COMING COSMIC AGE - PART TWO

     In Part One, I discussed the scenario clamoring for Cosmic age and world becoming a globalised community with interconnected economic nodes. I shall now dwell upon this theme, both philosophically and empirically. I am NOT predicting, lest you misunderstand me, I am peeping into the likely trends which would shape mankind and the future track it might tread upon..

       Thomas R Friedman has postulated three stages of GLOBALISATION in his book, “THE WORLD IS FLAT”. The first stage he says started around 1492 AD when COLUMBUS hit the coast of AMERICA. This was GLOBLISTION 1.0. It was spearheaded by countries trying to turn the LARGE world into MEDIUM. It lasted around 300 years till about 1800AD.This was the time when INDUSTRIAL revolution had galvanized EUROPE and the concept of NATION STATE was born. Industrial Revolution gave rise to MULTI NATIONAL COMPANIES or MNCs.

       The GLOBALISATION 2.0 was sparked by the MNCs and it turned the world from MEDIUM to SMALL. It ended around 2000 AD.

        The GLOBALISATION 3.0 was spearheaded by INDIVIDUAL who had been empowered by COMPUTERS, INTERNET and WEB to be his own player in a FLATENED WORLD—where everyone was having a level playing field to do what he wants to do. The world had been turned from SMALL into a TINY nodes in the universe.

        Alvin Toffler ( I referred to him in Part One, too) in his trilogy of books, namely, “Future Shock”, “Third Wave” and “Power Shift” talks at length of the THREE WAVES of growth and development mankind has undergone since its inception. Each wave had a dominating philosophy.

       FIRST WAVE was dominated by AGRICULTURE or physical force. SECOND WAVE, which coincided with GLOBALISATION 1.0 and GLOBALISATION 2.0 of FRIEDMAN, was dominated by MONEY or mass production. THIRD WAVE, almost synonymous with GLOBALISATION 3.0, is associated with INFORMATION or the KNOWLEDGE.

         Accordingly, each wave described the society as such i.e. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY and the INFORMATION SOCIETY. The First Wave lasted around 1500 years--- up to the start of Industrial Revolution in Europe. The Second Wave began around 15th Century and it carried on for almost four hundreds and fifty years and it lasted till mid Twentieth Century.

         The Third Wave or the ‘Information Age’ began around the end of Second World War and it unleashed an era of ‘Total Transformation of the Society’. As the mankind entered 21st Century, the THIRD WAVE was also seemingly moving towards drawing curtains on itself. We would enter a new era in the near future i.e. the FOURTH WAVE ---‘THE COSMIC WAVE’.

         The process of GLOBALISATION and KNOWLEDGE REVOLUTION has shrunk the world to a level where the world is heading into borderless landmass of free- flowing GLOBAL CITIZENS.   At the same time, man has ventured into space. He is now looking beyond the earth. There are tell-tale signs of some form of intelligent life in the outer space. 'Mars orbitte'r has already raised hopes of water on the planet Mars. Many astronomers believe that "WE WERE NOT ALONE" in the universe.

         We are sure heading into the COSMIC AGE where man could think of ‘GALAXY-HOPPING’ in the not-too-distant-future. We are now capable of imagining the mythical characters of VEDIC PEOPLE who could move into THREE WORLDS with the twinkling of an eye. Man would become a TIME TRAVELER.

        We have been able to identify EARTH-II which lay at some 20.5 LIGHTS YEARS away from us. It could have some form of life. May be in next 50 years manned mission could be sent to this planet to find if there were any homosapiens there.Man would be interactive with ETs (Extra Terrestials)---or other forms of INTELLIGENT LIFE in the universe.

         We are sitting at the edge of a revolutionary change in our ‘Ways of Life’—when ‘Religion and Nations’ would become irrelevant in our daily chores. We will THINK GLOBAL and ACT GLOBAL in everyway.

         THIRD WAVE and GLOBALISATION 3.0 are shaping the future of the COSMIC MAN who is looking beyond the mundane frontiers of the EARTH and thinking of enmeshing into the SPACE. In such a scheme of things, RELIGION and NATION STATE would have NO PLACE. Some of us have already leapfrogged into the FOURTH WAVE of COSMIC AGE. The transient period is of GLOBALISED MAN and he has already hit the economical fabric of the GLOBE.

