Ramsharan is getting ready to leave for his daily work . Madavi, his wife brings him his favorite white kurta-pygama1 along with jug full of pudina chanch2 which she believes is a shield to the scorching heat of Rajasthan. Ramsharan bows before his father's picture hanging on the wall of the main drawing room, touches his father's feet in the photograph and moves towards his wife. His wife applies the sacred tika3 of Sai Baba4 on his forehead and started moving to his shop. Ramsharan looked like a rich zamindar5 in his pristine white kurta-pygama. He had been wearing white kurta-pygama to his work since 4 decades after his father handed-over his family business to him. His father too liked wearing the same dress daily as he went to his work. Ramsharan always wanted to be like his father – passionate about his work, hard working, honest. He imitated his dressing style, his walking and sitting style , the way he used to regularly sharpen the ends of his bushy moustache , the hair oil and his hair style.

Ramsharan walkedpass Hari's paan-shop6. Hari handing over Ramsharan's favorite Banarsi paan greeted him, "Ram Ram bhaiya7. You are again at the right time; your punctuality is just as your father's." Hari felt elated after being compared to his father and started sharpening the ends of his moustache. Hari has been Ramsharan's school friend; he had dropped out of studies to work on his father's shop after his father suffered a major heart attack. Ramsharan's fathertried helping him financially but he didn't accept. To make sure Hari earned something daily, Ramsharan's father took to the habit of daily buying a paan from him while on his way to work. He would gift it daily to Ibrahim, who owned a shop adjacent to his . After Ibrahim's death, he found it immoral to give the paan to his young son Rehman who even though had a habit of chewing paan. With an intention to not to waste it, he himself started eating paan. Ramsharan use to like his father's vermilion lips and the strong aroma of paan and sometimes asked his father to buy him a paan. Ramsharan's father sometimes used to bit a piece of paan and put it in Ramsharan's mouth. Ramsharan chewed the leaf for hours and mimicked Bollywood actors paan chewing, spitting and speaking. Ramsharan spitted in the same style today, greeted Hari and moved hastily to his shop.

On reaching his shop, Ramsharan murmuredfew chants advised to him by the village priest. He called up Rehman to help him in opening the shutter of his shop. Rehman ran to Ramsharan's shop and while helping him open the shutter said, "Salaam alaikum Chacha8, you need to get a new shutter lock". Ramsharan smiled and replied, "For whom? I will be gone in few years".

Ramsharan quickly placed the tool kits in their proper places and started undressing his kurta-pygama. He hanged it on a nail inside his small shop, covered it with polythene and wore a shabby kurta and a trouser. Both the clothes were soiled in grease marks and dust. He cleaned the vicinity of his shop with a broom and then sprinkled water . While sprinkling he said to Rehman, "The aroma of water on the burning land reminds me of rainy days. It has been a month and there has been no rainfall." Rehman in a thoughtful posture replied, "I forecast our state will be 2nd Marathawada9. Chacha! Why do you daily toil and clean up the place when anyways it will get dirty?" Ramsharan pointing upwards replied, "Beta10! God always resides in a clean place. You too should clean your place daily. Ibrahmin Bhai used to daily do that". Rehman laughed and said, "Chacha! Why do you then change and wear these dirty clothes".

Ramsharan taking a gulp from the packet of chanch, "Well, that is my professional dress and it my duty to abide by the dress of my profession. And I am proud of it. Who on earth will believe my technical skills, if I wear a pristine white kurta-pygama to the shop?

"Have a gulp of chanch, you Chachi11 made it today morning itself. It will soothe you from this burning heat" continued Ramsharan.

Ramsharan taking a thoughtful stance continued, "Beta! Your dress should match with your profession. Don't you see Harmeet, the cab-driver who is my regular customer always wearing white dress? And Joseph, the auto-driver always in his sky-blue dress, Daroga Sahib12 in his khakee dress13?"

Rehman smirked and replied, "Chacha! Why don't you come wearing your professional dress right from your home? Why do you change it here? Harmeet paji14i, Joseph and Daroga Sahib all wear their dress; right from their homes, why don't you do the same? Why are you unnecessary wasting time and energy in changing clothes?"

