The Feet

In this world where eyes witness many stories, the feet have scribbled a story on the pages of history silently.

"God, please save me" a young lady standing near Lord Krishna was praying.

 "Div,make it fast, got to go" Mehul said.

With hurried steps Divyanshi came from the other room. The saree draped angelic beauty made Mehul to plant a kiss on her softy milky cheek but she was not in a mood to go cosy.

"Why saree suddenly" he asked

"Nothing lets go" she said

For a moment he thought, what has changed her, the girl who never wears anything except minis, today in her full cloth. Pushing the thought aside, he accelerated the car, and the wheels moved on the highly maintained roads of Chicago like how cheese slips on a hot pan.

"Would you like to come?" she asked as the car stopped in front of a law firm.

"Its ok baby, I have spoken to them" he said and zoomed off.

She wanted her husband to come with her, give her support at this phase of life but they say life is faster than time in United States.

"Come on Dave" Advocate smith said seeing Divyanshi.
"Its Div not Dave" corrected she.
"Oh yeah, sorry for the mistake Div?" said Smith.

Smith went on explaining the legal clauses to the lady and she was silently watching him. 51 legal complaints against the literature lecturer were so hurting and heart rendering.

"Does it sound good to you?" Smith asked 
"I have left everything to you, just tell me what to do?" she said
"For now, just sign on the papers, rest we will see in the court" Smith said.
Div signed the papers and left Smith's office.

Next day..

It was a huge crowd in front of the court. Div's burning posters and the protest were casting the height of anger public had for her. With dry tears Div watched them before she was escorted to the court by armed cops.

"Our hearing is after two hours. You can wait here until we are called" Smith said in the waiting hall. It was a huge hall with tiny tiny separate blocks and she was standing in one of them. Through the transparent glass window, she looked at the mad crowd howling, down the building.

What has happened to her life? her heart howled with sorrows. Is this the end of the story, if it is then from where it all began? She sat aghast on the couch and her eye lids fell.

Ten years ago...

"Beta...take umbrella its raining outside" a woman in her 40's came running to the main door.

 "Mom I am already late for the interview" Divyanshi took the umbrella and gave a fleeting hug to her mom. Opening the flower printed pink umbrella, she was walking on the road with hurried steps.

Rain drops falling everywhere and the girl courageously moving forward. Suddenly her feet got struck at one place. With little effort when she pulled it back, her feet were covered with mud. The bottom of the white kurti was stained.

"Oh my god!!" she got so irritated with the happenstance. To her fortune, the school gate was in the spheres of visible range. She saw a person coming with a water bottle.

"Excuse me" she said
"Yes" The person stopped there.
"See my feet is really dirty, I can clean the mud if you help."
"Okay" the person gave the water bottle and she started cleaning the feet.

When the mud started flowing with water, a beautiful foot appeared. The person couldn't take his eyes off. Something attracted him. To return the water bottle when she looked at him, she was surprised how he was starring at her feet.

 "Jerk!!" She threw the empty bottle and headed to the school premises stamping her feet with disgust.

The interview session was cool for Divyanshi. She bagged the job of English teacher with her impressive knowledge display.

"When can I join the school sir?" She asked
"Right away, I will take you to your class, come" The principal said

When she reached at the class room, something surprised her, or we can say someone. Who is the someone? The person whom she had said "Jerk" was just in front of her eyes and the principal introduced him as Hindi teacher.

"Kapil" He forwarded his hand, of course after a glance at her feet.
"Divyanshi" She shook hands with him with a non excited look.
"So the department of literature belongs to you both. Work together" and "Students welcome your new English teacher" The principal left saying this.

Next Day

"Hello Miss" Kapil said as he reached the staff resting room.
"Hi" Divyanshi just gave him a look and then continued reading the newspaper.
"Is the newspaper better than my face?" Kapil said smiling
"Might be faces don't interest me" She countered.
"Well..faces don't interest me too" Kapil said with the same smile.

She just looked at her feet and left the room silently. The same consequences continued over few months, Kapil trying to mingle with Divyanshi but she was getting harsh to him always.

And one day it happened. For literature festival Kapil and Divyanshi got nominated from the school. She was not interested having him as a company for few days in another city, but it was hard to miss such opportunities.

 "See..please stay away from me there ok?" She said at the railway station
 "Ok" he smiled.

And the journey started. Sitting next to each other, both were silent. She was so conscious to keep hiding her feet from him. At one point he was saying something, but Divyanshi was busy listening to songs and her ears were packed by the ear phones.

Kapil understood she was not going to listen. He took his hands near her feet. And the reflex was a tight slap on his cheek. Every body in the compartment got shocked. With no time, Kapil got up from his seat and left.

