Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 3 2018 | Page 345

The Unexpected Boon
St. Paul's Convent School, Thiruvenkadam, Bindhiya - 13
I
n the late 1960s, in a small but harmonious village, were many people of the Hindu tribes, living and
praying religiously. Despite this peaceful impression, not all is what it seems.
He was one of the brightest and strictest priests, and was only in his early 20s. He was young, beloved and
dedicated to his religion, which at that time was one of the most important elements of a Hindu life. All
males have to be strong and commit their lives to Hinduism. Bakti Bankei was literally living his name, as in
the Buddhist religion, Bakti symbolises obedience while Bankei represents the saying of ‘ten thousand
blessings’.
Being ultimately perfect in every way, you must have thought that his parents must be very satisfied with
their faultless parenting skills and their ideal child’s ethics, but no… they weren’t contented with Bakti.
‘Being enduring and adaptable is the key to pure moksha’, they would say constantly.
Moksha is the ancient term which implies the meaning: ‘to surrender and become one with God’. Unable
to find a man-made way to obtain these two qualities, for the sake of his parents, Bakti performed tapas, a
religious meditation, in which they meditate under the name of God, which they chant continuously to
please the chosen God. What’s special about tapas is that if the gods are delighted with your dedication
(which could take years), they will come down to Mother Earth and grant one boon for the meditator. This
boon will last for eternity.
As Bakti settled down and commenced praying, he felt his centre of attention taking over him. After a
period of 4 months, something miraculous happened. The Almighty came down from the heavens and
graced Bakti with his presence.
“Young devotee, you have surely pleased me with all your strength. Though still at youth, it impresses me
that you have succeeded in grabbing my attention within a short period of time. Now I am inclined to fulfil
any desire of your young self,” said Lord Shiva, the ultimate God of Destroyer, who is said to be the easiest
to r