Smoking kills slowly...who is in a hurry to die?

Ravi spotted his favourite tauji, seated under the banyan tree as usual, smoking his cigar. A school of languid men roared with laughter at the prangs and pangs of this mischievous man. Every day they long to gather at the tree by dusk to discuss everything and anything from politics to the brand of the hair dye the mistress of the hairless headman uses.

“Pranam tauji” Ravi said touching the feet of the elderly man.

“Oh Ravi! My boy. When did you return from the city?” tauji perked up at the sight of this docile youngster. He noticed the pencil thin moustache Ravi sported and chuckled to himself. ‘The boy will soon grow up to be a man of honour’ his heart told him. ‘He will be the first ever doctor of the clans’.

“Yesterday night Tauji. We have a vacation of 15 days” replied Ravi trying to sound not too excited.

“Oh well! In that case lets have some fun” Tauji said. He trashed the cigar with his tattered chappal only to light up another.

“Oh tauji! You are such a chain smoker. Why don’t you quit smoking?” Ravi mustered his courage and doled out the advice he always wanted to give. Perhaps the city waters are getting to him.

Tauji guffawed “oiii! Then what about my 10 benefits of smoking? I will be at a terrible loss. You may have sprouted a moustache but you are still a gullible baby to my eyes. Thek hai?”

“Benefits of smoking?” An astounded Ravi asked. He is aware of his classmates stealing a puff or two between study breaks claiming the Stimulant action of nicotine on central nervous system and brain. But he preferred cup full of caffeine over puff full of nicotine to combat his drowsiness.

“Oye! Smoking is beneficial? Sunao sunao. We would love to know those perks” cacophony broke among Tauji’s club at the mention of fringe benefits of smoking.

“Benefit No.1: My cigar beholds my masculinity. Parvathi says I look sexy with a cigar rolling between my lips.” His cronies wolf whistled at the mention of the ever youthful Parvathi. ‘But then Laxmi never liked the whiff of the cigar. She refuses to get intimate when I smoke’ Tauji spoke of Tayiji distastefully.

“All wives are old schoolers” somebody agreed.

“Benefit No 2: You need not cook any food yet your neighbours think high of you. ‘Arey who dekho! Smoke from tauji’s kitchen. It smells strong too. Perhaps a chicken cuisine again!’

‘Ha ha haa! That’s a good one’ one of them complimented. Tauji continued stroking his moustache.

“Benefit No.3: You will never have flair of relatives…..especially from your wife’s end. The smoke drives them away”. Ravi sighed. He got the cue. His tauji is in the ‘I-Am-being-Naughty’ mood again. “Nor mosquitos…nor house flies…nor cockroaches. Consider that’s Benefit No.4” Few more laughs.

“Benefit No.5: It gives you a wizened look. When you don’t know the answer take a puff and pretend to think” Tauji winked at Ravi.

‘Unfortunately that doesn’t help us in the seminars, reviews and interviews’ Ravi replied sarcastically

.

“Benefit No.6: wives of smokers do not pester them to buy gold”. Somebody smirked. “They are too busy pestering us to quit smoking…Ha ha haa….”

“Benefit no.7: It protects you against dog bites” Tauji declared.

“Howz that?” Ravi asked incredulously.

“you may need to carry a stick due to calf cramps…and No bitch will dare to cross paths with you” he boasted. Lesser laughs from Tauji’s club. Ravi smiled. He knew where his Tauji is leading them. “That’s a disease called Thromboangitis obliterans tauji. Nicotine plaques block the blood supply of the legs and cause cramps. Sometimes it ends up with amputation of that limb” Ravi added knowledgably. Gasps from the clan.

“Never mind. Benefit No.8: Burglars never dare to step foot at your place. You see! You cough all night and they can hardly figure out whether you are awake or asleep.” No more laughs. A picture of a man coughing copious amounts of blood coloured their imagination.

“Benefit No.9: It’s a natural contraceptive” People starred at Tauji. “You are rendered impotent” he said point blank. Nobody met his eye.

“Benefit no. 10: Smoking is age defying” he declared pompously. Nobody asked for a “How?” They as much expected a witty follow through. “Smokers die young” Tauji concluded. Pin drop silence. People introspected. Struggled to make decisions. Hesitated to come to conclusions.

Taking a leaf from Tauji’s book Ravi broke the silence saying “smoking kills slowly…but who is in a hurry to die?” The fellowship of Banayan tree praised Ravi’s timely wit and humour and how he inherited those genes from his Tauji before they dispersed.

