Today while coming home from school I stopped at a cross road to let a van pass. There was the picture of Ganesha on its side and 'GANESH BEEDI' written under that. Automatically my eyes searched for a huge Ganesha painted on its door behind. I was disappointed to find it bare but a smile appeared on my face. My thoughts went back some 40 years.
My brother A was put in a school faaar away -nearly 2 km- from home! He walked the distance with his friends and would walk back home and reach by 5 in the evening.
On one particular day he did not come at the usual time. Nor did he come at 5.30 or 6! It started getting dark and everyone grew anxious. 6.30, there was no sign of the young boy of 13. No one thought of road accidents in those days of traffic free roads. Kidnappers were there but who would pick up a meek, studious looking boy whose father,everyone knew, was not 'rich' to pay the ransom? At around 7,when my father was thinking of what he should do next, the gentleman walked in with a sheepish grin. Every one felt relieved. Heaving a sigh of relief my father asked him where he had been. "They were painting a huge Ganesha behind the Ganesh Beedi van; so we all stood watching."came the cool reply. So much for an atheist!