THE CAVE OF LOVE
(Short Story)
It was annual get together at Kanchanjunga
Mountaineering Institute and every body was enjoying
the party and sharing their experiences with each
other.
"How are you Sherpa Gurung" asked Colonel Bhutani.
Sherpa Gurung was a champion mountaineer and has
scaled Kanchanjunga peak seven times.
"I am fine Sir" replied the sherpa.
" Why don't you tell us your most fascinating
experience of expedition".
"Yes,we all want to hear",the members gathered around
sherpa.
"O.K.during one of my expeditions I happened to
discover a cave at 1500 metre height,where an old
couple had been living for more than forty years".
"Wow thats interesting!"said the colonel.
"They were unique lovers and living in hide out to
escape the wrath of soceity".
"Ruchi daughterof a Panda (Priest) was once a chirpy
young girl who dared to love a low-caste merchant Ram
Ashrey of Kashi Vishwanath Lane only to be rebuffed by
the orthodox society and driven to the brink of
insanity before she found salvation deep within her
Self.
The name Varanasi has been derived from the river
?Varuna? and ?Assi Ghat?.It is also known as
?Benarasd? and ?Kashi?.It is situated amidst the
crowded lanes.
The lanes are honey-combed by stalls selling silk
carpets, Varanasi brocade saris, brass vessels,
fine-spun gold jewellery as well as flower garlands,
vegetables, fruit and spices. Sadhus, mendicants,
vendors and citizens churn against bemused looking
tourists. The clamour and smell of humanity throngs
the senses.There are a number of mystic love stories
which developed in the lanes of Varanasi".
"Like India itself, Varanasi is bewildering. It is
mystical and mundane. Harmonious and discordant.
Fascinating and repulsive. A place where the pulse of
eternity throbs to the rhythm of an ancient culture.
Deeply moving and unforgettable",said the colonel.
"O,Yes"continued the sherpa.
"Ruchi and Ram Ashrey met with opposition from the
conservative and orthodox mindsets of the society
within the holy city and parents of Ruchi.
Ruchi?s uncle hired a person to kill Ram Ashrey.Ruchi
came to know about this and ran away with Ram Ashrey
as Ruchi?s parents refused to be honest about their
sin. Ruchi thought that may be I could talk to them,
but they just won't repent. His father even told her
that it was no big deal, because his last 'momentary
lapse of judgment'had only been with a prostitute".
"Desperate to escape market gossip and the scorn of
their communities, the pair eloped to live in a cave
of Kanchanjunga".
At the beginning, life was harsh and Ruchi felt that
she had tied Ram Ashrey down and repeatedly asked him:
"Are you regretful?"
Ram Ashrey always replied: "As long as we are
industrious, life will improve."
They have lived in seclusion for more than 40 years
because of their love for each other. They had no
electricity and my father made kerosene lamps to
lighten their lives.
Ruchi seldom went down the mountain but Ram Ashrey had
made the 5,000-plus stairs for her convenience.
Everybody was deeply moved by this unique love story,
which blossomed in the lanes of Varanasi.
The media persons present at the get together flashed
this fascinating love Story and the world came to know
about this.A delegation of the people of Varanasi led
by the mayor of the city requested the couple to
return back to Varanasi but they refused to leave the
cave of love and desired to live there till their last
breath.However the mayor ensured electricity
supply,regular medical check up and medication
alongwith edibles by requesting the chief minister of
the state.
By:
Ravindra Nath Srivastava,
2/413, Vivek Khand, Gomtinagar,
Lucknow-226010(Uttar Pradesh)
Phone:91 522 6536507
[email protected] 