Story: Airtel's - Arrogance

Copyright@shravancharitymission

By Kamlesh Tripathi

#AIRTEL'S -ARROGANCE

    I have an Airtel number against which the bill amount was being deducted through ECS directly from my account. I later on requested Airtel to discontinue the system of ECS, as I started making payments from my account directly through NET-BANKING and at times even before the bill was generated for my own convenience.

    But to my surprise I found in spite of my making direct payments in the first week of the month they continued to deduct money through ECS from my account, and therefore for a couple of months I was made to pay twice the amount of the bill. And, all this happened, when I got several calls from the company, that the system of ECS payment has been discontinued and that is why I made direct payments.

    When I requested Airtel to refund my excess amount through several tweet messages, I got the same standard replied that we are looking into the matter but then no one called. I also tried to request them by making calls where I was told the amount will be adjusted against my next bill.

    Now comes, the moot point of essence. Suppose I have limited money in my account and I have kept it for something important and suddenly from nowhere this ECS comes and deducts my cash balance even when my bills are paid. It upsets my cash flow and some other EMI of my bounces, who is to be blamed. For a corporate as big as Airtel an amount of eleven to twelve hundred can be a small amount but for an individual it may not be that small an amount at a particular moment. And why should my EMI bounce for no fault of mine, but the fault of Airtel.

    Now what is the redressal? Will Airtel give me harassment charges? Because a simple cash incentive or an interest doesn’t parallel the harassment one undergoes when being treated like that, as it kills your lively personna. Surely #Airtel appears to be an arrogant company behind the garb of customer delight.

    #Consumer #forums and #TRAI should come out with a guideline on this, even if it is a small issue as it will help many consumers. My Airtel mobile number is 9971494795 about which the above dissatisfaction has been detailed.

    Today morning when I got a call from Airtel number 011-400481191 which was to sell one of their plans, I have again requested them to refund my amount.

CC Mr #SunilBhartiMittal- Kindly look into this even if it is a small issue for you but helps the consumer in a big way.

SHORT STORY: THE GREEDY KING- MIDAS

Copyright@shravancharitymission

By Kamlesh Tripathi

    Once upon a time Greece was being ruled by a king called Midas. He was extremely greedy. Besides, his daughter the only thing he loved in the world was Gold. And he was so greedy about gold that even while sleeping he used to make plans of amassing gold in large quantities.

    One day while the king was sitting in his treasury and counting his possessions in terms of gold bricks and coins, he saw a ring of smoke rising from the ground and behind that a golden silhouette emerged with a halo on the top that almost resembled an angel. He was transfixed for a moment till the angel said—‘Midas! You are so rich.’

    Midas turned melancholic at once and replied—‘Where am I rich. I have so little gold.’

    Angel said—‘You are not content even with so much of gold? How much gold do you want?’

    King Midas replied—‘I desire; whatever I touch with my hands should turn into gold.’

    Angel laughed at the wish of the king and said—‘Very well! From tomorrow morning whatever you touch will turn into gold.’

    That night the king could not sleep. He got up quite early in the morning. After getting up he decided to keep his hand on the chair lying close to him just to test the words of the angel. To his surprise the chair turned into gold. He then touched a table and that too turned into gold. Midas in delight started merry making by jumping and dancing. Like a mad man he then ran towards his garden and started touching the plants there. Then he touched the flowers and the leaves, he even touched the branches and the flower pots and everything turned into gold. Everything around was now glittering like gold. Midas now had unlimited gold.

    Merry making and excitement had made king Midas tired by now. He hadn’t even realised that his clothes had become heavy as it had turned into gold. He was now thirsty and hungry. After returning from the garden he came and sat on a golden chair. One of his servants kept some delicious food and water in front of him realising his master was hungry. But the moment he touched the food it turned into gold and the moment he lifted the glass of water that too also turned into gold and this made him somewhat nervous. All the delicious food lying in front of Midas had now turned into gold when he was very hungry. He couldn’t have satisfied his hunger and quenched his thirst by food and water made out of gold.

