Sunday, May 20, 2012

A Season of Hope! A Season of Despair!


This was our season of hope. There was an expectant buzz among all UVians. An undercurrent of uneasiness and even some quiet despair was apparent in some of the older UVians. Newer ones like us were looked on with an element of contempt and anger. None of that dampened the excitement in me.
Why should all major occasions be inaugurated by a virtual torrent of words is a mystery that I shall never be able to solve. Maybe the old UVians acquired their speech-making habits from the humans they perceived.
“Fellow UVians! Once more in the revolution of this planet around Our Father comes the time when we can attempt Nirvana. Our Father knows best why the Nirvana of a superior species like us should depend on gross material beings – humans – but He knows best”
All UVians reverently genuflected in the direction of the Sun.
“The attempt is fraught with danger. If we hit anything except a human we shall be transmogrified into grosser beings like the IRians. Even among the humans, hit the male of the species and the process of attaining Nirvana is reputed to be extremely unpleasant. Our myths talk of horrid and dangerous obstacles in the way some of which have the potential of transmogrifying us.”
“It is only the female human that offers us the best possibility of attaining Nirvana as also the possibility of the most pleasant path to it.” Pleasures imagined from a recollection of what the old myths had to say about this path brightened his entire appearance.
“It is in this season that humans congregate in those open areas called beaches where we run the least risk of running into other obstacles. What is better, they also wear a minimum of those outer coverings that have denied Nirvana to billions of UVians almost at the gates. This day used to be a day of celebration and merriment of us. But…”
I knew what was coming. Ever since we new UVians had arrived the oldies had been muttering about this. Somehow they seemed to think that the fact that they had suffered the entry through the Othree barrier, while a lot of us had come in through the new gateway, made them better than us. As though we did not deserve to achieve Nirvana because we had had it easy while entering the hallowed precincts of this planet!
“If I have heard this Nirvana-made-easy argument once I have heard it a hundred times”, I erupted.
“Pipe down youngster! I was about to mention the danger from this new species – the SPiFfians!”
“Yes! And you blame their coming on the increased numbers of UVians coming through the gateway! Enough, I say! What are you old ones but a bunch of losers. You have not achieved Nirvana in the eons you spent here and feel proud only of having avoided all the obstacles and survived! What a grand cause for pride – survival!”
There was a loud clamor from both sides and nothing much could be comprehended. The stentorian communication of the Grand Old UVian cut through it all.
“ENOUGH!”
There was a sudden cessation of all communication.
“Harsh words have been used but what comes from ignorance can be forgiven.” I grimaced but kept my peace. “Be warned, however! At the very verge of Nirvana congregate the SPiFfians and the UVian who falls afoul of this accursed species just dissolves into nothing! It is said that the humans have called on them for allies. That seems unlikely. The humans obviously welcome our presence considering that it is the humans who opened up that gateway in the Othree barrier and are doing everything in their power to widen it or open up more gateways. The SPiFfians, however, are a lethal enemy and you would be best advised to avoid tangling with them. May Our Father - the Holy Sun – bless you all with Nirvana!”
The meeting was over.
* * * * * *
Speeding through the atmosphere towards the planet of Nirvana was exhilarating. Nearing the planet I realized that I had been very lucky indeed and was heading directly for one of those open spaces bordering a vast volume of liquid. Nirvana was so close that I could almost sink in the portended ecstasy of the experience. The only fly in my ointment was the fact that the speech-making elder was close to me. One could have chosen better company when on the verge of the ultimate ecstasy.
There was a human. By the description of the older UVians that must be a female as well…No! Two of them side by side! I could hardly miss hitting my target if I succeeded in evading those tiny bits of outer-wear that could cause disaster!
Within micrometers of reaching my goal I stopped and hovered, aghast at the sight of the gossamer being enveloping the female human, who was my route to my goal. This, then, must be the SPiFfian! Waves of cold emanated from the being and I started feeling weak.
“SPiFfian! Get out of my way.”
“I am Lakme! No UVian shall pass me! Attempt the passage at thine own peril”
“I shall pass! If need be through you”
“Thou shalt not pass!” said she implacably.
I moved a nanometer further and found my extremities freezing.
“Give way, Lakme! Why bother us when you allow those Dand-Ruffians free reign?”
“That is a different department”, she said, nonchalantly. “My devoir is to deny passage to UVians. Advance and thou shalt surely perish”
I retreated a micrometer. Discretion is the better part of valor and if I bounced off into the stratosphere I could well try the next season to achieve Nirvana. Just as I was turning I saw the old UVian, who was already speeding away, smirk at me.
My own words came to bite me. Was I a loser who would be addressing the next meeting, filled with pride merely because I had survived? Better to attempt the passage and if the Holy Sun decreed my extinction, so be it!
“I come through, Lakme! Stop me if you can!”
I plunged with all speed down and into the gossamer being.
It was cold…sooooo coooooollllllld!
* * * * * *
“Kyra! Was that a sigh I heard from your direction?”
“No, Elena! If you heard one it must be a sigh of relief! What bliss to be able to tan in the sun without my skin molting like a snake’s!”
“Told you so, Kyra! Ever since I started using this sunscreen, I have stopped breaking out in rashes on the beach!”
The two women relaxed and dozed in the sun totally unaware of the absolute extinction of  millions of UVians on their suntanned bodies! In one’s misery lies the foundation of another’s happiness. Such is life!