Ramsharan knew that the young witty boy had caught him and in a way to divert the topic, he replied, "It is getting hotter and there is no customer still. Soon we will see myriads of customers with their ill vehicles. Come! Help me in moving the air cylinder".

Ramsharan considered himself noting less than a doctor, the doctor of machines . He felt that it was a difficult task to be a mechanic and even the best of engineer's can't match their profession. He used to repeatedly quote, "These engineers can only mug up concepts and laws but it is a mechanic who actually understands a machine. To be an engineer was easy but to be a mechanic requires great skills". He compared himself to Vaidhya15 and used to say, "As Vaidhya ji just by touching the patient's arm is able to decipher the illness, in the same way mechanics by just listening to the vehicle's sound are able to comprehend vehicle's illness". He always dreamt to get a business card printed in his name prefixed with 'Dr.'

Madavi bore Ramsharan his only son Raghuveer whom he was very fond of. He enrolled him in an Arts college in Delhi to study English. He wanted his son to learn English and write a book on the 'mechanic community' so that nationally and internationally he and his community can get their deserved respect and accreditation.

Ramsharan looked disturbed after the recent conversation with Rehman. He couldn't hide from Rehman's hard facts. First time in his life, he felt that he was not as proud of his work as he felt. All the thoughts that he had been watering since long time were swayed away by the tsunami of the facts that Rehman had brought forward. This was not the first time that Rehman's witty remarks had tossed his head, but this time it was a big blow on his self-image. He felt like closing up his work for the day and go to any secluded place. As he was engrossed in his thoughts, Lallan, a rowdy security guard of a local politician and Ramsharan's regular customer woke him up. Ramsharan had been servicing Lallan's bike for a meager amount as he saw Lallan as a good prospect that could voice his thoughts for uplifting the mechanic-community to the local politician. Ramsharan, as if waking from a bad dream said, "Lallan Bhaiya, what makes you here in this roasting heat?" Lallan smoking a bidi16 and rubbing his face with his sweat drenched handkerchief replied, "The election campaign will be soon starting and I would be campaigning in villages and towns, and this bike is my Chetak17 ".

"Chetak used to get the best of food and treatment from Maharaja ji, you don't even treat your bike like an ass. From months I have been advising you to get the engine repaired, getting its parts regularly oiled but you have always given deaf ears to this doctor. I can treat only when the patient is ready to follow my advice. But you have always looked at your machine with lustful eyes of a rapist and made me too a part of this deadly crime by instructing me to look for a cheap jugad18. Jugad's don't make Chetak's. But no more now, you can take your bike to Gansham's shop , he will be serving you as per your wishes. If any bike gets healed by me, it will have to drink my prescribed kada19 first. Otherwise take it to your allopathic mechanics; they can do all the temporary jugad you want"

Lallan and Rehman (who was witnessing the conversation from his shop) were stunned to hear the timid Ramsharan shouting like that. Ramsharan himself was shocked to see this sudden burst from him. He considered himself a soft-spoken man.

Lallan, extinguishing his bidi with his shoe retorted, "Chacha! I am considering your age otherwise I would have strikeout you like this bidi. And forget about meeting the politician , you will never be able to come in his 100km radius. And let me tell you, you mechanics are good for nothing and you will always remain this petty man as you are."

This was another blow to Ramsharan's self-imagebut he was elated to see this change. He used to shrug away from directly getting into heated arguments and considered himself fearful, timid and shy. He considered it as his weakness in his revolution to get the 'mechanic community' to its deserved status. His argument with Lallan made him elated as it was his victory over his weakness. After Lallan had left, Rehman came running to Ramsharan. Rehman's sight brought him back to square one; the sudden excitement had drained back to lull. Rehman whilerubbing Ramsharan's forehead with his towel said, "Chacha-jan! Are you alright? I was frightened that Lallan might beat you up. I had got my sickle ready, if he had hit you, he would have paid the price".

Rehman's warm gesture brought tears to his eyes which he somehow managed to keep it within his eye banks. Ramsharan had always treated Rehman as his son. Even though he used to get angry when the witty boy made intelligent remarks, making him feel as a fool. But in hearts of hearts, he respected his wits and wisdom. He had even thought to get him into school but the very idea was revoked by his wife Madavi who had threatened him to go to her father's place if he tried to engage in any philanthropy.

