Heaven or Hell...

​Laying in my grave it was more than a week, waiting for Yama to take me and Chitragupta to decide on my fate of going to heaven or hell.

The wait for final interview was killing me from inside. I was nervous, anxious, I was preparing, rehearsing my answers and anticipating questions likely to be asked....

Will he ask me the questions as asked in all the interviews, "Tell me something about yourself"? C'mon Anoop, he is God and has all your details. Are they like our HR managers who are not prepared for taking interviews. I answered to myself....Then what could he ask or will he just give me possession letter of flat in Heaven?

I was sure I will go to heaven, I was also getting worried, it was so long and why they have not yet come. Did his vehicle break down in between or was there a traffic jam!!  In movies I have seen him coming immediately...Then a thought suddenly made me worry...has he forgotten me? Will I be roaming around the earth as a ghost? Has my family not done the rituals they were supposed to do? Have they not paid the pandit the required dakshina??? Was he a fake pandit?

I got upset, as a human I had worries but after death, why should I have all these worries!! Speaking to myself, I relished I was lonely in this new world of mine meanwhile I saw a light outside my grave and inquisitiveness of that human which it was still there, it’s only few days I have been a ghost!!! I wanted to know, what it was...

Last few days has been more of taking rest unable to move like a new born baby...now I tried to lift myself up. I felt light, I could fly, I was flying...I always wanted to FLY...HA HA HA I am flying, I started to shout with happiness, by then came an another ghost and told me to not to make noise...

I got panicked and started shouting more louder saying "GHOST...GHOST...PLEASE HELP" By then Ghost's friend came and told him, "He is new, doesn't know the rules, we have to teach him..."

They asked, “We are Ghost and what about you... THEN?” The reality stuck me, "Oh GOD!! I am dead and I am also a ghost...." I hesitantly went close to them and apologized...I asked curiously, "How long have you been here and what are the rules of the new world, is this Heaven?"

They said "NO, this is the waiting arena, whether to Hell or Heaven that will be decided latter"

"How long have been you here, what were you talking about rules? Oh God, rules here also? Since my childhood I had been following rules, will I have to follow it here too?"

He answered, "Not much, we will tell you as required. First and foremost, you are supposed to talk in a very low voice because a lot of souls here are meditating. They wish to increase their points for better posting, so we can't make noise and disturb them."

I asked, "What posting???" They smiled at me and said you will learn in due course! After a pause they said, "We are going for a stroll, would you like to join us?"

I wanted to know this world better, so I got along... I knew this place; this is the graveyard behind my colony where I used to stay. I ran up to them said, "I know this place...We are still on earth..." They said, "YES...Just that we are in a different time dimension." I could see all kinds of people celebrities, Politicians, cricketers, doctors all sitting in groups and waiting for their turn.

They said till you are here, which could be a few days to some years. You have two options; firstly, you can go back to your grave and wait till your turn comes. Secondly, you could take the permission and go wherever you want to. However, you have some rules to follow and you have only 2 days to decide about it. Until then you will not be allowed to go outside this graveyard.

While returning to my grave, I tried sneaking out of graveyard without anyone's knowledge. I thought that my house is nearby let me visit my wife and children once. The moment my head crossed the boundary of the graveyard, I was hit with a laser and captured in a box...The same two ghosts came and started laughing at me...and said, "We told you not to go out without permission..."  I was feeling embarrassed. I apologized and said, "Please let me free I will not do it again, I am not aware of Ghost rules yet!!"

They set me free giving me two negative points. They suggested, "You have to do good deeds to earn positive points..." Oh God!!...I thought I had done enough good karma when I was alive, what is this again, here also...I am neither alive nor dead fully, what a situation is this?

Not sure what to do, I went back to my grave...alone looking at that closed compartment; Garib Rath has more space than this. I started hitting my hands to the ground unable to find answers what to do. By then I heard a sound, asking me to stop banging, I was surprised!!! There is no sound when I am hitting the ground. No one should be bothered about this. Inquisitively I asked, "Who it was?" A very fat and old female came out and said, "Why are you disturbing me? I said, "Ma'am, I am knocking my ground, how am I....?? She interrupted me in between and said, "Your ground is my roof...What do we have is an apartment culture here as well... She continued, "I died before you and they buried me first, after few years my grave went under the mud and your grave was placed here...and don't be surprised there are people below me as well..."

