The Search…. !

“I will be Khalil Gibran, so that some classics are recorded in my name.” He spoke in a rapturousness of manner. We all started seeing him. Khalil Gibran’s masterpieces began to float in the air before everyone’s eyes.

Actually, after a long time, we meet five writers. Everyone is well acquainted with each other. Like the five Pandavas, we are all warriors of writing skills. Therefore, from time to time between the five of us, apart from literature, there used to be a period of introspection, gossip, confrontation, debate, criticism, commentary etc. on various subjects. Today’s topic became like this in all things. How did we create literature? There is a rush of literature around us. Whom should we follow? Or touch which vertex?

“I would like to be O’Henry! There is no other vision like him elsewhere.” Seeing the rapturous of the first man, the second one also confirmed his presence with enthusiasm. We all now pay attention to him. The immortal stories of O’Henry, ‘Twenty Years Later’, ‘Last Leaf’, ‘Gift’ and ‘Picture of Jesus’ etc. started wandering in the atmosphere between us all.

“Consider me Chekhav.” Third said, as if Chekhav is his loincloth friend. We started looking towards the third with great pride. All the Russian literature of Chekhav was now around us.

“And you…!” I told the person sitting in front.

“To favor Indian, I would like to be Premchand.” That fourth gentleman also reiterated his commitment to literature.

I drowned in my mind, ‘I wish! Instead of looking at others, they all tried to find themselves in their own creations…’ Now I could only think that Premchand of future this shook me and broke my sleep, “And what would you like to be, Sir?”

“What can I say, my search for myself is going on in me right now.” if is complete my search … then maybe I too…” Further words remained in my mouth and I got up from the meeting of great writers of the future.

•••

(Hindi short story of Mahavir Uttranchali “Talash”
English translation by Abhishek Bhandari)