    He started weeping. Just then his daughter who was playing in the vicinity came there, when she heard her father crying. And, seeing him crying she climbed on to his lap to wipe his tears. Emotional Midas hugged his daughter but soon realised that his daughter was no more there and in her place Midas had his daughter’s golden statue that was very heavy for him to hold on to. Poor Midas started banging his head on the calamity. Angel who was watching king Midas from heaven witnessed the calamity that befell on him and felt sympathetic towards him and appeared again. On seeing her Midas fell on her feet and started pleading—‘please take back your blessing.’

    Angel asked—‘Midas! Now you don’t want gold? Tell me whether a glass of water is more precious or gold? A morsel of bread is beneficial or gold?’

    Midas folded his hands and said—‘I don’t want gold. I have come to know that a man doesn’t require gold to survive. Without gold a man can exist but without a glass of water or a loaf of bread he cannot. Now on I will not be greedy for gold.’

    Angel then gave him a bowl full of water and said—‘sprinkle this all over.’

    Midas sprinkled the water on his daughter, on the chair and the table, on the food and water, in the garden and on the plants and flowers, and everything thereafter from gold came back to its original form.

***

#story: Priorities of life vs priorities of a lifetime

Copyright@shravancharitymission

By Kamlesh Tripathi

    There was once an old person who used to stay in a remote city with his wife. He was not very well off. But apparently, he was very sincere both towards his family and even his extended family. By nature he was not very diplomatic and conniving, rather he was curt and straight forward, yet he wished everyone well. But his straight forward nature had painted a negative picture of him in the entire family.

    One day he realised that his clan had grown both in size and diversity with people settling all across the country and even abroad, and had not come together for many years. Over the years many marriages had taken place, where many daughter-in-laws and son-in-laws had entered the family and many grandchildren were born and many of them had not even met each other. This required a complete churning of the family; for the clan is as closely knit as its last meeting, he thought so.

    One day he got a brainwave. He thought of arranging for a family get-together where the entire clan could come under one umbrella just for a couple of days during a holiday or even a weekend. He visualised this could be a forerunner and could set a domino effect of family gatherings amongst family members which in turn will generate fondness and belongingness in the family even after he is gone. He discussed the idea with his wife who too welcomed it.

    He then communicated to all the family members about his idea. Some family members responded warmly, some in a lukewarm fashion, some were indifferent and some didn’t even consider the idea worth replying, nevertheless he took the indifference in his stride.

    But in spite of the minor disrespect that he suffered at the hands of some members of the family, he decided to go ahead and take initiative as he thought it was a watershed idea to bring together the entire clan. In consultation with members of the family a three day programme was fixed. The dates were finally decided keeping everyone’s convenience in mind; which was during the festival period and that too over a weekend so that leave was not an issue.

    The first day was all about receiving people from the airport and the railway station followed by some free time to laze and mingle as most of them would have met after a long gap and some for the first time, followed by a gala dinner in the ambience of some soothing gazals in the club. The second day was all about local sightseeing for which he had booked a van, which was more for the children and the young crowd that not seen the city. For the third day a family puja was planned in the morning followed by shopping during the day and a bout of indoor games in the evening followed by dinner and with that the programme would have come to an end. 

    While keeping the get-together in mind, he had also started some minor renovations and facelift of his house for the comfort of the guests, considering so many family members were arriving after a long gap and the atmosphere at home had begun to be upbeat. Until one day when less than a month was left he and his wife started getting calls from several family members that they are unable to make it.

    For some, important business meetings had sprung up on those very dates falling over the weekend, for some others pressing engagements, and few had an afterthought and didn’t want to come home—that is to their roots for just two or three days, and wanted to come for a longer duration as they considered a short trip as waste of money and an unhealthy return on investment; even when they hadn’t come home for more than a decade. And, under the dubious circumstances the watershed idea of the person was under gradual strangulation and soon it died a painful death.

    But destiny at times is inconveniently cruel. Even when the get-together was called off, just a couple of days after the proposed dates of the get-together the person kicked the bucket. The sad news reached one and all. The entire clan was in grief and had little choice now, but to cancel their pressing engagements and meetings, which they couldn’t have done for a family get together. Their viewpoints about return on investment went for a toss as they rushed to have a last glimpse of the person leaving behind all pressing commitments. The same travel agent whose vehicle was booked for sightseeing earlier was now ferrying everyone from the airport as most of them had arrived by flights on account of short notice; but tragically this time it was not for any family get together or sightseeing, but to finally bid adieu to the person.   

