Sunday, December 18, 2011

THE WRECK; re-visited 58



               It was told that Nalinaksha was a saintly person and spends the whole day praying and studying the scripture and in the opinion of his acquaintances he was a person of noble character. He had politely declined drinking even tea when offered in Annada Babu's house saying that it was his mother's view of maintaining strict ceremonial purity and he had to avoid any act that would impair the intimacy of their relations. he said, however, he enjoyed the company of people enjoying the pleasure from drinking tea habitually. Hemamalini could not forbear gazing at him in reverent admiration, and her heart went out to him when she observed the expression of grave and earnest devotion that lit up his face the moment he mentioned about his mother. She was conscious of an impulse to question him about his mother, but diffidence forbade.
          Nalinaksha's acquaintance with Annada Babu and his daughter soon ripened to intimacy. Before she knew him, Hemamalini had supposed that Nalinaksha's discourse would be confined to spiritual matters and she had never imagined that one could converse as freely with him on every-day topics as one could with ordinary people. She soon found that he was quite capable of light conversation, and yet in the midst of the most animated talk he retained an air of aloofness.
         Jogendra had, however, become skeptical of the spiritual practices of Nalinaksha and had a dig ; "why, Nalin Babu, your own friends and relations won't be allowed to visit you without being dubbed your 'disciples'. One can't laugh away an insult like that. I've been told that you breath through nostrils ilke a yogi, and gaze at the rising sun, and that you can't eat or drink without all sorts of ceremonial. The result is that you are out of place of common public. You really should give up these practices of yours."
        Nalinaksha offered an explanation ; "well,Jogen Babu, I admit that the man who is out of place in ordinary society must be a fault, but human being finds scope for exhibiting his own peculiar pattern out side society must not be deprived him of that liberty. But what astonishes me is how people can see and find opportunity to discuss what I do out of public eye in the privacy of my own room."
       "Nalin Babu, it is when one does unconventional things, even in supposed privacy, the people would take notice. Observe ordinary conventions and no one will waste a glance on you. Your proceedings on the roof your house are noticed by my sister and she told my dad," objected Jogendra.
       Nalinaksha appeared to have got offended by the remarks of Jogendra.       

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