Small Story 163.

Small Story 163 "Rohini's Blessing" Murthy had just returned from his walk when he received a call from his son, Bharath. Bharath, who was constructing a house in the prominent Yadavagiri area of Mysore, urgently needed two lakhs for the construction work. Murthy immediately replied, "Okay, I will transfer the amount now Bharath." Bharath, working as the head of quality control at a pharmaceutical company, was facing delays in his bank loan for the house. Despite Murthy’s repeated offers to support him with a total of twenty lakhs for the construction, Bharath had always declined, preferring to handle things independently. Even though he and his wife Lakshmi had managed to save thirty lakhs from their combined salaries, Bharath had refused to take any more help from his father. Lakshmi, a principled woman working as an HR manager in a private company, wasn’t interested in borrowing money either. The couple had been married for five years and had a young daughter, Rohini, who was studying in nursery school. After sending the money, Murthy called Bharath and asked how much more he needed to complete the construction, as the bank loan was still not approved. Murthy, being wary of paying interest to the bank, wanted to avoid it if possible. Bharath, though capable of handling the situation himself, didn't want to burden his father further. Lakshmi, on the other hand, had a hidden talent for writing. She had been submitting stories to magazines, some of which gained significant popularity. A few months ago, she participated in a novel-writing competition in a leading Kannada magazine and submitted a family-oriented subject. To her delight, she won the first prize of threelakhs rupees, and even more exciting, a popular producer offered to turn her story into a film in four languages. The producer also offered her fifteen lakhs upfront and promised additional bonuses if the film did well. Lakshmi was overjoyed and, in a stroke of inspiration, named the protagonist of her novel "Rohini," after her daughter. The story clicked, and soon enough, Bharath’s need for the remaining 18 lakhs was covered by Lakshmi's prize money. Grateful and relieved, Bharath thanked his family deity for the unexpected blessing. Murthy was pleased that his son had been able to manage without relying on the bank loan, and Lakshmi was happy to see her story—and her daughter’s name—work its magic. The construction was completed within three months, and the family moved into their new home. The housewarming ceremony was a joyous occasion, and the house was named "Rohini," as a tribute to their daughter’s name and the fortune it had brought them. The entire family was happy, and their prayers had been answered. K.Ragavan 21-2-25