“Tauji! Do you remember what day it is tomorrow?” Ravi asked his tauji.

“31^st may?” Tauji scratched his bald head thinking. “The day your tayiji passed away” he said sounding from the bottom of a well.

“Yes! It’s THE WORLDS NO TOBACCO DAY as well. Please quit smoking and set an example for the iron willed person you are” Ravi requested his tauji. “I will help you in the process. There are nicotine patches, chewing gums, LED cigars which helps a person to cut down his nicotine supplies on a daily basis and finally leap over to QUIT. Trust me you will not suffer the withdrawl.

Tauji had a forlorn look on his face which mirrored what he thought. Of what good my life is without Laxmi?

“Tayiji died because of passive smoking. How else do you think she acquired lung cancer. This is the true tribute you can pay her. Let there be no more deaths due to smoking in our village” Ravi persuaded. Tauji smiled at this enthusiastic budding doctor and nodded his approval.

RELATED SITES: 

E-CIGRATTE http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_cigarette

NICOTINE PATCHES http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotine_patch

NICOTINEGUMS  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotine_gum

http://main.omanobserver.om/?p=84671

Sambhavami yuge yuge

                                            

Rama called it a day and retired to his kuteer to rest. He left his bow and arrows on a cane table beside his cot. He splashed cold water over his face, rinsed his hands and feet before he reached for the basket of exotic fruits offered by the vaanaras. He is over whelmed by their hospitality and devotion. And now, it's his turn to return their favour. Tomorrow is a big day and he is not yet ready for it.

                                                                 

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kanah called it a day n retired to his private chambers to rest. He removed his peacock feather studded crown, tussled his unruly hair before he drained the tumbler of cow's milk offered by the gopikas. He is indebted by their affection and devotion. yet a life time is too trivial to repay their love. The dooms day has come and he is not yet ready for it.

                                                                   

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

Rama closed his eyes to meditate. He prayed lord Rudra to bestow him the power to fight Vaali, sugreevas twin brother. He abducted sugreevas wife and mortgaged his kingdom. Rama is taught that in a dharma yuddha the virtuous remain victorious. But how in the name of lord sun will this happen tomorrow?

Rama doubted it is far from a dharma yuddha. The war is not fair and square. Vaali is bestowed with a boon from Lord Bramha that whoever fought vaali in a one-to-one combat, looses half of their strength to vaali, thus making him invincible.  Rama bound by his rectitude couldn't think of a way around. He cannot be deceitful. He is Lord ram, son of dasaradha, the bearer of sun dynasty's reputation. He cannot be smart or manipulative. That is not in his morality.

But what must be done, must be done!!! May lord Vishnu, the omniscient show a path!

                                                                  

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kanah closed his eyes to sleep. He is well aware that he can slay kamsa in a go but how can he fight with his own tears when it's time to depart Radha rani? He knows Yudhistar needs him. Kurukshetr has to be fought some day and Dharma reinstated. He has greater responsibilities and all that but how can he walk away from her with a stone heart?

Heck with the world and the dharma. He is enslaved to her divine beauty. He cannot break her heart. He cannot do what must be done.  May lord vishnu, the omniscient show a path!

                                                                        

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Rama opened his eyes to find himself on a peacock bedstead. It looked like a private chamber of a prince. He found himself dressed befitting in silk dhothi, pearls and diamonds. A flute and a crown studded with a peacock feather sat over the table where he supposed he left his bow and arrow the other night. Rama wondered whether it was a dream?

                                                             

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

Kanah opened his eyes to find himself on a cane cot. It looked like a kuteer by the hill side. He found himself dressed in a saffron dhothi and tulasi beads. He took the bow and arrow resting on the cane table beside his bed. The adrenaline rushing in his veins demanded some adventure and he is already on his feet upbeat to solve this mystery.

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By divine intervention, Rama did what must be done. He bid farewell to his foster parents, his friends, Gopikas and Radha rani. He addressed the tearful vrindavan saying "Dharma samstapanardham sambhavaami yuge yuge".  God has to take birth in each yuga to reinstate the lost dharma and he, the avatar of Lord Vishnu is bound to his duties.

                                                      

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Kanah targeted vaali lurking behind a tree like he were an animal rather than an opponent worthy of a duel. "A man who forces a women with his sheer muscle power can be no better than an animal" he explained a crumpled vaali. "Dharma samstapanardham sambhavaami yuge yuge" he added exuding charisma. God has to take birth in each yuga to reinstate the lost dharma and he, the avatar of Lord Vishnu, just did that!