"How did he dare to touch my feet?" She murmured. 
"Why did you slap him?" A co passenger asked her
"Did you see, what he was.." she was about to say something
 "See the insect there, it was near your feet" the person said,  Divyanshi got a sense of guilty, images of recent past played in her memory, Kapil had never been bad to her then why she was hating him?

How it is true sometimes love happens without a reason, like the same hate comes without a reason. She got up and went in search of Kapil. She saw him standing at the bogie entrance holding the iron rod.

"Kapil" she tried to move closer to him fast and her feet twisted "Uh maa!!" Kapil came running and held her with the blink of her eye. He didn't look at her face. He looked at her feet, how they had turned pink.

"You are mad" Divyanshi smiled. Kapil gave his support to walk holding his hand, both came back to their seats. Now she was very comfortable with him, during their conversation she found how jovial and lively person he was.

 They say time passes without realizing us it is passing with an enjoyable companion and it happened true there. They didn't realize how time passed and they reached to the destination. Few people were there to receive them and took to the school guest house.

At the literature festival a new story was getting written between Divyanshi and Kapil. It was nice watching them together. He would crack jokes, she would hold her abdomen laughing out loud. He would play pranks on her and she would run behind him to beat. They were like two small kids playing together and enjoying every moment.

"Why Hindi teacher?" She asked.
"This was the only job I found" He answered 
"He he he...have you ever been serious in life?" She asked
"Why English teacher?" He asked Divyanshi was going to say something and someone patted on Kapil's back.

"So Kapil..." he asked and laughed continuously for some time and left laughing.
"Strange, who was he?" She asked being surprised
"He is a teacher from other locality nearer to ours" He answered
"Why the hell, I felt bad when he made fun of you?" She was bit angry.

Kapil looked at her, how good it feels when someone really cares for you. Little care, little support, little affection everyone needs in life. With the closing ceremony of the festival, they boarded to the returning train.

"Bum bum bhole...bum bum bhole...." A saint draping himself with saffron cloth entered to the compartment and sat near them. Divyanshi asked so many things to the saint, and at last
"Baba..tell me how my friendship will be with Kapil" She asked
"Bum bum bhole...bum bum bhole...girl say the first thing that is coming to your lips now?" he said and closed his eyes. "I am lucky to have a person like Kapil" she said
"Bacha...remember this, this is the fate of you both" he moved to another compartment.

 The words left them happy. His eyes were at her feet. Don't know what attraction he had.

 "Want to touch it once" she asked Kapil smiled like an infant
 "Go ahead" she smiled Slowly,

Kapil moved his fingers on the feet, eyes are closed, he was in trance. The smile on his lips was depicting the height of happiness. It was a pleasing surprise for her. She couldn't understand how could her feet be so special for Kapil "

Mrs Sharma" a lady called Divyanshi's mother.
"Saw the price of potato" the lady said
"yeah..too expensive" Mrs Sharma said
"How is your daughter?" she asked "han just returned today?" Mrs Sharma said
"from in laws house?" she asked
"na na..she is not married yet" Mrs sharma said
"han what to say about unmarried girls, they go out like butterflies" she said
 "No my Divya is not like that, she had gone for a school festival" Mrs sharma said

"yeah after all, like mom, like daughter, cultural, traditional"

 *laughs*

"not thinking about her marriage" she asked 
"not yet, but if good alliance comes why not" Mrs sharma said
"what happened to your nephew?" Mrs sharma asked
"what to say, he has become so big that we are not finding a suitable match for him" she said

 "mom" Divyanshi came running from the other end and hugged Mrs sharma.

Next day

"Good morning Divya" Kapil said smilingly.
"Good morning Kapil" Divya smiled seeing him in the staff rest room.

The goodness of mornings are defined by people whom we meet.

Both were sitting face to face without saying anything. She noticed his eyes were glued to her feet.
"Go ahead" She said
Kapil kneeled down, watched her feet for a while and touched with so much care.

The delicate soft flesh shied a bit and a new smile departed his lips symbolizing an eternal happiness.

"he he he...you are mad" she said 
"Tell me one thing. Why are you so obsessed about the feet?" she asked
"Obsessed will not be appropriate, you can call it passionate." Kapil said

* laughs *

At Night

"Hello" Taruni said
"Hello...after so many days you are calling me han" Divya said

Divya and Taruni were college mates, they did graduation together, after that Taruni stayed there and Divya returned to her home town.

