The Blame Game!

Prads was surprised to find commotion reigning at Swats classroom. The reason was their college project. Only two days were remaining, and there was still a lot of work to do and the team members were blaming each other. Prads did what elders usually enjoy to do at such a time,that is, giving advice, "Stop playing the blame game!. Just someone come forward and take the charge and lead others. Find a solution like Jambavanth the bear did. One of you should lead like Hanuman the monkey-god did. Don't keep on cursing like those silly apes did..." Jeevs, Swats classmate knew that Prads was in a story telling mood and asked everyone to take their seats.

Prads liked telling stories and he began thus, "In Ramayan, Sugreeva had given the difficult project of finding Sita Devi to his Vanar Sena. He also had given them deadline. One such expedition had reached the sea coast searching for Sita and were informed by a bird that Sita was in the Lanka Island. All the monkeys were now racking their brain as to how to cross the sea. When they saw that the task was next to impossible, they remembered their leader's warning of burning them alive if they came back with no results. So the frustrated apes started playing the blame game...."

Prads starting modulating his voice to suit the characters he was going to speak about, "A young monkey whose marriage was to happen in a day or two started crying, 'We are all gonna die... And our leader Sugriva is responsible for our fate... He got united with his wife and now he wants all the husbands in the world to be united with their wives. What about the to-be-husbands? Will he show mercy on me and spare me'" Jeevs who had the hots for Prads, giggled "Yups! I will convince him to spare my dear monkey"

Prads ignored her and continued, "Another young monkey had a different view, 'Its not Sugreeva. Its our dear friend Hanumantha. It was he who brought about the strategic alliance between Monkey-King Sugreeva and Lord Ram. Look where the alliance has landed us... Point of no return!' Another ape put its thinking cap and uttered like a wise old man, 'No re...It was the bird Jatayu. Instead of just dying after being attacked by Raayan, he held on to his breath and then waited for Lord Ram and after telling him how Devi Sita was forced to become the first Indian woman ever to fly overseas, he told Lord Ram in a musical fashion, 'Take my breath away...' Couldn't he just silently pass off... "'

No one was willing to interrupt the story teller. Prads continued, " A Male chauvinist pig... I mean...monkey spoke out, 'Its all because of that lady Kaikeya who used her beauty and took those two harsh boons from her husband Dasharath. MIND YOU! Root cause of all sorrow is WOMAN...' Suddenly a monkey who had a soft corner for ladies interrupted, "Na! Na! Its the old man Dasharath. Even in his old age, when he had four grown up married sons, he was passion filled and fell for the tricks of his wife. He could have simply said, 'Over my dead body!'"

Suddenly one of the listener spoke against the story, "Are you trying to please the girls here with your fun filled story or are you trying to prove something."

Prads smiled and came to the point, "A old bear in the team, Jambavanth instead of finding whom to blame focused on who or what could rescue them at this difficult time and found that only Hanuman had the ability. Only Hanuman could take such a leap and reach Lanka and return within the given time. So he used all his mind in convincing him to cross the sea and bring news of Sita. That's what I wanted to tell all of you. Instead of finding reasons as to who is responsible for the delay, why don't you focus on what needs to be done and how it should be done within the limited time. Find that someone in your team who can take the charge and help you out!"

All eyes in the classroom fell on Swats and Swats looked helplessly at Prads,"Yeh mujhe kaha pasadiya, Prads..." and she said her favorite dialogue, "with friends like you, do I need enemies".