Small Story 383

Small Sory 383: A Temple Visit That Took a Tragic Turn Ram joined his group of friends after finishing his morning walk. He immediately sensed that something was wrong—his friends' faces lacked their usual cheer. Curious and concerned, Ram asked what had happened. Laxmanan spoke with a heavy heart, "Our friend Madhav's grandson Vinay, along with his friend, went to Karur for a temple visit. But on the way, they came across a rally by a famous actor. They decided to attend it out of excitement. Tragically, due to a massive crowd and a stampede, both of them lost their lives." The news stunned everyone. "Madhav just called and informed us," Laxmanan added. Ram sat down, deeply shaken. "Vinay was such a smart and promising young man," he whispered. "This is an irreparable loss to Madhav’s family. They only planned a peaceful temple visit, but fate had something else in store." He paused, then continued, "My sincere appeal to everyone—it's fine to admire movie stars or politicians for their work, but we must be cautious about attending overcrowded rallies or events. Anything can happen in a massive crowd. Sadly, 40 people lost their lives in this stampede. No amount of compensation can bring them back." Everyone around nodded solemnly. Ram concluded, "We should respect their talents, not worship them blindly." The group sat in silence for a few moments, mourning the tragic loss. Then, one by one, they quietly dispersed, each carrying the weight of the day’s sorrow. K.Ragavan 29-9-25