       Nixon Bostorm, Director of FUTURE OF HUMANITY INSTITUTE at OXFORD University has postulated that the day was not far when a robotized man could actually become a reality. In other words, activities of a ‘BIO-TECH’ man could be simulated.

       This is heralding characters of the movie MATRIX in reality for you, when you could be doing things in a ‘Virtual World’. Bostorm even goes to the extent of saying that 20 percent chance exists when ours could be a SIMULATED WORLD.

       It means it could be switched off like our computer screen goes off when we log off. This view could be strengthening the “ID THEORY” of the creation of universe as against the “BIG BANG THEORY”. I leave it at this.

         But the fact remains BIO-TECH BRAINS, as in the movie MATRIX, could be created who would be able to simulate a physical body and move around in a simulated world. Time and space to such VIRTUAL HUMAN BEINGS would be a matter of no significance. They would move from place ‘A’ to place ‘B’ with the twinkling of an eye.

        Technologies are advancing so fast that TIME TRAVELLING won't be a mystery of VEDIC CULTURE. Digitalised Human beings could recreate them selves and relive their past ( read my piece on "Digitalised humans"--I shall dwell upon such technological advances in the next part)

        We are heading into the age of COSMIC TRAVELLERS who would go ‘GALAXY HOPPING’ as the modern man goes ‘CONTINENT HOPPING’ today. ‘Cosmic travelers’ would provide us real time information on outer space. Where would, then, be the time for EARTHLY BOUNDARIES of MIND and Physical SPACE? Religion and Nation State would have no identity in the COSMIC WORLD of tomorrow.

       The advent of FLATENED WORLD has already produced a class of ‘CONTINENT-HOPPING-CITIZENS’ who have hardly any strong affiliation or ties with one particular nation. They are a class of ROVING HUMAN BEINGS who are more inspired and fired by ECONOMIC zeal.

In a level-playing field, they look for opportunities to find cheapest ways of wealth creation. BPOs, KPOs and IT industry have revolutionized the concept of manufacture and production at the global level. Borders have begun to disappear and the walls separating people are collapsing everywhere.

       The day is not far when the NATIONAL BOUNDARIES WOULD merge into one another and the concept of NATION STATE would be consigned to dustbin of human history. The world is likely to be broken into thousands of interdependent and interconnected economic nodes with no predominant political ideology as the governing philosophy.

       Alvin Toffler has predicted the rise of some 5000 City States with their own economic agenda. Their emergence would really not spell a death knell for the religion but it would push it into insignificance. Religion might not play as significant a role in man’s spiritual life as it does today. It would become a private affair.

       The recent upsurge of the RELIGION and the NATIONALISTIC EMOTIONS are the clear-cut signs of dying philosophies. The desperation is to protect the banishing identities in a GLOBALISED WORLD. A churning process is on in the form of religious violence and resulting revulsion to it. More the religious fundamentalists tryu to protect themselves by waves of violence, more they destroy themselves.

       We see the OFFICIALDOM everywhere is trying to use FORCE to keep the ‘breaking unit’ under its wings. Nations after nations are falling prey to thi inner explosions. Call it insurgency, militancy, terrorism or what have you? The fact remains: NATIONS ARE UNDER ATTACK FROM WITHIN.

       The GLOBE is currently transiting through a PROCESS of POLITICO-RELIGIOUS ‘Fission’ and ‘Fusion’ at the same time. While geo-politically, ‘LARGE’ is breaking into ‘SMALL’—it is leading to tension and violence in these nations. The process of FISSION is on.

        Slowly and slowly all big or small nations will splinter into small economic nodes. This is the call of the GLOBALISED WORLD. While on one hand process of FISSION is on, on the other hand, the process of FUSION at the GLOBAL LEVEL is also working simultaneously, where these tiny economic nodes will be sewn into one big GLOBAL UNIT. These will be interconnected, interdependent and synchronized dots on the GLOBAL CHIP. Global dynamism will ensure that none could exist in a vacuum—they will exist with each other—supplementing and supporting.

