Ek Paed. Ek Jeev.

Over a vast green meadow, there was one huge tree. Just that one huge tree. The lush green grass seemed to be glistening always and it looked like the sun beamed forever over the meadow and the Big Tree. The Big Tree was a creation of splendour. Gigantic and solid, the massive brown trunk supported the thick canopy. The top had a million branches and even more twigs. The dark brown of the trunk was set out against the yellowish green carpet of the grass and the shining dark green of the leaves. The sky of blue and clouds of white made the scene look like it was a master piece of a Genius Painter. The canvas was indeed a marvel.

The tree breathed with life at any point of time. The trunk's hollow had hundreds of birds nesting in it. The canopy had thousands and thousands. What was unbelievable about the birds was that no two birds were alike. So many wondrous hues and sounds, the Big Tree was a riot of colours and chirps, a carnival of its own. There was a bird of every feather and a bird of every colour. Even in the night there were birds that sat up. Their glowing eyes made the Big Tree look like a hive of fireflies hanging beneath a glorious night sky.

The fruits on the tree were enough to feed its birds and the birds on the tree were enough to take care of one another. The seasonal rain and occasional rainbow nurtured the tree and made the birds flap with joy and chirp with awe.

One bright summer's day, there was a twig on the tree where there was quite some excitement and happiness. The birds were aflutter, chirping in all enthusiasm and remarking with new found joy-  "A young 'un had hatched out of its egg!" However, the other branches were oblivious to this branch's excitement, but that was how the Big Tree was-- huge and birds bustling about with their activities. The Father and Mother decided to call their little one 'Ek Paed' after the one Big Tree that was their all.

Ek Paed was a chirpy bird from his birth. Ek Paed flew up and down the branches just as soon as his tiny feathers became new wings. Ek Paed was also really mischievous. His parents were never surprised by the complaints that they got everyday. Sometimes Ek Paed stole a fruit, sometimes he teased other birds. Sometimes Ek Paed whizzed from behind younger birds and sometimes he cracked jokes on others. Some other times Ek Paed would just go away without telling his mother and simply perch on a branch and watch all the other birds. How ever he was and whatever he did, Ek Paed remained the darling of his parents and neighbours.

Soon Ek Paed had to go to school. At school Ek Paed saw and befriended a hundred other birds. Every morning he had some excuse to avoid going to school. But once he got to school, he played all day without a care and never wanted to go back home. Ek Paed used to chirp the whole while and he always had funny things to say. His beak was firmly shut only when the teachers spoke to him, but the mischief in his eyes told more. "He skips classes", the teacher birds complained. Though they could never hold a grudge against him because Ek Paed had the most endearing smile that the birds in that part of the tree ever knew. He had charmed both the teachers and students alike.

As he grew, Ek Paed developed interests in bird games, became a busy bird, volunteered regularly for good causes and started behaving like a bird on his own. His naughtiness and good humour never diminished one bit, though. He had a prank up his sleeve and a twinkle in his eye always. His jokes kept his bird friends laughing and wherever he went, he could connect with all the other birds. He was a cheeky bird, but never did anybody mind. All the colour and chatter from Ek Paed kept his immediate surroundings lively.

It was time that EK Paed's education got over and that he sought some work. These issues troubled him little. He knew that he was not like any other bird and he simply did not want to go scurrying in the bird race.

On one winter's day, Ek Paed and his friend were flying to college. The Big Tree was as usual, characteristically at any time of the day, swarmed by other busy birds flying up and down and in and out of the canopy. Just a few branches away, on the way, a big and hard-looking bird flew right into Ek Paed. His friend swooped the other way, but EK Paed was hit.

Ek Paed fluttered for a moment, the big bird passed without a hassle and his friend helped Ek Paed straighten his wings again. Few seconds after setting off, Ek Paed screeched, gave his friend an innocent smile and with the same old twinkle in the eye, he flew off in another direction. Away from the canopy.

Ek Paed's friend was shocked. Ek Paed's branch and twig, Mother and Father, teachers and friends, relatives and all the other birds on the branch waited and waited. Some were angry that he flew away. Some were sad that he was gone. Few of them calmly perched on the twig waiting for the sun to set. There was so much noise and clatter, silence and sorrow, the branch felt drained by the night. Still a few birds sat up, as usual, waiting in the dark.

The grim hours of the previous day gave way for the next. Anger gave way to sorrow and sorrow to pain. Some birds were broken, all of them bereaved, it was a separation none of the birds saw coming. There was so much chaos inside and outside but not one bird chirped. The rest of the Big Tree was oblivious to the pain of Ek Paed's absence, but that was how the Big Tree was-- huge and birds bustling about with their activities.

Ek Paed's near and dear birds just knew that wherever he was now flying, he still had the twinkle in his eyes and a laugh in his chirp.

Ek Paed had left behind just  as many colours as he had taken away with him.

Ek Paed was always a bird of the Breeze.

In loving memory of

S Deepak

(20/6/1992 to 7/12/2012).

A friend whose liveliness, warmth and humour added many temperatures to the melting of the pot.

A Lamp whose flame sought confluence with the Bigger Fire.