Tell Me Why

P.S : One more repost :)I Initially posted it at this blog during March/April 2006. Now made some few changes, edited it and reposting :) Will def come up with a new post from my next posting :D, please put up with me this time :D

Warning: My first attempt at a serious story... This story does not contain any Mokkai, any P.J, not an iota of humor. Those who read this kindly suggest if I shud attempt more serious stories...or it wud be better if i stick to whatever i am doing now :D

"Manju...Manju..." Raghuraman called out for his sweet grand daughter, as he entered into the house. Anand, his son, replied "Manju is not doing well pa. She is sleeping in her bedroom " as he was sipping his evening Tea. "Oh, what happened to my sweet heart?", a worried Raghuraman queried. Anand, "Oh..Nothing Dad, You know rite, our Driver Shekar's house caught fire yesterday and he and his folks got injured?"

Raghuraman: (sighed) Oh yes, poor guy Shekar, he is quite a nice man

Anand : Well yeah, we paid a visit to him at the hospital

Raghuraman : Oh is that so? I could have come with you na.. Had u informed I would have left early from my friend's house

Anand : Well, I wanted to meet him as soon as possible, and hence went to hospital as sooon as I returned from office. We took Manju also with us so that she could console her best friend and our Shekar's son Gopal. Thatz the mistake we made. Little girl, she is not able to bear all these things whatever happened to Gopal and Shekar. She was weeping from that time. Just now she had slept



Raghuraman : Oh Lord, my sweetie has such a tender heart. (turning to Jaya, his daughter in law) Jaya, Did she take any food after coming from school?

Jaya : No Mama, we went straight to hospital after she returned from school.

Raghuraman Hmm.. poor girl. OK let us not disturb her today. let her sleep. Let's hope She will get back to her cheerful ways soon.

Jaya : yes Mama, Wait, I will bring you Tea. (Jaya goes to kitchen to bring him Tea)


Anand's family belongs to upper middle class section. Anand is a manager in a leading Leather factory. His family is a short and sweet family of Jaya and his cute little daughter Manju. His father Mr.Raghuraman lives along with them. A retired school principal, he is the friend, philosopher, guide and play mate for Manju. Manju love his thatha (Grandfather) so much so that she considers him as her Best friend and shares everything with him more than her school mates or parents. Every day, Raghu thatha would tell stories to her and will try to tell some Moral or Philosophical values through those stories. Both Anand and Jaya are nice people with good heart and helping tendency. Shekar is their car driver,a faithful and sincere person. He stays in the nearby slum just behind Anand's apartments. His son is Gopal, a sweet and smart chap. He lost his mom at an earlier age itself and only his father takes care of him. Everybody in Anand's flats like him very much and he is like a darling for them, always attending to any kind of help they are requesting him. Gopal is Manju's best friend as both are of almost same age. Anand, Jeya and Raghu thatha treated Gopal as their own child and shower kindness and sympathy on him.

Life was going smooth for everyone, till the previous night when a power leak in the colony transformer set off fire in the nearby slum. The fire wreaked havoc in the slum destorying all the huts there. Since the fire broke out in the night time, the poor ppl didnt have much of time to escape from the perils of the fire accident. Some people succumbed to the burns while many of them got hurt ranging from minor to severe burns. Gopal's house too didnt escape the wrath of the fire. Gopal could manage to escape with few minor burns but his father Shekar gets severe burn wounds in the fire. All the injured people including Shekar get admitted in the Government hospital. That day Anand and Jeya paid a visit to Shekar at the hospital. They took Manju along with them as they thought she would be able to comfort a grieving Gopal. But Manju was apalled at the condition of her dear Driver Shekar uncle and the grief of her best friend Gopal. She could not digest with whatever that happened and burst into tears. Nobody could console her, even the injured Shekar tried to convince Manju that he is alright, but none could stop her tears. Hence Anand and Jaya has to leave the hospital with a crying Manju. And as Raghu thatha said they let Manju sleep without taking her food, hoping sleep would give some peace to her.


[ Next day Morning ]

Raghuraman just gets up from sleep and comes to the hall. Anand is busy going through the daily paper

Raghu : Good Morning Anand...

Anand : Good Morning pa,

Raghu : Jeya, Did Manju got up?

Jeya (worryingly) : Yes mama, she did. But she still looks terribly upset, refusing to take food. I dont know what to do

Raghu : Oh God. I think this is getting serious. O.K Anand, with your permission, let manju take leave today. I shall take her for a walk along park and try to bring her to normal

Anand : Oh ok dad, you are the best person to handle her. Please do it

Raghu thatha takes Manju to park. A sombre Manju quietly follows her thatha. Both were silent during the walk. They reached the park. Seated in the park bench, Raghu thatha opens the conversation

Raghu : Oh dear, why are u so sad? See darling, sometimes you cannot help such unfortunate circumstances.