While Ramsharan was brooding on his past decision, Rehman got up and brought his lunch to Ramsharan and said, "Let's have lunch first. Ommi20 has made your favorite kareli ki sabzi21 today. What has Chachi made today?"

Ramsharan without replying got his lunch and replied, "baigan ka bartha22. Your Chachi thinks I am still young to eat all this spicy and oily food. I recently had a heightened cholesterol level".

"You got it wrong. She sends it for me. You can have kareli ki sabzi that will be good for your health and I will have baigan ka bartha " replied Rehman handing over his vegetable box to Ramsharan.

After having their lunch, they retreated on a coir cot beneath the huge banyan tree . Heavy lunch, a glass full of pudina chanch and the cool breeze beneath the tree; everything pushing them to a mid-day siesta.

Half an hour had passed and both of them lay in deep sleep. The sweet voice ofcuckoo woke Ramsharan. He gazed at Rehman and was moved by his innocent face. He felt lucky to have him as his companion even though he was 30 years younger to him. While mulling on the same thing, he again felt asleep .

Ramsharan woke up again but this time it was Rehman's voice, "Chacha! Customers are there, wake up". He saw Rehman busy with his customers. He saw a lot of customers had gathered around his shop. He ran to his shop and got engrossed in work.

It was late evening, the sun had set, and birds had already moved back to their nests, the rickety local bus conductors were counting their earnings. Ramsharan too thought to count his today's earnings . He had made Rs 450 today which was more than enough for him. Rehman had already closed his shop and was chewing paan and talking to other shopkeepers. Ramsharan quickly started packing his shop and then started undressing his professional dress .

It had been 25 minutes and Ramsharan lay semi-naked in his langot23 thinking whether to wear his shabby professional dress or kurta-pygama. Other shopkeepers were leaving for their homes; Rehman came to Ramsharan and said, "Chacha! Be quick! I have to take Ommi to market and buy vegetables".

"Beta you can leave, I will take a little time today. Khuda Hafiz" Ramsharan replied digging into his tool box.

"What work? Let me help you" replied Rehman promptly.

"No. No. It is okay. I need to do it myself. You take your Ommi to the market, it will be closed soon. And yes, take this (handing over Rs 20 note) and buy yourself a 5-star24 " Ramsharan replied again digging into his tool box.

"Chacha! I am 22 now and I earn a handsome amount. I respect you but I cannot take this. And I will be going back only with you. I will buy vegetables tomorrow. Burglars have increased in the city and they are in look of soft targets. I am not leaving you alone. You wear your clothes and tell me what work needs to be done." replied Rehman giving Ramsharan a foot massage.

"I have to go nearby to one of my relative's place for dinner. Buy bindi25 from sabzi-mandi26 and tell your mother to cook it for me. Go! The mandi will be closed by 9." replied Ramsharan trying not to make eye contact.

"Alright! I will get coconut cookies from Babulal's shop. We will have it tomorrow after lunch. Allah Hafiz" replied Rehman tying his shoe laces.

Ramsharan kept on starring till Rehman had reached the end of the road. He laid down on the sand resting his head on a deflated bike tube, stretching his arms and legs as the stray dogs do on finding a cool place. The sand still had the warmth of the day massaging his body. Ramsharan remembered his childhood days when he used to lay down with his brothers on sand for long hours and made imaginary diagrams watching the star-laden night sky . He remembered that it had been a long time that he had visited his brother's place. "Should I go wearing my professional dress there too? No. Drivers, policemen don't wear their dress when they go to their relatives" murmured Ramsharan.

The thought of wearing his professional dress from home to his office made him very uneasy. "How will I make prayers in dirty clothes ?" pondered Ramsharan. He pondered on what Rehman would have reacted to this argument. "Chacha! Does God only hear to rich people because only they can afford to wear clean clothes daily?" Ramsharan could see the failure of his argument; he placed his arm over his eyes and tried deviating his mind from the topic. But all in vain, he kept on thinking of other arguments.

"What will Hari think? Madavi will feel uncomfortable because of the stinking odor of my clothes. What will the neighbors think of me? They will think I have gone bankrupt. Bride families coming with marriage proposals for Raghuveer will down value us. After all I am the face of the family" Ramsharan observed .

