Words and Deeds

It was a pleasant Sunday with a beautiful rainbow in the sky after the unexpected summer rain. Birds and butterflies enjoyed flying in a very rejoicing mood.  Flowers smiled enchantingly.  Chameli had been watching the beautiful Nature from the balcony since the rain had begun.

“Wow! The rain has stopped.  Let me play in the water”.  Said little Chameli and ran to the courtyard.  She started splashing the water with her legs.  Dragonflies flew around her. 

Anjali and Manjari were Chameli’s friends and classmates who stayed in the neighborhood.  On seeing Chameli playing in the courtyard, Anjali and Manjari joined her.  After a while, they decided to go for a walk to the nearby river bank. 

Chameli, Anjali and Manjari were overjoyed watching the beauty of the damp Nature.  The pathway to the river was narrow and muddy.  Cool breeze patted wet leaves of big trees causing drops of water falling below.  Chameli and her friends tried to catch water drops in their palm and ran helter-skelter resulting into hitting with one another.  

Suddenly, they heard someone laughing.  They had almost crossed the narrow pathway by then and were very nearing to the river bank.   They saw a boy looking at them with a funny face on the river bank.  He was wearing a torn pants and a faded shirt.  His appearance looked very dirty.  Anjali and Manjari got annoyed. 

“You dirty boy, you know, my father is a policeman!  I can put you behind bars” shouted Anjali.  Manjari teased him for his dirty look and also warned him on the name of her father.  Poor boy stood silent and embarrassed.

Chameli felt very sad and told her friends to be kind and polite.  She said sorry to the boy and asked him who he was.

“I am Chandan.  I am staying there” pointing his finger to the other corner of the river bank, he replied. 

“Ho. You are a slum boy!” grumbled Anjali with an annoyed face.

“Please don’t say so”.  Chameli intervened.  On seeing a few shells in Chandan’s hands, Chameli asked him what he was doing there. 

“I am collecting beautiful shells from the river for Manasi madam who comes to our slum daily in the evening to teach us.  We can’t afford to go to school as we are very poor.  So, Manasi madam takes care of our studies.  Recently, I won the Best Student Award.  Tomorrow, I am going to gift these shells to madam as token of my love” replied Chandan.

Chameli shook hand with Chandan and congratulated him on his success. 

Immediately, little Chandan asked all the girls to stand still for a while with a smile on their face.  The girls could not understand what exactly Chandan was trying to do.  He sat on the wet sand and started making sand sculptures.  His hands moved with a rhythm, slow and steady.  Chameli, Anjali and Manjari were surprised to see their faces made out of sand by little Chandan.

“Beautiful and unbelievable!” exclaimed the girls.  Anjali and Manjari felt ashamed of their rude behavior with Chandan and said sorry to him. 

“So sad that we have nothing to give you in return for your precious work” said little Chameli sadly.

By then, Viswam master reached at the river bank.  Viswam master was on his evening stroll. He could not believe his eyes on seeing the sand sculpture done by little Chandan. Viswam master was a very kind and generous person who worked on various schemes related to children empowerment. 

“Well done, Chandan”, said Viswam master while hugging him.  Viswam master assured Chandan that he would help him to exhibit his sand sculpture works to the public in order to gain popularity and money.  Anjali, Manjari and Chameli clapped in joy and mirth.

Viswam master took out chocolates from his pocket and gave to the children.  Chandan’s face blossomed with a smile while eating chocolates.

“Dear children, never make derogatory statements about someone based on his look, color, caste, language, religion, profession or financial status.  We should be well mannered in our Words and Deeds.  Our words and deeds show our quality”.  Viswam master advised the children.

He photographed Chandan’s sand sculptures. The children became very happy.  Anjali and Manjari realized their mistake and apologized to Chandan once again.  Chandan smiled innocently and left with the shells for his Manasi madam and a few chocolates for his little sister, Chinjli. 

Rainbow had disappeared.  Chameli could feel the freshness of Nature and the fragrance of jasmines from the surroundings of the pathway.  A beautiful smile bloomed on her face with a cute dimple on her chubby cheek. 

Chameli delightedly ran towards her home as she could not resist telling her mother about little Chandan!!!

MURALY TV