The Search

We’re on a mission. Traipsing through the heart of the city, holding our saris above the mud and grime of Calcutta and clutching our precious cargo to our chests, Varshana and I travel by auto rickshaw, metro and foot – to an uncertain destination. On all sides we are assaulted by loud voices encouraging us to stray off the path we’ve chosen:

“Naina, come, come look at this!”
“Here, saris, beautiful saris!”
“Chai! Hot chai!”
“Over here, come! You will like!”

The most insinuating are those that come in the guise of help:

“What are you looking for? I can help you. Come with me.”

But somehow, we know these people have their own agenda; maybe they will ask us for money, or lead us to a store where they will encourage us to buy their own wares. And we are determined to find only the authentic thing, no matter what it takes. So we trudge on under the hot sun, as our loads get heavier and heavier.

Somehow, out of the cacophony of voices, we get some indication of the right direction to go in, and end up on the right street. But now we are assaulted by more obstacles: where is the shop we are looking for? Our heavy bags contain an assortment of electrical items from the office that need to be fixed; now we need to find the store we’ve been told to go to. Standing in the middle of the street, and wondering which way to go, we soon find ourselves surrounded by a group of ‘helpful’ pedestrians. We tell them what we’re looking for and are given a number of suggestions that all only serve to simultaneously contradict each other and confuse us even more.

Deciding to follow one piece of advice, we peer into a nearby electrical store across the road. After briefly considering going there for help, we finally decide we must continue to look for the shop we were recommended to use. As we wander down the street, we are again attacked by shopkeepers and passerby’s trying to give us their spiel.

“This is ridiculous.” I say. We’re so close, and yet so far! We need to ask a reliable source. Someone who speaks English would be a good start. After some searching, we find a likely candidate, who we are relieved to find not only speaks English, but is also able to point out the exact spot of the shop we’re looking for.

“We made it!”

We enter the cool air-conditioned room, approach a desk and begin to unload our bags: out come mangled pieces of cord, unidentifiable pieces of machinery, electrical boxes of odd sizes, and so on and so forth. A man comes and sits at the other side of the desk, and we eagerly tell him of everything we need fixed. We are surprised by his response:

“Well, why have you come to me? I don’t usually fix these kinds of items.”

We can see his point: the collection of wires and boxes on his smart desk is a real mess. But we’re not about to give up. We’ve come this far already. He was recommended to us, we explain. We have friends – Mahananda Prabhu and Jamuna – who have come here before, and you were able to help them. But those were exceptions he explains. He seems reluctant to accept us, but after surveying our sorry, disheveled and tired selves, he concedes:

“OK, I can see you don’t know your way around the city. I’ll fix these for you.”

Whew! But then:

“But, are you in a hurry?”

No, we tell him, whatever it takes and however long - we don't mind! We don't want a 'quick fix.' And we don't really have anywhere else to go in any case. We know this man is the best, and only he can help us in the way we need.

Comments

[divyasari devi dasi]

you really know how to tell a good story..i can hear the sounds and see the images.... go for some papri chat with mint chutney...it's my favorite...but a cliff hanger..what happens next...

please do let me put these Calcutta stories together and find you a publisher...you are an exquisite writer

[carletta joy walker]

I agree you do weave a very fine story. I can almost here the persistant voices calling you from your task.

So you're arrived and busy working. I look forward to you're thoughts and travels.

joy & love & peace
carletta

[Alina]

You write so live stories that reader can imagine every scene of your story, and take the inspiration for serve of them - thakn you for them.

[Vrinda Devi Dasi]

My dear Damayanti:

Thank you so much for your asociation...We were all completely lost and drifting until Srila Gurudev accepted us... And from His Holy Feet you are doing so much seva...

With love

your lost sister

Vrinda D. D.

[Safia]

Hello Damayanti,

Wow! Damayanti i didn't know you could write like that. Your story is amazing, did this really happen or did you just write it?

You must have guessed that i am going through all the reviews you have wrote and critically analysing them, it seems that you have become a servant to a guru.Is that correct?

Anyway whatever you are doing it sounds very interesting almost seems like i don't know you, i did at one point but i guess you have moved on, matured and seem to know what you want from yourself.

I guess this isn't the most convenient places to tell you what i'm doing, well thats a goodbye from me and goodbye to everyone else who's reading this.

Safia

[sofia]

Hello! It's me again! What can I say? You are brilliant! I just wanted to say that although I'm not Hindu, I feel so proud of you when reading your material because you have become so mature and wise, it seems that you have experienced so much in life, not only physically but emotionally aswell.I can't imagine how proud your parents must feel.I still feel like a 14 year old and you seem so grown up and you are moving forward in life whereas I am at a stand still, I wish you the best of luck in all that you do. I will be on this site as much as possible to see how you're doing. I will email you although I don't know if I will get a response or that you will even have a chane to read it - I hope you do. Even if you can't stay in touch, I want you to know that I will never forget you, you are one of the, if not the best friend I have ever had and I doubt that I will ever find another one as good as you. All my love, Sofia.xxx