"Well you know, I won't talk to you" Divya said
"Oh my cutie putie baby, what happened, why so rude to me han" Taruni said
"Don't be so good now you moron, you didn't wish on my b'day" Divya said.
"Oh sorry baby sorry, you know na, now a days I keep forgetting everything because of Akash"
"hmmm, got a boy friend, then you will forget me han, don't you dare?" Divya said

When we get special someone, our priorities change without our realization.

Divya could understand that.

"hey by the way how is Champu Akash" Divya teased
"umm...Don't call him Champu dear" Taruni said sweetly
"How is he?" Divya asked
"He is good." Taruni said
"You know something" she added
"What ?" Divya asked.
"He kissed" Taruni said shyly
"waoo" Divya said

Taruni went on to the details how Akash kissed her. She was so excited that Divya could visualize her jumping bumping picture. It was nothing special for Divya but certainly for Taruni because first kiss remains special always.

"By the way, did you find someone or not?" Taruni asked when she got tired telling about her life.
"Still single baby" Divya said
"Life must be boring then. isn't it?" Taruni said.
"Nope, its awesome. There is a colleague in my school. Kapil. He is so nice"
"hmm..something is cooking up" she said.
"Shut up, nothing like that but he is nice. He plays pranks, he does all little little things that makes me happy." Divya said

"He makes me realize that I am special. One important thing he is so passionate about my feet" she added. "Feet!" Taruni screamed.
"Yes feet, he loves my feet like anything" Divya continued telling her the incidents how Kapil treats her feet with care and love.

They both fell silent for a while. "You know what, he is making fool of you?" Taruni said
"What??" Divya screamed with surprise
"yes this is called Foot fetishism" Taruni said
"Fetishism what?" Divya asked

"Its like a sexual interest in feet or foot wear. Sigmund Freud said the foot obsession as a form of fetishism. I am sorry but your Kapil is a foot fetishist. People like him get attracted by shape of foot, odor of it and their acts include tickling, massaging or licking" Taruni replied.
"oh stop it Taruni, he is not like that" Divya said bit loud.

After the call, Divya could not concentrate on anything, things of past started playing in her memory. She couldn't find an answer to the question 'does Kapil carry any unholy thought behind the act of touching her feet?' The spice of suspicion often spoils the taste of life and there were no exceptions.

From then Divya seemed different to Kapil, she tried to avoid him, and started to be furious when he would try to touch her feet. After few days no body saw Kapil. There were questions floating where he was, but She was least interested to hear the question or answer to the question.

At night someone knocked at her door. She stood still seeing the person in front of her. A police inspector was in front of her eyes.
"Kapil" the police man was about to say something
"Inspector, believe me, I haven't done anything" Divya mumbled in fear.
"Listen to me please, I haven't come here as a police men. I am here a friend of Kapil. Do you know how is he?" he asked.
"I don't know. is something happened to him?" she asked
"Yes and I suspect something more can happen if you don't come" he said

Don't know what made Divya to step out from her home in the middle of the night, but wrapping a pink shawl she accompanied the inspector. It was an old brick made house, but with aesthetic touch of course.

The inspector pushed the wooden door and Divya saw Kapil in the courtyard. His head was covered with monkey cap, thick sweeter on the body, with trembling hands he was trying to fetch water from one vessel and seeing both, his glass slipped from his hand. He didn't say anything and sickly climbed to the terrace and laid down on the bed.

"Follow me" The inspector escorted Divya to the terrace.
"No one exists for Kapil, he is alone in this world" saying this the inspector left with tears.

Kapil and Divya were silent under the fool moon sky. He was lying on the bed and She was sitting near his head and looking at his dry lips, rough hair and sick eyes. She tried to touch his forehead, but he threw it. They remained silent for a while again.

Divya noticed Kapil's eyes were watching her feet.
"Want to touch it" she said affectionately Kapil looked at her carrying so much of innocence in his eyes.
"go ahead" she said with a semi hidden smile.

Kapil got up from bed and sat near her feet, watched it closely and moved his finger with so much care and affection. The delicate softy flesh gave him so much energy and Divya could see the transformation in front of her. He was so pleased. She noticed a new set of energy emerging in him. It was mysterious how could just a touch of feet take someone out of sickness.

Was Kapil a psychotic by any chance? No he was a person with above intelligence. Then what could have been the reason, She couldn't find. Next day seeing Kapil at school, she was surprised, the person trembling with hundred degree temperature last day was in front of her eyes sound and healthy.

"Your fever" she asked.
"gone" Kapil smiled so innocently that Divya went on to kiss his cheek, then realizing the limits stepped back. She never stopped him to touch her feet there after. The thickness of their friendship got better and better day by day.

