As a child Pareet loved to eat, especially dairy products. He was also very fond of rainbows
This picture has sentimental value for Pareet. He takes a moment to look at the picture carefully and as he does this, he is definitely not aware of his hunger. He closes his eyes and lets the beautiful bygone moments attached to this old sketch unfold.
•••
Pareet grew up in a middleclass family. His parents could not provide all he wanted as a child but they certainly did their best. As a child, Pareet loved to eat, especially dairy products. He was also very fond of rainbows.
When he was six, he had asked his mother, “When will we get a rainbow above our house?”
His mother had replied, “If you help your parents clean the house, we will definitely get a rainbow above it. A rainbow is like a cloud that can move and it will always show above a very clean house.”
For the next one year, Pareet had worked very hard to keep his house clean, expecting fully to see a rainbow hovering above it. Every morning, after he woke up, he would make his bed and clean his study table. Also, every day, before he left for school, he would remind his mother to clean the house.
A year passed, however, and Pareet was getting more and more disappointed. There was no rainbow yet, shining resplendent above his house.
Pareet asked his mother again, “I think our house is very clean but why have we not gotten a rainbow above our roof yet?”
His mother had replied, “Do not worry my son. I will ask your father to paint a picture of our house hiding beneath a beautiful rainbow for you. We can then hang the picture on the wall of your room.”
As promised, Pareet’s mother had asked his father to paint a rainbow, and Pareet had hung it on one of the walls in his bedroom.
•••
Twenty-nine years later, on a beautiful day when there was a rainbow in the sky, Pareet received a phone call from his mother. By this time, Pareet lived separately from his parents.
“The rainbow that covers the sky today reminds me of your childhood. My dear son, I tried to search for that old painting of our house with a rainbow in the background but could not find it. Is it with you?”
“No mom, I did not bring it with me when I moved out. It must be somewhere there.”
“It seems we have lost that picture. I searched for it all this morning. Anyway, when you were little, you used to love rainbows so much. Do you still love rainbows?”
“Yes mom, I do. You do not know how excited I am today to see the beautiful rainbow in the sky.”
“You should probably find a way to have a picture of your new house with a rainbow in the background painted. We would love to see such a picture hung on your wall.”
“I wish somebody would paint the picture for me. I could probably ask my wife.”
As soon as Pareet had completed his conversation with his mother, he had called his wife, Neelu, and his seven-year-old son, Neelab, to his room. He had discussed the conversation that he had with his mother with Neelu and Neelab.
“Neelu, would you be interested in painting such a picture?”
“I do not think you would like my painting. I am not very good at it,” she had said. “But when it comes to pencil sketches, I am better.”
“But is it possible to do a pencil sketch of a rainbow? Will it be possible to show the contrast of the different colours of a rainbow in a pencil sketch?” he had asked. “Nonetheless, I’m very excited to see your sketch.”
Three days later, Neelu had called her husband and son to her room.
“Pareet and Neelab, what do you think of this sketch?”
“This is great, but it possibly needs a few improvements. The rainbow in this sketch does not look like a rainbow, especially in the absence of colours,” he had said.
“I do not think I can do any better.”
Neelab had responded, “I have an idea that can help identify the rainbow in this sketch as a rainbow.”
Neelu had inquired, “What is that idea, please tell us, my dear son?”
“Give me a pencil and I will show you.”
Neelu had taken a pencil from her box and handed it to Neelab.
Neelab had taken the pencil and scrawled r-a-i-n-b-o-w above the rainbow in the sketch.
“Mom, it will be easier to identify the rainbow now.”
“Thank you my son. This is brilliant. Do you also like rainbows just as your papa did when he was little?
•••
Pareet has hung the sketch on the wall of his sitting room. Today, after three years, his eyes have suddenly landed on the picture as he enters the house.
Pareet opens his eye and looks at the sketch more closely.
Then, unaware, he looks outside to see if there is a rainbow in the sky.
- Dinesh Pathak
“Pareet and Neelab, what do you think of this sketch?”
“This is great, but it possibly needs a few improvements. The rainbow in this sketch does not look like a rainbow, especially in the absence of colours,” he had said.
“I do not think I can do any better.”
Neelab had responded, “I have an idea that can help identify the rainbow in this sketch as a rainbow.”
Neelu had inquired, “What is that idea, please tell us, my dear son?”
“Give me a pencil and I will show you.”
Neelu had taken a pencil from her box and handed it to Neelab.
Neelab had taken the pencil and scrawled r-a-i-n-b-o-w above the rainbow in the sketch.
“Mom, it will be easier to identify the rainbow now.”
“Thank you my son. This is brilliant. Do you also like rainbows just as your papa did when he was little?
•••
Pareet has hung the sketch on the wall of his sitting room. Today, after three years, his eyes have suddenly landed on the picture as he enters the house.
Pareet opens his eye and looks at the sketch more closely.
Then, unaware, he looks outside to see if there is a rainbow in the sky.
- Dinesh Pathak
No comments :
Post a Comment