Yoga Mat

 One Sunday morning in December 2020 Dr Venu in his luxury apartment was about to discard his 10 year old Yoga Mat when it was noticed by Gopi the security staff rushed to him and procured the mat from him.From that day onwards Gopi used to sleep on that mat in his house.Lying on the mat mixed memories came to his mind.He had been living in a lower middle class Nair family of a village in Alleppey . He had a house with an area of 6 cents of  land.His two children son and daughter were studying and Gopi worked both in the farm land as well as cutting woods .Son Satish after completing his SSLC got training and skill both in plumbing and electrical wiring in addition to procuring driving license.Depending on demand he worked in these capacities.Gopi's daughter Soumya was studying for Bcom graduate program.First two semesters she had completed successfully.During the third semester when she was attending the class she felt both numbness and tingling sensation in the entire left leg making it impossible to stand up and walk.

    Her parents were called and appraised of the condition and she was taken to the nearest primary health centre.They prescribed certain medicine but in vain.Taking into consideration local opinion Gopi opted for ayurvedic treatment.They administered ayurvedic medicines and massage therapy . Even after three weeks no improvement was noticed.One bystander of a patient in ayurvedic hospital suggested to Gopi that such cases were successfully handled by one Dr.Shenoy  in Ernakulam.Gopi finally decided to consult Dr Shenoy.After going through the scan and X-ray reports he suggested 3 surgeries each surgery alone costs 1.5 lakhs apart from cost of medicine and other hospital charges.Gopi and his wife Rema who were adamant to treat their daughter, after discussing the pros and cons decided to dispose their only house.Since it was a distress sale they could manage to get only rupees 10 lakhs .

    As expected surgery was very successful and Dr Shenoy had charged only for two surgeries.Sowmya started walking with the help of walkers.After six months she could manage to walk normally without walkers.Since they have lost their house and they have to consult Dr Shenoy frequently they have decided to shift from Alleppey to Aluva and occupied a rented house in front of Narasimha temple

   In the meantime Satish got married and was blessed with a son.Sowmya was able to get a part-time job in a computer centre.Gopi and Rema had been thinking about Sowmya's marriage.They made extensive search for the bridegroom.Since Sowmya was relatively beautiful Prakash from Thrissur who has been working in a computer shop after knowing her background came forward to marry her.Under Kovid19 conditions marriage was solemnised with limited members from both sides.That night while sleeping on the Yoga Mat Gopi was thinking that he was the happiest man in the world and it is high time to celebrate it elaborately !

  After the marriage and two days stay  the couple left to Thrissur.Rema was relaxing on the same Yoga Mat when quite different thoughts came and disturbed her mind- How her husband became alcoholic after Sowmya's ailment and disposal of their property?He was taken to a de addiction center and treated for more than one month and he fortunately became normal. Today she is very much disturbed and anxious that for the sake of celebration of daughter's wedding yesterday he had taken two pegs. Although Rema is very happy about her daughter's marriage two factors are troubling her mind. 1.Gopi should not go back to his old habit of drinking.2. They should have their own house either through their own effort or through Government housing scheme.But one consolation is that since son in law Prakash is a teetotaller and both daughter and Prakash are very much affectionate and attached to Gopi, Gopi's vulnerability to liquor can be curbed.