"Bauji27 too used to wear tidy kurta-pygama to shop and then changed to his professional dress. And he was most passionate man I have ever seen in my life." Ramsharan observed while taking out his father's photograph from his wallet.

"I can never match my father. He was a gem and his aura radiated wherever he used to go. He was a great problem solver and people used to visit him from long distances to seek his advice. And here I am not even capable of solving my problem. Had Bauji been alive, he would have solved this query" thought Ramsharan touching his father's feet in the photograph .

While keeping his father's photograph back in his wallet , he found his wife's photograph hidden behind his son's photograph. He felt embarrassed to keep his wife's photograph in the front pocket of his wallet, hiding it from his parents, relatives and friends. "What will they think if he saw her photograph?" he used to ponder. "But what wrong am I doing by keeping her photograph; after all she is my lawful wife " remarked Ramsharan while contemplating on the issue.

Ramsharan dozed off while mulling on these issues. He dreamt of himself wearing his professional dress and being mocked by his neighbors, friends and onlookers who thought he was a beggar. He saw his wife and son leaving for his brother-in-law's home because of the contempt suffered by them due to his dress. "Madavi, Raghuveer, Don't leave me alone. Please don't go." murmured Ramsharan waking up from the dream.

"Madavi would be looking for me. Her blood pressure will shot up if I am late . I should have left her a message through Hiralal" he thought while gazing at Hiralal's shop who happened to be his neighbor and owned a shop next to Rehman.

He stood up and started looking for water. The water bottle he had brought was empty. He remembered Hiralal had drunk whole of the left water when he was leaving back for his home. "These insensitive people like Hira don't consider other people's situation; they just want to fill up their bellies with other's things. Their bulged bellies if cut will have all the things of their neighbors . They will have no entry in heaven for the deeds they have done on earth" muttered Ramsharan hitting his shop's shutter with his fist. Ramsharan imagined the plump, obese Hiralal getting stuck in the door of heaven and hence being denied entry.

While he imagined the plight of Hiralal and chortled, his attention was taken up by a dog that drank water from the water-tub used for checking puncture of tyre. He wondered how a dog lived a free and peaceful life. Ramsharan contemplating on dog; wondered that, "How lucky is this dog? How peaceful? He has neither a professional nor a social dress. He has no dress at all. He doesn't have to worry for money. He doesn't have to save money for his son's marriage. He eats when he feels like; he drinks when he feels like . He has no obligation to go back to his home. His wife doesn't get high blood pressure if he returns late or doesn't return at all. He doesn't worry even if he is been mocked. He doesn't become angry if another dog drinks his water. Well, he has no personal water to be angry upon. All water is his water, all food is his food".

Ramsharan felt like hugging the dog but he didn't want to disturb him. He rose up wearing a langot and started moving towards the street. He wandered along the lanes aimlessly. Having had walked a couple of miles, he reached the nearby temple . Crossing the main gate, he moved up towards the main puja28 room. He saw an iron gate on the main entrance locked from inside. He peeped inside and found the priest who had a belly like Hiralal sleeping in one corner . "Pujari29 ji too has a professional uniform. They have also given 'dresses' to the God as per their choice", he sneered and started moving down the temple stairs. On reaching the main temple gate, he found stray dogs sleeping beneath a Peepal30 tree . He drank water from the tap near the gate and rested beneath the Peepal tree with the dogs. A dog that saw a new mate beside the tree moved a bit left wagging his tail; as if welcoming Ramsharan to his family. In no time Ramsharan was in deep sleep.

It was morning and Ramsharan woke up from the chirping of the birds on the Peepal tree . He bowed towards the temple and started murmuringfew chants which was advised to him by a priest. He stretched his back and found that most of the dogs had already left the place, a few of them hanging around the tap looking for some water to quench their thirst. He observed that human's can be defined as beings that not only wear different professional dresses but personalities according to different time and place. While at religious places they will have a different dress and conduct . While at their workplace, not only does the dress change but their personalities too . They are different at home and in a social gathering . The dogs dress or behavior doesn't change with time and place. It is one all the time. He doesn't ditch people with its appearance. If man could rise up to be even a dog , he will live a more peaceful life.