       It may sound funny but it is a truism that a dying insect grows wings and flutters more. Same is true of religious fundamentalism. Its sound and fury is basically to preserve its banishing identity in the wake of on-going globalization. It is true of all religions.

       I reckon Twenty First Century will pull the curtains on religion once for all. The coming of the COSMIC AGE is sounding of the LAST POST for Religion and the Nation State. Witness their demise in the coming decades.

        Thus, in conclusion what would a COSMIC MAN be? Let us sum up:-

         1, A digitalised Human being---bereft of social emotions of present day. (Humans might become product of factories---Advent of Stem Cell and Genetic engineering has so advanced that Man-woman copulation might not be required---see next part)

         2. A Galaxy-Hopping TIME TRAVELER.

         3. COLONISER of the Outer Space.

          4. Interactive and perhaps, in conflict with other ETs or other intelligent beings in the outer space.

     I shall discuss these scenarios in Part Three.

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LOVE KNOWS NO BARRIER!--- A SHORT STORY !

    LOVE KNOWS NO BARRIERS-----A SHORT STORY!

" It’s too late before I even realized that I love him I had an intimate friendship with him" Sheena told Naina

" Forget this love fever and be realistic , Love is only a folly of the youth and it vanishes when reality hits you in the face. You will also forget this once you are married" Naina told Sheena.

"Come on Mom, Love does not have an Expiry Date---- once you love ---- you just love, have you forgotten your own case? --- you married a sixty years old man, after leaving your first husband---- who was rich and earning a lot of money. You left his riches for your love, isn't it, Mom?" Sheena retorted.

" No, it was a silly mistake---- yes, I loved---- my second husband, God bless his soul but he was short of materialistic fuel that drives life---in a hard manner,I learnt that love alone does not meet all needs of life. Somewhere, we have to draw a balance between love and our material needs" Naina told her daughter Sheena.

"But love did prevail in your case and why NOT in my case? Satyajeet is rich and handsome ---- he is higly educated. What else do I want in life?" Sheena was pleading her case.

"No, but you still can not marry him” Naina was firm.

“But I love him; Satyajeet’s parents have agreed.” Sheena was reasoning out.

“Listen; Hindu customs and traditions do not permit this marriage” Naina said calmly.

“What rubbish is this mom?” Sheena was shocked.

“Come read this.” Naina threw an old black diary at Sheena.

It was a diary of some Shameena Khan. It began on January 01, 1984. Sheena started reading the diary, selectively. ************************************************************************
01 January 1984
The party last night was superb. I danced with Navkesh. He is studying in the final year of Electrical Engineering at Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh.

21February 1984
Amma (Mother) was disturbed a bit. Papa was transferred to Leh (Laddakh). He will be leaving in a fortnight.

23 March 1984.
I had some problem with my periods. Navkessh took me to a gynecologist. The report was positive. I am worried. Navkesh promises to marry me

18 July 1984.
Navkesh's mother has agreed. But they are unsure of his father. Auntie said she would persuade him. It is reassuring.

11August 1984
I and Navkesh leave home. Both of us have run away, in fact, because Navkesh’s father is very furious. He threatens to kill Navkesh. His mother suggests this course to us. She gave us Rs 10,000 for expenses. We reach New Delhi.
19 August 1984
Navkesh has been offered a job in the Delhi Vidyut Nigam.
27 October 1984
I was blessed with a beautiful daughter on 20 October.

31 October 1984
Mrs. Indira Gandhi has been assassinated by her two body guards. There are anti Sikh riots in the city. Navkesh has been out since morning. He has not come back. It is 11 PM. I am scared.
01 November 1984
No news of Navkesh. I hope his French beard and long hair do not give a wrong impression to the marauding mobs. Is he alive? If not, I will end my life, too. ************************************************************************

The diary had ended abruptly. There were no more entries.

Sheena was silent for some time, then she spoke, “so, you are Shameena ?
’
“No, not me. Your mother was” Naina was equally curt.

