Purpose

For two days and two nights, they walked in complete silence, halting occasionally to feed on the boiled sweet potatoes they carried. The fatigue helped them to overcomes the trauma that Kartavya’s death had triggered in them.

While the tiger took it in a stride, assimilating the experience in his being, it was difficult for Akapat. Tears would often stream down his eyes spontaneously as he sobbed while walking along the tiger. The tiger noticed it but said nothing. He felt that a catharsis is must.

They followed the rivulet that ran across the backyard of the house where Smriti and Kartavya lived. By the end of the first day, it became a stream and by the end of the second day, it became a roaring river.

May we halt for a while and wash my face, Akapat asked the tiger.

Be careful of the roaring current, the tiger replied as he sat down on the ground.

Akapat walked up-to the edge of the river which was foaming with cascading water. The sound of the gushing water was soothing and stimulating at the same time. Akapat called the tiger a couple of times and his voice got lost in the din of the rushing water.

He sat on his knees and splashed the foaming water on his face. The water was so cold that his fingers, his hands and his face became numb. He stood up and felt a warm stream of tears flowed down his face. Before he could establish control, suddenly he began to cry loudly.

He kept crying for a while and then as suddenly the emotions surged, they subsided. He bent down and washed his faced and returned to the place where the tiger was sitting.

Man cub, the tiger said as Akapat sat next to him, it is not a weakness but courage to cry aloud. Most of us spend our lives without accepting this fact, and believing in a facade of strength.

I didn’t not know him well, Akapat said, but I miss him so much.

The tiger looked into his eyes and spoke. You don’t need time to know someone. People spend their entire age together as strangers. The courage to expose your vulnerability is the key to knowing someone. Only when you hand someone the key to the treasure you can actually realize that he is a thief or not.

But I didn’t handed over anything to Kartavya, Akapat said. He could feel his emotions surge again and choke him like a lump in his throat.

You did, by believing in his story without a wink. By doing that you became a part of his universe. The tiger replied.

You mean to tell me that there is a possibility that his story may not be true, Akapat was anxious.

I don’t mean anything, man cub, the tiger replied. I have no means to tell that Smriti never existed nor can I establish that she did. We blindly believed a blind dog. That connected us with his pain. It is that pain, which has now become a part of his soul. Only time may reveal the truth.

Will we ever find this place, Akapat asked, as he took out the picture from his breast pocket.

The tiger peeped into the picture over Akapat’s shoulder. Yes we will if we look for it. But the question is that is it worth committing ourselves to find it.

I don’t know that, Akapat replied. The he turned around and looked at the tiger. Tell me was it right to believe Katavya. What if he lied to us.

Well, if he has lied, he has carried that with him to his grave. The tiger said philosophically. He will rot with it, not us. We believed him unconditionally. That is our conviction. It liberated us from the lie. The lie is a burden for the lier and not the believer. However, to search for this place is a matter of choice. We may never find it, that does not make it a lie. We may find it, it does not make it a truth. It is only our conscious that will make it a lie or a truth. But, if I may add, this search gives us a purpose, a certain direction.

What if we choose not to? Akapat asked.

That too is perfectly alright. It is not incumbent upon us to find the place. Dead people don’t ask us questions. But we make it biding upon us to give them answers. If you can climb the wall, then it is fine. At the end you should be at peace with yourself, for not finding the place. Tiger continued his thoughtful discourse.

Then what about the purpose? Akapat asked.

Well my friend, the tiger stood up as he spoke, there is no singular purpose to human soul. There are many. If you don’t find this, you will find that. He continued as he waked around Akapat with his tail moving like a snake. Or rather, the purpose will find you. All you have to do is choose it with all your heart. Yet, it is not mandatory that one will be driven with purpose. Most of the men are driven by mundane.

You have thoroughly confused me, Akapat said, standing up.

Purpose, is like spider silk. The tiger stoped moving, came close to Akapat and spoke. It emerged out of the thin air and moulds itself to the requirement. At the end of it is the fact that what does your soul wants dearly. Accomplishment, acknowledgment, anonymity. Some die to be know, while some die when they are. It is a personal choice.

So what should be mine, Akapat was curious.

As far as I know you, the tiger touched the back of Akapat’s hand, you want your skin to remain transparent, so do what keeps it like that. Follow your heart.

Yes, I think we should find that place. Akapat spoke with teeming resolve. I have to meet Kartyavya on my way back home too, and I shall do that with a smile.

So be it , the tiger sat down again. Now once this is settled, please open the bag and give me a couple of sweet potatoes, I am feeling hungry.

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