Lord Rama and Rangoli

‘Please Saheb, don’t take this amount for today. If I don’t buy the medicine, my daughter’s fever will not cure’, Mahesh pleaded.

But Rai Singh refused to hear his plea, ‘I have given the loan and I want it back now only.’

Though living in the village of Raghupur and having a huge Shri Ram temple beside his haveli, Rai Singh, ironic to his name, had no sense of judgement left with him.

He was barely interested with the sense of justice and mercy, which Lord Rama owned in Indian scriptures.

Though having huge ancestral property, the wicked need of ruling and dominating poor villagers never left him.

Rai Singh had a daughter Bhumi, who was the only being on earth whom Rai Singh considered his life!

Being a zamindar, Rai Singh use to lend money to villagers in need. The villagers knew how atrocious and temperamental he is. Due to their poor financial needs, however, they were often left with no option.

Bhumi was a girl of ethics. Yet, she could not help her father change into a noble being. She often used to visit the Shri Ram temple and see how the Pujari and the villagers used to avoid her in fear. When some of them used to see her and wipe their tears her heart welled up in agony.

O Lord Rama, you live in everybody’s heart. You fulfill all the noble desires of all living beings, please make my father a good man!

Returning home from the temple, Bhumi overheard her father’s conversation with the Vaidh ji (ayurvedic doctor) of the village.

Vaidh ji – ‘Saheb please return my two cows, they are like my daughters. My wife won’t survive without them. I will return your money once Diwali comes. My Wife will draw the Lakshmi Rangoli made of rice blend and welcome the Goddess in our cottage.

Yes, there was a thinking in the village that on the day of Diwali, the daughter or wife of every villager would to draw a rangoli and light earthen diyas at the doorstep to welcome Mother Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth. They would also celebrate the occasion in belief – in Satya Yuga, it was on this day Lord Rama returned with his wife Sita and brother Laxman to Ayodhya.

In Rai Singh’s haveli, little Bhumi used to draw the rangoli to welcome the Goddess and Lord Rama in their home every year.

Rai Singh, however rebuffed his plea, and Vaidh ji started returning to his hut empty handed, heart broken.

It is too much now for little Bhumi to witness and bear!

She went running to the cowshed and opened Vaidh ji’s cows and pushed them to go. The next moment, Bhumi fell down on the ground, but before falling she said, ‘Hey Rama You have to sort this.’

Rai Singh came running, as he heard a loud thud.

Without wasting time, Vaidh ji also came running and checked Bhumi’s pulse. The news was not good as Vaidh ji understood Bhumi is not opening her eyes.

Rai Singh, much scared now, first time in his life, was constantly sitting beside Bhumi’s bed. As he dozed off in the wee hours of the night. He heard a voice, which whispered, ‘If you wish to save the Lakshmi of your house, you need to help the villagers welcome the Goddess in their house.’

The next day was Diwali. Rai Singh knew what he needed to do. He went with all the rangoli materials to the villagers’ huts next morning and from sunrise to sunset he kept on drawing rangoli on the doorsteps of every villager’s cottage.

In the evening Rai Singh’s body was aching badly. Dead tired, he returned his haveli.

Lo! there was a huge rangoli drawn in front of his door. Bhumi still lying unconscious in bed!

Rai Singh was much amazed. He was fasting. He decided to give a visit to the Shri Ram’s temple before lighting the earthen diyas at his door.

Rai Singh took Bhumi’s dupatta and went to pray to the Lord himself and beg for his daughter’s life.

Rai Singh, climbed the temple stairs first time in his life. Amid all the flaming diyas around and crackers bursting over the sky.

He entered the temple and said, he has fulfilled his task of preparing rangoli for each villager this Diwali.

He sat down at the feet of Shri Ram. A flower just fell on his head, and Rai Singh looked up to see Lord Rama’s fingers in both the hands were soiled with rice paste and same colours of rangoli, like the ones used to draw the magical rangoli drawn at his door step!