Nobody has posted anything for long. So I thought I would share something. It is now Durga Puja in India. The Divine Mother actually comes down to Earth for ten days and is worshipped from the sixth day in images across this part of the country, I mean Eastern India. Sri Fhanindra has gone home to attend the worship. THe atmosphere is changed and festive. Most people are happy.
Let me share a message sent to my cousin Pranjal. Here goes.

Dear Pinku,

Internet connection was not there. I narrated a true story about a Shiva devotee saved by divine intercession. And internet connection was restored! These stories are being shown in TV under the name of a serial Man Mai Hai Biswas on Fridays. I remember Lage Raho Munnabhai. Shall try to see it at the earliest.

I will briefly tell you that story. There are a couple still living. Long years back the wife used to disbelieve in God while the husband was an ardent devotee of the Lord as Shiva. They had a daughter who was quite small at the time of this incident. The husband suffered from some fell disease probably asthma. Once when his condition was serious, a person came to their house and introducing himself as Dr Bom Bom Tiwari sought to give the wife some medicine for her husband. The person was unknown, his attire strange (he had a multicolour scarf around his neck) and the medicine seemed like dust. Above all the wife did not believe in God. She roughly turned the person out of the house after abusing him and throwing his medicine to the ground. The person said, "Daughter, you are not doing well. It will not prove good for your husband. Next time, you will have to come to me with full faith and devotion." Before going he told the little daughter his address, near such and such a village panchayat, there is a neem tree below which is his dispensary. By the way neem (Media margosat) is a sacred tree supposed to be inhabited by the gods. Meanwhile the little daughter picked up the medicine enwrapped in paper. Next day the husband's condition improved considerably. On their family doctor inquiring he said I took the medicine kept in such a place. It was the medicine given by Dr Bom Bom Tiwari. Time passed, the husband's condition again deteriorated. After trying every remedy known to him, the family doctor said to the wife. Though we don't know the credentials of Dr Bom Bom Tiwari, it seems his medicine works well with your husband. So please hurry and get some from his dispensary. The wife and daughter went on the long ride to the given address. Menawhile the husband was nearing death, pumping had to be done to restore his heart. The wife and daughter reached the village and their inquiry about Dr Bom Bom Tiwari's dispensary only evoked laughter from the young ones and surprise from the elders. Nobody seemed to know such a person. At this the wife asked the daughter whether she had got the address right. The daughter repeted the address in confirmation. A priest who was passing by then asked them what address did you just mention. On being told, he remarked there is no dispensary there but there is a temple dedicated to Bom Bom Mahadeva (Lord Shiva) there. He took them to the place. There was a Shiva linga under the Neem tree and some medicine like the one Dr Bom Bom Tiwari had given near it. And also the same scarf hung on a branch of the tree. The wife's eyes opened. With tears in her eyes she prayed to Lord Shiva uttering the mantra Om Namah Shivaya again and again. At this a voice similar to that of Dr Bom Bom Tiwari was heard. "Child, you have come to me with true faith and devotion. Your repentance and faith will stand your husband in good stead. Go take the medicine and give it to your husband. He is in great need of it." The wife and daughter returned home and put the medicine in the husband's mouth. Shortly the husband sat up, recovered. The husband and wife are now aged and both ardent devotees of Lord Shiva.

Regards,

Janto

Let me now write two more stories culled from real life incidents in India being shown on t.v. as stated above.