I was shocked and I asked, "How long have you been here... I am here since a week. Are you not going to Heaven...?" She in a sorrowful tone answered me, "It is more than 20 Years. I have done a lot of mistakes in my life, I have troubled my daughter-in-law. I have created trouble for my in-laws and husband too... I was always looking to make money in all forms. I was greedy... I went to the temples but never followed any good practices. Forget all such big things, I even never followed basic manners like "not to spit on the public place" and instead used to spit my Paan everywhere.

Getting more worried, I thought and said to myself, I have not done any such mistake. I don't have to worry...I have followed rules of government, paid taxes properly...was a good son, husband, n father.... By then my two ghost friends appeared from nowhere and said, "Your thinking will not be enough. What is there in Yama's Super Computer will matter...you will be given a chance to explain your deeds....."

Eagerly I said, "I wanted to talk to you guys in detail, where can I meet you and speak...?" They said, “Just think about us and we will come and visit you.” They said this and vanished...again.

With a confused mind I went back to my grave to sleep. It was close to 3 AM. I made sure I don't disturb the lady in the beneath grave... I was deep in my sleep when I heard a loud honk of the car. It woke me up... and I could hear all kinds of bikes, cars and buses moving. Is it 9 a.m.? Have people started going to office? Did I wake up so late? Trying to find answer to my questions, I extended my hand to pick up my Mobile to check the time...from my side table of bed. My hand went straight down; I don't have a side table and a mobile also... I looked at the sky it was still dark. I asked myself, not sure what time it is!!! Answer came from the adjacent grave, "Don't worry, it is only 4:40 AM and people have started going back home from JOB. I said, "WHAT?" Yup, it is the time when call center and IT guys go back... Humans have no respect for time; they neither have peace nor allow us to sleep in peace....

Humans say we are trouble makers. Actually they are troubling us, no peace in grave also... The whole day I sat in my grave looking outside the graveyard. Every person is in a hurry to go somewhere; wrongly overtaking not following traffic rules. I am not sure what they are planning to achieve. I wanted to go out and tell them "whatever speed you take now, once you come to this place, you will have to sit and wait..." They have to pay for all the mistakes they are doing in their life, troubling the Soul as well... By then some person threw some trash on to the graveyard and it fell just next to me. It was badly stinking and I could not even move it aside as I haven't got the power to hold anything as of now....

Some people urinating on compound wall of the Grave and some more came to the grave had their drink, dirtied the place and went back... I started thinking when their loved ones die, they make such a hue and cry and go to any extend of rituals to put them to rest. Although they don't have any respect for the grave, maybe that's why Ghosts scare them to keep their surroundings clean... No one has even bothered to clean it... Humans don't have enough time to keep their colony clean where on earth will they find time to clean a graveyard...I wondered.

By then I saw a flash and to my surprise I was called for interview just after 2 weeks. All my neighbors’ were happy and said that I was lucky that within two weeks I have been called for interview. Whereas they had been waiting for months and years and still struggling to get a slot. According to them it is like a Slot is always booked. We should have done good deeds atleast then we wouldn’t have to suffer in this grave...

They said what the point of thinking all of it now. We should have done good deeds when we were alive...doesn't matter anymore.

They suggested, "You do one thing, take an out pass from the grave keeper and visit all the places you want to in this one week. You will lose some points but it is worth it...take a chance to visit your family, friends, office etc....

Sounded good to ME. I immediately recollected all my friends who had asked me to call when required and they appeared; I requested them that I would like to take an out pass and will be back in time of interview. Can you help??

They said, "Yes, for that you have to meet our leader nominated by Yama and he will give you instructions and a wrist band which you have to wear. He will ask you to get some things from the other world..." I said, "It’s OK with me... Can you please take me to that person?"

They said...Follow us.

As I reached his office, I found a lot of ghosts waiting there too. At a distance I saw a face known to me very well, it was my Neighbour Ravi. I called out to him loudly. But my escorts said that I shouldn't do that, he is our leader. I protested, "Maybe but he is my friend and neighbor" and called him once again. He looked at me and smiled and then asked me to visit him in his chamber...

I asked, "Ravi, I thought you would be interested in politics in that world but you are a bigger leader here? He smiled and asked, "When did you come? What happened?" After carefully checking in his white screen, he said, "You are lucky, one week and you got your call letter, what is the plan now???"

