Fragrance of life ...

The air outside was dry, and Kannan felt as if he could breath no more of the dry air around him. He walked in the busy lawyer’s office and sat on the row of chairs in the lobby. The glass window behind him, open to the sky, had the sun setting and with it seemed as if Kannan's hopes were setting too. The thoughts just came back to him again and again.

"Sorry... it was nice working with you" the oversized HR Manager with his oddly placed spectacles on the tip of the nose said with a straight face devoid of any emotions, handing Kannan the relieving orders.

"But...you said" tried Kannan to reply but words were not coming to him

He took the envelope and opened it. It had his tickets back home and the final cheque as the settlement amount. It was Kannan's efforts to save his colleague’s job that held him responsible and had to take the brunt.

As he waited for his turn, Kannan was sitting with his heart sinking and eyes closed. It was then he had a strange feeling. A familiar fragrance... something which grabbed his attention. A tall man in white kurta, blue jacket over it and denims, in his fifties with salt and pepper well trimmed hair, walked with a bag in his hand dragged smoothly on the glassy floors of the office lobby stopped near him and turned and looked at Kannan.

"May I ..." He asked with a smile which had a strange aura about it.
"Sure..." said Kannan in a low voice.
"Murad" He extended his hands for a shake and Kannan reciprocated with a worried look in his face.

There were moments of silence, before Murad asked Kannan, "Would you like to have a coffee?"
Kannan smiled affirmatively "Yes"

Murad walked to the coffee machine and took two cups from it. The whirring sound of the machine and the smell of coffee, started relieving Kannan of the stress in his head. 

"Do I really need to file a case to get the job back which I really don’t need" Kannan thought to himself, when Murad came back to the seat next to him and handed the cup of hot coffee. As they started sipping from the paper cup, Murad turned towards Kannan and said

"You seemed to be too worried about something, are you ok"
"Yeah... I lost my job yesterday and for no reason of mine" said Kannan
"Oh that’s sad, but how does it affect you..." asked Murad
Kannan's brows knit in a strange expression as if asking why he would ever ask such a question
"I mean .... You are young and still have a great life ahead of you... don’t you see the positive in it" asked Murad.

Kannan and Murad had a long chat regarding the misfortunes of life, the problems faced and the issues which sometimes grips a person strangling him to an emotionless stillness. And Murad said

"My dear... nothing comes before its time and nothing stays after its time"

His words were like instant magic potion which cleared the worries in Kannan's head.

"You can start fresh as long as you have the heart to do so" continued Murad. "If I were to brood at my problems at this age and you know no one comes to a lawyer’s office for fun... I would not be smiling"

The air around him seemed to have a special fragrance... a fragrance which Kannan could not place where he felt the same before. Was it when he left Dubai in 98, was it when he got the call for a new job, was it when he received the award, was it when Narayan was born, was it when .... No... Kannan could not place it to any particular situation... but was sure that the fragrance was very familiar.

"Thanks Murad Sir... Hope to see you again soon" said Kannan, and walked to the receptionist.
"Please cancel my appointment... "

Kannan walked out of the lawyer’s office and had a smile ...a content smile on his face. Murad's face, the fragrance, the words all kept ringing in his head as he headed home, packed, went to the airport and reached back to Appa and Amma. As he entered 5 year old Narayan was smiling at him, dressed in a small white dhoti and a silky red shirt. Shining like a star, the smiles had something special. 

"Ah... Kannan..." Appa called out in surprise and excitement "We were going to Guruvayoor... you never told that you would be coming" said Appa

Amma was spell bound as she walked to the hall where Kannan was standing with his bags, straight from the airport. 

"I will join you in a minute..." said Kannan. He quickly washed and took a dhoti from Appa's cabinet and pulled a white shirt on. Tied his hair in a pony tail and brushed his salt and pepper beard quickly to shed the few drops of water in them after the wash. 

"I will drive said Kannan" opening the passenger seat to Appa. 

Appa smiled and got himself comfortable in the seat. Amma and Narayan sat in the back seat and the drive began with Hanuman chalisa playing on the stereo system with Kannan singing along. From time to time Kannan kept looking back as he drove and saw Narayan playing with his Ammamma and after a while tired and sleeping in her lap. The bhajans kept changing from one to the other and the drive seemed to lighten the worries in Kannan's head. He talked out the issues he had and his decision to start fresh again to Appa. Appa smiled and consoled him. By evening they reached the temple premises and Kannan parked the car and got out breathing the air around the place where millions come to shed their fears and a few tears. 

Kannan held Narayan by his hand and the small boy kept looking at his Appa with a smile as Kannan looked at Appa with the same smile. Just the matter of age. As they reached the doors of the sanctum sanctorum, the people were calling out with faith 

"Krishna.... Guruvayoorappa....Bhaktavalsala.... Narayana ..."

And Narayan who had secured his place in his appas arms, hugged him and asked him in his ears
"Why are they calling me..."

Kannan smiled and gently patted on Narayan's face. He took the next step in and his eyes started flowing with tears... the same fragrance... the smell of sandal, flowers and tulsi... the same fragrance... the one he experienced at every juncture of life when it changed... it was the same ... Kannan's eyes were overflowing with tears and the tears cleared the eyes for him to have a look at Guruvayoorappan himself, smiling...

With folded hands, faith in the heart, and Narayan by his side...Kannan knew one thing for sure looking at Guruvayoorappan... He comes in the form of many to lead him towards the right path. He just has to call him for help. After the darshan, Kannan's heart filled with joy as he received the prasadam from the puajri. The sandal paste, the few tulsi leaves and flowers in the leaf. Kannan put the sandal paste on Narayan's forehead and then on his own. He held the prasadam close to his face and took a deep breath...

"It’s Him... It’s Him..."