There were days when She would get irritated and hurt him but Kapil would never complain and just leave the place lowering his lips, immediately She would make him happy. It surprised Divya, one day when she reached school, everyone was laughing. When she asked about Kapil, everyone laughed, and she couldn't find him anywhere. Without Kapil the whole day was boring for Divya, also the suspense why everyone was laughing on his name.


She was rolling over her bed, thinking about this and heard somebody knocked. When she opened the door, it was Kapil.

"Kapil, where were you, I was so tensed today" She scolded him.
"Sorry, but I have come with a request" he said.
"in the middle of the night, what request? hmm" she said 
"I need your ashirwad" he said looking at her eyes.
"I mean..what..you have come so far for this" she mumbled.
"If you don't mind, and please don't ask me why" said Kapil

Divya looked at him and tried to notice his intention, he was innocent like a naive. "ok take it" She said Kapil left the place with a 'see you' and Divya didn't think much on this like always.

Next day Kapil remained absent too. Divya missed his presence, and when she inquired about him, the same consequences continued, people laughed instead of a reply. At night, she heard some noise outside, when opened the door, saw some people carrying Kapil on their shoulders. Leaving the crowd behind, Kapil went to Divya.

"What's happening Kapil, first you are not coming to school, and at night this" She asked with bit anger, but the anger which was sweet.

"For this" He took the champion cup from his back and put at her feet. She stepped back,
"Kapil, please, I am a human" Divya said Kapil didn't say anything, and looked at her feet, Divya lowered her eyelids in approval and he left the place with supreme happiness.

Next day, Kapil was at school and Divya had tons of questions for him.
"Kapil, I need to ask you something" she said
"yeah sure" he replied
"here!" Divya looked around the staff room.
"lets have a walk in the garden then" he said and she nodded.
"Why don't you open your sandal, let my feet touch the green grass and grasp the softness of the universe from them" Kapil said.
"Hello..from when it has become your feet huh! its my feet" she said sweetly.

He didn't say anything but she smiled and removed her sandal. With the very touch of the grass surfaced garden, she realized the trueness of Kapil's thought.

"Such a beautiful garden no" he said caressing the flower petals of the flowers hanging around small plants. "Why did I bring you here, to ask you something na" she made her eyes bit big. 
"Oh yeah..please go ahead"
 "Ok..so first why did everyone laugh when I asked about you? and yesterday night the cup" she asked
 Kapil smiled "do you remember the person who met us during the festival and left laughing" "yes, he laughed at you too" Divya recalled.

"So there is a story behind. Each year there happens a drama competition in our neighbour town. I have been taking the drama team from our town and from past five years we have never won. It was disastrous every year. People used to laugh at us including our school staff. The person whom you met in the literature festival was last years champion" he said

"hmm..and this year you have won" she asked
He beamed with joy uttering a 'yes'
"And how the did the miracle happen?" she asked
"Its all because of your blessings" he answered
"Kapil please, this is too much, how could I do this? I am a human not any goddess" she said
"I don't know, things work for me with your blessings.

The moment you get angry on me, and everything goes wrong. Once I touch your feet, don't know how things fall in place" he said.
"yeah..but you shouldn't be so serious about it. I won't be with you always" she said

Sometimes heart becomes stubborn to accept the truth of time, but no one has ever spared from it. Kapil's lips were silent but storms swinging inside heart.

 "Miss" a small boy called Divya from her back "Your mom has sent this message, you to go to home now" the boy said.
Divya's mom received her at the entrance gate and took her from rear entrance. She was about to ask 'Mom what's happening' but things were happening so fast, there were no time to talk and listen.

In few minutes draping a new silk saree she entered the living room with a tray decorated with coke glasses "Sweet girl" an old lady said and pulled her to the couch.
"Moon on earth I would say" she said again.

A guy wearing black business suit, looked at Divya, their eyes met "Don't ask about my daughter, she is so sweet. Singing, dancing, cooking, decorating house, she is master in everything" Her mom pulled Divya to her side while boasting about her. Divya was like an innocent coin tossing here and there. Everyone was admiring about her.

"Sharma ji..we just finalized, Divya would come to our house" one old man told to Divya's father.
"So nice of you sir, but one thing is making me uncomfortable, how she would manage in United States." her father said
"You must be joking Sharma ji. Have you seen your daughter speaking at literature festival. She speaks english wonderfully." he said
"Is it" Divya's father said
"I was there and I have seen her. During a casual talk with my sister, I told her about your daughter and she claimed knowing your Mrs. and your family. What next we are here" the old man said.

"Omens are good then, shall we fix it ?" Mrs Sharma said.
"Waiting for what ji..right away" the old man replied.

