Wednesday, 27 March 2013

                  Not A Yucky Holi After All

All the children of the neighbourhood  disliked a uncle they called "Yucky  Chacha!"  but what was so yucky about him? Well he was a grouchy middle- aged man with small slit eyes and a sharp tongue and what child disliked most about him was his selfishness!  A wealthy business man Yucy Chacha whose real name was  Bhupen Bhandra , owned a large house with a with a huge garden nothing grew! His compound was fenced with huge walls so that the children  could not jump in to play. The poor urchins of the neighbourhood  longed for a  playground to play cricket but had nowhere to go  expect for the road  where they were shooed away by the pedestrians and motorcyclists "Could we use your garden"? they asked Yucky Chacha one of his not yucky moods. The grumpy ma had screamed "Ho dare you ask me for my garden? It is certainly not for kids!" So for whom was it then?Not a single tree or blade of a grass dare to grow in this unkempt land. No chirping birds sat on his wall or near his window sill  for Yucky Chacha was the grumpiest of souls and he would not let any one enter his house expect his maid and his driver.

Holi was fast approaching

"Only ten more days!"shouted the young Anupam  excitedly. He lived in a small house adjacent to Yucky Chacha's  "Why don't you invite Bhupen Chachaji for holi to our place this year?" suggested Anupam's father one morning. "Are you mad, Papa?" cried the boy in shock . "Yucky  Chacha for holi? No way!"
It's not nice to call him yucky ,son, "patiently explained his father. "Holi is a festival occasion. Invite him home" Anupam did not share his father's enthusiasm but nevertheless he came with a plan. On Holi day, Anupam and his friends waited for Yucky Chacha to come out of his huse and as he did, the children took out their waterguns and sprayed colour on him saying, "Happy holi yo you Chachaji!" The children  then held him by his hands and began to dance. At first time the grouchy man felt shocked but by looking at the gleeful
faces of the children, his heart  melted and stared to sing and dance with  them,too! Goodness! What a sight it was! Yucky Chacha all covered in green red, blue and hue , singing at his top voice and skipping around with the kids on the road . The children then led him to Anupam's house where he met his parent and shared a sumptuous meal with them.

"How very foolish I have been," he told Anupam's parents, "to keep these kids away !"You see I am alone and no one comes to visit me. Perhaps it's because I am grouchy and sour faced , am not I?" he shouted. And lo! Yucky Chacha garden was not barren anymore. There was a  awkward silence. Chachaji then took his leave  but a great change had come over him!
 The following year, Yucky  Chacha  opened his gate to everyone in his neighbourhood. "Come along , children . Celebrate Holi at my place!" he shouted . And  lo! .

"Wow!" cried everyone  "Thank Anupam and his friends for this" said Yucky Chacha  cheerfully . "They spread colours on me  last year during last holi and  warmth thy shared made me a new man and my garden is  a reflection of this change!"  Butterflies  flitted around and bees  buzzed around the table that were laid out . Looks like even they were tempted by the sweet smell of the Kheer and Nimbu sharbat  that was being  served in tall glasses. The kids were  treated to a delicious meal of pulav , paneer makhani, kheer and fruit cake! Chacha screamed in delight as the kids huddled around him , "From now on, I am lucky Chacha for I have such  young lovely friends!"




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