Small Story 240.

Small Story 240 "Saved by a Detour: A Blessing in Disguise" Revathy was deeply worried about her son Arvind’s whereabouts. He had left Chennai for a tour of Kashmir on April 20, but there had been no word from him since. News of recent tragic incidents and government crackdowns in the region only heightened her fears. His mobile phone had been switched off for days, adding to her anxiety. Ram, Arvind’s father, was equally distraught. He considered filing a police complaint, but without any concrete information, he felt helpless. With heavy hearts, both he and Revathy turned to prayer, seeking the blessings of their family deity for Arvind’s safe return. That evening, Ram’s phone rang. To his immense relief, it was Arvind on the line. Whispering reassuringly, Arvind said, “Don’t worry, Dad. I’m on my way home. I’ll be there in about two hours.” True to his word, Arvind arrived two and a half hours later—cheerful, unharmed, and in his usual spirits. The family, overwhelmed with joy and gratitude, embraced him tightly and offered fervent prayers of thanks to their deity. As they settled down, eager to hear what had happened, Arvind began to recount the unexpected turn of events. He explained that after leaving Chennai with his friend Vishnu on April 20, they had made a spontaneous decision to stop in Tirupati for a darshan of Lord Balaji before heading to Kashmir. On the morning of April 21, just after their darshan, they unexpectedly ran into their old schoolmate Murthy—now a successful Telugu film director. Delighted by the reunion, Murthy insisted they accompany him to the shooting location of his upcoming film, which he described as his dream project. He urged them to postpone their Kashmir trip and stay in Tirupati for a few days. Intrigued and excited, Arvind and Vishnu agreed. Back in Chennai, Ram sat silently for a moment, his eyes moist. “I’m lucky my son came back safely,” he whispered. “So many sons and daughters never return…” He bowed his head in silent respect for the families of those who hadn’t been so fortunate. Arvind nodded thoughtfully and offered the sacred prasadam of Lord Srinivasa to his parents—a divine reminder that their detour had not just altered their plans, but may very well have saved their lives. Indeed, what seemed like a mere change of itinerary turned out to be a blessing in disguise. K.Ragavan 9-5-25 ---