As Ramsharan stood in deep thought observing things as he had never before done, suddenly a small metal object hit his face. He looked in his vicinity and found that it was a Rs 5 coin . He soon realized that he was thought to be a beggar by the devotees visiting the temple. He chuckled and caressing a nearby dog whispered in his ear, "A small step towards you. Now I don't need to look for money. Let us have biscuits". The dog licked his hands and they both moved to a nearby shopkeeper to fetch a packet of biscuit. Ramsharan while sharing the biscuit with the dog , whispered again to it, "It would take me a long time or may be never to be like you. At least at the physical level, I can be like you. It is only this langot that separates you and me at the physical level . Let me get rid of this. It is an unnecessary baggage."

Ramsharan took off his langot and threw it on the ground and started walking to the nearby pond to take bath. The dog followed him all along the way to the pond . Ramsharan jumped into the pond and swam towards the other side of the pond and returned back to the same side where the dog was lying down with its tongue hanging out . Ramsharan speaking to the dog, "You know friend, to detect punctures in tyres we immerse them in the water tub. If we could detect man's wounds by immersing him into a water body, there would be endless holes. Man seems a nearly impossible case for redemption". The dog wagged his tail as if confirming his statement .

Ramsharan came out of the pond and walked towards the temple. The dog followed him towards the temple. Seeing the dog pissing on a tree , Ramsharan too started pissing and murmured, "Thanks friend. I had forgotten that now I am free to piss anywhere".

On reaching the temple premises, Ramsharan drank water from the tap and got some water for the dog in a broken earthen pot. Ramsharan noticed a rich man serving the poor people with fruits and biscuits outside the temple. He joined the queue and got some fruits and biscuit packets. He called the dogs and shared the food with them. After having had food, he laid down beneath the Peepal tree and soon was fast asleep

A clatter broke Ramsharan's sleep. He opened his eyes and saw his wife, his son and Rehman standing around him. His wife was crying and beating her breast. Rehman was consoling Raghuveer and said, "I had already cautioned Chacha ji about the rise of burglars in the city but he didn't take it seriously . I never thought these bastards would fall so low that they would rob people with their clothes and even underwear. If I somehow meet them, I will knock their block off".

Raghuveer took a cloth sheet and covered his father's body and rubbing his back said, "Papa, now you will not work anymore. I will soon be finished with my graduation and will be looking for a job".

Ramsharan's wife brought a coconut, revolved it around hishusband'shead and told Raghuveer to offer it to the deity's feet; muttering "It was because of the Lord that your father is alive."

Rehman brought a glass of water and offered to Ramsharan and started massaging his feet.

Ramsharan couldn't understand what to say. He couldn't utter a word. His companion dog had run to the nearby bush owing to the hustle and bustle near Ramsharan. Hiralal came in Maruti 800 car which was gifted by his son's father-in-law. Rehman lifted Ramsharan on his shoulder and placed him in the back seat of the car. Raghuveer tried grabbing the adjacent seat with his father. Ramsharan held Rehman's hand indicating him to take the adjacent seat. "Let Raghu Bhai and Chachi sit, I will come by bus" replied Rehman easing his hand from Ramsharan's grip and indicating Madavi to take the adjacent seat.

Hari speeded his car dispersing the crowd into two halves. Rehman inspected the place in hope of getting any clue of the burglars. He used his knife to cut through the bushes near the Peepal tree . He recognized Ramsharan's langot which he had seen Ramsharan wearing yesterday; in the mouth of the dog . He tried snatching it from the dog's grip but the dog was in no mood of returning his human mate's only possession. Rehman picked up a plastic bottle in the bush and tried to frighten the dog. The trick worked and he was able to get it. He tried looking for other belongings in the bush but couldn't get anything. He moved back to the temple, took a bus from the nearby stand to his shop . He moved hurriedly to Ramsharan's shop and found his professional dress and his kurta-pygama lying there. He checked Ramsharan's secret pocket in his kurta-pygama and to his shock found the money in place. Rehman head tossed, he became curious to know what would have happened last night. He kept the money in his pocket, pushed the shutter down, locked it up and ran towards Ramsharan's home.

On reaching Ramsharan's home, he saw a crowd of neighbors had gathered near Ramsharan and were consoling Madavi who was still crying . Ramsharan wearing a dhoti was sleeping on the wooden bed in the adjacent room. Rehman moved towards Madavi and said, "Chachi! Don't be worried everything is fine. I have found Chacha's clothes and money." Madavi couldn't listen properly to him owing to the noise.

