Readymade or Selfmade? - I

Weird noise came from little Rohith’s room. Trepidation caught Arundhathi and she was ready to trouble herself to see what her little grandson was doing. As she was about to dislocate herself from the arm chair, Radha came near and pacified her mother in law.

“Amma, ur grandson is playing with his strange toys. Machine guns, toy robots and all nasty sound creating electronic stuffs are his favourite playmates and his father is not hearing a word of mine.”, complained Radha.

Rohith, just five years old, was now out of his room, dragging the toy robot by its hand and placed it before his grandmother. She embraced him tightly, showing all her affection. Though he badly wanted to free himself, he would not. All he wanted was a new toy machine gun which was a far superior model than what he currently owns. Knowing that his pranks would yield no result with Radha, he expected Arundhadhi’s support.

But Radha was stubborn. She could not see her child loving those odd objects for she feared those would distract her child and make him ruthless. Had it been someother time, Rohith would have get things done through his father. But now that his dad was out of station and was expected only a week after, he was left with no other go.

Radha always proved to be a challenge for Rohith, as unlike other moms, she would not melt soon and stick to her principles, which were forcibly thrust on him too.

Rohith almost gave up and was looking for some interesting distraction. Just then, Arundhathi went to pooja room and was busy praying before the Almighty. “Why do u pray patti?” asked Rohith.

“To please the Lord my dear”, said patti, as she could not find any other simple explanation. “What will He do if we please Him?” asked Rohith. Thinking it a good chance to instill some noble thoughts into that young brain, Arundhadhi told that God would grant whatever we wish for, if we prayed to Him.

“I see”, said Rohith. Saying this, he went and kneeled down before Lord Shiva’s portrait. “Oh God, make my mom to say yes when I ask for that Bingo Bingo gun. We plan to shop today and I need to show that gun to Munna today evening. Grant this for me please and I promise to share the sweets I get today”. He stressed “today” too much so that Shiva could hear it properly and do the needful. He was now satisfied. Having made whatever he could to get the toy that day itself, he comforted himself in sofa.

But the after hours of shopping did not leave Rohith a happy kid. Stubborn Radha did not budge as expected and was trying to console him.

He was lying on his bed, hugging his grandma. “Patti, why God did not grant my wish? Did not I please Him sufficiently? Was He not ok with my deal of sharing sweets? Were u not correct in telling me that I would be granted whatever I like? Or was it wrong to ask for the toy?”

Arundhathi tried consoling him, giving some hazy explanation which hardly impressed Rohith. He slept thinking about his unaccepted prayers, hardly realizing that this question will haunt him for his life.