A BANDIT WHO DONATED HIS HAIR

The tale of a bandit who realized his evil deeds and returned to path of virtue.

                It happened in a city in Bombay, India, there was a child named Akhshaya who lived in a very harsh life. He had lost his father since he was eight and thence, his mother had to work hard to raise this very only son. Being in India, as a poor family, it was normal to be looked down by higher status people. His mom was constantly bullied by the richer people in the neighborhood. There was one time, the kids from the wealthier family threw stones at her and caused her to trip and fall. The injury was severe that turned her into a blind woman.

                Akhshaya who was only ten that time was forced to leave the school and work in a paddy field owned by his uncle. His uncle and the family members treated them cruelly. Sometimes deducting their pay greatly just for simple mistakes done by the poor boy. His mother was forced to borrow money that added hefty interest rate for each day she could not afford for pay back. Akhshaya was victimized by that having needed to work hard and took up part time cleaning shoes for wealthy people.

                Sometimes he thought to himself, wishing he was never born. He felt the great burden on his shoulders, the need to take care of his mother and himself. He also felt jealous seeing other boys and girls going to school to study but he did not have that life. He would peep at other school children listening to the teachers but constantly chased out from the school as he did not have the money to obtain education.

                One day as he was busy peeping into the classroom listening to the teacher, he was spotted by a group of bully. They chased him out of the school and upon reaching the fence, he could not move any further. The bully surrounded him and started hitting him. In retaliation, to defend himself, he picked up a plank and hit the leader. The leader’s head was bleed and the others attended him. Akhshaya managed to escape but he had no courage to return back home as the bully might search for him if he did.

                So he ran to somewhere further that he would not get spotted. At night he stayed under a tree, fed by mosquitoes and using the cardboard only as his blanket. The night was so hot, he could barely sleep. Mosquitoes biting made him hard to even lie down properly. The next morning, he returned back to his home but before he arrived, the bully had surrounded his house. They wanted to nab Akhshaya but his mother kept telling them her son had not been back since yesterday. The bully did not believe and searched in the house, there was no trace of him.

                It was then his mother was beaten and Akhshaya was so upset yet annoyed. He could not do anything but to watch with tearful eyes. His mother could barely stand up after that. Only some kind neighbors attended her and treated her wound. Akhshaya kept the grudge in him remembering each and every faces of the bully. It would be a day of retribution, he promised. So he turned around with the vow he would never return until one day when he is stronger and he could avenge what they did to his mother.

                When he reached the forest, he stumbled upon a group of thuggee. The leader of the thuggee asked him of his motive to come to the forest alone. It was dangerous for him to come yet he did. Akhshaya told him of what had happened to him and his mom and the leader was sympathized. He offered to train Akhshaya into a ferocious bandit and then he could do anything to achieve what he aimed for. He was trained to fight, then to rob the passersby. He felt so fun of what he had done.

                Time passed and Akhshaya grew up. When he was twenty five, he excelled other members and the leader had faith on him. However the leader was too old to lead the group and Akhshaya was hailed as the new leader. The previous leader finally died of heart attack and old age. Akhshaya’s first move was to kill all the bullies that had hurt him and his mom. He began raiding their homes and killed the seven of them. Since then, he was thrilled with bloodlust. He began raiding the wealthy people’s homes and robbed, killed and even raped the inhabitants. He was quickly named the most wanted person by the police officers.

                It was until one day, the crime became the talk of the town and yet the police could not trace where he was, a sage offered to go alone into the forest to meet him. The sage wearing white robe, having white tilaka across his forehead and wearing flowers garland around his neck, walked barefoot into the forest. He walked calmly ignoring those bandits tailing him. They were interested with the golden bangles on the sage’s hands. The sage kept chanting while walking.