Ramsharan recognized Rehman voice and asked him to come in. Rehman moved inside the room and while caressing his forehead inquired , "Chacha! What happened last night? I am sure they were not the burglars but then what happened. How did you reach the temple and who took your langot? Well, I found your langot. Here is your money; I found it in your shop".

Ramsharan replied, "Keep it with you. And I will tell you everything but let these gossip mongers first leave. These people have declared me sick and have been feeding me with haldi-doodh31 since afternoon. Go; get me a paan first from Hari's shop. Do tell Hari that I had asked for it otherwise he will make an ordinary one."

Rehman left immediately and returned after a quarter of an hour with one paan in his hand and the other in his mouth. Offering paan to Ramsharan, he said, "Chacha! Hari Chacha makes amazing paan, the best I have ever had".

Ramsharan placing the paan in the right corner of his mouth, spitting red saliva as he spoke, , "He made it amazing because of my reference. Well, I have got the answer of your question. Rather I got much more than I had asked"

"Which question?" replied Rehman scratching his head .

Ramsharan took Rehman's hand and placing it between his hands ; he said "I am thankful to you that you raised the argument of the professional dress with me. Mulling on this question and the company of the dog made me realize that one doesn't need any dress at all. Rather any dress is an unnecessary burden, even the langot. Have you ever seen any animal, bird, plant wear a dress or even a langot and then contemplate what to wear . How peacefully do they live? And see what has happened to us (human). I don't want to live with them, I am happy with dogs. Yesterday was a great day indeed, I felt as young as you. Beta, what do you say?"

Rehman had forgotten to chew paan and was astonished to see a sudden change in Ramsharan. He could see Ramsharan was not blabbering; his eyes had a glitter which he had never seen before . He couldn't comprehend his words exactly but could sense something very different.

After a brief lull, Rehman replied, "Chacha! I don't understand what are you saying but I somehow understand that whatsoever you are saying is right. I will take leave for now as I have to open my shop. I will be coming to meet you in the evening. I will get you a paan too".

"Khuda Hafiz! Do fill the water-tub outside my shop with some water. It is too hot these days. Where will these animals and birds find water when even humans are facing the scarcity? We are responsible for making them homeless for our self-centric pursuits which are endless. They had to suffer in the name of human progress and civilization. And now the government is asking to kills our forefathers as they say, 'they are encroaching in our territory'. Who is encroaching whose property?"

Rehman looked puzzled with the sudden outburst of Ramsharan. He nodded his head in agreement and left for his shop. Rehman kept on introspecting on the sudden change he had seen in Ramsharan as he walked pass Hari's shop. On seeing Rehman, Hari enquired, "How is Ram Bhaiya now?"

Rehman engrossed in his thoughts, didn't respond and continued walking towards the shop. He still had the keys of Ramsharan's shop. He opened the shutter and got the water-tub out, filled it with water and kept it on the side of the road. He waited for a while near the tub and tried tempting the stray dogs to drink water. One of them came, sniffed his feet and went back. Rehman went back to his shop, opened the shutter, took a small desk and sat on it gazing at the water-tub . A cuckoo sat on the end of the tub and pierced its beak through the water and then flew. Rehman was elated looking at the proceedings. He spent his day gazing at different birds and animals that came to drink water from the tub . He planned to close his shop early and share his experiences with Ramsharan. He decided to leave the water-tub outside the shop so that the animals could drink water at night too. He locked both the shops, refilled the tub with water and dashed through the lanes stopping only at Hari's shop to buy paan for Ramsharan.

On reaching Ramsharan's home, he saw a man with long hair wearing a black loose robe , hitting with a peacock feather broom on the door of the room in which Ramsharan was sitting in the afternoon. He was muttering something loudly as he hit the door. Ramsharan's wife and son stood in the corner of the room with their hands folded in fear. Rehman enquired with Raghuveer to which he replied in a fearful tone , "A witch has taken possession of father. After you left, he went naked outside and started feeding dogs with water and chapattis. A neighbor advised to call a Tantrik32 who will spell magical words and free him from the witch. We have locked him inside so that he does not create any chaos again. Tantrik has uttered the magical spell and said that soon the witch will free father from her clutches.

