Rhea and the Doctor

'Are you sure, Rhea?' asks my mother.

'Of course, I'm. Survival of the fittest, mother. I'm not going against Darwin. Also, I don't want unnecessary scars on my body.'

It's a known fact that we are all born to die. And frankly, I don't understand why it has to be made into such a big deal. If it were not for my mother I would have said that to the bunch of people outside my house, some of them with young kids, shouting slogans, waving placards, literally wanting me to cut one of my beating hearts out. "Save A Life. Donate!" they shout.

For someone who is one in billions, 7.125 billion to be exact, I expect to be treated better. Scientists are still befuddled regarding my condition that gave me two hearts in my mother's womb. But years of research and sticking needles into me have led them nowhere, and they have labelled me as a freak mutation. It's so rare - literally one in all humankind - that they didn't even name the anomaly (as they call it, I will call it awesomeness). I wanted to name the condition myself, something along the lines of Rhea's Heartsawesome but the doctors aren't thrilled with the suggestion. Instead, they want to cut one of them out and save a life. Huh?

An IQ of 180, increased concentration, exceptional athleticism and a phenomenal metabolism rate - are just a few boring benefits of an increased blood circulation. Why would I ever give that up?

I listened to Rhea and amazing courage and strength in her words. I love her as well as both of her hearts. She is a fabulous lady. I'm looking at her right now. I wanted to kiss her. She looks so pretty, so womanly, so sophisticated but carries two very strong hearts within.

A troubled but strong lady but speaking like a child, talking with her mother, like a strong man. But inside she knew was that she was very sick and her parents have no money for her treatment. Whatever they had, already being consumed by doctors. They were planning to go back to their native village because they could not afford to stay in the present expensive city of Patna after paying the hospital bills. Only big surgery, by some super specialist doctor, could save her now but they have no money for this costly surgery.  Government hospitals in Patna are only on papers and files. There was no one to lend them money as all knew their bad financial condition.

When Rhea heard, her father says to her mother with whispered nervousness, ‘Only the miracle of Lord Krishna can save her now, as His miracle protected the honour of Queen Draupadi.'

Strong Rhea rushed to her room and wiped out her tears. She did not want anybody to see her tears and depression. She stumbled upon an idea. Her most dear friend Shaukat was working as a Nazim in the most famous and revered dargah at Ajmer. She decided to write a letter to Shaukat for some financial assistance as Shaukat's earning was very high due to huge offering at dargah by the devotees.

So desperately she wrote a letter to Shaukat to loan some money for her surgery. Rhea hurried over to the door whenever there is a knock at the door to see she had any letter – she was highly hopeful on how Shaukat loved her. Mother came with two envelopes. Neither was from Shaukat. "Could you please check again?" Her mother has no other letter. She searched through the mailbag of the postman.

"No beta, that's it. But you might want to see again in the evening."

Rhea did not get any letter. After few days she got a letter but did not reply because Shaukat made excuses and did not help in any manner.

Depressed and clutching her own small savings tightly in her hands, she rushed out of the back door and made her way eight lanes to the village Krishna temple. She prayed to Lord Krishna and collected the prasadam from the priest.

"And what do you want beta?" asked the priest.

"I pray for my father," Rhea answered back. "He's really in trouble and I pray the Lord for a miracle. Only a miracle by Lord Krishna can make him happy."

"I could not get you?" said the priest.

"My name is Rhea and I am the daughter of Pundit Bhim Sen and I have some abnormal growth inside my heart and my father says only a miracle can save me. So how can you give me a miracle or how much a miracle costs?"

"Miracles are not sold in temples, child. I'm sorry. Only you can get by the bhakti of the Lord." The priest said, sadly to the girl. 

Rhea had her schooling in a mission school where she was poisoned about Hindu temples and priests. She had no idea how to pray as she was never had been to temples. She had visited so many churches when she was in school but there only rich and powerful were cared. So here, too in a temple, she was in a wrong impression.

"Listen pundit ji, I have the money to pay you and your Lord for it. If this is not enough, I can arrange some more money in some days. Just tell me without any hesitation, how much it costs."

Pundit Ji tried her best to convince Rhea about the power of bhakti but it has nothing to do with the status of a person.

Dejected she came back. 

She decided to write another letter to Shaukat about her ailment.

"Dear Shaukat," she wrote – and decided to tell about her own abnormal growth of her heart that she was sending all the reports, pictures, papers and stuff given by the doctors about her ailment. "Here is the simple and honest explanation." She said.

Rhea thought her letters had been wearing Shaukat down. her last one, apparently, was the most pathetic to mellow him down. So she made a decision – at least for a long time, she wouldn't write again. She had even made up her mind to marry him and settle in Ajmer.

But now she realized that the more the thought of marrying Shaukat percolated through the happier she became, until now she realized that, by thinking of marrying Shaukat, she was disgracing herself as well as her family. She opened her eyes to reality and had a long, hard laugh at herself. Now she realized she was being stupid to revolt against her roots. She, reasoned, I had seen the world and her parents are tons more experience than her.

She purchased three tickets to Ajmer. Her attempt to finish her college had come to nought; she had dropped out of the college. She summed it all up to herself by uttering that there was no way on earth that she could be of any interest to Shaukat.

Shaukat asked Rhea to visit the dargah at Ajmer for the blessings of Baba. "I wanted to see you and you would benefit from your visit." At dargah, she did everything whatever suggested by Shaukat. She spent a lot of money on the rituals. "Good luck and I hope you will be cured now without any further trouble! With very fond memories, Reha. Good luck. P.S. I'm very sorry!"