Manju remains quiet. After a long pause, she started

Manju : Thatha...., Tell me... tell me why?

Raghu : What darling?

Manju : Tell me.... Why does Gopal suffer? Why does Shekar uncle suffers ? What wrong they did? You have told me so many stories that only those who are bad or committed evil doing, suffers a lot. What did Gopal do? Why is he suffering, Why does he have to suffer? He is a born poor, he doesnt have a proper house, he only has torn clothes, he doesnt have toys to play with, he is not having good education, he lost his mother from his birth itself, he is not even having a good food daily. He is already being treated severely by God. Then why should he still suffer..Why thatha Why?

Raghu thatha remains silent.. Manju continues

Manju : Look at me, I am born rich, I have good parents who take care of me, I have so many nice clothes to wear on, I have a room full of toys to play with. Appa gets me all delicious food items whichever I ask for, We have car and so on. GOD hasnt given these things to Gopal. All he gives for him is pain, agony and suffering. Do say dear thatha, Is God really fair?

Raghu thatha maintains his calm composure and replies

Raghu : oh Dear, do not doubt about the fairness of GOD. GOD is really fair kanna. Just wait and see na, Gopal would not experience any more problems when he grows up in life. He is he is really gonna come up nicely in life. All the pains he had been suffering so far will only build his mental strength and resolve. Believe me dear... Nothing is permanent.... If life, at the moment appears darker for Gopal, there will be a day pretty sooner arriving for him. Be assured of that and dont worry!!!

Raghu thought this should put to rest the concerns Manju has for Gopal and his problems. He felt far more relaxed having talked with his grand daughter. But to his surprise, as he noticed Manju, her face gave an upset look and she started to break into tears. Amidst tears she asked

Manju : But, but thatha, if nothing is permanent, and God is fair, does that mean I would lose all that GOD gave me? Will GOD's fairness snatch away all the good things that I had been enjoying, As I grow up in life, will i suffer, the way Gopal is suffering right now?

Raghu thatha was speechless now... He did not expect this from Manju. He was unable to talk

Raghu : No ma..it is not like that...it is ..it is

Manju : Tell me thatha, if GOD is fair, that would mean I will lose all that I have got, Life had been happier to me so far, I did not have to pass through what Gopal had to pass through. By being fair, Will God snatch away all these things he gave me?

Raghu : No dear no..it will not happen to you... your life will be happy always

Manju : Then thatha, is GOD unfair? If God is, then those who are suffering will continue to suffer is it? If, as you say, GOD is fair then all these tragic things would happen to me some day...... Now tell me thatha, is GOD fair or unfair?

Raghu thatha remains silent for a moment. He thinks deeply for a while and then replied

Raghu : Yes Sweety, GOD is fair, GOD is impartial

Manju : does that mean (starts crying)....

Raghu : Wait dear wait, let me ask you a question..answer it..... Do you believe that GOD takes care of every one of us?

Manju : (thinks..)mmm... Yes I do

Raghu : If that is the case, then why do you need a Mother and a Father to take care of you when GOD can take care of you

Manju : (thinks for a while... and then answers) Well....GOD cant do all things by himself....And he cannot do something for someone exclusively. So he gave me a Mother and Father to take care of me alone.

Raghu : absolutely!! u rite there sweet heart.....GOD's fairness is far different from what you think as fairness. If you think GOD has given u riches, good food, dresses and nothing for Gopal, you are wrong. GOD has given Gopal, so many things, that you and me does not possess,such as the ability to react smartly to situation, the ability to face tough situations etc.,

Also dear, If GOD made your family rich and your neighbour's family poor it is like GOD's way of telling you that you must use your wealth to make sure that they don’t suffer. If GOD gives you happiness he implies, you should share your happiness with others and you should make a sad guy around you happy. God cannot give everything to everybody. He gives rich and wealth to some people and at the same time expects those people to share these riches to people around them, who need those. Help ppl when they are in trouble, when they need it, with whatever abilities you are blessed with by GOD. If you forget this simple fact and start to act selfish without willing to help people when in need, then dear, you are right, you might suffer later in life. You would understand the fairness of GOD if you understand this also. :)

Manju was listening to her Thatha earnestly. Her face brightened up at last. She wiped her tears and smiled. As she saw a Granny who was struggling to cross the road, she ran to her and took her hand and helped her cross the road safely.. Raghu thatha smiled to himself. His grand daughter has understood life and understood GOD.