The merchant patted Kurmadas’s head ad wiped away his hearts. He said, ``I am also going to Pandharpur as I have business there. Come with us. We will look after you.’’

After thinking for a minute, Kurmadas said, ``as you can see, I am a cripple. If I come with you, you will be delayed. So leave me alone.’’

But the merchant insisted that Kurmadas accompany him. Every morning they would start early. The merchant would go as his work took him and return to the camp by evening. Kurmadas would follow with the men who would look after him.

Every evening the merchant came to the appointed place, washed Kurmadas, dressed him and bandaged his wounds. In this manner the group reached Lahool, a village about 14 miles from Pandharpur.

It was exactly one day to the Ekadashi festival. Kurmadas would have to travel for nearly a fortnight to cover that distances by him self! In the evening, when the merchant was chatting with him, he noticed that Kurmadas was lost in thought. ``What are you thinking about, child?’’ the merchant asked.

With a sad smile Kurmadas replied, ``I don’t know how I can ever repay your kindness. But I know that Ekadashi is just a day away and you are staying here out of pity for me. I beg you go, on, since I can never reach Pandharpur in time. Please tell my lord that I wanted to see him on that day, but could not come, although I tried my best.’’

Just Kurmadas finished speaking; the merchant was transformed and appeared in his full glory. Smiling benignly, he said, ``my son, great is your devotion and greater your love for me. Ask me any boon you wish! ``

Kurmadas was speeches with wonder and joy. He bowed his head with reverence and said, ``O lord of the universe, grant that I may always see you, and that you shall never leave this place’’

``So be it!’’ said the lord and so it was. Lahool is visited by thousands of people and considered as sacred as Pandharpur itself.

The important message

a) Kurmadas was a true and sincere believer in God. List the qualities of a sincere believer in God as depicted by Kurmadas.

b) Kurmadas, in spite of being physically challenged, fulfilled desire. This shows that dedication to a goal and will- power can help us overcome our handicaps and achieve what we dire. We all know of Helen Keller. Find out and read about 1) Sudha Chandran, the dancer who lost a leg and still dances. 2) Anjan Bhattacharya, the deaf and mute cricketer.

c) The crippled and the physically challenged do not need pity. They need our understanding and acceptance. How can we help them?

d) It is easier to help those who are physically or mentally challenged. But some of us are emotionally, psychologically or socially disturbed. Some have an inferiority complex, some have certain fears, and some are poor. Discuss how we can help children overcome these.

Many years ago, in the village of Paithan, there lived a pious shopkeeper with his wife and children. They were loving family, content with what God had given them, except for one great sorrow-their son. Little Kurmadas was a cripple, who could use neither his feet nor arms. When his brothers and sisters ran about and played with other village children, he used to gaze wistfully at them.

But, having a naturally happy nature, he was never envious. The happiest days of his otherwise dull life were when his father used to take him to the local temple, whenever he could spare time from his work Kurmadas loved to hear the kirtans, performed by the kirtankars, singing the holy name ``jai jay Vitthal!’’ for that brief period, he forgot his sorrow.

One day, while waiting for his father to come and take him home, Kurmadas heard some people discussing their plans to visit Pandharpur during the coming Ashadhi Ekadashi.

They described the scene at Pandharpur so vividly that the color, the gaiety and the joy of the festival came alive in the boy’s mind. And when they sang of the virtues of Vithoba, Kurmadas could bear it no more. When he reached home, he excitedly told his parents all that he had heard at the temple, and asked there, as his work did not give him time. Kurmadas kept thinking about his plight all night. As the first rays of the sun peeped out of the sky, he had made up his mind. He would go to Pandharpur alone. His Parents tried their best to dissuade him, but he was firm. At last, with tearful eyes, they bade him farewell.

On a bright sunny morning, with light heart and radiant smile, Kurmadas started on his long and hazardous journey. Chanting ``Vitthal Vithoba!’’ he dragged himself along the way. He only covered a mile a day and Pandharpur was nearly 150 miles away! Kurmadas was hungry, thirty and bruised every evening. But as very mile reduced between him and Vithoba, he felt light –hearted and happy.

After many days of terrible hardship, Kurmadas felt every depressed. Would he reach Pandharpur in time for the great festival of Ashadhi Ekadashi? Lifting his tearful eyes towards Pandharpur, he cried, ``O my Vithoba! Have mercy on me! I want to see you so much. Why did you make me a useless cripple? They say that when a true devotee calls out in distress, the lord always comes to his aid.’’

