Sunday Photo Fiction – July 29, 2018
https://sundayphotofictioner.wordpress.com/2018/07/28/sunday-photo-fiction-july-29-2018/
A WIN-WIN SITUATION
Photo Credit: Joy Pixley
By Neel Anil Panicker
‘Oh Lord Muruga, we bow our head in obeisance at your feet and thank you a trillion times one more time. You’ve kept us safe from police and fellow criminals and for this benevolence we shall be ever grateful. As promised, here’s a fifth of our ‘earnings’. Please continue to shower us with your benediction as always’.
From a narrow hexagonal slit in the rocks, Ashwathama watched as the criminals unopened heavy jute bags and laid on the granite floor in front of them gold and silver ornaments, several bundles of cash, Kancheewaram sarees, even what seemed a very costly all leather designer bag.
Once they had made their way down the precarious stony steps, eighty-eight Ashwathmma crept out of his vantage position and carried the ‘offering’ back into the hollow.
Life had been one unimaginable miracle, ever since, some three decades ago, a twenty year old who’d just lost his entire family to a ravaging flood, climbed up the mountain and on a crazed whim carved a monolith 100 feet high statue after a Herculean two-year effort.
Since then, he’d anointed himself Lord Muruga’s intermediary __passing on the pickings of the ‘haves’ to the ‘havenots’__a win-win situation for all.
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Good idea! Wish our temples did that too, instead of hoarding it all….
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Yes, but then that’s wishful thinking for all those ‘fat cat’ temples would lose out on all that ‘wealth’ which they lust after.
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Interesting idea Neel. Nice way to play on superstitious beliefs and help the poor!
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Thanks a lot, Kelly.
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Ashwathmma sounds similar to the English Robin Hood, I enjoyed all the details from India you put in your short story.
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Thanks a lot. I did think about Robin Hood__of robbing from the rich Pauls of the world to pay the poor Peters.Thanks a lot., Michael.
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Fun story! I always enjoy stories where the criminals get tricked by the “little guy” into sharing the wealth. Your idea of a made-up deity is a bit similar to my story this month, although mine is more about misunderstandings than trickery.
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I also like the idea of the HAVEs being taken and giving to the HAVE NOTS, even if they don’t know about it. Very enjoyable Neel
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Neat take on the prompt, Neel
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Ha ha ha, good for him.
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