“What? You are not my mother”, Sheena was shocked.

“Not biologically. But it does not matter. I have been rearing you up for the past 24 years.” Naina was explaining.

“Then why are you not allowing me to marry Satyajeet” Sheena questioned.

“Biologically, you and Satyajeet are first cousins. Satyajeet’s mother is a real sister of Navkesh, your father. ” Naina said.

“How would anyone know?” Sheena begged.

“Navkesh and Shameena know it-----they are alive and in USA.
Shameena had to remarry Navkesh as Simran Kaur, as a riot-affected Sikh girl. Navkesh's father had approved her. They had quietly given you to me because I was a childless widow and a land lord of the house.” Naina clarified.

"But that does not matter---they won't object because they themselves had been victims of these customs" Sheena replied.

" Unfortunately, this is the tragedy ---Navkesh has threatened to expose me." Naina threw a brain teaser.

"Expose you? I don't get you, Mom" Sheena was puzzled but still courteous

"You see---Satyajeet----Yea Satyajeet is my Son from my First husband" Naina let out the missile.

"And Satyajeet's father knows about you and me----" Sheena asked.

"No, he does not , but he would be told by Navkesh----your father and his brother-in-law" Naina clarified.

"So, this is why you have been objecting? " Sheena was angry.

"Yes, because this love and marriage would be stigmatized" Naina added.

“If it has to be a stigma, then you all ought to be stigmatized. I don.t care; I love Satyajeet and he loves me---------this is 21st century----we are not bound by your rules; we will make our own rules--- I will marry Satyajeet” Sheena rushed out of the house sobbing and cursing everyone

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THE CURSE--- A SHORT STORY

 He sat brewing his coffee, with the past knocking his door, he felt that it was her curse which brought him this fate. Tea Stall owner, on the road Pathankot-Dharamshala, had given him the coffee pot to do so.  While brooding over the past, Ranjeet could distinctly remember the dream and an infant sobbing and telling Ranjeet  "Papa! What was my fault ? Why did you disallow my birth? In which way, sons are better than the daughters? Papa! You would learn it the hard way that the daughters care more for their parents than the sons. You would curse your self then, for, I shall come back to teach you this lesson, Papa!"

      Ranjeet could clearly remember that the year was 1978. Ranjeet, along with his wife had lived in a small village, near Palampur in Himachal Pradesh.  He was a school teacher in a government school. The couple had two daughters. Ranjeet , his wife Ranjana and Ranjeet,s parents were very keen that they have a male child,too. It was the month of August 1978 that his wife had been pregnant for three months. A friend suggested had that they better get an Ultra sound done to determine the sex of the child to be born. Ranjeet's parents also insisted.

          Ranjeet and his wife came to Amritsar and got the ultra sound done in a private hospital. In those days, a lot of private clinics used to do sex determination with good fees. In the test, it came out that gender of the child was female. This put off Ranjit and his wife. He came back home and told his parents. His mother was  badly disturbed. She accused, Ranjana, Ranjeet's wife, for not being able to conceive a male child. Ranjeet's parents were told by  a village astrologer that Ranjana was cursed and she can not give birth to a son. They wanted Ranjeet to go for a second marriage.

         This caused a lot of mental tension both to Ranjana and Ranjeet. A friend suggested that they they should get the pregnancy medically terminated and then visit Swami NITYANAND at Kangra, who had godly powers to mitigate their ordeal. Accordingly, Ranjeet and Ranjana came to Amritsar for abortion. Though Ranjana did not want to do so, but she had the threat of Ranjeet's second marriage looming over her head. So, she reluctantly agreed for the termination of pregnancy.

        On the day abortion was carried out, Ranjeet had this dream, where a young child had cursed him.And today, sitting at a way side tea stall at Nurpur, on road Pathankot-Dharamshala, Ranjeet was wondering if the curse had come true! After having been deserted by their only son, he was on his way to his village along with his wife ---to the same old ancestral house which had become almost ruins. He had nowhere else to go because he had spent all his savings on the marriages of his daughter and settling his son. He was in a deep remorse. This was the time he went into flashback mode.

