ESSAYS AND STORIES

Seven-year-old Viswas was studying in a reputed school. His art teacher gave him an assignment. He had to paint a landscape and elicit his creativity by making it unique. Viswas took a blank sheet and started drawing. After 20 minutes he submitted the completed work to his art teacher.  She looked at the painting and then at Viswas. She displayed it to the whole class and said this is the first time I have seen a blue mountain and blue grass and blue trees with blue leaves and blue crows. Yes, Every thing on the landscape was painted blue.

The teacher threw a questioning look at Viswas. As though Understanding the look, he looked up at the teacher and said “if Pepsico can paint a brown drink blue and call it patriotism so can I paint everything blue and say I am Devoted to the Indian cricket team. The teacher was dumb folded.

Before She could utter a word, Viswas took the blue Pepsi from his satchel and sipped into it. The blue Pepsi trilled shrilly “AAP CUP LAVOGAE” “AAP CUP LAVOGAE” (translated, “You will bring the cup”). And as the drink drained down his throat, a verve of nationalism filled his soul and he began to sing in a loud voice,

“Saara Jahaan se accha

Yeh Indian team hamara hamara

Hum supporters yeh usuki

O cup hogee hamara hamara”

Thus sang Viswas. And the whole class gave him a standing ovation. The Principal who was passing by heard the commotion and punished him not bothering to enquire what happened. When Viswas walked out, the whole class followed him. The raged principal made the whole class stand out. Viswas and his class were least bothered, as now they became outstanding supporters of the Indian team.

The blue Pepsi that Viswas was holding looked apologetically at him and said, “Sorry, in away I am the one who pushed you into this predicament. But the impassive Viswas replied, ‘you don’t have to be. In this present Position I am perfectly happy” and pointed to the Idiot box in the auditorium which was relaying the finals of the world cup featuring India vs. West Indies. And India needed just 4 runs to win in 20 balls with two wickets in hand. Viswas waved both his hands and cheered fervently. As he was thus cheering a thud woke him. The blue Pepsi that was on the side table had fallen down.

Alas it was only a dream. Realizing this Viswas began to cry not because it was a dream, but ‘coz there were twenty balls and anything could happen in a one day match. The two wickets could be bagged by the West Indies. His mom hearing him cry came rushing into the room and pulled his sheets off, and said in a flat voice to wipe his tears and get ready for his school. When he got out of bed he accidentally kicked the blue Pepsi bottle and all the spilled drops seemed to smile at him knowingly.

Viswas brushed and bathed and was off to school. The first hour was art and his teacher asked the students to paint something unique. Ahhh…. will Viswas’s dream happen. If it does, let the climax of the dream be rewritten and the last scene be Sourav holding the world cup. Well.. Isn’t this every Indian’s heartfelt wish. Only time will tell if our wish will come true.