THE BANYAN IN THE BACK PART 1

Shankar came down the stairs.

He lived in the first storey which only had a single room.

Due to financial difficulties his father compromised and built only a single room to provide him with a 'proper environment to study' as much as he could.

"Wash your face beta, breakfast is ready" his mom said.

"yes" saying such he took his toothbrush and went to the back garden.

In rural villages it is very common to have hand pumps unlike in the west where people might not even know what a goddam hand pump is.

Shankar used to walk around the little garden while he brushed his teeth.

While at it he came to the north-east corner of the garden where a little banyan tree

the size of one and a half metres was standing tall.

It had a few leaves which were swaying in a light breeze.

In villages there was no concrete boundary walls.

Villagers used bamboo from the nearby forest to make fences.

So it was easy for wind to enter the garden easily .

Although having open fields in the surroundings helped a lot too.

Shankar looked down towards the base of the tree where it was rooted.

There was a patch of long grasses.

It was a special kind of grass only found in the this geographical area.

It's speciality was that it bore fluffy white flowers resembling the tail of a horse during

the month of October.

He noticed a yellow leaf near the boundary where the patch ends and bare ground starts.

He sighed.

This was the bizarre thing that has become a regular recurrence in his life.

Three months after his accident when he was depressed and had almost given up eating.

It happened -that bizarre dream. The first of many which would gradually change his life forever.

While thinking of all this he washed his face and went to have breakfast.

His mother has made "puri" a food common to the area which he ate with relish.

He noticed his father sitting opposite him reading the newspaper while sipping the tea.

His mother was working in the kitchen, probably making one of his favourite foods for lunch.

Its been almost seven months since he came back to the village and ten months from his accident.

He has almost healed.

He could now also walk normally .

But its still difficult for him to run and carry heavy loads.

"How are you feeling today?" his father Rudraprasad asked him.

"I am feeling well baba" said he.

"Its good that you feel well. would you be able to take the exams this time ?" his father asked.

"Its also alright if you don't feel well, you could take the exams next year "

" No baba. i am fine now, I cannot waste another year" said Shankar

"As long as you are fine beta" he heard his mother who had unknowingly came out from the kitchen and had been listening to their conversation.

Shankar could feel the love his parents had for him. he decided that no matter what he would definitely pass this year.