LOST AND FOUND
Vengrai Parthasarathy
The elderly, tufted gentleman next to me in the bus to Triplicane had his eyes closed and seemed to be either snoozing or in deep meditation. After a while, he opened his eyes turned and I was the first person to meet his eye. “Thank you”, he said. I was wondering why this man was thanking me. He just smiled. I could not contain my curiosity and thought I will engage him in conversation, and said “Hello”.Why are you thanking me ? I asked
Without answering my question he asked me ‘Where are you going’, and I said ‘To the beach’.
‘Before that, will you come with me. I will introduce you to someone whom you will never forget’ he said. My curiosity was further aroused and since he did not look like a con man, I decided to go with him. We got down in Pycrofts Road and walked in the direction of the renowned temple. There. The gentleman then led me down the steps of the tank which is part of the temple complex. There was a tiny temple and the priest who was chanting Mantras recognized my ‘friend’ and exchanged pleasantries. After some puja and Prasad we came out and walked towards the beach where we sat in the vast expanse of sands.
“You know the little God in the temple is called ‘Lost and found Hanumar’. This visit of mine was to thank him (and not you as you imagined!) for restoring a brief case containing important documents which I had absent-mindedly left in the auto-rickshaw’, he said.. Was he mistaking a happy coincidence for divine favour? I thought so. Seeing my quizical look, he then reeled out a number of anecdotes of his relatives and friends finding lost or misplaced articles as a result of invoking this god.. Some of them were trivial ,like a key or or pen and some expensive, like a gold chain or diamond ring or suitcase, One has to pray to this Hanumar earnestly and tie a small knot in the corner of a kerchief or towel or saree end or even a thread. I was intrigued, why, even skeptical.
The basis of all beliefs is Faith, unquestioning Faith which does not rationalize.
The occasion for me to verify the mystery came soon enough.. My cousin had somehow lost or misplaced her watch when she had gone to attend a wedding. I had told her about the ‘Lost and Found’ Hanumar and being a religious type, she immediately took it up. To cut a long story short, and without going into details, all that needs to be said is that she got back her watch.
Whenever someone loses or misplaces any object, the first thing we think of nowadays is the ‘Lost and found Hanumar”…..Well, why don’t you try it if you have even an iota of a doubt.
But have Faith..It can move mountains!