He did it once. He resolved not to do it again.
Years of hard work and dedication saw him steadily rise to the top of the ladder.
It was time for the selection of the University Team.
"You have to arrange 5 lakhs," the team manager told him.
"But, how can I? I belong to a poor family," he was disheartened, his dreams ebbing away.
"Am sorry, Nilesh is willing to pay. If you can't, you have to quit."
He packed his sports gear, and left, perhaps, never to embrace his passion again.
Fate betrayed Eklavya a second time.
This 99 word fiction is shared with Blogging from A to Z April Challenge - E.
(PS: Eklavya is a character from the epic, Mahabharata. After he was rejected as a student by Guru Dronacharya, the teacher of the royal princes, he decided to learn archery on his own, and erected a statue of Dronacharya, worshipping it as his teacher. When Dronacharya realized that Eklavya had turned into a great archer, better than even his favorite pupil Arjun, he asked him for his thumb as Guru Dakshina (reward to a teacher by his student). Eklavya silently obeyed, cutting off his thumb, even though he knew without it he couldn't make use of his acquired skills).
Sad truth of today's times :( But I loved the way you connected the mythological character with a modern day one :):)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jyotsna :-)
DeleteDronacharya was from Congress !
ReplyDeletehttp://sinhasat302.blogspot.in/
Ha ha ha :D
DeleteWhat a sad story...what is this about cutting off pieces of one's own body? When that piece of the body (thumb on;y does GOOD! But might be harmful to Arjun's fantasies.
ReplyDeleteHEY Amrit...is GOOD story, well done, no matter WHAT Sadia tells--LOL!
Why do you not charge her $50 plus royalties! and translate more of her stuff?
Maybe first ask for her thumb? (Oh I think I'm going crazy with this today, --grin!)
This is a sad story for sure ... but then again, life is often cruel at times :-)
DeleteIt is unfortunate how deficiency of Vitamin-M(money) can put an early end to well deserving dreams. Nicely done Amrit.
ReplyDeleteThanks Reshma. And yes, often money spoils many dreams :-)
DeleteYepps being in sports needs a lot of investment. Sadly the ones who are talented dont count
ReplyDeleteThat's how it is :-(
DeleteUnfortunately fate rejects Eklavyas over and over again ....
ReplyDeleteYeah :-(
DeleteWhat a take on the subject.
ReplyDeleteI have to say, yours is my favourite Ato Z theme. You keep them short and crisp. Exactly what I want :)
This makes my day special. Thanks so much :-)
DeleteTalent or money... big question mark these days.
ReplyDeleteAnd often the answer isn't what it should be ...
DeleteThis was very interesting!
ReplyDeleteThanks McGuffy :-)
DeleteI love the idea of 99-word fiction. Great use of the Challenge!
ReplyDeleteThanks Laura :-)
DeleteSuper, Amrit! Bitter truth - then and now. And the 99 word story idea is amazing. Can't stop wondering how you do it!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much ... I am just trying my best :-)
DeleteYou have contemporized Ekalavya. The tales of Mahabharata are immortal.
ReplyDeleteI love those stories :-)
DeleteReading you after long, and amazed the same way. Excellent one! (Y)
ReplyDeleteThanks Srishti :-)
Delete