As the poor boy was weeping and praying for help, he saw a turbaned merchant walking towards him. He was accompanied by a few men. The merchant came up to the child and asked gently, ``little boy, why are you in such distress?’’

Kurmadas told him his story.

Hugh and Colleen Gantzer were ding research on Buddhism. They wanted to visit Lumbini. So they had come to Sonauli, on the Indo-Nepalese border. In the seventh century B.C., a little republic near Sonauli was ruled by Suddhodnhana. His queen Mahamya, on her way to her parent's place, gave birth to a son. The palce was Lumbini and her son was Gautama, the Buddha.

Lumbini is of three square miles, one square mile is for the tourist area, another is for monastries and temples and the thired is for scared forests. In Lumbini there wrer tourists, Buddhist Monks and men from Nepal, Srilanka, Sikkim, West Benagl and Uttar Pradesh. In most sacred area of Lumbini is a small hut like temple for 'Maya Devi', the Lord's mother, with the image of the birth of the BUddha. The old Maya Devi temple was  demolished to reveal the exact spot where the Lord was born. Outside the MAya Devi temple is the "Prayer Area" where the devotes chant softly.

A Stone Pillar behind the 'Prayer Area', erected by Emperor Asoka. had helped the German archaeologist Dr.Alois A. Furhrer, in 1886, to locate Lumbini, with its Brshni inscriptions. Behind the pillar is the pushkarani pool where Devi bathed before childbirth and cleansed her new born child.

The great birth reached across 26 centuries and made Lumbini flower with faith and monastries. Near the entrance, there is a Nepalese temple and close to it is a Tibetan temple. The temple hall has hundreds of butter lamps and the serene image of the Buddha. A group of European visitors were taken round Lumbini by an American Buddhist nun. One woman in the group asked why vajra represented such a nonviloent faith.The nun answered that in Buddhist iconography, the vajra represented the illumination of teh mind with sudden truth. The questioner doubtfully asked if it was a soft thunderbolt.The guide nodded.

Back in this room, in Sonauli, the writers felt the Soft Thunder of Lumbini.

Diwali the festival of light

Festivals are to human life what an oasis is to a desert. If there were no festivals, our life would be a long disease without a cure. Cares and worries would sap the very vitality of life. Fortunately India is a land of festivals. Their fun, gallery and rejoicings keep her people happy, fresh and young. But of all the Hindu festival dipawali is perhaps the gayest and brightest one.

The time and cause of its celebration-

Dipawali “The festival of lights” is celebrated in October/November every year when the world is cool, green and fresh. It commemorates the return of Rama to Ayodhya, after 14 y ears of exile. It is said when sweet Rama stepped in the city the people of Ayoudhya went mad with transports of joy and they welcomed him with most jubilant acclamation. the day passed in colorful pageant and at night myriad lights glimmered and turned night into day. Ever since Depawali has come down to us the happiest festival.  

Depawali as the festival of cleanliness-

Dipawali is also a festival of cleanliness. All sections of the Hindu community observe it by repairing.white washing or hung coating therir homes. The collected rubbish is thrown out of the village skirts. The Hindus believe that the goddess of walth would not enter their homes if they were kept unclean. So they make their houses a fit place for the goddess by decorating it with pictures, festoons and buntings.

The actual celebration-

Dipawali is actually a festival of light and joy, fairs and feast thrills and excitement. It consists of three days. On the first day people buy shinning new utensils from the colorfully decorated dazzling markets. On the second day they worship the goddess laxmi, illuminate their homes, brighten the sky with fire works, gamble with new coins and indulge in various other gay activities. Dipawali ends with worshipping Shri Saraswati the goddess of learning.

Its celebration in various parts of the country-

Dipawali night is the happiest occasion all over India. The golden temple at Amritsar is famous f for its fire work. People begging collecting in the day on account of the rush to see fire work at night, shooting starts, Chakras and various items are displayed in thrilling excitement. Some time a single item continues for fifteen minutes. Similarly Almora lit with lams becomes a circle of stars. The modern inventions like colored twinkling bulbs give still more pleasing figure to the joy of the big towns in India.

Thus every year comes Dipawali , our national holiday giving sweet smiles to the lips of our liver, making people forget their worries and injecting new hope and vigor for future. India is happier for it. All else maters little.