********************************************************************************

          After the medical termination of pregnancy in August 1978, Ranjeet and his wife ,on the friend's advice, had gone to Swami Nityanand's Ashram. They stayed in the ashram for seven days. Swami Nityanand used to give them some medicine, which put them both to sleep every night. Ranjana felt something fishy and told Ranjeet but he was in no mood to listen. On the 8th day, Swami Nityanand met them and asked them to visit 21 Temples of Goddesses to be blessed with the son. So, they went to all the nearby temples of the GODDESSES to pray to them to fulfill their wish.      

       As luck would have it, in the month of November 1979, his wife delivered a male child.  As soon as Ranjeet was told by the doctor that his wife Ranjana had delivered a male child, he had jumped and fisted into the air as if he was saying, “Eureka, I have done it”.          

        When his son Randeep was five years old, he had shifted to Yol Cantonment, near Dharamshala. He had put him in Sacred Heart School. He could hardly afford the fees of the school but the couple made this sacrifice for the good education of their beloved son.     

         As Randeep grew up, he graduated as an Electronics Engineer. Ranjeet had to withdraw Rs 20,000 from his provident fund to pay for his admission to an Engineering College. In fact, Randeep was in the waiting list and Ranjeet paid Rs 10,000 to a middleman to arrange his seat in the college. In June 2008, Ranjeet retired. Fortunately, Randeep had picked up a job with ICICI BANK at New Delhi.   

      At New Delhi, Randeep fell in love with a Guajarati girl from a very big business family of Mumbai. The parents of the girl initially did not agree but had put certain conditions for the marriage. Randeep had agreed, because of his deep love for Reeta. Randeep also, had rented a house in Vasant Kunj at the rate of Rs 10000 / per month and had asked his parents to move in there. The parents were delighted at this gesture of their son. They left their dilapidated ancestral house and moved to New Delhi to live with their son.   It was the 23rd day of January 2009. 

       They had been living with him for two years when one day Randeep told his parents about his love affair with Reeta. With great reluctance, but for the sake of their son's happiness, they had agreed for this economically mismatched marriage. Ranjeet had, though, tried to explain to his son of his background but Randeep would have none of it. Marriage took place and expenses were borne by Ranjeet. Reception was at HAYAT REGENCY and Ranjeet bore all the expenditure, there too. He finished his last penny.    

       Just one month after the marriage, Randeep got a job with HDFC bank at Pune. He moved there. In fact, this was the precondition laid by his in-laws that he should move to Mumbai or Pune after marriage. His wife had stayed back with his parents for sometimes. A fortnight later, she went to meet her parents in Mumbai but never returned.        

      When after a month and a half on 30 August 2012, they complained to Randeep, he curtly told them that she was staying with him. Also, Randeep told them that he couldn't afford hiring of houses at two places. He advised them to take a loan from Ramta, his elder sister at Gurgaon, and clear the rental arrears of the Vasant Kunj flat. There couldn't have been a bigger shock than this. 

      Ramta's husband did help them to clear their debts. Ramta asked them to move into their house but Ranjeet knew his culture did not allow him to stay with their daughter indefinitely. Despite his daughter's pleading and requests , they had decided to go back to their ancestral village.

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     Conductor of the bus was blowing the whistle.-----Ranjeet was not concerned till bus conductor came to him and said<" Janab, UTHO, CHALO CHALIYE----KEHDI SOCH VICH HO---JO SAADI WHISTLE BHI NAHI SUNAYI DITTI --( Sir, Get up, Let us go----What are you so seriously thinking that you could not hear my whistles). Ranjeet was shaken out of his trance -------he was reluctantly, with shaking legs moving towards the bus and murmuring to self------"-Oh! the unborn child's curse has come true!" But he did NOT know whether that child was Randeep, his son or his wife !!

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FATE ORDAINED---- A SHORT STORY !