37 comments:

  1. Amazing imagination sir!
    Really enjoyed reading. :)
    Best of luck!

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    1. All the luck I need has come my way when I get readers who like what I write

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  2. Interesting concept. You might actually even win though strictly this is not meeting the topic criterion.

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    1. Like I was telling Kalpit, someone dying on Kyra's skin is probably not Lakme's idea of a 'good time with Kyra':)

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  3. I don't know if its a stickler for rules of the contest, or in meeting criterion, but that had me intrigued :)

    Good one, CS. Wonderful imagination to put it out like this. Good luck for the contest!

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    1. Like I have said earlier, Leo, all the luck I need is granted to me when I find people liking what I wrote

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  4. Good One,Your imagination is still running wild :) Good Luck!

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  5. This is an Interesting Read !!! Awesome to say the least !!!

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  6. amazing writing!! this one definitely deserves an award. this is creative writing at its best.

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    1. Fulsome praise from you Debajyothi! I feel like I have received my award.

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  7. Wonderful story, CS. All those UVians and SPiFfians and, the hilarious punch line - I'm not a SPiFfian, I'm Lakme! Brilliant. Especially enjoyed the part where the elder UVian pontificated, speechified and enjoyed listening to his own voice while the younger ones got bored. Very telling.

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    1. Thanks KayEm! A SPiFfian named Lakme, is how I conceived of it:):)

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  8. I can't imagine how you can converted this contest into such a good writing piece!!! Fantastic imagination...and again, so well narrated and yes, love the subtle satire!

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    1. Thanks Bhavana! I am lucky to have readers like you who compliment so generously.

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  9. Amazingly narrated. Just loved the concept and also the end. I think the post has quite a good chance of winning!!

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    1. Thanks DS! I have already won as far as I am concerned with all you guys liking it

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  10. Man man man! What a story :) How could you come up with such an amazing use of UV, IR and O3. Of course the storyline had nothing to offer, but your imagination and narration made it a superb read :) Thanks a lot for this
    All the best

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    1. Thanks CA! I'd have to be far better than I am to also weave a good story line into this contest:)

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  11. Brilliant is the word that comes to my head. Imagining stuffs like this is beyond ordinary. In all likelihood you'll win Suresh ji.

    You're a winner for me.

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    1. Hi Anupam! Thanks! I already feel like a winner when I get generous comments like yours.

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  12. haha! nice take on the battle between Uvians and the lakme. so the girls are going to have fun in the sun battling the UVians! interesting and loved the part where you call humans as 'gross material beings' :P :)

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  13. Brilliant Suresh ji....I really enjoyed the post...all the best for the contest:)

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  14. Wow! Nice perspective!
    But all this while I felt like I was reading a story on Greek mythology or something! Your use of vocab is excellent(Tell me, is it because this is the first post that i'm reading on your blog, or this is your general style or writing?)

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    1. That was the way I intended it to sound:):) Yes! This is my general style of writing.

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  15. You have proved once again, that one can put up a beautiful piece of writing about "anything" !! You remind me of Stephen King, who "convinces" the reader of anything that seems too stupid from the outside, so deeply. It's very perplexing how far your imagination goes. Kudos to this one! :)

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  16. Star Wars Episode VII : The Lakmetic Impasse!
    How great was that! Should I call George Lucas or will you?

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    1. You do, Rickie :) I am a modest chap and do not like self-aggrandizement :)

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  17. I loved the whole concept and how you built around it! That is great imagination. So this was among the posts you did when you participated in all contests?

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    1. Yes Rachna! I tried to make a writing piece out of every contest - that was the challenge to myself - not merely writing an essay to plug the product :) And, I think, I largely succeeded in making each contest post a writing piece though only this and the Sunsilk one can claim wins in the sponsor contests :)

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  18. lol! loved the concept and I am shocked you didnt win this one.awesome imagination this :)

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    1. Thanks, Seeta! What the sponsors look for is plugging the product not writing creativity :P

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