1. Ganesha

There was a happy couple. They had a grown up son and daughter. The wife was very devoted to Lord Ganesha. Life was progressing smoothly. Except from one thing which was worrying the wife. Whenever she prayed to Lord Ganesha for long life of her husband and also for the boon that she may pass away before her husband (something which every Hindu wife used to wish), the image of Lord Ganesha used to become forbiddingly red. Once after performing the Arati of Lord Ganesha, she prayed likewise and sought to give the phut (holy mark on forehead) to her husband, when the arati utensil fell down on the floor. Worried, she consulted a priest. The priest said that Lord Ganesha might be trying to give her some message. So, she should pray to Ganesha to make the message clear by showing her a dream. She accordingly prayed to Lord Ganesha and not long afterwards, one night she had a dream. She was standing praying to Lord Ganesha in the temple she used to frequent. As she uttered her usual prayer for the long life of her husband, etc., the image of the Lord turned red, the temple bells started ringing and a storm brewed up outside. As she opened her eyes from prayer, she saw a small party passing by the temple uttering, "Ram Naam Satya Hai" (The name of Rama is true) which is universally sung in India during the last journey of a dead person to the cremation ground. As she came out of the temple, the strong wind blew off the white sheet covering the corpse and draped it around her (thus marking her as a widow). Unmindful of that, she ran after the party which was progressing ahead crying, this sheet has blown off. Then the party stopped and turned slightly and she saw that the corpse was of none other than her husband. At this point she wakes up. It was the middle of night. She also woke up her husband sleeping beside her and pleads with him to get a medical check-up done immediately. At first the husband who was apparently keeping good health was reluctant but on repeated pleading by her wife, he in order to please her, agreed to go for a medical check-up early next morning. As they waited for the report, the husband fondly told his wife, "We have passed long years together and I am entirely pleased and satisfied with you. I have now no desire left and will willingly go if God calls me. Except that I need four years more so that my daughter is married and my son is settled into business." Meanwhile, the medical reports revealed that he had cancer of the throat at a very advanced stage. He must have an operation immediately chances of surviving which was not fully sure. The husband bid farewell to his wife and children and was carried to the operation theatre. Meanwhile, the wife went to the temple she often visited and with tears in her eyes prayed to Lord Ganesha for extension of her husband's life by another four years so that his wishes may be fulfilled. She also promised to visit with her family a famous pilgrimage of Lord Ganesha. Then she returned to the hospital and remained chanting the mantra of Ganesha, "Om Gang Ganapateya Namah." The operation proved to be a success but the doctors warned her that her husband may at the most live for another four years! The years passed. The daughter got married, the son settled into his father's business and all of them went on the promised pilgrimage. Four years later, on their marraige anniversary, the husband came home excited. He had got the tickets for a world tour with his wife for her. As he was announcing this excitedly to his wife, suddenly his voice gave way and he collapsed. Both understood. As her husband was being taken to the operation theatre once again, he passed a chit (small note) to her hands. In it was written, "My time has come. Goodbye." The wife lit a ghee lamp which blew off. She again went to the temple. There the lamp blew off. She prayed with tears, "Lord, this time I am not trying to persuade you to change your will by my tears. I will not ask for my husband's life. Only grant that he may pass away without much pain. His end may be peaceful." As she was praying thus, the temple bell started ringing. On opening her eyes, she saw that the Ghee lamp was again burning on its own. She understood the sign and ran with a grateful heart to the hospital. The operation was successful and they still live happily together.