FATE ORDAINED--- CIRCUMSTANCIAL VERDICT---- A SHORT STORY FOR SULEKHA RIVR CONTEST

      It’s too late before I even realized that the man from the side berth had fallen down . The train was going at full steam. I had boarded it at 9 PM at Lucknow. Side berth was occupied and man seemed to be fast asleep. Suddenly, at 11.10 PM, the man in the side berth had fallen down. He was dead. He might have been dead for sometime. I saw a red diary clutched in the dead man’s hand. It had some entries made. I began to read it. ************************************************************************************************************************************************
It was on May 11, 2005 that I had received a call from Sameer. 
He had asked me, “Are you ready to fulfill your promise?” 
“I will.” I had casually said. 
“Sangeeta has completed her post graduation in management. Let us formalize her relationship with Sangram.” Sameer threw a bombshell. 
“What? What are you saying?” I was flabbergasted. 
“Come on, don’t back out on your promise” Sameer had rebuked me. 
“Sameer, I do not remember any such promise I had made to you ever." I was clarifying. 
“Take out your diary of 1977. Read the entry on 04 November 1977? Have you forgotten that one rupee note I had given you”, Sameer had thundered. 
“Sameer, I have not read what you had written. Wasn’t that one Rupee a joke?” I calmly replied. 
“You are a liar. My wife had rightly told me that you had already fixed up your son’s marriage with some IAS guy's daughter, Anita.” Sameer had accused me. 
“I have not fixed Sangram’s marriage as yet. But I know he has a friend called, Anita.” I clarified. 
“So, that is it.” Sameer had banged the phone down. 
I searched for my diary of vintage 1977. I located it after a great effort. Saw the entry on 04 November 1977. It was the day I had received the telegram from home informing me on the birth of Sangram. 
It read, “I, Major Swaraj Singh and my friend, Major Sameer Singh, hereby solemnly affirm on oath that on completion of their education, Sangram and Sangeeta would be tied into a nuptial knot. We would firmly stand by it.” 
To say the least, although I had signed, yet I had not read it. Sameer had covered it with his hand, when I had signed. Thereafter, I had forgotten about it. 
Same day, on May 11, 2005, I spoke to Sangram. He told me, “I know Sangeeta as a friend but I can not marry her.” 
I pleaded with him, “I had made a written promise to her father”. 
“Kindly, do not emotionally blackmail me? I love Anita”, he gave a shut up call. 
And three years later, today on August 31, 2008, I hear of this suicide by Sangeeta. She had refused to marry anyone after Sangram had been married to Anita. Finally, she had taken her life. She had left a note behind, “I have been betrayed by -----” 
      Who betrayed her? Had Sangram rejected her? How would I face Sameer when I meet him now--------------? 
      But why is the police after me? How can they blame me for her suicide. Just because, she named me , it does not mean I was responsible for her suicide," stupid girl had taken an emotional decision and how could she claim that she was betrayed when SANGRAM had not shown any attraction towards her?"
      This " One-way- love" has created this problem for me. I am on the run from the police? Why? They are NOT prepared to listen to logic. They say that court would decide about this. They want to arrest me. My friend, Prem told me that police would like to make some money out of me because my son is an NRI. Such cases of NRI are god sent gift to them. 
     Today, the police had come looking for me. I , somehow managed to hoodwink because of my friend, Prem, who advised me to go underground for some days, till he manages to strike some bargain with the police. I am now going to--------

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     The note in the diary had abruptly ended. I had informed the railway police at SHAHJEHANPUR station. They asked me to wait til New Delhi and not to leave till my statement was recorded.

     As soon as we reached New Delhi station I .waited for the police to come. My statement was recorded. 
In the meanwhile, police searched deadman,s belonging. It turned out that the dead man was some Suresh Pandey of Patna.

     He was not the man whose diary I had been reading. 
Police further noticed that dead man's face had turned blue as if he had been poisoned. I was asked to accompany the police to the police station for further investigations.

     Police got a mobile phone from the pocket of the dead man and dialed a number in Patna. The number called was Ramesh Pandey, elder brother of Suresh Pandey, who had informed the police that his younger brother had gone to New Delhi for some business.

     Police informed Ramesh that his brother was dead because someone had poisoned him in the train. Ramesh was shocked for some times and then suddenly burst out," what about his Suit case---- yes yes, red color, Samson suitcase----- he had Rs 30 Lakhs Cash in it----- is it there?"

