With the very first kick, Akash started the motorcycle and sitting upon it, he had just opened his mouth to call out to Renu when Renu was seen coming out of the house. Coming out, she put one lock each on both the doors. She handed one key to Akash and putting the second key into the brown-colored bag hanging on her shoulder, she sat on the motorcycle behind Akash.

  Many times when Renu would come home from school, she would find the lock on and would have to wait for Akash’s arrival for a long time. To get rid of this trouble, she had started putting on two locks.

  Akash put the motorcycle in gear and moved forward. Passing through various roads of the city, he came and stopped in front of a school gate and Renu entered the school.

  ::::::::::::::::

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  Sitting on the sofa, Akash was repeatedly pressing the buttons of the remote. Perhaps at this time, his favorite program was not coming on any channel. He had been feeling boredom for a long time, so the mind suggested that why not bring the VCR from Vijay and watch one's favorite film.

  (Now the era of VCR has passed, but I had written this book in the year 1998 and at that time VCR was in existence. Until that time, the trend of mobile was also not there, therefore there is no mention of mobile anywhere in this book.)

  {32}

  Coming out of the house, he entered 'Vijay Bhavan'. In the garden, Kamla Bai was giving water to the plants. Due to her back being toward Akash, she could not see him going inside.

  Coming inside, he cast a glance at the wall clock hanging in front. The clock was showing nine.

  Akash thought the clock is showing nine whereas Vijay goes to the factory at half-past eight itself. And today he has gone on the motorcycle instead of the car because he had seen the car standing in the garden.

  “No matter, I will ask for the VCR from Bhabhi (sister-in-law) itself.” Talking to himself, he walked toward the stairs.

  As soon as he reached near the stairs, a melodious English tune, which forces the steps to quiver, began to echo in his ears.

  After crossing the stairs, Akash reached Vijay’s bedroom almost dancing. He had just raised his hand in the air to knock on the door when a thought came.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  This tune is so melodious that anyone would be forced to dance. Bhabhi too must be dancing inside. And let's see how she dances. With the intention of silencing the curiosity born in the mind, he pressed his eye against the keyhole.

  Two delicate feet wearing silver anklets were coordinating perfectly with the melodious tune. Along with the music, the rhythmic quivering of the feet made the 'chham-chham' of the anklets manifest divine notes.

  Suddenly the music stopped. The feet too assumed stability. After half a moment, playfulness began to come into the music again. The feet too began to catch speed in the same proportion. The music began to get charged toward its peak. The flow of the feet also became anxious to achieve the target. The music began to drown in intoxication. The feet too began to stray. Exactly like a 'chakkari' (top/spinner), as Kanchan started spinning round and round, the mini-frock worn by her began to rise up. The frock was rising so high that even the inner garment worn beneath it began to be visible.

  {33}

  Kanchan, appearing like the queen of fairies, instead of braiding her hair, had left it open. But it was set with hairpins in such a way that even despite dancing, it should not be able to come upon her vermillion face. The delicate lips like rose petals were pressed together. Which were making it clear that Kanchan was not dancing out of happiness but for passing time or to remove some tension only. There was nothing like the kind of smile that should be on the lips while dancing.

  Within a few moments, Akash had to admit that Kanchan is fully proficient in every field of dance.

  The heart-touching melodious tune and upon that, Kanchan’s quivering waist in a rhythmic manner was working as 'icing on the cake' (sonay par suhaga).

  Akash’s heart was saying that Kanchan should keep dancing like this and he, with his eye pressed to the keyhole, should keep watching her like this for his whole life.

  Seeing her smooth legs like the trunk of a banana tree, every man’s hand would become eager to caress them and lips to kiss them.

  Within a few moments, Akash thought a lot of things about his Bhabhi.

  In this way, the curiosity of the mind gives negative results. One should always stay away from it.

  Curiosity too is of two types. One is the curiosity of the mind and the second is the curiosity of the soul. The curiosity of the mind is 'tamsik' (dark/ignorant) whereas the curiosity of the soul is 'saatvik' (pure/virtuous). The eagerness to know something bad is the curiosity of the mind, and the eagerness to gain spiritual elevation or knowledge of some goodness is the curiosity of the soul. The name of the curiosity of the mind is a whirlpool whose very purpose is to swallow. And the curiosity of the soul is, as if, a fragrant flower which, floating in clear stable water, is enjoying the open air, the open light. But suddenly the whirlpool in the form of the mind makes the water unstable. And the flower in the form of the soul becomes a 'chakkar-ghinni' (whirligig) before the powers of that whirlpool. In this same way, despite seeing and knowing everything, the soul, becoming forced before the mind, becomes its whirligig. And finally, it merges into the abyss of downfall. That which was once in the open air, in the light, even in existence. Its breath gets choked. Therefore, every human should become a seeker (curious) of the soul and not of the mind.

  {34}