abhay and Veenu observed the store from a distance. They saw the stranger coughing and sneezing. He often took out a handkerchief and used it. People, however, were too distracted by the wares and most did not notice that the man seemed unwell.

  After some time, Abhay’s father, the village headman, also arrived to see the stranger’s shop. The merchant was hospitable and said, ‘Sir, I need a place to stay and I am happy to pay for it.’

  The headman replied, ‘Please come and stay with us as my guest.’

  The stranger agreed.

  Veenu never had a chance to go to the store as he had to return home quickly. After reaching home, Veenu said to his father, ‘The new merchant is sneezing and coughing often. He seems sick.’

  Father smiled and said, ‘It must be the change in the weather we are having these days.’

  ‘But he uses his handkerchief and keeps it here and there in different places. People were touching the same wares that he sometimes kept his handkerchief on.’

  ‘Aah, someone has become a doctor,’ remarked Father and smiled.

  ‘I don’t think I should go near him even though his shop is beautiful,’ said Veenu.

  His father nodded.

  The next day, Veenu went to the market and saw the merchant at a tea shop nearby. He was wearing a sweater and had wrapped a shawl around himself. He was talking to a man there. Veenu heard him say, ‘I have been feeling feverish since I went to the headman’s house. Maybe the room is very cold.’

  His sneezing and coughing continued.

  Veenu stayed away from him and went his way.

  The next day, the merchant did not turn up. His temporary store was also closed.

  When some villagers showed up at the closed store, the headman informed them, ‘The merchant was a good man and had goods of excellent quality. He sold all his wares yesterday and left the village. I hope he will visit again.’

  The villagers were disappointed at this news.

  A few days passed. By now many of the villagers had begun showing similar symptoms: fever, cough and cold, especially the village elders. Some had fever, some were shivering and others complained that their bodies were aching all over. They all began visiting Veenu’s father, the village doctor.

  Veenu’s father was a bit alarmed. ‘Why is everyone falling sick?’ he wondered. ‘Normal flu does not spread so fast.’

  Veenu’s father gave his usual herbal remedies and continued his routine of having a bath after meeting his patients.

  A week went by and the situation became worse. Many of the elderly in the village began to lose their lives. The young men and women also felt the effect of this strange malady and even difficulties in breathing.

  Some were not able to explain what was happening to them. They said, ‘I can’t taste anything!’

  Some said, ‘I can’t smell at all!’

  Some were vomiting.

  Fortunately, the children either had mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. The villagers came and pleaded with Veenu’s father, ‘Doctor Sahib, please help us! The remedies are not working at all!’

  The doctor tried other herbs but nothing worked.

  The headman also fell extremely sick and so did everyone in his house. The headman, too, visited Veenu’s father now.

  ‘This may be something contagious, so please stay away from each other,’ said the doctor. He realized Veenu was probably right—the stranger’s handkerchief probably touched many wares bought by the villagers.

  Days passed and still, there was no improvement in anyone’s health.

  The headman said, ‘I have decided to go to the city to get better treatment.’

  Many other families decided to do the same. All the village shops were closed and the local school was al
so shut down. Parents kept their children inside the homes and the noisy playgrounds suddenly became silent. All that remained was the constant sound of coughing.

  Nothing like this had never happened in the village before.

  The doctor tried his best to help the villagers, but no one came to him any more. The villagers realized that his medicines were not effective. He felt left out and prayed to God to turn things around.

  One evening, an old lady came to the village with a small bundle of clothes in her hands. She was tired. She searched for people in the village, but it seemed deserted. Exhausted, she sat under the village banyan tree.

  Later, a few men heard sounds near the tree and went to see what it was. When they saw the lady, she shouted from a distance, ‘I am just an old lady who has lost her way. I need shelter for a night and then I will head out in the morning. Will one of you please give me room for tonight?’

  The men shook their heads and went back home.

  The old lady was disappointed. She decided to walk further to the next village. She trudged to the outskirts of the city and reached Veenu’s house. There, she stopped to ask for water. Veenu’s mother gave her water.

  The old lady said, ‘Thank you. What is going on in the village? Nobody wanted to speak to me or even offer me a glass of water. I am a traveller and I only asked for a night’s shelter.’

  Veenu’s mother replied, ‘Please don’t mind this. The people in the village are kind and would have taken you in under normal circumstances. They would have even sent someone to accompany you to your destination. But things have changed these days.’

  She continued to speak and explained the situation to the old woman.

  ‘Can I stay here for the night?’ asked the old woman.

  ‘Yes, but not inside the house, because of this unknown contagious disease. I will make all arrangements for you to sleep under the tree here and also give you food.’

  ‘Thank you!’ said the old woman and laughed. ‘I thought I will have to walk the entire night! What a pleasant turn of events!’