Sadness filled my voice and I said, "Ravi...I want to go out and visit my family and friends. I promise I will be back before the date of my interview." He said, "Okay, I will give you the band but remember you can't lose it. If you lose it you neither can reach here nor would be on earth, you will be hanging in between 40 feet and 70 Feet above ground forever... You should not talk to any other soul whom you meet outside. Just complete your work and come back. When you return, you must bring at-least 10 bottles of Honey." Surprised, I asked, "Honey???" "Yes, Honey!!!" And he wrapped the band on my wrist.

The moment I got the wrist band I was thrown out of the grave wall. I was flying high, I was excited, thrilled... I thought let me meet my friends in office first as it may not take more time.  Whereas if I go home, I may not feel like visiting any other place...So I started towards my office. I felt that the pollution has increased. I was unable to see anything. Somehow reached my office, the place where I used to spend 10-12 hrs of a day. All my friends were at the pantry. I tried saying “HI” to everyone but no one heard me. I stood there watching them and moved around with them for more than a couple of hours. No one was even mentioning about me. Everyone seemed to be happy. They had forgotten me and moved on in their lives...

I thought they may not remember me but my boss, who always had appreciations for me will at-least speak/think about me. I reached his cubical, mine workstation was next to his and someone has already taken my place... He was busy and in the meantime his mobile rang. He was speaking to someone and promising that it would be done. Just after the call he called our accountant and asked, "Why have you not cleared all the payments of Anoop. His family is calling me and I told you all these cases should not come to me ever. Accountant promised, "Sir, it will be done today. I was just checking about his LOP's and other advances that he has taken...HR Department has to give me the data." As he was about to leave boss called him again and said, "Give them the PF and insurance form also, I don't want them to call me again. You give your number and ask them to be in touch with you for any clarification...."

He mutters to himself, "Useless guys, just wasting my time..." I was shell-shocked and shattered beyond words... I used to work late without worrying about my children's birthday and my anniversary to make sure that he meets his deadline. And now look how he is talking about my family....

I quietly moved away and really didn't feel like seeing anyone else. I decided to go to my family and check how they are reacting. Initially I was hesitant...after my experience of the office??? Should I go in or should I go back to my grave?? I was thinking when I saw my son coming from somewhere. I was very happy to see him; he had a huge packet in his hand. "What has he got?" I went in… and I found my kids sitting at one corner with my wife and parents. They all looked extremely sad. My son had got dinner for them... They have cried a lot, they are missing me... I could see that in their eyes.

I was happy to see that my son had taken over the responsibility very well. He was doing all the work at home. His mother knew the details of insurance and other things so she was asking him to get it settled... All my relatives have left. Everyone has moved on with their life, my family as well...

Other than my family no one really bothered about me... In fact, when I was alive I have given my family the least time. I always used to run to the office where I spend 10-14 hrs a day. They have forgotten me within 10-12 hours and replaced me with a new person in a day... And now he is working like a donkey. 

I lived my live for relatives and society thinking what they wanted to be at par of their expectations and the least time, I had given to my family. Today I realize that only my family misses me and I should have given more time for them....

Next few days just went by watching my family rebuild their life without me. It was time for me to go back. I also have to get honey but how...? I don't have money and I can't pick up anything as well... Suddenly I was sucked back to grave...

Hesitantly I told Ravi, "I couldn't get honey as I had no money and the power to pick up any thing... He laughed loudly and asked, "What did you learn from this....?"

I was quite.... He laughed again nonstop and said, "Think before you reach Chitragupta...."

Again my two friends appeared and said, "Time to go for final interview." Walking along they asked, "Will you get Hell or Heaven...?" I was nervous by now... On the way I saw some of them being put in fire and some being dumped in Acid... I started to sweat... At one huge door they left me and told me that when I open the door, there will be a bridge, walk on that and you will reach judgment hall... I said, "I can't walk...just then I had my legs back...

I was sweating profoundly. I opened the door hesitantly and what I found there is no bridge but just a rope, on which many others were walking and trying to reach the destination safely. Some were falling down and they were the people going in to the fire and Acid... I was not prepared for this... As I put my first leg on the rope and the door closed behind me... I panicked and started walking on the rope with shaking legs...

From a far distance I could hear my daughter, Tamanna calling me..."Dadda...Dadda..." I opened my eyes and look up...

"Dad, it is late, you have to drop us to school, are you not well? You don't sleep so long...."

I said, "Stop dear, and don’t ask me so many questions in a breath" and hugged her Tight… ​