She now hated herself for loving Shaukat. His harsh parting words pierced her heart like a sharp javelin. She had considered marrying him! That was my last night at the dargah. She had always thought that the dargah must be very beautiful, clean and holy place. But it didn't. And there was no good and beautiful area nearby.

No matter, she decided to cut her stay. She slept poorly that night. Lots of thoughts came to her mind as to how life would play once she reached to her village.

She wanted to join the Territorial Peace Corps to serve the people but rejected on medical ground.

Reha went to her dirty, dingy shanty type room near dargah. She took her belongings. She got up, soaked in sweat. Even in the harsh light of the dargah's night lamp, she appeared bold and beautiful.

She boarded the train back home to her village with her sad parents. This was perhaps her last journey. The announcement let her know that so many other people were also taking that train.

Rhea was not in a mood to talk, but she did see the nearby passengers. But on the train was a very well dressed passenger. He was seated next to them. He started talking Rhea and her parents.

He asked Rhea about her visit to Ajmer. He came to know about her ailment too. Her parents told him that only a miracle could save her.

He asked Rhea, "What kind of a miracle do you need?"

"I do not know" Rhea replied with tears but shining in her eyes. "I am really sick and the father says that I need a surgery but my father is very poor now and he cannot pay the medical bills. Our all the savings have been finished at the dargah."

She cried but hid her tears. How foolish she was about the thought to make Shaukat happy by her visit, thereby achieving her goal to see Shaukat befooled her.

"How much do you have?" asked the man.

"One thousand and one hundred rupees only; but I can try and arrange some more. Just tell me how much more you need." She answered in a low voice.

"Well, what an auspicious coincidence," smiled the man, "One thousand and one hundred means eleven hundred – the exact price of a miracle you need."

He took the money in one hand and held the hand of Rhea with the other. He asked Rhea and her parents to accompany him. "I will take you where I live and where Lord performs the miracle. I have the kind of miracle you need."

Bewildered Reha and her parents followed the man.

That well dressed, young and decent man was Dr Bhakti Govind Das, Cardiologist who was a Krishna devotee and lives at ISCON temple, Vrindavan UP. "Come with me, I will take you where I live and work."

Dr Bhakti Govind Das was the Head of the Department, Cardiologist Surgery Unit, ISCON Hospital Vrindavan.

He completed the operation. The operation took more than five hours and surprisingly he charged nothing. He offered one thousand one hundred rupees given by Rhea in the donation box.

In a few days, Rhea was absolutely all right and was doing well. 

"That surgery" her father whispered, "was a real miracle. I wonder how it would have cost to Dr.Bhakti Govind Das."

He mother and father whispered that Dr Bhakti Govind Das was the messenger God.

Rhea smiled. She knew exactly how much the miracle cost….one thousand and one hundred rupees.… plus the faith of Rhea in Lord Krishna…

A few days passed. Now Rhea was perfectly fit to walk. She expressed her desire to visit ISCON temple.

Dr Bhakti Govind Das, asked Rhea to accompany him. He watched her go down slowly and slowly downstairs. Dressed in saffron, kurta-salwar, looking at each step very carefully, as she descended. Dr Bhakti Govind Das, hold her hand firmly so as not to let her stumble.

Rhea turned and glanced at Dr Bhakti Govind Das with intensity, never seen before. Her face blushed. Her eyes were gleaming, possibly with love. She spoke in a very feeble voice. "My parents are not irrational but very poor! I love my parents! They have done so much for me. But now you have come in my life as an angel. You've just illuminated everything in my life. You have given me a new life. I cannot live without you."

Dr Bhakti Govind Das took Rhea to ISCON temple. They were both standing in front of the majestic idol of Lord Krishna.

She had tears in her eyes. She came closer to Dr Bhakti Govind Das. With her shoulder towards Dr Bhakti Govind Das, she put her head on the shoulder of Dr Das.

For few minutes they remained in that position. Then the voice of Dr Bhakti Govind Das broke the silence.

"Left hand Rhea." She raised her head. He took her palm, raised it a little and slipped the diamond ring onto her ring finger.

Rhea was taken aback. She opened her eyes. Her eyes fluttered. Her mouth was half open.

"There is another thing. Shut your eyes again." She shut her eyes again like a little child.

This time Rhea with anticipating that Dr Bhakti Govind Das would say: my princes, my lovely girl, my wife. But this did not happen.

"Left hand again Rhea." Rhea beamed and raised her left arm, stopping when she felt his affectionate hand. He put the bracelet on her wrist.

He said, "Now you can open your eyes. I hope you will be happy now."

Again he reached into his pocket and took out a shining necklace. Almost the sun shone on her open hand. The white diamond gleamed. The sapphires were bluer than the sky. The necklace became a part and witness of a new relationship. He took a step forward and put the necklace around the neck of Rhea. It sparkled.

Dr.Bhakti Govind Das put his arm around her waist and kissed her. Reha shut her eyes. She did not resist. She didn't believe. He holds her hand so tightly in such a manner that she understood that it was a reality; not a dream. She dropped to her knees and threw our arms around her legs. And a smile, a gorgeous smile, appeared on her face.

The air moved slowly. It shook the temple bells and scattered flocks of pigeons flew nearby. The love idols of Radha-Govind smiled.