The Flying Wish Carpet !

‘Krek Krek….’- an eagle woke me up. He’s flying, asked- ‘Where’ve you got the magic Carpet…?’ 

I looked at him with surprise, ‘What’re you talking about…where I am…?’

‘Kreky kreky…you’re flying high, look down…’- he replied

‘Wow’- I just couldn’t believe…I was far above the ground crossing a jungle.

‘Satpura forest..you’re in the air of India… South Gujarat’- he was surprised too, ‘where have you got this..?’

‘Oh really…’- I was lying on a lovely Carpet. ‘Is that the same my grandma used to tell about in her stories… the flying Carpet fulfill your wish’.  I got the answer at once- ’that’s right, make a wish...’ Thanking my Grandma, I closed my eyes & wished- ‘Srikhand…the sweet of Gujarat….and a silver bowl full of the sweet appeared’.

‘Krekee krekee…Enjoy!’- He turned back… saying- ‘Just down on the ground, you’d find plenty of these splendid Carpets…Kreku kreku..frrr…frr…krekeee…’

Ghrrr…chhak… ghrr…chhak- I heard the sound coming from the Carpet maker’s hamlet.

I landed near a house in the village, Molamba…got in. 

‘One of the Jaipur Rugs…’- she told me the name of that marvelous carpet she’s making knots of.  

Chambi Ben, helping tens of her fellows in ‘weaving wonders’ smiled and gave me a glass of water. I was completely amazed by the ambience, glowing of the art, the colour, the pattern of leaves & branches, the flower and above all, admired by their dedication. Thirty little gods… their two hands and a couple of twinkling eyes…shaping the most beautiful creation…The Magic Carpet! And so were the hundreds of them in the neighborhood.

Ghrrr…chhak… ghrr…chhak-  ‘Does it fulfill your wish as well?’- I asked Champi.

‘Sure...it does...!’- I got the answer in her glittering eyes. Sitting right beside her brother, she told me her story. The story of pain, grief and struggle to come out of gloom…the story of passion, solidity and aspiration to achieve the best out of the life…but… it wasn’t a fairy tale. I tried to find few drops in her eyelashes...but they were strong enough not to be come out.

I took off…with lots of memories…with the legacies of small triumphs…with the inspiration of fighting the odds….and…with the learning where I am… if I’ve to be or… if I think I must be…the questions which come from the core of my heart…what is the flying Wish Carpet…?

[Extracted from my visit experience to the artisans in Valsad district of Gujarat]

Abhishek Kumar (Manager, Communication & Training)

Jaipur Rugs Foundation

abhiyatri@gmail.com