      Alongwith police inspector, I too was stunned because there was no suitcase of the dead man. My suitcase was searched and they found Rs two lakhs in cash.

      I told them it was my cash. They asked me the source of money----- I told them due to sale of some shares. Police quizzed me further ---- my negative answer had no effect on the investigating officer and I was locked up.
----------------------------------------------------------------

      Thus, narrated Suneeta, the tale of her husband, to the lawyer, she had hired to get her husband bailed out, who, she felt, had become a victim of circumstances.

       "Madam, we will try our best, but circumstantial evidence point towards your husband's involvement because Rs Two lakhs in cash was found on him and he could not explain the purpose he was carrying this amount for. He sourced it to sale of shares but it has to be through the bank. He must tell the bank he had witdrawn from. He did not. Do you have any valid reason to suggest" Lawyer Sumit Tandon was asking.

   " I don't know, I don't know---- he is a simple man but not a thug or a murderer----- " , Suneeta was wailing and sobbing.

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MISMATCH--A SHORT STORY IN VERSES

"Beyond the skies do I actually need to gaze", so I said-

When a friend narrated his tale of woe with tears shed;

"Is it the shape of things to come", query came to mind?

Or it proves an age old maxim that love was surely blind.

A child develops traits based on environs one grows,

How he behaves in later life, his conduct will show?

"First five years of infancy make a child acquire traits",  

Author of the book "I'm OK, you are Ok", so does state.

A child needs both parental care as infant years go by-,

If proximity of either denied it might make them very sly;

Deprivation of infancy, then make them emit toxic fumes-

Which, often, turn a blossoming orchid into savage dune.

Long long ago, a friend was enticed by a charming face,

Over-powered by infatuation they got married in haste;

Alas! the difference in their up-bringing was soon shown-

As man was from joint family and bride from a 'broken-home'.

Cultural mismatch turned their homes into a battlefield,

Arrogance of the girl ensured no compromise be reached;

Suspicious and cynical, she always dreamt him flirting,

Fed up with her daily barbs, the man kept slowly drifting.

Slowly, the lady became a nuisance even in their locality ,

When neighbors got enraged with her split personality;

Her hypocritical ways were unbearable even for friends,

Because they all realized she was not what she pretends.

Soon, it was apparent she loved the company of freaks;

Lunacy and perversion was beefed up by wanton deceit;

One day an old lunatic enticed her with verbal aerobatics,

She lost her wits and fell for clever fox's virile antiques.

They often met when the husband was away from home,

In market or parks, hand in hand, they would openly roam;

One day husband came early from office, found house locked;

Not finding her in the house, he was stunned and shocked.

He inquired from neighbors but no one would tell him,

They would shrug their shoulders and just merely grin;

Husband was confused but could not make out anything--

His unfailing love couldn't imagine her extra marital fling. 

As it happened, one day he saw his wife's medical report;

He was surprised by her pregnancy and attempt to abort---

Possessing this fact he confronted his wife with the matter,

Her reply was not convincing and he was not to be flattered.

Her rising mobile phones bills had already created doubts,

Now this issue of pregnancy had made him think aloud; 

Guarded in his approach, he quietly inquired from neighbors,

They told him of the old man who had enjoyed her favors. 

Neighbors had never approved her such wayward deeds,

They felt the old man exploited her for his sexual needs; 

Equipped with this knowledge, he accused her of treachery,

An acrimonious debate followed with gems of verbal archery.

Months and days passed and the tension in the family grew,

Love had disappeared where only animosity could now brew;

Parents intervened, asking them to patch up for family sake;

"Impossible", he said, because they were no more soul-mates.

Actually old man had added fuel to the fire to exploit the lady,

He told her husband that unfaithful woman carried his baby. 

It was enough to put to an end to tale of love at first sight-

When emotions take control not easy to judge what was right?

To live in a social system, one must follow its well-set norms;

"I" should become "We", if one wants to avoid marital storms;

 'Self-is-right' must give in to adjustment and compromise-

Must not marriage be strengthened by devotion and sacrifice? 

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