Rehman forced the paan from below the door where Ramsharan was locked and left for his home. As he reached out of the house, Ramsharan opened the window and called him up .

"Meet me tomorrow at 4 a.m." asked Ramsharan and quickly closed the window. Rehman couldn't understand how to respond and started moving back to his home.

It was half past 10 and Rehman lay playing with an alarm clock which he had lent from his friend so that he is not late in reaching Ramsharan. He checked it thrice before setting the alarm. The image of Tantrik haunted him and he mulled on the ways he would have tormented poor Ramsharan. "He might have lashed him with the long leather whip which made one of his artilleries. May Allah help him" mulled Rehman.

It was only 3 in the morning and Rehman was all set to go. He set the alarm off so as not to disturb his mother's sleep. "May be they would have not fed him" thought Rehman as he tip-toed to the kitchen and packed few bananas in a polythene bag. While he waited for the long hand of the clock to reach 6 so that he could start his journey, he thought to invent a clock in which the change in hand, changed the actual time.

The clock hand hit 5 and Rehman could not wait. He started to scramble through the lanes, pelting stones on the barking dogs and ran towards Ramsharan's home. He was whispering prayers so that he doesn't meet a witch. He reached Ramsharan's home and knocked at the window . Ramsharan opened the window and whispered, "Quietly open the door and come inside". Rehman moved inside and found Raghuveer sleeping on the cot . He sneaked quietly into the room, unlocked the latch, moved inside Ramsharan's room and advancing the banana's towards him murmured, "Chacha! You don't seem to have had eaten anything yesterday night? Have these bananas".

"Let's move. Will have it later." hummed Ramsharan.

While tip-toeing out of the house Rehman asked, "Where are we going?"

"To the railway station? " exclaimed Rehman shocked from Ramsharan's response.

"Yes! I have discovered my dress faintly. And it is time, I discover it completely. So, I need to go" replied Ramsharan with a smile on his face.

"Where?" replied Rehman promptly.

"Neither I know, nor I want to know" replied Ramsharan, his eyes glittering with an unreasonable faith.

They took the last lane which led to the station. With a stone throw distance away from the railway station Ramsharan said, "Rehman thank you for all your help. I have learnt a lot from you. Had you not been there, maybe I would have never realized 'my dress'. Now I will take leave."

As they reached the platform on the railway station , Ramsharan jumped in a train standing on the platform.

After a brief lull; Rehman replied, "Can I also come?"

Ramsharan hugging Rehman replied, "Not now child. You need to discover your dress. That will tell you what you have to do and when. I pray you could remain as 'witty yet innocent' as you are now."

Rehman sniveled and hugged Ramsharan tightly. Ramsharan kissing his forehead whispered in his ear , "That; never goes, so don't worry. Take care of the dogs and the birds. You will find me there. May you find your dress soon!"

The train started to move, Ramsharan jumped inside and bid adieu.

Rehman kept looking at the train till it was not visible. He sat in the cemented bench as tears continued to ebb from his eyes. A stray dog sniffing his feet came near him and sat there. Rehman wiping his tears started patting on its head. The dog wagged its tail, extended its fore and hind limbs as if surrendering itself. Two hour had passed after Ramsharan had left in train, Rehman still in a lost state kept playing with the dog and gazing here and there.

A station master dressed in black suit who was observing Rehman's activities for last one hour came up to him and said, "Beta! What are you doing?

"Finding my dress" replied Rehman.

1 Traditional Indian dress

2 Wild-mint flavored buttermilk

3 Anoint

4Indian spiritual master

5 Landlord

6Betel-leaf vendor

7 Brother

8 Uncle

9Drought hit district of India

10Son

11 Aunt

12Policeman

13Desert green

14 Brother

15 Ayurvedic doctor

16 Indian local cigarette

17 Referring to the famous courageous horse of Indian king Maharana Pratap

18 Temporary solution

19 Ayurvedic medicine

20 Mother

21 Indian dish made using bitter gourd

22 Indian dish made with Scrambled brinjal, onion and tomato

23 Long cloth underwear wore in India.

24 Chocolate from Cadbury

25 Okra

26Vegetable market

27 Father

28 Prayer

29Priest

30Ficus religiosa

31 Turmeric mixed milk

32 Sorcerer