......finally, I found him!

Finally, I Found Him!

It had been such a long search! But today, I found him.

I thought I had lost him forever. Yet this morning, amidst all the clutter and chaos, he reappeared like a ‘Deva’ emerging from the flames of a long ‘Tapas.’

Lol! I’m talking about Swaminathan—the adorable little Swami from Malgudi. I must have read Swami and Friends a dozen times, but he never fails to captivate me. For a while, I had been searching for R.K. Narayan’s Swami and Friends, a cherished part of my collection. The last time I wanted to read it, it had mysteriously vanished. I couldn’t remember if I had lent it to someone or misplaced it myself. I scoured my entire bookshelf, but to no avail.

Swami’s memory would keep popping into my mind during my busy days, and I missed him terribly. Just thinking of him would bring me energy and joy, as he’s been my companion since my school days.

Awwww! How I loved his mischievous antics! As I’ve mentioned before, when Doordarshan first aired Malgudi Days, I was probably the happiest person in India!

Today, thanks to the extended holidays until March 31st, I decided to embark on a ‘Swachh Bharat’ cleaning mission. And guess what? That’s how I found him—Swami, my long-lost friend! A blessing in disguise! After wading through a sea of dust (masked, of course), there he was, hidden under a carton in the storage room.

The moment I saw him, I yelled Eurekaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

I was definitely happier than Archimedes himself! Everyone at home came running to see what all the fuss was about, wondering who this modern-day Archimedes was.

As for who buried my Swami there—God only knows! If I ever find out, they might want to avoid my knives!

The rest of the day? I did absolutely nothing but spend time with him. Swami, I can never love you enough!

Needless to say (but I’ll say it anyway)—Simplicity, Cuteness, and Intelligence personified. That’s my Swami, overloaded with charm!

Thank you for coming back into my life!