With regards and thanks,

Ankur



2. Allah

There were a couple who had two daughters. The husband was a doctor and the wife a housewife. The husband did not believe in God. Now, the couple wanted very much to have a son. But medical examination had revealed that the wife will never again bear any child. The wife was very sad at this and her jest for life was as if lessened. The husband was also sad. Then the husband fixed up an appointment in far-away Mumbai with a specialist doctor who was Asia's top-ranking doctor in the field and who used to visit Mumbai at intervals. The wife brightened up at this. As they made preparations to leave for Mumbai, the husband's sister-in-law suggested that they should once bow at the darbar (court) of Haji Ali Baba at Mumbai, a saint whose samadhi attracted thousands daily. Who knows she said there may be a miracle. At this the husband became irritated and scoffed at the very idea of miracles. However his elder brother also lent his voice in favour of the proposal. Anyway, they went to Mumbai. As they were going for the check-up, at a traffic point, a mendicant approached them in the name of Haji Ali Baba and sought some money to give a cloth over his shrine. The husband refused but the wife did give something. Blessing them, the mendicant went away after saying, "Ye, Allah, bacche par raham kar" meaning "Oh, Allah! Have mercy on the child (meaning the husband)". Well, they had the check-up. It established once for all medically that the wife will never again bear a child. As the disappointed couple were returning by taxi, the taxi suddenly stopped without any apparent reason near the sea shore. As the driver got down to investigate, peans in glory of the Lord (Allah) could be heard. As they turned their gaze, they saw the shrine of Haji Ali Baba nearby. At this the wife became insistent to once go to bow at the shrine. The husband remonstrated that they would miss their flight home. But the wife got out of the taxi and went towards the shrine. The husband followed her but would not enter the shrine. As he stood by the seashore, he heard a child crying. Moving forward to investigate, he saw a small child amidst the rocks by the seashore. He asked him where his parents were. The child pointed in the direction of the shrine. There, inside the shrine, the husband asked. When the child nodded, he held it by the hand and went inside the shrine. His wife and daughters were offering prayers at the shrine. He saw the shrine, but did not bow. Returning to their home town, life went on when one day the wife felt like vomiting, etc. (symbols of pregnancy). Almost disbelieving, they had her medical check-up and she was found to be pregnant! Even the lady doctor examining her held it to be a miracle but the doctor tried to explain it medically. Anyway, seeing his wife happy, he did not press further but kept quiet. Soon a son was born. He went through childhood and grew up to become a bright youngster .One fine day a message came by post that the court at Mumbai had summoned the husband to appear before it for giving a false death certificate to a person who died many years ago. The husband was nonplussed. He recalled giving no such certificate. They consulted a lawyer. It was found that he had apparently given a certificate of accidental death to a patient who had died of heart attack. The certificate bore his signature and the relatives of the person had sued him. He acknowledged the signature to be his own before the lawyer but said firmly that this was not the certificate he had issued. He had given the certificate of death by heart attack. At this the lawyer adviced that he go to Pune Municiaplity and try to get the original certificate which was preserved there, otherwise there was no hope in the case for him. The harassed husband went to Pune but was informed at the Municipal office that almost all documents had burned down in a great fire so many years back.. However, he may get a copy at the cremation ground office. The husband went to the cremation ground but to no avail. Finally, the date in which he had to appear before the court came. He went, appeared, told his story and pleaded for some time to produce the original certificate according to the lawyer's advice. Time was given. However, the time passed. No results were forthcoming. That final day, the husband and wife again were travelling by taxi to court when the taxi stopped on its own. It was before Haji Ali Baba's shrine. The wife remembering Baba and the son he had given her went to pay her respects at the shrine in spite of the husband's pleading that they would get late for the case in court. The husband also got out, not with the intention of going inside. Suddenly he saw a child. It was his son. He saw it grow up by stages and unknowingly following him went to the shrine. Entering, he bowed down and he was given a tabiz, sacred thread to wear. As they then went to court, he pleaded his inability to find the document promised to be produced ,before the court. As the judge was reading out the sentence on him under several sections, there was an interruption. The husband's lawyer arrived and produced before the court the original document! The judgement was reversed and the husband let off with all honour. After the judge had left, the lawyer was asked how he obtained the document. He told that he had suddenly received a phone call from Pune Municipality (About the time the husband had bowed at the shrine), and he had rushed there and was given the document which had somehow survived the fire. And he had rushed to Mumbai in time for the judgement to be reversed. The husband and wife praised Haji Ali Baba. At this the lawyer asked whether they weren't Hindus by religion. Yes, they replied but such shrines and holy men transcended the bounds of any religion. Now, they are happy with their son and daughters and are greatly devoted to Haji Ali Baba.

With regards,

Ankur

Location: Guwahati, Assam, India

Namaste Ankur Ji,

Thanks for sharing your delightful, inspirational stories.

As a matter of fact, I was thinking of you, only yesterday,
having commenced reading the following book, entitled: "The Land
Of Seven Sisters", compiled and edited by J. P. Saikia and published
by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Assam.
The Preface is written by Sri S. C. Sinha, Chief Minister, Assam,
November 14th, 1976.

I have had this book in my possession for many years, but never got
around to reading it, until now. There are many interesting photographs
included, and lots of factual information, provided about the northeastern
states and territories, of your part of Mother India. I am looking forward
to reading it.

Om Shanthi Om
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Thank you, respected web admin. Glad you liked the sories. Shri Sinha paased away recently. He was a good man. A person with principles. Hope you enjoy reading the book.
With regards,
Ankur

Location: Guwahati, Assam, India