Tulsi Water

"I'll give you Tuli Pani," Subas Da, helper of Officers' Hostel, told me last week. I was just touched by cough. And, I wanted to stop it from the half-way. But I had not any idea.

I remembered. I was sleeping in my room. Somebody knocked.
"Main Tulsi Pani lyake aaya hun," Subas Da told and gave me a big glass with hot water.
"Thanx so much Da", I thanked him.
He went. I saw. I saw unique color of glass with hot water. I felt. It was new. I don't know, why its color cached me.
Attracted me. I looked again and again.
"Jukham k liya sab se ach6a Dabaiya yai hain," He existed saying me that Tulsi water is the best medicine of cough.
Its color was unique for me. Its color, really I felt something new. No bright. No dark. But, why I liked it? Ram Jane.
I started to drink. But could not. It was difficult for me. Its taste was not friendly for me. Not tasty. I did not like its color. Really.
I tried but not. At last, I closed my eye and drank. It was different taste and as well as its smell.
I remembered, one day, perhaps it was near the Tihar, Keshab Basyal Dai, Mahanadi Hostel of JNU, had given some leaves of Tulsi to Parshuram Kaphle, my neighbor. Cough and me were not known each other. So, I did not care about it. He had given leaves at night when we were returning from Arabali Guest house after dinner.
How was that? I never asked to Kaphle. Really, I did not care.
Yes, I drank first time, Tulsi Pani. It was not tasty. Just drank closing eye. Yes, I drank without taste closing eye. I did not try to remember its taste, again.

After that day, I was not good. I had to need Tulsi Pani.
I knew it was not tasty. I remembered, "Medicine and advice never been tasty."
I wanted to drink more. But it was not possible everyday from Subas Da. He was old. So, my moral did not give permission to tell him.

So, I asked Dinesh, helper of Mess. But, there was technically some problem. It was that we'd already left mess and we were eating outside- sometimes 24/7 Dhaba, sometimes Ganga, sometimes Arabali Guest House, sometimes library canteen and sometimes Bramhaputra hostel.
(We have a tragic story with the Bramhaputra Hostel. I'll write later.)
But we'd (have) same relation with mess family. Then, I asked him Tulsi water.
"Nahi Sar G, aaj to sam ho gaya, Sam Tulsi ke patta lie to pap hoga," he rejected to take leaves of Tulsi in the night due to the religious reason. If he took leaves at night he would be cursed. And, he would be sent in hell.
What to do? I backed.
I phoned him. And, I purposed him, "I'll take leaves. You boil water." But he did not become ready.
"Sir G, I've a pot. I want to give you for boil," he came in my room with a pot. But plug did not work properly. What to do? Then, he did something and...
The pot was given him as gift by someone guest of Hostel. And, it was somewhere. And, said, "I use to give. It was another room who was suffering from cough. He became okay and …"
I started to boil water. But I'd not Tulsi.
I never care that how was the face of Tulsi. Just I'd an imagination that slightly big tree, leaves also big. I'd heard, it was holy tree for Hindu. And, Hindu fundamentalists use to worship. I'd heard, they use to keep near the Tulsi at the last moment of people. They use to give water and drink Tulsi Pani as holiness. Yes, my family also Hindu but they never did. I'd not seen.
"Subas Da, I want your help," I asked in Hindi and he said, "Kya?"
"I want to Tulsi leaves. But I don't know. Plz, tell me where is tree?" I asked.
We existed from reception and went outside of Hostel.
"Ye hai Tulsi ke ped," he showed small tree like bush. And I knew face of the Tulsi. But it was night. I did not see clearly.
I'd been so many times there. But I did not care that. I was been there where was a snake and killed by Ramesh Da. And next time I was there when Krishna Bahadur Karki, Chaukidar of IIMC, from Nepal, was caring Rayo Sag (vegetable) where he'd cultivated Rayo. In Hindi, it was known Rai. Tulsi tree and his Rayo were linked each-other.
Yes, he showed me tree of Tulsi.
"It is Tulsi!"
I touched.
"Subas Da, I want to Tulsi water. So, I want leaves," I said.
He surprised and rejected, "No, don't do. In night don't do. They are sleeping. We don't do at the sleeping time. You do tomorrow."
"Really? If, I did?"
"Pap lagjaiga," he repeated word of the Dinesh that I'd be coursed and could be sent to hell.
"I don't believe. If I'm sent in hell, it would be okay," I said. Then, he fired and backed asking me, "You are not Hindu?"
"I respect all religion but I don't believe," I said.
I'd heard first time that Tulsi sleeps in night. And, it is not good to take leaves of Tulsi at night. Is there any scientific reason? I'd no idea. I thought, it was said to save Tulsi by people. If they take only in day, Tulsi will be saved in night. Perhaps Hindu ancestor had made it connecting with "Pap." If connected with Pap, people will afraid and Tulsi will be saved. Just I thought. It may right or wrong.
Anyway, I took leaves. I did not feel any bad thing. I just took some old leaves.
Subas Da was watching movie in the reception room. He saw me with Tulsi leaves. But he did as that he did not see me.
I cleaned leaves with water and boiled.
I started to drink every night after dinner. I forgot when cough left me. Kaphle also joined me for Tulsi water.
Now a days, we use to drink together after dinner. Now a days, I don't do close my eye to drink. I felt tasty. Really, tasty.
Now a days, Kaphle use to take Tulsi leaves and I use to take water. And, we use to drink together.
I'd heard Tulsi tea. But never drink. I'm not drinker of tea, coffee and Bijuli Pani (wine, bear..).
It is going to be as a habit to drink Tulis water after dinner. After dinner, Kaphle comes my room with Tulsi leaves.
Yes, it is not new. But, I use to look glass. Not water. Its color. I don't know, why, I'm attracted by the color of Tulsi Pani.
Last night we took photos with the Tulsi water. But color was not seen clearly.
I want to meet with tree of the Tulsi. How is it? Is it okay or something wrong? Sometimes, I feel, tree has become bare. We have to take old leaves which will be fall, soon. But I did not say Kaphle. Sometimes I use to be sad imagining that its face has been like winter tree.
I want to know its reaction. Perception to us. Any Gunasa? I hurt? Any different to take leaves night and day? It is really Pap or it is said only?
I do not know. I want to know.
And, I want to take photo with the tree. Yes, I want to take photo with Tulsi who fought with cough. And, I want to say forgive me. Plz, tell me, can I ask it, "I would be sent in hell." If so, Keshab Da, Kaphle will be in hell?"