Things were really fast. Divya was happy. She always wanted to marry someone in United States. The high class living culture always allured her, and the guy was with all the good features that a groom should possess. Within few days Divya tied the knot with Mehul and fled to United States. Difficult to say she didn't a chance to meet Kapil or she was least bothered.

Like they say the pace of happiness is too fast that we are forced to leave some people behind.

 So it was all about United states and Divya. She could wear mini skirts and low neck tees flaunting her beautiful skin and no body was there to pass filthy comment. the couple enjoyed a year together and then life became somewhat boring for Divya, so she joined a school as a literature lecturer.

Kapil's words always remained with Divya, how she cured his disease, and her blessing turned five years of bad luck to fortune. She believed she had some power. Oneday in school, a boy complained about his stomach pain. all the teachers were surprised when Divya asked the boy to touch her feet.

"How are you feeling now" She asked
The boy looked around, all the eyes were at him. "Tell me boy, do you feel any pain now?" she asked.
The boy said 'no' and ran shouting in a playful mood.

It surprised everyone. Divya now confirmed her power works. She got instant fame in the school. So kids started coming to her for their health issues, tell me if you are a kid and you are sick, you would prefer gulping bitter pills or just a feet touch. It would be definitely the second option. The belief strengthened day by day when some kids got well, they skipped doctor prescribed medicines and followed Divya.

Then the mishap stroke her life, The kids following her died one by one. When their parents inquired about it, they came to know about Divya's theory. She was sued.

 "Our turn has come" Smith escorted her to the court room. The legal proceedings continued for about two hour and finally the old judge hit the hammer saying 'Guilty' She was charged for spreading false beliefs and found responsible for all the deaths. They were about to send her for imprisonment but smith's tricks managed to give a different direction to it. So finally the verdict was Divya had to deport to India.

"Its unfortunate, I will come to India and we can find a way out?" Mehul said
"Are you not coming with me?" Divya asked him
"Div, you know how it is baby, I have a job here, my life is settled here, how can I leave everything behind and come" he said
"Can't you find a living in India, you still have emotions for the land, where your wife can't stay" she asked. 

Her demand may appear illogical, but does love follow any logic, everything is all about to be together with the person whom we love.
"I mean what's wrong in this land, if you wouldn't have done that..." he was about to say and she interrupted. "Fine, no need to come with me, not now nor never. I will send you divorce paper by post" she entered to the airport stamping her feet with furious eyes.

Divya felt the urgency to meet Kapil as soon as she reached India. She searched him everywhere but couldn't find, it surprised her when someone said he can be found in the temple. Divya knew he never used to go to temple. She didn't know how Kapil would react seeing her, she didn't value him in past but the truth is when we go alone we search for the person who is the most close to our heart.

The temple priest hugged Divya at the temple. "Is Kapil here?" she asked. "yes but no, he has gone to fetch water from temple pond, would be coming soon" he said.

"Lets sit there and chat about your life" The priest took her to the temple steps. Divya burst into tears, and let out all the pain. The priest listened carefully everything.
"I have one question, how it works for Kapil and not for others" she asked

"Poor girl" he smiled "You know why people come to temple? and how their life change. Its all about belief, faith. People have faith on god and it give them energy. Kapil has faith on you more than god. You don't have any power, its his belief that generates power inside him seeing you. He has immense love and respect for you, so together it has become a supremely strong belief" he said.

Divya was silent. "You know why he has started coming to temple, come with me" he took her to the back side of the idol. Divya was taken aback seeing her own idol there.
"Everyday he comes here and spends time with you" the priest said
"But why here, he could have made it somewhere private to him?" she asked
"yes but he wanted to keep you in a holy place like temple. He can't build a temple for you, people won't understand him, so he asked me some place for you here, and seeing his devotion I couldn't say no"

By the time Kapil was seen at a distance holding a small water vessel. Divya ran madly to him and hugged so tightly squeezing him in her arms. The water vessel dropped from Kapil's hand and Divya's feet got wet. She looked at him sweetly, and he made her sit on the steps and wiped her feet with his towel.

"What happened to your left hand" Divya questioned seeing the abnormal movement of the hand.
"It is paralyzed " the priest said who was standing adjacent to them.
Divya moved her hand on his paralyzed hand and a tear drop trickled from her eyes.
"Don't cry girl, this mad boy wants your smile always" the priest left saying.

The life was back for both. Same school, same pranks and by Divya's grace they were so happy. Kapil's hand is normal now, and I am hearing they are getting married next month. It’s an open invitation for everyone, please join and be a part of the a sweet union of the two special souls.


Sometimes unsullied love triggers many forces and sometimes it surpasses the intensity of the forces of the omnipotent.