    In our lifetime we all feel as if we have a lot of time to catch up with things in life even when we see death all around us each day.  Whereas, we show urgency and immediacy when it comes to earnings and career, we fail to show the same urgency when it comes to reaching out to our clan or to our inner self and even God. The prudent precept of life therefore is: don’t allow such rare heavenly opportunities to go by in your busy life, for you don’t know when the other person will drop dead or you will make an exit. And don't allow opportunities of life to overtake opportunities of a lifetime.

***

Short story: Knowledge and Love

Copyright@shravancharitymission

By Kamlesh Tripathi

  Long time ago there lived a Maharishi (sage) whose name was Shaunak. He had many devoted shishyas (pupils) who sincerely served him. Maharishi used to often send his shishyas to the nearby villages and cities, and to the common people there to teach them the fundamental objectives of life. This continued for some time. After a while and gradually some shishyas started becoming arrogant as they thought by teaching so many people they had become a scholar.

    One day a few of them came up to the Maharishi and said, ‘Guruji as advised by you, we on a continuous basis keep touring across villages and cities to convey your message about the essence and objective of life to common people.

    We relentlessly spread your message, as we deem fit to so many people. But we feel this huge effort on our part has given no benefit to the people as most continue to be moorkh (simpleton) because even after hearing the message they don’t want to change themselves. We feel as if we are wasting our time and energy with them.

    Maharishi, for a moment was stunned and saddened at this, because he knew some shishyas were sounding arrogant. Maharishi said, ‘You’ll have researched quite a lot on the various aspects of life.’ Shishyas said, ‘yes Guruji and our reservoir of knowledge is praised by one and all, and in all directions. And we have learnt whatever was required to be learnt.’

    Maharishi said, ‘I’m happy at your proficiency of knowledge that you all have attained. But before we discuss anything on the subject, I want you’ll to form two groups. One group will gather the kind of knowledge from the people, that is not bookish and the other group will gather information about love that is not physical.

    The arrogant shishyas were stunned at Maharishi’s orders. They started wondering, as to how a person can gain knowledge without reading a book and how can he be in love without physical contact? Nevertheless, based on Maharishi’s advice they formed two groups and immediately marched towards different directions and started discussing the matter with various people who came in contact. They also came in contact with people they had met earlier.

    Wherever they went they were ridiculed, and people made fun of them considering them to be the moorkh of the first order.  And since the shishyas were away from the realities of life, their self respect took a beating. Soon they returned to the Maharishi. In a murmuring tone they said,

    ‘Guruji, it appears you had sent us to the village and city of moorkhs. Where, each of them who earlier respected us is today mocking at us. It is impossible to gain knowledge without reading a book and also impossible to love without physical relationship.’

    Maharishi smiled and said, ‘is it so? So then what happened to the knowledge that I gave you. If real knowledge is only available through books, and love only with physical relationship then why did you come to me? So then why is it that people after reading books and after acquiring love through physical relationship are still ignorant about real knowledge and real love.’

    Upon hearing Maharishi’s reply the shishyas were shamed. They were embarrassed at their ignorance. They requested Maharishi to show them the way. Maharishi said, ‘my dear children let me make it known to you that real knowledge will not arise out of books but will arise only out of these people. Because from many of them only books have emanated. Before educating these people we will have to understand the reservoir of self knowledge within us. And, if we place ourselves in their position we will know the reason of their laughter.

    Only by knowing people from a close distance can we reach a definite conclusion and understand as to what they want to communicate. And all this is possible only when we accept them.

    Accept the person as he is. Because, accepting the Universe as it is, and also accepting its people as it is the lone true knowledge and rest are only evasive thoughts.

    In the same manner true love comes to you only if you are humble towards the Creator of the Universe. One who has given me body, mind and soul and has decorated this world with various beautiful dreams. This feeling of humbleness takes me to that divine love which forms our roots and that gives us the refuge of salvation.

    To gain out of real knowledge and to know about real love you all had to come to me, as I’m your Guru, and Guru is the representative of the Universe and its creator. Finally, only the real knowledge and love for God are true.’

***