PARADISE DISCOVERED.

          While in a bout of depression I drove down the countryside aimlessly till I reached a valley next to the sea. The scenic beauty of the verdant valley with a background of a calm blue sea and the hill slopes full of flora uplifted my spirits instantaneously. I stopped and took a closer look. I found the valley looked more like a sea of green of different shades. Involuntarily I got down and found myself walking on the grass. To my great surprise I found the green grass had many wild flowers of myriad colours, shapes and sizes. Daffodils and Meadow Butter cups dressed in yellow sat next to red campions, table roses and Snapdragons also dressed in multi coloured costumes and swayed gently to the sea breeze dancing with Petunias of the corresponding colour. The whole scene looked like an opera of colours and a fine tapestry woven beautifully by a master craftsman.

          A bit further away I found a gate covered with Garden Leader Rainbow which promised even more beautiful things. At the entrance many Dahlias looking gorgeous in splendid costumes stood as a reception party. The sunflowers stood next to them tall and ramrod lending dignity to the beauty of the reception committee. The path ahead was lined on both sides with Chrysanthemums trees full of flowers in full bloom and reminded me of the mall in Washington. Next to it I found fields of Tulips of different hues neatly arranged in rows and looked like the stuff that dreams are made of. The next field had a big rose garden with most of the flowers in full bloom and some still blossoming. The range of colours of the garden could beat any rainbow hollow and evoked feelings of love and romance. The Carnations stood proudly next to the roses to show that they were no less endowed with beauty. I couldn’t resist the idea of picking a Carnation and putting it on the lapel of my jacket. Further on I found a green house which had many Orchids dainty, delicate, with intricate designs and of many shapes and colours. Inside the colours ran riot. They all looked like beautiful girls in their prime dressed in their Sunday best for a VJ parade or something of that sort.

          Outside I found several ponds some filled with lotuses and some with swans moving with the amazing grace of ballerinas. Around the ponds the well manicured lawns featured beds of Zinnias of different designs and colours, mixed with clusters of white Asters and Candy Mountains. The whole place filled with exotic flowers like Gladiolus, Callas, Iris, Bouvardia, Hydrogenia, Begonias, Lavender, Jasmine, and other fantastic flowers   whose names I didn’t even know looked like a veritable paradise on earth. I couldn’t take my eyes off and move my feet away to leave the place. I didn’t know whether I was dreaming or in the garden of heaven for real. I found the only odd thing a well buffed big brass bell at one end with two bell ropes. Out of curiosity I pulled on one rope and rang the bell.

          As if on cue, a whole big park appeared before me. It looked more like the Hyde Park but a million times bigger. It had several podiums all filled with speakers of both sexes dressed in multi coloured ensembles saying their pieces. Most had masks and some looked natural and in their elements. I found them waxing eloquence and with strong convictions and eclat on disparate matters ranging from nuclear deal to preparation of muddapappu (lentils boiled and made into a paste). Each speaker had several listeners around him listening with rapt attention and giving their comments sometimes more eclectic than the speech, enriching the content of the speech. It looked as though all subjects under the sun were being spoken off wit equal ardour. Some speakers seemed to be having interactive sessions and even indulging in a bit of banter of flirting. Some spoke with authority backed by erudition, wisdom and wit and long years of experience in their chosen field. Some spoke in flippant tones and showed their sense of humour. The crowd around guffawed loudly or sang paeans in praise of any speaker who articulated his thoughts with style, substance or humour on any subject. Plenty of raconteurs narrated their stories some short and some long and even some tall with a straight face. Some stories made the audience cry and some sent the audience down the memory lane to their own days of childhood and follies. The story tellers had many listeners and seemed to be having a field day.

          I also found in another corner poetry sessions with ladies baring their sensitive souls in well crafted verses on profound thoughts and acknowledging all the hosannas sung for them. The ladies often burst out laughing and their peals of laughter echoed in my heart and made me jump with joy.

          As if that was not feast enough for the ears and the soul some played soul stirring music and good old songs from their Hi Fi sets and some sang heavenly songs. Many went round with their latest gizmos in photography and showed wonderful pictures stills and videos on a giant screen. A few sat in a corner lost in their thoughts and oblivious of everything around kept painting wonderful pictures, or cartoons. Above all, all the speakers moved around exchanging pleasantries and exhibiting a camaraderie rarely seen. They networked with people of different talents, specialities and drawn from all over the world and displayed their mutual respect and admiration.

          I found the whole scene so enlightening, enriching, exhilarating and enchanting and wondered whether I discovered paradise by accident or gate crashed into an altogether different world where happiness alone ruled the roost. I also wondered how I found my way into the heavenly place and then remembered the bell. When I went back to the bell and had a closer look I found the bell marked Sulekha and one bell rope LOG IN and the other LOG OUT. I never pulled any of the ropes thereafter.