                Until he reached the path blocked by a fallen tree, he stumbled upon Akhshaya who was sitting on it swinging the axe. ‘Where are you going, swami?’ The sage looked up at him smilingly. ‘To see you, Akhshaya.’ Akhshaya leaped to the ground walking around him. ‘Looking for death here or to come here to donate your golden bangles, swami?’ The sage did not show any fear and that made Akhshaya a bit surprised. He was just smiling and looking rather radiant and relaxed. ‘I can donate you the golden bangles of course but wishing to know how are you doing too child?’ Akhshaya chuckled. ‘Child? I am a grown up now, swami!’

                The swami sat down cross legged. ‘I don’t think you have grown up. Maybe you are doing alright but do you know if your mother is doing the same?’ Akhshaya began to silent himself. He just recalled of his mother. The swami continued. ‘Do you wish to see your mother, Akhshaya?’  Akhshaya felt so sorry for he had almost forgetting his mother. ‘What happened to her, swami? Tell me!’ The swami stood up. ‘Walk with me. Stop talking and see what you can see.’

                Akhshaya followed the swami and the swami took him to a wealthy family’s house. The people were grieving as the pyre was set in fire. A woman’s body on top was swollen by the flame slowly and Akhshaya began to drop his tears watching. The swami turned to him. ‘Do you know who she is?’ Akhshaya gulped. He shook his head. ‘She was a mother to the family member, whom her husband was just passed away not long.’ Akhshaya looked at the children. They were still so young probably younger than him before he ran away. ‘Now they were forced to leave the house to join the orphanage because their father could not make it to make any will yet and then their mother had passed away.’ Akhshaya felt even bad of himself.

                He went to the second house. Another house victimized when he raid last night. He saw the lady screaming hysterically, only to be comforted by nurses. The sage whispered to him. ‘The victim your member raped, now lost her mind. She had married her husband whom your people murdered that night and they did not have any children yet. Now the properties were belonged to the government and the poor woman would be sent to asylum.’ Akhshaya felt almost weak on his feet. He felt even heartbroken seeing their condition.

                Come to the third house, a house wiped off in fire. The sage explained to him. ‘This was once a beautiful house but after your men departed with the goods, the house was burnt down together with the family members inside. How do you think if you are in their condition?’ Akhshaya could not hold himself anymore. ‘Stop swami! Stop! I feel so bad. So bad that I don’t know what punishment come to me next. What should I do, swami?’

                The sage held his hand and took him to his house. So many people surrounding his poor mother who tried to defend on behalf of his son. They taunted her, spat at her and even threw things at her. Akhshaya watched with remorse, so sorrowful and felt so regret in his heart for what he had done. The swami looked at him. ‘This is what your mom had been facing every day since you were gone. You might be living happily having achieved what you wished for, but your mom became the prey of your actions.’ Akhshaya walked slowly towards his mom and despite being condemned by the neighbors, he knelt down to his mom’s laps and repeatedly apologized.

                His actions moved the neighbors and they silenced themselves. ‘If I know what I’ve done that caused the outrage to the neighborhood, I would not have done it. It is the state of being vindictive that overcome me and I thought I was a great person to defeat the neighbors but I am not a great person enough to defeat my evil thoughts. I am apologizing profusely for what I have done.’

                Soon the policemen arrived, handcuff ready to nab him but the sage stopped them. ‘He had realized his mistake, my fellow friends. For that I am honor to teach him the path of being good, avoiding evil and to purify himself.’ He took out a blade reached for Akhshaya’s hair and cut out a bunch. ‘His evil deeds are removed. I give each and every one of you a bunch of his hair, go back home and toss in the fire. Forget all the grudge, you will feel the new brand you again.’ The neighbors obeyed the sage’s instruction, each and everyone got a bunch of his hair and went back home satisfied.

Author's Note

Might be grammar mistakes but I hope all of you do enjoy the story

Reviews

[Riley Sayle]

you are right about the grammar and there is some awkward phrasing but I felt the story itself was very interesting and well thought out. Maybe getting someone to read over your work before publishing is a way you could refine your already impressive work.