Previous Providence

-Dendup Gyembo*

Early in the morning, he wakes up, put on the light, open the book and read for short while. He then rinsed his face; apply face creams and hair oil for healthy look. Choesham (Shrine room) opposite to his bed room is wide open. He enters the shrine room; offer Choepa (Water Offering), butter lamps, Poe (Incense offering), etc. He offers his prayers too, for benefit of all sentient beings.

His cousin woke up, when Pema finishes doing everything in line. He got out from Shrine chanting mantras. The Gurma (the religious song) is played in very near to the ground volume in shrine room.

“Good Morning, Brother,” said his cousin.

“Morning.... Brother, why you wake up early, today?” replied him.

As usual, he enters the kitchen. Tall and thin with short mustache and with low voice and speak less. He’s courage-less but, religious minded, studying in class twelve in private school in the town. He stays with uncle and aunt, after his parents passed away since he was young. The cottage belongs to his uncle and aunt who have three children, a son and daughters.

His Uncle and Aunt, hardly come home in time. They stroll into the discotheques and Drayangs (night clubs). The quarrel and fight, as and when they reach home ruins the studies of the children. Every time they come late night, under the influence of alcohol. They never care for their children. Responsibility is shouldered by him, their nephew.

He chopped an onion, chilies, tomato and potatoes for lunch for his brothers and himself. Two sisters always take some noodles for their lunch. He prepared noodles for the sisters. The rice is sweltering in the Rice cooker, vegetables are all set to be cooked, teas and snacks are ready on the table behind him.

Besides doing household works on time, he also studies well. Positively, he always encourages his cousins to study, as well. Religiously, he is really devoted and rightly practices religious philosophies.

Tok…tok…tok… “Get up,” tok...tok...tok…he knocks the door and shouts at his cousin sisters.

“Okay, brother,” responded sisters in heavy-eyed manner.

Two waked up as soon as he knocked the door. Brother finished cleansing. “Today, I have program at school, so I need not have to take lunch,” said brother Sonam. He then enters the bedroom for dressing. He followed him holding a frying pan. “What’s program?” asked him.

Sonam shared to him stating programs in the school in detail. He’s studying in tenth standard nearby their cottage. He’s short and fat, with fair complexion. He’s good in playing basketball, even though weak in studies. He always carries basketball at home, school and also during weekends. He never studies well.

Meanwhile two sisters got readied for school. Yeshey and Tashi are twin sisters studying in eighth standard with their brother. Two of them are not good in studies but well established and good mannered. He always usher them to be good always.

They are always dropped to the school by their private driver, Wangdra, who stays with them for last six years, assigned by their parents. Father and mother didn’t pay attention since the birth; they were took care by him, who stays with them since he was in class eight after his parents died in accident.

“Do study hard and do not engage in gratuitous things,” he advised.

“Thank you, brother for your kind advice,” Cousins responded.

Four of them got in the car parked behind the house. They giggled while are being seated in the car.

His words are always respected by cousins; they all are below averaged in studies but good in co-curricular activities; always go school in the morning via Chorten (Stupa) nearby their cottage. They circumambulate and pray for their well being and success; their parents to stop fighting and quarrelling, come home early and give them love and care.

He’s eldest of all; he have to look after the cousins. Despite children are not good in studies, parents never encourage them but they increase the frequency of their quarrel at home; disturbs children studying at their respective rooms.

The children's studies are completely ruined by parents repeated quarrelling and fighting at home. Pema took care of all the three. He learned that Uncle have girlfriend of equivalent age of his eldest son. Aunt too was flirting, mingling and loitering with high school boys in the city.

The house was under the management of Pema. Their children didn't study well at school knowing the fact of dad and mom engaging in extra-marital affairs. He guided them and regularly advised them.

“Do not get hurt when parents get in such extra-marital relation. Our responsibility is to study well and make our life good,” said Pema.

The cousins just nodded their head without few words.

“We came from penniless family, on top that, we are not good in studies although we should not ruin our life. It’s all due to our previous fortunes.”

He devotes his time on religious chatting; religious philosophies are believed. He has faith in what he does; what comes on his way. He believes in god being desperately looking at them and blessing them anytime. “I know our life is full of ups and downs, there are many merits and demerits, every sun rise ushers in opportunities for those who retain faith in themselves; so we should always build our ability to grab the opportunities that are on our track,” Pema shared.

After many years of chaos and disorder in the family, children cried for their parents’ separation. The parents got split up at the end of the year, then. Indeed, separation is painful for all but for them it didn’t harm as they were unfaithful to each other. Father went with his girlfriend who is staying in northern part of the town.

Mother back at home realized the situation of their children leading with sorrowful life; she managed the time to be with them, help them study well. She stopped loitering with high school boys. She gives time for their children and Niece to come up with positive notions on studies.

“I’ve been out loitering in the streets since your dad has extra-marital affairs,” said mother.

She apologize them for missing her time for guiding them in various steps of the life. Mother, being away from several without giving time for them, she cried a lot in the presence of children. “I’ll take care of you all even though I am being single mother”.

Pema and his cousins got enough time for his studies, they have started studying hard. The children are happy with their mother being with them all the time. They could experience the love and care of their mother in reality now.

The brother and sisters believed in his words that were shared to them few months back. All of them dedicated their precious time on their studies. Aunt carried out all the household works which was responsibility of him, prior to.

One day, before annual exam starts, Aum Euden took her children and Pema to the monastery nearby. Early in the morning, she prepared the breakfast, packed lunch for the day. She gets readied for their journey to monastery. Children got up and within very short span of time, they get ready and journey started.

The group of five journeyed to monastery, then. The journey was fantastic for all of them.

The exam started for all. He and his cousins put extra efforts during exam time. “God, help me in exam time without illness. Let’s appear exams well.” He prayed.

He topped the class during Unit test. Sonam and his sisters too have brought good result. They got united and everything comes true and with well established way. Then the final exams of the children are scheduled at the end of November. They were working hard to bring good result.

“Since I was young, I could not do well in anything. Now it’s my time to do well.” He promised himself.

Meanwhile, Ap Tashi, who married to a young lady, ruin his life drinking heavily. He was under domination of the step mother. He never turn back home, never guided his son and daughters. He’s terminated from his office. He worked as Chartered Accountant in the well-known company. His wife gave birth to baby boy.

Mother who works as Deputy Chief Administration Officer was promoted to the Chief. Following day, the classes twelve and ten results declared. Pema and his brother performed well. He scored high marks; he’s selected for the scholarship.

Sonam, who studied in class ten, was promoted to government junior college in the town. He joined the school for next session in class eleven.

By the mid June, Pema flew for further studies under the government scholarship. Cousins wait for their turn to come sooner than later.

*Dendup Gyembo is B.A. Sociology [Honors] graduate from North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Meghalaya, North-East India. He is person who has keen interest to write the stories, essays, researches, poems, etc. apart from preparing and hunting for employment. He studied Humanity subject in lower classes. His motivating work for his write ups was he won Fourth position in Disaster Risk Reduction Day Essay writing competition organized by Department of Disaster Management, Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs, at National level, 2008. His English teacher aggravated him to practice writing more and concentrate on writing well.

Until now, he wrote hundreds of essays. He is one of the many bloggers with domain name www.dendupgyems.blogsopt.com and contributor for ‘MY SAY’ column in Kuensel, the National Newspaper. He wrote responding writing based few books.