Hiroshima

Just after the Hiroshima bomb was dropped from Enola Gay, a whole city was vaporized under the heat of 4000 degrees. There were people charred to death and the blackened survivors some conscious many unconscious crying in fire burns and skin hanging from their bodies. The once tall buildings were reduced to rubble of teak and stones.

One soldier from the rescue team walked the disaster stuck area, all he could hear was the wails and cries for water .He had a flask of water in his belt. But there were strict orders not to give water to the burnt. That will kill them instantly. There was an enormous heat in the air .The slightly conscious with little strength crawled to the nearest pool and water ponds. As the frantic survivors threw themselves into the water many were drowned to death.
“Looking back today, I could have given the water” says the soldier.

Then there was rain. Black rain! The massacred survivors scurried to drink the water. Little did they know they were drinking poison full of radioactive substance? Tens of thousands of people were killed due to the black rain

A doctor approaching Hiroshima thought he saw a black creature with no face and no skin. As he stopped to see what it was, the creature fell down and died. He later realized it was the man who had fled 3.5km after the blast only to die.

A 17 year old bank clerk was buried in a mass grave when she regained consciousness after 3 days. She fought her way out of the grave and crawled to the hospital .When she was treated a little she crawled on a railway track for days together, to reach the next station, her home.

When a 25 year mom saw her girls burnt along with the house shouting
“Mommy, take me out. It’s hurting me”
All she could do was cry
“I am a bad mommy. I don’t have the courage to die with you” along with the pain of glass shards that pierced her.

The survivors however had a different nightmare to face. It is called invisible gamma radiation today. As the doctors would touch the patients in the head, the tufts of hair would fall down. The blood flow from a small wound never clot as they fought their way to death. The radiation ate away the WBCs that fights against the germs in human body. Several thousands died from infection as small as common cold.

Did Japan break the precincts of a political warfare by attacking Pearl Harbor?
Did USA know the after effects of the first nuclear bomb?
Whatever be the arguments on both sides be a justice could never be arrived. When the 100,000 people disappeared from the face of the earth, when the dignity, life and soul of several thousands were reduced to the lowliness of an insect there was jubilation in another part of the world which said “Victory Japan Surrenders” .What is true in one part of the world is not true in another.

Fifty three years later, Today there are no much evidence of the first nuclear bomb in Hiroshima except for few burnt trees and the shadow of a man in stone who vaporized.The evidences are fast disappearing. But the history remains like a dark scar.
It just leaves one to wonder “After all what is life all about?”

Mercy of Greater Gods

I checked my mail box well after a week. My friend in Atlanta had already told me that she will be sending a surprise gift. I had frequented the mailbox last week looking for the gift. As I checked it today I saw a big package squeezed into the box, sitting among trash advertisements and discount coupons.

I got the package out with some pulling and pushing. I felt the package trying to guess what it will be. Impatient as I am, I opened the package. There was this beautiful book "Diary of Traveling Preacher" by Indradyumna Maharaj. I have great respect and admiration for his diaries in www.Traveling-preacher.com. It was indeed a great surprise gift. I thanked my friend. As I opened the book it had a hand written message.

“To Quiller
You have my blessing for your progress in Krishna Consciousness. I pray this book will inspire you. Please write to me.
Indradyumna Swami"

My excitement knew no bounds. My friend has got his signature when he stopped in Atlanta for an hour. Now the alchemist post below looks so meaningless.

All the way through "The Alchemist"

On a warm Saturday evening I was reading “motor cycle diaries “and dreaming about a trip in motorcycle on the areas untouched by human.
That is when my friend came in and said
“Have you read the book 'The alchemist'?”
I have not read many of the famous books. So I said “No”
“WHAT??.you have not read alchemist, you should probably jump from the balcony”.
Insulted by this comment, I got the book from the library and started reading it.

The Alchemist is a simple story of a shepherd who pursues his destiny (treasure) instead getting satisfied with superficial happiness the day today life provides. The story teaches about the wisdom of listening to one’s heart and following the dreams instead of putting self obstacles and consoling oneself.

Halfway through the book, I began to regret so many things in my life.

1. The good universities I could have studied, had I not thought I was incapable
2. The guys I could have proposed, had I not panicked and thought I was impractical.
3. The Jobs I could have done, had I not decided to go wherever life takes me

As I thought about it, I took a break from the book and began to reflect on it. Then I called my friend and told him about all my regrets. He kind of convinced me saying that
“We are no children of lesser god “and I still had all the time on earth to pursue my dreams.

I continued reading the book and was thrilled by the twist in the end. Anyways I was happy for the shepherd who found his treasure. As I flipped the last page of the book there was a hand written message .Apparently It has been a gift to someone .I don’t know how it landed in the library. The message said
“You are the treasure I protect in my life” and a signature.

As I closed the book, the only regret I had was not being a treasure in someone’s life.