My Muse - Karan strikes out on his own

Subhash Mathur was born and brought up in small towns in Rajasthan. During his school and college education at Jaipur, he was keenly involved in sports, journalism and public speaking. His civil services career has given him a platform for spreading his ideas about modernising tax administration to benefit the common man. Post retirement he is devoting his energies, along with his wife Tilak, to public and humane causes.

The trip to San Jose filled Saritha with lots of hope and frustration as well. She couldn’t swallow the near miss meeting opportunity for a long time. But the phone number in her possession filled her with hope. She kept her fingers crossed her fingers and decided to move on in life.

Saritha was now on the cusp of entering her professional life. She joined a two month mock viva test course with Study Tours, a reputed institute. They simply didn’t test you. The students had to study for four days a week. Review their material on Friday and appear for the mock test on Saturdays.

Job was very important for Saritha and her family. She also resolved to keep all thoughts about marriage in lock down condition for the next five years. She needed to work long hours with single minded devotion. She needed to produce good results. Surely Romance could wait. Sex was overhyped in any case.

But no such constraints for Karan. He had begun to really like Saritha when she stayed with them during the summer vacations. He was fascinated by the determination shown by Saritha to unravel the mystery of Kangana The Karmic person.

Karan spoke to Saritha about his desire to carry on with the mission but Saritha appeared to be distracted. She just seemed to so distant. But Karan was unfazed by her indifferent attitude.

Karan decided to dig deeper anyway. Soon he was consumed by the thought. Even his mother worried over by his late nights.

Karan soon realised that Karma in the Indian philosophy is the universal causal law for judging actions. Karma was the instrument of choice to keep humans from running amuck with just pleasures.

Reading Yajnavalkya, the theologian changed his perspective. The tome by Patrick Olivelle took him even deeper. Karan then went into a few case studies. Most fizzled out under intense scrutiny. The parents were obviously trying to monetise the fleeting memory.

But Kangana was obviously different. She was able to recall her previous birth details even when she was past 25! Was she bluffing or was she made of sterner stuff?

But the research was choking Karan. He became uneasy with so much mumbo jumbo on his platter. He needed to share to get it off his chest. He needed to clear the cobwebs. But he couldn’t trust his friends. They would dub him ‘weirdo’ in next no time. Even his ‘mole’ had moved on to London.

He requested Saritha to set up the meeting. But Saritha didn’t warm up to the idea. Karan thought of calling ahead himself and setting up a meeting. But he was sure Kangana would turn down the request.

Karan ended his dilemma by going ‘independent’. Throwing caution to the wind Karan decided to meet the protagonist himself. In person! In Kangana's office!

It was a dangerous and a foolhardy step. But Karan was a man possessed.

Next Friday afternoon Karan landed up at the Canyon House near Google Headquarters. He was truly excited. Externally he was brimming with confidence. But nervous to the pits.

Karan requested the pretty receptionist Mary for a meeting with Kangana. He passed himself off as a relative. Mary was hesitant to make the call. The Bosses frowned upon such unscheduled private meetings. Such requests were seen to be intrusive and disruptive. But Mary decided to dump the rules and called. Mary didn’t like the sight of a forlorn young man sitting nervously on the edge of the sofa. He looked in need of some empathy.

After nearly 12 minutes Kangana strode into the reception area dressed a business suit. ‘Mr Karan Kumar, How may I help you?’

‘Hi. I am here for Saritha. She wanted me to meet you.’

‘Excuse me. Saritha?’

[Nervous Karan was rattled. Confidence dived to low depths] ‘I mean Saritha from the Raman household! Your previous birth...!’

‘Karan, you are blabbering. Get hold of yourself.’

Karan still blurted out: ‘You know Kangana ji, you are the reincarnation of Ratna from your previous birth. You met Saritha and Raman in their home in Jaipur.’

Kangana remained cool and unmoved. ‘Karan, I am not able to follow you. I am not the reincarnation of anyone. I think your research has brought you to the wrong Kangana. I think you should leave. Please go! I have work to do.’

With that Kangana walked off. She turned and smiled mischievously before disappearing behind the swing doors.

Not for nothing Kangana was the super speciality top end employee at the Canyon House.

Karan was a Pygmy. Imagine tracking her by using open source software Mystery Google. So naive.

Karan nodded wryly at Mary and walked out. Dejected and defeated.

Just then the phone jangled. Saritha was calling. Karan sat down on the nearest bench. And cried copiously and continuously. Enwrapped in the comforting arms of Saritha.